Overview
A missed miscarriage is also known as silent miscarriage. While most missed miscarriage happen in the first trimester (before week 12 of pregnancy), some women do experience a late missed miscarriage in the second trimester (between week 13 to 28 of pregnancy). In fact, the implications of late missed miscarriage can be more complicated and cause recurrent late miscarriages in the future. Missed miscarriages are usually discovered at routine prenatal appointments when no signs of fetal cardiac activity can be found, but a woman hasn’t experienced any of the typical miscarriage symptoms.
While an estimated 20 percent or more pregnancies end in miscarriage, missed miscarriages are relatively uncommon.
Causes
Main causes of late missed miscarriages:
- Uterine anomalies. The uterus is shaped different from normal. Examples include septate uterus, hypoplastic uterus, unicornuate uterus, etc.
- Chromosomal abnormalities. The embryo has wrong number of chromosomes.
- Infections. Infections that get too severe and makes the expecting mother very sick can cause miscarriage. Examples include bacterial vaginosis, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, etc.
- Health conditions of mother. Some health conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, autoimmune diseases and thyroid disease can increase the risk of a miscarriage.
Symptoms of missed miscarriage
The symptoms of missed miscarriage are not obvious, which is why expecting mothers do not realize they have miscarried until their next pregnancy checkup. By definition, a missed miscarriage is one that occurs without common miscarriage symptoms such as bleeding, passing tissue or cramping. Many women who have had a missed miscarriage don’t know it until they go in for a routine prenatal appointment, when an ultrasound or Doppler reading shows no fetal cardiac activity
What Should You Do If You Have A Late Missed Miscarriage?
Not all missed miscarriages can be prevented but missed miscarriages due to blood-clotting factors or progesterone deficiencies can be preserved if diagnosed early, where there is still a detectable fetal heartbeat, albeit a weak one. Supplementing the required medication such as oral progesterone and heparin, will likely cause the pregnancy to stabilize, but no guarantees can be given.
Here at Antai Hospital, we believe in prevention of future miscarriages. We offer a full systemic diagnosis which includes electrochemiluminescence for blood and hormonal profiling, colposcopy, digital Hysterosalpingography, 4D- Color Doppler Ultrasound and diagnostic hysteroscopy + laparoscopy. If there is an underlying cause, Antai Hospital can have it diagnosed accurately within 24 hours. Treatment can also be done immediately after, so no time is wasted, and once fully recovered, then it is the safest time to begin your pregnancy journey again. Antai Hospital is the only hospital that offers a full refund guarantee for our patients, if treatment outcome is unsatisfactory or another miscarriage has occurred.