About Recurrent Pregnancy Loss (RPL)
- Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is defined as experiencing two or more pregnancy losses.
- RPL affects ~5% of couples worldwide which equates to millions of couples and their families.
- ~50% of couples with RPL remain without an identifiable cause after all the currently recommended testing for RPL has been done.
- The recurrent aspect of RPL suggests the possibility of a genetic cause (when neither parent has a confirmed health condition that is well-documented to cause pregnancy loss).
- Our genetic material (or DNA, short for deoxyribonucleic acid) is organized into ~20,000 genes.
- These genes provide the instructions that tell our bodies how to grow, develop, and function.
- RPL is stressful and often traumatic for couples and their families.
- The causes of RPL are not well understood.
- This lack of knowledge makes it difficult to provide effective medical care for couples with RPL.