Pregnancy loss statistics are very common with up to 25% of recognized pregnancies ending in miscarriage. Are you or a partner experiencing pregnancy loss? Being aware of pregnancy loss statistics and causes may prove to be helpful when determining possible culprits that may have contributed to the loss such as exposure to toxins, poor diet, preeclampsia, or infections like HIV / AIDS.
What causes miscarriage?
How common is pregnancy loss?
What type of genetic testing is available for miscarriage tissue?
How can chromosome testing help?
Causes of Miscarriage
There are many reasons for a miscarriage. One of the most common is either chromosomes or aneuploidy, which can be caused in several ways. Usually, humans have 46 chromosomes and 23 sets of those chromosomes (for a total of 46 pairs), with each parent contributing a different set of chromosomes to the bundle. If that makes you dizzy, just know that all human babies come out with 23 pairs and one set from mom and one from dad for a total of 47 chromosomes. In fact, everyone has these many chromosomes, including people with Down Syndrome — so don’t worry, any problems are “fixed” by your body when it divides them up at conception! If you’re having sex without medical help, sometimes an egg and sperm combine and result in one too few or extra chromosomes resulting in pregnancy loss or baby’s health issues; often times you’ll never know if there’s been a mistake until the next generation tries to conceive.
At least half of first trimester miscarriages are caused by chromosome abnormalities. This number is likely to be much higher for women aged 35 and over, who have experienced recurrent pregnancy loss. Over time, the rate of miscarriage increases as the mother’s age advances, reaching a steep increase in older mothers.
Pregnancy Loss – How Common is it?
Miscarriage is a lot more common than people think. Up to one in every four recognized pregnancies are lost in first trimester miscarriage. Miscarriage also increases as an expectant mother gets older.
Most women who experience a miscarriage do not have any problems moving forward with their lives. However, some women seem to be more prone to miscarriages than others. About five percent of couples who are trying to get pregnant experience multiple miscarriages during their childbearing years and a further two percent will go on to lose more than three children that they were carrying in the womb before finally being able to bear healthy babies.
The miscarriage rate has increased over the last few years. It’s thought that one reason for this is because as awareness has increased and detection rates have improved, more women who become pregnant know they’re miscarrying. Also, while fewer women are having children young, many are doing so in their mid to late 30s – the age group which has seen a significant rise in miscarriage risk.
Types of Genetic Testing Helpful for Miscarriages
Genetic testing is the practice of retrieving and analyzing genetic information on a cell. A chromosome analysis (or chromosome test) is one way to evaluate all 23 pairs of chromosomes in order to measure for variation in the genomes present within different cells. Sometimes, there can be either too much or too little material present, leading to various defects and dysfunctions within the chromosomes. Although this can result from many influences, this type of testing is best performed when an individual or their partner has had no previous miscarriages or exists in states where it’s otherwise harder for them to conceive naturally.
