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Introduction
Miscarriage
Suffering a miscarriage is one of the most devastating
things that can happen to a woman, and to her partner.
Many women conceive easily and are not emotionally
or physically prepared for the shock of losing a baby.
To make it worse, there are often complaints that
the medical profession lack sympathy, and investigations
into the cause are normally not even considered until
you have suffered three miscarriages. It may seem
a callous approach, but the reason for this response
is simply that miscarriage is extremely common. In
fact, one in four pregnancies end in miscarriage,
usually before the twelfth week of pregnancy. Many
women miscarry without having been aware that they
were pregnant. Nevertheless, if you do suffer a miscarriage,
no amount of reassurance that it is 'normal' or 'common'
can ease the pain.
What is a miscarriage?
A miscarriage, which is also known as 'spontaneous
abortion', occurs when a baby (foetus) is lost spontaneously
before the 24th week of pregnancy. After this time,
the death of a baby is called a 'stillbirth'.
Many women feel well and will not notice anything untoward before a scan confirms that the baby has stopped developing and died. In this situation, the miscarriage is called a 'missed abortion' because the baby has died, but has not been expelled from the womb. In some cases, a fertilised egg will not have developed, or developed poorly. On a scan, this would show as a pregnancy, but there would be no embryo because the foetus will have stopped growing early on. This is known as a 'blighted ovum'. Unfortunately, you may not know anything is wrong until you have the first routine scan, which is a great shock to an expectant mother.
Are there any symptoms?
In the case of a threatened miscarriage, where the
risk of losing your baby is increased, you may experience:
— bleeding from the vagina, often containing
clots
— blood in the vaginal mucus
— abdominal pain and/or cramping
— back pain
What are your choices?
If you have suffered a miscarriage, it is natural
to be very concerned about why it happened, and to
want to prevent a recurrence. Like many women, you
may have been subjected to a number of tests, all
of which have been inconclusive. There may simply
be no medical reason why you are miscarrying. Many
women are told to 'go away and try again', which is
a confusing and often frightening proposal. You may
be concerned that because nothing has changed between
one miscarriage and the next pregnancy, there is a
possibility that it could happen again.
It is believed that up to 50 percent of miscarriages are due to a chromosomal abnormality. Only a small portion of chromosomal abnormalities are inherited and you can be tested (screened) to see if there is a problem that needs to be addressed. Other chromosomal abnormalities occur before, during and after fertilisation, as the chromosomes divide. For this reason, it is extremely important that both you and your partner are in optimum health before you conceive in order to make sure that the egg and sperm are as healthy as possible before fertilisation.
You can achieve optimum health and minimise the risk of a miscarriage by following the recommendations below.
The natural approach to miscarriage, particularly when there is no medically diagnosed cause, has proved to be very effective. A study conducted by the University of Surrey showed that 83 percent of couples, with a previous history of miscarriage, who made changes in their lifestyle, diet and took nutritional supplements, conceived and had a baby within the three years of the study without experiencing another miscarriage. The national average for miscarriages is 1 in 4, so one would have expected to see some miscarriages, especially in those couples who had already experienced a miscarriage. However, none of the couples who became pregnant during the study suffered a miscarriage. Those statistics speak for themselves.
It takes at least three months for immature eggs (oocytes) to develop to maturity. At this point they are ready for ovulation. As a result, there is a four-month period in which you can take steps to ensure that all of the factors necessary for a healthy conception and pregnancy are present. This is called the preconceptual period, and it is essential that you look upon this period as one that is as important as the pregnancy itself in terms of your lifestyle and diet. It also takes at least three months for sperm cells to mature, ready to be ejaculated, so your partner needs to follow the recommendations below over four months as well.
So take four months off. Don't even try to conceive over that time and spend those months achieving optimum health before you try to get pregnant again. Make sure that you and your partner have corrected any vitamin and mineral deficiencies and that toxins (for further information about toxins, see how to access the full chapter on Miscarriages below) are avoided as much as possible.
Your diet will be supplemented in order to ensure that both you and your partner have all the nutrients required to create healthy eggs and sperm. Below you'll also find nutrients that are vital for preventing miscarriage.
Supplements
The supplements recommended below have been studied
in clinical trials and have been found to be effective
in connection with miscarriages. For best results
you should take them over a period of three months,
at the end of which you should be reassessed in order
to monitor improvements and changes and then adjust
the supplement programme according to your new condition.
