The Latest News About Miscarriage

Scientists know more than ever about what causes it -- and which women may be at higher risk.
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Who's at risk?

When a nine-week ultrasound revealed that she'd had a miscarriage, Lisa Pisha was desperate for answers. "I just wanted to know why I lost my baby," says Pisha, 30, of Naperville, Illinois. "Was it something I ate, or drank, or did during my pregnancy? Was it just a fluke?" But no one -- not her doctor or her friends, or even the miscarriage Web sites she studied -- could offer a definitive answer. "When I got pregnant again, I was on pins and needles for my entire first trimester," Pisha says. Fortunately, things went smoothly, and her daughter, Graham, was born last April.

Officially, about 15 percent of all known pregnancies end in a miscarriage, meaning they terminate before the 20th week. (After that, the loss is considered a stillbirth, according to the March of Dimes.) But experts say the actual number may be closer to 50 percent when it includes early miscarriages that happen before a woman even realizes she's pregnant. And virtually everyone, regardless of age, health, and previous successful pregnancies, is vulnerable. "No woman is immune," says Katherine E. Hartmann, MD, PhD, director of women's health research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, in Nashville. Because miscarriages happen so often, most doctors don't even evaluate women until they've had at least two.

Still, women and physicians are understandably eager to learn more about what can trigger a miscarriage, and the latest research is uncovering some surprising possibilities.

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Comments
Comments (33)
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emily_crowder20 wrote:

I had my first m/c this past May.my obgyn gave me some pills to put me into labor and help me pass the fetuse naturally. I went and had my first ultra sound done at week 13, obgyn said it didn't make it past week 6.today I just had another miscarriage and didn't know I was pregnant This is 2 losses for me this year and idk why

6/28/2011 12:26:04 AM Report Abuse
ollie5817 wrote:

i am 6 weeks pregnant.i had a transvaginal ultra sound and they said tha the sac was low in my uterus.i have had another u/s since,diagnosis is threatened mc,anyone else been through this?heartbeat is 120 but hcg levels aren't going up as they should

1/25/2011 11:58:03 AM Report Abuse
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12/28/2010 06:17:21 PM Report Abuse
ambershea2010 wrote:

i hear all about everyone's miscarriages and i feel for everyone, even though i have 3 children and have never had a miscarriage.....although, my question is.....even though ive had 3 kids and never any m/c...i am 7 weeks preg with my fourth child and have heard so much about m/c's and it's just got me worried that i'll have one....if i've made it through 3 pregnancies and never not one m/c...do u think it's possible to have one now with the fourth one?

11/16/2010 05:10:58 PM Report Abuse
angel19clh wrote:

I had a miscarriage in March 2010, almost 13 weeks in. They didn't do a d&c at the hospital they said that my body would naturally do what it needed to do. 2 weeks later I was back in the emergency room to "complete" my miscarriage...a horrible experience. One of the things that made me so angry was the term "spontaneous abortion"...I just hated seeing that on the paperwork! http://thatswhatithink-clh.blogspot.com/2010/11/my-detour.html

11/16/2010 01:36:41 PM Report Abuse
girlgurlusa2 wrote:

you should really go to your doc an ask for an check up one cause may be an STD. DR.Rao

8/13/2010 07:39:31 AM Report Abuse
anonymous wrote:

Im 8 wks preg & just found out that I may be having a m/c. The ultrasound did not show a h/b. My dr is going to do another u/s in 10 days just to make sure b4 we take any other actions. My body isnt showing any signs of a m/c that I recognize. This would be my 1st m/c. My Dr wants to start me on the medicine to help my body discard of the tissues. I don't feel comfortable doing this if mother nature is not showing some signs that there is a problem. Any advice?

7/25/2010 11:33:34 AM Report Abuse
katinthehatt1 wrote:

I also had blighted ovums in Feb 2010. It was shocking bc I never had any cramps, bleeding, spotting and I had to have a DNC bc my body was holding onto the babies. Mine would hv bn twins,the pregnancy just stopped and they never got heartbeats and it took another 2 weeks b4 hormone levels started dropping which would indicate a problem. So now I'm pregnant again and worried bc my first ultrasound and heartbeat is still 3wks away, before I'll have any indication if its a normal pregnancy.

7/13/2010 11:15:41 AM Report Abuse
sbchick9 wrote:

i just found out 2day that im pregnant,yes in so scared i had a miscarage on febuary after 8 weeks pregnant it wasnt succefull.i am really happy ,but am also scared it might HAPPEND again.i just hope i can go trew this first trimester.

