Subfertility & Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

Recurrent pregnancy loss or repeated miscarriage is the occurrence of two or more consecutive miscarriages. About one woman in 100 experiences this condition; however, many of these women go on to have a successful pregnancy later on. All of the causes leading to this condition are not known. There are, however, a few known causes that include abnormal genetic makeup of the embryo (the developing organism from the time it implants itself in the uterus up to 8 completed weeks of pregnancy), conditions of the uterus such as a septate (divided into two) uterus, fibroids and polyps (non-cancerous growths) of the uterus and Asherman syndrome (adhesions and scarring in the uterus). Certain medical conditions such as auto immune diseases and diabetes mellitus may also lead to repeated miscarriages.

Diagnosis and Treatment

To determine the causes, your doctor will ask questions about your medical history and past pregnancies. He or she may do a thorough physical examination accompanied with a pelvic examination, blood tests and imaging tests. If genetic causes are suspected, then a test called karyotype and microarray testing would be ordered. Treatment measures vary and are specific to the cause leading to the condition. It may involve medications or corrective surgery and where causes are unknown, there is still a reasonably good chance (65%) of a successful next pregnancy.