Home > Encyclopedia of Medicine > Recurrent Miscarriage

Definition

Recurrent miscarriage is defined as three or more miscarriages of a fetus before 20 weeks of gestation (i.e., before the fetus can live outside the womb).

Description

Also referred to as spontaneous abortion, miscarriage occurs in 15–20% of all conceptions. The majority of miscarriages occur during the first trimester. The number of previous miscarriages does not affect subsequent full-term pregnancies.

Causes and symptoms

Recurrent miscarriage can be caused by several factors, including fetal, placental, or maternal abnormalities.

• In over half of all miscarriages, the fetus is abnormal. The abnormality can either be genetic or developmental. The fetus is very sensitive to ionizing radiation. Tobacco and even moderate alcohol consumption are known to cause fetal damage that may lead to miscarriage....