by Elaine Arthur

Created on: December 06, 2009

The basic facts about human reproduction are typically taught this way: Sperm fertilizes egg, and cell division begins. Assuming all goes well, a baby is born approximately 40 weeks later.

What most people aren't told is that after the egg is fertilized, it goes through a process in which the amniotic sac is constructed, enabling the fertilized egg to attach to the uterine lining so that it can be nourished through the umbilical cord. Depending on the stage of the fertility cycle, this can take one to three weeks. And surprisingly often, once the amniotic sac is constructed, the fertilized egg does not have enough genetic material left to begin division. This is roughly analogous to someone who spends a lot of money to purchase a house, but then cannot afford to furnish it.

If the zygote does not become an embryo through cell division, sooner or later the brain receives the information that the amniotic sac will not be used. At that point, the same process that takes place in a menstrual cycle will begin: Bleeding and cramping as the powerful muscles of the uterus contract in order to empty itself. After this has happened, doctors usually recommend that the woman schedule a D&C procedure (dilation and curettage), in which the uterine lining is scraped to remove any tissue that was not expelled. This will help to prevent blood clots, infection, and interference with menstruation and conception in future months. In the majority of cases, a woman who has had an early miscarriage will find herself able to conceive following the D&C. Occasionally, an early miscarriage is caused by an undetected problem that originated months or years before with the menstrual cycle. The D&C can help to correct this problem.

A few decades ago, if a woman missed a menstrual period and contacted a doctor, she was instructed to wait until she had missed two more periods before obtaining a pregnancy test. Before home pregnancy tests were invented, the process was slow and relatively complicated, with the woman's urine being analyzed against the blood of a rabbit. Doctors were aware then, as they are now, that the pregnancy can stop spontaneously within the first 2-3 months. When this happened, the woman was able to assume that she was experiencing a heavier than average period, and was spared the emotional rollercoaster of having a pregnancy confirmed, only to experience the loss of it a few weeks later. While today's technology is without a doubt useful and convenient, it

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