Abstract

Recurrent miscarriage affects 1%-5% of the reproductive age population. Given increasing calls for dedicated recurrent miscarriage clinics, decision makers will require data on the resultant budgetary implications. The aim of this study was to identify the potential costs to the Irish healthcare system of implementing a best practice recurrent miscarriage model of care. A micro-costing approach was employed by identifying, measuring, and valuing resource usage by unit costs for a recurrent miscarriage clinic for ≥2 consecutive losses. Per patient costs were estimated using two care pathway scenarios: typical and complex. The cost for a recurrent miscarriage patient who has another pregnancy after receiving investigations, treatment and reassurance scans ranges between €1,634 (typical) and €4,818 (complex). For a recurrent miscarriage patient who does not conceive again, costs range from €1,384 (typical) to €4,318 (complex). This study advocates for a new model of care for recurrent miscarriage clinics in Ireland and provides a set of cost estimates at the patient and healthcare system level. While future studies should explicitly consider the cost effectiveness of this or similar models of care, this analysis provides a valuable first step in providing a detailed breakdown of the associated costs and budget implications.