# Do you recommend a D&C / genetic testing after mc?



## filipenko32

Hi all, 

I am booked in for a D&C on Thursday. Can anyone recommend this and did you feel better after having the genetic testing and finding out the cause of mc for sure. Please can you tell me any stories good or bad? I am particularly worried about any scarring etc and think that the baby must have had chromosome problems anyway because of the slow rising hcg in the beginning. Thanks everyone x :hugs:


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## Mellybelle

I'm so sorry for your losses. :hugs:

A D&C is a relatively simple procedure. It shouldnt cause any scarring, and there isnt a lot of pain with it. Its quite rare that there are complications after a D&C and the only risk I was told about was the risk of a perforated uterus (which is also VERY rare) and which also heals well. 

I had both my babies and placentas sent for testing. It turned out that both babies were perfect with no chromosomal abnormalities. This news was very upsetting for me, as I still had no reason for my losses. Just be aware that this may be the case for you too. However, it may prompt doctors to do some other tests. You can also find out the sex of your baby with DNA testing. That was important to me, but everyone is different.

A D&C gives your uterus a full clean out, in some cases making it easier to fall pregnant again. Thats what happened in my case. I miscarried naturally, but still needed a D&C due to blood loss and clots in my uterus. I fell pregnant again the very next cycle and so far so good.


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## Boothh

I have had 2 D&C now and was defiantly the best choice for me me, only the last time they offered me genetic testing for me my partner and the tests on the baby, the baby was too small for slot of things to be done but we do know he had a severe case of Cystic Hygroma, which turned out to be just bad luck and we now know me and my partner carry no faulty genes, what we did find out though is I have a blood clotting problem which can prevent clots in the placenta as it is forming and can prevent baby from developing, I took aspirin last pg anyway to prevent mc but it is also used with my condition to prevent clots it worked and baby got to 11 weeks but coincidentally had other problems and couldnt survive, we've been told there is every chance this time if the baby is healthy then the aspirin will do it's job and we will get our baby! 
I'd say it's defiantly a good idea to have any tests offered to see if there is anything that could be easily solved like my case x


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## filipenko32

Hi ladies, thanks so much for getting back to me and so so sorry that you had losses too. Well I started miscarrying naturally on Wednesday evening and the op was booked for the next day so I was hoping and praying I would make it! I did and it was all relatively straightforward. They kept me in for a few hours after but said everything had gone well. They have also sent the tissue away for testing. Mellybelle, i totally understand what you mean about feeling lost when the results came back normal. I am dreading that as the ONLY thing that has stopped my grief over the 3 mc is thinking 'Well they weren't normal anyway / maybe just bad cells..' So i'm going to be in trouble if this result comes back normal so as you say Mellybelle i'm getting mentally prepared. The only thing they have found is a protein S deficiency (blood clotting) whilst pregnant. I was on 2 x shots of blood thinning injections a day + progesterone but still didn't work. Boothh, thanks for your post, I am definitely going on the aspirin too next time. I am hoping to get pregnant in my next cycle! I hope it comes in 4 weeks and if the test results are not back then well I will just do blood clotting meds to the max! Mellybelle do you mind if I ask you about your miscarried babies? Mine were always behind dates from the start, had something wrong like a small gestational sac or too large a yolk sac and my hcg levels were always non doubling. Did you have any of this with your normal babies? I hope I haven't upset you.. and i'm so sorry again, that must be very very hard to deal with x :hugs: :hugs:


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## Mellybelle

It doesnt upset me hun. We all want answers and talking about it with other women can help. 
I had some bleeding at 14+1 with my little boy. It wasnt heavy and i had no cramping. I had a scan a couple of days later and he was dead. His size, everything was perfect at 14+1. I had a d&e with him (which I regret, but didnt realise I had any other choice). All DNA tests came back normal. The pregnancy had progressed normally until that point. 

I had some spotting and cramping with my little girl at 13+4. I was booked for a d&c, the following day, but I was in labour over night and made it to the hospital emergency in time to 'deliver' her. I had really heavy bleeding with lots of clots and had to have a procedure done in emergency to try to slow the bleeding. I still had to have a d&C the next day due to clots in my uterus. She was sent for testing and while there were no chromosomal abnormalities she did measure smaller than she should. We had last seen her heartbeat at 13+1, so her growth had slowed right down from 11 or 12 weeks. I had also had a scan at 7weeks and 11 and half weeks (NT scan) and everything had been going well. But I still had no answers. 

I've had two early losses too, one was ectopic and one was just a loss. I put these ones down as 'just one of those things". 

I also have two healthy children and am now at 23 weeks with no problems so far. 

Getting no answers is upsetting, but think of it this way. If there was no reason for your losses, then there is no reason you will have another loss.


