# How many miscarriages are due to mutation?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-miscarriages-are-due-to-mutation/658059>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 11, 2013, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-miscarriages-are-due-to-mutation/658059 "2013-05-11T08:03:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2013, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-miscarriages-are-due-to-mutation/658059/21 "2013-05-14T21:34:03Z")

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Of course, we have a pair of everything (except X and Y). So if the mutation is simply that a function does not work (recessive) but only one functional gene is needed, then there is a chance that even with a significant mutation there will not be a miscarriage. However, if that non-functional gene is now carried by a mother and father, it increases the risk that the couple will have more miscarriages than normal. Miscarriages would be a way of weeding out the incidence of that bad gene.

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