Is it possible to determine the missed pregnancy. Signs and symptoms of a missed pregnancy in the early stages, which should alert. Symptoms of an approaching disaster

A missed pregnancy can occur in women of any age. The emergence of this pathology contributes to the confluence of many factors and circumstances. To prevent fetal fading, you must strictly follow the recommendations and advice of the gynecologist who is observing you, as well as carefully take care of your own health even at the stage of planning the birth of a child.

Fortunately, this pathology is quite rare in women: out of 176 normally developing pregnancies, one is a miscarriage. A missed pregnancy is understood as a pathology of the development of pregnancy, in which the development and growth of the fetus stops, as a result of which it dies. This phenomenon occurs at all stages of pregnancy, but most often in the first three months of pregnancy (up to 13 weeks). A frozen pregnancy can provoke the occurrence of inflammatory processes in the female body, as well as lead to other undesirable consequences. In particular, it poses some threat to future offspring. Symptoms of a missed pregnancy can be observed in the early and late stages of gestation, while the signs in the second trimester will differ from those in the early stages.

How to determine a missed pregnancy in time?
As a rule, the symptoms of fetal freezing are very accurate, and medical diagnosis does not cause difficulties at all. The most important sign of cessation of growth and development of the embryo is the disappearance of signs of a developing pregnancy. When the first suspicions appear, it is necessary to consult a doctor who, according to the results of an ultrasound examination, will reveal the presence or absence of symptoms of a frozen embryo.

To date, doctors have calculated the terms of fetal development, at which the risk of fading is very high: the first 3-4 weeks, from 8 to 11 weeks and from 16 to 18 weeks of pregnancy. The probability of developing a missed pregnancy is especially high at the eighth week, when changes in the mother's body are observed and the most important organs of the unborn child are laid.

Causes of missed pregnancy.
Anything can provoke such a phenomenon, starting with a violation of the hormonal background of the mother and genetic disorders in the fetus, and ending with acute infectious diseases and bad habits. The most common causes of a missed pregnancy are a woman's drinking in large quantities, drugs and cigarettes, as well as diseases such as herpes, chlamydia, toxoplasmosis, etc. Of course, if a woman really wants to have a healthy baby, then she will eliminate all these dangerous factors in the early stages of bearing a child.

Genetic anomalies in the development of the embryo are the most common factor provoking fetal fading (70% of cases) for up to eight weeks. In this case, nature itself does not give life to the initially “sick” fetus. In the future, if both parents are absolutely healthy, there is a very high probability that this situation will not happen again. If the second, third and subsequent pregnancies in a row end in the freezing of the embryo, this indicates the fault of genetic factors.

Hormonal disorders in the body of a woman also often provoke the development of a missed pregnancy. This is mainly due to a lack of progesterone or pregnancy hormone in the female body, without which the successful attachment of the embryo to the uterus cannot occur.

Hyperandrogenism is also one of the causes of fetal fading. Approximately twenty percent of women during the bearing of a child increase the level of male sex hormones (androgens), as a result of which the woman begins to form masculine features (excessive vegetation, changes in skin properties, voice, physique, etc.). Therefore, if there has been a frozen pregnancy, miscarriage, frequent delays in menstruation and male-type hair growth, it is important to take tests to determine the hormonal status and, if necessary, undergo a course of treatment before planning a pregnancy, thereby preventing or significantly reducing the likelihood of fetal fading in the future. .

Various infections can cause the fetus to freeze not only in the early, but also in the later stages of gestation (about 30% of cases). During the bearing of a child, the woman's immunity is completely suppressed, because then the body would simply begin to fight the foreign body that appeared, which is the embryo. As a result, the mother's body becomes very vulnerable to various infections. In women who are in position, all infectious diseases begin to worsen. Non-dangerous flora begins to multiply intensively, the vaginal microflora is activated, creating a threat of intrauterine infection of the fetus. But of particular danger is the infection of the expectant mother during pregnancy, and not the exacerbation of existing infectious diseases. In particular, infection with chickenpox or rubella, in addition to a missed abortion, can cause an abnormality in the development of the fetus. In this situation, the question of artificial termination of pregnancy already arises. Irreversible changes can lead to infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV), which provokes multiple malformations of the embryo.

