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The unavoidable concern of all pregnant women in the first trimester , the miscarriage of abortion haunts, causes much concern and brings many doubts to all pregnant women, especially those who have already gone through the traumatic experience of an abortion . The fear of the nightmare is repeated, causes thousands of women to despair at every sign , colic and in many cases, even psychological symptoms caused by fear, to seek emergency care several times to confirm that everything is fine with their baby.
What is Retained Abortion?
Retained abortion is considered when the death of the embryo is found inside the uterus, where spontaneous expulsion does not occur. It usually occurs between the 8th and the 14th week , and the embryo can remain lifeless inside the uterus for weeks, even months. It is confirmed through an ultrasound examination, where the absence of fetal heartbeat is analyzed or through a laboratory blood test, where it is confirmed that HCG levels begin to decrease, indicating that the gestational development has ended.
Retained abortion is different from spontaneous abortion, which naturally expels the embryo, gestational sac and all waste present inside the uterus. When retained, it can be expelled naturally over the course of days, but if it does not occur within 1 month, medical intervention is required for removal, either through drug stimulation (oxytocin) or curettage .
Symptoms of Retained Abortion
Even though it is an occurrence that needs confirmation through exams, it is possible to suspect through some very detailed signs, which can serve as an indication to seek your obstetrician for evaluation. But it is necessary to warn, that the abortion withheld can be completely silent , and in some cases the woman goes for several weeks without noticing any sign. But if you notice the following symptoms, see your doctor quickly.
- Bleeding bright red or brown;
- Pelvic pain;
- Disappearance of gestational symptoms (nausea, vomiting, high urinary frequency);
- Absence of growth in the volume of the uterus and belly.
Causes of Retained Abortion
The causes of missed abortion must be analyzed in particular, as there are several factors that trigger the occurrence. Among the main causes are: age of the woman, malformation in the uterus, chromosomal defects of the embryo , changes in the thyroid , uncontrolled diabetes or even problems with blood clotting or immunological changes. Bad habits and addictions, such as the consumption of drugs , cigarettes and alcoholic beverages are also part of the risk factors.
Women who have a missed abortion can usually conceive naturally after the period indicated by the gynecologist. It is not because it occurred during this pregnancy that the next ones will have the same possibility. The ideal is to do a detailed monitoring, discover the causes and treat them, so that in the future you can have a healthy and peaceful pregnancy.
Scratchs
If the missed abortion is not treated properly or the diagnosis is delayed, there are risks of serious infections, which can even cause damage to the tubes causing infertility or even develop sensitivity in the Rh system, making future pregnancies difficult .
When abortion is not the first time, whether spontaneous or withheld abortion, it is necessary to investigate possible causes of this happening. In some cases, it may be just the deficiency of proteins, collagens and enzymes, or problems with coagulogram, that specific treatments are needed to reverse the condition and thus the woman is ready for a new pregnancy.
The risks also exist for the curettage procedure, so always as the first option is the body’s own attempt to expel the fetus, either naturally or through the help of oxytocin medications, which will cause contractions. If you cannot expel the embryo and all intrauterine matter in this way, curettage is recommended. In the procedure, the uterine walls are scraped, and these walls can generate some adherence and stick together, at the risk of developing the uterine synechia.
This adhesion after shaving can also make it difficult for the woman to get pregnant again, since the embryo will have difficulties in implanting itself to develop. Another major risk of curettage is that of uterine perforation.
Treatment For Retained Abortion
After confirming the death of the embryo through ultrasound examination, the indicated treatment may vary from case to case . One of the first options is to request that the body itself expel the fetus and all the residue contained within the uterus through medication, but without the need for hospitalization. For this method, strict control and monitoring is necessary to prevent the woman from having infections.
Another option is to intern the patient and enter medications to cause uterine contractions and thus the embryo and waste be eliminated. The third option, usually
indicated when the first two do not show results, or even at the request of the patient or the severity of the case, by medical recommendation, curettage.
Curettage is a process of cleaning and emptying the uterus where a scraping procedure ensures that all waste is eliminated or aspirated manually with the help of a syringe, where all waste is aspirated. There are cases, where the use of both procedures is indicated to ensure that all waste is removed.
Abortion Traumas
Abortion can cause serious psychological damage in the lives of women, due to the difficulty of the loss, even more due to all the disorder that needs to go through if it is a retained abortion. Therefore, all care and caution at this time is necessary, in addition to the family support that is essential in this phase of overcoming.
Many women report on the trauma caused by the moment of loss and especially at the time of the curettage procedure, which in addition to all the pain at that time, are still burdened by the lack of professionalism and sensitivity of many doctors and nurses, who treat patients in this situation with total disrespect and lack of love. In case of medical abuse or disrespect, don’t be silent, REPORT!
When you are ready to try a new pregnancy and have your doctor’s release, do all the evaluative exams and start consuming vitamins that strengthen your body, including folic acid, which is indispensable for those who are already planning to get pregnant in the coming months. You can opt for fertility vitamins like FamiFerti , which are vitamin supplements complete with all the important vitamins so that the woman can get pregnant more quickly and in a healthy way. You can purchase it here in our online store.
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
