A study from the Universities of Yale and Chicago reveals that progesterone may reduce the risk of miscarriages. The researchers analyzed 116 women who suffered from multiple miscarriages in the first trimester of pregnancy. From what has been observed, taking little progesterone after ovulation would help them to overcome the obstacle of the first three months.

Dr. Harvey J. Kliman, one of the study authors, has developed a test to check the health status of endometrium. The uterine endometrium is the layer that provides nourishment to the embryo until the eighth week. From the ninth week, the mother's blood continues to perform this function through the umbilical cord. At a time when the endometrium shows abnormalities, the embryo does not receive the necessary nourishment and the miscarriage occurs. The Kliman test serves to verify precisely whether the endometrium is able to fulfill its function, so as to predict a possible spontaneous abortion predisposition.

The study participants were all women with endometrial abnormalities, which caused multiple miscarriages in the first weeks. In all cases, the embryo could attach itself to the endometrium but did not receive enough nourishment. With the intake of progesterone, however, their endometrium began to produce more nutritious and has managed to sustain the pregnancy.

It will be necessary to conduct further tests. If you had other positive results, taking progesterone for the prevention of miscarriages could become the norm.

Source: eurekalert.org