Cairo - Shaima Mekawy
Dr Ahmed Khairy Mukaled, a professor of obstetrics, gynecology and infertility has spoken to Arabstoday about the causes of recurrent miscarriage. Dr Ahmed said: “Miscarriages have many causes but before exploring them, tests for certain viruses should first be done.” “The most common cause of miscarriage is that something is wrong with the baby\'s genetics so the fetus grows improperly,” he explained. “This could lead to early miscarriage as the uterus expels the damaged embryo.” Dr Ahmed assured that genetic issues can easily be diagnosed through an analysis of the father and mother, but if it turns out that there is an imbalance there is no option but to try to conceive again and again until they succeed in creating a fetus with a viable genetic composition. \"Toxoplasma, otherwise known as ‘cats virus’ is another cause for repeated miscarriage,” he explained, adding “Most people don\'t know that they could get this virus through eating frozen and ready-made meat. Fortunately, this disease can be treated with antibiotic medicines which eliminate the virus. The thyroid gland could also cause miscarriage if the thyroid hormone is depleted.” “There is another common cause for abortion,\" said Dr Khairy “which is blood clots. They are very common and are deadly for the baby as they clot the blood in the placenta that feeds it. The bigger the baby gets the more the clot is an obstruction in the placenta and consequently the blood can’t reach the baby causing an immediate death. However, this is treatable with medication if it is taken before and followed-up during the pregnancy.” To conclude, Dr Khairy advised that pregnant women consult a specialist doctor throughout their entire pregnancy.