A recent study carried out by Danish researchers has revealed that a blood test taken after a miscarriage, as early as week five of pregnancy, can provide insights into why the miscarriage occurred and potentially lead to preventive treatments, according to news agency AFP. Miscarriages affect one in ten women, and this number is even higher in countries where pregnancies are increasingly delayed until later in a woman’s childbearing years. The research, led by Danish gynaecologist Henriette Svarre Nielsen and her team, was published in the prestigious British journal The Lancet. The study demonstrates that a blood sample taken from the mother soon after a miscarriage, even as early as the fifth week of pregnancy, can determine whether the foetus had a chromosome anomaly.
In Denmark, such tests are typically only offered after a woman has experienced three miscarriages, and only if those miscarriages occurred after the tenth week of pregnancy.
Dr Nielsen emphasised the need to move beyond the traditional criteria of counting miscarriages and recognise that in 2023, more comprehensive investigations are necessary to understand why some individuals may be prone to pregnancy loss. As part of an ongoing study called COPL (Copenhagen Pregnancy Loss), all women who have suffered a miscarriage and visited the emergency room at Hvidovre hospital near Copenhagen are now offered the blood test. Remarkably, over 75 per cent of the women have accepted this offer.
The blood samples are immediately sent to the hospital laboratory, where the DNA of the foetus is isolated, sequenced, and analysed to identify any chromosome anomalies. Such anomalies are found in approximately 50 to 60 per cent of miscarriages. By determining the nature and severity of these anomalies, doctors can also predict the risk of future miscarriages. For instance, lab technician Lene Werge demonstrated a DNA sample with extra copies of chromosome 21, which is linked to Down Syndrome. The findings from the blood test guide doctors in launching a meticulous search for answers if no anomalies are found. Hormonal imbalances, endocrine disorders, coagulation problems, or lifestyle factors could be contributing factors to pregnancy loss.
The COPL project, initiated in 2020, is still in progress and is expected to generate a valuable database with information on a wide range of illnesses. The study has already included 1,700 women, and Dr Svarre Nielsen anticipates that this comprehensive data will provide crucial insights not only into pregnancy loss and reproduction but also into women’s health in general.
Dr Svarre Nielsen, with over 20 years of experience in reproductive health, is determined to develop effective treatments in response to pregnancy loss. She highlights the prevalence of this issue, as 25 per cent of all pregnancies end in a miscarriage. However, she laments the fact that the focus has predominantly been on emptying the uterus after a loss, with limited efforts dedicated to finding explanations or providing mental health support to couples who have experienced a miscarriage.
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