What are the symptoms of a threatened abortion?
The following list contains some of the most common signs that may indicate that your pregnancy is not going to end well:
1) You have been trying to get pregnant for several months with no success.
Your periods stop, but you continue to bleed. You feel tired all the time and your body aches. You may even lose weight or gain it back quickly if you eat too much food.
2) You have had contractions (regular periods) for 2 weeks straight.
They are very painful and last from 15 minutes to over an hour. Sometimes they come every few hours, sometimes only once a day. If you go into labor, it will take longer than usual because your body is fighting off the pain. The contractions usually occur during the night when you least expect them.
3) You have been having bleeding after each period for several days.
This bleeding is heavier and lasts longer than normal. You may experience cramping, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite and severe abdominal pain. These symptoms are very similar to those associated with postpartum depression (PPD). However, unlike PPD which is temporary and goes away on its own within a week or two, your baby’s life could be in danger if you do not get help right now!
4) You have been “spotting” (having very light periods) for several weeks and it does not seem to be getting better.
Your stomach is growing, but you are constantly tired. Your back aches a lot and you can’t sleep through the night anymore. You may have heartburn, urinary tract infections and even experience diarrhea or constipation. You feel nauseous all the time and sometimes vomit unformed food.
5) You have been having very vivid dreams for several weeks.
You have had several nightmares about giving birth to a child with severe deformities or even the death of one or both parents. These dreams are sometimes so scary they wake you up at night. Your period is late and you have taken two home pregnancy tests, both of which were positive. One of them was performed by your General Practitioner (GP), the other one at the drugstore.
What is threatening abortion?
Threatening abortion, also known as threatened miscarriage, is a condition in which a woman experiences bleeding from her uterus for any number of reasons. The most common one is that the embryo or fetus does not develop properly and dies. The tissue that should be passing through the cervix is just blood clots. Usually, no embryo or fetus is seen in the miscarried material.
What are the causes of threatening abortion?
The most common causes of threatening abortion include:
1) Exposure to teratogens (drugs, chemicals and other harmful substances).
2) Infection of the uterus or cervix.
These may include bacteria, viruses and even parasites.
3) Defects in the genetic material (DNA) of the embryo.
4) An error in cell division that happens when the egg is fertilized.
This usually happens during the very early stages of development.
5) Low nutrient supply to the embryo.
6) Trauma to the abdomen.
This may happen if you are in a car accident or fall down. It may also happen if you are physically assaulted and somebody punches you in the stomach.
7) Hormonal problems such as hypothyroidism or diabetes.
8) Too much exercise or physical exertion.
9) Lifting heavy objects or performing heavy physical labor.
10) Stress and emotional disturbances such as grief, depression or rage.
What are the symptoms of threatening abortion?
Many women who experience a threatening abortion never have any symptoms at all.
If you experience mild symptoms, they may include:
1) A slight vaginal discharge.
2) Lower abdominal cramps or pain.
3) Nausea and vomiting.
4) Low backache.
5) Low grade fever.
6) Fatigue and weakness.
7) Dizziness or feeling faint.
8) Tenderness in the lower abdominal area.
9) Bleeding in between periods or after sexual Intercourse.
10) A missed period.
If you experience more severe symptoms, they may include:
1) Vomiting and diarrhea.
2) Severe lower back pain.
3) Severe abdominal pain.
4) Severe flu-like symptoms.
5) Heavy vaginal bleeding.
6) Fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius.
What is the treatment for threatening abortion?
There are many natural and herbal treatment options that can help with a threatening abortion.
1) Vitamin C, 2 grams every four hours.
2) Vitamin E, 400 international units every eight hours.
3) Evening Primrose Oil, three 500 mg capsules every eight hours.
Evening Primrose Oil works by preventing the breakdown of glycogen in the liver and helps to stabilize hormone levels. It also helps to reduce inflammation and acts as a mild painkiller.
4) Black Cohash, one 300 mg capsule every eight hours.
Black Cohash works by helping the uterus contract. It should not be used in pregnant women or women trying to become pregnant because it may cause an abortion.
5) Ginger Root, 500 mg tablet every six hours.
Ginger Root is an ancient herbal remedy that helps with nausea, morning sickness and general stomach irritation.
6) Peppermint Leaf, one 500 mg capsule every four hours.
Peppermint is an old home remedy that helps to settle the stomach and act as an anti-nauseant.
7) Acupuncture.
Acupuncture has been used for centuries to help support normal pregnancy and alleviate morning sickness.
