age-related miscarriage

It is quite normal for a couple to be anxious and concerned about the possibility of miscarriage. Unfortunately, as a woman gets older, the risk of a miscarriage increases considerably. Experts believe that this is partly attributable to the fact that older women have a greater chance of carrying foetuses with chromosomal abnormalities, which often - although not always - end in a spontaneous abortion. The general statistics given below are useful for the purposes of comparison, but only your gynaecologist can help you to assess your personal risk.

• Women in their early 20’s - the risk of a miscarriage is approximately 10%.
• Women in their late 30’s - the risk almost doubles to 18%.
• Women close to 45 - the risk increases to over 50%.

If a woman has a miscarriage, she may sometimes need curettage to be certain that the miscarriage was complete and to ensure that no tissue is left behind in the womb. The tissue obtained in this way, or the tissue that is collected after a spontaneous miscarriage, can be studied under the microscope to obtain evidence of the pregnancy. Sometimes it can also be necessary to have the tissue screened genetically. After a miscarriage, a doctor will discuss with a couple whether closer examination is desired in their specific clinical situation.