Current research has identified three serious medical conditions triggering recurrent pregnancy loss, defined as the miscarriage of three consecutive pregnancies. All of these possible conditions can be diagnosed with simple blood tests. If the diagnosis is positive and the conditions are treated, they may help solve the puzzle of recurrent pregnancy loss for some women -- and improve their long-term overall health as well.
Norwalk and Danbury, CT (PRWEB) April 4, 2006 -- Experts agree that recurrent pregnancy loss -- experienced by one in every 100 women trying to conceive -- can trigger a host of other health issues for their patients, including stress-induced physical symptoms and even clinical depression. But what is triggering the repeat miscarriages themselves? Current research has identified three serious medical conditions, all of which can be diagnosed with simple blood tests. If the diagnosis is positive and the conditions are treated, they may help solve the puzzle of recurrent pregnancy loss for some women -- and improve their long-term overall health as well.
“The connection between general health and a couple’s ability to achieve a healthy pregnancy is well-documented, and that connection is being strengthened every day through the study of infertility,” notes Dr. Mark Leondires, M.D., Medical Director at Reproductive Medicine Associates of CT and a leading authority on reproductive medicine. Today, treating patients with recurrent pregnancy loss, defined as the miscarriage of three consecutive pregnancies, often takes a comprehensive view of their overall health as well as reproductive health. “With the newest research, we are able to identify medical issues outside the traditional realm of the reproductive system, not only in order to increase the patients’ chances of conceiving, but also in order to improve their overall health, which is very gratifying,” he adds.
Perhaps the most surprising medical condition to be linked with recurrent pregnancy loss is thrombophilia, a condition affecting about 5% of Americans that causes abnormal formation of blood clots in the bloodstream. “Thrombophilia may be a culprit in a large number of recurrent pregnancy loss cases, because the abnormal clotting can prevent the proper development of the placenta itself, or restrict blood flow within it, both of which can cause miscarriage,” Dr. Leondires explains. What’s more, Dr. Leondires says, thrombophilia puts a woman at greater risk for developing a blood clot that can cause a stroke or heart attack. “Once diagnosed, thrombophilia can be treated with blood thinners -- sometimes even aspirin -- to improve the patient’s chances of conceiving and to reduce the risk of these major adverse health events,” he adds.
Another medical condition that may be at the root of some recurrent pregnancy loss cases is autoimmune disorder. Within this class of 80 different conditions ranging from fibromyalgia and lupus to hypothyroiditis and multiple sclerosis, approximately 75% of autoimmune diseases occur in women of childbearing age. “Just as autoimmune disorders can cause the body’s natural immune defenses to attack its own organs, they can also cause the immune system to attack a pregnancy as something foreign in the body, causing repeat pregnancy loss,” Dr. Leondires points out. Autoimmune disorder is a chronic condition which, when diagnosed and treated effectively, can be managed to improve a patient’s health, longevity, and chances for conception.
Finally, patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) – estimated to affect about one in ten women of childbearing age – are at increased risk for experiencing recurrent pregnancy loss, as well as for developing heart disease. “PCOS is a condition caused by a hormone imbalance; since near-perfect hormone balance is required for a successful pregnancy, PCOS can be a key factor in recurrent pregnancy loss,” explains Dr. Leondires. “What’s more, these imbalances can also lead to irregular menstruation, the development of skin conditions like acne, the growth of cysts on the ovaries, obesity and hypertension,” he notes.
The combination of obesity and high blood pressure, if not treated, can cause cardiovascular problems. “Even if a patient with undiagnosed PCOS becomes pregnant, the disease can also cause gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia, two pregnancy-related conditions that are dangerous to mother and baby,” Dr. Leondires points out. The good news is that numerous effective PCOS treatment regimens involving hormone therapy have been developed over the past decade or so, and many patients have been able to overcome the condition to achieve a healthy pregnancy and a healthier body.
Dr. Leondires encourages women who have already been diagnosed with any of these conditions to work with a reproductive specialist as soon as they decide to become pregnant. For women who have not been diagnosed, but who experience three successive miscarriages, Dr. Leondires recommends consulting with an infertility specialist to discuss possible underlying medical causes. However, he stresses that many other factors can contribute to recurrent pregnancy loss. “Women need to know that a variety of other issues, from chromosomal abnormalities to structural problems in the reproductive organs, can trigger recurrent pregnancy loss,” he advises. “A full infertility examination will provide the answers patients need, both for a healthy conception and a healthier body,” Dr. Leondires concludes.
Bio:
Dr. Mark P. Leondires, M.D., FACOG, is a leading authority on reproductive medicine. Dr. Leondires is board certified in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. He is a member of the Society of Reproductive Endocrinologists, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Dr. Leondires earned his medical degree from the University of Vermont College of Medicine and completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine. Dr. Leondires completed a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. After completion of his training, he fulfilled his military obligation by serving as the ART Director for the largest and most successful program in the military health care system at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. During this time he was an Assistant Professor at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences and clinical faculty for the Combined Fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology. Dr. Leondires is currently Medical Director and lead physician with Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut (RMA-CT) in Norwalk. Along with numerous teaching and research activities, Dr. Leondires has published articles in professional medical journals, national consumer magazines and newspapers, as well as abstracts and book chapters. More information about Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut is available at www.rmact.com.