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## filipenko32

Oh gosh, thanks for telling me this, it does really help you're right. I can imagine you were very frustrated too especially when it happened twice for no apparent reason. I try to believe in fate too and that takes some of the 'lack of control' over this issue away, if you know what I mean. That is one consolation that if no cause is found then all odds are in our favour, I never thought about that. When you think about it, it's amazing that I can talk to you in Australia!! I live in London UK now as my husband has to work in the city but I am originally from Manchester. Congratulations on your pregnancy now! x x :hugs:


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## Mellybelle

I also take daily aspirin (75mg) this pregnancy. I've been tested for everything but I dont have a clotting disorder. But, pregnancy in itself can cause clotting problems due to the large increase in blood pumping through our bodies. I dont know if its made any difference, but baby is still there doing well and measuring fine. Its made me feel like I am doing _something _different.
Keep us updated with your tests and progress hun.


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## filipenko32

Definitely going to take the Aspirin as I have heard so many success stories about it. I will keep this thread updated! x x


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## filipenko32

Bump
Anyone else?


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## cliqmo

I had a D&C in March this year after finding out about MMC earlier the same month. For me it was a great opportunity to regain control and get my body back on track because until that point (10wks) I had experienced no bleeding or cramping at all and only went for an early scan because my symptoms had stopped :hugs:


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## kat2504

What you really need at this point is recurrent miscarriage testing. If you have had 3 mcs then you should be entitled to start this on the NHS now. In 50% of cases they are able to identify a reason, the other 50% are unexplained and therefore just bad luck and no reason why it can't be better luck next time.
This is more useful really than testing the miscarriage tissue after a d&c. 

If they already know you have blood clotting issues then perhaps this is the reason for the miscarriages. Generally baby aspirin plus heparin injections is the standard treatment so hopefully this will work for you next time. Have they done chromosome testing on you and your partner yet?


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## filipenko32

Hi, yes I have had every test under the sun after my 2nd mc. We are just awaiting the chromosome testing on the products of conception now. Have you had 3 mc's? Did they ever find a reason for you? x


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## kat2504

I've only had 2 "proper" miscarriages plus a very early chemical pregnancy. They did blood tests and found antiphospholipid syndrome so I am on the heparin injections and baby aspirin this time.
I never had the tests on the baby after miscarriages as they won't do that until after you have had three round here, and also I didn't want the d&c last time. Also it could make you feel better if it comes back that the baby wasn't normal anyway, but I don't think it helps with the next time, if you see what I mean.


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## filipenko32

That must have been a relief to have a diagnosis! I really want a 'diagnosis' but I know what you mean, yet if it comes back abnormal then i think I will generalise and think that was the cause of my other mc's although I can't see why I would have so many bad eggs was/am 31/32 when this started. How far along are you now? I'm SURE the aspirin and heparin will work for you this time x


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## x_Rainbow_x

I will say one thing with genetic testing and i dont mean this nastily but prepair yourself for the worse, that way you your prepaired if you get the bad news i had... I went in convinced it was *bad luck* and got a very big shock. 
I hope its nothing and just a case of a few heartbreaks before the real thing.


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## filipenko32

Tracie87 said:


> I will say one thing with genetic testing and i dont mean this nastily but prepair yourself for the worse, that way you your prepaired if you get the bad news i had... I went in convinced it was *bad luck* and got a very big shock.
> I hope its nothing and just a case of a few heartbreaks before the real thing.

Hi, what did you actually find out? You mean the chromosome testing of the fetus right? Me and hubby have had the chromosome karyotyping for translocations or other gene problems and they came back clear. This does not exclude the possibility of cells not dividing properly at the beginning and causing chromosome errors at conception. However, the more mc's you have the more they say you are probably losing 'normal embryos' as it's supposed to random bad luck! Yet I have spoken to people on here who know for sure that 2/3 of their mc's were chromosomal abnormalities and so 'bad luck'! Either outcome - a problem with my body (the oven) or bad eggs/sperm mix for bad embryo is not going to be pleasant to deal with.


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## x_Rainbow_x

I had testing done on me and the fetus... I came back with a chromosome abnormality, fetus came back with an unbalanced chromosome problem. 

Bacically I have the right amount of chromosomes but 1 is broken and attached to another... i have one good side of genes and 1 with the broken side.. if one of the affected ones makes the baby, then ill m/c or have a unbalanced child ( a child with problems) 
The baby died at 7 weeks every time, my body wouldnt recognise it untill about 9-10 weeks tho. 
I had 6. but i found out at 4.


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## filipenko32

Sorry to hear that, it must have been difficult news to deal with. So you are a carrier but you have no symtoms yourself, it's just there's an elevated risk of this occuring in your unborn and causing mc's? Looks like it's all working out for you now though! :happydance: But to go through 6 losses must have been devastating - I am not coping with 3!


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## x_Rainbow_x

It broke my heart, i went to a very dark place. 

I wont no if my daughter is affected untill shes born because i refused an amnio. Chances are shes a miracle.


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## filipenko32

Tracie87 said:


> It broke my heart, i went to a very dark place.
> 
> I wont no if my daughter is affected untill shes born because i refused an amnio. Chances are shes a miracle.