A serious danger to the fetus is the common flu, which a pregnant woman can “catch”. Due to weakened immunity, even the usual SARS is very difficult to tolerate. It is worth noting that the danger is not at all the virus itself, but how many of its manifestations: intoxication, fever, which, in turn, disrupts the blood flow from the mother to the fetus. As a result of a lack of oxygen and essential nutrients, the fetus may die.

An unhealthy lifestyle, including an unbalanced diet and bad habits, frequent stress and overstrain can also cause fetal fading. In addition, insufficient walks in the fresh air, drinking coffee and other harmful drinks can cause complications in the form of early placental abruption and increased uterine tone. All this leads to impaired blood flow, as a result, the fetus does not receive enough oxygen and necessary substances.

It should be noted that very often pregnancy as a result of in vitro fertilization ends with the freezing of the embryo or spontaneous miscarriage.

The cause of a missed pregnancy can also be the use by a woman (not aware of her pregnancy) of drugs, the use of which is contraindicated during the bearing of a child. You should know that a few months before the planned pregnancy, as well as during it, it is not recommended to use any medications without a doctor's prescription. However, taking medicines in the early stages (7-10 days) cannot cause a missed pregnancy, since at this time there is still no close connection between the embryo and its mother. At a period after 8-10 weeks of pregnancy, the placenta protects against the effects of drugs, so the likelihood of cases of missed pregnancy at a later date is slightly reduced. If the expectant mother works in a hazardous industry, then the risk of developing a missed pregnancy is very high.

After the fetus fades, it takes six months for the body to restore the endometrium and hormonal status to prepare for the next pregnancy. During this period, you can carry out all the necessary medical procedures that will allow you to conceive and normally endure a full-fledged and healthy baby.

Symptoms of missed pregnancy and its diagnosis.
Unfortunately, in the early stages, a frozen pregnancy may not manifest itself in any way. The first signal indicating the presence of a problem is the sudden cessation of attacks of toxicosis, if there were any before. At the same time, other obvious symptoms that indicate the presence of pregnancy disappear: a decrease in basal temperature, pain in the mammary glands. In the early stages, a woman may not pay attention to such signs. At a later gestation period, a missed pregnancy can manifest itself in the form of pain in the lower abdomen or bloody discharge from the vagina. These symptoms may indicate exfoliation of the fetal egg during a miscarriage. Another main symptom in the later stages is the cessation of fetal movement. Unfortunately, at home it is very difficult to determine a missed pregnancy. The belly may still grow, and blood tests indicate the presence of pregnancy. However, in this case, not a fetus can develop, but an empty fetal membrane inside.

A missed pregnancy is diagnosed by a gynecological examination, an ultrasound examination of the small pelvis and a blood test for hCG. When examined by a gynecologist, the pathology is determined by the size of the uterus, which should correspond to the norm for the current gestational age. Ultrasound shows the absence of a fetal heartbeat, as well as anembryony (a disorder in which the fetal egg is completely empty). On a hormonal blood test (hCG), a similar problem is characterized by a deviation in the level of the pregnancy hormone from the indicators characteristic of a normal pregnancy.

As a rule, a frozen pregnancy ends with curettage (cleaning) of the uterine cavity in stationary conditions using vacuum aspiration (at an early stage) or, under the supervision of a doctor, cause a miscarriage with the help of special medications. Sometimes it also happens that a woman who has a frozen pregnancy without medical intervention ends in a spontaneous miscarriage. If this does not happen for a certain time, and according to ultrasound, there are remnants of the fetal egg in the uterus, then the above measures are resorted to, after which antibiotic therapy is carried out. Two weeks later, an ultrasound is done to assess the recovery of the body.

Consequences of a missed pregnancy.
If there was a frozen pregnancy, this does not mean at all that a woman will not be able to have children in the future. Very often, doctors cannot fully identify the cause of this phenomenon, while in the vast majority of cases, women become pregnant and carry a child normally. If cases of missed pregnancy occur repeatedly, it is necessary to undergo a complete medical examination of both partners, since repeated cases may indicate a woman's inability to bear a child.

