Recurrent Miscarriage Thread

[sailorsgirl]

Hi girls may I join you?

I lost my first back in December 2013 at 6 weeks, my second in May 2014 at 8 weeks and my most recent was on the 21st August 2015 at 17 weeks.

We have been referred to a clinic for testing but unsure what to expect. I'm still waiting for my letter though.

Xx

 

[blueblue]

I'm so sorry for your losses. If they don't get it touch soon, you could give them a call? It took a while for my referral to come through. Once you have an appointment, they will do some blood tests (usually thyroid, blood clotting inc heritable disorders, lupus, karyotyping to check both partners chromosomes, sorry if I'm forgetting anything) and you'll get an appointment for the results, mine was supposed to be 3 or 4 months later. x

 

[ginny83]

I'm so sorry for your loss Sailor

I had a lost at 16 weeks a couple of years ago. It was my 2nd loss and I went on to have 2 more losses before having my rainbow - got there in the end! Even now it still hurts to think about - make sure you give yourself lots of time to heal x

 

[dairymomma]

sailorsgirl-I'm so sorry for your losses. I've had numerous tests done but pretty much my dr checked thyroid function, clotting issues, hormone levels, a glucose test of some kind, and most recently, we found I am homozygous for the MTHFR C677T gene mutation. I'm in the States though so it may differ from what you'll have done.

AFM-so annoyed with a cousin of mine. Instead of asking about this gene mutation and what it means for her (her late mom and my dad were brother and sister so there's a chance she's got this gene mutation too), she's harping on me for taking too much folate! She's a student nurse and a busybody so she not only thinks she knows it all when it comes to modern medicine but she likes to stick her nose into everyone else's business when it comes to health issues too. Sending me numerous messages on FB and plastering my FB wall with ranty posts about not overdosing on folate ('just eat more food with folic acid in it'. Yeah, THAT'LL work. ) aren't enough. Now she's going to call me so she can talk to me. Ugh. As if I'm going to listen to a nursing student who hasn't even dipped her toes in to the medical world over my specialist OB who has treated many women for RMC issues over the years. She even though I was getting progesterone and folate mixed up! Seriously, this chick needs to just leave me alone. If you are going to ask me about my condition, then fine. But don't presume to know more about my body and my health than I do.

Sorry to rant but I have a feeling I'm not the only one who has dealt with know-it-alls so I figured other ladies on here would understand.

 

[stuckinoki]

Dairy, tell her you appreciate her concern but you're going to go ahead and follow the medical advice from the doctor who has the phd.


I spoiled it but I'm a little concerned so if anyone can give me input I would greatly appreciate it.

Spoiler

Made it to 15 weeks and seem to have successfully weaned off of the steroids and the progesterone and I should be happy but I am concerned as every appointment I go to baby has a lower and lower heart rate...we started in the 170's then the 160's and stayed there for a few visits, then we were in the high 150's and this last visit yesterday doctor said we were in the low 140's.

Maybe it's nothing? But it's starting to scare me. My placenta is huge and anterior so I'm not feeling any movement yet and other than the occasional nausea I don't even feel pregnant but I do have this nagging awful feeling that something is going no wrong.

What do I do? Am I being crazy? Is this normal?

 

[stuckinoki]

Im sure she means well but that would annoy the pee out of me.

 

[Tasha]

Stucki it's completely normal for the heart rate to lower at this gestation. You'd expect it to be between 120 and 180.

I'm so glad you made it to 15 weeks, so happy for you

 

[pinkpassion]

I agree my dd heart rate lowered like that too!! It is perfectly normal!!

I know it's so hard not to worry that things are going to go wrong! I I hate that feeling! I'm sorry you're feeling like that!! How often do you use your doppler?

 

[pinkpassion]

Dairy, I'm sorry. . That's incredibly annoying! I know after each of my losses people would stick their noses in "maybe you should just adopt" "get a surrogate " " maybe you're just not meant to have kids" "maybe you need this or that"... it's frustrating!!!!

 

[ginny83]

totally normal Stucki

These are average fetal heartrates:

~110 bpm (mean) by 5-6 weeks
~170 bpm by 9-10 weeks
~150 bpm by 14 weeks
~140 bpm by 20 weeks
~130 bpm by term

And that's average - so you'd have differences between bubs and then also: Although in the healthy fetus the heart rate is usually regular, a beat-to-beat variation of approximately 5 to 15 beats per minute can be allowed.

sorry I cute and paste some of that info


Dairy that would really annoy me - especially being a student nurse. I've even been annoyed by GPs who are very experienced, but they are not specialised in current fertility studies.

