Seeking Treatment for Miscarriage

Can a Fertility Specialist Help Prevent Pregnancy Loss?

© Kristen O'Hara

Miscarried Human Embryo at 9 weeks, Ed Uthman
Seeking treatment after miscarriage from a fertility specialist is the only way for a woman to determine or rule out any conditions that will cause recurrent miscarriage.

Based on the definition of recurrent miscarriage, which is three or more consecutive miscarriages, there is only one way to diagnose repeated pregnancy loss: a woman has to have suffered multiple losses in a row. Usually, she will not be offered testing and treatment until she has met this criteria.

Scientific Perspective on the Treatment of Miscarriage

Though treatment options are available to any patient who has miscarried, many obstetricians will not refer a patient for testing and treatment unless she has met the criteria of three or more consecutive miscarriages. From the doctor’s perspective, the chances are in favor that a patient will not miscarry again, since:

Tests Available to Determine Risk of Recurrent Miscarriage

A woman does not have to wait for diagnosis and referral to seek treatment on her own. There are tests to determine if a woman who has had one miscarriage is more susceptible to repeated miscarriage. A woman with an underlying condition may have a slightly higher risk of experiencing recurrent miscarriage. Fertility specialists, reproductive endocrinologists, doctors of reproductive medicine and specialists in infertility (and some obstetricians) may provide testing for these underlying conditions. The doctor will:

Treatment Options for Patients with Conditions that Cause Miscarriage

If a patient does have an underlying condition, she will be treated accordingly. Though, a patient who has no proven underlying condition may also choose certain treaments for prevention. Current miscarriage treatments available include:

Personal Perspective of Seeking Treatment for Recurrent Miscarriage

Seeking testing and treatment does not guarantee that a woman will have a healthy baby, but it does give the woman with an underlying condition the best chance of avoiding future miscarriage. Recurrent miscarriage affects about 1-2% of women. Of these, about 50% who seek testing will find a cause. A patient will not know if she has an underlying condition until she seeks treatment.

Many specialists and patients offer personal testimony to the success of miscarriage treatments. It is definitely advisable for a woman to seek testing before she suffers multiple losses to determine or rule out any condition that would cause a future miscarriage.To most women, it is worth the effort to avoid the tragedy of losing multiple children through miscarriage.

Additional Resources on Miscarriage

  1. Avoiding Miscarriage by Susan Rousselot (Sea Change Press, 2007)
  2. How to Prevent Miscarriage and Other Crises of Pregnancy by Stefan Semchyshyn, M.D. (MacMillan, 1989)

The copyright of the article Seeking Treatment for Miscarriage in Fertility Treatment Types is owned by Kristen O'Hara. Permission to republish Seeking Treatment for Miscarriage in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.


Miscarried Human Embryo at 9 weeks, Ed Uthman
       



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