5/28/2010 03:28:38 PM Report Abuse
crodriguez50 wrote:

Harrellbrenda, The same thing happened to me in my 1st pregnancy at 13 weeks. They had to do a DNC. I was really upset and did not understand. However, 6 weeks later I was pregnant again with my oldest daughter who just turned 7 last month. I was pregnant with my second daughter who is 5, when the first one was 8 mnths old. Now I am 9 weeks pregnant with my 3rd child. It is difficult at first. Don't give up hope and know that it was not your fault.

2/11/2010 07:45:28 PM Report Abuse
harrellbrenda wrote:

I went to the doctor yesterday because I was spotting and the doctor tried to see if she could hear the child heartbeat and wasn't sucessful and schedule an ultrasound and thirty minutes later I was told that the sac was visible, but the fetus wasn't there. I'm 12 weeks pregnant and now they tell me that I had a miscarrage which is called BLIGHTED OVUM I never heard of any such thing and yes I'm confused and disappointed because I thought I made it pass the 1st trimeter!!!!!!!!

2/10/2010 06:36:48 PM Report Abuse
terrica05 wrote:

sydney, for what i know that is totally normal, increasing water intake is always +. dont stress, it makes the situation worse.im thinking on starting my fertility treatment again after having a ms 2 months ago. is it to soon? any advice. I really appreciate any ones opinion. thanks

1/27/2010 01:17:27 AM Report Abuse
20Sydney10 wrote:

this is my first pregnancy.Im terrified that something is going to go wrong and im going to loose this baby. I have dreams about it and i think about the baby and if its ok all day. My moods are terrible. My husband is tryin to help me threw this but nothing he says makes me feel better. Now when i go pee theres yellow stuff on the toilet paper.Should i drink more water and see if it clears up. i just dont know if i can wait to make sure everything is going good. Any advice?

1/26/2010 10:28:40 AM Report Abuse
BadGurl879541 wrote:

i had alot of miscarries and i live in florida and i have to fly to wisconsin tomorrow and am affraid i will loose this baby it took me a year after i had all them miscarries to gt pregnant this time i also have 2 kids as well i had my first in 2007 and the sefond in 2008...somebody hplease let me know.... and also i asked all myu doctors ands they told me everything should be fine but i am just really worried

1/26/2010 10:21:56 AM Report Abuse
ruggiemn wrote:

i had a miscarriage two years ago i am now 5 weeks pregnant and so worried i will lose this one what should i do

1/22/2010 02:04:28 PM Report Abuse
brownsuger0391 wrote:

I had a stillborn at 5 months in 2008 I waite a little over a year to try again I went the doctors on 1-5-10 to fing out I was pregnant and a week later 1-11-10 I was hit with your having a threatened miscarriage I bled for 5 days pregnacy test are still coming up posotive can someone give me an answer.

1/20/2010 06:16:41 PM Report Abuse
terrica05 wrote:

Peaches, Dont be scared think positive and everything will go great.

1/15/2010 02:30:21 AM Report Abuse
terrica05 wrote:

Hi everyone, I had a miscarriage on nov 14th of 2009, after mc i had bleeding for about 7 days. on dec 12th 2009 i started bleeding again for another 7 days and again started bleeding the 29th of december.Once again i started bleeding yesterday 1/13/10, is their something wrong? is this normal?This is a really hard situation to go threw, i would really appreciate any advice. thanks terri

1/15/2010 02:27:18 AM Report Abuse
peaches45829 wrote:

I delivered a stillborn baby boy at 26 weeks in August of 2008.I had a miscarriage in Oct of 09.The doctor told me to wait to try again because it would probably take a couple months to get pregnant again.I found out in Nov of 2009 that I'm pregnant again,so I must've gotten pregnant again immediately after the miscarriage in October!I am now 13 weeks and everything is going smoothe so far,but I'm still so scared!I'm due July 23rd so hopefully I'll get to meet my angel this time!

1/13/2010 09:31:13 PM Report Abuse
sousa.kathy wrote:

i already had one miscarriage when i was 10 1/2 weeks and now im pergant again and i really want to do anything and eveything i can to keep this baby im just really scared but im 7 weeks i just want to make it to my 4 month and then things for me would be a eas

12/31/2009 11:49:24 PM Report Abuse
a_peters_453 wrote:

I just found out I am 4 weeks and 3 days pregnant. I am very nervous this is my first pregnancy and I have hypothyroidism but have had it under control since I was 17 and I am now 22. My fiance has had 2 miscarriages with a previous girlfriend and a few years later had a beautiful baby girl. I don't know what to expect he is really nervous and scared of losing the baby any advice would be greatly appreicated. you can contact me at a_peters_453@yahoo.com

12/30/2009 02:50:19 PM Report Abuse
missy_monkey2 wrote:

thank you

12/25/2009 11:24:23 AM Report Abuse
osbornerhonda wrote:

I had a miscarriage on May 24,2009. I found out the day before Thanksgiving that I was pregnant again. I started spotting on Sunday December 7, 2009. They did an utrasound and discovered that I was having twins the next morning I started cramping really bad and had passed something I went back and the doctors told me that I had another miscarriage. They want me to go to a specialist to see what is causing them before I try again. I just hope and pray that all goes well.

