It's always best, whenever possible, to use a doctor who makes you feel comfortable and reassured and who listens to your concerns. This may be especially true in couples who have recurrent miscarriages. Believe it or not, three separate studies have found that even without specific treatments, supportive care in early pregnancy may actually reduce the risk of miscarriages.
In the first study in 1984, researchers screened 195 couples with recurrent miscarriages and found identifiable causes of the miscarriages in 56%. In the remaining couples with no abnormalities, 86% of couples receiving counseling and support carried their pregnancies to term as compared to 33% who received no special care.
In a 1991 study, New Zealand researchers followed 42 women with unexplained recurrent miscarriages and in 44 pregnancies among the women, 38 went to term and the researchers could identify a cause in 4 of the 6 miscarriages that did occur. In the admittedly small control group of 9 women who received standard care from a family practitioner, only 3 of 9 pregnancies went to term.
In 1997, British researchers replicated these findings in a larger group. Following 201 women with unexplained recurrent miscarriages, 26% of women who attended an early pregnancy clinic with supportive care miscarried as compared to 51% who did not attend the dedicated miscarriage clinic.
In all cases, researchers excluded women with an identifiable miscarriage cause, such as antiphospholipid syndrome, from the study groups -- so having testing for causes can also be important. But the findings are evidence that the type of care couples receive can influence the success rates of the next pregnancy. If you are not comfortable with your current doctor, consider finding a new one before you pursue another pregnancy.
Sources
Clifford, K., R. Rai, and L. Regan, "Future pregnancy outcome in unexplained recurrent first trimester miscarriage." Human Reproduction Feb 1997. Accessed 2 Jul 2008.
Liddell, H.S., N.S. Pattison, and A. Zanderigo, "Recurrent miscarriage--outcome after supportive care in early pregnancy." Australia and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology Nov 1991. Accessed 2 Jul 2008.
Stray-Pedersen, B. and S. Stray-Pedersen, "Etiologic factors and subsequent reproductive performance in 195 couples with a prior history of habitual abortion." American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology Jan 1984. Accessed 2 Jul 2008.
