What is threatened miscarriage? Differences from other types of miscarriage, causes, symptoms and prevention methods [Doctor supervised]

Introduction

Many pregnant women feel both joy and anxiety when their pregnancy is confirmed. If it is your first pregnancy, you may be even more sensitive to the words “threatened miscarriage” and “miscarriage.” There is currently no medicine that can completely prevent threatened miscarriage or miscarriage, but there is a highly safe test called NIPT (non-invasive prenatal testing) that can tell you about the health of your baby in the womb early in pregnancy . First, learn about miscarriage, avoid the risk, and live a healthy pregnancy.

World-class NIPT

Experience unparalleled excellence in Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) at Hiro Clinic. Our world-class services blen...

What is threatened miscarriage?

Threatened miscarriage is defined as “a state in which a miscarriage is imminent, but a miscarriage has not occurred.” There are various causes of threatened miscarriage, but unlike miscarriage, there is a 90% chance of recovery, and the pregnancy can continue.

Some mothers have been diagnosed with threatened miscarriage at the 7th week of pregnancy, but have since stabilized, gone into natural labor, and safely given birth. If you are diagnosed with threatened miscarriage, it is important not to panic and to calmly follow the instructions of your doctor.

Causes of miscarriage

There are various causes of miscarriage. If the miscarriage occurs before 12 weeks of pregnancy, it is believed to be caused by chromosomal abnormalities or genetic diseases in the fetus. On the other hand, if the miscarriage occurs between 12 and 22 weeks of pregnancy, it is believed to be caused not only by problems with the fetus, but also by bleeding, infection, uterine contractions, etc. in the mother.

Symptoms of Threatened Miscarriage

The main symptoms are bleeding and abdominal pain, and about 20% of women experience a small amount of bleeding in the early stages of pregnancy. Bleeding can occur due to narrow blood vessels in the endometrium, blood pooling in the chorion, or the position of the placenta, but it is said to stabilize by the 12th week of pregnancy.

However, if the bleeding does not stop, if the bleeding recurs, or if the amount of bleeding is heavy, you should see an obstetrician-gynaecologist as soon as possible as this may be a sign of threatened miscarriage.

Even if there is no bleeding during the second trimester, strong abdominal pain can be a sign of threatened miscarriage, so caution is advised. The abdominal pain of threatened miscarriage is said to be a heavy, bloated pain. As a guideline, if you are under 30 weeks pregnant and feel abdominal bloating more than three times an hour, or if you are over 30 weeks pregnant and feel abdominal bloating more than five times an hour, you should see a doctor immediately.

What if I am diagnosed with a threatened miscarriage?

If you are diagnosed with a threatened miscarriage, there is no surgical treatment. You should rest at home for about two to three weeks and refrain from housework or work.

There is no evidence that bed rest is an appropriate treatment for threatened miscarriage. However, if you do not rest during a threatened miscarriage, it increases the chances of miscarriage, so you should be careful.

If the cause of the threatened miscarriage is due to the mother (uterine contractions), the contractions will decrease if you rest. If the symptoms do not subside, you will be prescribed a uterine contraction inhibitor.

What is preterm labor?

Preterm labour refers to the risk of birth occurring after 22 weeks but before 37 weeks of pregnancy.

In other words, it means you are on the verge of premature birth.

The main causes of preterm labor are believed to be uterine abnormalities, infections, stress, etc. Also, if there are no abnormalities in the pregnancy, bleeding will not be observed, so if bleeding is confirmed, it is necessary to be careful as it may be a sign that the cervix is ​​opening.

What is preterm labor? Explaining the causes, symptoms, and treatment methods [supervised by a doctor]

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What is miscarriage anyway?

The word “miscarriage” means the natural loss of the products of conception.

The medical definition of a miscarriage is “any termination of pregnancy before 22 weeks of pregnancy,” which refers to the death of a baby early in pregnancy.

Most miscarriages occur between the 5th and 11th weeks of pregnancy. However, miscarriages before the 5th week tend to be light in amount, and many women do not realize they are pregnant and mistake it for menstruation.

The difference between stillbirth and miscarriage

A miscarriage is when a baby is delivered before 22 weeks of pregnancy, while a stillbirth is when a dead baby is delivered after the baby has reached the age where it can survive outside the uterus (after 22 weeks).

However, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare defines it as the delivery of a dead fetus after 12 weeks of pregnancy.

