Are miscarriages hereditary?

[mama2lgt]

My maternal grandmother, my aunt and my mother all had a miscarriage between their first and second children.  I have had one beautiful daughter, and my husband and I are preparing to get pregnant for a second time.  This common thread in my mom's family has me a bit nervous.  Is there any medical explanation for all three women to have had a miscarriage, and are my chances higher because of it.  I don't want to believe that it will also happen to me, but it is in my mind nonetheless.  I know every pregnancy is independent of any other - and I would hope it's just coincidence, but I' d love for someone to shed some light on this question.  

We'd love to get pregnant in the next few months.  i

[jennyb473]

I agree with the other posters....but if you were to have a mc you could mention to your doctor the cycle in your family, although to me it does seem to be random since all had a successful pregnancy before and after their mc.  The only reason I would say there is any indication of heredity is if you have multiple mc and another family member did too - then maybe you have a gene mutation or hormone issue that could run in the family.  

I've had 4 mc and my mom had 1 that she knows of but suspects a 2nd one.  My grandmother had something like 15 of them - but hers were most likely incompetent cervix and 55+ years ago, they didn't know much about that.  My mom always suspected she had a progesterone issue because her successful pregnancies she was given the pill to start her period and then when that didn't work they confirmed pregnancy - that is how they did things then and the pill was full of progesterone.  The one she didn't do that way, she lost.  I also suspect I have a progesterone issue and was on suppositories this time around for 12 weeks and am almost 30 weeks now!!  But again, I have other issues that could have factored into my mc as well, so the progesterone thing could be hereditery or coincidence.

Good luck and don't worry about it - that won't get you any where!

[jbrooks39]

There is no evidence to support the theory that a tendency to miscarry is in any way genetically inherited. Experts reckon that around 15 per cent of conceptions fail in the first few weeks (even before a period is missed) and a further 15 per cent miscarry in the next two to three months. In other words, miscarriage is, sadly, very common. you may miscarry, too, but if you do, this is likely to be a random event, rather than a genetic inheritance. You are certainly not predestined by your genes to have a miscarriage. Most early miscarriages happen because either the baby or the placenta is not developing properly - not because of any supposed defect in the pregnant woman.

[40smama]

I too feel it's more of a coincidence - I know that nobody in my family has had a m/c; yet, I've had two.  

[Heather5]

I have a feeling it's a coincidence...but of course I'm not a doctor :-) I've hard that most women have at least one miscarriage throughout their reproductive years. Best of luck to you!

[42yroldmom]

first trimester m/c's are usually a chromosome defect, whereas 2nd trimester m/c's are due to something wrong with the mother-incompetent cervix for example. good luck to you.