The fact that a missed pregnancy has a serious effect on the physical health of a woman is a fact. But the psychological problems associated with it are more serious. A woman experiences fear in planning her next pregnancy due to bad past experiences. Over time, all fears go away, especially if a woman hears the stories of women who have been in the same situation, who then conceived, endured and gave birth normally to a baby.

Recovery and treatment after a frozen pregnancy.
Before prescribing treatment, both partners undergo a full course of examination: they are tested for sex hormones and thyroid hormones, swabs for various sexually transmitted infections by PCR (to detect hidden sexual infections), undergo an ultrasound examination, determine group compatibility and etc., which will make it possible to identify and eliminate the causes that caused the development of pathology.

After the doctors have identified the causes of the missed pregnancy and carried out appropriate treatment if necessary, the woman must restore her strength before planning the next pregnancy. It will take her about six months to do this. During this period, it is important to take all possible preventive measures to prevent a recurrence of the situation (lead a healthy lifestyle, take vitamins, use contraceptives). The woman herself needs to contact a psychologist who will help overcome fears and worries about planning the next pregnancy.

A woman who has experienced a similar situation, with normal tests, may not need treatment, because, as I said, most often a missed pregnancy develops due to a genetic failure, the recurrence of which is unlikely to be observed in the future. However, with repeated cases of fetal fading, treatment is mandatory.

Prevention of missed pregnancy.
To prevent the recurrence of such a situation, it is necessary to observe preventive measures even before planning a pregnancy. Prevention will help reduce the risk of a recurrence of the tragedy.

So, in the presence of sexually transmitted infections, it is necessary to get rid of them at least three months before the planned conception. If you did not have diseases such as rubella or chickenpox as a child, you should be vaccinated, especially if you often come into contact with children (for example, work in a kindergarten).

To prevent miscarriage and other complications, all women need to eat a rational and balanced diet, including more fresh vegetables and fruits in their diet. In addition, it is necessary to abandon all bad habits, as they dramatically increase the risk of a missed pregnancy. Be more outdoors.

Who is at risk for repeated non-developing pregnancy?

Women who have had abortions, and the more abortions, the higher the likelihood of encountering such a complication.
Women who have had an ectopic pregnancy, as well as those whose fetal heart has stopped beating in the last weeks of pregnancy.
Women with infectious and viral diseases of the genital organs.
Women over thirty. It is desirable for every woman to give birth to her first child before the age of thirty.
Women with some anatomical features of the reproductive system (bicornuate and saddle uterus).
Women with uterine fibroids. It leads to deformation of the uterine cavity and prevents the fetal egg from attaching.
Suffering from endocrine disorders (diabetes mellitus, decreased thyroid function, cycle disorders, impaired progesterone production).

In conclusion, I would like to note that the best prevention of any complications of pregnancy is to maintain a healthy lifestyle, regularly visit a gynecologist and strictly follow his instructions.

Instruction

A frozen pregnancy can occur at any time, but more often this phenomenon occurs in. It is very difficult for a self-terminated pregnancy. You need to be very careful about your condition if you have suddenly stopped toxicosis (provided that it was before), the basal temperature has increased, and heaviness in the mammary glands has passed. If you have these symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor.

At a later date, a frozen pregnancy is easier to determine, since the signs are clearly palpable: the fetus stops moving. In addition, bleeding is possible due to detachment of the fetal egg. However, sometimes the belly continues to grow. But this is no longer the growth of a small organism, but an increase in the fetal membranes.

With a frozen pregnancy, sometimes the body temperature rises, chills appear, and pulling pains occur in the lower abdomen.

Only an obstetrician-gynecologist can reliably diagnose "missed pregnancy". Regardless of the period, it is determined, as a rule, at a planned ultrasound. The doctor notes the discrepancy between the size of the fetus and the gestational age, as well as the absence of a heartbeat. In this case, a blood test can sometimes give a result indicating the presence of pregnancy for 2-3 weeks after the fetus fades.

