Post # 1
Member
2116 posts
Buzzing bee
Let me preface this by saying that I know this is a deeply personal and upsetting topic, and I apologize if it upsets anyone. Obviously, please only answer if you are comfortable doing so.
As I grow older and begin to think about having children, I am learning more and more about how common miscarriages are. It scares and worries me. I wound up discussing it with my mom and asked her if she’d had trouble TTC or if she’d had any miscarriages before having me or my brother. She had not.
This lead me to my big question: How common are miscarriages? Are they more common when a family history of miscarriages exists?
So, if you are willing, please answer my poll investigating this question…
Post # 3
Member
1069 posts
Bumble bee
I’ve had one (didn’t know I was pregnant until I miscarried). My aunt has had quite a few, my mom hasn’t had any.
I don’t know anything about how common they are (although my doctor did say they’re more common than you think) and the link between family history and miscarriage.
Post # 4
Member
99 posts
Worker bee
I have five siblings (six kids total). My mom had 2 miscarriages between kids 4 and 5, but it was a stressful time and she was older at that point (nearly 40). I hope this is a good sign for me since I’m only 25 right now.
Post # 5
Member
186 posts
Blushing bee
My mom had 4 and grandma several as well. I have not had any and am pregnant with my first. It may not be scientifically true but since my family has never had a boy they seem to think they miscarry the males. I know there may be no evidence of this but its what they believe
Post # 6
Member
5093 posts
Bee Keeper
So far as I know, I have never been pregnant (and thus have never had a miscarriage). That being said, my mom had tons of them. After she had me, she had five or six miscarriages and finally gave up on trying to have her own second child. That’s why they ended up adopting my brother.
Between her history and the fact that I have a congenital condition that could make miscarriages really likely, I’m a little bit terrified about when we start TTC. 🙁
Post # 7
Member
2116 posts
Buzzing bee
You know, I said I have no known family history, but I do know my great grandmother had a stillborn little boy. So, there’s that. I only know my mom didn’t have any miscarriages.
Post # 8
Member
1855 posts
Buzzing bee
Given the statistics, 1 in 6 (or 1 in 5 depending on what you read) pregnancies end in a miscarriage. In families where the birth rate is higher, there will likely be more. My grandmother had two, but she had 5 live births as well. I had one m/c and one live birth, but I don’t believe the two are at all related. If you have a family history of diseases/conditions that make miscarriage more likely (blood diseases, hormonal imbalances, PCOS, diabetes, obesity, birth defects, etc), and you also suffer from those diseases/conditions, then yes, you may be more likely to m/c. But that would be more to do with your condition and less to do with a familial predisposition to m/c. You really can only do the best you can for your health and your baby’s health and hope for the best. There’s a reason why OB’s typically do a pretty lengthy health/family history during your first OB visit (or pre-visit), and that’s because they are trying to establish the relative riskiness of your pregnancy, considering conditions you do have and conditions that might be present in your baby.
Post # 9
Member
4518 posts
Honey bee
@inky_1: Miscarriages are common, especially early on. But remember that the population continues to grow, and most people are able to have healthy babies born. I’m pregnant right now & paranoid about losing the baby, so I keep reminding myself that nature does want the baby to live, too…
Post # 10
Bee
1433 posts
Bumble bee
- Wedding: August 2012 - Historic Lougheed House
@mufflerlove: my grandma had like 10 miscarriages. She believes they were all boys as well – because she carried 3 healthy girls full term. So I definitely think its possible.
Post # 11
Member
5107 posts
Bee Keeper
I think the statistic is some 30% of pregnancies end in miscarriage. Crazy, right?
Anyway, I have had one, but my mom has not. I’m not sure about everyone else.
Post # 12
Member
389 posts
Helper bee
I’ve had 2 miscarriages. My mom and aunts never had miscarriages. However, my Mother-In-Law had 2. I was surprised to learn from my fertility specialist that the in-laws history matters too! I suppose for genetic mutation reasons that may have been passed to the husband.
Post # 13
Member
2425 posts
Buzzing bee
I have never been pregnant, but do have a family history of miscarriages. My mom had one after she had my sister (the youngest) when she was about 31. Her mother had 5 children, and had at least 4 miscarriages scattered amidst them. And this isn’t MY family history but I know DH’s mother had one too.
I have no idea if a family history means anything about your likelihood of miscarrying though. But unfortunately I don’t think miscarriages are uncommon, at least not in my experience.
Post # 14
Member
10366 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
About 1/3 of known pregnancies end in miscarriages. Scientists predict that when you extrapolate to include chemical pregnancies the woman didn’t know she had, that that number is much closer to 50%. It isn’t as much about genetics as it is about the overwhelming amount of miscarriages that happen that are totally natural.
Post # 15
Member
869 posts
Busy bee
I had 1 and both of my sisters never had one
Post # 16
Member
1548 posts
Bumble bee
I have never been pregnant (not TTC) however both my mom and sister have had miscarriges.
