Natural Ways to Prevent a Miscarriage
It is very natural for women who had a miscarriage in the past or are at risk of having a miscarriage to ask themselves how to prevent a miscarriage from happening?
Miscarriages are something no woman would wish on her worst enemy. It is a painful and emotional experience. Therefore, taking any precautions to prevent a miscarriage is the priority of any expectant mother.
But before we talk about different ways to prevent a miscarriage, we should ask is it even possible to prevent a miscarriage?
Is It Possible to Prevent a Miscarriage?
You should know that a miscarriage cannot be prevented in most cases. A miscarriage, also known as a spontaneous abortion, is a pregnancy that ends unexpectedly in the early weeks or months. The factors that lead to most miscarriages are unavoidable. That being said, you can avoid doing certain things that may lead to a miscarriage and there are a few safety rules that you should follow to keep your pregnancy safe and maintain a healthy pregnancy.
To understand better, it is important to begin by looking at the most common causes of miscarriages to know what can and need to be avoided.
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What are the causes of a miscarriage?
A variety of reasons can cause a miscarriage but fundamentally, the embryo is not properly developing in the womb as it should. In many cases, it is a result of too many chromosome problems either too many or too few.
According to the American Pregnancy Association (APA), the most common cause of miscarriage is a genetic abnormality in the embryo.
Other causes of miscarriages include (but are not limited to):
- A blighted ovum, where the fertilized egg does not develop as it should
- A mother’s illness including high body temperature during pregnancy, illnesses, and infections e.g. German measles. Coughs and colds are minor infections that are not harmful.
- Hormone imbalance especially if you experience irregular periods
- Placental problems that can cause a low supply of nourishment through blood to your baby
- Womb problems such as a weak cervix which opens too early and hence causing a miscarriage. Other womb problems are unusually shaped wombs that prevent your baby from growing properly or large fibroids.
- Ectopic pregnancy where the baby develops in the fallopian tubes or outside the womb. This may cause the mother’s tubes to rupture.
- Maternal age
- Lifestyle factors such as smoking, drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs
- Immune system disorders such as lupus, and autoimmune disease
- Uncontrolled diabetes
Related Article: WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF A MISCARRIAGE
Is there anything you can do to avoid miscarriage?
In many cases, miscarriages are unavoidable, and a mother is unable to influence the outcome. Fortunately, there is still something that you can do to mitigate your risks of experiencing a miscarriage.
Ways to prevent a miscarriage
- Taking a folic acid supplement and prenatal vitamins before and during pregnancy. It is highly recommended to take a folic acid supplement before conceiving till the end of the first trimester.
- Managing bodyweight. Keep your weight within normal limits because excess weight gain is a risk factor for miscarriage. You can read more about how to avoid gaining too much pregnancy weight gain here.
- Eating a healthy balanced diet that includes a lot of fruits and vegetables. The importance of a balanced diet cannot be emphasized enough. You need all the nutrition you can get. Check out this list of highly nutritious foods to eat during pregnancy.
- Gentle regular exercises. You should know that there are certain exercises you should avoid during pregnancy. Get more information about what exercises are safe during pregnancy here.
- Avoid smoking – Smoking affects the growth of your baby and the health of your placenta.
- Avoid drugs and alcohol – Drugs and alcohol have been linked to increased complications. This also includes caffeinated beverages.
- Report any bleeding or abnormal abdominal pain immediately
- Avoid the risk of infections – Keep away from salmonella predominant in raw eggs and listeria from unpasteurized cheese.
- Attend all your antenatal appointments in order to monitor and pick up problems early.
- Be alert of your baby’s movements and when they noticeably slow down, seek advice from your midwife or maternity unit as soon as possible.
- Manage stress. Stress and anxiety can contribute to a miscarriage
- Avoid radiations and poisons such as lead or benzene
- Keep your abdomen safe while pregnant and avoid sports with a higher risk of injury
- Confirm with your healthcare provider before taking any medication
- Keep away from environmental hazards such as x-rays
How to prevent a miscarriage due to chromosomal abnormalities?