Multivitamin and Mineral
A good quality multivitamin and mineral would form
the foundation of your supplement programme to make
sure that you are getting a 'little bit of everything'.
You then add in those nutrients in slightly higher
amounts which are known to be helpful in preventing
miscarriages.
Folic Acid
Any woman trying to become pregnant now knows about
the importance of folic acid, which has been proven
to prevent spina bifida. What you may not know is
that it is extremely important for women who experience
miscarriage.
Research into heart disease suggests that folic acid and vitamin B12 might be beneficial in controlling an amino acid called homocysteine that is found in the blood. In high quantities, homocysteine causes damage to the lining of the blood vessels. Interestingly, high levels of homocysteine have also been found in women who experience recurrent miscarriages. It is, therefore, important that both folic acid and vitamin B12 form a part of your supplement plan.
Vitamin E
Aspirin and heparin are given to women who have blood
clotting antibodies in order to thin the blood. Another
possibility - and certainly the natural alternative
- is to take vitamin E. This vitamin can help thin
the blood and prevent clots. A study published in
the Lancet in 1996 found that taking a daily dose
of vitamin E reduced the risk of having a heart attack
by an astonishing 75 percent. The scientists heading
this study commented that the results were even more
'exciting than aspirin'.
Zinc
Zinc is an essential component of genetic material
and a zinc deficiency can cause chromosome changes
in both partners, leading to an increased risk of
miscarriage. Zinc is found in high concentrations
in the sperm, and adequate levels are needed to make
the outer layer and tail. It's fairly obvious that
it is a crucial nutrient for healthy sperm.
What's more, zinc plays a vital role in normal cell division, so it is particularly important that adequate levels are available at the time of conception in order to prevent a miscarriage.
Selenium
Researchers have found that women who miscarry have
low levels of selenium in their blood compared to
women who don't miscarry. Selenium is a powerful antioxidant
and it can prevent chromosome breakage and DNA damage,
which are known to be a cause of miscarriages and
birth defects.
Selenium is also needed for healthy sperm formation, so I strongly suggest that your partner supplements with selenium if the semen analysis shows a high percentage of abnormal sperm. As an antioxidant, selenium can also protect against possible DNA damage to sperm.
Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)
Essential fatty acids produce beneficial prostaglandins
which can reduce abnormal blood clotting. In order
to make sure that you are not deficient in these fatty
acids it is preferable to take them in supplement
form over the four-months preconception period and
during the pregnancy itself. I would recommend linseed
(flaxseed) oil or fish oil capsules to help reduce
any abnormal blood clotting.
Herbs (see caution below)
There are a number of herbs that can be very helpful in the prevention of miscarriage, and they should be taken during the four-month preconceptual period (which takes place before you are trying to become pregnant). Once you are pregnant, herbs can be used to stop a threatened miscarriage, but you will need to see a qualified practitioner to ensure that you are given the right ones. In fact, it is essential that you find a registered and qualified practitioner before taking any herbs during pregnancy. Remember, however, that herbs will not prevent a miscarriage if there is something wrong with your baby. Sometimes we need to allow nature to take its course.
Agnus Castus (Vitex/chastetree berry)
This is a very helpful remedy for women who experience
miscarriage because of a luteal phase defect (shortened
second half of the cycle) or insufficient progesterone
levels. It stimulates the function of the pituitary
gland, which controls and balances our hormones by
producing luteinising hormone. This increases progesterone
production and helps regulate a woman's cycle.
In one study on women with corpus luteum deficiency, 25 out of the 35 women normalised their serum progesterone levels after three months of taking agnus castus.
For other herbs to help prevent a miscarriage, see
the rest of the Miscarriage e-book at The Natural Health Practice which you can download.
You should not take any of the above herbs if you are taking, The Pill, Fertillity drugs, HRT or any other hormonal treatment or other medication unless they are recommended by a registered, experienced practitioner.
Tests are extremely useful, in that they can tell you what deficiencies you have at the moment and then for you to know what supplements would be useful to take to correct those deficiencies. You would then be re-tested after three to four months to monitor your progress and to adjust the supplement programme accordingly.
Mineral Analysis Test
with Supplement and Nutritional Assessment Programme
This test measures the deficiency and excess levels
of 7 different minerals and 5 heavy toxic metals that
may be present in your body.
Online Personalised
Supplement Assessment Programme
The analysis of this comprehensive questionnaire will
give you a three monthly supplement programme to help
balance any vitamin and mineral deficiencies you may
have.
