- 15 September 2019
- 4 min read
Scientists hope antibiotic trial could help find test for recurrent miscarriage
SubscribeA world first clinical trial will examine whether an everyday antibiotic could help reduce recurrent miscarriage. It is thought it could help half of women with recurrent miscarriage.

Could help half of all women who miscarry
Scientists hope the trial will result in a potential new test and treatment for the condition which causes heartbreak as people endure the loss repeatedly.
It is thought it could help half of women with recurrent miscarriage – about 7,000 couples in England and Wales per year.
Researchers do not know what causes the inflammation in the womb that leads to the rejection of the foetus, but one suggestion is that it could be a lingering infection the woman has picked up.
In some women the lining of the womb (the endometrium) is inflamed, a condition called endometritis.
Experts also suspect endometritis may be caused by an imbalance of the bacteria (microbiome) that live in the reproductive tract.
Treat endometritis with antibiotics
A healthy endometrium is important for the embryo to be able to attach to the womb and it is thought that endometritis disrupts this process, and can lead to a miscarriage.
Treating endometritis with antibiotics may reduce the condition by reducing disruptive bacteria and allowing the healthy bacteria to grow, scientists say.
Warwick Medical School’s Professor Siobhan Quenby, principal investigator on the trial, said: “This is potentially a new treatment for up to half of people with recurrent miscarriage.
“We know that doxycycline is given to some women experiencing miscarriage in other countries, but there has never been a proper trial conducted.
“And instead of just having your blood tested to look for causes of miscarriage, as is current practice, you will have the lining of the womb tested too so that we can identify those who will benefit from this treatment.
“Our aim is to try to improve the womb before you get pregnant. “Most miscarriages occur within the first trimester – 12 weeks – of pregnancy and our aim is to see a reduction in these early miscarriages.”
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