Miscarriage ( abortionEarly pregnancy loss

Dr. R. EL-Gantri

Associated Professor

Obst. & Gyne. Department

Definition:

Spontaneous termination of pregnancy before viability of fetus ( before 24 week gestation).

Incidence: 15%

Early pregnancy loss: if it occurs before 12 weeks (80%)

Late pregnancy loss: if it occurs between 13 to 24 weeks (12%)

( usually there is a fetus)

Early pregnancy loss classified into;

* Blighted ova: no fetus on U/S examination (Empty gestational sac)

Fetal tissues absent on histological examination

* Early fetal demise: fetus present on U/S examination

fetal tissues present on histological examination

Factors influence rate of spontaneous miscarriage: • Maternal age > 35 years• Gravidity• Previous miscarriage• Multiple pregnancies

Etiology:

1. Abnormal conceptus as genetic abnormalities (50-60%), structural abnormalities

2. Endocrine abnormalities (10- 15%)

3. Cervical incompetence (8-10%)

4. Uterine anatomic abnormalities (1-3%)

5. Immunological (5%)

6. Infections (3-5%)

7. Structural abnormalities

8. Unknown reasons (< 5%)

1- abnormal conceptus

Blighted ovum means an empty gestational sac without embryo development.

Most miscarriage occurs before 8 weeks’ gestations and are blighted ovum

and result from: error in maternal and/ or paternal meiosis

super fecundation of an egg by two sperms

chromosomal division without cytoplasmic division

The abnormalities of development may be due to: Chromosomal abnormalities Structural abnormalities Gene defects (absence of specific enzyme)

I- The chromosomal abnormalities; Are found in approximately 80% of blighted ovum and 5-10% of the miscarriage in which the a fetus is present.

These are the most frequent and important causes of early pregnancy loss

The chromosomal abnormalities include;

♣ autosomal trisomy; The non-disjunction defect is found approximately in

60% of blighted ovum with abnormal karyotypes. most non-disjunction occurs during 1st mitotic division The affected chromosomes are: 16 (32%) 22 (10%) 21 (8%)

♣ Triploidy ; occurs in 12-15% of chromosomal abnormalities double paternal chromosomes (69 chromosomes) partial molar of pregnancy occurs in 5%

♣ Monosomy X; represents 25% of miscarriage with chromosomal abnormalities (45X)

♣ Structural rearrangement; the abnormality consists of unbalanced translocation

accounts 3-5% of miscarriage with abnormal chromosome 3% of couples will be carrier karyotyping is required

II- structural abnormalities as NTD, uncommon cause of miscarriage

III- Gene defect; -difficult to determine because of facilities to identify the individual

gene defects. -Example as autosomal dominant disorders and X-linked dominant disorders.

II- Endocrine causes

*Corpus luteum is essential for maintenance of pregnancy during the first 8 weeks.

* Surgical removal of it→ miscarriage within 4- 7 days

* Parenteral progesterone may prevent abortion but the evidence of progesterone deficiency as a cause of miscarriage is unsatisfactory.

* In the past, progesterone have been used among women with recurrent miscarriage with good results.

* It is possible that corpus luteum deficiency could be a cause of early pregnancy loss

* Use pf progesterone is over used in miscarriage.

III-Uterine abnormalities

A- Uterine malformations;

- result from a failure of normal fusion of the Mullerian ducts, as: bicronuate uterus,

septate or subseptate, and uterus didelphys.

- May result in miscarriage in 10- 15%

B- Intra-uterine synechiae ( Asher man's syndrome) in which there is either partial or complete adhesion between walls of uterus leading to partial or complete obliteration of the uterine cavity.

Usually occur as a result of intrauterine infections following;

Retained parts of conception

post-abortal or postpartum curettage

repeated pregnancy loss

C- Cervical incompetence

▲ Is a well recognized cause of miscarriage in late second trimester

▲ The clinical feature are: - painless cervical dilatation (main presentation) - increase vaginal discharge - speculum examination shows bulging membrane with cervical dilatation

▲Causes; Trauma to cervix is the main etiological factor

- vigorous mechanical dilatation of cervix - trauma during delivery - cone biopsy - cervical amputation

Congenital; rare

▲ Diagnosis of cervical incompetence

1- History and examination

2- During pregnancy: U/s examination

Finding: short cervix

internal os dilated up to ≥ 2cm

funnel shaped cervix

3- Non pregnancy:

passing Hegar dilator number 8 through internal os

hysterosalpingography

▲ Treatment

Placing suture ( cervical cerclage) around the cervix at 14- 16 week’s gestation

Two types of sutures;

McDonald

Shrodkar

▲ Complications of cerclage

- Rupture of membrane

- Infections

- further trauma to cervix

▲ Time of removal of cerclage at 38 weeks

D- Infection

◙ uncommon cause of miscarriage

◙ acute maternal infections as ; peyelitis, appendicitis can lead to general toxic illness with high temperature that stimulates the uterine activity → miscarriage.

◙ early diagnosis & treatment will control most of infection and forestall the occurrence of miscarriage

◙ syphilis can cross the placenta → IUFD and miscarriage

◙ other infections as; Rubella, Toxoplasmosis, Listeriosis, CMV, and Mycoplasma can lead to miscarriage

E- Immunological causes

• Immunological rejection of fetus can cause recurrent miscarriage

• May be due to failure of the normal immune response in mother

• An example is anti-phospholipids antibody syndrome responsible for 3-5% of recurrent miscarriage

F- toxic factors

Anesthetic gases, smoking, alcohol, and drug abuse can cause miscarriage

G- Trauma

amniocentesis, CVS, IUCDs, and abdominal surgery

Types of miscarriage

1- Threatened miscarriage

Referred as vaginal bleeding before 24 week’s gestation when there is a viable fetus without evidence of cervical dilatation and pain.

