Recurrent Miscarriage

What Can Cause Recurrent Miscarriage?

There are several potential contributors to recurrent miscarriage, and more than one factor may sometimes be present. In other cases, evaluation does not identify a specific explanation.

Your fertility specialist may consider:

• Chromosomal factors: Chromosome abnormalities in an embryo are an important cause of miscarriage. Their likelihood generally increases with reproductive age.
• Uterine anatomy: Structural differences involving the uterus or uterine cavity may be relevant to pregnancy loss and can be evaluated when appropriate.
• Genetic factors: In selected cases, genetic evaluation of the pregnancy or prospective parents may provide information that helps clarify recurrent loss.
• Hormonal and medical conditions: Certain endocrine, autoimmune or other medical conditions may be relevant for some patients and can guide targeted evaluation.

Sometimes no clear cause is identified. An unexplained evaluation does not mean that future pregnancy is impossible. Your physician can still use your age, reproductive history and available clinical information to help guide what comes next.

What Testing May Be Considered for Recurrent Miscarriage?

There is not one universal test for recurrent miscarriage. Your Spring fertility specialist can use your history to determine which evaluations are likely to provide meaningful information.

Depending on your circumstances, evaluation may include assessment of the uterus, selected hormone or medical testing, genetic evaluation or review of testing performed on pregnancy tissue after a previous loss. If you have undergone fertility treatment, your physician can also review information from previous IVF or embryo-transfer cycles.

The goal is not simply to order as many tests as possible. It is to identify information that can clarify your reproductive history, reveal potentially relevant factors and help your physician determine whether treatment or management should change before another pregnancy attempt.

What Treatment Options May Be Considered for Recurrent Miscarriage?

There is no single treatment for recurrent miscarriage. Treatment depends on whether evaluation identifies a factor that can reasonably be addressed and on your broader fertility and pregnancy history.

If a uterine condition is identified, your physician can discuss whether treatment may be appropriate before another pregnancy attempt. Certain hormonal, autoimmune or other medical findings may require condition-specific management or coordination with another specialist. If genetic information identifies a relevant factor, your fertility specialist can explain how that finding may affect family-building options.

IVF may become part of the discussion for some patients, particularly when recurrent miscarriage occurs alongside another fertility factor or when a specific genetic consideration is present. However, IVF is not automatically required after recurrent miscarriage, and embryo genetic testing cannot eliminate every cause of pregnancy loss.

When no cause is identified, your physician can still help you understand what the evaluation means and develop a plan based on age, previous pregnancies, fertility factors and your individual goals.

When Should You See a Fertility Specialist for Recurrent Miscarriage?

If you have experienced multiple miscarriages, a reproductive endocrinologist can review the pattern of your losses and determine whether recurrent pregnancy loss evaluation is appropriate. You do not need to determine for yourself whether your history meets a particular definition before scheduling a consultation.

Evaluation may be particularly helpful when pregnancy loss occurs alongside difficulty conceiving, when losses have occurred repeatedly at a similar stage, when you have a known reproductive or medical condition or when you are deciding whether fertility treatment should become part of your next steps.

What Comes Next After Recurrent Miscarriage?

What comes next depends on what your pregnancy history and evaluation show. If testing identifies a factor that may be addressed, your physician can discuss how that finding may influence planning for another pregnancy. If no specific cause is identified, your age, reproductive history and other fertility factors can still help guide recommendations.

At Spring Fertility, we consider your previous pregnancies, testing, fertility treatment when applicable and broader medical history together. Depending on your circumstances, the next step may involve trying to conceive again, addressing an identified condition, fertility treatment when appropriate or coordination with another specialist.

The goal is to use what we have learned from your previous pregnancies to create a thoughtful, individualized plan for what comes next.