engleski

Direct and potential (epi)genetic causes of recurrent spontaneous abortion: advances and controversies

Spontaneous abortion is the loss of pregnancy before the fetus has reached viability. The prevalence of spontaneous abortion is extraordinarily high in humans, reaching up to 70% of all pregnancies. Additionally, approximately 1% of fertile couples comprise the group of recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA), a distinct complication defined as three or more consecutive spontaneous abortions. Direct causes of RSA, including non-genetic and genetic factors, can be identified in merely 50% of couples. Although various hypotheses were tested, causative factors for the remaining couples have not been identified. Furthermore, despite the evidence for (epi)genetic contribution to this group of idiopathic RSA, as well as a growing number of studies, the relevance of different (epi)genetic factors remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of this talk is to give an overview of direct and potential (epi)genetic causes of RSA, as well as to outline recent advances in the research of the etiology of RSA. A special emphasis will be given to numerous controversies and setbacks that exist in the field of reproductive genetics, which complicate our understanding of the causative mechanisms of RSA.

pregnancy; miscarriage

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