Extra dose of hormone progesterone could prevent recurrent miscarriages

'It gives us confidence that further research will make many more miscarriages preventable'

Giving pregnant women who have previously had a miscarriage an additional dose of progesterone could improve their chances of having a baby, a new study suggests.

According to the NHS, progesterone is produced naturally in the female body and is used as a marker of ovulation in the investigation of infertility.

It also plays an important role in the menstrual cycle and in maintaining the early stages of pregnancy.

A study by the University of Birmingham found that women who have had one or multiple miscarriages and who have early bleeding in their next pregnancy could benefit from extra doses of the hormone.

The research involved 4,153 pregnant women who presented with early pregnancy bleeding at 48 UK hospitals.

They were randomly assigned by computer into one of two groups - one group were given 400mg of progesterone twice daily as a vaginal pessary, while the other group were given a placebo.

Of the 777 women given progesterone who had previously had one or two miscarriages, 591 (76 per cent) went on to have a live birth, compared with 534 women out of 738 in the placebo group (72 per cent).

The effect of the progesterone was greater for women who had suffered three or more miscarriages, with a 15 per cent increase in the live birth rate compared with those who were given placebos.

What’s more, of 137 women with three or more previous miscarriages, 98 (72 per cent) went on to have a live birth, compared with 57 per cent (85 out of 148) of women in the placebo group.

While the study did not show that progesterone could help all women who suffered early pregnancy bleeding, it was found to be beneficial to those who had suffered miscarriages.

Arri Coomarasamy, professor of gynaecology at the University of Birmingham, says the findings will have huge implications for practice.

“This treatment could save thousands of babies who may have otherwise been lost to a miscarriage,” Coomarasamy says.

”We hope that this evidence will be considered by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) and that it will be used to update national guidelines for women at risk of miscarriage.“

Jane Brewin, chief executive of the Tommy's – the largest charity funding research into the causes of miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth – adds: ”The results from this study are important for parents who have experienced miscarriage - they now have a robust and effective treatment option which will save many lives and prevent much heartache.

“It gives us confidence to believe that further research will yield more treatments and ultimately make many more miscarriages preventable.”

According to Tommy’s, one in 100 women experience recurrent miscarriage, which is defined as three or more miscarriages in a row.

The organisation explains that the cause is unknown in around half of cases and that research into the topic is the “only way we can save lives”.

For confidential support and advice regarding miscarriage, you can contact the Miscarriage Association on their helpline by calling 01924 200799 or emailing info@miscarriageassociation.org.uk.