Causes and Symptoms of Miscarriage at 4 Months
A miscarriage at 4 months is not a common occurrence. Most miscarriages occur within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy but this has been known to happen in certain cases.
Most miscarriages occur due to genetic abnormalities, or the fertilized egg not attaching itself to the uterus or the mother not producing enough progesterone. A 4 month miscarriage could occur for a number of reasons. These include something being wrong with the placenta or having a weak uterus or deformed...
Pregnancy And Baby Care Questions
...cervix or rejection of the placenta by the mother's immune system. Being exposed to certain chemical hazards may also lead to a miscarriage. Previous medical conditions such as diabetes or thyroid may also lead to miscarriage.
Age and the number of previous pregnancies also play a vital role in miscarriages. A threatening miscarriage may begin weeks or days before you actually lose your baby. Symptoms at this time include cramps or pain similar to period pain, light bleeding, the nausea and breast tenderness might disappear or you may just not feel pregnant any more. When you are miscarrying however, the bleeding becomes heavy (you may pass pieces of placenta which look like pieces of raw liver or blood clots)and you may experience bad period pain or contractions. You may even see the fetus. Save everything you pass into a bucket so that your doctor can carry out tests and see why you miscarried. Contact your doctor immediately if you have any of the above symptoms. Do remember however that a miscarriage cannot be prevented. You might be admitted into hospital and have to undergo a D & C (dilation and curettage) to clean the womb.
A miscarriage at 4 months is not very common. Most miscarriages occur in the first trimester, which is before the completion of 12 weeks. Once you enter your 13th week, or the fourth month, you are in the second trimester, which is often regarded as the "golden phase" of pregnancy. Studies indicate that the risks of miscarriage at 4 months are less than 1%. However, it is possible to have a miscarriage even at this time, due to certain reasons. In case you notice any of the symptoms of miscarriage at 4 months, it could be a cause for concern.
What are the symptoms of miscarriage at 4 months?
The signs and symptoms of miscarriage at 4 months are not very different from the first trimester, though the intensity may be a lot more. Given below are some of the most common signs of miscarriage at 4 months:
- Leakage of fluid from the vagina
- Passage of tissue or blood clots
- Pinkish or brown colored vaginal discharge
- Severe cramps in the abdomen
- Tightness or bloating sensation in the stomach
- Vaginal bleeding, which could range from light to heavy
Most women experience just a couple of the symptoms of miscarriage at 4 months. There have also been instances where women do not realize that they have had a miscarriage until they go in for their routine checkup. However, normal pregnancy symptoms cease in such cases, which should be an indication that something is wrong.
If a miscarriage occurs in the 4th month of pregnancy, you are also likely to experience contractions. In such cases, the bleeding is usually very heavy and may also contain large blood clots and body tissue. You will need to go through an ultrasound to check if there is any tissue remaining within the uterus. Your doctor will need to perform a D&C to clean the womb as soon as possible.
There have been several instances where women have had normal and healthy babies in spite of experiencing the some of the symptoms of miscarriage at 4 months, like spotting, discharge or light vaginal bleeding. The important part is for you to go through a detailed checkup as soon as any of these symptoms become evident. In case the miscarriage can be avoided in any way, your doctor will let you know about it, though this is not always possible. You will probably be asked to take complete bed rest for a while and follow a special diet. Make sure that you follow your doctor instructions to the tee.
What are the causes of miscarriage at 4 months?
Though a miscarriage in the 2nd trimester is rare, there could be various factors that lead to it. Given below are some of the most common reasons for miscarriage at 4 months:
- Problems with the placenta, which may include placental abruption or placental previa
- Abnormalities in the uterus, like a scarred or divided uterus, which does not allow the baby to grow properly
- Exposure to hazardous chemicals
- Medical conditions like thyroid disorders or diabetes
- Cervical incompetence, where the opening to the uterus becomes weak
- Nutritional deficiencies because of following a poor diet
- Suffering from infections or a sexually transmitted disease
- Unhealthy practices like smoking, drinking alcohol or taking drugs
- Hormonal imbalances, where your body produces too less or too much of a certain hormone.
One of the factors that increase the risks of a miscarriage at 4 months includes advancing age. Women who are more than 35 should exercise more caution, to avoid a miscarriage. This also applies to you in case you have a history of miscarriages in the past. Unfortunately, your doctor may not always be able to determine what the exact causes of miscarriage at 4 months are.
Ectopic pregnancy at 4 months
There are some women who have an ectopic pregnancy, where the fertilized egg implants itself outside the uterus, like in the fallopian tubes. Since this is not natural, such a pregnancy cannot continue and usually gets terminated on its own. The baby cannot grow in the fallopian tubes and therefore, an ectopic pregnancy lasts for no more than 6 to 7 weeks. Therefore, it is not possible to have a miscarriage because of an ectopic pregnancy at 4 months.
Stillbirth at 4 months
A still birth refers to the loss of pregnancy after the completion of 20 weeks. This is because the baby is fully developed at that time and you will need to go through the complete delivery process, which also includes induced labor. However, this only happens after the 20th week, which is in the 5th month of pregnancy. At 4 months, you can have a miscarriage, not a stillbirth.
A miscarriage is one of the most painful and traumatizing experience of a woman's life regardless of which stage it occurs in. Nevertheless, most women have a full physical recovery within a month or two. Unfortunately, getting over the emotional trauma could take much longer. It is best for you to either seek professional help or join a support group so that you can get over with the experience. There is no reason why you cannot plan a baby soon after going through a miscarriage. However, to reduce the risks of a repeat miscarriage, you should go through a thorough checkup before you get pregnant. Your doctor may ask you to undergo certain treatments or take certain supplements even before you plan your next pregnancy.
If you have had a miscarriage after 4 months, it is more like giving birth to a baby. You will feel like you have gone through labor and you may even be given drugs to help with the delivery. This stillbirth (if it happens after 20 weeks) is rare and occurs in less than 1 % of all births.
A miscarriage is difficult to come to terms with and one is often left with feelings of disappointment, anger, sadness and most of all, with a sense of loss. Whatever the reason, it is rarely anyone's fault. It will take time before you come to terms with it, but a miscarriage at 4 months pregnant does not mean that you will never carry another baby to term.