Recurrent Miscarriage - Pregnancy Loss

If you experience recurrent pregnancy loss, you might want to look into fertility treatments to improve your chances of conceiving after a miscarriage. Depending on the reason for the repeated miscarriages, treatment may be available to help you have a positive and successful pregnancy after miscarriage.

Intravenous immunoglobulin G (IVIg) is one such treatment. It is helpful for those who have experienced recurrent pregnancy loss due to autoimmune factors (that is, their body's immune system being hostile to the embryo or fetus).

IVIg Infertility Treatment

Miscarriage can result from too-high levels of natural killer (NK) cells, which can prevent the implantation of embryos and interfere with the proper development of the placenta. IVIg infertility treatments consist of the intravenous administration of a drug made of human antibodies derived from donor blood. These antibodies help your body maintain a successful pregnancy, though the reason behind their effectiveness isn't exactly clear. They might help block the antibodies that cause your body to fight a pregnancy, or help diffuse the harmful antibodies that interfere with a pregnancy and cause a miscarriage.

Doses are usually given monthly, from the first month of pregnancy and continuing through the 28th week. Some benefit can be gained from starting treatments before conceiving, so you may want to discuss that option with your fertility specialist if you suffer from recurrent pregnancy loss. Each treatment takes a few hours, as the drug is slowly released into the bloodstream. The first treatment should be performed in the office of your fertility specialist, so that he or she can gauge side effects. Subsequent treatments can be done at your home under the supervision of a nurse.

IVIg Costs and Success Rates

IVIg infertility treatment has been shown to have about an 80 percent success rate. Unfortunately, IVIg infertility treatments are relatively expensive. Each treatment costs about $1,500, putting the entire line of treatments at about $10,000. If you are interested in consulting a fertility specialist regarding your treatment options, find an infertility doctor in your area via DocShop's online directory.