Mutations to a specific gene ‘increase your risk of suffering a miscarriage’

A SPECIFIC gene could be responsible for causing repeated miscarriages, experts believe.

The discovery of the genetic mutation raises hopes of better diagnosis and the potential for new treatment for women affected by the heartbreaking loss.

Scientists studying 556 women affected by recurrent early miscarriages found all the women had mutations in the gene FOXD1.

The gene was first identified as significant in mice, in the laboratory.

We found that women with FOXD1 mutations have a statistically high risk of suffering recurrent spontaneous abortion

Study authors

It came as past attempts to identify genes that cause recurrent miscarriages proved relatively unsuccessful.

After noting the existence of the FOXD1 gene, scientists then developed their investigations to look at humans.

They discovered all 556 women in the trial affected by recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA), carried mutations of the FOXD1 gene.

RSA is clinically defined by at least three pregnancy losses prior to the 20th week of gestation and is a common cause of infertility as it currently affects 1 per cent of all pregnancies.

A group of 271 non-RSA sufferers were also included in the study.

A spokesperson for the report said: "We found that women with FOXD1 mutations have a statistically high risk of suffering RSA."

A miscarriage is the loss of a baby during the first 23 weeks of pregnancy.

Around 1 in 100 women in the UK experience recurrent miscarriages.

The most common sign of a miscarriage is vaginal bleeding and may be followed by cramping and pain in the lower abdomen.

Other causes of RSA range from blood clotting disorders, hormone imbalance, cervical weakness and uterine problems such as an abnormally shaped womb.

The overall risk of miscarriage under 12 weeks in known pregnancies is one in five.

In women with a BMI over 30, the risk is one in four.

The study is published in the Royal Society Journal: Open Biology.