A new study shows that for women who have had multiple miscarriages, treatment with progesterone may help their chances of having a successful pregnancy. This study, which was recently published in the journal Fertility and Sterility, showed that 68% of women who received progesterone supplementation went on to have a successful pregnancy compared to 51% who did not receive progesterone.
In this study, progesterone was specifically given to women who had high levels of nCyclinE. nCyclinE is a molecule that is expressed by the uterine lining and may be an indicator of endometrial health. The majority of women who received progesterone treatment were found to have normal or improved nCyclinE levels after treatment.
Progesterone has been used for quite some time to treat women with recurrent pregnancy loss. This new study helps us understand how and why this treatment may be effective for some women. It’s important to note though that there are numerous causes for recurrent miscarriages and progesterone is not the right treatment for everyone.
If you have suffered multiple miscarriages, it is important to see your your physician or a fertility specialist for an evaluation to identify a potential cause. The majority of miscarriages are thought to be due to chromosomal abnormalities in the embryos, so your physician may consider doing genetic testing. Your physician may also recommend screening for antiphospholipid syndrome and for metabolic abnormalities, such as diabetes and thyroid disorders. In addition, an anatomic distortion of the uterine cavity may be found in 10-15% of women with recurrent miscarriages, so a uterine cavity evaluation with a hysterosalpingogram, sonohysterogram, or hysteroscopy may be warranted.
For many women, even after undergoing a full panel of testing, a cause for their recurrent losses won’t be found. This can be incredibly frustrating for patients. Recurrent pregnancy loss can be emotionally exhausting and the fear of having another loss can take a huge toll on patients. Although not a direct treatment for recurrent miscarriages, some women may consider in vitro fertilization with preimplantation genetic screening to help expedite the time to a normal healthy pregnancy for them.
At Reproductive Partners, we’ve helped numerous women with recurrent miscarriages go on to have a healthy and successful pregnancy. We understand the emotional toll that multiple miscarriages can take on women and their partners. All of our physicians and staff strive to provide the best medical care, as well as emotional support, for all of our patients.