According to NCBI Up to 70 percent of the first trimester miscarriages occur because of an error in the fetus’s genes. During fertilization, the sperm and egg each bring 23 chromosomes together to create perfectly matched pairs. A chromosomal abnormality occurs when a fetus has either the incorrect number of chromosomes, an incorrect amount of DNA within a chromosome, or chromosomes that are structurally flawed. These abnormalities may translate to the development of congenital abnormalities, disorders like Down syndrome, or possibly a miscarriage.
According to AME, this type of chromosomal abnormality occurs more often as maternal age increases. In most cases, the error is a random anomaly, and the woman will go on to have a healthy subsequent pregnancy.
How to Prevent Miscarriage After 40?
If you are over 35-40 and want to have a baby, follow these steps:
- See your doctor 3 months before you start trying to conceive.
- Take prenatal vitamins.
- Keep all visits with your doctor.
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle and eat healthy foods.
- Address any health issues before trying to conceive.
- Manage stress.
- Start at a healthy weight.
- Don’t smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs.
- Don’t use any medicines unless approved by your doctor.
You may find these articles interesting:
- WHAT TO EAT TO CONCEIVE
- HOW TO EAT HEALTHY DURING PREGNANCY
- FOODS AND BEVERAGES TO AVOID DURING PREGNANCY
Vitamins to Prevent a Miscarriage
It is very important to eat a well-balaned diet while pregnant. Eating healthy foods can help give you all the nutrients you and your growing baby need during pregnancy. But sometimes, even if you eat a well-balanced diet while pregnant, it is still unlikely that you get all the important vitamins and minerals your body needs a day. This is when taking prenatal vitamins can help. Prenatal vitamins are multivitamins for pregnant women or women who are trying to get pregnant. If compared to a regular multivitamin, they have more of some nutrients that you need during pregnancy.
According to NCBI, intake of antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin C and E may be an important factor to reduce the risk of miscarriage. Several studies have found that vitamin supplementation, and eating fresh fruits and vegetables daily were associated with a reduced risk of miscarriage. Maternal nutrition, particularly vitamin intake, is associated with placental development and fetal growth and therefore may be an important factor in preventing spontaneous miscarriage.
To make sure you are getting all the necessary nutrients you need during pregnancy, it is recommended to take prenatal vitamins before and during pregnancy.
So before you start trying to get pregnant, you should visit your doctor or midwife. Even if you feel you are healthy and ready for a pregnancy, your doctor can do plenty ahead of time to help you prepare. Your health care provider may prescribe a prenatal vitamin for you, or you can buy them over the counter without a prescription. They will help you enhance your pre-pregnancy health, health during pregnancy, and postpartum wellness.
You can read more important information about prenatal vitamins here:
How to Prevent a Miscarriage With PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome)?
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder common among women of reproductive age. The best way to prevent a miscarriage in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is to normalize hormonal levels to improve ovulation and normalize blood glucose and androgen levels. This treatment is given only by doctors or other professional health care providers that can help with this. If you have PCOS and you want to get pregnant, you need to consult your doctor.
Best Sleeping Position to Avoid Miscarriage
According to NIH, the US National Library of Medicine, the left side sleeping position is the best sleeping position for you and your fetus in later pregnancy. Although you can sleep in any position you like in the first pregnancy trimester, it’s wise to start practicing side sleeping.
As the baby grows, this position improves circulation by preventing the pressure of the uterus from resting on the veins, back, and internal organs. Practicing this position from early pregnancy may make the transition easier for those who tend to favor stomach or back sleeping.
Bottom Line,
While you cannot prevent miscarriages completely, you can take these steps to reduce the risks. your personal health and that of your baby predominantly depends on how well you take care of yourself during pregnancy.
Related:
- 7 IMPORTANT CHANGES TO MAKE BEFORE YOU GET PREGNANT
- HOW TO GET PREGNANT FAST WITH IRREGULAR PERIODS
- BEST TIPS ON HOW TO GET PREGNANT FAST
