Mutations could triple risk of late miscarriage:

Mutations in the genes encoding two coagulants, factor V and prothrombin, could triple the risk of late miscarriage during pregnancy, according to a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine (October 5). Dr Martinelli and colleagues from the University of Milan, Italy, assessed 67 women with unexplained late miscarriages and 232 controls. They found that 16% of the patients had either the factor V or prothrombin mutation. The researchers concluded that screening for these mutations should be conducted in women who suffer from late miscarriages. However, they warned that further studies are required to determine the potential benefit of anticoagulant therapy in these patients.