Guest Author - Krissi Danielsson

Doctors have a habit of throwing around all kinds of medical terms when discussing miscarriage -- many of them being abrasive and insensitive, not to mention questionable in accuracy. After receiving devastating news of a pregnancy, patients have an understandably difficult time stopping the doctor to get clarification on what exactly some of these terms mean.

Read below for a quick reference to some of the most commonly used terms regarding miscarriage. All information is gathered from Internet research. I'll add to this list as I come across new terms. Please use the contact editor button at the side or email miscarriage@bellaonline.com to suggest new terms.

Aneuploidy

This term refers to the condition of having extra or missing copies of chromosomes. In miscarriages caused by "chromosomal abnormalities," aneuploidy is a common culprit.

Antiphospholipid Antibodies

These antibodies cause an increased tendency toward blood clots, which can cause recurrent miscarriages by blocking essential nutrients from reaching the placenta.

Bicornuate Uterus

A specific type of abnormal uterine shape, bicornuate uterus can cause an increased tendency toward incompetent cervix and second trimester losses.

Blighted Ovum

This term refers to a missed miscarriage in which the doctor can see a pregnancy sac on the ultrasound, but no baby, and the sac is definitely far enough along that a baby should be visible. Often, this is a missed miscarriage in which the baby stopped developing early along but the body did not recognize the loss and the sac continued growing. Often the woman will still feel pregnant, which is particularly devastating.

D&C

D&C stands for dilation and curettage, which is the most common procedure to surgically end a pregnancy after a miscarriage. Doctors often use it when ultrasounds discover that a baby has died but the woman is not showing signs of miscarrying yet.

Fetal Demise

This term merely refers to a loss after the 12th week when the baby is considered a "fetus" rather than an "embryo."

Habitual Abortion

This horribly insensitive term refers to recurrent miscarriage.

HcG

HcG stands for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin. It is the hormone that indicates pregnancy. Pregnancy tests work by detecting HcG levels. In patients with miscarriage, doctors often run "serial hcg" levels two days apart to check for the signs of a healthy pregnancy. In most cases, a healthy pregnancy will show HcG levels that double every two days for the first few weeks.

Hysterosalpinogram (HSG)

This is a common procedure in which a technician injects dye into the uterus to check for blockages or unusual structure. Uterine anomalies can be a cause for recurrent miscarriages.

Hysteroscopy

A doctor looks into the uterus with a "hysteroscope" to check for abnormal structure or to repair previously detected problems.

Missed Abortion

Doctors use this term to indicate that the baby has died but the woman's body has not yet begun the miscarriage process.

Progesterone

Progesterone is another hormone associated with pregnancy. Levels should rise after ovulation and stay elevated for the duration of the pregnancy. In some women who miscarry, progesterone levels are too low to sustain the pregnancy.

Septate Uterus/Septum

This type of uterus will have a division that can interfere with the baby's growth and cause miscarriage.

Spontaneous Abortion

This is a catchall term doctors like to use for any type of miscarriage

Remember, to suggest any additions to this list email miscarriage@bellaonline.com. If you want to sound off on insensitive miscarriage terminology, visit this forum post.