Genetic Study on the Products of Conception

Miscarriage is a common condition and affects around 20% of all pregnancies. A lot of women, after a miscarriage are able to conceive again and carry a healthy baby to term, however there are a few who experience recurrent miscarriages, i.e. two or more consecutive miscarriages. In such women studying the products of conception after the miscarriage is important to evaluate these tissues for a possible chromosomal abnormality.

What are Products of Conception?

In medical term, Products of Conception (POC) are any tissues that have developed during the pregnancy. It is a term most commonly used after a pregnancy loss such as in a miscarriage. Products of conception can contain fetal tissues, placental tissues and other tissues formed during fertilization. If a pregnancy ends due to miscarriage, surgical abortion or a preterm delivery, the pregnancy material and the fetal tissue are called the products of conception. Another commonly heard term is retained products of pregnancy (RPOC), these are different from POC because RPOC are the products retained within the uterus after a pregnancy loss. If RPOC occurs after a miscarriage the term incomplete abortion or incomplete miscarriage is used.

What is the POC test?

When a couple undergoes a spontaneous pregnancy loss, with no apparent reason, then it becomes crucial for the couples and the doctors to know the cause of such a loss. This test is used to study fetal tissue obtained from the products of conception to check whether the miscarriage was due to a chromosomal aneuploidy since the majority of miscarriages are caused by chromosomal abnormalities. Therefore, the POC test is done to evaluate the chromosomes in the tissues.

– POC test is an advanced reproductive genetic service provided to our patients
– Almost 50% of miscarriages occurring in the first trimester, are caused by chromosomal abnormalities
– This percentage increases to upto 60% for women who have undergone assisted reproductive treatments and continues to increase according to the women’s age
– The POC test involves studying all 24 chromosomes in order to find out the reason for pregnancy failure
– In addition to the fetal tissue testing, the mother’s blood is also taken out and tested for any possible contamination
– The result of POC test helps couples to choose better reproductive options increasing the chances of a healthy pregnancy
– It detects if the miscarriage was produced due to a chromosomal abnormality. Indications for POC test: – This test is suitable for couples who have experienced a pregnancy loss
– More precisely for couples who have suffered multiple or recurrent miscarriages
– And for couples who are undergoing assisted reproductive treatment, as a useful information to make better choices in the future treatments. Benefits of POC: – In almost 99% of cases, results are obtained
– Since cell cultures are not required, the results are available quicker, in about one week
– The false negative results caused by contamination from the mother’s cells can be ruled out
– The maternal or fetal origin of the material being analyzed can be identified using DNA fingerprinting
– This test can also be performed for twin pregnancies
– The test can detect whether the chromosomal abnormality occurred in the sperm or an egg

Going through a loss of pregnancy is very disheartening for a couple, and having knowledge of the cause of such a trauma is very important for them. We therefore offer a thorough investigation to save our patients from going through this trauma in their future pregnancies. It is advisable to see a doctor as soon as a woman experiences a miscarriage to ensure her safety and also to secure the future pregnancies.