Anti-miscarriage drug ineffective

There is no evidence of a benefit for a new drug that aims to prevent recurrent miscarriage, a conference has heard.

The drug recombinant human granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) regulates immune cells including neutrophils and other lymphocytes.

The aim of using the drug is to avoid miscarriage caused by rejection of the foetus by the immune system, the researchers say.

Dr Abey Eapen, of the University of Birmingham, UK, and colleagues carried out a randomised placebo-controlled study of rhG-CSF given to 150 women in the first trimester of pregnancy.

The study recruited participants from 21 hospitals around the UK. They all had a history of unexplained recurrent miscarriage, had conceived naturally, and were aged 18 to 37.

They found no evidence that the drug improves outcomes in these women. Results were presented yesterday (3 July) at the Annual Meeting of The European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, in Barcelona, Spain.

By 20 weeks’ gestation, the rates of pregnancy were 59% for women in the drug, and 65% on placebo. Similar rates for the two groups were seen for live birth.

Dr Eapen explained that it is difficult to estimate the actual numbers of women using rhG-CSF.

"It’s a relatively new treatment and is offered mainly through private miscarriage and IVF clinics," he said.

"Here we have high quality evidence that rhG-CSF is not an effective treatment for patients with unexplained recurrent miscarriages," he stated.

"Most of immunotherapy medications tested so far through high quality trials have been shown to offer no benefit."

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