Can Infection Cause Recurrent Miscarriage?
Any acute infection in pregnancy can sometimes result in miscarriage.
Listeriosis is caused by the Listeria bacterium which has the unusual ability to grow over a wide range of temperatures. Some miscarriages have been associated with this infection which can be acquired from undercooked foods and soft cheeses. Appropriate care with food preparation is particularly important during pregnancy.
The 'TORCH' infections (Toxoplasmosis, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus and Herpes may be associated with miscarriage. Each of these infections, however, can occur on one occasion only as immunity is then acquired. It is, therefore, not possible for any one of these infections to be responsible for recurrent miscarriage. Toxoplasmosis is an infection acquired from the domestic cat. It has been shown that one woman in five in the UK has evidence of infection prior to pregnancy and this compares to 80% in France. The incidence of infection during pregnancy in the UK is low. Rubella is also known as German measles. Rubella infection can be prevented by immunisation. Cytomegalovirus can produce a flu-like illness. About 50% of women will have had this infection before pregnancy. Herpes infection is discussed in3.
There has recently been increasing interest in the role of bacterial infection in relation to miscarriage and premature labour. Bacterial vaginosis (Q 22.7) has been implicated in some studies but not all. The difficult question that remains to be answered is whether the bacteria that may be found in association with some miscarriages are the cause of the problem or whether they are opportunistic and proliferate as a result of the miscarriage.
Related Medical Abstracts - Click on the paper title:-
- Ureaplasma urealyticum in semen: Is there any effect on in vitro fertilization outcome? (1999)information?
- Pre-implantation endometrial leukocytes in women with recurrent miscarriage. (1999)information?
- Influence of bacterial vaginosis on conception and miscarriage in the first trimester: Cohort study. (1999)information?
- Association of bacterial vaginosis with a history of second trimester miscarriage (1996)information?
- Abnormal bacterial colonisation of the genital tract and subsequent preterm delivery and late miscarriage. (1994)information?
- Outcome of subsequent pregnancies following antibiotic therapy after primary or multiple spontaneous abortions (1986)information?
- Efficacy of antibiotic therapy in preventing spontaneous pregnancy loss among couples colonized with genital mycoplasmas. (1983)
Please click on the required question.
- 1 What is a miscarriage?
- 2 What are the different types of miscarriage?
- 3 How accurate are pregnancy tests?
- 4 What is a blighted ovum?
- 5 I have had a hydatidiform mole. What is this?
- 6 Why did I have a spontaneous miscarriage?
- 7 How frequently do miscarriages occur?
- 8 I am miscarrying. How should this be treated?
- 8a Can miscarriage result in anxiety and depression?
- 9 What is meant by recurrent miscarriage?
- 10 I have a problem with recurrent miscarriage. What is the chance of my next pregnancy being successful?
- Q 12.11 Recurrent Miscarriage I have miscarried again. Why does this keep happening?
- 12 What congenital problems might be associated with recurrent miscarriage and how could they be treated?
- 13 What traumatic conditions can cause recurrent miscarriage and how can they be treated?
- 14 Can infection cause recurrent miscarriage and would treatment help?
- 15 Could a metabolic disorder cause recurrent miscarriage?
- 16 Could a hormonal problem account for recurrent miscarriage and would hormone treatment help me?
- 17 Could an autoimmune problem cause recurrent miscarriage and how could this be treated?
- 18 Could a tumour cause recurrent miscarriage?
- 19 What degenerative processes may be associated with recurrent miscarriage?
- 20 After every miscarriage I become more depressed. Could this account for the problem?
- 21 Is it always possible to explain recurrent miscarriage?
- 22 I have a problem with recurrent miscarriage. What treatment is available to ensure that this does not happen again?
- 23 What is an ectopic pregnancy?
- 24 How frequently do ectopic pregnancies occur?
- 25 Why do ectopic pregnancies occur?
- 26 How can an ectopic pregnancy be diagnosed?
- 27 How can an ectopic pregnancy be treated?
- 28 Where can I obtain more information?
- 29 Support Groups.
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This is the personal website of David A Viniker MD FRCOG, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Whipps Cross University Hospital, London - Specialist Interests - Reproductive Medicine including Infertility, PCOS, PMS, Menopause and HRT.
I do hope that you find the answers to your women's health questions in the patient information and medical advice provided.
