The weight she carries
When a baby does not come, eyes turn to her.
Her age. Her weight. Her stress. Her womb.
And if she has fibroids? The answer seems to be ready before anyone asks the question.
I have lived with fibroids for over 15 years. I know that look. I know the quiet guilt that follows you home from the clinic.
But here is the truth that rarely gets said out loud.
It takes two people to make a baby. Half of every pregnancy comes from him.
So why are we only checking her?
The blame has a favourite target
Women with fibroids hear it all the time. "Your fibroids caused this."
Sometimes fibroids do play a part. Fibroids that grow into the womb lining can make it harder for a pregnancy to settle.
But the research on fibroids and miscarriage is not as clear as many of us were told.
A 2024 review of 24 studies did find more miscarriages in women with fibroids. But all of those studies looked backwards at old records.
A large US study that followed women forward in time found something different. Once age and other risks were taken into account, women with fibroids had the same miscarriage risk as women without them. The same research team also found that removing fibroids did not lower miscarriage rates.
That does not mean fibroids never matter. Size and position count.
It does mean fibroids should not be the automatic answer. Especially when nobody has looked at the other half of the picture.
What new research is showing about sperm
Inside every sperm is a tiny package of DNA. That DNA is the father's half of the baby's blueprint.
Sometimes that DNA is damaged. Doctors call this sperm DNA fragmentation.
Think of DNA like a ladder.
- A single-strand break is like one side rail cracking. The ladder is weak, but it still holds together.
- A double-strand break is like both rails snapping at the same spot. The ladder breaks in two.
The egg can repair some damage after it meets the sperm. But scientists believe double-strand breaks are much harder to fix. When the repair fails, the early cells may not form properly. The pregnancy can stop growing.
Here is what the research shows:
- 2012, Barcelona. Scientists studied couples with repeated miscarriage where no problem had been found in the woman. Double-strand sperm breaks were linked to the losses.
- 2020, Belfast. Men whose partners had miscarried had more than double the sperm DNA damage of fertile men. That was true after natural conception and after fertility treatment.
- 2025, Liverpool and Belfast. A new study tested 100 men at a recurrent miscarriage clinic and 81 men with proven fertility. Most of the clinic men had a normal standard sperm test. Yet many of these "normal" men still had raised DNA damage. Around half had raised double-strand breaks.
The researchers said men are rarely the focus at miscarriage clinics. They called for male partners to be properly checked.
Read that again. A normal sperm test does not mean his DNA is healthy.
Scientists are also asking whether a father's sperm health plays a part in later problems, like babies born early. That research is still young. But the miscarriage link is now hard to ignore.
The good news? Some of this damage can be improved.
Single-strand breaks are often caused by oxidative stress. That is like rust building up inside the body. Because of this, they can respond well to changes in food, lifestyle and daily habits. Double-strand breaks can be harder to shift, but they are still worth looking at with the right support. Either way, nothing can change until you know it is there. That is why awareness comes first. A test gives you a starting point. And because new sperm take around three months to grow, the steps you take together today can make a real difference to the sperm of tomorrow.
What is (and is not) checked on the NHS
A standard NHS semen test looks at three main things:
- How many sperm there are
- How well they swim
- What shape they are
It does not check the DNA inside.
In the UK, sperm DNA testing is seen as an "add-on". It is not offered routinely. A small number of NHS fertility units do offer it, and private tests exist.
Things are starting to shift. In the US, updated guidance now says this test may be considered for couples with unexplained repeated miscarriage. That was the first update to that guidance in 14 years.
But for most couples here, the woman goes through scan after scan. Blood test after blood test. And he hands in one sample, gets a "normal" result, and the search stops.
This is not about blame
I am not saying "it's his fault" instead of "it's her fault".
I am saying it is a shared journey. Both bodies deserve to be looked at with the same care.
And here is the hopeful part. Sperm DNA damage can often be improved.
New sperm take around three months to grow. So changes made today can show up in the sperm of the next season.
What you can do
Ask questions.
If you have had two or more losses, ask your GP or clinic:
- Has my partner had a full semen test?
- Can sperm DNA be tested here? If not, where can we go?
- Could my fibroids really be the cause, based on where they are and how big they are?
For example: take a written list to your next appointment. Put his name on the list too.
Support his sperm health together.
DNA damage is often linked to oxidative stress. That is like rust inside the body. These steps can help:
- Stop smoking and cut down on alcohol. For example: swap the Friday pints for a sparkling water with lime.
- Keep things cool down there. Heat harms sperm. For example: no laptop on the lap, skip the hot tub, and choose loose underwear.
- Eat the rainbow. Colourful plant-based foods are full of antioxidants. For example: berries at breakfast, leafy greens at lunch, beans and lentils at dinner.
- Add good fats. For example: a handful of walnuts, or a spoon of ground flaxseed with hemp seed powder stirred into porridge.
- Protect sleep. For example: phones out of the bedroom by 10pm.
- Lower stress. For example: a 20-minute walk together after dinner.
- Get checked. A swollen vein in the scrotum, called a varicocele, is linked to DNA damage. Treating it can help.
These are the same pillars I teach women for womb health. Food, sleep, stress, movement and fewer toxins. Your partner can walk this road with you.
Want more guidance?
If you have been told your fibroids are to blame, and you want to understand the whole picture, let's talk.
In a Clarity Call, we will look at your story. Your fibroids. Your losses. And the questions nobody has asked yet.
You will leave with clear next steps for you, and for him.
You do not have to carry this alone. And you never had to carry it all.
Nina x
This blog is for education only. It is not medical advice. Always speak to your doctor about your own care.
Sources
- Drakeley A, et al. Double-stranded sperm DNA fragmentation assessed using comet assay is associated with recurrent pregnancy loss. Reproductive BioMedicine Online, 2026; 52(1):105184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rbmo.2025.105184
- Ribas-Maynou J, et al. Double stranded sperm DNA breaks, measured by comet assay, are associated with unexplained recurrent miscarriage in couples without a female factor. PLoS One, 2012. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3444447/
- McQueen DB, et al. Sperm DNA fragmentation and recurrent pregnancy loss: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Fertility and Sterility, 2019.
- Sperm DNA fragmentation is a novel biomarker for early pregnancy loss. Reproductive BioMedicine Online, 2020. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33082108/
- The influence of uterine fibroids on adverse outcomes in pregnant women: a meta-analysis. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 2024. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38710995/
- NIH Intramural Research Program. Fibroid link to miscarriage now in doubt (Hartmann, Baird et al.). https://irp.nih.gov/catalyst/25/5/fibroid-link-to-miscarriage-now-in-doubt
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS. DNA fragmentation test: information for patients. https://www.cuh.nhs.uk/patient-information/dna-fragmentation-test-information-for-patients/
- The male contribution to recurrent pregnancy loss. Translational Andrology and Urology. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6087842
- ASRM revised committee opinion on recurrent pregnancy loss, as reported by IBTimes UK. https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/new-fertility-guidance-sperm-dna-miscarriages-1813887