Top 10 ranked research questions for miscarriage
| Priority | Research question |
| 1 | What are the effective interventions to prevent miscarriage, threatened miscarriage and recurrent miscarriage? (eg, lifestyle, vitamins, aspirin, early scans, human chorionic gonadotrophin(HCG), dopamine agonists, progestogen, polytherapy, steroids, oestrogen, metformin, anticoagulants, intravenous immunoglobulin, intralipid and anti-TNF-alpha) |
| 2 | What are the emotional and mental health impacts of miscarriage in the short term and long term for the mother and the partner? |
| 3 | What investigations are of true clinical value? (eg, ultrasound, gene sequencing, natural killer cells, thromboelastography, microarray testing of the fetus, paternal investigations, plasminogen activator inhibitor polymorphism) |
| 4 | To what extent do pre-existing medical conditions cause miscarriage? (eg, vitamin deficiencies, diabetes, previous infertility, endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, menstrual irregularities, cervical factors, uterine anomalies, polyps, immunological factors or previous pregnancy complications for example, caesarean section or preterm birth) |
| 5 | What types of emotional support are effective in preventing or treating women or their partners after a miscarriage? |
| 6 | Do lifestyle factors (diet, stress, exercise, weight, alcohol, sexual activity, smoking, night shifts or flying) cause miscarriage? |
| 7 | To what extent do genetic and chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus cause miscarriage? |
| 8 | What preconception tests or interventions prevent miscarriage? (eg, vitamin supplements, folic acid, dehydroepiandrosterone, co-enzyme Q-10 or bariatric surgery) |
| 9 | What are the appropriate investigations for women after one, two, or three or more miscarriages? |
| 10 | What male factors contribute towards the cause of miscarriage? |
TNF, tumour necrosis factor.