Dealing with repeated miscarriages can often feel like a dead end when no positive tests turn up with routine testing. I will commonly see patients in practice, who have experienced one or more miscarriages, but unfortunately have zero direction provided to them on how they can help support a healthy pregnancy or any in-depth discussions on what risk factors might actually be increasing the risk of experiencing miscarriages to begin with.
Accurately assessing for root causes that may be contributing to an elevated risk of miscarriage, involves testing, both partners, and not just one. Risk factors that are associated with miscarriage include, but are not limited to, hormonal disorders, lifestyle, autoimmune conditions, clotting disorders, nutrient deficiencies, and much more.
A recently published research paper found that elevated inflammation in the body was very strongly correlated with an increased risk of miscarriage and a reduced risk for life birth. CRP is a simple blood test that checks for inflammation in the body. It is produced by the liver and increases in times of infection, injury or chronic disease. A randomized clinical study found that if CRP levels were above 2.34, the risk for miscarriage was significantly elevated. In this study, they found that elevated CRP markers were associated with a 37% increase likelihood of experiencing a miscarriage compared to patients that did not have this marked are elevated.
An important note about this study is that it establishes correlation, but not causation. For example, CRP could be elevated due to chronic conditions such as endometriosis or polycystic ovarian syndrome. Therefore an elevated CRP may not be the cause of elevated miscarriage risk, but may indicate the presence of other risk factors or diseases that increase the risk of miscarriage as well as increase the CRP marker. Further studies are needed to help establish this connection between elevated inflammatory markers and the risk for miscarriages and infertility.
This article is being shared as educational content and is in no way a replacement for medical advice or medical care, it is advised that anyone concerned about their Health should speak with their Naturopathic Doctor. Please discuss with your healthcare provider and only make changes to your medications regimen if recommended by your doctor and under their guidance and supervision.
Reference:
Vexø, L. E., Stormlund, S., Kloeve Landersoe, S., Løvendahl Jørgensen, H., Humaidan, P., Bergh, C., Englund, A. L., Klajnbard, A., Bogstad, J. W., Freiesleben, N. la, Zedeler, A., Prætorius, L., Nyboe Andersen, A., Løssl, K., Pinborg, A., & Svarre Nielsen, H. (2023). Low-grade inflammation is negatively associated with live birth in women undergoing IVF. Reproductive BioMedicine Online, 46(2), 302–311.