12/22/2009 10:52:19 AM Report Abuse
hotgal182 wrote:

I suffered a miscarriages in Oct 07 and Oct 08. Both times I was about 6-8 weeks and started spotting. I found out I was pregnant again in May 09. With no answers the first two times, and after a normal pregnancy in 02, I demanded answers. I saw my ob-gyn as soon as I had a + pregnancy test, before any spotting. He ran several blood tests as he had before and found that my levels were already dropping. He prescribed Progesterone supplements. Now I am expecting my baby girl next month.

12/21/2009 11:42:16 AM Report Abuse
zettyboo11 wrote:

I had a miscarriage in January, it took 10 months and finally I found I was pregnant last week on dec.3 only to have a miscarriage yesterday. I am crushed emotionally. I don't know if i should try again because it hurts so bad.

12/11/2009 11:58:55 AM Report Abuse
hottglass74 wrote:

I have a high rate of m/c (I have lost 3 all around week 12)and went to a specialist after the 3rd m/c. I have the characteristics of Lupus but don't have Lupus so my blood clots and won't let the baby have any blood therefore stops the growth and heartbeat. Took 2 tests one on the 8th and one on the 9th and they both came up positive. The doctor hasn't confirmed pg and has already put me on heparin shots twice a day...I am so nervous. Has anyone ever been through this?

12/10/2009 04:18:35 PM Report Abuse
Mrs.Hunt2006 wrote:

He believes that my brain is not communicating with my ovaries the way it should. I am going on a special diet to help regulate my system. I have a D&C scheduled for tomorrow. They should find some answers as to why I keep having miscarriages. It is a tough thing to endure. Having a great doctor that is positive and wants to try things to help you conceive is the best solution. I have more hope and faith that it will happen, my babies will stick, because of my new doctor.

11/30/2009 03:40:36 PM Report Abuse
Mrs.Hunt2006 wrote:

I too have lost three children this year. First in April 09, I was about 2/3 weeks pregnant. In the middle of November we found out that we were 6 weeks pregnant with twins. Last week, I was 8 weeks, I lost both of them. With my first mc the er doctors said it was no big deal. I decided to go to a fertility specialist when we got our second bfp. My first apt with him was right after we found out we had miscarried again.

11/30/2009 03:40:32 PM Report Abuse
joeline.sculac wrote:

I am 12 weeks and I also started spotting. I went to the hospital today n they told me that it is very normal. The doc said all I can do is call my ob-gyn and they will prob want me to do an altra sound and more blood work to make sure my counts are still normal. He said if the counts go down then that means miscarriage. I would also like more info because I am very very scared and this is my 1st pregnancy. Thank you Joeline

11/22/2009 07:12:24 PM Report Abuse
dixiesblonde1 wrote:

I had 2 miscarriages in 1 year. 1 was April 09 & my second 1 happened Oct 09 & my doctor won't test me or anything. He told me to go to a specialist but my insurance will not pay for it. So to ease me I am going to a new doctor. My Doctor said after this to every time after this will be a 50/50 shot I keep it & I don't wanna have that thought every time I get pregnant... Has any 1 been where Im @ now? I know everybody is different but it also helps to know that Im not alone....

11/17/2009 10:47:00 AM Report Abuse
terrica05 wrote:

thank you melis. im thinking positive and hoping everything goes ok. waiting to see my doctor soon.god bless. T

11/10/2009 11:59:37 PM Report Abuse
21lovebug wrote:

When I wa 5 weeks pregnant I spotted a few days of the brown discharge. I called my doctor office, they told me to avoid sex for a few days until it stopped. they said that it is old blood from when your cervix gets irritated. But if you are still worried call your doctor. I had a miscarriage at 6 weeks, I would have been 8 weeks now ( my first pregnancy ). Good Luck and think positive. Melis

11/10/2009 09:42:57 PM Report Abuse
terrica05 wrote:

i am 5 weeks i started spotting brown disharge, only when i wipe. went to emergency room and told me all signs of pregnancy was their and sac was attach to uterus. Diagnosis threatend miscarriage, i am on my 3rd day and still spotting a bit. can anyone share this experience with me and let me know more info on it. i am extremly worried since this is my 1st pregnancy. thank you T

11/7/2009 10:22:58 PM Report Abuse
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