What is a late miscarriage?
A late miscarriage is a pregnancy loss or failure that occurs after week 12 until week 28 of gestation. There also referred to a 2nd trimester loss or 3rd trimester loss. In late miscarriage, according to the nature of death of the baby, it could be a stillbirth or fetal demise.
Late miscarriages are extremely rare, occurring less than 15% of all miscarriages. Usually, a pregnancy is considered very stable after the first trimester as the baby’s systems and organs are mostly developed with a fully matured and functional placenta as well. However, late miscarriage can still happen due to a handful of causes.
Causes for a late miscarriage
There are 2 primary causes for a late miscarriage: Cervical Insufficiency and Maternal-fetal blood incompatibility.
Cervical insufficiency occurs prematurely during the mid and late stage of pregnancy, as the fetus continues to grow, amniotic fluids also tend to increase in volume, leading to increased intrauterine pressure, and eventually the protruding of the fetal sac into the cervical opening and canal. Gradually the cervix will also shorten and expand. This occurs before labor is intended and leads to a late miscarriage, symptoms are sometimes present. They include light vaginal bleeding and abdominal cramping. Generally, what happens is when cervical insufficiency is present, patient will experience symptoms of a late threatened miscarriage, and if not managed in time, will cause the fetal sac to rupture (water-breaking), causing to the fetus to be discharged.
Maternal and infant blood incompatibility is the same blood group immune disease caused by blood incompatibility between pregnant women and their fetuses. The common ones are the ABO blood group system and Rh blood group system, which can lead to fetal edema, jaundice, anemia and other forms of late miscarriage, premature delivery, and neonatal hemolysis. The diagnosis of maternal and infant blood incompatibility is based on the fact that the mother has a type O blood, the husband has other blood type, in your previous pregnancies or blood transfusions, the miscarriage usually occurs around the 7 month-mark of pregnancy, due to fetal edema. This is because the fetal Rh factor and the incompatible ABO blood group factor produce certain antibodies within the mother, and the pregnancy enters the fetus from the placenta and agglutinates with red blood cells to produce hemolysis, which eventually leads to a failure. About 20-25% of all pregnancies encounter ABO blood group incompatibility. However, Hemolysis occurs in only 2-2.5% of cases.
Other causes for late miscarriage:
- Short cervix
- Hyperemesis Gravidarum
- Infection
Symptoms of a late miscarriage
Some patients do not experience symptoms, but if they do arise, they include:
- Vaginal bleeding
- Discomfort or cramping in the lower abdomen
Examinations for Late Miscarriage Patients at Antai
Patients who have a history of late miscarriages, will have to undergo the following examinations to identify the cause and to receive the relevant managements:
- Colposcopy
- Vaginal 4D Color Doppler Ultrasound
- Dynamic Digital Hysterosalpingography
- Cervical Relaxation Examination
- Hemolysis Tests
Treatment for Late Miscarriage at Antai
For cervical insufficiency, Dr Chen Fenglin has invented a surgery that secures an Antai Cervical Ring at the cervical neck using 3D-Laparoscopy, which has a success rate of up to 95%. This surgery comes with a full refund guarantee. This condition is easily diagnosed and treatable, and you can be assured that your next pregnancy will be successful one.
For short cervix, instead of one, our doctors will secure 2 Antai Cervical Ring on both the inner and outer orifices’ of the cervix, lengthening it significantly and can preserve your pregnancy for full term. The benefits of our cervical ring treatment is that the procedure is minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery, there will be no stitching involved (no risk of infection or hemorrhage).
For the management of blood incompatibility, Antai Hospital provides our patients a pre-pregnancy immunotherapy that combats the antibody reactions, effectiveness of up to 90%; If it is diagnosed during pregnancy, cesarean section has to be performed on the premise of saving the fetus, and then once the baby is birthed, he/she must be treated with blood transfusion to stabilize and preserve the baby’s life.
Antai Hospital’s Commitment
Antai Hospital’s full refund policy for the miscarriage prevention treatments we provide should already be the best guarantee for a healthy pregnancy. Patients should rest assured, can and should go about their everyday life, focusing their diet on vegetables, beans, celery, and other fiber-rich foods. Besides that, an active lifestyle of yoga and swimming should also be incorporated to help relieve stress and increase blood circulation, which is beneficial for the fetus’s development and the mother’s health. With our assurance, a healthy lifestyle, and peace of mind, you can go through a healthy pregnancy with no complications.
Recurrent miscarriages are no doubt a heavy blow to the patient’s physical and mental health. All we can do is to help ease the burden and decrease your trauma, to slowly help you overcome the anxiety with the love and care that we provide at Antai Hospital.
Trust in Antai Hospital and trust in yourself, your pregnancy is our priority.