When a missed pregnancy is detected, the gynecologist usually prescribes medications that will lead to a miscarriage. If a frozen pregnancy arose at a later date, then they wait for the natural occurrence of a miscarriage. Sometimes a doctor may prescribe surgery. Then the uterine cavity is cleaned, treated with antibacterial drugs, and after a while an ultrasound scan is performed to identify possible consequences.

A frozen pregnancy can go unnoticed for weeks or even months. Therefore, it is very important to visit a gynecologist in a timely manner and pass all tests on time.

note

How to determine a missed pregnancy in time? As a rule, the symptoms of fetal freezing are very accurate, and medical diagnosis does not cause difficulties at all. The most important sign of cessation of growth and development of the embryo is the disappearance of signs of a developing pregnancy. When the first suspicions appear, it is necessary to consult a doctor who, according to the results of an ultrasound examination, will reveal the presence or absence of symptoms of a frozen embryo.

A frequent fear that haunts expectant mothers in the early stages of pregnancy is that they are afraid to detect the death of an embryo during one of their ultrasound trips. Sometimes this anxiety becomes so obsessive that the expectant mother is ready to literally live next to the ultrasound machine and be constantly confident in the successful development of the child.

But a missed pregnancy has certain symptoms that can be noticed if you carefully monitor the general condition of your body.

It is conditionally possible to divide these signs into 2 groups: the first includes those that a pregnant woman can observe on her own, and the second - those observed with the help of special studies and not visible to the naked eye.

Symptoms of a missed pregnancy in the first trimester

It is possible to determine that the fetal egg has died by observing the nature of the discharge from the genital tract, general well-being, toxicosis, and also the behavior of the basal temperature graph. These will be only indirect symptoms of a missed pregnancy in the early stages, but their presence will serve as a signal to see a doctor and conduct more thorough research.

Allocations

Despite the fact that the embryo dies, for some time the fetal egg is in the uterus. If the miscarriage did not occur in the first hours, then the body will get rid of the fetus gradually.

In the first 1-2 days after the onset of regression in the development of the fetus, the discharge has the usual whitish color and the usual consistency.
Over the next few days, the embryo begins to decompose. These processes affect the fetal egg, which begins to gradually exfoliate from the wall of the uterus, where it was previously implanted. Reddish streaks may appear in the discharge.
After 2 weeks from the moment of the death of the embryo, the detachment of the fetal egg is more obvious. The discharge becomes bloody, acquires a red-brown color.

As a rule, when blood appears, a woman turns to a gynecologist who diagnoses a lost pregnancy. But this symptom does not necessarily mean that the embryo has stopped developing. Perhaps he is alive, and the detachment began for completely different reasons.

Toxicosis

If nausea began from the first weeks of pregnancy, then by changing its frequency and intensity, one can judge that not everything is in order with the embryo. begins to appear after the implantation of a fertilized egg in the uterus, so an increase in the concentration of the hCG hormone in the blood causes nausea and vomiting to increase.

On the first day after the embryo died, nausea can manifest itself in the same way as while the pregnancy was developing.
Over the next day, the level of hCG begins to decrease, so if the expectant mother had vomiting, then it can turn into a slight feeling of nausea.
After 4-5 days, toxicosis disappears.
Another option for changing the manifestations of intoxication may be the sudden cessation of vomiting and nausea.

It must be remembered that a decrease in the number of vomiting may be a sign of the natural cessation of toxicosis due to the mother's body getting used to the presence of pregnancy.

General well-being

A decaying fetal egg that has not left the uterus will contribute to a deterioration in overall health over time. However, this symptom appears when the deceased pregnancy is in the mother's body for a long time.

Weakness, dizziness and pulling sensations in the lower abdomen appear about 3 weeks after the embryo dies.
Sharp pains in the uterus and a slight increase to 37.7 appear 4 weeks after the death of the embryo.
High fever and cramping pains in the uterus, accompanied by general weakness and loss of consciousness, are observed 5 weeks after the death of the embryo.

A long stay of a decaying fetal egg in a woman's body is fraught with severe inflammation, which can develop into sepsis. Therefore, special attention should be paid to other signs of a missed pregnancy in the early stages of pregnancy in order to carry out curettage of the uterine cavity in time.