8) Herbal Compresses.
Making an herbal compress is easy and can be applied directly to the lower abdomen or back to help reduce pain and inflammation. Compresses can be made of comfrey, plantain, yarrow or other cooling and anti-inflammatory herbs. Recipe:
* 1 part Comfrey
* 1 part Plantain
* 1 part Yarrow
Mix the herbs together and place in a container large enough for your Compress. Soak the herbs in boiling water and allow to cool until you can handle the Compress, but it is still warm. Apply the Compress directly to the lower abdominal area.
9) Acupressure.
Pressure can be applied to the wrist with a technique called acupuncture. The technique involves placing pressure on one of the points with the index finder and pressing with light fingertip pressure. This helps to relieve pain, decrease inflammation and alleviate cramping.
10) Herbal Tinctures. Certain herbal tinctures may help you feel less sick and more energetic. They include herbs such as Ginger, Peppermint, Parsley, and Red Raspberry. Follow the directions on your tincture bottle for proper dosing.
More information on threatening miscarriage:
Threatening miscarriage is a condition in which a spontaneous abortion seems imminent. There are many causes of threatening miscarriage, but it is most commonly caused by a pregnancy that is not viable. This may be due to genetic or other factors that prevent the fetus from developing normally or it may be due to an outside force such as infection or trauma.
Treatments for threatening miscarriage are different than treatments for regular miscarriage, as the goal is to help the mother’s body expel what could be a non-viable fetus without medical assistance. While bed rest is usually necessary, it may not be as long as it would be in a regular miscarriage. The same goes for using cervical caps and pregnancy hormones. Pain killers and antibiotics may or may not be necessary, depending on the cause of the threatening miscarriage.
How to prevent threatening miscarriage:
There are some steps that you can take to help prevent threatening miscarriage. First, be aware of the conditions and activities that put you at risk. These include cervical insufficiency, uterine or vaginal infections, uterine abnormalities, and trauma to the abdomen. If you are exposed to any of these conditions, seek medical assistance immediately.
In addition, many uterine infections are caused by sexual partners with sexually transmitted diseases. By using condoms every time you have sexual contact with a new partner, you can drastically lower your risk of infection and threatening miscarriage.
Finally, be aware of the warning signs of threatening miscarriage. While
most women who experience threatening miscarriage experience bleeding or pain, some do not experience these symptoms until the condition has progressed too far to save the baby. The most important warning signs to look out for are abdominal pain and uterine tenderness. If you suddenly experience a great deal of pain in your abdomen accompanied by a loss of fetal movement, contact your doctor immediately.
If you are having a threatening miscarriage and are not in immediate medical danger, try to remain as calm as possible. There is some evidence that stress hormones can affect fetal heart rate, and if the fetus does survive the ordeal, it is important to keep the blood sugar levels up with frequent snacks and drinks. Most importantly, seek immediate attention from a doctor or midwife who can determine the cause of bleeding and take steps to prevent further loss of the pregnancy.
Sources & references used in this article:
The significance of crown–rump length measurement for predicting adverse pregnancy outcome of threatened abortion by M Reljič – Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology: The Official …, 2001 – Wiley Online Library
Threatened miscarriage: evaluation and management by A Sotiriadis, S Papatheodorou, G Makrydimas – Bmj, 2004 – bmj.com
Threatened abortion: a risk factor for poor pregnancy outcome by TF DAVARI, M Shariat, M Kaveh, M Ebrahimi… – 2008 – sid.ir
Dydrogesterone in threatened abortion: pregnancy outcome by MH Omar, MK Mashita, PS Lim, MA Jamil – The Journal of steroid …, 2005 – Elsevier
Dydrogesterone support in threatened miscarriage by MY El-Zibdeh, LT Yousef – Maturitas, 2009 – Elsevier
The effect of progesterone suppositories on threatened abortion: a randomized clinical trial by F Yassaee, R Shekarriz-Foumani, S Afsari… – … of reproduction & …, 2014 – ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
A comparison between the pregnancy outcome in women both with or without threatened abortion by F Dadkhah, M Kashanian, G Eliasi – Early human development, 2010 – Elsevier
Threatened abortion: a risk factor for poor pregnancy outcome, a population-based screening study by JL Weiss, FD Malone, J Vidaver, RH Ball… – American journal of …, 2004 – Elsevier
A systematic review of dydrogesterone for the treatment of threatened miscarriage by H Carp – Gynecological Endocrinology, 2012 – Taylor & Francis
