Can pregnancy outcome for women who have experienced recurrent miscarriages be improved with steroid treatment?
In standard medical practice, more than 50% of women with recurrent miscarriage have no identifiable cause or contributory features for the pregnancy losses. However, scientists at the University of Liverpool have found that these women have a high density of endometrial uterine natural killer cells (uNK cells) in the luteal phase of pregnancy. The team has already demonstrated that endometrial uNK cell density can be reduced with steroid treatment. One patient, who had suffered 19 miscarriages, gave birth to a healthy baby after being given the steroid prednisolone. The team is now carrying out a double blind randomised controlled trial to ascertain whether this reduction might have a positive effect on pregnancy outcome for all women who have high levels of uNK cells. If the initial trial is successful, a full trial of prednisolone with pregnant women who have suffered recurrent miscarriage and have high levels of uNK cells will be pursued. Results of the first trial will be ready to
