I’m going to start this page with the important point that there are very few miscarriages that are preventable. Well over half of all miscarriages are caused by random genetic problems in the baby that could not be avoided.
When a miscarriage is occurring, there is no magic way to stop it from happening.
Remember that bleeding happens in 60 percent of all pregnancies, but only 10% end in miscarriage. Call your doctor, but think carefully if you want to go to the ER. Quite often you will only be turned away.
If a miscarriage is indeed happening, by the time you begin bleeding, the baby has almost always already died. This is a frustrating and terrible situation to be in, and when it happens to you, you will initially have no idea that it is so common. Before your research is done, though, you will find that one out of every 10 pregnancies ends in miscarriage, and that one in every four women will have one at some point in her reproductive years.
An important section to read if you are sure you could have prevented your miscarriage is the page on myths. There you will find the most common things women blame for their miscarriage, and why they are not a factor.
The few types of preventable miscarriages involve the following causes:
Physical problem with the uterus or cervix
A Warning
When searching the internet, you will often see advertisements for products that claim to prevent miscarriage, most often some form of progesterone.
I just suffered my second miscarriage. Thankfully I was blessed to have my son in between the two but I had so hoped that the first would have been my last. Now I am still bleeding but trying to look ahead as all I can think about is getting pregnant again. At the same time I am terrified. I saw my OB – she said that likely they were due to a chromosomal anomaly and not an underlying problem with me. My bloodwork was all “normal”. She offered me progesterone if I wanted but said that there was no evidence to show that it changes the outcome. I dont want to take anything unnecessarily but I just want to do everything I can to prevent this from happening again,….I dont think I could live through another miscarriage…Any advice/thoughts…
Sabrina,
I’m sorry you’ve had to go through this loss again.
Honestly, I agree about the progesterone not being a help for you. If you’ve had a healthy baby, then it’s very unlikely you have a hormone problem. And progesterone has its complications.
The only thing to do is manage best you can, pull together all your courage, and try again.
Hang in there.
Deanna
Founder
Facts about Miscarriage
https://www.pregnancyloss.info
Join our brand-new Facebook group where women can come together to share
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=36550145054&ref=mf
I am 43. My husband and I decided to ttc our first child in March. After only two months of trying naturally, I became pregnant. However, my numbers dropped at the 2nd HCG test in half. I lost the baby at 4 weeks, 6 days. We are going to begin ttc again after my period this month using the smep. I pray that it will happen. We are both in good health, my husband has recently lost 25 pounds through healthy diet and exercise. I workout and have regularly for over 20 years, I eat well and am at a healthy weight. Neither of us do drugs or smoke. We both social drink. Is there any reason if my periods are regular and I am ovulating that I am too old to do this again?
Hello Gina,
I am very sorry for the loss of your baby.
It is definitely true that it is harder to carry a child to term past 40, but it is done all the time.
The problem is that your eggs have aged, so some of the chromosomes “stick” together, and when they get fertilized, the DNA material does not divide properly.
The egg can grow a bit, come down the tube, and implant, causing pregnancy symptoms and hormone production, but often the baby just can’t get very far before too much of the DNA is damaged and the cells just don’t differentiate like they are supposed to. Sometimes the body lets go of the egg, and other times it keeps producing hormones and acting pregnant, since some of the cells are still dividing.
This is still your precious baby, with all the love and hope that comes with him or her, but it is simply a terrible part of our reproduction.
Now, there ARE still good eggs in there. You just have to wait for them, and keep trying. You will endure more as you try to get pregnant, and the risks are high, but the rewards are certainly worth it.
Hang in there.