The difference between menstruation and miscarriage

Bleeding during the fourth week of pregnancy overlaps with menstruation and can be difficult to distinguish. Therefore, check the color of the blood, the amount of bleeding, the duration, and pain. If you notice anything abnormal, see a doctor immediately.

Causes of miscarriage　

Miscarriage during early pregnancy is said to be caused by abnormalities in the baby’s chromosomes. During early pregnancy, it rarely occurs due to the mother’s excessive exercise or work.

Classification of miscarriage

There are many different types of miscarriage. Below we’ll break down the five most common symptoms into categories:

Spontaneous abortion

A spontaneous abortion is any miscarriage that occurs before the 22nd week of pregnancy that is not an induced abortion (induced abortion). This is when the baby dies in the uterus for some reason and the gestational sac (the bag containing the fetus) is naturally expelled from the body.

Depending on the stage of miscarriage and symptoms, it is classified as “complete miscarriage,” “progressing miscarriage,” “missed miscarriage,” or “threatened miscarriage.”

reason

This is the most common miscarriage that occurs before the 15th week of pregnancy.

During the early stages of pregnancy, there is a 60-70% chance that the pregnancy will be terminated due to chromosomal abnormalities in the embryo.

The cause of spontaneous abortions can be difficult to find, but common causes include certain viruses that cause isolated spontaneous abortions and diseases that cause sporadic abortions.

In addition, immune disorders, severe trauma, and uterine abnormalities (uterine fibroids) are also cited as causes of spontaneous abortion.

Symptoms

Signs include crampy pelvic pain, expulsion of tissue from the uterus, and bleeding.

If there is a problem with the position or condition of the fertilized egg implantation, bleeding will not stop, and blood clots often accumulate on the outside of the chorion, which is part of the egg membrane, causing bleeding.

If you notice an increase in the amount of menstrual flow or a different smell than usual, you should be careful. Also, pelvic pain is felt differently by each person, and some people may not experience any pain at all.

Complete miscarriage

This occurs when the contents of the uterus (fetus and all tissues) are expelled naturally during a natural abortion, and is common in early pregnancy.

reason

The most common causes are believed to be chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus and genetic incompatibility between the husband and wife.

Other causes include endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and uterine malformations, which are maternal causes. Stress, falls, and injuries from accidents can also be causes.

Symptoms

Symptoms include sudden bleeding and gradually increasing amounts of bleeding. Since the endometrium and follicles are expelled along with the bleeding, it is often accompanied by sudden abdominal pain, but once all of the bleeding has been expelled, these symptoms are said to subside.

Initiating miscarriage

This is a condition where bleeding is accompanied by uterine contractions and the contents of the uterus are expelled. There are two types of abortion: complete and incomplete.

reason

The most common causes are chromosomal abnormalities in the fertilized egg and congenital abnormalities. If there is an abnormality in the fertilized egg, the embryo cannot develop normally, and the pregnancy will be terminated. These will occur regardless of the behavior during pregnancy, so they cannot be avoided. It is also said that the older the mother is, the higher the probability of this happening.

Symptoms

In the early stages of pregnancy, bleeding is light and abdominal pain is not severe, but the amount of bleeding and pain will increase as the pregnancy progresses.

Missed abortion

A missed abortion is when the fetus’s growth and heartbeat have stopped, but it remains in the uterus along with the uterine contents. Since there are no bleeding or abdominal pain, it is considered a silent abortion.

Missed miscarriage often occurs in the early stages of pregnancy, within 11 weeks, with a probability of 15%. Treatment may involve hospitalization and surgery, or waiting for the pregnancy to be expelled naturally.

reason

The most common cause is chromosomal abnormalities in the fertilized egg, but stress is also said to be a factor.

Symptoms

There are many cases where the mother is not aware of bleeding or abdominal pain, and is diagnosed with a missed miscarriage during an examination. For this reason, miscarriage is said to be a very heavy mental burden for the mother.

Chemical miscarriage

A chemical miscarriage occurs when a pregnancy test comes back positive, but the pregnancy is miscarried early on, before it can be confirmed by ultrasound.

reason

The cause has not been fully understood, but it is believed to be due to chromosomal abnormalities in the fertilized egg, and is not a miscarriage caused by the mother’s actions.

Symptoms

Symptoms include no symptoms or bleeding, and the amount of bleeding is about the same as during a regular menstrual period. Since the amount of bleeding is the same as during a regular menstrual period, many women will not realize they are pregnant unless they use a pregnancy test, and will assume that they are menstruating and leave it untreated.

