Close

Member Login

Logging In
Invalid username or password.

not a member? sign-up now!

Customize Parenting.com to your family and get personalized newsletters.

It’s in the Genes: What Causes Miscarriage

Find out why pregnancy loss isn't your fault. Plus, how to know if you're having a miscarriage.

Most miscarriages are flukes and not your fault. In fact, the majority are due to a chromosomal error in the fetus, so your body may be acting in your own best interests by ending the pregnancy early.

Chromosomes are tiny structures in each cell that carry our genes; we each have 23 pairs of them, one set from our mother and one set from our father. In a normal pregnancy, when a sperm fertilizes an egg, the chromosomes of the two cells fuse. But, sometimes the chromosomes get scrambled, which means the blueprints for fetal development are faulty, and the fetus dies within the first few weeks of pregnancy. Approximately 60 to 80 percent of miscarriages are thought to be due to this type of error. If you miscarry a second time, consider preserving the tissue you pass, if possible in a sterile saline contact-lens solution, and take it to your doctor to be sent to a lab for chromosomal testing.

awkward pregnancy photos - what-about-me

The Weirdest Maternity Photos Ever

You've got to see these awkward pregnancy pics to believe them