A recent study conducted by Danish researchers has uncovered that a blood test administered after a miscarriage, as early as the fifth week of pregnancy, can offer insights into the cause of the miscarriage and potentially lead to preventive treatments. This finding was reported by news agency AFP. Miscarriages affect one in ten women, with higher rates in countries where pregnancies are increasingly postponed to later in a woman’s childbearing years.
The study, led by Danish gynaecologist Henriette Svarre Nielsen and her team, was published in the renowned British journal The Lancet. It demonstrates that a blood sample taken from the mother shortly after a miscarriage, even in the early weeks of pregnancy, can determine if the fetus had a chromosome abnormality.
In Denmark, such tests are typically offered only after a woman has experienced three miscarriages, and only if those miscarriages occurred after the tenth week of pregnancy. Dr Nielsen stresses the need to move beyond the conventional criteria of counting miscarriages and recognize the necessity of more comprehensive investigations in 2023 to understand why some individuals may be predisposed 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, and an impressive 75% of women have accepted.
The blood samples are promptly sent to the hospital laboratory, where the DNA of the fetus is isolated, sequenced, and analyzed to identify any chromosome abnormalities. Such abnormalities are found in around 50 to 60% of miscarriages. By determining the nature and severity of these abnormalities, doctors can also predict the risk of future miscarriages. For example, lab technician Lene Werge demonstrated a DNA sample with extra copies of chromosome 21, which is associated with Down Syndrome.
If no anomalies are detected, the findings from the blood test guide doctors in conducting a thorough search for other potential causes, such as hormonal imbalances, endocrine disorders, coagulation problems, or lifestyle factors.
The COPL project, initiated in 2020, is still ongoing and is expected to generate a valuable database containing information on a wide range of conditions. The study has already involved 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 overall.
With over 20 years of experience in reproductive health, Dr Svarre Nielsen is determined to develop effective treatments in response to pregnancy loss. She highlights the prevalence of this issue, as 25% of all pregnancies end in a miscarriage.
However, she expresses disappointment that the focus has primarily 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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