Occurring three or more continuous miscarriages are termed as recurrent miscarriages/ habitual abortions/ recurrent pregnancy loss. It is found that around 1% of couple suffer from recurrent pregnancy losses.
Recurrent miscarriages can be caused due to various causes:
- Anatomical Conditions- Uterine conditions and cervical conditions can cause recurrent miscarriages. According to studies, around 15% of recurrent miscarriages are caused due to uterine malformations. Uterine leiomyomata can also cause pregnancy losses. Weak cervix can also cause recurrent pregnancy loss.
- Chromosomal Disorders- Following are the most common chromosomal disorders that cause recurrent pregnancy losses:
- Aneuploidy
- Translocations
- Endocrine Disorders- Disorders like hypothyroidism can increase the risk for recurrent pregnancy losses. Other disorders are:Diabetes, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, etc
- Thrombophilia
- Ovarian Factors
- Lifestyle factors.
The primary method used for assessing a healthy pregnancy is transvaginal ultrasonography. Non-pregnant patients may have to undergo for karyotype, blood tests, ovarian function test, thyroid function tests etc. for diagnosis. Treatment is suggested according to the cause determined.