Ectopic/Chemical pregnancy- Just bad luck or underlying problem

[looknomore]

Ladies- After finding out today that I have a chemical pregnancy (my first ever pregnancy after 2 years of ttc) I am wondering whether it is just plain bad luck or that there is a problem. To give u a background, I have been ttc for almost 2 years and conceived on my 3rd IUI. There is no apparent fertility problems with DH or myself. I am 33 years old, DH is 35. My fertility doc had the following things to say after I sat with her for almost and hour trying to come to terms with this loss:

1. Chemical pregnancies are just plain bad luck sometimes
2. Sometimes they are caused by poor egg quality which can be caused by endometriosis or low FSH levels
3. Ectopics are sometimes due to tubal problems like the shape etc which might explain why ectopic pregnancies tend to re-occur.

She has suggested a laproscopy in my forthcoming cycle after I get my period to rule out endo and a FSH test maybe in the following cycle to rule out poor egg quality.

I just wanted to share what I found out today and maybe get some comments on what u guys think?

Hoping we never have to see another loss.
Lots of babydust for all of us

 

[puppymom32]

So sorry for your loss. I think everything your dr told you is correct. They can definetly tell alot more of what is going through a Lap. Best of luck to you hun. I also am 33 and DH is 35.

 

[vickyd]

Again im very sorry for your loss hun....
I dont know much about ectopics but concerning chemical pregnancies, i had this discussion with my doc 2 days ago. He said that chemical pregnancies are very common, and most women probably have experienced 1 without knowing. We are aware of them more and more due to tests sensitivities ect.
Its good that your gonna have lap and fsh, if only for being pro-active that will gve you a sence of control. After my second loss i invested thousands of euros in testing simply for the feeling of control over my body.

 

[looknomore]

Thanks for ur response ladies. Vicky- did u manage to figure out why this is happening and wat tests did u try?

 

[vickyd]

Not really...The tests are the same as for mc : karyotype, thrombophilia and autoimmune testing. I had all these tests done after my mmc. My doc considers that most chemicals are due to chromosomatic anomalies just like most mc. However, without tissue you cannot test for sure. Even after testing most specialists still give you the "bad luck scenario". For this cycle, i kinda took matters into my own hands and took aspirin and 5 mg folic acid & 100 mg B12. I just couldnt not do anything if you know what i mean...

 

[looknomore]

I took asprin too in this cycle and HMG injections (FSH +LH) to improve egg quality. It scares me to think it took all this for me to just have a chemical pregnancy. So how bad must the egg quality be cos I was not conceiving at all. Do u think its easy atleast to conceive again after a chemical as in i hope it happens fast enough and doesnt take 2 more years. I am currently waiting for the AF to arrive. Hopefully all the tissue/lining will get thrown out so that I can go ahead with the Lap. The u/s showed a very think lining of 17.2 mm yesterday.

 

[vickyd]

A friend of mine who also had trouble conceiving and when she finally got pregnant had a miscarriage, was also afraid of the egg quality issue. Her docters (and she went to many) dismissed her fear without even testing. She had a series of tests, lap being one of them and they found she was full of tiny polyops and fissures. They cleaned her out and 2 months later she was pregnant. So her difficulty was not at all egg quality related!

 

[looknomore]

Thanks Vicky..Thats an interesting piece of info u shared with me. So doing this Lap might be a good thing. How are things at your end? Should I expect a very painful period this time. My Doc asked me to expect a more than average bleeding but nothing more

 

[looknomore]

Sorry- I more question- Can I use a tampon for this period?

 

[vickyd]

Dont use a tampon yet! I wouldnt expect too much difference in period, maybe a few more clumps than usual but nothing too severe.
Ive got a scan planned for the 22nd, ive got mixed emotions actually....One side of me is happy that so far so good the other side cannot picture a good outcome from the scan. I guess after 2 losses its difficult to imagine a good outcome. Im prepared emotionally either way i guess....
Good luck with the lap, try and stay positive!

 

[tinybutterfly]

lap & dye... i'm so happy i got that 2nd opinion.
my regular gyn did the follow up on my mc (ectopic) but didn't want to do a lap and dye
bc i had no history of illness or infections, all looked normal on echo etc.
he did SA from the OH and that made him decide to go for IUI

now in that cycle (before insemination) we went to the other doc who told me he
wanted to do a lap and dye (yay, finally one who listens, i've requested this twice to my other gyn),
bc i've had an ectopic before and the risk of another was big.

i'm very greatful we did this, he found out my tubes are 99% blocked.

so basically, if i had followed my regular gyn's instructions, we would have done IUI untill october, then have a lap and dye if not pregnant by then.
now i found out early June IVF is the way to go for us, so we're much further along
in the whole make-me-a-baby process than i would have been if i just followed the IUI path
of my doc who didn't think anything could be wrong with me

 

[looknomore]

Thanks for ur response tinybutterfly. Actually I was very opposed to a lap as all my tests have been clear including HSG which shows both my tubes open but post a chemical pregnancy this cycle and a polyp showing up on the u/s the doc has convinced me to go in for a Lap and hystro. Mine will be a diagnostic Lap. CAn u share ur experience with me. How long shud I expect to be in bed. How much pain? How long will the bloated tummy remain. Will I have any other side effects. How long is the procedure? Thanks again
xx

 

[tinybutterfly]

i've made a long post about it (plus pics), i'll search for it and post it here if i find it

mine was diagnostic too and then they did the HSG (that is the dye test right?) since they were working in the area anyway hehe.

 

[tinybutterfly]

my story

timeline pictures post surgery

hope that works, if not... first link it's post #8 in the thread
and the second post #3

 

[mommytoTandE]

looknomore... I am so so sorry you have to go through this too. Do not use a tampoon!!!! From what I read your cervix is open and it increases the chances of introducing an infection. I had a mc/chemical over 3 weeks ago. My hcg levels dropped and I started bleeding several days later. I did have severe cramping for several hours, then It was like a normal af - just many many more clots... Apparently that is not supposed to be counted as a af bleed.... for the ease of dating a subsequent pregnancy... I am charting so I know if and when I will ovulate this time around. I was sort of told not to try this cycle, but I would rather try then not incase it is easier to concieve right after a chemical The waiting would to increase the linning in the uterus...

I hope you are feeling well. Take care of yourself!

 

[looknomore]

Tinybutterfly- thanks for ur posts. Saw the pics. You have a washboard stomach evan after the Lap- wow - thats really inspired me.

M2T&E- thanks. I wont use a tampon even though I hate pads. I am coping with all of this pretty well as this is my first positive EVER even if a chemical. But I know I am going to put too much pressure on myself in the next few cycles now willing for it to happen again. AM dreading that and the disappointment if it doesnt happen soon enough. I have been given a go ahead to try naturally this cycle after the Lap and IUIs from the cycle after that. I too have heard that women r more fetile after any kind of pregnancy/abortion.

Af is not showing up though. 4 days since I stopped progesterone. Am repeating beta HCG today to check the HCG levels. MAybe will be given some pills to induce periods