Spontaneous Abortion Risk Factors

The loss of a pregnancy can be difficult but knowing risk factors can bring hope.

Suffering a spontaneous abortion, or miscarriage, can be an emotional and overwhelming experience. Although they rarely can be prevented, there are some risk factors that seem to increase your chances of this outcome.

Age

According to the Mayo Clinic, women who are above the age of 35 are more likely to have a miscarriage. As women age, the likelihood of a miscarriage continues to rise.

Unhealthy Lifestyle

Using alcohol or smoking during pregnancy can increase the probability of having a spontaneous abortion. This is also the case with other illegal drugs. Even if a miscarriage does not occur there can also be side effects when the baby is born.

Previous Loss

While women who suffer from one loss do not have an increased risk of additional spontaneous abortion, those who have more than one are more likely to have another miscarriage compared to someone who has not had one at all.

Chronic Conditions

Some health conditions such as diabetes and thyroid issues can increase the chance of having a spontaneous abortion. But proper treatment of these conditions during pregnancy can produce a positive effect.

Considerations

While spontaneous abortions cannot always be prevented, making changes that decrease the risk can be beneficial. Avoiding things that are harmful and seeking prenatal care can assist in a healthy pregnancy.

References

• miscarriage: risk factors
• Miscarriage