Can you do anything to prevent miscarriage?

Miscarriage is something almost every pregnant woman is scared of in the early stages of her gestation, and with good reason. Studies into the subject reveal that 10 to 25 percent of all clinically recognized pregnancies end in miscarriage, a number that would be much higher if you include pregnancies that ended before a woman sought prenatal care, or chemical pregnancies that end at the same time your period was expected.

It is no wonder that you want to know if there is anything you can do to prevent miscarriage. Miscarriage, also known as spontaneous abortion, is a term used to describe any pregnancy loss before 20 weeks. The vast majority of these losses will occur within the first 12 weeks; the first trimester of pregnancy.

Most miscarriages in the early weeks of pregnancy are the result of chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus. Chromosomal abnormalities can be caused by problems with the egg cell, sperm cell, or a faulty reaction during the process of division of cells. This is not something anyone has any control over, and this type of miscarriage cannot be prevented. Some miscarriages are the result of hormonal imbalances or an embryo that did not implant into the uterine lining properly for various reasons.

In many cases, women would not be aware of these issues, and therefore can't take any steps to prevent a miscarriage due to these reasons. Bad lifestyle choices such as smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol do increase the risk of miscarriage (and an unhealthy baby), and this is where every pregnant woman can impact their chances of having a healthy pregnancy positively. Anyone who is trying to conceive should take a critical look at their lifestyle, and eliminate harmful habits before trying for a baby.

In addition injury and some viruses and bacterial infections can cause miscarriage. Pregnant women should stay away from cat litter trays, for instance. Can you do anything to prevent miscarriage? Not always. Not even in the majority of pregnancies. But we can all try to live with the health and wellbeing of our growing babies in mind while we are going through those exciting nine months.