# Is Miscarriage Genetic?



## 9jawife

As in, is the tendency to miscarry passed on from mother to daughter? My mom had two miscarriages and one baby born severely deformed that only lived a few hours. I don't have any female problems and my period returned exactly 28 days since my miscarriage, but still I wonder and I'm worried.


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## Iwanttowakeup

I think it is more common than any of us know. I also think we are one of the first generations to acknowledge it so vocally. My mom did tell me she had them but she just "kept on going." I don't know what that means, as I'm still in a haze of grief. Not saying those women that came before us were "stronger" I just know they didn't have forums like this. I do believe fertility is a genetic issue, but just hasn't been examined closely enough. Big hugs


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## Babee_Bugs

My nana lost a baby boy, she carried him to term and died a few hours later... No reason nothing he just didn't make it. That was her first baby. She went onto have 4 children afterwards. 
Her mum also gave birth to a boy, he lived a couple of hours then died... I think he had a poorly heart. She then went onto have 4 more children...

My Anna's children, (my mum and aunt. Uncles) went onto gave healthy children... No losses.

I think years ago, it was a very taboo subject, the mothers just got on with it... That's all they could do. Which is awful... Nowadays there is a lot more understanding and testing etc.


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## ttc1soon

It can be genetic if you are a carrier of certain genetic conditions, but in most cases your partner has to be a carrier too, which makes it a less common cause of miscarriages. If it was caused by a chromosone abdnormality, which is said to be most common, I was told there was no real cause. I do agree with everyone else that they are much more common than anyone would think, and that is mainly do to the taboo of it and no one wants to talk about it. Although in this day and age we are opening up more.


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## newbie123

Nobody in my family has had a miscarriage (as far as I know). I know neither my mom or sister did. I agree it is/was taboo to talk about. I think there are genetic factors, environmental factors, and then just plain bad luck. It could be any of them in combination. I know chromosomal causes that are not genetic are the most common reason for miscarriage. I was told the "nothing" causes this, but I believe that just means they don't know what causes it. Sometimes doctors don't want to admit they just don't know, but at the end of the day, something caused it.


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## sowanted

My maternal grandmother carried twins in her first pregnancy (which became known only at birth in 1943). One twin survived (my aunt) but the other twin died (not sure if in utero or shortly after birth). She had one more pregnancy (my mom). Neither my mom nor her sister ever miscarried.

My grandma was an 'older' mother (I think she was 32 & 36 during her pregnancies) My aunt and mom started earlier (18 & 19, respectively). My aunt had five children (two daughters, now mothers, no miscarriages as far as I know--one cousin started early, ~20yo, the other ~32yo). My mom had three kids. My sister hasn't been pregnant yet.

I'm 40, got pregnant on our first 'calculated' attempt and miscarried. Hoping I have the luck of my female rellies next time!


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## aliss

One thing to keep in mind is that many women, if not most, have had MC. It is 100% normal for a woman of childbearing age to have one or several. Our mothers, grandmothers, etc. often did not even know they were pregnant (HPTs today are just too sensitive for our own good) and those who did carry to full term often did not have the same prenatal assistance we do today (my mother had a still birth as well).

I understand your concern, I spoke with my OBGYN during my 1st pregnancy because of what happened to my mother but no, it is not something necessarily genetic. There are a few genetic disorders that can be passed on but many babies born with birth defect/abnormalities is a result of problems during conception (the vast majority resulting in miscarriage but some go full term)


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## smokey

Im not sure, when I had my mc I found out from my mum that she had had 4, 3 before me and one after me.
I also found out my nan had 2 mc and I think my mum was a twin where one was a stillborn.
Another thing we have recently discovered while doing family history searches is we dont tend to carry girls very well, im only the second girl born in 6 generations and even I was born with defects such as spina bifida and hydracafolis, it looks like there has been a few cases of stillbor girls in the family or born with dissabilities that resulted in them not surviving.

But with my family they are from a long line of canal boatmen so alot of children didnt survive in general and health was quite poor


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## 9jawife

Thanks everyone, that makes me feel a bit better.


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