Changes in the BT schedule

Many women continue to monitor their basal temperature daily even after pregnancy. This will be another opportunity to notice the first signs of fetal death in time, moreover, the temperature will react faster than all other symptoms.

In two days, the BT line on the chart will start moving down. Normally, the thermometer should show a temperature of at least 37 degrees. However, approximately 48 hours after the termination of the life of the embryo, it will drop to values of 36.9 - 36.8.
After 4 days, the temperature will drop to 36.7 degrees and will stay at this value for several more days.
Further, the process of decomposition of the fetal egg will enter a more active phase, and BT will react to the occurrence of an inflammatory process in the organs of the small pelvis with a sharp rise.

However, in some cases, the cessation of embryo development is not reflected in the indicators of basal temperature. Then the pregnant woman should rely on a number of the above symptoms.

Signs of a missed pregnancy in the early stages (I trimester)

The signs of fetal death are determined by the doctor, based on the results of the studies. As a rule, a woman seeks help in the presence of pain and spotting scanty (or profuse) spotting, or a dead pregnancy is discovered by chance during an ultrasound scan. In addition to the hardware study, the pregnant woman will have to take a blood test to determine the concentration of hCG.

Ultrasound indicators

The heartbeat of the embryo is not determined. Normally, it is noticeable on ultrasound, starting from the 5th week of pregnancy.
The fertilized egg does not have a diameter of such dimensions that the gestational age suggests.
The size of the embryo in the fetal egg does not correspond to the gestational age.
If the period is up to 4 weeks, then a sign of the death of the fetal egg is deformation.
The embryo is not visualized for a period of 6-7 weeks.

HCG indicators

The concentration of hCG is below the gestational age, set on ultrasound or during a gynecological examination.
For several days, there is a persistent decrease in the hormone hCG in the blood.
The level of hCG rises, but very weakly and far behind the norm, determined by the gestational age.

In order to accurately establish the presence of a frozen pregnancy in the first trimester, the signs found on ultrasound and according to the results of hCG are considered in conjunction with each other.

Symptoms of a missed pregnancy in the II and III trimesters

With an increase in the gestational age, the child makes itself felt more and more clearly, therefore, in the event of his death in the second trimester, the signs of a missed pregnancy will be equally noticeable both at 16 weeks and at 18 weeks. The same can be said about the third trimester.

Since the symptoms of fetal death in both trimesters have much in common, you can combine them into a single list:

Sudden cessation of movement for several days.
The appearance of pulling pains in the lower back.
The appearance of bleeding.
Isolation from the genital tract of amniotic fluid that has an unpleasant odor.

Unlike the first trimester, in the long term of pregnancy, the woman's body independently gets rid of an undeveloped pregnancy rather quickly - within a few days.

Factors that provoke the death of the embryo

Frozen pregnancy is not unreasonable. It can occur due to genetic failure, hormonal disorders, infectious diseases, or due to autoimmune problems. Doctors identify two factors that cause the development of the embryo to stop:

Factors that contribute to the development of a potentially defective embryo (genetic mutation).
Factors that create conditions that are unfavorable for the development of the embryo (hormonal disorders, infections, autoimmune problems)

The vast majority of pregnancies that fail before 8 weeks die due to the genetic mutation factor. They may be spontaneous or may be hereditary.

What diagnosis of a missed pregnancy will be the most accurate?

The actions of a woman should depend on how the non-developing pregnancy was established. It happens that doctors make mistakes in the diagnosis, so before you go for curettage, you need to double-check the conclusions of doctors.

Diagnosis during gynecological examination

The size of the uterus may not match the gestational age, which the doctor calculated based on the date of the start of the most recent menstruation. If at the same time bloody spotting comes from the genital tract, then the specialist can conclude that the embryo has regressed in development and the fetal egg has begun to decompose.

It often happens that the period determined by the gynecologist differs from the actual gestational age by 2, and sometimes by 3 weeks. Bloody discharge can go for completely different reasons, for example, the fetal egg began to exfoliate with a live embryo.

Therefore, if a frozen pregnancy is diagnosed only with the help of a gynecological examination, then it is better to double-check the doctor's conclusions by visiting an ultrasound room.

