Miscarriage Facts

25-50 Percent of pregnancies will end in miscarriage.
Blighted Ovums are responsible for 50% of all first trimester pregnancy losses.
90% of Blighted Ovums are attributed to chromosomal error.
Blighted Ovums occur before six and a half weeks.
Of the those who miscarry, up to 20 percent will suffer a recurrent loss.
The statistical chance of having another miscarriage is no higher with a second pregnancy than with the first.
Spontaneous abortion is the offical term for miscarriage that ends on it's own within the first 20 weeks of gestation.
Most miscarriages occur during the first 13 weeks of pregnancy.
The most common cause of miscarriage is chromosomal abnormality
Rarely is a medical problem of the mother to blame for a miscarriage.
The odds of having a miscarriage is higher as a woman ages.
Recurrent miscarriages are considered three or more...and will affect 1% of those who become preganant.
60-75% of women who have had recurrent miscarriages will go on to have a successful pregnancy.
After a h/b is heard the chance of m/c is 4% or less.
Chance of 2nd trimester m/c (before the 20 week mark) is 3%
Chance of still birth after 20 weeks is 1%

Chances of a ectopic pg is 2%, if no previous occurrences.

Warning signs of miscarriage

Painful contractions that happen every 5-20 minutes.
Bleeding that takes place with or without cramps--bright red or brown in color. (This does not always mean a loss)
Passing clot like material.
Mucus that is white or pink in color.
Mild to severe back pain that is worse in severity than normal menstrual cramps.
Loss of pregnancy symptoms such as breast tenderness or morning sickness.

Some types of miscarriage:

Blighted Ovum
(also called an "anembryonic pregnancy") is a fertilized egg which implants in the uterus, and begins to devlop a gestational sac. The fertilized egg, however, fails to form beyond the sixth week and is absorbed back into the uterus. The placenta continues to grow, and the body is usually slow to catch on that the pregnancy is gone.

Ectopic Pregnancy
This term means "means out of place". An ectopic pregnancy is a fertilized egg that instead of correctly implanting in the uterus, instead is implanted elsewhere--usually the fallopian tube. For this reason it is sometimes referred to as a "tubal pregnancy". In addition to the fallopian tube, other possible areas for implantation are also the ovary, abdomen, or the cervix. As the pregnancy grows it will eventually burst the organ where it is contained which results in serious bleeding and possible maternal death. Treatment is needed immediately to stop the development of the implanted egg. Ectopic pregnancy can never result in a life birth.

Molar Pregnancy
This is the result of Gestational Trophoblastic Disease. In the US the rate of incidence is extremely low, about one in 1,000. It is believed to be the result of a nutritional deficit, and has a higher rate of incidence in Asia and Mexico. The nucleus of an egg is missing, which causes the sperm to duplicates itself to replace the missing genetic information. The usual result is no fetus or placenta, and leads to abnormal tissue within the uterus. The uterus is filled with the mole, which resembles grape-like material.

One important thing to remember is that miscarriage is never anyone's fault. It doesn't matter if you didn't take the folic acid that was suggested, maybe you drank before you knew you were pregnant, or ate sushi--no matter what you did nothing would have changed what happened. Babies are born to drug addicted parents, or those who neglect themselves all the time. NEVER BLAME YOURSELF! It is a sad and unfair fact of life that miscarriges happen. It does not mean you will not go on to have a healthy and happy child.

DMOZ Pregnancy Loss
Links to informative miscarriage sites.

INCIID
Offering information regarding perinatal loss and fertility problems. Includes a Doctor moderated forum.

National Share Office
This packet contains information regarding the emotional issues of pregnancy loss, a listing of support groups in your area, a Bereavement Resources catalog and a copy of their newsletter.