Study on Miscarriages: This Gene Can Increase the Risk of Miscarriage - New Study Uncovers Genetic Links to Miscarriage Risk and Chromosome Errors

A new study has revealed genetic connections to miscarriage risk, focusing on how errors in chromosome division affect pregnancy. Researchers discovered key genes that play a role in egg development, offering potential insights for future treatments. The findings, published in Nature, were led by a team from Johns Hopkins University.

Miscarriages affect around 15% of recognised pregnancies, with chromosomal abnormalities—known as aneuploidies—being the leading cause. Until now, scientists understood that these errors mostly occur in the egg cell and increase with maternal age.

The study analysed over 140,000 embryos created through IVF, detecting more than 92,000 cases of aneuploidy. Among the genes identified, SMC1B stood out as strongly linked to aneuploidy risk. This gene encodes part of a structure that holds chromosomes together during cell division.

Previous research showed that mice without SMC1B are infertile. In humans, low levels of the protein it produces can lead to chromosomal errors. The newly discovered genes regulate chromosome pairing and recombination during egg formation, processes critical for healthy embryo development.

Rajiv McCoy, the lead researcher from Johns Hopkins University, highlighted that while these genetic factors influence risk, predicting an individual’s likelihood of miscarriage remains challenging. Common genetic variants have a smaller impact compared to maternal age and environmental factors.

The genes uncovered in this study could serve as targets for developing drugs aimed at reducing miscarriage risk. However, their predictive power is limited when considered alone. Further research may help clarify how genetic, age-related, and environmental factors interact in pregnancy loss.