Miscarriages

My interest into the topic of miscarriages came about through work experience at Broomfield Hospital, where I spent time with woman going through a miscarraige, caused by an immune response, which was heartbreaking for the couple, who had experienced it a number of times before. It struck me how a such a devastating experience so big, could stem from something so small, on a molecular level. Miscarriages are very common occurrence with around 30% of pregnancies ending up unsuccessful. This was a shocking statistic for me to see, as I had not realised how prevalent they were in society.

Most early miscarriages are caused by a random genetic problem in the foetus, causing the mothers body to reject the foetus, as it may have too many or not enough chromosomes. They can also be caused by problems with the development of the placenta, that links the mother's blood supply with that of the baby's.This type is non-reccurent and most people who experience this can then go on to have a normal healthy pregnancy. 

On the other hand some recurrent miscarriages are caused by other issues which is obviously upsetting and frustrating for the potential mother. Causes of recurrent miscarriages are:

• anatomical, such as a misshaped uterus, large fibroids, dramatic scarring within the uterus or a weakened cervix. This is when the muscle opens too early during pregnancy causing a miscarriage and can be treated with a "cervical stitch" and removed near the end of pregnancy.
• genetic defects in the egg or sperm, which is more common in men and women over 35.
• blood clotting in the uterus which can leave the placenta cut off so the foetus receives no nutrients or oxygen.
• high homocysteine levels (Sulfur-containing amino acids) causes hypercoagulability where your blood clots more easily, putting you and the baby at risk
• This can lead to hormone imbalances in the womb.
• Immunological disorders.

Immunological disorders as a cause of miscarriage

Some people with autoimmune diseases such as lupus, are at higher risk of a miscarriage. This is a poorly understood condition where, for reasons not clearly known, the immune system attacks healthy tissue. This means that when you get pregnant, antibodies fight off the developing pregnancy tissue as if it was foreign, therefore causing a recurrent miscarriages to occur.