Pregnancy Loss Support, Symptoms & Treatment

The risk of miscarriage and chromosomal abnormalities increase for each year over age 35. Your chances of conceiving also reduce as you pass age 40 with only a 5 percent chance of getting pregnant. However — age doesn’t only affect women who are trying to conceive. The quality, amount and motility of the sperm decrease gradually as men get older. That said, preconception care in both partners can boost the odds of conceiving either naturally or during fertility treatment.

In overweight candidates, weight loss can reduce miscarriage rate by as much as 13% for many reasons. For one, overweight women are more likely to produce immature eggs and have a poor response to fertility medications.

Your generatic history may increase the chances of chromosomal errors occuring during the division of the fetal cells, contributing to miscarriage. However, this can also happen due to poor sperm and/or egg quality. If you are undergoing fertility treatment, you can ask your healthcare practitioner if genetic testing (such as Preimplantation Genetic Screening and Comprehensive Chromosome Screening) is right for you.

While the relationship between egg and sperm quality and environmental toxins isn’t fully understood — it can increase the risk of chromosomal abnormalities, resulting in miscarraige.

A cup of coffee can have anywhere from 70 – 130mg of caffeine. While your morning java can provide a few hours of energy, due to their immature kidneys and liver, it may last up to 130 hours in a fetus. Several studies have shown that high doses of caffeine can cause spontaneous abortion and/or affect fetal growth. Even consumption of 3+ cups of coffee while you are trying to conceive can increase your risk of miscarriage.

Whether you are trying to become pregnant for the first time, you want to add a sibling for your child, or you are beginning fertility treatment — smoking can put a damper on your efforts. Smokers experience infertility twice as much as their non-smoking counterparts. It can also affect the success of your fertility treatment. The great news is that the health benefits of quitting can be detected in egg quality in just three months.

While more research is needed, some studies and clinical observations suggest that cannabis is associated with changes in ovulation patterns in women and reduced sperm motility in men. The active ingredient in marijuana, THC, crosses the placenta, passes the blood-brain barrier and enters the fetus’ blood circulation. It can decrease fetal folic acid uptake (boosting miscarriage rates) and possibility decrease uterine receptivity. If you are trying to conceive or pregnant, it’s best to speak with your healthcare practitioner before using cannabis or drugs of any form.

Despite the old adage, ‘moderation is key,’ it doesn’t apply when you are struggling to conceive or planning fertility treatment. Drinking even a small amount of alcohol on a regularly basis can increase the risk of miscarriage during the first trimester. This is separate from adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as fetal alcohol syndrome. Whether it’s 1-2 drinks a week or more, pregnancy and alcohol simply don’t mix.

• If left untreated, the following health conditions may affect your ability to get — and stay — pregnant:
• uncontrolled diabetes
• thyroid conditions
• heart disease
• high blood pressure
• lupus or other immune disorders
• kidney or liver disease.
• Sexually transmitted diseases, as well as other unmanaged infections can also play a role.
• Medications related to the above conditions can also cause complications during natural fertility attempts and/or fertility treatments. Speak to your healthcare practitioner to ensure that you have the green light before you attempt to conceive.

Certain food-borne illnesses (a.k.a. food poisoning) are well established as possible miscarriage causes, including: Listeriosis, Salmonella enterocolitis (also known as Salmonellosis), Toxoplasmosis and E. coli enteritis. Taking food safety measures, keeping hands and surfaces clean, cooking to proper temperatures and being particularly picky when dining out will decrease the risk of getting ill.