WRONG. BUT FINALLY, THERE’S NEW
TECHNOLOGY THAT MAY GIVE COUPLES
MORE ANSWERS SOONER.
>> I CAN REMEMBER TAKING A
PREGNANCY TEST AND FEELING SO
OVERWHELMED AND EXCITED.
>>> IT
>>> IT >> IT WAS EXHILARATING.
LIKE, YES.
LIKE, YES. >> WE FELT LIKE WE WERE THE
LUCKIEST PEOPLE ON EARTH.
>> Reporter: LIKE MANY WOMEN,
JENNIFER WAS OVERJOYED WHEN SHE
FIRST GOT PREGNANT.
AT 12 WEEKS, SHE WENT IN FOR A
ROUTINE ULTRASOUND.
ROUTINE ULTRASOUND. >> I WAS GOING TO HEAR THE
HEARTBEAT AND GET A CUTE
ULTRASOUND PICTURE.
ULTRASOUND PICTURE. >> Reporter: WHEN THE TECHNICIAN
ABRUPTLY LEFT THE ROOM, SHE
SENSED SOMETHING WAS WRONG.
>> I REMEMBER LAYING THERE
THINKING, I DON’T THINK THIS IS
HOW THAT’S SUPPOSED TO GO.
A COUPLE MINUTES LATER MY DOCTOR
CAME IN AND TOOK MY HAND AND
SAID, I’M SO SORRY.
BUT THE BABY HAS NO HEARTBEAT.
>> Reporter: JENNIFER
IMMEDIATELY STARTED ASKING
HERSELF WHY.
HERSELF WHY. >> SILLY THINGS THAT YOU KNOW,
REALLY DON’T CAUSE A
MISCARRIAGE.
MISCARRIAGE. BUT YOU QUESTION EVERYTHING.
>> Reporter: IT’S MORE COMMON
THAN YOU MIGHT THINK.
UP TO ONE IN FOUR CLINICALLY
RECOGNIZED PREGNANCIES ENDS IN
MISCARRIAGE.
MISCARRIAGE. BUT OFTEN WOMEN AGONIZE OVER THE
MYSTERY OF WHAT CAUSED IT.
A GROUNDBREAKING STUDY IN THE
U.K., FOUND ONE IN SIX WOMEN
EXPERIENCES LONG-TERM
EXPERIENCES LONG-TERM POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS AFTER A
LOSS.
LOSS. >> FOR MANY, IT FEELS LIKE THE
LOSS OF A CHILD.
WHEN YOU BLAME YOURSELF FOR IT,
THAT CREATES SUCH GUILT AND PAIN
THAT CAN LINGER FOR SO LONG IN A
WOMAN’S LIFE.
WOMAN’S LIFE. >> Reporter: HE LEADS THE
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY FERTILITY
CENTER, SEEING COUPLES THAT HAVE
HAD MULTIPLE MISCARRIAGES.
THEY’VE HAD FIVE IN FIVE YEARS.
>> IT’S NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO BE
TOLD THAT THIS IS A STRING OF
BAD LUCK.
BAD LUCK. >> THERE WAS FRUSTRATION, AND
ANGER.
ANGER. SADNESS, OBVIOUSLY.
SADNESS, OBVIOUSLY. AND A SENSE OF EMPTINESS.
WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON?
>> Reporter: DR. ZEV, AS
EVERYONE’S CALLED HIM, THINKS HE
HAS A NEW WAY TO UNRAVEL THE
MYSTERY AND HELP COUPLES GET
ANSWERS.
ANSWERS. >> WE MAY NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE
LOSS IS HAPPENING.
BUT WE KNOW WHAT IS UNDERLYING
IT.
IT. >> Reporter: HALF OF
MISCARRIAGES HAPPEN BECAUSE OF
GENETIC ABNORMALITIES IN THE
FETUS.
FETUS. RIGHT NOW, AFTER A PREGNANCY
LOSS, MOST WOMEN ARE NOT OFFERED
A GENETIC TEST.
HOW MANY WOMEN DO GENETIC
TESTING?
TESTING? >> AFTER A FIRST OR SECOND LOSS,
THE VAST MAJORITY DO NOT.
>> Reporter: DO NOT?
>> DO NOT.
>> Reporter: TRADITIONAL TESTING
ISN’T USUALLY OFFERED UNTIL A
THIRD LOSS, WHICH CAN COST
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
AND RESULTS DON’T COME BACK FROM
A LAB FOR SEVERAL WEEKS.
