Discovery raises hope of test to predict miscarriage risk

A test could be developed in future to predict miscarriages after scientists found a protein that helps babies adhere to the womb.

Researchers at the University of Sheffield discovered that Syncytin-1 has a central role in helping a foetus attach and making the mother aware it is there.

The discovery will help doctors understand the earliest stages of human embryo development and could shed light on complications during pregnancy such as recurrent miscarriages, foetal growth restriction syndrome and pre-eclampsia.

It is hoped monitoring levels of Syncytin-1 could give doctors an early indication of whether an embryo will successfully implant. Prof Harry Moore, lead author of the study published in Human

Reproduction, said: “Eventually we may be able to develop blood tests based on our results to identify pregnancies that might be at risk and also develop appropriate therapies.”