1. Miscarriage- what exactly is it?
Miscarriage is the loss of pregnancy on its own that can occur at any stage throughout a pregnancy, usually common in the first trimester (especially 12-14 weeks of pregnancy). This event affects approximately 1 in every 4 women in New Zealand. Due to the event occurring in the first trimester, many women do not actually realise it until it is observed through a scan, or naturally passed out from the woman’s body.
Some symptoms of miscarriage include:
- vaginal bleeding, fluid, blood clot, tissue passed out from the body
- abdominal pain, lower back pain
Though, bleeding and abdominal pain is not always a sign for a miscarriage, these symptoms are often known as a ‘threatened miscarriage’, but it is always better to check when these symptoms occurs. In general, the risk of miscarriage increases if the women is experiencing very heavy bleeding and pain. Please do contact your midwife immediately if you have these symptoms.
2. The causes
There are multiple potential causes of miscarriage.
The main cause of early miscarriages (first trimester) is due to the loss or having more chromosomes.
Chromosomes are packed DNA structures inside each cell, this means it contains genes that performs many body functions and determine how we look. Both the mother and father, each carries 23 chromosomes, which will be combined to 46 chromosomes in the foetus, this is how baby inherit half genes from each parent. So, if there is chromosomal abnormalities in the developing foetus, there is higher risk of natural miscarriage.
Other risk factors are:
- maternal age- the best age for reproduction is before the age of 30, where the ability of getting pregnant gradually begins to decline. For women over the age of 35, the risk of miscarriage is higher. This is because as women gets older, the incidence of chromosomal abnormal eggs increases dramatically, which both lower the chance of getting pregnant, and increase the risk of miscarriage.
2. Infections- this include sexually transmitted infections or intrauterine infections.
3. Hormonal imbalances– especially at the beginning of pregnancy, hormonal imbalances causes common signs such as weight loss, anxiety, mood swings and fatigue. This can lead to not only miscarriage, but premature birth of the child and gestational diabetes.
4. Maternal health conditions– this include diseases such as PCOS, diabetes, thyroid problems (hyper- hypothyroidism), autoimmune diseases, all may lead to increased risk of miscarriage.
5. Uterine abnormalities- Uterus is the main site where implantation and development of the embryo occurs. Thus, an abnormality in the uterus can interfere with pregnancy and development of the embryo, leading to miscarriage.
6. Lifestyle factors- smoking, alcohol consumption, drug use and excessive caffeine. Baby that is carried to term, may have restricted foetal growth, smaller baby size, poor brain development and risk of diseases.
3. The prevention – acupuncture
How does it work?
Acupuncture for miscarriage can help when the event is unavoidable. Chineses medicine has techniques, examples are pulse and tongue reading, that allow diagnosis of imbalance Qi and blood flow in the body system, which is important for the treatment of miscarriage.
This involves inserting small and thin needles into specific acupuncture point on the body, to regulate and move blood within your uterus and clear it. This promotes removal of any artefact interfering with conception, as well as smoothing the uterine lining for better implantation of the foetus and thus, foetal development.
The needle can be inserted into any proximal, or distal point, depend on the diagnosis for a miscarriage. ‘Local’ points for gynaecological issues are mostly on your front and back around your abdomen, often just above or below your navel.
The success
Women who had acupuncture leading to IVF, has 50% fewer miscarriages. This is very important outcome for women who have this natural therapy.
How long does treatment take?
usually, this requires ongoing treatment, generally advised once a week for as long as necessary. Some women that have IVF, often have acupuncture treatment along with the time-frame for their IVF treatment.
At Ponsonby Wellness, Dr.Virginia Jin has treated many patient in terms of women health care and fertility, with many positive feedback and success.
As mentioned before, PCOS is a risk factor for miscarriage. At Ponsonby Wellness, our practitioner has experience in treating PCOS patient. You can read more about Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Negative Impact on Fertility.
Other forms of miscarriage- Recurrent miscarriage and help with acupuncture can be accessed through Recurrent Miscarriage: 5 best and easy ways to treat in the views of Chineses traditional medicine
Contact Us
For more information, you can:
Read more about women health care
You can also book an appointment with our expertise acupuncturist here
Contact us via:
phone number: 021 2159963
email address: ponsonbywellness@gmail.com
Our Location
57 Sussex St
Grey Lynn
Auckland 1021
