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| Womb lining test offers miscarriage hope to women | Womb lining test offers miscarriage hope to women |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Charlie Beattie holds her nine-week-old baby in her arms after many years of miscarriages | Charlie Beattie holds her nine-week-old baby in her arms after many years of miscarriages |
| UK scientists say they have developed a test which can help identify women with an abnormal womb lining that increases their risk of miscarriage. | UK scientists say they have developed a test which can help identify women with an abnormal womb lining that increases their risk of miscarriage. |
| They say their work could pave the way for new treatments for those going through repeated pregnancy loss. | They say their work could pave the way for new treatments for those going through repeated pregnancy loss. |
| In some women with a history of miscarriage, the womb lining doesn't react the way it should - transforming into a supportive place for the embryo to implant, the Warwick University team discovered. | In some women with a history of miscarriage, the womb lining doesn't react the way it should - transforming into a supportive place for the embryo to implant, the Warwick University team discovered. |
| Charities say the findings could help provide an explanation, in some cases, for the trauma and devastation of recurrent miscarriage. | Charities say the findings could help provide an explanation, in some cases, for the trauma and devastation of recurrent miscarriage. |
| Around one in six of all pregnancies are lost, most before twelve weeks, and each miscarriage increases the risk of another one happening. | Around one in six of all pregnancies are lost, most before twelve weeks, and each miscarriage increases the risk of another one happening. |
| To date, most research in this area has focused on the quality of the embryo, with much less known about the role of the womb lining. | To date, most research in this area has focused on the quality of the embryo, with much less known about the role of the womb lining. |
| Dr Jo Muter, study author and researcher at Warwick Medical School, said: "Many women are told they've just had 'bad luck', but our findings show that the womb itself may be setting the stage for pregnancy loss, even before conception takes place." | Dr Jo Muter, study author and researcher at Warwick Medical School, said: "Many women are told they've just had 'bad luck', but our findings show that the womb itself may be setting the stage for pregnancy loss, even before conception takes place." |
| The job of the womb lining is to receive the embryo and help it develop during pregnancy, thanks to a reaction which converts cells into a different, supportive state. | The job of the womb lining is to receive the embryo and help it develop during pregnancy, thanks to a reaction which converts cells into a different, supportive state. |
| But when that reaction is messed up and doesn't fully happen, the risk of bleeding and early pregnancy loss rises. | |
| Once a woman has had one faulty reaction, she is more likely to have another, the researchers say. | Once a woman has had one faulty reaction, she is more likely to have another, the researchers say. |
| They've developed a new test which can measure signs of a healthy or defective reaction in the womb lining, which is being piloted to help more than 1,000 patients at Tommy's National Centre for Miscarriage Research at University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire (UHCW). | They've developed a new test which can measure signs of a healthy or defective reaction in the womb lining, which is being piloted to help more than 1,000 patients at Tommy's National Centre for Miscarriage Research at University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire (UHCW). |
| 'A tiny miracle' | 'A tiny miracle' |
| Charlie Beattie, 37, had countless early miscarriages over the course of four years, to the point where "a positive pregnancy test wasn't exciting any more", she says. | Charlie Beattie, 37, had countless early miscarriages over the course of four years, to the point where "a positive pregnancy test wasn't exciting any more", she says. |
| She and her husband Sam, from Leamington Spa, felt devastated and resigned to considering other options for having a family. | She and her husband Sam, from Leamington Spa, felt devastated and resigned to considering other options for having a family. |
| Then they found out about at a trial taking place at the miscarriage research centre. | Then they found out about at a trial taking place at the miscarriage research centre. |
| Charlie had a sample of her womb taken, and the new test showed it was not "hospitable for babies", she says. | Charlie had a sample of her womb taken, and the new test showed it was not "hospitable for babies", she says. |
| After taking the drug sitagliptin for three months, she had a pregnancy which finally stuck - and nine-week-old June is the joyful result. | After taking the drug sitagliptin for three months, she had a pregnancy which finally stuck - and nine-week-old June is the joyful result. |
| "She's a tiny miracle. It doesn't feel real," says Charlie. | "She's a tiny miracle. It doesn't feel real," says Charlie. |
| She admits being anxious all the way through her pregnancy until June was safely in her arms. | She admits being anxious all the way through her pregnancy until June was safely in her arms. |
| Even the pregnancy scans were a new experience. | Even the pregnancy scans were a new experience. |
| "We'd never seen anything on a scan before that moved," she says. "When they said 'I can see it, it's in the right place', we both burst into tears." | "We'd never seen anything on a scan before that moved," she says. "When they said 'I can see it, it's in the right place', we both burst into tears." |
| Anyone can refer themselves to the clinic, but it has a long waiting list and funding issues mean patients must contribute to the cost of the test. | Anyone can refer themselves to the clinic, but it has a long waiting list and funding issues mean patients must contribute to the cost of the test. |
| Dr Jyotsna Vohra, director of research at Tommy's, said care and treatment for those who experience pregnancy or baby loss varied unacceptably across the UK. | Dr Jyotsna Vohra, director of research at Tommy's, said care and treatment for those who experience pregnancy or baby loss varied unacceptably across the UK. |
| "There should be no barriers to accessing any test or treatment that has been proven to make a difference. | "There should be no barriers to accessing any test or treatment that has been proven to make a difference. |
| "We hope NHS decision-makers will look carefully at the results of the Coventry pilot project and consider rolling this test out nationwide, so that everyone who might benefit has that opportunity." | "We hope NHS decision-makers will look carefully at the results of the Coventry pilot project and consider rolling this test out nationwide, so that everyone who might benefit has that opportunity." |
| Dr Muter says the next step is to use the test to assess potential drug treatments. Sitagliptin, usually used to treat diabetes, is the go-to option for womb lining issues but there may be other existing drugs which can be repurposed, she added. | Dr Muter says the next step is to use the test to assess potential drug treatments. Sitagliptin, usually used to treat diabetes, is the go-to option for womb lining issues but there may be other existing drugs which can be repurposed, she added. |
| With 80% of drugs not tested on pregnant women, it's unclear which ones might be effective. | With 80% of drugs not tested on pregnant women, it's unclear which ones might be effective. |