Birth Defects
Because up to 80% of early miscarriage is caused by birth defects, here is a list of traits that put someone at risk for having a baby with birth defects:
- Low folate status (may cause Down Syndrome and neural tube defects)
- Low folate status in the father (may cause Down Syndrome and aneuploidy)
- Obesity (causes neural tube defects)
- High homocysteine levels (causes numerous birth defects)
- Low vitamin B12 (causes neural tube defects)
- High soy diet (causes hypospadias)
- High level of pesticides in the diet (causes hypospadias)
- High saturated fat diet (causes memory and learning disabilities)
- Use of Clomid (may cause neural tube defects and severe hypospadias)
- Severe acne (associated with having a child with autism)
- Having had breast and uterine cancers, tumors, or growths (associated with having a child with autism)
- Having a family history of ovarian and uterine cancers, tumors, or growths (associated with having a child with autism)
- Being over 40 years old (causes aneuploidy and Down Syndrome)
- Elevated FSH (more important than age in causing Down Syndrome and aneuploidy)
- Elevated estradiol (causes Down Syndrome and aneuploidy)
- Taking oral contraceptive around the time of conception (causes Down Syndrome in young mothers)
- Having a long follicular phase (causes birth defects)
- Having a long menstrual cycle (causes birth defects)
- Having had a late menarche (associated with birth defects)
- Having irregular menstrual cycles (causes birth defects)
These topics are covered under Birth Defects:
Chromosomal Abnormality and Miscarriage
Menstrual Cycle and Birth Defects
For a concise list of qualities found to affect one's risk of miscarriage, see: Causes of Miscarriage