I’m Not Going to be a Father Yet Due to a Blighted Ovum

After the ob-gyne had concluded that my wife miscarriaged due to an anembryonic pregnancy, I researched what it is really and why my wife had experienced one.

Anembryonic pregnancy is also known as a blighted ovum. This is my first time to hear such a term but I read that the occurrence is quite common. It is actually the cause of more than half of all first trimester (3 months or 12 weeks) miscarriages. Studies even reveal that as high as 25% of pregnancies will end in miscarriage by the sixth week LMP (since the woman’s Last Menstrual Period).

 
1 out of 4 pregnancies? Wow! That’s high! And that’s for women who are under 35 years old. The risk of miscarriage increases as the women ages so that in women between the age of 40 – 45, the risk can reach 65%!

 
Other causes for miscarriage include (but are not limited to):

• hormonal problems, infections or maternal health problems
• lifestyle (i.e smoking, drug use, malnutrition, excessive caffeine and exposure to radiation or toxic substances)
• implantation of the egg into the uterine lining does not occur properly
• maternal trauma

 
Factors that are NOT proven to cause miscarriage are sex, working outside the home (unless in a harmful environment) or moderate exercise.

 
So now, what really is a blighted ovum?

 
It is a pregnancy in which the placenta develops normally while the embryo is either absent or stops growing very early. It is always destined for failure and will not lead to successful pregnancy. It can occur very early in pregnancy, before most women even know that they are pregnant. The placenta can continue to grow and support itself without a baby for a short time, and pregnancy hormones can continue to rise, which would lead a woman to believe she is still pregnant. A diagnosis is usually not made until an ultrasound test shows an empty womb.

 
A blighted ovum is usually the result of chromosomal problems – meaning that something is not correct with the baby’s chromosomes. A woman’s body recognizes abnormal chromosomes in a fetus and naturally does not try to continue the pregnancy. Usually, the chromosomal abnormality lies in the individual egg; sperm chromosomal anomalies are infrequent. Other chromosomal problems may also arise if something goes awry genetically during the first few cell divisions of the newly formed embryo. Talk about bad luck!

 
Unfortunately, a blighted ovum cannot be prevented. But it is such a relief to know that it is often a one-time occurrence, and rarely will a woman experience more than one. It does not raise the risk of similar future problems. If you have never had a miscarriage before, no further testing is necessary unless you have any medical problems.

 
After my wife undergoes her “raspa”, we will start to plan her next pregnancy and if we still keep with our dream of celebrating only one grand birthday celebration in our household every November.

 
References:

http://www.americanpregnancy.org

http://www.medcyclopaedia.com

http://www.yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com

http://www.en.wikipedia.org

http://www.resolve.org

Please visit my new web site for more posts.

My Ark Full of Worry-Free Thoughts 3.0