What can I do to prevent a miscarriage?

Since it is difficult to prevent most miscarriages during early pregnancy, try to live in a stress-free environment as much as possible. Also, since mothers are more likely to have miscarriages if they contract an infection during early pregnancy, be sure to wash your hands and gargle as a measure to prevent infection.

Behaviors that can cause miscarriage include smoking, using certain drugs (such as cocaine), alcohol, and large amounts of caffeine. To prevent miscarriage, you should be careful about consuming these.

Also, be sure to have a gynecological examination before becoming pregnant to make sure you do not have any abnormalities such as uterine fibroids or endometriosis.

The relationship between threatened miscarriage and chromosomal abnormalities

A state in which a pregnant woman is on the verge of miscarriage is called a threatened miscarriage. However, a threatened miscarriage is different from a complete miscarriage, as there is a high chance that the fetus will survive, and it is not uncommon for the pregnancy to continue and the woman to give birth safely. However, no matter how much a mother takes care of her health and lifestyle, there are some threatened miscarriages that cannot be prevented.

Causes of threatened miscarriage before 12 weeks of pregnancy

Causes of threatened miscarriage include infection, uterine contractions, uterine fibroids, etc. However, it is believed that the majority of cases of threatened miscarriage in those less than 12 weeks of pregnancy are likely to be caused by chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus.

In cases of threatened miscarriage caused by chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus, the miscarriage often occurs within the 12th week of pregnancy, and there is currently no established treatment for it in the medical field.

Hiro Clinic NIPT: Early detection of baby’s chromosomes

Threatened miscarriage can be caused by chromosomal abnormalities in the baby. However , at Hiro Clinic NIPT (a new prenatal test) , we can test the baby’s chromosomes early and quickly.

From the moment a pregnancy is confirmed, mothers will feel happy, but also worry about their baby’s health and spend their days anxious. However, it is impossible to check the health condition or chromosomes of a baby that will be born from inside the womb during a general medical checkup.

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Prenatal testing and risk of miscarriage

In order to know the chromosomes of the baby in the womb, there are prenatal testing methods called “chorionic villus sampling” and “amniotic fluid sampling”. Both tests involve extracting cells from the mother’s womb using a needle or special medical equipment, so they are said to carry a risk of miscarriage.

Chorionic villus sampling

Chorionic villus sampling is a test performed between 10 and 13 weeks of pregnancy. An organ called the chorion in the placenta receives nutrients from the mother’s body and transfers waste products to the baby. There are two methods of chorionic villus sampling: transabdominal and transvaginal. In the transabdominal method, a needle is inserted into the mother’s abdomen (around the navel) to collect chorionic villus cells. In the transvaginal method, chorionic villus cells are collected using a chorionic villus biopsy forceps inserted into the vagina.

Chorionic villus sampling is a definitive test, but the transabdominal method carries the risk of peritonitis due to damage to the intestine with the needle, and the transvaginal method carries the risk of miscarriage due to the chorionic villus biopsy forceps penetrating the uterus. The risk of miscarriage with chorionic villus sampling is said to be slightly higher than with amniocentesis.

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Amniocentesis

Amniocentesis is a test performed after the 15th to 16th week of pregnancy. It is a transabdominal method in which a needle is inserted into the mother’s abdomen. Fetal cells in the amniotic fluid are collected and examined to confirm the baby’s chromosomes. Compared to chorionic villus sampling, the test can be performed at a later stage of pregnancy because the amount of amniotic fluid in early pregnancy is small, increasing the risk of miscarriage. Amniocentesis is a definitive test to check for chromosomal abnormalities in the baby.　

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Hiro Clinic NIPT (New Prenatal Testing) with Low Risk of Miscarriage

At Hiro Clinic NIPT , we perform NIPT (a new prenatal test) that places less of a burden on mothers and babies . NIPT (a new prenatal test) is a new prenatal test that involves drawing blood from the mother’s arm.

Threatened miscarriage up to 12 weeks of pregnancy is caused by chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus. Hiro Clinic’s NIPT (new type prenatal diagnosis) can be performed from the 6th week of pregnancy, so it can be said that the risk of threatened miscarriage can be known in advance.

World-class NIPT

Experience unparalleled excellence in Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) at Hiro Clinic. Our world-class services blen...

