High rate of miscarriages? Prevention Tips

[drheather]

Hello,

I also have to agree with what it posted from the site above. As a naturoathic physician, it is important to look at all the areas we can optimize to minimize the risk of miscarriage. That not only includes natural therapies and non-pharmaceutical approach but may also include pharmaceuticals as appropriate to each individual.

I wanted to add a little more information on why progesterone tends to be lower in women with PCOS. Some of you may know all of this already but for those who like refreshers and for those who would like more information.

As insulin levels increase or insulin resistance develops, androgen levels increase. While all women have androgens such as testosterone, in PCOS there can be an increase beyond what is considered normal. The androgen production increases in the ovaries as insulin resistance develops. This also leads to less estrogen being produced in the ovary. This overall increase in ovarian androgens inhibits normal development of the follicle so that it does not mature and results in a cyst.

Without follicle development ovulation does not occur. Without ovulation, progesterone levels stay low as the corpus luteum would be the structure responsible for producing progesterone. (The corpus luteum is what is left behind after the egg is released from the follicle.) In a “normal” functioning ovary, the increase in progesterone after ovulation would influence another chemical in the brain to inhibit the rise in estrogen. This low level of progesterone not only encourages the estrogen levels but also leads to an increase in LH (lutenizing hormone) and in return FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) stays lower. The LH triggers ovarian androgen production. LH levels are also kept high by estrogen being produced in fatty tissue. In an ideal situation the levels LH are lower than FSH, in PCOS we see the reverse. So without ovulation, estrogen levels stay elevated, progesterone is lower, and more androgens are produced.

As many of you know, the answers are not easy and certainly not the same for each woman. And there are many variations on how the hormones are affected.

It is difficult to determine the cause miscarriage much of the time. The causes of recurrent pregnancy loss are: genetic, endocrine, anatomic, inherited, infectious, immunologic and unexplained.

It was previously thought that 50% of recurrent pregnancy losses were unexplained. We now know that many of these cases are due to sub-clinical hormone abnormalities. Sub-clinical means that it may not show up on routine hormone testing and therefore goes untreated.

PCOS is a syndrome of hormonal imbalances and the miscarriage rate is indeed higher in women with PCOS. There is a connection between insulin resistance and miscarriage, at least in women with PCOS. In fact, women with recurrent pregnancy loss much more often have polycystic ovaries on ultrasound. While it seems obvious to some that cysts on ovaries will prevent a normal pregnancy, there are many theories about this.

One theory is that the relationship between PCOS and miscarriage is due to the hormonal imbalance of PCOS. Elevated insulin levels and insulin resistance contribute to the hormone imbalances associated PCOS. Insulite Laboratories recommends that you work with a reproductive endocrinologist who can help you determine what impact your hormones are having on your miscarriage rate.

Hope that this helps. I am always impressed by the women in this community and how eager everyone is to share what they have learned on their journey. Thanks!