Miscarriage In Canada

Miscarriage is a common loss that many women experience all over the world during their childbearing age. In Canada, approximately one out of four women will experience a miscarriage, the most widely recognized kind of pregnancy loss according to the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC, 2011). Miscarriage is a common occurrence in the life cycle of the woman. Exactly how common this experience is, however, is not known exactly. Women’s experience of miscarriage is obvious and distressing, both psychologically and physiologically. Although miscarriage is therefore a very common occurrence it is suggested that many women find it very hard to deal with it emotionally. The pregnancy loss through miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy,

Most commonly, however, miscarriages occur within the first twelve weeks of pregnancy. "Miscarriage is the lay term used for pregnancy lost before 20 weeks ' gestation while the medical term for pregnancy loss before 20 weeks ' gestation is called abortion, regardless of whether the event is elective or spontaneous" (Evans, Evans, Brown, & Orshan, 2010). "While it is estimated that half of all fertilized eggs are spontaneously lost before a woman may know she is pregnant, approximately 15-20% of known pregnancies end in miscarriage (Miscarriage, 2010) with 80% of miscarriages typically occurring before the 12th week of pregnancy" (Gerber-Epstein et al., 2009) (Mcgee, 2013). Miscarriage is not a reported occurrence and consequently the prevalence is difficult to assess. Statistics estimate that approximately 10% to 15% of confirmed pregnancies result in miscarriage. When very early unconfirmed pregnancies are considered, estimates increase to possibly 50% to 78% of all pregnancies ending in miscarriage. Signs and symptoms of a miscarriage includes vaginal spotting or bleeding which can vary from light spotting or brownish discharge to heavy bleeding and bright red blood, pain or cramping in your abdomen or lower back, fluid or tissue passing from your vagina and no longer experiencing the symptoms of pregnancy, such as feeling sick and breast tenderness

The risk for miscarriage increases as maternal age increases. The risk for miscarriage for any pregnancy with maternal age below 35 is about 20%, but may increase to as much as 80% by age 45 (Mayo Clinic, 2010). Also, a past medical history of more than one miscarriage also puts the woman at an increased risk of subsequent miscarriages (Mayo Clinic, 2010). Other risk factors for first trimester miscarriage include: smoking and tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption, and physical conditions such as a short cervix. Likewise, endocrine disorders such as diabetes and thyroid imbalances, also place women at greater risk for miscarriage in the early stages of pregnancy (Mayo Clinic, 2010). Other factors that cause miscarriage includes chromosomal anomalies, infections, anatomical problems of the uterus, hormonal imbalances, blood-clotting disorders, immunological malfunctions, maternal illness, lifestyle factors, stress, substance use, ectopic pregnancy, and gestational trophoblastic