Many couples dream of taking on the role of young parents. Unfortunately, this desire is not always realized. One of the reasons for this problem is missed pregnancy. Both the father and the mother can be to blame for this pathology. That is why it is so important at the planning stage to undergo a complete examination of both partners. What to do if the pregnancy froze at an early stage? How to prevent this pathology?
General information
Missed pregnancy is a condition in which the fetus stops growing and developing, as a result of which it dies. Signs of spontaneous abortion may be absent, but the embryo remains in the uterine cavity. That is why such a pathology is also called a failed miscarriage. Fading can happen at any time, but most often it occurs in the first trimester. The 3rd-4th and 8th-10th weeks are considered the most dangerous.
What happens with a missed pregnancy? The fertilized egg travels to the uterus where itimplanted. After some time, the growth of the embryo stops. Another variant of a missed pregnancy is the empty egg syndrome. In this case, the fetal membranes develop, chorionic gonadotropin is synthesized, but the embryo itself is absent. If you take a pregnancy test, the result will be positive. Among the main causes that affect the occurrence of empty egg syndrome, doctors identify various chromosomal pathologies.
How often is a miscarriage diagnosed?
According to statistics, every second woman's pregnancy "freezes" and ends in spontaneous abortion. This usually happens before the lady finds out about her interesting position. The risk of developing this pathology after the test shows a positive result is no more than 20%.
How to identify a missed pregnancy in the early stages?
The development and growth of the fetus during the nine months depends on many factors. Sometimes a certain set of circumstances can lead to a stop in this process and the death of the embryo. The symptoms of freezing are very obvious, and medical diagnosis usually does not cause difficulties. The first sign of a frozen pregnancy in the early stages is the disappearance of a condition that is typical for a woman in position. In this case, you must consult a doctor. A specialist in the results of an ultrasound examination will be able to determine the presence or absence of pathology. After that, appropriate treatment is prescribed.
Reasonspathology
Why does early pregnancy freeze? This is the question asked by women who have already had to face this problem. Doctors identify a number of factors that can affect the formation of the pathological process.
- Chromosomal and genetic abnormalities. This is the most common cause of a missed miscarriage. When an embryo inherits a pathological gene or an extra chromosome, various defects appear in the development process. Most often they are incompatible with life, so the fetus dies inside the womb. This is where the rule of natural selection comes into play. Nature itself decides that it is wrong to give birth to an incapacitated baby, therefore it “terminates” the pregnancy. A genetic anomaly can also occur due to smoking or drinking alcohol.
- Infections. A huge role in the genesis of missed pregnancy belongs to infectious diseases. These include rubella, toxoplasmosis, herpes infection. Sexual diseases and common colds should not be ignored. Infection in the first trimester is especially dangerous. Infectious agents after penetration through the placenta affect the fetus. They can interfere with normal implantation and nutrition of the embryo. As a result, it turns out that the pregnancy froze at an early date.
- Hormonal disorders. Deficiency of the main pregnancy hormone progesterone can be one of the causes of fading.
- Autoimmune pathologies. With such diseases, antibodies begin to be produced in the mother's body. They are not fightingforeign elements, but with their own cells. It is known that the embryo inherits about 50% of the mother's genes. As a result, antibodies begin to kill the cells of the fetal body, which entails its death.
- Teratozoospermia. In a missed pregnancy, sometimes the father himself is to blame. Teratozoospermia usually causes male infertility. If you still manage to conceive a child, usually its development stops at the initial stages. Teratozoospermia is a pathology of spermatozoa, which is expressed in their abnormal structure. It can appear as an irregularly shaped head, a short tail or a kink.
- Wrong lifestyle. The occurrence of a missed pregnancy is affected by the nutrition of the future woman in labor, her work and rest schedule, and addictions. We should not forget about the possible adverse reactions after the use of drugs. The age of the woman also plays an important role. The older she is, the higher the likelihood of pathology.
The above are only the most common causes of miscarriage. In fact, there are a great many of them. In each case, only a doctor can determine what caused the pregnancy to fade.
Signs of missed pregnancy
Many women are concerned about the question of how to recognize a missed pregnancy at an early stage at home? The whole insidiousness of this condition lies in the fact that it is often asymptomatic. From the moment of fetal death to the actual miscarriage,several days, sometimes weeks. What are the early warning signs of missed pregnancy?
