Deanna's Miscarriage Keepsake Cards
I've been told dozens of different statistics from various sources, including my doctors, articles, and books. Most doctors are unwilling to get into statistics, as you may have discovered. I researched this issue well and am going out on a limb because I know you want to know something, even if it may not apply to you in the end.
If you would like to look at my written sources, visit books and resources.
For most normal, healthy women in their first pregnancy, the statistics look like this:
|
Week of Gestation |
Percentage
Likelihood |
|
1-2 (You do not know you are pregnant) |
75% (this includes eggs that never grow past fertilization, and it would have been impossible to know you were pregnant; after implantation, which occurs 7-10 days after ovulation, the odds go down to 31%)2 |
|
3-6 |
10% (after home urine test is positive at 14 days post ovulation when hCG levels reach 50-80)2 |
|
6-12 |
5% (or less if heartbeat heard) |
|
2nd trimester |
3% (considered stillbirth after 20 weeks) |
|
3rd trimester |
No longer considered miscarriage once fetus is beyond one pound (500 grams) around 24 weeks gestation. Stillbirth rate is 1%. |
Statistics for repeat miscarriage
| Situation | Percentage
Likelihood of Miscarriage in Your Next Pregnancy |
| If you had a miscarriage in your first pregnancy | 13% chance of it happening again (up from 10%)1 |
| One miscarriage after having one or more live births | 10% (no more than normal) |
| Two pregnancies and two miscarriages | 40% (you should already be eligible for basic testing)1 |
| Multiple miscarriages with one or more live births | 13% if you are under 35 If you had one healthy child early on and later have several miscarriages in a row, you should seek testing, as your odds may have changed. |
| Three pregnancies and three miscarriages | 60% (you should have testing done after three concurrent miscarriages)1 |
| Four or more miscarriages with no live births | Your odds are as low as 0 to 5%. It's time to stop trying on your own and seek the help of a qualified reproductive endocrinologist or fertility specialist. See the section on causes of miscarriage for more information on what may be causing your losses.42 |
| Maternal age over 35 | If you have healthy children or this is your first pregnancy, and are in good health yourself, there is no reason to worry about an increased risk of miscarriage. It is a fact, however, that eggs begin to deteriorate after age 35 regardless of the mother's health, and a higher rate of miscarriage and babies born with birth defects will occur. Recommended reading if you are over 35 can be found at www.marchofdimes.com. |
| After your first miscarriage, your likelihood of becoming a recurrent miscarrier | 20%6
I don't like this statistic, as it doesn't match the others. But few places will give a number for this. This one comes from Miscarriage, A Woman Doctor's View. |
Statistics on Ectopic Pregnancy
Situation |
Percentage
Likelihood |
No history of ectopics |
2%43 |
| Tube with ectopic removed completely | 9% |
| Tube with ectopic preserved | 12% |
Even though your rate of ectopic is a bit higher when your tube is preserved, you want to keep your tube if you can. It dramatically increases your ability to get pregnant again.