Diagnosis with ultrasound

Signs of a missed pregnancy, for example, at 8 or 10 weeks, are clearly defined during the first ultrasound procedure. But if the period is still small, and does not exceed 5 weeks, then even hardware diagnostics can make a mistake: do not visualize the embryo or not notice its heartbeat.

Therefore, in the short term, when determining a lost pregnancy, ultrasound cannot be completely trusted. In this case, you should come back in a week and make a new attempt to identify the presence of the vital activity of the embryo.

Diagnosis with HCG

The results of the blood test may not coincide with the expected gestational age. But if the blood sampling for hCG was single, then in determining the death of the fetus, it is not informative.

Only a second test, made a few days after the first, is able to answer the question about the viability of the fetal egg. There will be even more accuracy if the results of hCG are correlated with the results of ultrasound.

What to do if a missed pregnancy is detected?

If the child was desired, then his death at any stage of pregnancy will be a tragedy for the mother. But from the moment the doctors suspect the death of the fetus, a certain scheme of actions must be followed:

You need to make sure that the pregnancy is really dead. To do this, you need to follow the results of the analysis of hCG in dynamics.
If the embryo died recently, then you can apply expectant tactics - perhaps the body itself will reject the fetal egg. But this should be done only after consulting a doctor who will carefully assess all the risks.
If the embryo died a long time ago, the doctor will prescribe a curettage of the uterus, which is performed in a hospital under general anesthesia.

It is necessary to get rid of a frozen pregnancy only under the supervision of medical specialists. In no case should you self-medicate and try to induce uterine contractions at home with the help of herbal preparations.

Firstly, you can miss the time and the fetal egg decomposing in the uterine cavity will cause serious harm to the woman's body.

And secondly, inept actions create the risk of a partial exit of the embryo from the uterus. The remains of the membranes may still be in the body of a woman, contributing to the onset of the inflammatory process.

In addition, self-treatment of a missed pregnancy can provoke severe bleeding, to stop which you will have to go to the hospital.

Sometimes pregnancy ends due to fetal fading. The death of a long-awaited child can occur at different stages of pregnancy. What to do in this case?

One of the most difficult tragedies in a woman's life is missed pregnancy. Unfortunately, this sometimes happens, despite the woman's compliance with all the recommendations of the gynecologist. The realization that the life of a long-awaited child was cut short even before the baby was born into this world can cause serious depression in both parents.

Most often, missed pregnancy occurs in the first trimester.

It is the risk of freezing of the fetal egg that makes the first 12 weeks of pregnancy the most critical. This pathology occurs in about 13% of women. As a rule, a woman does not immediately discover that her baby's heart has stopped beating. The first signs of the freezing of the fetal egg can appear only 2-3 weeks after the tragedy. It is through this period of time that a non-developing fetal egg begins to be torn away from the uterine mucosa. The fetal egg can leave the woman's body on its own, but in some cases, part of the fetal membranes remains in the uterus.

Missed pregnancy can happen in women of any age. Such a tragedy is due to the impact on the body of a pregnant woman of multiple circumstances. To reduce the risk of death of the fetal egg in the first trimester of pregnancy, it is necessary to be fully examined by a gynecologist before conception.

Signs of fetal fading at a later date are significantly different from the symptoms of a frozen pregnancy in the first trimester.

One of the varieties of missed pregnancy is anembryony - a condition when conception occurs, but due to the influence of environmental and internal factors on the body, the embryo does not develop, that is, a woman is diagnosed with the presence of an empty fetal egg in the uterus.

Causes of missed pregnancy

Gynecologists still cannot pinpoint the exact cause of fetal fading. In the early stages of development, in the first weeks of pregnancy, the reason for stopping the development and dying of the embryo is severe malformations that are incompatible with life. Genetic disorders occur in 70% of all miscarriages.

Fetal death at a later date (after 14 weeks) is often provoked by viral and infectious diseases suffered by a woman at the beginning of pregnancy. Sometimes the cause of fetal death is an abdominal injury caused by a fall or blow to the mother.

