Gene Mutation Linked to Pregnancy Loss

A miscarriage is devastating. Multiple miscarriages, with no known reason, are even more traumatic. Human genetics research has started to find roots of pregnancy loss that will help scientists uncover the mystery of why some women have a difficult time carrying a child.

Scientists at the University of Tennessee - Knoxville, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have found a human genetics link to pregnancy loss and infertility. Aneuploidy which is an abnormal number of chromosomes usually causes birth defects such as Down Syndrome but researchers have found that this may also affect a mother’s capability of conceiving and carrying to term. If a mother’s egg has a gene mutation on Bub1, she has an increased risk of pregnancy loss. Usually, a disorder occurs when someone has both copies of a gene on a chromosome, but in this case, a woman only needs one single mutation to affect her fertility. Scientists further realized that a mother’s age increases the risk of these chromosomal effects.

With this new discovery, researchers can now look for more clues into pregnancy loss and other infertility problems. With more information, scientists can possible come up with treatments that can finally help women who desperately want to have their very own baby.

(Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mujitra/3273460893/)

July 24th, 2009 by Marcelina Hardy | Posted in Genetics and Health | (0)