Between 1 and 1.5-percent of women suffer recurrent miscarriage of unknown origin during pregnancies with the same partner. Experts believe there is some connection between progesterone release after conception and recurrent pregnancy loss.
Researchers from St. Michael’s Hospital and the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom recently published the results of a 9-year cohort in the Journal of Human Reproductive Science. The study supports progesterone supplementation during pregnancy when recurrent miscarriage of unknown cause is diagnosed.
Women involved in the study visited a clinic for women suffering recurrent miscarriage. The clinic placed patients in one of three groups based on progesterone levels at first appointment and repeat levels 48 hours later. Women with low progesterone levels were given 400 mg/12-hours of progesterone delivered vaginally until they reached the 12th week of pregnancy.
Conclusion: Women who suffered recurrent miscarriage of unknown cause, at least four times prior to progesterone treatment, were less likely to suffer miscarriage when using progesterone supplementation.
Source: Hussain M, El-Hakim S, Cahill DJ. Progesterone supplementation in women with otherwise unexplained recurrent miscarriages. J Hum Reprod Sci. 2012 Sep;5(3):248-51. doi: 10.4103/0974-1208.106335.