Scientists have found a link between miscarriages and the growth of an embryo in the early stages of pregnancy which could lead to ways of preventing such tragedies.

Researchers discovered that nearly 80 per cent of single-baby pregnancies which ended in miscarriage involved foetuses with restricted growth in the first trimester.

Now they hope this trend could be used as a predictor to identify those mothers most at risk.

A team from the University of Nottingham measured the length of more than 500 single and twin embryos conceived through IVF during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

It was carried out with IVF mothers so they could determine the exact gestational age.

The distance from the top of the baby's head to the bottom of its buttocks was then recorded using an ultrasound scan.

They worked out that 78 per cent of single-embryo pregnancies that miscarried were growth-restricted, while 98 per cent of those that did not miscarry were not growth-stunted.