Drug could prevent more than 8,000 miscarriages a year, says baby-loss charity
THOUSANDS of pregnant women are to be offered a hormone drug that reduces the risk of miscarriage.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) said that the £200 treatment would be offered to those with a history of miscarriage who suffer bleeding in early pregnancy.
Tommy’s, the baby-loss charity, said that the treatment would “help save babies’ lives and spare parents heartache”. Nice said that women who had previously had a miscarriage, had a confirmed pregnancy and were bleeding could be offered 400mg of micronised progesterone twice daily.
If a foetal heartbeat was confirmed, it was recommended that the treatment continue until 16 weeks into pregnancy, Nice said.
About 1,200 women with prior miscarriage and bleeding in early pregnancy could be eligible for progesterone treatment each year, according to Nice, though Tommy’s said that the treatment could prevent as many as 8,450 miscarriages a year.
Nice called for more research to establish whether the drugs should also be offered to those without a history of miscarriage who suffer bleeding in early pregnancy, or to those who have previously had a miscarriage, but are not bleeding. Jane Brewin, chief executive of Tommy’s, said: “It’s great to see Nice taking our progesterone research on board in their new miscarriage care guidelines, which will help save babies’ lives and spare parents heartache.
“Miscarriage is often dismissed as ‘one of those things’ we can’t do anything about – even by some healthcare professionals, who may not specialise in this area to know the latest evidence.
“We hear from women who were denied progesterone treatment when they should have been eligible, simply because their doctor wasn’t familiar with it, so we hope Nice’s recommendation will help end some of these inequalities in miscarriage care that add more pain to an already unbearable experience.”
Prof Arri Coomarasamy, director of Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research at the University of Birmingham, said: “The miscarriage care guidelines from Nice include a very welcome change, after many years researching the use of progesterone and working to make treatment more accessible.
“Our research has shown that progesterone is a robust and effective treatment option but we know it’s not yet reaching everyone who might benefit.
“This new recommendation from Nice is an important step in tackling the current variation in miscarriage services across the country and preventing these losses wherever possible.”