About one in six of all pregnancies miscarry and that risk increases as a woman gets older

Miscarriage is a lot more common than most people realise and the reason that fertility specialists believe it’s so common is due to genetic abnormalities in the embryo. An embryo is formed when the sperm fertilises the egg and it’s at that stage, if there is a problem with the genetic material in either the sperm or egg at which problems occur. The embryo may implant itself in the womb, but any genetic abnormalities mean that it will not grow sufficiently which will result in a miscarriage.

Miscarriages are common and are rarely to do with the couple involved or any lifestyle choices they make, including drinking, exercise, or work related activity. There are also many couple who go on to miscarry repeatedly, not just once or twice, but three or more times in a row. Specialists call this recurrent miscarriage and the couples that make up this group make up about one to three percent of all couples. A relatively small figure, but a highly distressing situation for those concerned

Specialists researching miscarriage have found a woman’s age to be the strongest association with the risk of miscarriage. As a woman ages, and particularly over the age of 35, the risk of miscarriage begins to increase significantly. A woman is born with a fixed number of eggs, which means that those eggs are with her from the moment she is born, until she finishes her reproductive life. Specialists believe that as the eggs get older, the qualities of the eggs also deteriorate and this the major factor in miscarriage cases.

Other causes for miscarriage can be related to genetic and physical factors, with both the male and female reproductive system. For example, both the male and female may be carriers of genetic abnormalities that they are not affected by. These abnormalities can manifest when the embryos are created, which can cause miscarriages. There may also be physical abnormalities and conditions that can lead to miscarriage. Women may have fibroids, polyps or an unusually shaped uterus that could lead to problems. Men may have problems with their sperm count, quality, or with the actual testes themselves. The majority of these problems can be easily diagnosed and remedied.