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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staff
Usually abnormal genes or chromosomes
Most miscarriages occur because the fetus isn't developing normally. Problems with the baby's genes or chromosomes are typically the result of errors that occur by chance as the embryo divides and grows — not problems inherited from the parents. Some examples of abnormalities include:
- Blighted ovum. Blighted ovum is common — the cause of about half of all miscarriages that occur in the first 12 weeks. It occurs when a fertilized egg develops a placenta and membrane but no embryo.
- Intrauterine fetal demise. In this situation the embryo is present but has died before any symptoms of pregnancy loss have occurred. This situation may also be due to genetic abnormalities within the embryo.
- Molar pregnancy. A molar pregnancy, also called gestational trophoblastic disease, is less common, occurring in about one in 1,000 pregnancies. It is an abnormality of the placenta caused by a problem at fertilization. In a molar pregnancy, the early placenta develops into a fast-growing mass of cysts in the uterus. This mass may or may not contain an embryo. If it does contain an embryo, the embryo will not reach maturity.
Sometimes a mother's health conditions
In a few cases, a mother's health condition may lead to miscarriage. Examples include:
- Uncontrolled diabetes
- Thyroid disease
- Infections
- Hormonal problems
- Uterus or cervix problems
What does NOT cause miscarriage
Routine activities such as these don't provoke a miscarriage:
- Exercise
- Lifting or straining
- Having sex
- Working, provided you're not exposed to harmful chemicals
- Tulandi T, et al. Spontaneous abortion: Risk factors, etiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnostic evaluation. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 13, 2008.
- Tulandi T. Patient information: Miscarriage. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 13, 2008.
- Miscarriage. March of Dimes. http://www.marchofdimes.com/printableArticles/681_1192.asp?printable=true. Accessed Aug. 13, 2008.
- Early pregnancy loss: Miscarriage and molar pregnancy. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp090.cfm. Accessed Aug. 14, 2008.
- Blighted ovum. American Pregnancy Association. http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancycomplications/blightedovum.html. Accessed Aug. 14, 2008.
- Puscheck EE, et al. The impact of male factor on recurrent pregnancy loss. Current Opinions in Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2007;19(3):222-228.
- Tulandi T, et al. Spontaneous abortion: Management. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 13, 2008.
- Cytotec (prescribing information). New York, N.Y.: Pfizer; 2006.
- Cunningham, FG. First-trimester abortion. In: Schorge JO, et al. Williams Gynecology. 1st ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw Hill Companies; 2008. http://accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=514. Accessed Aug. 13, 2008.
- Misoprostol: Drugdex DrugPoint Summary. Micromedex Healthcare Series. http://www.micromedex.com/. Accessed Sept. 19, 2008.
- Sifakis S, et al. High-dose misoprostol used in outpatient management of first trimester spontaneous abortion, Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics. 2005;272(3):183-186.
- Blum J, et al. Treatment of incomplete abortion and miscarriage with misoprostol. International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics. 2007;99(2)(suppl):S186-S189.
- Stephenson M, et al. Evaluation and management of recurrent early pregnancy loss. Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2007;50(1):132-45.
- Patient's fact sheet: Recurrent pregnancy loss. www.asrm.org/Patients/FactSheets/recurrent_preg_loss.pdf. Accessed Sept. 25, 2008.