Female Hormone Test (saliva)
This is a very simple test that is done at home and
then sent to the lab for analysis. A total of 11 saliva
samples are collected over one cycle at specific times.
The level of the hormones oestrogen and progesterone
are mapped for that month to a provide a pattern that
can show whether you have problems maintaining progesterone
levels or whether you have a very short luteal (second
half) phase of the cycle, which can make it difficult
to stay pregnant.
After three months you would then have a re-test in order to monitor your progress and adjust your supplement programme according to your new condition.
If you need help in obtaining any of the supplements, herbs or tests mentioned above, click, Miscarriage options at The Natural Health Practice. They can supply all of them for you online or if you prefer to talk to somebody first you can also order by mail order on the telephone. The products supplied by this company are always of the highest quality.
Plan of Action
Nutrition
Ensure you are getting the right nutrition:
Follow dietary recommendations outlined on the Foundation
of Health page.
And for more information on the special dietary recommendations
to prevent miscarriages, see the rest of the chapter
on Miscarriage e-book at The Natural Health Practice
The supplement programme below should be taken for at least three months in order to achieve best results
Your supplement plan
— A good multivitamin and mineral tablet designed
for pregnancy (it must contain 400mcg of folic acid,
plus the following nutrients at these levels)
— Vitamin B12 (20mcg per day)
— Zinc citrate (30mg per day)
— Selenium (100mcg per day)
— Vitamin E (300iu per day)
— Linseed (Flaxseed) oil (1000mg per day)
To make this easier I have formulated two supplements (Fertility Plus for Women and Fertility Plus for Men) which contain all of these nutrients in the correct quantities. The only additional supplement required is linseed oil. I would also suggest adding vitamin C at 1000mg per day, which is the generally recommended level for the preconceptual period.
So, in summary, you would take:
— Fertility Plus for Women (one capsule twice
a day)
— linseed oil (1000mg per day)
— vitamin C (1000mg per day)
Your partner would take:
— Fertility Plus for Men (one capsule three times
a day)
— linseed oil (1000mg per day)
— vitamin C (1000mg per day)
At the end of three months you should reassess your condition and adjust your supplement programme accordingly.
The tests below have been specially selected to be the most helpful if you are concerned about miscarriage.
Mineral Analysis Test with Supplement and Nutritional Assessment Programme
Online Personalised
Supplement Assessment Programme
After three months you would then have a re-test in order to monitor your progress and adjust your supplement programme according to your new condition.
If you need help in obtaining any of the supplements, herbs or tests mentioned above, click, Miscarriage options at The Natural Health Practice. They can supply all of them for you online or if you prefer to talk to somebody first you can also order by mail order on the telephone. The products supplied by this company are always of the highest quality.
The section above forms part of a larger e-book on Miscarriages. In the rest of the e-book you will learn what the medical approaches to miscarriages are and how to combine them with the natural approach. This is called Integrated Medicine and is the way that healthier of the future is moving towards. You will also learn what medical tests will give you an accurate diagnosis of your condition and if you really need to have them. The medical treatments for miscarriages are then examined which can include looking at either drugs or surgery. Each treatment is then discussed and the pros and cons of the options explained. The Integrated Approach to miscarriages is considered in some detail so that if appropriate you can know how to combine the best of both conventional and natural medicine.
At the end of the e-book is a practical step by step summary of what you can do to help yourself.
If you would like to read the rest of this e-book click, Miscarriage e-book at The Natural Health Practice and you will be given details of how you can download the whole e-book.
Or if you would like even more in depth advice about Miscarriage you should read my New book "Getting Pregnant Faster".
| Introduction | What are your choices? | Plan of Action |
The contents of this site are for information only and are intended to assist readers in identifying symptoms and conditions they may be experiencing. This site is not intended to be a substitute for taking proper medical advice and should not be relied upon in this way. Always consult a qualified doctor or health practitioner, especially if you are pregnant, taking the pill or on any medication. Your situation will need to be looked at individually and you should not attempt to self treat. The author and publisher cannot accept responsibility for illness arising out of the failure to seek medical advice from a doctor.
The views expressed by third parties placing material on these pages are not representative of the views of the author or publisher. The Author and Publisher cannot monitor the content not produced by us and has not reviewed all the third party material published on this site and the Author and Publisher accept no liability whatsoever in relation to the content of third party material placed on these pages.
