Epidemiology of Spontaneous Abortion
Summary
Spontaneous abortion, commonly referred to as miscarriage, affects up to one in five clinically recognised pregnancies worldwide, with true rates higher when early losses are included. Incidence varies by maternal age, showing a U- or J-shaped curve in which risks rise sharply after 30 years and may also increase among very young mothers. Recurrence risk is substantial, with each successive loss amplifying future vulnerability. Underlying causes span chromosomal anomalies, uterine abnormalities, endocrinopathies and placental dysfunction, while environmental and lifestyle factors such as smoking, obesity and infections further modulate risk. Socioeconomic disparities and access to care influence both detection and management, contributing to global variability. Advances in large register-based and prospective cohort studies have clarified temporal trends, shifting management from surgical to medical and expectant approaches, and underscored the importance of early surveillance. This body of work highlights the interplay between biological, behavioural and healthcare system determinants and informs targeted prevention and counselling strategies to reduce the burden of pregnancy loss.
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Epidemiology of Spontaneous Abortion publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in epidemiology of spontaneous abortion across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Spontaneous abortion: natural loss of a recognised pregnancy before fetal viability, typically before 20 weeks of gestation.
Incidence: rate of new cases of spontaneous abortion in a defined population over a specified period.
Prevalence: proportion of a population experiencing spontaneous abortion at a given time point.
Case–control study: observational design comparing individuals with the outcome of interest to those without to identify associated factors.
Socioeconomic status: composite measure of an individual’s economic, educational and occupational position affecting health outcomes.
References
- Role of infections in miscarriage. Fertility and Sterility (2023).
- Role of maternal age and pregnancy history in risk of miscarriage: prospective register based study. The BMJ (2019).
- Trends in the incidence, rate and treatment of miscarriage—nationwide register-study in Finland, 1998–2016. Human Reproduction (2019).
- Prevalence and clinical, social, and health care predictors of miscarriage. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth (2021).
- Non-linear Relationship of Maternal Age With Risk of Spontaneous Abortion: A Case-Control Study in the China Birth Cohort. Frontiers in Public Health (2022).
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