Recurrent Implantation Failure / Miscarriage
If you’ve experienced recurrent miscarriage or repeated implantation failure following IVF treatment, it’s understandable to want answers before taking the next step.
At Beacon CARE Fertility, we take a comprehensive approach to investigating the possible causes of pregnancy loss and unsuccessful implantation.
Our experienced team of fertility consultants and embryologists can assess a range of factors that may be affecting your chances of success.
We will review your medical history, previous treatment and any existing test results and, where appropriate, recommend further investigations to help build a clearer picture of your fertility.
Once we have a better understanding of the factors that may have contributed to previous unsuccessful outcomes, we can develop a personalised treatment plan to improve your chances of a successful pregnancy.
Reasons for Recurrent Miscarriage
The term “miscarriage” is generally used to describe loss of a pregnancy up to 20 weeks, most often in the first trimester though. The reasons for recurrent miscarriages fall into 2 categories: embryonic and non-embryonic. The most recognised causes of recurrent pregnancy loss are:
• chromosomal abnormalities
• autoimmune conditions
• sperm quality problems
• stress and environmental factors
• anatomic abnormalities such as uterine malformations
“Maternal age should be considered in the list of potential causes simply because most miscarriages are due to chromosomal abnormalities, and the incidence of these increase as women get older” says Dr Kuzcera
How can you reduce the risk of miscarriage?
When you have experienced recurrent miscarriage, or failed implantation during your IVF treatment, then it’s likely that you will need more sophisticated diagnostic testing.
Our personalised approach to your testing means that we will take care to make sure that we only give you the most appropriate tests, not only saving you time and expense but, most importantly, delivering accurate results which will help us give you the most appropriate treatment plan for your own individual needs.
Pre-implantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidy (PGT-A)
Chromosomal abnormalities can be identified using Pre-implantation Genetic Testing (PGT-A).
This procedure involves removing one or more cells from an embryo to test the genetic make-up of the whole embryo prior to placing it back in the mother’s uterus.
By using PGT-A our embryologists have up to an 85% chance of singling out embryos with abnormalities before transfer and this can reduce the likelihood of miscarriage.
Other Causes
Other causes for failed implantation relate to hormone problems, blood clotting or the immune system, all of which can prevent embryos from implanting properly.
These are the problems that we check for during recurrent implantation failure screening.
Key tests might include immune screening – by screening for particular antibodies and autoantibodies, we can get an insight into whether your immune system could be preventing embryos from implanting properly.
CAREunity Test
Our scientists have created a groundbreaking test called CAREunity that can identify a key gene mutation which can cause miscarriage in early pregnancy.
Some couples attending for IVF may be carriers of this mutation, and it can be simply identified with the CAREunity saliva swab test and treated with medication. To learn more about CAREunity click HERE.
