U. S. researchers have found that experiencing a miscarriage or stillbirth increases the risk the parents will break up.

Data from the National Survey of Family Growth for married and cohabiting women who had a live birth, miscarriage or stillbirth, was used by lead author Dr. Katherine Gold, an assistant professor of family medicine and obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Michigan Health System.

It was also found by the study that couples who miscarried had a 22 percent increased risk of breaking up and the increased risk persists as long as three years after the loss.

Couples who suffered a stillbirth had a 40 percent increased risk of breaking up and that risk persisted as many as nine years after the loss, the study further found.

Gold said in a statement, "Miscarriage and stillbirth can be powerful and traumatic events for families. While many couples become closer after a loss, if a couple was struggling before the loss, this could be a huge stress for their relationship." (With Inputs from Agencies)