6 Most Common Miscarriage Causes

Whether you have been through a miscarriage or are trying to prevent one, the first question you’d most likely ask is “Why?”.

While a miscarriage may be emotionally and physically draining, it is either inevitable or avoidable. For both the cases, you need to know what causes a miscarriage and how you can prepare yourself to prevent miscarriage.

Below are the 6 most common causes of a miscarriage:

1. Chromosome defects

Most of us are aware of the process of embryo formation, but little do we know about the chromosomal dynamics of egg or sperm during fertilization. Abnormalities during fertilization with either egg or sperm may be one of the most common causes.

This mostly happens in case the woman is older than 35 years of age as the probability of a miscarriage doubles as a woman nears 40. Paternal age may also play a role in these defects.

2. Thyroid

Most of us relate thyroid to its abnormal effects on body weight, but the major impact of the thyroid is in childbirth. Be it hypo or hyper, thyroid issues are known to cause infertility or miscarriages.

A simple explanation to it would be that the body tries to make up for low thyroid function by producing some hormones that can actually have ill-effects on ovulation.

Also, these hormones may not let the estrogen perform, preventing implantation or causing abnormal bleeding from the uterus.

Controlling thyroid is one of the most essential ways to prevent miscarriage.

3. Diabetic disorders

Diabetes is not only one of the major causes of a miscarriage but can also be a major cause of birth defects. If your sugar control is not optimized, it is wise to contact your doctor before trying to conceive in order to prevent miscarriage.

4. Erratic lifestyle

Drugs, alcohol, and tobacco consumption are known to be quite against the probability of survival of an embryo. These lethal lifestyle habits have been associated with early miscarriages as well as risks in later trimesters.

One can reduce the risk of miscarriage by optimizing health and habits before trying to get pregnant. You must follow a balanced diet free of alcohol and drugs and maintain an hour but exercise regime in the lead up to pregnancy to prevent miscarriage. Stress management is also a crucial lifestyle change that you must take up in order to reduce the chance of a miscarriage.

5. Physical complications with the mother

Cervical incompetencies, septum or polyps of the uterus, polycystic ovaries, or a weak uterus are also common causes of miscarriages. These may not be widespread, but pose the risk of miscarriage in the later trimesters.

6. Blood clotting disorders

While these may not be as common as the other factors, blood clotting disorders like factor V Leiden may cause miscarriages.

Doctors and researchers around the world are split in their opinion about the impact of immunological disorders on pregnancy but it has been observed that they do contribute to recurrent miscarriages.

When the early stages of pregnancy culminate in a miscarriage, it is often difficult to isolate the reason and chalk out a plan to prevent miscarriage. You may take it as the law that governs life and makes sure of the compatibility of birth with life. There may not be a fixed formula to rule out miscarriage but knowing  the reasons will help you plan your interaction with your gynaecologist and also take up feasible precautions.

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