What We Know About Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

An investigation into recurrent pregnancy losses (RPL) is warranted after two or more clinical miscarriages. Sporadic miscarriages occur in up to 15-20% of early pregnancies, but RPL is found in only 2-5%. A systematic evaluation will detect a possible underlying cause in roughly half of the individuals who suffer from RPL and helps provide confidence that a live birth can be achieved.

Even without a specific diagnosis, however, 50-80% will ultimately have a successful outcome, depending on maternal age and number of prior losses. This is an important fact to share with those who are faced with unexplained RPL in order to help maintain a sense of hope, as their next pregnancy is attempted.

Numerous factors have been implicated as causes of RPL, but evidence-based data is lacking in most cases. This informational talk will review evidence related to genetic, anatomic, and infectious causes of miscarriage.