Fertility
Identifying Why You’re Miscarrying – Is M2 Playing a Role?
Eloise Edington | 16 Sep 2021
Miscarriage is one of the toughest experiences that a couple may endure whist trying to start or build their family. While baby loss is very common, there is no real indicator as to why this occurs. However, from recent studies, we can see that gene mutation may be a cause of miscarriage. This information may be a key to understanding baby loss and trying to prevent it.
To better understand the specifics of gene mutation and how it affects an embryo, Fertility Help Hub have reached out to Genomic Prediction. Read on to find out how their LifeView’s testing system can help to identify which embryo would be best to use for an IVF transfer.
Words by Genomic Prediction
Why Do Miscarriages Occur?
Miscarriages are painfully common and have historically been seen as something out of our control. While in some cases miscarriage can’t be prevented, recent advances in genetic testing have led to new ways to decrease the risk of miscarriage.
Many miscarriages are the result of chromosomal abnormalities in the embryo. According to the American Pregnancy Association, such abnormalities are the most common cause of a miscarriage.
What is the common cause of a miscarriage during the 1st and 2nd trimester?
What most commonly causes a miscarriage is a glitch in the foetus’s genes. According to March of Dimes (a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies), this is the cause of up to 70% of miscarriages in the first trimester. A glitch in a foetus’s genes is also what causes 20% of miscarriages in the second trimester.
During fertilization, the sperm and egg each bring 23 chromosomes together to create perfectly matched pairs. This is a complex process, and a minor glitch can result in a genetic or chromosomal abnormality.
Scientific research has revealed that some couples struggle with miscarriage because of genes they carry and can pass to their embryos.
The M2 Gene Mutation
Researchers have discovered that mutations in certain genes, like the Annexin A5 gene M2 mutation, can increase the risk of miscarriage. Couples undergoing IVF are three times more likely to have this mutation. Many IVF couples struggle with miscarriage, sometimes repeatedly.
With M2 Risk Assessment testing from LifeView powered by Genomic Prediction Clinical Laboratory, we focus on one particular genetic variant called M2.
Mutations like M2 can come from either or both parents – sometimes from mom, and sometimes from dad. It’s the genetic combination in the embryo that creates the risk, even before the pregnancy begins.
Related Article – Baby Loss – Meghan Markle Reveals She Suffered a Miscarriage
Next Steps
But with new understanding comes choice, and with choice comes hope. By harnessing new scientific understanding, LifeView’s fertility testing at home equips hopeful IVF parents to increase their chances of a successful, full-term pregnancy.
The M2 haplotype is a genetic variant that impacts the health of the placenta, which can increase the chance of fertility issues including miscarriage and pregnancy complications. Screening for this variant helps identify next steps, which can include testing embryos for the M2 variant and/or medication use during pregnancy that can help lower these risks.
The Test
The test itself is a simple 3-step process:
- We’ll send you a saliva fertility test kit at home which you will send back to our lab for processing
- An analysis will be performed within 7 days from the time we receive your at home fertility test kit
- Once we have your results, you will be emailed a detailed report outlining your results, which you can then discuss with your fertility doctor or clinic
Since every embryo is unique, couples carrying mutations like M2 can pass the risk to some or none of their embryos. Genomic Prediction can help identify which of these embryos may be at risk, and give parents the ability to choose the best possible embryo for an IVF transfer.
Ask your fertility doctor about the availability of LifeView’s M2 miscarriage test, or get access to the test here. While you are TTC, your fertility doctor may recommend taking the M2 miscarriage test before undergoing an IVF transfer.
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