Repeated pregnancy loss after assisted reproduction

Abstract

Pregnancy loss following assisted conception confronts couples with grief, anger, self-doubt, and questions about the measures they have taken in order to conceive. Each of these issues is intensified when a couple suffers additional pregnancy losses. Couples find themselves in the paradoxical situation of simultaneously seeking and fearing conception. This article describes and illustrates how the use of advanced reproductive technology—and specifically, the close monitoring of early pregnancy—alters the experience of early pregnancy loss. The case example highlights the challenges that a couple experiencing prolonged infertility and repeat pregnancy loss bring to clinical practice. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.