Unfortunately, some pregnancies do not result in successful delivery of a baby, according to MedlinePlus. Several medical names as well as potential causes exist regarding pregnancy loss, but the result is typically heartache and perhaps even lingering medical challenges. While a pregnancy loss can’t always be prevented, a few ways to reduce your risk of losing your unborn baby do indeed exist. They include limiting your number of sexual partners before pregnancy, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Types
Pregnancy loss can happen through miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy and stillbirths, according to the Mayo Clinic. An ectopic pregnancy does not spontaneously end like miscarriage and stillbirth, according to MedlinePlus. However, since an ectopic pregnancy is a fetus nested inside a fallopian tube, it cannot proceed as a traditional pregnancy, according to the Mayo Clinic. A tubal pregnancy, unfortunately, cannot be reversed or treated by any other method other than surgical removal of the fetus or injections of medication that can dissolve the fetus.
Time Frame
Miscarriages often happen in the earliest weeks of pregnancy, according to the Mayo Clinic. However, it can happen at any time up until about the 20th week of pregnancy. Once the 20th week of pregnancy passes, any occurring losses usually require delivery of a deceased fetus. When this occurs, it is “stillbirth,” according to MedlinePlus.
Associated Symptoms
Unusual bleeding and abdominal pain often accompany pregnancy losses, according to the Mayo Clinic. Dizziness, fainting and severe abdominal pain may indicate a medical emergency. Clot-like bleeding is usually a sign associated with miscarriage; some women who did not know they were expecting may believe this is part of their menstrual cycle.
Significance
Any pregnancy loss can become a life-threatening medical emergency. In the cases of ectopic pregnancy, a fallopian tube could rupture and also compromise fertility. About 10 to 20 percent of pregnancies involuntarily terminate, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Any type of pregnancy loss also usually has emotional implications that may make it feel difficult to try again to have a healthy child. However, most women who suffer any type of pregnancy loss go on to have healthy children, according to MedlinePlus.
Risk Factors
While it is difficult to determine exactly what causes a pregnancy loss, several risk factors do exist, according to the Mayo Clinic. Women older than 35 carry a higher risk of miscarriage than younger women do. This risk heightens significantly among pregnant women in their 40s. Women with existing medical problems, such as diabetes or a history of past pregnancy losses, are more likely to suffer from pregnancy losses or complications.
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