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Miscarriage/pregnancy loss

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Did I cause my miscarriage through smoking?

16 replies

Michayla · 21/08/2024 18:48

Hey everyone ❤️.

I'm 24, F, I have a 3y old daughter and had a surgical abortion performed today - I was basically told that it's just a "clean-up". I'm a smoker, (cigarettes), I'm chronically depressed, going on 5Ys this year and i take Venlafaxine 150mg. I did a home pregnancy test, and it was positive (HOORAY!🥺) . I suspected i was 4w at this point, and started bleeding a little, shortly after finding out. I immediately made an appointment by the gynae that delivered my first born, and went to see her. I was her last patient to be seen and she had no patience at this point, I paid 2K to see her for 5 minutes - she confirmed I was pregnant via ultrasound and my little bean could be seen,gave me a prescription for amoxicillin and progesterone, nonetheless I was optimistic about the bleeding stopping and thought it shouldn't be that serious if she just sent me home with a prescription and saw me for 5 minutes. A few days later, I went to pee and when I wiped, there were 2 blood clots. I immediately started shaking - I had a miscarriage a year prior and i could see the little body of my baby. We didn't plan this pregnancy. I contacted her right after , and she told me to go to emergency at the hospital and she'd come and see me there. I rushed in, nurses called her and she referred me to the dr's at the hospital. I had to get a vaginal exam, and was then sent for an ultrasound, after waiting for 5 hours to be seen. Another Dr performed my ultrasound and I asked her if she could tell me anything and she said that the Dr who's looking after me , will let me know. She left the room and I checked the screen and it said the gestational age of my baby was 7ws 4d but i couldn't see my baby anymore, i thought maybe I'm not seeing correctly. Went back to the rooms, they told me i have a blightened ovum and miscarried and admitted me into hospital. My gynae instructed nurses to start me on abortion medication and pain meds. I then refused hospital care, because she didn't even have the decency to talk to me herself and tell me what caused it. I decided to do it naturally at home. On Monday, I had to go in for bleeding ulcers in my stomach, they tested my urine and my pregnancy test was still positive and they referred me back to my gynae. I contacted her and she told me to go to the emergency again and she'll see me there. Got there, i was admitted and i only saw her this morning. She told me my smoking caused my miscarriage...? I feel like it was my fault that my baby didn't make it. I wanted to know , from personal experience, is this true? And what are other reasons for miscarriage? In recovery, i asked to see the little jar in which they put whatever was left of my baby and it broke my heart. Any advice? I'm trying not to allow my depression to hit a low any, but it's getting there

OP posts:
Makingchocolatecake · 21/08/2024 18:59

I thought miscarriage was when the cells don't form properly and it's more to do with the genetic make up of that particular baby

pinkgown · 21/08/2024 19:03

My mother was a chain smoker (Senior Service - filterless cigarettes) and 40 years old when I was born. So I suspect it's just chance that you miscarried.

But please stop smoking, it's horrible. Both my mother and father smoked - I have a total phobia towards tobacco. They both died in their early 60s due to smoking related disease.

Also there is evidence that the daughters of female smokers are more likely to have PCOS - as I and my daughter do (though I have never smoked, so it must affect genes and be transmissable). Having PCOS is not fun - makes you beardy and/or bald, makes you fat and mucks up your periods and fertility.

MojoJojo71 · 21/08/2024 19:05

I’m so sorry for your loss. Sadly we most often don’t know what causes miscarriages to happen. Giving up smoking certainly increases the chances of a healthy pregnancy in the future but it’s really not helpful to lay blame for your loss on smoking, especially while you are acutely grieving. Please be kind to yourself 💐

C1N1C · 21/08/2024 19:07

It probably didn't help...

OneFastDuck · 21/08/2024 19:09

How would they know the gestation of your foetus when you'd miscarried. They measure it, if it wasn't on the screen then they can't measure it? Most of the stuff on the jar would have just been your womb lining if it had already passed so don't stress over that.

Maybe concentrate on getting yourself healthy and smoke free. Healing after last years and this years miscarriage. Getting yourself to a happy place. You're young, have a young child already, get healthy and then try in a few years.

Michayla · 21/08/2024 19:29

That was what I saw on the screen, and medical notes. So i assumed. But they said that the sac could still grow even with no baby inside it.

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Michayla · 21/08/2024 19:30

I'll definitely seek help to quit my bad habit, thank you!🤗❤️

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Michayla · 21/08/2024 19:32

Nothing was explained to me, even when asking besides the smoking .So really, I'm left to draw my own conclusions 🥺

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Michayla · 21/08/2024 19:32

I needed these kind words, thank you sm!🥺🤗❤️

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Michayla · 21/08/2024 19:35

Michayla · 21/08/2024 19:29

That was what I saw on the screen, and medical notes. So i assumed. But they said that the sac could still grow even with no baby inside it.

OneFastDuck

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HazelLion · 21/08/2024 19:47

Well if it was truly a blighted ovum, there was never an embryo so you won't have seen remains of one

AbraAbraCadabra · 21/08/2024 19:59

The Chinese was very wrong to say that. There are loads of causes of miscarriage, she can't possibly know it was smoking.

GuestSpeakers · 21/08/2024 20:20

No, I don't think jt was anything you did. I fell pregnant while travelling and assumed my morning sickness was Delhi belly. I was 25 weeks pregnant before I realised. I had smoked the whole way through. Later I stopped smoking before conception and lost the baby. Sometimes it just doesn't work out but don't lose hope.

Michayla · 21/08/2024 20:39

I'm sorry for your loss❤️🥺🤗🤗🤗

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seven201 · 21/08/2024 20:57

I'm not a smoker yet had 4 miscarriages (and now 2 healthy babies). That gynaecologist can't possibly know it was from smoking. Do quit before ttc again, if you want another dc.

Michayla · 21/08/2024 21:27

I will definitely.❤️

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