In gynecology, there are cases when a normally developing pregnancy freezes for no apparent reason. Some women may have several of these cases in a row. In any case, you should not lose heart and put up with the problems of miscarriage. To understand the cause of the tragedy, a woman should be examined by a gynecologist.

Pregnancy fading in the early stages can happen due to the impact on the body of such factors:

Father's smoking during pregnancy planning;
The use of alcohol and drugs by a woman in the first weeks of pregnancy;
The presence in the body of a woman of such infections as cytomegalovirus, rubella, ureaplasmosis, herpes, papillomavirus, mycoplasmosis and others;
Infection of a woman with sexual infections (gonorrhea, syphilis, trichomoniasis);
Serious hormonal disruptions;
Diseases of the endocrine system (maternal diabetes);
The presence of a Rh conflict (with a negative Rh factor in the mother and a positive Rh factor in the fetus) - the woman's body perceives pregnancy as something alien and tries by all means to get rid of the fetus;
Lifting weights in early pregnancy;
Constant stress of a pregnant woman.

At risk are women after 35 years of age, patients who have had many abortions in the past, women with congenital anomalies in the development of the uterus.

How to recognize a frozen pregnancy at an early stage?

The most accurate and reliable way to diagnose fetal fading in the early stages is to conduct an ultrasound examination of the uterus. With the help of ultrasound, it is possible to accurately determine the presence or absence of heart contractions in a growing embryo. A normally developing pregnancy can also be diagnosed based on the results of a blood test for the level of the hCG hormone; every day, the levels of chorionic gonadotropin in the blood increase.

You can determine the fading of the fetus using ultrasound

The expectant mother herself may suspect a threat of miscarriage and a possible fading of the fetus due to the appearance of spotting bloody discharge from the external genitalia. This symptom is characteristic of the cessation of the fetal heartbeat in early pregnancy. In the later stages, in the second and third trimester, a woman may suspect that something is wrong with her baby due to the lack of movement for several hours.

When the fetus fades in the early stages of pregnancy, a woman, in addition to spotting, may experience severe cramping pains in the lower abdomen. If before that a woman suffered from toxicosis, then when pregnancy fades, all symptoms of ailments disappear sharply.

If a woman ignores the above signs and does not turn to a gynecologist, then symptoms of severe intoxication of the body soon develop - nausea, vomiting, fever up to 39 degrees, increasing weakness and pallor of the skin. Blood pressure drops and the pulse becomes thready. In the absence of emergency medical care, a woman develops sepsis and death.

As a rule, when the fetal egg freezes in the first weeks of pregnancy, the body gets rid of the embryo on its own. The uterus begins to contract intensively, removing the fetal egg and its membranes from the body. Uterine contractions provoke pain in the lower abdomen and lower back in a woman, as well as intense spotting and clots from the genital tract.

In any case, a woman should appear to a gynecologist. It happens that the fetal egg is not completely removed from the uterus, then the woman is prescribed a surgical “cleansing”, during which the remains of the embryo and its membranes are scraped.

Signs of a late pregnancy

Alas, sometimes it happens that a woman goes through the tragedy of losing a child in late pregnancy. The cause of fetal death is infectious diseases transferred by the mother, abdominal trauma or strangulation of the child by her own umbilical cord.

In the later stages, the fetus may freeze from infection or injury.

You can recognize the symptoms of the termination of a baby's life in late pregnancy by the absence of movements for more than 5 hours.

A woman can feel the first movements of the fetus, starting from the 17th week of pregnancy. As the child grows, the intensity of the baby's movements only increases. The expectant mother can accurately determine when her baby is sleeping and when she is awake. Of course, it all depends on the activity of the kids, some kids push often and intensely, and some develop more calmly. However, if the baby does not move for more than 4 hours, and during various conversations with the child and stroking the abdomen, there are no movements on his part, the woman should urgently contact the department of the maternity hospital. No need to wait for time, believing that the baby is just sleeping. The absence of movements may indicate a strong oxygen starvation of the baby, for example, as a result of a tight entanglement of the umbilical cord around the neck or torso. If the expectant mother immediately consult a doctor, then the life of the baby can possibly be saved.

