Fertility is the ability of the female or male body to conceive and give birth to a child.
Woman’s fertility may be affected by her genetics because the one is born with a certain number of eggs. The number of eggs also determines the duration of the fertility period, i.e. for how long a woman will be able to conceive and give birth to a child. The older woman becomes, the fewer eggs does she have.
Bad habits such as smoking, hormonal disorders, various conditions may facilitate the loss in a number of eggs. Woman’s weight is vital for fertility as well. If a woman is overweight or underweight, she may face some issues in conceiving a child.
Similarly, male fertility depends on man’s age, and one can assess the quality of sperm by taking sperm analysis.
Miscarriage
This term is used to refer to a sudden pregnancy termination by 20th week of pregnancy. There are numerous reasons why a miscarriage may occur, including:
- genetic abnormalities;
- uterus and cervix pathologies;
- hormonal disorders;
- lifestyle (bad habits, insufficient sleep and unhealthy nutrition);
- traumas;
- age;
- implantation issues, etc.
Symptoms that may be associated with miscarriage:
- back pain;
- loss of weight;
- contractions at very early terms;
- pink, brown discharge or bloody discharge.
Of course, the period after a miscarriage is challenging for a woman, both physically and mentally. However, after some time, women start thinking about one more attempt at trying to give birth to a baby.
In order to preserve the pregnancy after a miscarriage, it is necessary to identify the cause of the miscarriage to prevent this tragic experience in future. To do that, a woman needs to consult a doctor, undergo all the necessary exams and take all the required tests.
After a miscarriage, it is a couple should plan their next pregnancy, and what is more, the planning should be extremely responsible. It is necessary to follow all the doctor’s instructions. And not only the woman should undergo a medical exam, but the man as well.
It is important to take things slow in planning pregnancy after a miscarriage because the body needs to recover.
Even though a woman can get pregnant right in the next cycle after a miscarriage, doctors don’t recommend doing that. It is better to wait for a half a year to ensure that the body has fully recovered and the threat of miscarriage is eliminated.
After a miscarriage, a woman experiences a sort of “hormonal explosion” that may cause other gynecological issues, for example, problems with ovaries, ovulation, etc.
If doctors had to perform dilation after a miscarriage, there is a risk of damage to uterine mucosa that may cause issues with pregnancy planning.
Quite often, the cause of miscarriage and premature birth can be isthmic-cervical insufficiency. This disease means that the cervix and isthmus of the uterus are not able to withstand intrauterine pressure and, accordingly, hold the fetus. There are some methods to solve this problem. It often includes surgery, for example, applying some special stitches, but it is only performed if a patient presents some severe conditions:
- The patient has already experienced a miscarriage;
- Uterus hypertonus;
- Inflammation of the uterine mucosa;
- Expansion of the cervical canal;
- Acute heart, veins, digestive organs diseases;
- Pregnancy doesn’t occur;
- Uterine bleedings;
- Patient presents 3 or 4 degree of vaginal cleanliness, etc.
Recovery after a miscarriage
The best prevention of miscarriage is responsible and serious planning of pregnancy. Both man and woman should undergo a medical examination in advance; they should timely give up on bad habits, unhealthy lifestyle, unbalanced nutrition, insufficient sleep, etc.
Before planning a pregnancy, it is necessary to undergo the following examinations to prevent any unpleasant experience:
- GP consultation;
- gynecological consultation;
- dentist;
- tests to detect any infections according to doctor’s prescription (for example, hepatitis B and C, HIV, AIDS, syphilis, Torch-infections);
- ultrasound examination of the pelvic floor;
- blood test for hormones;
- ultrasound examination of the thyroid gland and blood test for thyroid hormones;
- clinical blood count;
- clinical urine test;
- gynecological swabs, cytology and colposcopy;
- other tests according to doctor’s prescription.
A man should undergo an examination as well:
- a blood test to detect STDs (HIV, AIDS, syphilis, etc.);
- sperm analysis;
- urologist’s consultation;
- other examinations according to doctor’s prescription.
Usually, after a miscarriage, women succeed in getting pregnant and giving birth to a baby. In some rare cases, a woman may experience two or more miscarriages in a row. For this reason, if a woman endures such a tragic event, it is necessary to plan pregnancy consciously, undergo a comprehensive medical examination and undertake treatment if needed.
Emotional recovery is essential, and it may require more time than the physical one. It is necessary to take time for mental rehabilitation, and if it is too hard to do alone, consulting a psychotherapist may be a good idea.
