Steroid Treatment May Prevent Miscarriages

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Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is the natural or spontaneous end of a pregnancy at a stage where the prenate is incapable of surviving, generally defined in humans at prior to 20 weeks of gestation. Miscarriage is the most common complication of early pregnancy.

Women who have repeated miscarriages could be spared the misery with a simple steroid treatment, a new research has revealed. Steroids were first used as a potential treatment by Dr Quenby when she was looking for ideas to help Annette Quinlan, a psychiatric nurse who had suffered 19 miscarriages in 14 years.
During the British Association conference in Liverpool, Dr.Siobhan Quenby, of the University of Liverpool and the Liverpool Women"s Hospital, said that tests involving 120 women had identified natural killer cells as a cause of miscarriages and failed IVF embryo implants. Since the natural killer cells can destroy infected or malignant cells, they are beneficial in most of the body, however, in the uterus they have been found to promote rapid growth of blood vessels when present in high numbers.

The blood vessels transport additional oxygen-bearing blood and can cause miscarriages or prevent embryos implanting Steroids have been given to 40 women by Dr Quenby and three quarters of them have successfully given birth. All had previously had multiple miscarriages. The treatment has been shown to reduce the level of natural killer cells in the uterus, and this is thought to increase the chances of an embryo going to full term.

"If we have higher levels of natural killer cells in the uterus we have more blood vessels and more blood flow. We"ve been able to find a missing piece of the jigsaw of why some women have multiple miscarriages," Times Online quoted Dr Quenby, as saying.

For women in childbearing years, the chances of having a miscarriage can range from 10-25%, and in most healthy women the average is about a 15-20% chance. It is important for the expecting mothers to be well informed about a safe pregnancy and self-care methods, as it is a big responsibility to bring forth a new life in to the world. Steroids surely are god-send for parents who have faced the trauma of miscarriage many times.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.