NIPT (new type prenatal testing) can be done by taking a blood sample

NIPT (non-invasive prenatal testing) is a test method that involves taking a blood sample from the mother and examining the baby’s chromosomes using that blood. One of the features of NIPT (non-invasive prenatal testing) is that it can be performed as early as the sixth week of pregnancy.

Hiro Clinic NIPT results available in as little as 2 days

NIPT (New Prenatal Testing) is a test that can be performed from the sixth week of pregnancy. However, what if you take the test early in pregnancy and it takes a long time to get the results? In many cases, it takes about 10 days to get the results because the test is conducted overseas after blood is taken. The stress that the mother experiences during that time is not good for the baby.

At Hiro Clinic NIPT , in order to respond to the “right to know” of mothers and their families as quickly as possible, the collected blood is promptly tested at the Tokyo Medical Laboratory in Japan, and 95% of the results are delivered within 8 days of blood collection (excluding some plans). In addition, all Hiro Clinic NIPT locations, excluding affiliated facilities, offer an express delivery option (delivery in as little as 2 days from blood collection).

Integrated management with healthcare and IT!

NIPT (new type prenatal testing) performed at Hiro Clinic NIPT is managed in one place with barcodes from the time of blood collection. The barcode system issued by Hiro Clinic NIPT is directly read into the testing equipment at the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Sciences. For these reasons, it can be said that there is very little risk of sample mix-up or personal information leakage.

Types of chromosomal abnormalities identified with Hiro Clinic NIPT

The commonly performed NIPT (non-invasive prenatal testing) mainly detects trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) , trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome) , and trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome) . At Hiro Clinic NIPT, we also perform tests for other chromosomal abnormalities in order to fulfill the “right to know” of mothers and their families.

Hiro Clinic NIPT Original NIPT (New Prenatal Test) Plans and Options

At Hiro Clinic NIPT , we have prepared a variety of plans so that you can choose the NIPT (new type prenatal diagnosis) that you really need, according to the mother’s age and budget . We also offer a wide range of optional services that are only available at Hiro Clinic NIPT . If you have any concerns about NIPT (new type prenatal diagnosis) plans or options, please feel free to consult with Hiro Clinic NIPT .

Hiro Clinic NIPT’s expanding domestic network

Hiro Clinic NIPT has clinics from Sapporo to Fukuoka. Each clinic has many obstetricians and gynecologists, pediatricians, and psychiatrists on staff, and by increasing cooperation through the network, we can answer various questions.

Hiro Clinic NIPT Follow-up System

Hiro Clinic NIPT offers a variety of NIPT (new type prenatal diagnosis) plans. We are a clinic with many obstetricians and gynecologists, as well as expert doctors in their respective fields.

We will sincerely answer all of your questions, both before and after receiving NIPT (non-invasive prenatal testing) , such as “This is my first pregnancy and I don’t know which test I should take,” “What if a chromosomal abnormality is found in my baby? “, and “What if the NIPT (non-invasive prenatal testing) test result is positive.”

Hiro Clinic NIPT can be booked in just two steps from the website

You may not feel well after becoming pregnant, or you may be afraid of infection and want to avoid crowds and going out… Pregnant mothers’ bodies are very delicate. At Hiro Clinic NIPT, we take into consideration the physical condition of mothers and allow you to make reservations for NIPT (new prenatal diagnosis) in just two easy steps at a time that suits you . In addition, the Hiro Clinic NIPT website provides detailed information about pregnancy and baby’s chromosomes under the supervision of a doctor. Please take a look.

Summary

Mothers who have been blessed with a long-awaited baby will be very sensitive about the term “threatened miscarriage.” Although a threatened miscarriage is an imminent miscarriage, unlike a miscarriage, there is a high possibility that the pregnancy will continue. On the other hand, a threatened miscarriage before 12 weeks of pregnancy is caused by chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus, so it is impossible to continue the pregnancy. At Hiro Clinic NIPT, we detect the risk of threatened miscarriage caused by chromosomal abnormalities using NIPT (new prenatal diagnosis) and provide easy-to-understand information. If you have any questions about NIPT (new prenatal diagnosis) , please contact Hiro Clinic NIPT .

【References】

• Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology – Miscarriage/Threatened miscarriage
• Journal of the Japanese Medical School, Vol. 16, No. 3 – Prevention and Management of Preterm Birth