New Research May Help Grieving Parents Determine Cause of Multiple Miscarriages

 Posted on August 04, 2022 in Maternal Injuries

Illinois parents-to-be must navigate a large amount of complex information as they prepare to welcome their child into the world. When tragedy strikes and pregnancy ends in miscarriage, parents often feel a challenging combination of grief, confusion, and anger. There may be many questions - Why did this happen? Is anyone responsible? Sadly, parents who try to preempt unhealthy pregnancies by testing for genetic anomalies may risk inadvertently ending the pregnancy when the test itself causes a miscarriage. 

New Research from Yale Medicine tries to help grieving parents by looking for answers to difficult questions about miscarriages. If you have suffered from a miscarriage and are wondering whether your healthcare provider’s negligence caused or contributed to the miscarriage, call an Illinois birth injuries attorney. 

Miscarriage Testing

One test currently being researched offers to tell parents whether they are experiencing a miscarriage the same day concerning symptoms appear. While the test is still in development, it offers promising insights into whether a miscarriage is happening and why some women suffer from multiple miscarriages. Currently, testing to determine why a miscarriage happened - and even whether a miscarriage is happening - can take weeks, leaving parents in limbo. This test will give women a same-day answer as to whether a miscarriage is happening by detecting levels of alpha-fetoprotein, or AFP. AFP only comes from fetal blood and, if present in the test, indicates pregnancy loss is occurring. 

Yale Medicine is also currently working with a major grant from the National Institute of Health to analyze the genomes of parents and miscarried fetal tissue to try to determine whether there are genetic reasons for repeated miscarriages. 

Amniocentesis and Miscarriages

When women have repeatedly suffered from miscarriages, they may want to seek testing early in the pregnancy to rule out genetic anomalies. Amniocentesis, or prenatal testing for certain genetic disorders, does carry a certain risk of miscarriage. During amniocentesis, doctors must draw a sample of amniotic fluid from the mother’s uterus. Unless this is done very carefully, damage can be done to both the mother and the baby. In some cases, amniocentesis results in a miscarriage. 

Contact a Chicago, IL Miscarriage Lawyer Today 

Determining the cause of your miscarriage may be important for ruling out medical malpractice. If you suffered a miscarriage and believe your prenatal care provider may have been responsible, contact the experienced Illinois birth injury attorneys with Birth Injury Law Alliance, Ltd.. We have the tools and resources to conduct a thorough investigation and help you determine whether you have standing to sue. Call us now at 312-462-4200 to schedule an initial consultation. 

Sources: 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/amniocentesis/about/pac-20392914

https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/miscarriage-test