Recurrent miscarriage: Causes and solutions

Recurrent miscarriages can be caused by many reasons, but there are also a few cases where experts have not yet explained why women experience this condition.

Miscarriage is always a fear for couples preparing to be a parent, especially those who have gone through this condition many times. Recurrent miscarriages are quite common, and women who experience this condition, in addition to physical damage, face enormous emotional pain. Please join aFamilyToday Health to continue to share the following to understand the cause of this condition and how to fix it.

Repeated miscarriages can be very painful for a woman. Some even lose hope of becoming a mother in the future. If you are also experiencing this pain, do not lose faith because of the fact that there are many cases of women who have successfully conceived and delivered children after continuous miscarriage.

According to statistics, one out of every 100 women experiences recurrent miscarriage. This risk increases as we age.

What is recurrent miscarriage?

Recurrent miscarriages, or continuous miscarriages, are three consecutive miscarriages when the fetus is less than 20 weeks old or a fetal weight is less than 500g. Continuous miscarriage differs from discontinuous miscarriage, which is an intermittent miscarriage that has normal pregnancies between miscarriages. There are two types of continuous miscarriage:

Primary continuous miscarriage: pregnant woman has not given birth to a live baby.

Secondary continuous miscarriage: pregnant woman has had at least one baby successfully.

The rate of women with continuous miscarriage accounts for 0.5 - 1% of pregnancies. Women who have had three consecutive miscarriages have a 50% chance of their baby having the next births and a preterm birth rate 20% higher than normal.

The cause of recurrent miscarriage

Currently, researchers have not been able to determine the exact cause directly leading to this condition. However, many studies have shown that this condition may be related to certain maternal health problems:

Antiphospholipid syndrome: (also known as antiphospholipid antibody syndrome ) This is an autoimmune disease, when acquired, antibodies in the immune system mistakenly recognize phospholipid as harmful and attack, while Phospholipids are components that play a role in the structure of cells. As a result, cells are damaged, leading to the formation of blood clots in arteries, veins and blood clots that are responsible for 15 to 20% of recurrent miscarriages.

Genes: If your or your husband's chromosomes are abnormal, it could lead to a miscarriage. Miscarriage caused by a fetal disorder accounts for 50 - 85% of miscarriages. However, the rate of pregnancy with chromosomal disorders in women with continuous miscarriage is quite low, only about 3-5%.

Inherited blood clotting disorders: Like Antiphospholipid syndrome, a genetic clotting disorder , also known as thrombophilia, causes women to have abnormal blood clots and increase the risk of miscarriage.

Abnormal uterus : Weak, open cervix, abnormal uterine shape , or fibroids can also lead to recurrent miscarriage. This causes about 15% of cases.

Vaginal infections: Bacterial vaginosis can also increase the risk of miscarriage and lead to preterm delivery. In addition, other infections such as listeriosis, toxoplasmosis, herpes, measles ... can also cause miscarriage.

Septate uterus: This is the most common cause of a miscarriage. Instead of having an empty space like in healthy women, the uterus is now divided into two parts by a tissue wall.

Hormonal problems: This can be one of the causes of recurrent miscarriage. Pregnant mothers with polycystic ovaries can also be the "culprit" leading to miscarriage.

Endocrine disorders: The mother pregnant with disorders such as hypothyroidism , diabetes, if not treated, can also cause miscarriage.

Age can also be the reason for this phenomenon. The older you get, the higher the risk of miscarriage. When you turn 35 years old, the number and quality of eggs will begin to decrease. This can lead to a chromosomal abnormality in the baby and increase the likelihood of a miscarriage.

Lifestyle: Alcoholism, drinking coffee, smoking, using drugs, working in a stressful environment, living in a polluted environment for a long time, and not being adjusted after A miscarriage can be the cause of an increased risk of miscarriage.

If all investigations and clinical tests have been performed and the results are normal, continuous miscarriage of unknown cause can be thought of. About 75% of women with recurrent unexplained miscarriages become pregnant without treatment.

How to diagnose the cause of recurrent miscarriage?

Doctors will do a physical exam to find out the true cause of recurrent miscarriage. In addition, your doctor will also recommend an ultrasound to evaluate your ovaries and uterus. Blood tests may also be recommended to see if you or your husband have abnormal chromosomes.

How to treat recurrent miscarriage?

Treatment depends on the cause being diagnosed. Of course, in cases of unexplained miscarriages, doctors will follow up and give you advice. Here are some specific treatments:

Genetic counseling: Genetic counseling is recommended if you have a chromosomal disorder. Methods In Vitro Fertilization combined with special genetic test, also known as genetic pre-transplant diagnosis, makes selecting embryos unaffected.

The hormone progesterone injection: Your doctor may give you an injection of the hormone progesterone to relax muscles and reduce the risk of miscarriage.

Antiphospholipid Syndrome: Doctors will prescribe medications that prevent blood clots such as heparin, sometimes combined with low-dose aspirin use throughout pregnancy and for a few weeks after.

Surgery: Surgery to correct uterine defects, such as removing the septum in the uterus, can help increase your chances of a successful pregnancy.

If you cannot find the cause, your doctor will have an active pregnancy regimen such as hormone supplementation for pregnant women to maintain their pregnancy.

In the next pregnancy, pregnant mothers need regular prenatal check-ups and close monitoring of the pregnancy. If you notice signs of lower abdominal pain or vaginal bleeding, pregnant mothers need to immediately go to medical facilities to be examined and determined the pregnancy status.

There are many cases of successful pregnancies and childbirth after persistent miscarriage. Therefore, do not be too pessimistic. If you feel overwhelmed, seek support from friends and family. It's important to be optimistic and positive - two things that will be essential for a normal pregnancy and a healthy baby.