A Breakthrough in Understanding Recurrent Miscarriage
A new womb lining test for miscarriage is offering renewed hope to women who have faced the heartbreak of repeated pregnancy loss. Scientists in the UK have discovered that problems in the womb lining—often overlooked—may play a major role in early miscarriages.
Developed by a team at the University of Warwick, the test identifies if a woman’s womb lining responds properly during the early stages of pregnancy. This could lead to more effective treatments and fewer unexplained losses.
Why the Womb Lining Matters More Than We Thought
For years, most miscarriage research focused on embryo quality. But now, attention is turning to the womb’s role—specifically, how the lining prepares for pregnancy. In many cases of miscarriage, the womb lining fails to transform into a supportive environment for the embryo.
Dr. Jo Muter from Warwick Medical School explains that many women are wrongly told their losses are due to “bad luck.” In reality, the womb may be playing a hidden role in whether a pregnancy succeeds or fails—possibly before conception even occurs.
How the womb lining test for miscarriage works
The newly developed test measures how well the womb lining reacts when preparing for an embryo. If the reaction is weak or faulty, the risk of miscarriage rises. This test is currently being piloted with over 1,000 women at Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research in Coventry.
Researchers found that once this reaction fails once, it’s more likely to fail again, making repeated miscarriages more likely.
A Personal Story: From Heartbreak to Hope
Charlie Beattie, a 37-year-old woman from Leamington Spa, experienced multiple early miscarriages over four years. Each pregnancy loss chipped away at her hope of becoming a mother.
After joining the trial and undergoing the womb lining test, she learned that her womb wasn’t supportive enough for pregnancy. She began treatment with sitagliptin, a drug typically used for diabetes. After three months of taking it, she became pregnant—and this time, it lasted.
Her daughter June, now a healthy nine-week-old baby, is what she calls “a tiny miracle.”
Access and Challenges
Anyone can apply for the test through the clinic, but there are obstacles. Demand is high, funding is limited, and patients often need to help cover the costs.
Dr. Jyotsna Vohra from Tommy’s charity stressed that care for pregnancy loss varies too much across the UK. She urges NHS leaders to consider wider access to this potentially life-changing test.
What Comes Next?
Dr. Muter says the team plans to test other drugs for womb lining issues. While sitagliptin helped some women, it’s not a cure-all. Since most drugs aren’t tested on pregnant women, more research is urgently needed to find safe, effective treatments.
