 Recurrent Miscarriage
Probably no htmlect of infertility is more traumatic than becoming pregnant
and then losing the baby to miscarriage. And while most women who miscarry do
go on to give birth to a healthy baby in the next pregnancy, infertility specialists are
often called in when a woman experiences recurrent pregnancy loss.
The incidence of pregnancy loss among all women is about 15%.
Statistics show that if the first pregnancy ended in miscarriage, the second has only a
slightly elevated possibility - 18% - of the same outcome. After two
miscarriages, however, the risk rises to 25%-30%. For this reason, most
doctors recommend that a woman see a fertility specialist if she has experienced two
miscarriages in a row.
For a woman who has had four miscarriages, the next pregnancy has a 40%
chance of ending in miscarriage. Keep in mind, however, that this means she still
has better than 50-50 odds of carrying the next pregnancy to term!
It had long been believed that - unlike "first" miscarriages, of
which a little over half are caused by chromosomal abnormalities - recurrent
pregnancy loss had other causes. However, recent research has demonstrated that
about 60% of recurrent miscarriages also are caused by chromosomal abnormalities.
Researchers are still debating what causes the remainder. Possibilities
include immune system malfunction, hormone imbalances, distortions of the uterine cavity,
and pelvic infections. Studies have also linked the use of alcohol,
cigarettes, and excessive caffeine consumption to an increased risk of miscarriage.
When a woman seeks medical care for recurrent miscarriage, her doctor will
first seek to diagnose the cause. The treatment will depend on what was found.
If, for example, the woman is found to have uterine fibroids or polyps
(two types of benign growths) surgery may be performed to remove these. Similarly,
if she has a uterine septum (a congenital condition in which the uterus has a wall through
the middle of it), surgery can correct this.
If blood tests find that she has a hormonal dysfunction known as
"luteal phase defect" (not producing enough of the hormone progesterone to
support an early pregnancy), she can be given progesterone vaginal suppositories.
If the presence of an organism called "Ureaplasma" is found, an
antibiotic will be prescribed.
If there are immunologic factors, htmlirin therapy in early pregnancy may
be prescribed. And, although controversial due to possible side effects, some
doctors use "heparin" therapy - a series of injections which lowers the body's
immunity to the fetus.
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