One of the clinical symptoms of a missed late pregnancy is a change in the mammary glands. If the death of the fetus occurred before the 25th week of pregnancy, then the breast in most cases abruptly returns to its previous size, however, if the pregnancy froze after the 25th week, then colostrum may begin to be released from the mammary glands.

Of course, there are also women who absolutely do not listen to the movements of their baby and cannot say for sure when the fetus moved for the last time. Fortunately, there are very few such people. However, it should be said that another symptom of a missed late pregnancy is the appearance of pain in the lower abdomen and lower back, nausea and vomiting. As well as a significant reduction in the volume of the abdomen. The last symptom is due to the fact that during the death of the fetus, the amount of amniotic fluid decreases. These symptoms can be observed in a woman a few days after the death of the fetus in the womb.

Of course, the death of a fetus is a terrible tragedy, especially for those women who already felt the movements of their baby well, talked to him, stroked their tummy. All this can lead to severe prolonged depression and apathy in a woman. If such a tragedy nevertheless occurred and the doctors confirmed the death of the baby in the womb, then the question of delivery arises. One way or another, a dead fetus cannot remain in a woman's uterus, as this can lead to the development of sepsis and death. Depending on the gestational age when the tragedy occurred, a woman may undergo surgical cleaning or induce labor. Sometimes doctors can remove a dead baby from the uterus by a small caesarean section.

Life after tragedy

A woman should understand that, despite the depression that happened to her after the loss of the desired baby, before planning a new pregnancy, you need to find out the cause of the fetal fading. If the parents do not know what could have caused the death of the baby, then both of them are shown a comprehensive gynecological and urological examination. This examination includes a consultation with a geneticist, an endocrinologist and tests for latent sexual infections. After establishing the cause that provoked the fetal fading, and undergoing treatment, spouses should plan a new pregnancy only 6-12 months after therapy.

It is desirable to find out exactly the cause of fetal fading

Planning for a new pregnancy

What period a married couple needs to wait before planning a conception after a missed pregnancy is determined by the gynecologist, depending on the cause of the death of the fetus. This period is at least six months. Until the doctor has given permission to plan a new pregnancy, the spouses must be protected by a method suitable for them. Do not worry about the fact that a woman will be haunted by the same fate when a new pregnancy occurs. Such fears are sometimes completely unfounded. In most cases, a missed pregnancy is an isolated case for every patient who has experienced this grief, and does not at all indicate that the next time it will be the same.

However, you need to understand that in order not to encounter this disaster again, a married couple must carefully prepare for a new conception. To do this, the spouses must be examined and, if necessary, undergo a course of treatment.

A healthy lifestyle of spouses before the planned conception significantly increases the chance of a successful pregnancy. It is very important that not only the woman, but also her husband prepares for a new pregnancy. To do this, the couple must give up bad habits, revise their diet, engage in light physical exercise and spend more time in the fresh air. It is advisable if a woman starts taking prenatal vitamins before pregnancy. Thus, when the desired conception occurs in the fetus, the risk of congenital malformations of the neural tube is significantly reduced.

Separately, it must be said about the moral support of her husband. A woman who has experienced a frozen pregnancy becomes overly suspicious and anxious. She carefully listens to any changes in the work of her body during pregnancy, and looks for signs of a fading of the fetal egg. The task of the spouse is to surround his pregnant wife with care and attention, this will help the pregnant woman to distract from negative thoughts. It is necessary to surround a woman with positive emotions and support in every possible way. The successful outcome of pregnancy largely depends on the morale of the woman.

Of course, it is very difficult to survive such a tragedy as late pregnancy fading, and the depth of grief of parents is simply beyond words. In this case, a woman must find strength in herself and turn all her attention to her health. If necessary, you need to undergo a course of treatment, drink vitamin preparations, go to rest and gain strength before a new pregnancy.

Do not neglect these studies. Thus, the woman will save herself and the unborn baby from a possible repetition of the tragedy. By following all the above tips, a woman will be able to experience the joy of motherhood very soon!

Remember, a frozen pregnancy is not a sentence, a healthy, cured woman cannot have any consequences for the next pregnancy, and she has every chance of giving birth to a healthy baby.