eli5 What is a miscarriage? Doctor malpractice involved? Just bad luck? Does the baby always die? Does the mom always die? Bad health choices?
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> What is a miscarriage?
A spontaneous loss of pregnancy. Basically the fetus dies in the womb.
> Doctor malpractice involved?
Doctors don’t really do anything during the pregnancy other than keeping track of it. Sure, a doctor could cause it, for example by performing certain check ups (such as amniocentesis) incorrectly, but it’s pretty rare.
> Just bad luck?
In most cases, yes. Sometimes it’s a genetic problem with the fetus itself (so it wouldn’t have survived anyway), sometimes it’s a problem with the pregnancy. For example major physical trauma (such as a car accident) can result in a miscarriage.
> Does the baby always die?
Yes, that’s what miscarriage means.
> Does the mom always die?
Not at all. If it’s early enough in the pregnancy, the body just absorbs the remains of the fetus. If it’s later then the woman has to have surgery to have the dead fetus removed, otherwise there is a risk to the mother’s life. There have been cases where the dead fetus became calcified in the womb and remained there for decades.
> Bad health choices?
Yes, this can also result in miscarriages. That’s why, for example, pregnant woman are not allowed to go on theme park rides, and should avoid certain foods.
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