The cytogenetics of spontaneous abortion

Abstract

Pregnancy loss is quite common, with 15-20% of recognized pregnancies resulting in failure. The majority of these occur early in gestation, though losses in the second and third trimester are not rare. Approximately 2-5% of women will experience two or more losses. The majority of pregnancy failures are associated with cytogenetic abnormalities, with over 50% of early miscarriages and as many as 5% of stillbirths exhibiting abnormal karyotypes. Loss of a wanted pregnancy is always stressful for both the patient and her partner. A number of questions and concerns may be raised regarding the loss, including: What happened and why? How likely is it to happen again? What can be done to improve the chances of a successful future pregnancy? Is this even possible? Answering such concerns is important in helping the patient through the grieving process and in facilitating resolution. The answers that are provided may ultimately impact family planning and management of any future pregnancies the couple may undertake.