First of all, the symptoms that characterize pregnancy disappear in a woman: toxicosis, weakness, malaise. Nausea and vomiting, intolerance to certain odors disappear. However, if the signs of toxicosis during pregnancy were weak, you should not pay attention to this parameter.
Lower basal temperature is also a sign of fetal death. Such changes appear against the background of a decrease in the level of progesterone, since it is this hormone that is responsible for maintaining pregnancy. Basal temperature is recommended to be measured in the morning in the rectum. Before and immediately during measurements, it is necessary to be motionless for several hours. The basal temperature during a missed pregnancy in the early stages usually drops and does not exceed 37 degrees.
Breast softening may also indicate fetal fading. From the moment the baby is conceived in women, the mammary glands almost immediately swell and become painful. After his death, the chest relaxes, but you should not immediately panic. According to many women, during the entire nine months of pregnancy, the breasts can tighten and relax several times. Doctors explain this fact by hormonal changes.
Drawing pain in the lower abdomen and spotting rarely signal this pathology. This is its main difference from an independent miscarriage. In any case, if there is a discharge or a feeling of discomfort, you should contactgynecologist.
The listed signs do not always indicate the fading of the fetus. They can occur during normal pregnancy. If you have the above symptoms of a missed pregnancy in the early stages, it is recommended to seek the help of a doctor to clarify the diagnosis.
Medical diagnostics
Only a specialist can confirm or refute the diagnosis of “missed pregnancy” after conducting an appropriate examination. The first step is an ultrasound examination. Using ultrasound, you can check the viability of the embryo and determine its approximate size. The doctor also measures the degree of increase in the uterus, the thickness of the chorion. If the results of the examination are doubtful, the specialist appoints a second visit after 12 days. It should be noted that the quality of the equipment plays an important role in obtaining reliable and most informative data. Sometimes older ultrasound machines can "not notice" the presence of a fetal heartbeat, leading to a misdiagnosis.
The woman is then given a blood test for beta-hCG. With a frozen pregnancy in the early stages, a decrease in this indicator is observed, which indicates intrauterine death of the fetus. A gradual increase in the content of this hormone in the blood is considered normal.
Treatment of miscarriage
If a miscarriage is suspected, a woman is hospitalized. If athe pregnancy froze at an early stage, all the efforts of doctors should be aimed not at preserving the fetus, but at restoring the he alth of the woman.
After a complete examination (ultrasound, hCG), the evacuation of the ovum is scheduled. If the embryo is dead for no more than 14 days, doctors resort to expectant tactics. Another indication is the absence of signs of spontaneous abortion and infection of the uterus. The level of the hCG hormone during a missed pregnancy in the early stages gradually decreases. The uterus begins to contract and push out the fertilized egg.
However, most doctors resort to surgery. The fetal egg and its membranes are removed by scraping. For up to 7 weeks, a medical abortion is usually used. After surgery, a hysteroscopy is mandatory. In the postoperative period, women are prescribed antibacterial agents to prevent endometritis and chorionamnionitis.
Recovery period
After identifying the cause of the fading pregnancy and the course of treatment, the woman needs to restore her strength. This usually takes no more than six months. During this period, you should adhere to a he althy lifestyle and be sure to use contraceptives. Some women require psychological counseling. The specialist helps to overcome all fears regarding future pregnancy planning.
What tests to take after a failed miscarriage?
Before you conceive a child after a pregnancy fades, doctors recommend taking the following tests:
- vaginal swab for STDs;
- pelvic ultrasound;
- blood test to assess progesterone and estrogen levels;
- histological examination of the biological material of the uterus.
If a miscarriage has been diagnosed several times already, both partners need to undergo genetic testing for compatibility. If the test results do not show serious violations, you can consider conception.
Prevention of missed pregnancy
To prevent the recurrence of such a situation, doctors recommend that certain preventive measures be followed even before conception. In the presence of infections that are transmitted directly sexually, it is necessary to undergo a course of treatment. If you did not have rubella or chickenpox as a child, you should get all vaccinations before conception. This is especially true for those women whose work is related to children.
Symptoms of a missed pregnancy in the early stages inspire fear in many of the fair sex. In order not to face the manifestations of this pathology, doctors recommend adhering to a he althy lifestyle and eating rationally. In addition, it is necessary to give up bad habits, devote more time to physical activity.
Summarize
To know that the pregnancy stopped at an early stage, absolutely any woman can. This pathology is not alwaysindicates pathological disorders in the body, but the examination is still worth it. According to its results, the doctor can prescribe the necessary treatment and give useful recommendations.
