Patient's question:
What are the causes of embryonic arrest? Doctor, I have had two miscarriages. The first one stopped developing when the fetus was three months old and died in the womb. Now this one is four months old, and there are signs of another arrest. I want to know the cause of the fetal arrest.Doctor's answer:
What causes embryonic arrestEmbryonic implantation and continued development depend on the coordinated interaction of a complex endocrine system. Any disruption in this process can lead to miscarriage. During early embryonic development, three important hormone levels are required: estrogen, progesterone, and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). From the mother's perspective, insufficient endogenous hormone levels may fail to meet the embryo's needs, potentially causing embryonic arrest and miscarriage. The most common cause is luteal phase defect. Luteal phase insufficiency can result in delayed endometrial development and a shorter luteal phase, thereby affecting the implantation of the fertilized egg or early pregnancy loss. Individuals with luteal phase defect often have other glandular dysfunctions, such as hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, diabetes, relative androgen excess, and hyperprolactinemia. These factors are all detrimental to embryonic development and are closely associated with miscarriage.