I am going to refuse an amnio too (if I ever get that far) as I think having mc's puts you off even that 1% chance statistic doesn't it!?! I can imagine you were very shocked. If I was in your position I would be really confident that my baby was fine now as you have a 2 in 3 chance of carrying to term don't you because you're either going to have a baby that carries recessively like you or doesn't carry it at all and these will not miscarry, is that right? I think you can be really confident as your body obviously efficiently miscarries translocations which affect the embryo. If the 2 in 3 chance of being successful is right then you have been really really unlucky. If your OH carries a translocation then it's upped to 50-50 isn't it? I'm sure everything will be just perfect for you now and you'll get your :baby: very soon! :hugs: Don't you have another option of pre implantation genetic diagnosis on the NHS if you carry a translocation? Perhaps you could investigate this and put your name on the waiting list? I hope you never miscarry again. x


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## x_Rainbow_x

i did have a option of PGD but because iv carried past 24 weeks i forfit it... stupid i no. 

She will either be normal, balanced like me or unbalanced. chances are very low for unbalanced tho and it will be learning difficultys if she has anything. il no a week after birth. But me and her dad believe she is perfect in every way. she always will be.


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## x_Rainbow_x

All my m/cs were with my ex aswell...


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## filipenko32

Oh, so is this successful pregnancy with a new partner?


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## x_Rainbow_x

yeah.


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## filipenko32

If all your mc's were with your ex, did he carry a translocation too? If so even that doesn't explain why you were so unlucky with a 50% chance of being ok each time. I think it could have been his :spermy: too (I sometimes think that about my DH as only 3% of his sperm are normal!) With a new partner you have a 66% chance of being successful in your case and I would be 99% sure you would miscarry the other 34% anyway. So in either case it is too suspicious to be ALL down to problems with you with your ex as 6 mc's is too much bad luck even with a translocation or even if you both had a translocation! Hope that makes sense! x


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## x_Rainbow_x

he was normal... he had every test and was negative for all... it was me.. i had the problems.. 

I see it as i happy now... and i had less than 50% chance of sucessful pregnancy. i only had 25% as majority if not all ( we dont no yet ) of eggs would be affected.. I guess i just got lucky this time.


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## filipenko32

Just talking about this now with my husband and he is a mathematician dealing with stats all day and he said that it is a near impossibility that your ex wouldn't have contributed to the mc's you had as the stats for you being successful are too much in your favour - 6 mc's being a near impossibility if it's all down to you and not freaky :spermy: causing havoc! You should look into free NHS IVF with PGD next time though as it will save you the heartache of a 33% chance or 1 in 3 chance of having a mc or abnormal baby - you will enjoy the pregnancy more too. With your new partner, if you have 3 pregnancies then only 1 will likely miscarry (and that should have been the same with your ex too if he wasn't a carrier). If you got on the waiting list now, they might be ready for you when you want you 2nd child. You can really stamp your feet after having 6 mc's, write a letter to your MP or medical director of your local NHS if you don't get somewhere but I am SURE your GP would help you. The pschological aspects of this are serious enough to warrant NHS financial help with PGD for next time. And the amnio doesn't have to be done as they have laready screened your embryos for ALL chromosomes before implantation into you. Hope that's all helpful. x


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## x_Rainbow_x

filipenko32 said:


> Just talking about this now with my husband and he is a mathematician dealing with stats all day and he said that it is a near impossibility that your ex wouldn't have contributed to the mc's you had as the stats for you being successful are too much in your favour - 6 mc's being a near impossibility if it's all down to you and not freaky :spermy: causing havoc! You should look into free NHS IVF with PGD next time though as it will save you the heartache of a 33% chance or 1 in 3 chance of having a mc or abnormal baby - you will enjoy the pregnancy more too. With your new partner, if you have 3 pregnancies then only 1 will likely miscarry (and that should have been the same with your ex too if he wasn't a carrier). If you got on the waiting list now, they might be ready for you when you want you 2nd child. You can really stamp your feet after having 6 mc's, write a letter to your MP or medical director of your local NHS if you don't get somewhere but I am SURE your GP would help you. The pschological aspects of this are serious enough to warrant NHS financial help with PGD for next time. And the amnio doesn't have to be done as they have laready screened your embryos for ALL chromosomes before implantation into you. Hope that's all helpful. x


Im not allowed PGD. any pregnancy that goes beyound 24 weeks disqualifies you. 
I fought the system for a very long time and TBH i dont wanna fight it again. Im content with just having my daughter. Im not greedy she is more than enough for me and her dad. if we have another then were blessed twice. 

and trust me my ex was perfect. and its not impossible to be all me. if the defected chromosome goes to all the eggs then its gunna fail. 
It had nothing to do with him. trust me. Thats the one thing in life i cant blame him for ;)

ETA: i no every aspect of PGD, i studied it for nearly 2 years trying to find a way round it even took parts in patient seminars to help improve it. 
We had every test and everything was perfect on ex's side.


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## filipenko32

Ok! Well I wish you all the best x :hugs:


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