Scientists find gene that causes miscarriage

WOMEN who lose their babies through miscarriage have been given a better chance of having children, according to researchers working on a defective gene causing the condition.

Scientists have identified what they believe is a defective gene responsible for triggering miscarriages.

The TBP gene should protect the foetus from the immune system.

Scientists at Montana State University in the US believe that if the gene is defective, it views the foetus as foreign tissue and attacks it.

While the TBP gene is common to all animals and humans, the human TBP gene has an extra region about which little was previously known.

The researchers, led by Edward Schmidt, believe the extra region of the gene plays a key role in protecting the foetus from the mother’s immune system during pregnancy and therefore, against miscarriage.

Dr Schmidt said he hoped the findings, published in the journal Cell, could be used to develop treatments for women who repeatedly miscarried.

He suggested that the finding could also benefit transplant patients.

In many instances, bodies reject transplant organs because their immune systems see them as foreign tissue.

“Since all cells in the body have the same genes, imagine if we could figure out how to turn on the genes for the placenta’s hiding system in a kidney before it was transplanted,” Dr Schmidt said.

While no official national figures are kept, doctors estimate that one in five Irish pregnancies ends in a miscarriage.

Yesterday, the Miscarriage Association of Ireland said the news could offer hope to countless women who suffered from recurring miscarriages.

“A lot of people find it hard to understand the devastation it causes,” MAI chairperson Maggie O'Neill said.

“There are thousands of couples out there grieving for the future they will not have with the child they were waiting for,” Ms O'Neill said.

The Miscarriage Association of Ireland can be contacted on 01-8735702.

Miscarriage factfile

One in five pregnancies result in a miscarriage.

Last year there were 57,882 live births.

There were an estimated 14,500 miscarriages in Ireland last year.

Every day there are almost 50 miscarriages throughout Ireland.