Or, subscribe via email
Supporting
Underweight Women at an Increased Risk of Miscarriage
A new study recently released by BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology concludes that women who are underweight when they become pregnant are at an increased risk of miscarrying during the first three months of their pregnancy, the study states they are 72 percent more likely to experience a miscarriage.
6600 women participated in the study of 18-55 year olds. Although the study did produce some upsetting news for underweight women, it also concluded that there are factors that can help reduce this increased miscarriage risk. Underweight women who take a supplement that includes folate or iron everyday along with increased fruit and vegetable consumption can help significantly decrease their risk of miscarriage. It was also indicated that eating chocolate could help reduce the increased risk as well (you can’t beat that if you are a chocolate lover!!) The study produced some other interesting facts regarding miscarriage risk including:
- Single women, not living with a partner had an increased risk of suffering a miscarriage.
- Women who had changed partners, ie had a baby with a previous partner, are 60 percent more likely to miscarry.
- Women who had a previous pregnancy termination are 60 percent more likely to miscarry in future pregnancies.
- Fertility problems result in a 41 percent increased risk of miscarriage.
- Assisted reproduction, ie artificial or intrauterine fertilization, results in an increased miscarriage risk.
Fortunately the study also mentioned a couple of factors that helped reduce miscarriage risk:
- Women who said their pregnancy was planned had a 40 percent reduced risk of miscarrying.
- Women who had nausea and sickness in the first 12 weeks of their pregnancy were 70 percent less likely to miscarry.
The study produced some interesting information and some things for doctors and women to consider. The studies authors called for more research to be conducted to determine what the exact causes of the increase miscarriage risks are and what can be done to help reduce those risks.
Be sure to discuss any questions you may have about your own health and pregnancy with your doctor or midwife.
Hi, I was just doing a search on the correlation b/w chocolate and miscarriage. I read on your site that IUI’s can increase miscarriage. How is that so?? IUI is the last bit of hope my husband and I have before we move on to IVF (which I’m pretty skeptical about). So, I have all these risk factors against me? Is there any hope?
Marsha,
Thanks for visitng. According to these study completed by Internation Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology there is an increased risk of miscarriage when the pregnancy is conceived using IUI, however, the study does recommend further research to determine what the causes are and what factors contribute to the increase. I would recommend talking with your doctor about any potential risk factors you may face and get advice based on your particular situation.
The information you stated about women who have terminated pregnancy are 60% likely to have a miscarriage is medically UNTRUE!!
Jen,
As you will see from the post, the information contained in this post is based on the results of a study done by BJOG. The post further says that the researchers stated that more research was necessary.
Lisa