Recurrent pregnancy loss represents one of the most emotionally devastating experiences in reproductive medicine. For couples who have endured multiple losses, the central question becomes: Can we do anything to prevent this from happening again?
Modern Preimplantation Genetic Testing offers one of the most important tools in answering that question.⁶
Understanding Why Miscarriages Repeat
A substantial portion of early pregnancy losses result from chromosomal abnormalities in the embryo—often random events, sometimes influenced by maternal age or structural chromosome issues in one parent. Without testing, each pregnancy attempt can feel like an uncertain gamble.³
Large-scale studies published in reproductive medicine journals demonstrate that PGT-A and PGT-SR can improve pregnancy rates per embryo transfer and reduce miscarriage rates, particularly in patients with recurrent pregnancy loss or chromosomal structural rearrangements.¹³⁶
How PGT Changes the Treatment Approach
For couples experiencing recurrent miscarriage, PGT offers three fundamental shifts:
From uncertainty to information: PGT-A identifies chromosomally normal embryos, dramatically reducing transfers of embryos highly likely to miscarry.³
From repeated loss to targeted selection: PGT-SR enables couples with balanced translocations to select embryos that are balanced or normal, breaking the cycle of loss.³
From trial-and-error to strategic planning: Instead of repeatedly attempting untested transfers, each attempt becomes grounded in specific genetic knowledge.⁶
The Evidence for PGT in Recurrent Loss
Multiple studies support PGT’s role in recurrent miscarriage management:
- A comprehensive review in Human Reproduction found significantly reduced miscarriage rates when PGT-A was used in couples with recurrent pregnancy loss¹³
- Research in Fertility and Sterility demonstrated improved live birth rates per transfer in women over 35 with previous losses²
- Studies of PGT-SR show dramatic reduction in miscarriage rates for carriers of balanced translocations³
Important Considerations
While PGT represents a powerful tool, patients should understand its limitations:
Not 100% predictive: PGT-A cannot detect all possible genetic abnormalities, and some chromosomally normal embryos may still miscarry for other reasons
Potential for no normal embryos: Some cycles may yield no chromosomally normal embryos available for transfer
Additional time and cost: Testing adds complexity and expense to treatment cycles
Emotional preparation: Even with PGT, some risk of pregnancy loss remains
Making the Decision
For couples with recurrent miscarriage, the decision often depends on:
- Number of previous losses
- Results of miscarriage tissue testing (if available)
- Maternal age and ovarian reserve
- Emotional readiness for additional treatment complexity
- Financial considerations
Many reproductive endocrinologists recommend PGT-A after two or more unexplained losses, particularly in women over 35, based on the substantial reduction in subsequent miscarriage risk.
Breaking the Cycle of Loss
For couples trapped in the devastating pattern of recurrent miscarriage, hope lies in centers with deep expertise in genetic causes of pregnancy loss. Fertility Center & Applied Genetics of Florida’s genetic testing program has helped hundreds of Tampa Bay families move from repeated heartbreak to successful pregnancies by identifying and transferring only chromosomally normal embryos.
Since implementing comprehensive PGT protocols, FCAG has achieved ongoing pregnancy rates of 65-78% with single euploid embryo transfers—a dramatic improvement for patients who previously faced repeated losses. The key difference lies not just in having access to genetic testing, but in working with a team that understands the nuanced relationship between chromosomal abnormalities and pregnancy loss.
If recurrent miscarriage has brought you to consider IVF with PGT, you deserve care from specialists who have dedicated their practice to solving these complex genetic puzzles. Contact Fertility Center & Applied Genetics of Florida, conveniently accessible from Riverview, Brandon, and throughout the Tampa Bay region, to learn how their proven genetic testing protocols can help break the cycle of loss and build the family you’ve been hoping for.
Serving Tampa Bay Families Through Recurrent Loss
The growing communities of Riverview, Brandon, and greater Tampa Bay are home to thousands of couples building families later in life—often after establishing careers, purchasing homes, and achieving financial stability. While this timing offers many advantages, it also means that when pregnancy loss occurs repeatedly, the emotional and time pressures feel particularly acute.
Many couples in the Tampa Bay area find themselves traveling between multiple providers—from their initial OB/GYN in Brandon to fertility clinics in Tampa—before discovering that genetic factors may be driving their losses. This journey often spans months or even years, during which precious time and emotional resilience are depleted.
FCAG’s location in Sarasota, easily accessible via I-75 from Riverview and Brandon, serves as a destination for Tampa Bay families who need more than basic fertility care. The practice regularly sees couples who have experienced multiple losses with other providers and need the specialized genetic expertise that can finally provide answers.
For Tampa Bay families dealing with recurrent miscarriage, the 45-minute drive south often represents the difference between continuing to wonder “why does this keep happening?” and finally having a clear path forward. When Dr. Pabon’s team identifies chromosomally normal embryos for transfer, couples from Riverview to Lakewood Ranch can approach pregnancy with confidence instead of fear.
The investment in traveling to specialized genetic fertility care becomes meaningful when it transforms repeated heartbreak into successful pregnancy—making FCAG a regional destination for Tampa Bay families ready to move beyond unexplained loss toward the baby they’ve been hoping for.
REFERENCES
1. Pylyp LY, Spynenko LO, Verhoglyad NV, Kasianchuk MG, Chuhrii AV, Zukin VD. Chromosomal abnormalities in products of conception of first-trimester miscarriages detected by conventional cytogenetic analysis: a review of 1000 cases. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2018;35(2):265-271. doi:10.1007/s10815-017-1069-1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29086320/
2. Neal SA, Morin SJ, Franasiak JM, Goodman LR, Juneau CR, Forman EJ, Werner MD, Scott RT Jr, Treff NR. Preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy is cost-effective, shortens treatment time, and reduces the risk of failed embryo transfer and clinical miscarriage. Fertil Steril. 2018;110(5):896-904. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2018.07.1349. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30316435/
3. Hodes-Wertz B, Grifo J, Ghadir S, Kaplan B, Laskin CA, Glassner M, Munne S. Idiopathic recurrent miscarriage is caused mostly by aneuploid embryos. Fertil Steril. 2012;98(3):675-680. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2012.05.025. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22683012/
6. Sermon K, Van der Aa N, Capalbo A, et al. PGD in the 21st century: unravelling the complex molecular basis of preimplantation genetic diagnosis. Hum Reprod Update. 2016;22(1):20-35. doi:10.1093/humupd/dmv045. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26386427/
13. Pylyp LY, Spynenko LO, Verhoglyad NV, Kasianchuk MG, Chuhrii AV, Zukin VD. Chromosomal abnormalities in products of conception of first-trimester miscarriages detected by conventional cytogenetic analysis: a review of 1000 cases. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2018;35(2):265-271. doi:10.1007/s10815-017-1069-1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29086320/
