How common are miscarriages?
Nearly 1 million miscarriages occur in the U.S. each year, yet most Americans don’t understand how common they really can be, according to a new survey.
Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Montefiore Health System recently surveyed more than 1,000 men and women to assess what the general public knew about miscarriages. They found that 50 percent of the respondents incorrectly believed miscarriages were rare, occurring in less than 6 percent of pregnancies.
Miscarriages are all too common
“Statistics show nearly one in four women have a miscarriage at some time however, the number is realistically closer to two in three,” says Dr. Melissa Miller, obstetrician/gynecologist on staff at Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin, Ill. “Many women mistake a miscarriage for a late, heavy period. They haven’t taken a pregnancy test, so they assume it was a late menses and that accounts for the heavy flow.”
What causes a miscarriage?
The survey found the majority of participants also misunderstood causes for miscarriage.
One in five participants wrongly assumed lifestyle choices such as smoking or drinking alcohol were the most common cause. Approximately 60 percent of miscarriages are caused by a genetic problem.
“The most common cause of miscarriage is chromosomal abnormality,” Dr. Miller says. “The human body is a miraculous entity that oftentimes identifies an abnormal embryo and will initiate events to clear itself of abnormality.”
You’re not alone
According to the survey results, most participants who had experienced a miscarriage reported feeling guilty, ashamed and alone. And, of those participants, only 45 percent felt they had received emotional support from the community.
“It’s critical for patients and their families to understand a miscarriage is very common,” says Dr. Miller. “It shouldn’t be something to be ashamed of. Most times there is no action that could have prevented the situation.
“At the same time, sadness, a sense of loss and grief, are completely normal emotional responses. As a medical community, we should empathize and offer assistance in guiding our patients through this hard time.”
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