Recurrent Miscarriage

Historically, recurrent pregnancy loss or “habitual abortions” was defined of three or more consecutive spontaneous miscarriages; however some investigators feel that even two spontaneous pregnancy losses constitute recurrent miscarriage and deserve evaluation. In a patient with a history of 2 miscarriages, the subsequent risk of pregnancy loss rises to about 26%, whereas 3 abortions raises the risk of a fourth miscarriage to 32%. To date, however, there is no clear threshold for the number of spontaneous abortions that unequivocally warrants evaluation and treatment.

In Chinese medicine, miscarriage takes different names according to the time of pregnancy the takes place. If it occurs within one month of pregnancy it is called an chan “hidden labor”, if miscarriage happens between one and three months, it is called duo tai which means “falling fetus”. After three months it is called xiao chan which is “small labor”, habitual miscarriage is called hua tai which is “slippery fetus”

Western Medicine Causes of Recurrent pregnancy loss:

1- Cervical Incompetence and Uterine Malformation
2- Genetic factors
3- Immunological Causes
4- Inherited thrombophilias
5- Endocrine factors: Luteal phase defect, polycystic ovarian syndrome, Thyroid abnormalities
6- Infection and environmental causes: toxic metabolic byproducts, exotoxins, endotoxins, or cytokines. Chronic endometrial infection could interfere with implantation. Other infections such as chronic or recurrent bacterial vaginosis, clinical cervicitis, and other symptoms of chronic pelvic infection could cause recurrent miscarriage
7-Psychological factors: emotional trauma, sexual assult

Traditional Chinese Medicine View on Recurrent Miscarriage

In TCM Kidney’s main functions include, storing essence and dominating human reproduction and development. Kidney essence consists of two parts: Congenital essence which in inherited (genetics) which is inherited from the parents, and acquired essence which is transformed from the essential substances of food by spleen and stomach.
The Kidney Energy according to TCM theory involves yin, yang and essence. If any of these substances of the Kidneys are deficient, it may result in cessation of the pregnancy, or problems with reproduction. Although the Ancient Chinese had no knowledge of modern medical science, they were intelligent observers of nature and the seasons of life. We now know that much of what the ancients were describing in the passage above from the Huang Di Nei Jing Su Wen was what is today attributed to the function of the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian axis. It is the interplay between the Chong, Ren, and Du Channels, as well as their circulation of the vital substances of the Kidneys (yin, yang and essence/jing), which controls the normal functioning female reproductive cycle.
Main causes of Recurrent miscarriage:
1- Kidney Yang deficiency
2- Kidney yin deficiency
3- Qi deficiency
4- Blood Defiency
5- Heat in blood
6- Blood stagnation
7- Liver Qi stagnation