| Miscarriages are the termination or end of a | | | | Trauma or injury to the abdominal area while pregnant |
| pregnancy. A miscarriage can be intentional (often | | | | can also cause a miscarriage. Injury caused by the |
| called an abortion by some), or non-intentional. | | | | impact of a steering wheel to the abdominal area in an |
| Frequently, the health care community will use the term | | | | automobile accident may cause miscarriages. Other |
| non-intentional abortion interchangeably for a | | | | injuries such as blunt force to the abdominal area may |
| non-intentional miscarriage. For simplicity the term | | | | result in a miscarriage. Consumption of recreational or |
| non-intentional miscarriage, or just miscarriage, will be | | | | illegal drugs while pregnant puts the mother at a high |
| used and will be the center of attention. | | | | risk of having a miscarriage. Many illegal drugs have |
| What causes a miscarriage? Non-intentional | | | | the ability to cross from the mothers bloodstream into |
| miscarriages have many causes. One cause of a | | | | the bloodstream of the fetus. Because the organs of |
| miscarriage can be the incompatibility of the mother's | | | | the fetus are still developing, they are not capable of |
| blood and the blood of the unborn fetus. Incompatibility | | | | filtering out the harmful substances in illegal drugs. As a |
| in blood type with the mother and fetus is known as | | | | consequence, the harmful substances continue to build |
| Rh factor incompatibility. This type of miscarriage can | | | | up and become toxic to the fetus. Once toxic levels |
| occur when the mother's blood type is Rh negative | | | | are reached, the organs begin to fail and the fetus can |
| and the fetus's blood type is Rh positive. To expand, | | | | die. |
| everyone has specific proteins on every cell in his or | | | | In addition to illegal drugs. some prescription drugs also |
| her body that tells the body that cell belongs to the | | | | have the ability to cross into the fetal blood circulation |
| body and is not foreign so that our immune system will | | | | and can also result in miscarriages; thus a pregnant |
| not kill that cell. The Rh factor is one of many specific | | | | woman should never take prescription medication |
| proteins on our blood cells. When there is a difference | | | | unless it is prescribed for her specifically, and the |
| in the Rh factor between mother and fetus (mother is | | | | prescribing doctor is aware of the pregnancy. Genetics |
| negative and fetus is positive) the mother's body | | | | can also be a reason why a woman would have a |
| recognizes the fetus as foreign and can cause a | | | | miscarriage. A chromosomal abnormality that is |
| miscarriage. However, Rh incompatibility is rarely a | | | | incompatible with life will cause a miscarriage. If this |
| cause of miscarriages due to advances in health care. | | | | occurs early enough in the pregnancy, the woman |
| Early in pregnancy, expectant mothers are tested for | | | | may not have even known that she was pregnant. |
| Rh factor type and appropriate measures are taken if | | | | This type of miscarriage does occur and the woman |
| the mother is Rh negative to avoid having a | | | | simply thinks she has had an extra menstrual cycle or |
| miscarriage. | | | | period that month, when in fact she actually had a |
| Another cause of miscarriage is simply for unknown | | | | miscarriage. |
| reasons. Sometimes miscarriages occur and no | | | | A woman who has had previous intentional abortions |
| obvious reason can be found. Some people want to | | | | in the past increases the risk for a miscarriage in future |
| place blame on environmental factors such as | | | | pregnancies. Intentional abortions can cause the cervix |
| pesticides, or the antibiotics and hormones that | | | | to become incompetent, or irritable and result in a |
| farmers use when raising livestock. No such proof | | | | miscarriage. Additionally, intentional abortions can result |
| exists as of date that indicates the use of antibiotics | | | | in the mother's body being unable to maintain adequate |
| and hormones in livestock causes miscarriages. | | | | levels of hormones that are needed to maintain |
| A third cause of miscarriage can be when the | | | | pregnancy. |
| fertilized egg or ovum of the woman fails to implant or | | | | Some of the more common symptoms of a |
| attach in the proper place. In order to maintain | | | | miscarriage are: cramping, backache with light spotting, |
| pregnancy, the fertilized egg must implant inside the | | | | moderate bleeding, and failure to feel the baby moving. |
| uterine cavity of the mother. In ectopic pregnancies, the | | | | However, these are not the only symptoms of a |
| fertilized egg implants outside the uterine cavity. Thus, | | | | miscarriage. If a miscarriage is suspected, one should |
| a miscarriage will occur. Many people term this a "tubal | | | | immediately seek the attention of a health care |
| pregnancy". | | | | provider. |