So Im 24 weeks pregnant and one day. Last night I began to get really hot and horribly sweaty. Then I got bad contractions which actually felt like really bad menstrual cramps only 1000 X worse! I felt like my stomach wanted to explode! Then came the diarrhea. I kept trying to brave them out. But I just couldnt. Ive never been so scared in my life! I actually was crying and I really wanted my mommy. (I know I know Im 22 and Im crying for my mom) But it hurt sooooo bad! I got into bed, turned on the fan and laid down. My boyfriend got into bed with me and basically lulled me to sleep rubbing my back. The contractions actually got less and less frequent and less painful. Although this morning I woke up and the contractions were still kinda happening but it was really lightly. The top of my stomach was sore and felt like I had been excersized my tummy with crunchies! I still had diarrhea this morning and when I walk my poor back whines like crazy. I have no idea if I lost my mucuos plug!
Hi there,
I had a d&c on Jan 17th at 10.5 weeks, they said the baby stopped growing at 6.5 weeks. I had no period for 8 weeks and 2 days, then bled a medium flow. Since after the surgery I did a hpt every week, always coming out positive. After 8 weeks I got a blood test that showed my hcg level at 29. 1 week later, it was 25. Another week later, 14. So I felt good that it’s going down and I’m just one of those that it takes a long time… Well I did another test 5 days after the last one and levels back up to 22. What on earth could be happening??
Thanks in advance!!!
Sorry I forgot to mention – never any cramps, and I’ve had 3 scans in the past month all normal, nothing left over from d&c confirmed. The last scan in fact showed a thick endometrium and some follicles…
I had a D&c on may2 at 10.5 weeks they also said the baby quit growing at 8 weeks. It was so hard this would of been my first baby and I am 37. It’s been a couple weeks now I feel fine except my stomach has been cramping like i’m fixing to start my period very uncomfortable but no period, is this normal? My husband and I also have been having unprotected sex.
im 37 and have had to missed mcs in last ten months/one at nine weeks one at 10weeks 6 days. both cases baby was properly developed for dates.ive had three live births.last one nine years ago.doc said i wasnt old.specialist looked at scan could see no abnormalities etc.
ive never had a problenm before.i have a retroverted uterus but didnt think that was issue?wwhat advice now.they said they will do hormone profile and blood in case i aquired a sticky blood for want of a word.am really annoyed as babies were developed and good sizes for dates
I am on my 4 th pregnancy my first was a miscarriage I have 2 beautiful girls now and am pregnant again I’m terrified I will miscarriage. I’m 8 weeks and excepting prayers. Thank you everyone I will keep you informed. Brittany Howard
We just recently lost our first child at 8 weeks 3 days and we are devastated. Right around the holidays we told everyone, then right before New Years we lost him/her. What was the worst is the DAY BEFORE I miscarried I saw the doc, we saw the heartbeat and everything looked fine. I had been spotting for a week or so, but they said that can be normal and everything else looked good. Just seeing that heartbeat and then losing the baby was so hard. I also got the Rogham shot the day before since I am O- and hubby is A+. Should I have gotten the shot sooner? Did this have something to do with what happened? I can’t help but search for answers ….
Hi,
I just had a D&C last friday. It was horrible and devastating. I’m 22, its my first baby and I just don’t know why did it happen. Last Dec 30, was my first check up at the OB-Gyne and we were told it was a healthy baby that I was healthy then 2 weeks prior to that we were told that I had to abort the baby. It’s crazy, felt mixed emotions that night. Just email me something that could prevent it the next time, please. I really want to have my own baby this year or by next year. I don’t have any idea what to do to make it right again. I don’t want it to happen ever again. Once is enough for me, hopefully. Thanks.
My daughter had a chemical pregnancy in January. She became pregnant again about two weeks later but sadly that one ended in mmc at12 weeks and she had a d&c. Baby died at 8.5. She is wanting to try again but afraid the same thing will happen. It was 4 weeks when her hcg no longer showed up on a hpt. When the test kept coming back pos she was hoping she was pregnant again already but it was just residual hormones left from her previous pregnancy. What are her chances of having a normal pregnancy. I know shewwants to try again soon I’m just not sure she can handle another loss. Please if you have any advice I’d really appreciate it and pass it along to her. Thank you!