Early Pregnancy Loss / miscarriage

A subject that is still a big taboo for women and couples is the loss of your baby in the first weeks of pregnancy. Also known by the still commonly used term miscarriage. At Guud we prefer to use the word 'early pregnancy loss'.

The emotions of an early pregnancy loss

A loss brings many different emotions and feelings of grief. It is often difficult to understand or process. Losing a child in any way is a difficult, unbelievable and indescribable event and can cause a lot of stress and misunderstanding.

The cause of an early loss is almost always a (pre- or post) conceptional disorder. This means that the embryo or cells were not viable. Usually a chromosome abnormality that arises during fertilization plays a role. Nature finds a logical solution, as it were: the embryo stops growing and the body rejects it.

The loss of a baby is a major event, even if it takes place during the first weeks of your pregnancy. Motherhood starts early. During the first weeks of your pregnancy, you already build a bond with your baby. As a woman, your body also changes from day one. And that also affects how you feel and how you think. Plus, having a baby takes preparation. Usually, you and your partner have already fantasized about how your life will look different.

Symptoms of a loss < 12 weeks

Crying and immense sadness 

Blood loss (little at first and more later)

Uncommon clots (blood clots)

Pregnancy symptoms, such as sore breasts and nausea, decrease

What can you do after?

• Take the time to let it sink in and talk openly about it with your partner and possibly those around you, if they knew about your pregnancy.
• Let yourself be guided by a midwife who can help you in the grieving process. 

• You don't have to wait if your wish to become parents or get pregnant again is still big. When your cycle restarts, you can immediately start trying again.

What about a loss after 12 weeks?

A miscarriage usually refers to the loss of a baby before 12 weeks, but it can also happen that you lose the baby after 12 weeks. This is then referred to as a late miscarriage.

After 12 weeks, the placenta is formed. If you have lost your baby, you will probably have to undergo a curettage.

What is a curettage?

It often happens that after the delivery of the fetus, the placenta (placenta) remains in whole or in part in the uterus and does not want to be born. The body will not let go of this because physiologically it is still too early. 

Because the uterus cannot contract properly when the placenta remains and there is a risk of significant blood loss, it will be decided to surgically remove the placenta. This is done under anaesthesia by a gynaecologist in the operating room. It is a relatively minor procedure that takes about fifteen minutes.

How can you prepare your body for a next pregnancy? 

• Stress
• Lifestyle
• Supplements

Flow: Active folic acid is best taken 1-3 months before you are pregnant. Folic acid is important for the development of the baby's nervous system to avoid birth defects.

Inside: Omega-3. Studies have shown that healthy fats (omeg-3) have a positive influence on the quality of the eggs.

Vibes: Magnesium helps regulate cortisol levels and many studies have shown that it has a positive impact on progesterone levels. 

Your partner

Your partner (if male) can also contribute. There are 3 factors that play a role in determining sperm quality: 

• Motility (ability to move spontaneously) of the sperm. When the sperm cells are insufficiently mobile, they cannot reach the egg to be fertilized and fertilization does not take place. Research shows that sperm motility decreases with age. 

• Morphology (size and shape): A lower number of normally formed sperm results in a decrease in male fertility, as sperm with an abnormal morphology are less likely to fertilize an egg. Studies show that normal sperm morphology declines at a rate of 0.2-0.9% per year.

• The amount of sperm cells. With each ejaculation, between 100 and 200 million are normally released when this number is lower, it is referred to as oligozoospermia (few sperm cells). Sperm volume can decrease over the years, but research has not been able to confirm this, so the impact of semen volume on male fertility is not clear.

Which nutrients are important for a man? 

Zinc and Folic acid

Two nutrients essential for healthy and abundant sperm are zinc and folic acid.

Zinc is required for sperm motility. Good sources of zinc include oysters and lean red meat, as well as nuts, sesame seeds, beans and whole grains.

Folic acid is necessary for the DNA, which is found in semen. Good sources of folate include fruits and vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables and grain products. 

Antioxidants

Sperm also needs to be protected once it is formed. It is  easily damaged by free radicals that circulate throughout the body and damage cells.

Antioxidants are molecules that can protect against this damage by neutralizing free radicals. 

Antioxidants include nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin E and selenium and a host of other compounds found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

Omega 3

The number of sperm cells, the motility of your sperm cells and the shape of the sperm appear to improve in various studies through a sufficient intake of the omega-3 fatty acid DHA. So you have a chance that the quality of your sperm and thus your fertility will improve if you take omega 3.

Vitamin D

vitamin D is good for sperm quality and the sperm cells also become faster and more mobile. This is shown by research from the University of Copenhagen. 

Guud Flow is a multivitamin and contains active folic acid, vitamin D and zinc, among other things 

Guud Inside contains sustainable Omega-3 based on algae oil: (see research)

If you feel you want to talk about your loss, or if you need information or advise, please chat with us. We're here for you.