Miscarriage

Spontaneous abortion, or miscarriage, is the loss of a fetus before 20 weeks of pregnancy. The most common cause of miscarriage is a genetic abnormality. About one-third to one-half of all pregnancies result in miscarriage. A second miscarriage generally occurs in only 1% of women. However, there are women who experience habitual miscarriages (three or more consecutive spontaneous abortions). Almost one-third of miscarriages may occur as a late menstrual period, even before a woman knows for certain that she is pregnant.

Signs and Symptoms

Miscarriage is often accompanied by the following signs and symptoms:

• Bleeding – brown or bright red vaginal bleeding or spotting 
• Passage of clots or a gush of clear or pink vaginal fluid (may indicate pregnancy tissue from the uterus)
• Abdominal pain or cramping
• Fever
• Decrease in signs of pregnancy, such as breast sensitivity and morning sickness
• Dizziness, lightheadedness, or feeling faint

Causes

A wide range of health conditions that affect at least one parent can cause a miscarriage, including the following:

• Chromosomal abnormalities account for up to 60% of losses
• Physical problems, such as distortion of the uterine cavity or adhesions from disease or surgery
• Endocrine or hormone disorders, such as diabetes (when poorly controlled) and hyper- or hypothyroidism
• Infection, including bacterial, viral, parasitic, fungal, or acquired through sexually transmitted diseases
• Abnormal antibodies in the blood that cause formation of blood clots (for example, antiphospholipid antibodies, or APLA)
• Other factors of conception (such as defective sperm cells, time of egg implantation), or stress

Integrative Medicine Treatment Options

We combine the best of conventional medicine with the best of complementary and alternative therapies to give you optimal results.

Here are some options we use at the Alliance Institute for Integrative Medicine LOCATED IN Cincinnati, Ohio

• Acupuncture
• Herbal Therapies, Supplements & Medication
• Mind/Body Relaxation Techniques
• Energy Healing
• Nutritional Counseling and/or Testing