Test developed to predict miscarriage risk during pregnancy

Scientists in the UK have announced that they have developed a test that can detect abnormalities in the lining of the uterus that cause miscarriages in women.

For women who have had multiple pregnancies end in miscarriage, the test could lead to new treatments.

A team from the University of Warwick has discovered that in some women who have had repeated miscarriages, the lining of the womb, which is supposed to provide a safe space for an embryo to implant, exhibits abnormal properties.

According to BBC Turkish, scientific organizations say these findings could help explain traumatic and disappointing miscarriages.

About one in six pregnancies ends in miscarriage, most in the first 12 weeks. Each miscarriage increases the risk of miscarriage in subsequent pregnancies.

NOT MUCH WAS KNOWN ABOUT HIM

Until now, not much was known about the role of the uterine lining, as most studies in this area focused on the quality of the embryo.

"Many women are told they're just unlucky, but our findings show that the womb has the capacity to create an environment suitable for miscarriage before pregnancy occurs," said researcher Dr Jo Muter, from Warwick Medical School.

The function of the uterine lining is to transform the cells on it into a structure that supports the baby during pregnancy and to help the embryo develop. However, if there are problems with this response that the uterine lining should give, a supportive environment cannot be created and the possibility of bleeding and miscarriage increases.

For this reason, the team developed a new test to measure the reactions of the uterine lining to the embryo.

The pilot is currently being tested on more than 1,000 women at Coventry & Warwickshire University Hospital's miscarriage research centre.

The next step in testing is finding the appropriate drug therapy for each specific situation, Dr. Muter says.