Most women who have a miscarriage will go on to have a healthy pregnancy, but about 1% of couples will experience recurrent miscarriages.
Our gynaecology specialists can help to identify any underlying cause of the miscarriages and advise you if you want to try again.
When Should You See a Specialist?
Although even a single miscarriage can have a significant effect on you and your partner, most couple will go on to conceive and give birth without any problems. In most cases there is no identifiable cause of miscarriage. However, if you have had three or more miscarriages in a row, there could be an underlying cause that can be diagnosed and treated. It can therefore be a good idea to see a specialist for recurrent miscarriage management.
What Causes Recurrent Miscarriage?
Miscarriages can happen for many reasons. If you have had three or more miscarriages, it could be because of:
- Genetic problems
- Problems with your hormone levels, which may be associated with a gynaecological condition like PCOS
- Abnormalities with the shape of your womb
- Cervical weakness
- Thrombophilic or blood clotting disorders, which can affect blood flow to the placenta
- Antiphospholipid syndrome
However, it isn’t always possible to identify the cause. No specific diagnosis can be made for about half of the couples who experience recurrent miscarriages. However, many of these couples can still go on to have a healthy pregnancy.
What to Expect
When you visit Lotus Klinik for advice on recurrent miscarriages, our specialists will being by asking some questions about your health and medical history. They will then recommend some tests that may be able to identify the cause of your miscarriages:
- Blood tests to screen for problems such as antiphospholipid antibodies or inherited thrombophilias
- Genetic analysis of both parents to check for issues such as chromosomal abnormalities. If possible, genetic testing can also be performed on the miscarried foetus.
- Pelvic ultrasound to check for abnormalities with the uterus or cervix
- Hysteroscopy to examine the womb and cervix and check for any gynaecological problems
- Laparoscopy to confirm the presence of issues with the womb or cervix
What Happens Next
If a specific cause is identified, then our specialists can advise you on the options for recurrent miscarriage management. Treatments are available that can address many of the causes:
- Medication such as a low dose of aspirin or heparin may help with recurrent miscarriages associated with antiphospholipid syndrome
- Treatment can help with many gynaecological conditions such as PCOS that could be affecting your fertility or hormone levels during pregnancy
- Seeing a clinical geneticist can help you to understand the risks to future pregnancies if a genetic problem was found. Preimplantation genetic screening before IVF treatment could also help.
- Cervical weakness can be carefully monitored during future pregnancies and treated with a stitch or cervical cerclage if necessary.
- Surgery may help with uterine abnormalities.
- An early pregnancy assessment and additional monitoring.