In the book trailer for the novel BabyDust, eight women talk about
their losses and how they are ready to speak freely to friends and
family about their babies.
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Statistics on Miscarriage
I've been told dozens of different
statistics from various sources, including my doctors, articles,
and books. Most doctors are unwilling to get into statistics, as you may
have discovered. I researched this issue well and am going out on a limb because
I know you want to know something, even if it may not apply to you in the
end.
For most normal,
healthy women in their first pregnancy, the statistics look like this:
Week of Gestation
Percentage
Likelihood
of Miscarriage
1
(You can only know fertilization occurred if you are doing
infertility treatments)
75%
It is estimated that 3 out of 4 eggs that are fertilized
do not fuse their DNA correctly, and therefore either do
not attempt to implant or fail at implantation. Your
period will come as expected in that case.
2
(You have not yet missed your period, but may have taken
an early detection home test.)
30%
Implantation occurs about 7-10 days after ovulation.
About 1 in 3 eggs will not successfully burrow into the
uterus, but might generate a small amount of hCG in the
attempt, and set off the early urine tests that detect
levels of 25. Your period will often come as expected,
even if a test was positive.2
3-6
10%
Once you pass the day that you have missed your
period, the implantation is usually established.
This number applies to pregnancies where hCG levels reach
50-80.2
7-12
5%
Once the heartbeat is heard, usually at the end
of the sixth week or beginning of the seventh,
the baby has crossed a major developmental
milestone and the miscarriage rate drops again.
Because this is the range for a missed
miscarriage, only a sonogram will detect a loss
after about 9 weeks, as hCG levels stop doubling
naturally.
2nd trimester
3%
The cause of a loss at this point is most
often uterine abnormalities or preterm labor
or rupture of membranes. These are rare.
At 20 weeks, the statistics move from
miscarriage to stillbirth, although babies
up to 24 weeks can be considered a
miscarriage at the doctor's discretion, so
labor & delivery may not be required.
3rd trimester
1%
A loss this late is no longer considered miscarriage once fetus is beyond one pound
(500 grams) around 24 weeks gestation.
The majority of losses at this point are
chromosomal or development problems,
cord accidents, or premature birth.
Statistics for repeat
miscarriage
Situation
Percentage
Likelihood
of Miscarriage
in Your Next Pregnancy
If
you had a miscarriage in your first
pregnancy
13%
chance of it happening again (up from 10%)1
One miscarriage after having one
or more live births
10% (no more than normal)
Two pregnancies and two
miscarriages
40% (you should already be
eligible for basic testing)1
Multiple miscarriages with one
or more live births
13% if you are under 35
If you had one healthy child early on and later have several
miscarriages in a row, you should seek testing, as your odds may have
changed.
Three pregnancies and three
miscarriages
60% (you should have testing
done after three concurrent miscarriages to determine cause and
treatement)1
Four or more miscarriages with
no live births
It's time to stop trying on your own and seek the help of a qualified
reproductive endocrinologist or fertility specialist. See the section on
causes of miscarriage for more information on what may be causing your
losses. Your odds of carrying a baby
to term vary incredibly based on the
findings. Many things are very easy to
treat.42
Maternal age over 35
If you have healthy children or
this is your first pregnancy, and are in good health yourself, there is
no reason to worry about an increased risk of miscarriage. It is a fact,
however, that eggs begin to deteriorate after age 35 regardless of the
mother's health, and a higher rate of miscarriage and babies born with
birth defects will occur. Recommended reading if you are over 35 can be
found at www.marchofdimes.com.
After
your first miscarriage, your
likelihood of becoming a recurrent
miscarrier
20%6
I don't like this statistic,
as it doesn't match the others. But
few places will give a number for
this. This one comes from Miscarriage,
A Woman Doctor's View.
Statistics on Ectopic Pregnancy
Situation
Percentage
Likelihood
of Ectopic
No history of ectopics
2%43
Tube with ectopic removed
completely
9%
Tube with ectopic preserved
12%
Even though your rate of ectopic is
a bit higher when your tube is preserved, you want to keep your tube if you can.
It dramatically increases your ability to get pregnant again.
