A miscarriage is the loss of a baby before the 20th week of pregnancy. Many losses occur before a woman knows she is pregnant. About 10 to 15 out of every 100 recognized pregnancies end in miscarriage.
Most miscarriages occur in the first trimester (13 weeks) of pregnancy. In many cases, the cause is not known. A chromosomal abnormality in the baby or health problems in the mother can cause a miscarriage. Drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, and using illict drugs all increase the risk of miscarriage.
A recent study found that women who consume 200 milligrams (about one 12-ounce cup of coffee) or more of caffeine every day are twice as likely as women who have no caffeine to have a miscarriage. The March of Dimes recommends that women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant have no more than 200 milligrams of caffeine per day.
Most women who have an early miscarriage do not need treatment. The uterus empties itself, like a heavy period.
Sometimes the woman's health care provider recommends a surgical procedure called a D&C. In other cases, the provider may offer the woman the option of using medication (misoprostol) instead of surgery.
Almost all women go on to have a healthy pregnancy after a miscarriage.
Some women have repeated miscarriages. But most women who have had two or three losses go on to have a healthy pregnancy.
What you can do:
Limit the amount of caffeine you have each day.
Report any bleeding or abdominal pain to your health care provider.
If you do have a miscarriage, give yourself time to recover physically and to grieve the loss of your baby. The March of Dimes provides information for grieving families.
If you have repeated miscarriages, ask your health care provider to help you find the cause. Testing reveals the cause of the miscarriages in about 50 percent of couples.
For more information, read the fact sheet Miscarriage.
October 2008
