I know that a lot of us question ourselves when we have a miscarriage or pregnancy loss, and wonder if we somehow caused it. And I know that during the midst of our worst hg, many of us pray for a miscarriage or even think about termination (http://forums.helpher.org/viewtopic.php?t=15338). The truth is, these thoughts do not cause a miscarriage. And, the truth is that HG is a horrible (in fact, it is a DEBILITATING, LIFE THREATENING disease) that can cause a variety of very real physical and emotional problems. I hope that some of this information will help us understand miscarriage and find peace in the knowledge that although we may have been desperately ill and at times conflicted about our pregnancies, we did not cause them to happen.
Depending on who you ask, anywhere from 1 out of 5 to 1 out of 3 pregnancies end in miscarriage during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. In more than 50% (estimated to be up to 70%) of these losses, chromosonal abnormalities are the cause and there is nothing that can be done to prevent them. In other instances, such as blood clotting disorders and hormone issues (thyroid) - there are things they can try, but they are not guaranteed to ensure the safety of your pregnancy.
http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregna ... riage.html
Please note:
During the first trimester, the most common cause of miscarriage is chromosomal abnormality - meaning that something is not correct with the baby's chromosomes.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/miscarriage/PR00097
Comfort for us: Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, even if it is severe, won't cause a miscarriage. And . . . "In the vast majority of miscarriages, NOTHING can be done to prevent them."
Other miscarriage articles:
http://www.medicinenet.com/miscarriage/article.htm
http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/pregna ... s/252.html
http://patients.uptodate.com/topic.asp? ... egnan/5386
Threatened Miscarriage:
http://www.pregnancy-info.net/threatene ... riage.html
Missed Miscarriage:
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-misse ... rriage.htm
A teen article about miscarriage even talks about how teens will try to cause their own miscarriage:
Some women try to end their pregnancies by
drinking vinegar, chemicals, or alcohol
hitting themselves (or being hit) in the stomach
exercising too hard
starving themselves
lifting something heavy
falling down stairs
It is rare for any of these things to cause early pregnancy failure.
Books about understanding miscarriage:
Coming to Term: Discovering the truth about miscarriage
http://www.amazon.com/Coming-Term-Uncov ... 722&sr=1-1
Miscarriage: Why it happens and how to best reduce your risks
http://www.amazon.com/Miscarriage-Happe ... 722&sr=1-1
Recommended testing for recurrent pregnancy loss:
http://www.fertilityplus.org/faq/miscarriage/rpl.html
I am so sorry for all of our losses. I hope that those of you who need it will find peace in the knowledge that you did not cause this to happen and that your babies are safe and loved and waiting to be reunited with you.
Hugs,
Karen