Recurrent Miscarriage - Pregnancy Loss
Recurrent Miscarriage - Pregnancy Loss
Recurrent Miscarriage - Pregnancy Loss
- Recurrent Miscarriage
- Pregnancy loss
Recurrent Abortion
Definition:
• three or more consecutive pregnancy losses at ≤ 20 weeks or
with a fetal weight < 500 grams.
• Most of these are embryonic or early losses, and the
remainder either are anembryonic or occur after 14 weeks.
• Seen in ~ 1% of all women
• Risk increases with each successive abortion
• No underlying cause is found for 50% of recurrent pregnancy
loss
Etiology
FIRST TRIMESTER ABORTION:
Genetic factors (3–5%):
Parental chromosomal abnormalities
The most common abnormality is a balanced translocation.
This leads to unbalanced translocation in the fetus, causing early
miscarriage or a live birth with congenital malformations
Risk of miscarriage in couples with a balanced translocation is >
25%.
This is the most common cause for 1st trimester loss
Endocrine and Metabolic:
– Poorly controlled diabetic patients
– Presence of thyroid autoantibodies
– Luteal phase defect
– Hypersecretion of luteinizing hormone (e.g. in PCOS).
Infection:
– Infection in the genital tract - (Transplacental fetal infection)
– Syphilis
Inherited thrombophilia
– Protein C deficiency, Protein S deficiency, factor V Leiden mutation,
prothrombin gene mutation,antithrombin III,
hyperhomocysteinaemia
Surgical management
– Cervical circlage
Ususally at 12-14 weeks
The procedure reinforces the weak cervix by a non-absorbable
tape, placed around the cervix at the level of internal os.
Normal cervix Incompetent cervix
Competency restored after encirclage operation
Contraindications
– Intrauterine infection
– Ruptured membranes
– History of vaginal bleeding
– Severe uterine irritability
– Cervical dilatation > 4 cm.
2 main methods
– McDonald and Modified Shirodkar
Success rates - 80 – 90%
Indication of circlage
History Indicated
– Definite history of 3 previous second trimester losses/ preterm
births
Ultrasound indicated
– Short ended cervix or early funnelling in ultrasound in
a woman with 1 or 2 spontaneous losses
Examination indicated / Rescue circlage – Performed after the cervix
is found dilated – Also called emergency circlage
• Methods
I. McDONALD’S OPERATION
• The non-absorbable suture material(Mersilene)is placed as a
purse string suture, as high as possible (level of internal os)
• The suture starts at the anterior wall of the cervix. Taking
successive deep bites (4–5 sites) it is carried around the lateral
and posterior walls back to the anterior wall again where the
two ends of the suture are tied.
• Commonly performed method nowadays.
II. Modified Shirokdar Circlage
• A transverse incision is made on the vaginal wall and the
bladder is pushed up to expose the level of the internal os.
• The non-absorbable suture material—Mersilene tape is passed
submucously with the help of any curved round bodied needle
so as to bring the suture ends to the posterior.
• The ends of the tapes are tied up posteriorly by a knot.
• The anterior incision is repaired using chromic catgut.
• III. Transabdominal Cerclage
• Rarely done in cases of repeated failure of vaginal
approach
• Cerclage is placed at the level of isthmus
• Delivery by CS
• Postoperative care:
– The patient should be in bed for at least 2–3 days
– Progesterone supplementation - Weekly injections of 17 α
hydroxy progesterone caproate 500 mg IM
– Patient is asked to avoid sexual inercourse
• Removal of stitch:
– The stitch should be removed at 37th week, or earlier if labor
pain starts or features of abortion appear.
– If the stitch is not cut in time, uterine rupture or cervical tear
may occur.
• Complications:
– Slipping or cutting through the suture
– Chorioamnionitis
– Rupture of the membranes
– Cervical scarring and dystocia requiring cesarean delivery.
managemant
1)Anatomical distortions of the uterine cavity (surgical
correction, hysteroscopically, laparotomy)
2) Control of Endocrinological diseases (control of diabetes,
thyroid disease, progesterone luteal support)
3) Antiphospholipid antibodies (aspirin and Low Molecular
weight Heparin )
4) Thrombophylia (The combined use of low-dose aspirin (75-
80mg/dl) and subcutaneous unfractionated heparin (5000unit
twice daily)
5)Genetic councelling
Assisted reproductive technologies, including PGD
(preimplantation genetic diagnosis)
use of either donor oocyte or donor sperm
depending on the affected partner
Management of Patient with Idiopathic RPL
Preconception
1. Folic acid
2. Correct nutritional deficiencies
3. Luteal support with HCG / natural progesterone
There is definite role of progesterone.
Allylestrenol
Dehydrogestrenol
Natural progesterone
Oral
Vaginal
Injectable 17 – hydroxyl progest caproate
Post conception :
1. Prophylactic aspirin
2. Prophylactic cervical circlage
3. Test for Toxoplasmosis and anticardiolipin antibodies
4. Steroids for pulmonary maturity
5. Monitor closely near term [ NST, USG ]
Prognosis of recurrent miscarriage