Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

What Is Recurrent Pregnancy Loss?

Recurrent pregnancy loss describes a history of multiple pregnancy losses. The pregnancies may have ended at similar or different stages, and the specific pattern can provide important information when determining what evaluation may be appropriate.

Your fertility specialist will want to understand how each pregnancy was confirmed, when each loss occurred, whether ultrasound findings were available, whether pregnancy tissue was tested and whether you have also had successful pregnancies. Your age, fertility treatment history and broader medical history provide additional context.

Recurrent pregnancy loss does not necessarily mean that future pregnancies will also end in miscarriage. The purpose of evaluation is to determine whether there are identifiable factors that could influence future pregnancy or change the way your care is managed.

What Can Cause Recurrent Pregnancy Loss?

Recurrent pregnancy loss can have several possible explanations, and in some cases, no specific cause is identified. Your physician may consider multiple factors based on your pregnancy history, medical history, age, and previous testing.

Chromosomal Factors

Chromosomal abnormalities in an embryo are an important cause of pregnancy loss. Some occur randomly during egg or sperm development and become more common with reproductive age. In some cases, a chromosomal rearrangement carried by one genetic parent may also contribute to recurrent loss.

Uterine Factors

Differences in the shape or structure of the uterus, including certain congenital uterine differences, fibroids, polyps, scar tissue, or other conditions affecting the uterine cavity, may be relevant in some patients. Your physician can determine whether uterine imaging or additional evaluation is appropriate based on your history.

Genetic Factors

In selected circumstances, genetic evaluation of the pregnancy tissue or prospective parents may provide useful information. When genetic testing is appropriate depends on the pattern of losses, previous results, family history, and other clinical factors.

Hormonal and Medical Factors

Certain hormonal or medical conditions may be considered as part of an evaluation for recurrent pregnancy loss. Depending on your individual history, your physician may recommend targeted evaluation rather than broad testing for every possible condition.

Antiphospholipid Syndrome and Other Factors

Antiphospholipid syndrome is an autoimmune condition associated with recurrent pregnancy loss and may warrant evaluation in appropriate patients. Other potential contributors may be considered based on your medical and reproductive history.

Unexplained Pregnancy Loss

For some patients, evaluation does not identify a clear explanation for recurrent pregnancy loss. This can be difficult, but the absence of an identified cause does not mean that a future successful pregnancy is impossible. Your physician can help interpret your results and discuss what they mean for your next steps.

What Treatment Options May Be Considered for Recurrent Pregnancy Loss?

Treatment for recurrent pregnancy loss depends on what, if anything, is identified during the evaluation. There is no single treatment that prevents all miscarriages, and the appropriate approach should reflect the individual patient’s history, test results, age, and family-building goals.

If evaluation identifies a uterine condition, your physician can discuss whether treatment is appropriate before another pregnancy attempt. Certain hormonal or medical conditions may require condition-specific management. If antiphospholipid syndrome or another relevant medical condition is identified, treatment recommendations will depend on the diagnosis and your individual circumstances.

IVF may be considered for some patients when recurrent loss occurs alongside infertility or when a particular reproductive or genetic factor makes IVF relevant to the treatment strategy. Preimplantation genetic testing may also be discussed in selected circumstances, but IVF and embryo testing cannot eliminate every cause of pregnancy loss and are not automatically indicated for everyone with recurrent loss.

When evaluation does not identify a specific cause, your physician can still use your age, pregnancy history, fertility factors, and preferences to help determine whether trying to conceive again without fertility treatment, pursuing fertility treatment, or considering another approach is appropriate.

How Can You Plan for a Future Pregnancy After Recurrent Pregnancy Loss?

Planning for another pregnancy begins with putting the results of your evaluation into context. A test result matters when it changes how your physician understands your previous losses or provides a reason to approach the next pregnancy differently.

Your next step may involve treatment of an identified condition, trying to conceive again without fertility treatment, using fertility treatment for a separate reproductive barrier or coordinating care with another specialist when appropriate.

If previous losses occurred during fertility treatment, your physician can also review embryo development, genetic information when available and transfer history. If pregnancies were conceived without treatment, your broader fertility evaluation may help determine whether another fertility factor should be considered as you plan what comes next.

Your Pregnancy History Can Help Inform the Path Forward

Recurrent pregnancy loss can make each new attempt feel uncertain, but your previous pregnancies provide information that can help shape future care.

At Spring Fertility, we consider the timing and circumstances of previous losses alongside your age, fertility testing, medical history and family-building goals. When a clinically meaningful factor is identified, we can incorporate it into treatment or coordinate with the appropriate specialist. When no single cause is found, we can help you understand what the available information does—and does not—tell us.

The goal is not simply to repeat what has already been tried. It is to use your reproductive history to determine what deserves attention, avoid unnecessary intervention and develop an individualized plan for moving forward.