Recurrent pregnancy loss is the loss (miscarriage) of three or more consecutive pregnancies. Almost 20% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage. The risk of miscarriage is 9.5% for women younger than age 24 and rises with age, to 11% by age 30 and 33% by age 40. For women over age 44, the incidence of miscarriage increases dramatically to 53%.
Often the cause(s) of recurrent pregnancy loss are unexplained and diagnostic tests are inconclusive. However, 60% of all women who are diagnosed with unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss achieve a successful pregnancy with minimal treatment. The success rate improves to over 75% for women who have an identifiable cause and undergo appropriate treatment.
Possible causes for recurrent miscarriage are:
- Anatomical Factors
- Genetic Factors
- Infection
- Immune Factors
- Endocrine Factors
- Unexplained Factors
There is no clear evidence to support the concept that miscarriages can be traced to a specific partner, or the hypothesis that some women miscarry due to an inappropriate immune system response.
