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Early miscarriage: Is stress a factor?
By Mayo Clinic staffOriginal Article: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/early-miscarriage/AN01727
- With Mayo Clinic obstetrician and medical editor-in-chief
Roger W. Harms, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Roger W. Harms, M.D.
Roger W. Harms, M.D.
"Nothing helps people stay healthy more than the power of real knowledge about health." — Dr. Roger Harms
As medical director of content, Dr. Roger Harms is excited about the potential for Mayo Clinic's health information site to help educate people about their health and provide them the tools and information to live healthier lives.
The Auburn, Neb., native has been with Mayo Clinic since 1981 and is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology. Dr. Harms is a practicing physician and associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and his specialty areas include office gynecology, high-risk obstetrics and obstetrical ultrasound.
From 2002 to 2007, Dr. Harms was director for education at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dr. Harms was the 1988 Mayo Medical School Teacher of the Year and served as associate dean for student affairs and academic affairs. He is the co-author of the "Mayo Clinic Model of Education." In 2008, Dr. Harms was presented the Distinguished Educator Award, Mayo Clinic, Rochester.
Dr. Harms is vice chair of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and medical editor of the Pregnancy section on this website. In addition, Dr. Harms is editor-in-chief of the "Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy" book, a month-by-month guide to everything a woman needs to know about having a baby.
"My medical education experience has grown out of a love of teaching, and that is what this site is about," Dr. Harms says. "If any visitor to this site makes a more informed and thus more comfortable decision about his or her health because of the information we provide, we are successful."
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Question
Early miscarriage: Is stress a factor?
Can too much stress cause early miscarriage?
Answer
from Roger W. Harms, M.D.
Stress has long been suspected as a possible cause of early miscarriage, but there's little evidence to support the theory.
Up to 20 percent of known pregnancies end in miscarriage. Typically, early miscarriage is caused by a fetal chromosomal abnormality or another problem in the development of the embryo.
Possible causes of repeated early miscarriage might include:
- Abnormalities of the uterus
- Immune responses that disrupt implantation
- Hormone imbalances
- Blood-clotting problems
If you're concerned about early miscarriage, concentrate on taking good care of yourself and your baby. Seek regular prenatal care, manage any chronic conditions and avoid known risk factors for miscarriage — such as smoking and drinking alcohol.
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- Tulandi T, et al. Spontaneous abortion: Risk factors, etiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnostic evaluation. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 22, 2011.
- Tulandi T, et al. Definition and etiology of recurrent pregnancy loss. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 22, 2011.
- Arck PC, et al. Early risk factors for miscarriage: A prospective cohort study in pregnant women. Reproductive Biomedicine Online. 2008;17:101.
- Weck RL, et al. Impact of environmental factors and poverty on pregnancy outcomes. Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2008;51:349.
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