2- Inevitable, if the cervix becomes dilated, the bleeding increases and there is pain.

3- Incomplete, if there is partial expulsion of product of product of conception ( usually the fetus) with retention of some parts ( usually placenta).

4- Complete, complete expulsion of product of conception.

5- Missed miscarriage, the embryo dies in utero but is not passed

6 Septic, infection may occur following any type of abortion and may spread to pelvis or even leads to septicemia.

7- Recurrent miscarriage, referred as three or more consecutive abortion

Clinical features of miscarriage

1- Threatened miscarriage

- vaginal bleeding (usually slight)

- slight abdominal cramps

- internal os is closed

- viable fetus on U/S examination

2- Inevitable miscarriage

- bleeding becomes heavy with clots

- lower abdominal pain

- cervix dilated ± bulging membrane

3- Incomplete miscarriage

- heavy vaginal bleeding may lead to hypo-volaemic shock

- lower abdominal pain some times sever

- history of passing something (POC)

- cervix dilated

- Retained parts of conception on U/S examination

4- Complete miscarriage

- bleeding minimal

- no pain

- cervix closed

- empty uterus on U/S examination

Differential diagnosis

• Ectopic pregnancy• Hydatiform mole ( molar pregnancy)• Local causes as; cervical erosion, cervical polyp, etc.

Clinical assessment

A- History; includes

personal history

complains as; vaginal bleeding, pain

GA Nigel's rule

medical history

B- Examination

* General assessment for any signs of shock

* Abdominal examination for: abdominal tenderness

size of uterus large wrong date multiple pregnancy molar pregnancy fibroids smaller wrong date non- viable fetus

* Pelvic examination

Should be carried out in all cases

If the vaginal bleeding is slight → speculum examination for

- any vaginal infection

- cervical lesion

If the bleeding is heavy → digital examination to assess

- cervical tenderness ? Ectopic

- state of cervix

- any POC felt inside cervix

↓

to be removed manually

↓

relieve pain & decrease bleeding

C- Investigation

• Serum B-HCG may be required to confirm pregnancy• Ultra-sound examination

Abdominal U/S GS will be seen normally if SBHCG ≥ 3000mIU/ml

Trans-vaginal ; more accurate

GS will be seen normally if SBHCG ≥ 1000mIU/ml

NB; if fetal heart seen on U/S examination, pregnancy will continue in 98%.

Management

1- Threatened miscarriage

- Reassurance of patients

- Rest for few days until the bleeding has settled down

- may require progesterone supplementation

- folic acid

anti D if RH negative

2- Incomplete miscarriage

- assessment of general condition

- blood sample for blood group, RH factor, and CBC

- removal of POC if felt in cervical canal

- ergometrine 0.5mg IV or IM to ↓ blood loss

- evacuation of uterus UGA followed by gentle curettage

- ergometrine 0.5mg IV will encourage uterine contraction

-anti D if RH negative

- if there is hypo-volaemic shock, may require blood transfusion

Septic miscarriage

Occurs as a result of ascending infection following miscarriage.

If not treated, infection may spread throughout pelvis → septicemia and septic shock

Signs;

pyrexia

abdominal pain, and tenderness

persistent vaginal bleeding

offensive vaginal discharge

Investigation

• Routine basic investigations as BL. Group, RH factor, CBC, BS, urea & electrolytes, etc

• Cervical swab• U/S examination for retained parts

Treatment

- Iv. Broad spectrum antibiotic- IV fluids ± blood transfusion if needed- Analgesia - Evacuation of uterus- Anti D

Complications of septic miscarriage

• Septicemia, and septic shock• Acute renal failure• Chronic pelvic infection• Infertility

Missed miscarriage

clinical features:

- Disappearance of symptoms of pregnancy

-Size of uterus < duration of gestation

- U/S shows no signs of fetal life

-PT will remains positive as long as the placental tissues survive then → -ve

Treatment:

there is no urgency in treating missed miscarriage because:

spontaneous miscarriage mostly occurs

coagulation defects due to dead fetus syndrome are rare

Many women prefer to have pregnancy termination

If pregnancy less than 12 weeks; termination by

suction curettage

mifepristone ( anti-progesterone)

If pregnancy > 12 weeks, termination by

induction of labor with prostaglandin

(extra-amniotic)

mifepristone

Recurrent miscarriage

Management includes:

1-Careful history and examination

2- trans-vaginal U/S

3- HSG and/or hysteroscopy

4- karyotyping

5-blood tests for infections

6- antiphospholipid antibodies

Treatment according to the cause

Induced abortion

Induced abortion is not considered in medical terms alone but it arouses strong personal emotions and involves religious and ethical considerations.

Indications; termination of pregnancy may be medically indicated to safe life of patients

as in: malignant diseases of cervix, breast and sever cardiac disease.

Also fetal malformation may require termination.

Q question

1- what is miscarriage and the types?

2- how to diagnose different types of miscarriage ?

3 what are the complications ?

How to treat patient ?

Good luck