Can Miscarriages Be Prevented? What Every Woman Should Know | Episode 7

In this episode of The Hormone Café, Dr. Sarah Pederson, holistic OB-GYN and founder of Vera Health and Fertility, tackles one of the most emotional and misunderstood topics in women’s health — miscarriage. Dr. Sarah shares the four main causes she sees most often and how to prevent them: poor egg quality, hormone imbalance, uterine lining issues, and inflammation. She walks you through how each of these areas affects fertility and offers practical, science-backed ways to strengthen your body, balance your hormones, and increase your chances of a healthy pregnancy. You’ll learn why one miscarriage is reason enough to do a full workup — and how small optimizations can make a big difference in future pregnancies.   In This Episode, You’ll Learn: 🩸 Why You Deserve Answers After a Miscarriage You shouldn’t have to wait for multiple miscarriages before getting tested. A single miscarriage can reveal important clues about your health and hormones. A full fertility workup helps prevent future loss. 🧬 1. Egg and Sperm Quality Up to 90% of miscarriages are due to chromosomal abnormalities in the embryo. Egg quality depends heavily on antioxidants — eat leafy greens, berries, avocado, turmeric, and drink green tea daily. Key supplements that support egg and sperm health: CoQ10, resveratrol, alpha-lipoic acid (under provider guidance). Don’t forget your partner — poor sperm quality contributes just as much as poor egg quality. A sperm analysis can check for morphology, motility, and chromosomal integrity. 🌸 2. Hormone Balance It takes 3–4 months for your body to recruit and mature an egg — hormone health during that time is crucial. Estrogen must rise steadily in the follicular phase to prepare a strong follicle. After ovulation, the luteal phase relies on progesterone and estrogen balance to support implantation. Signs of imbalance: short luteal phase, spotting before period, PMS, or inconsistent cycles. Each healthy cycle builds momentum — strong hormone flow month to month improves egg quality and future fertility. 🏡 3. Uterine Lining Health The uterine lining (endometrium) needs to be thick, healthy, and inflammation-free to support implantation. Endometrial biopsies can reveal hidden issues like infection or chronic inflammation. Red flags: brown spotting, pain, light or irregular periods. A healthy uterus should “shed clean” each month — incomplete shedding can build unhealthy layers over time. Think of your uterus like a hardwood floor, not a shag carpet — smooth, stable, and strong for implantation. 🔥 4. Inflammation & Whole-Body Health Systemic inflammation can affect your uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes. Common root causes: Autoimmune disease or undiagnosed immune activation Gut inflammation or leaky gut Chronic infections or viruses Environmental allergies or food sensitivities Addressing gut health is key — the intestines sit directly over reproductive organs and can spread inflammation. Supporting the immune system, identifying triggers, and using anti-inflammatory nutrition or therapies helps restore balance. Key Takeaways: Miscarriage is not random — most have identifiable, treatable causes. Testing after one miscarriage can save time, heartbreak, and future loss. Focus on four core areas: egg quality, hormone balance, uterine health, inflammation. Each cycle is an opportunity to improve your future fertility. You deserve a provider who will dig deeper, not tell you to “wait and see.” Resources & Next Steps: If you’ve experienced a miscarriage or are preparing for pregnancy and want to optimize your fertility, Dr. Sarah and the Vera team can help uncover root causes and create a customized treatment plan. 📍 Westminster, Colorado 🌐 Learn more or schedule a visit: verafertility.com 📧 Follow along on social: @verafertility