DR. ZEV SAYS HE’S CREATED A
BETTER WAY.
BETTER WAY. >> YOU NEEDED THE HUGE
MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR CENTERS TO
DO THE TESTING.
NOW, WE’RE ABLE TO DO IT ABOUT
60,000 TIMES FASTER.
>> Reporter: AFTER A
MISCARRIAGE, DOCTORS CAN USE A
HAND-HELD DEVICE TO TEST A TINY
PIECE OF THE WOMAN’S PLACENTA.
>> TAKE THIS AND PLACE IT ON TO
THIS DEVICE.
THIS DEVICE. YOU CLOSE IT.
THERE’S A LITTLE USB THAT
CONNECTS STRAIGHT TO A COMPUTER.
AND IN REAL-TIME, YOU START
ANALYZING THE GENETIC MATERIAL.
>> Reporter: 15 MINUTES LATER,
YOU KNOW THE GENETICS OF THAT
MATERIAL.
MATERIAL. >> 15 MINUTES LATER, THE
SEQUENCING IS DONE, AND YOU
ANALYZE IT QUICKLY ON THE
COMMUTER AND SAY, HERE’S WHERE
THE EXTRA MISSING CHROMOSOME.
YOU CAN USE THE NEW TECHNOLOGY
SO WHEN A WOMAN HAS A PREGNANCY
LOSS, THE SAME DAY, SHE’S GIVEN
AN ANXIOUS.
AN ANXIOUS. >> Reporter: SHE WONDERS WHAT
WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF SHE HAD A
TEST LIKE THAT.
>> I HEARD ABOUT THIS NEW
POTENTIAL.
POTENTIAL. AND I GET EMOTIONAL EVERY TIME
THAT IT’S MENTIONED BECAUSE IF I
HAD THAT, MY FIRST MISCARRIAGE,
I DON’T THINK I WOULD HAVE BEEN
AT NUMBER FIVE.
>> Reporter: WOMEN CAN NOW
CHOOSE TO FIND OUT RIGHT AWAY
WHETHER A LOSS IS RELATED TO
GENETIC ISSUES OR NOT.
AND IF NOT, LOOK FOR OTHER
CAUSES.
CAUSES. >> ALLOW YOURSELF TO FEEL SAD.
ALLOW YOURSELF TO FEEL ANGRY.
LET GO OF THELE GUILT BECAUSE IT
NEVER SOMETHING YOU DID.
>> Reporter: DR. ZEV AND HIS
TEAM COMPARED THE RESULTS FROM
THIS NEW TOOL, THE HANDHELD
DEVICE, TO THE WAY IT USED TO BE
DONE, WITH THE BIG ROOM OF
EQUIPMENT AND TESTING MATERIAL.
THEY FOUND THIS SYSTEM WAS
CHEAPER AND FASTER AND ALSO MORE
ACCURATE.
ACCURATE. SO, THIS REALLY IS OFFERING SOME
NEW HELP.
NEW HELP. THEY ARE STILL IN THE APPROVAL
PHASE.
PHASE. THIS ISN’T AVAILABLE YET.
BUT THEY HOPE WITHIN A YEAR,
THEY WILL HAVE THAT HANDHELD
DEVICE IN DOCTORS OFFICES.
>> WHY DOES IT TAKE UNTIL THE
THIRD MISCARRIAGE?
THIRD MISCARRIAGE? >>
>> >> Reporter: A LOT OF IT IS
INSURANCE.
INSURANCE. INSURANCE DOESN’T COVER THE
EXPENSIVE TESTS.
EXPENSIVE TESTS. >> THIS COULD BE A GAME-CHANGER.
>> JUST HELP PEOPLE FEEL BETTER
ABOUT IT.
ABOUT IT. IF THAT IS SPITTING OUT A
GENETIC CODE OF THE FETUS AND
MIGHT SHOW MUTATION WHERE THE
DOCTOR CAN POINT TO AND SAY,
THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU.
>> Reporter: WHEN YOU GO THROUGH
THIS, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU DID --
DID I EXERCISE TOO MUCH?
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> Reporter: SILLY THINGS GO
THROUGH YOUR HEAD.
>> IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT.
THERE’S A LOT MORE ONLINE.
PEOPLE WILL WANT TO READ ABOUT
THIS, INCLUDING THE PERSONAL