Hey ladies. I just turned 37 in Dec. I had my first DD in 2007 I was 32. She was conceived on the pill! We were not TTC! Fast foward to Feb of 2011, I once again got a BFP, but knew something was wrong (again on the pill) and it turned out I had an ectopic with twins, caught early, had the surgery 03/01/2011. Thankfully I did not loose a tube, it was right there at the end of the fallopian tube, a little push and it would have happened. I do want to say again, I was NOT TTC, I was in the 1 and done club, but apparently God gave me a big kick in the butt!

I waited a few months and TTC for the first time in my life, got preggo first shot in May of 2011, to MC in June at 5W3, I was DEVESTATED!

I again waited and said maybe this is just not meant to be. I then forged ahead, and soaked up all the advice from this board (I had NO clue about temping, OPKs etc) as I said I had never TTC, before. I was getting + digital OPKS, temping using FF, confirming O etc with nadda, which I found strange since I am apparently fertile myrtle. Well In Nov I took a break and did not even DTD the entire month, needed a break.

Dec 2nd I happened to have my yearly primary care MD well check, I stood fasting as I know my MD likes to draw my labs and I can do it in her office so WTH. I went back the next week for my results. The MD was like WTH your B12 is 200 (it should be, or she wants it at 900-1000) she said how the heck are you functioning? You must be exhausted! My Vit D was really low too, I don't recall what it was, but anyway all of my other labs were fine, thyroid, my CBC (complete blood count-checking for anemia). She put ,me on Vit B12 3500 mcg per day and Vit D 50,000 I. U. 1 x week. We will redraw labs at the end of Feb.

While researching the B12 low levels and Vit D, I have found MANY women that have tied it to infertility! Some women were at REs failed IUI etc, and some how or another had their B12 drawn and were also found to be mega low, once they corrected the issue with supplements they got sticky BFPs! Apparently low B12 and low Vit D are common causes of not only infertility but MCs!

It all makes sense now, I went form fertile lady getting pregnant on the pill to actively TTC with NO results. My DH has had a SA and has been told he could be a doner! It was making no sense why I was not getting a BFP! Remember all in the same year, I DID get 2 BFPs, even though they were not viable. I have yearly labs and have NEVER had a Vit B12 issue, nor low Vit D, even my MD was surprised.

I started taking my Vitamins the B12, the RX Vit D (I live in Las Vegas so plenty of sun, LOL) also have been taking B complex and the prenatals, It will be about 2 months on them, today is CD1. I can feel the difference, I know the B12 is taking, even my hair has looked awful for the past year and it is coming back. I'm not sure why I had the sudden drop in these Vitamins, maybe the ectopic, then the MC in such a short time frame?

So I will be actively TTC this round (I wanted to build up my levels) before attempting.

At any rate. I urge everyone, to get your MDs to draw a B12 and a Vit D on you, if you are having issues, they are simple blood tests, that may hold a clue, if you are one that has all the testing coming back negative/normal.

Your MD should have no problem ordering them, at our age they are justifiable. I also have read (just by googling) that not all MDs even think to draw these with routine labs. There seems to be no solid proof that the defciencies are linked to infertility/MCs, but there are a whole lot of women out there that have been struggling and after correction Viola. Either way, it is no good TTC or not to have low B12 and/or low Vit D (think osteoporosis, when we get into our golden years, LOL)

Annyway I wanted to share, because I could not get over all these poor women TTC and even the REs did not even think about drawing them. You can have your reg MD do this, no reason to have a specialist do it.

If it helps one person, it is worth it, and the best part is, if it does come back abnormal, all you have to do is take the supplements to correct it! There are sometimes cases where taking the supplements does not reverse the defciency, and it is r/t an intrinsic factor, that you body isn't able to absorb it, then you would need injectable B12.

Anyway, if you have not had these drawn, it is certainly worth a shot.
BABYDUST to all!

Thanks for your advice re the vitamins, it sounds like an easy enough remedy so will try them! I've started taking folic acid anyway and evening primrose so a few more won't hurt :-)

You never know!

Thanks for highlighting this.

More on the Vitamin D issue here:
http://www.zitawest.com/blog/?s=vitamin+D&x=7&y=16

sammy thankyou for your post. i suppose a blood draw is a good idea (especially with recurring miscarriages) but also in the meantime it doesn't hurt to cover our arses with a conception supplement. i've started taking pregnacare conception this month, so hoping if i'm deficient in anything it will support it. in it there's a really good amount of vit D and B12.

best of luck sammy, bet ur relieved to have got some answers.

Hi Suma

just to let you know while the Pregnacare is very good my GP and consultant have said to take extra Vit D separately, at least 1000 IU now and throughout pregnancy.

The NHS and the government are making this a priority for women ttcing now -it's been in the news for the past week now.

peacebaby, thanks for that info, i didn't know at all!!! just checked the packet of pregnacare and one daily tablet holds 600ıu of vit D. will look into supplementing that at the weekend.

it's funny this thread mentioning vit d....my mum wasn't well last year and after numerous tests at the hospital discovered her body doesn't deal with vit d naturally...the processing doesn't work for her. since then, she has been taking extremely high daily amounts to help with the process. she is so much better now.

i'm wondering...it may be worth asking for my vit d to be ckecked out on monday too along with the others...

This Vitamin D supplementation is not just important for us TTCers either, any of the Brits living north of Manchester are deficient in Vitamin D, we just don't get enough daylight in the winter, so it's really important to get your family and friends on a Vitamin D supplement too

Suma, i'm similar to your mom...at the moment i'm taking 50 000IU a week...but i feel so much better. I definitely think it's worth getting checked out for vit D.

I've read many stories of ladies mc'ing and then after getting their Vit D levels up they carried full term.

That's true as well N.S. They're especially concerned about kids suffering from rickets due to lack of Vit D.

about a year ago my family doctor phoned and said I was vitamin D deficient and to start taking a supplment. I purchased some drops and kept forgetting to take them. then I saw a poster at my fertility clinic about a study on vitamin D deficiency and implantation. as soon as I saw that I started taking pills with my prenatal so I wouldnt forget. my FS said its just in study stage so not proven, but seeing as I knew I was deficient I thought I should take it.

Ive been taking it for quite a few months now and had failed cycles including a failed IVF, but I just got my first ever bfp on a first response early response this week after my FET. Who knows what it is that finally gets us our bfp, but definitely get it tested.

Iron can be an issue too. They told me i was borderline low at 12 it turns out 40 is really what you n eed for fertility (according to the web) so maybe one more thing to add to the diet.