About Fertility
What Are The Chances of Having a Miscarriage?
When a baby is desired, success is expected immediately. However, the natural chance of becoming successfully pregnant per month of attempting pregnancy, called fecundity, is only 1 in 5 or 20%. Unfortunately, miscarriages are also common in the first trimester. Many of our patients ask what are the chances of having a miscarriage.
What Are the Chances of Having a Miscarriage?
Pregnancy loss occurring before 20 weeks of gestation is called a miscarriage or, by its medical term, spontaneous abortion. It is the single most common complication of pregnancy, occurring in 8% of pregnancies in women under age 30 and 26% of pregnancies in women over age 40. The chance of a miscarriage for women between the ages of 30 and 40 is approximately 15%. If a miscarriage has occurred, the chance of a subsequent miscarriage in another pregnancy is not increased unless this was the second or more loss.
What Defines Recurrent Pregnancy Loss?
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss (RPL) is defined as two or more pregnancy losses prior to 20 weeks of gestation. Recurrent pregnancy loss occurs in approximately 1% of pregnancies, which happens approximately 30,000 times annually in the United States alone.
How Often Does Recurrent Pregnancy Loss Occur?
Studies from large populations of pregnant women indicate that if a woman has had two miscarriages, then the chance of having her third loss is approximately 20%. If there have been three prior losses, then the chance of a fourth is 30%, and if there have been four prior losses, the chance of a fifth spontaneous loss is 40%. What is important to remember is that with four prior losses, the chance of having a successful pregnancy is as high as 60%.
Contact Us
If you are experiencing recurrent miscarriages, we can help you find out why. Our goal is to help each of our patients achieve a successful, healthy pregnancy. Contact us today for an initial consultation.
