Understanding Recurrent Miscarriage

WHAT IS RECURRENT MISCARRIAGE?

Recurrent miscarriage is typically defined as experiencing two or more consecutive pregnancy losses before 20 weeks of gestation.

With 15% of confirmed pregnancies ending in miscarriage, most in the first 12 weeks, loss is unfortunately not an uncommon experience. Experiencing multiple losses consecutively, however, is quite a bit less common. This is called recurrent miscarriage, and it affects only 1-2% of women.

Repeated miscarriages, besides being emotionally painful, may also suggest an underlying fertility issue that needs to be investigated by a reproductive endocrinologist (fertility doctor).

Recurrent miscarriage can be caused by issues with the embryo itself, the hormonal cascade that supports a developing pregnancy, or an anatomic issue with the uterus. A single, spontaneous pregnancy loss is typically caused by chromosomal problems in the embryo, but recurrent miscarriages should be looked at closely in case there is an underlying issue that can be addressed.

One study reported that recurrent miscarriages are caused by:

✓ Autoimmune disorders (20% of the time)
✓ Maternal hormonal factors (17-20% of the time)
✓ Anatomical abnormalities, such as a septate uterus, uterine polyps, or fibroids (10–15% of all cases)
✓ Infections (up to 5% of the time)
✓ Chromosomal abnormalities and genetic factors (up to 5% of the time)

 Up to 50% of the time, a precise cause of recurrent miscarriage is never diagnosed. 

Preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) is a screening done in the lab at Boston IVF on embryos from an IVF cycle. The purpose of this testing is to select embryos without any detectable missing or extra chromosomes for transfer to the uterus. 

Chromosomal abnormalities can be one cause of recurrent miscarriages, which is why your doctor may recommend PGT-A if you are going through IVF.  

Learn more about PGT-A here.

WHAT OTHER SUPPORT IS THERE FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING RECURRENT MISCARRIAGE?

In addition to fertility treatments aimed at achieving a successful pregnancy, Boston IVF offers a range of resources to support families coping with the emotional stress and grief of recurrent miscarriages.

Located at Boston IVF's fertility clinic in Waltham, MA – The Wellness Center provides counseling services for individuals and couples, helping them heal emotionally and navigate the grieving process with care and compassion as they move forward.