 

[sailorsgirl]

Ah that would annoy me too Dairy.

I have just received a letter asking me to go for bloods on day 3, day 5 and day 21 of my next cycle. Unfortunately I am on day 3 now so gutted I didn't get my letter yesterday.

Xx

 

[Squig34]

So sorry to hear of your losses & particularly your recent one Sailorsgirl ; I lost my son in February at 21 weeks & it was horrendous. It's still very difficult & sometimes extremely difficult, but nonetheless not quite as raw now 7 months later. How disappointing to have gotten your letter today instead of yesterday. After the loss itself the waiting (for tests, for answers) is the hardest part of RMC.

That would be annoying Dairy!

 

[hopeful23456]

stucki - yes, normal! and sometimes baby will be sleeping and then it's slower than you would think too

 

[dairymomma]

Stuck-With DS, his heart rate was anywhere from 120-140 and with my DD, their hbs were anywhere from 135-160. It varied depending on if I'd just eaten, if they were sleeping or active, what gestation they were at. I think it's likely just baby growing and as babies grow, their hb slows a bit as a pp said. But if it's a concern to you, ask your doctor about it. My OB says there are no stupid questions when it comes to an RMC woman being pg.

AFM-my cousin called. *cue eye roll* The thing I HATE about talking to her is that she's got this annoying gift for weaseling personal choices/opinions out of you before she puts them down if she doesn't agree. I had to pull out the 'none of your business' sign more than once and even that didn't stop her a few times. But in the end, I am glad I talked to her because she was genuinely interested in what I had to say and she admitted my doctor is giving me good advice so it wasn't all bad. And she really isn't a bad person. Just SUPER nosy.

 

[newlywedtzh]

Hi Guys I hope some of you recognize me!! It's been a while since I've been on this thread. But I do stalk from time to time! Hope everyone is doing well!!!

I had my rainbow baby a year ago thanks to this thread!! I Was d/x with MTHFR homo A type- had a successful pregnancy thanks to clomid, high dose folic acid, and oral progesterone.

Which leads to now, I am still nursing but my period has not yet returned- which can be normal (avg is 14 months). However, I am REALLY thin- I've always been naturally thin and I think nursing just kind of sucks the life out of me. I am 105lbs (normal around 118) at 5'4 so my BMI is less than 19%. My doctor did not like this and wanted to run some routine blood work.

Everything is okay except one indicator of a poor diet and malnutrition (which I'm going to work on) but she also tested some hormone levels... and I am really upset.

My FSH was 8.6 mIU. My estrogen was very low at 28.1 (typical with breastfeeding) so this number should be accurate. From what I read it is technically still considered a "good" FSH but for my age (I am 29) very bad and is an indicator of poor ovarian reserve and even low quality eggs.

To think I was hoping I could have another rainbow baby without the help of fertility doctors - I was finally not feeling any pressure to TTC and wanted to just let nature takes it course this time. Well this little number has made all optimism go out the window-and am right back to doubting if I'll be able to concieve. When I was going through fertility treatments for the M/C's two years ago - my ovarian reserve was never brought up and I'm sure they tested it. How can things change so much in two years? From what I've read nursing has no effect on the FSH number, but I'm hoping because I'm underweight at the moment and still in lactational amenorrhea that it could have something to do with it

Anyway- I was just wondering if any of you gals had any input. I am really not ready to wean - was hoping to go another year- but now I am terrified that I am racing against the clock for baby #2 which I very much want. To think I was feeling so zen about the whole thing- the pressure was off, and I'm honestly not ready for #2 yet. I wish I didn't know about this number.

 

[Squig34]

As far as I understand it Newly (although some measurements differ in the US & UK), a high FSH CAN be an indicator of a low ovarian reserve BUT is not always. You need to have your AMH levels tested. Although I also believe that these can fluctuate from month to month. I had my FSH levels tested twice & as it was a bit on the higher side the second time, I had my AMH level tested, which was normal. So try not to panic & get your AMH figure which will give you a better idea of the situation & what you might do going forward.

 

[newlywedtzh]

Thanks Squig! My AMH was 4.1 when tested two years ago. Maybe I'll ask my regular doctor to test that again.

 

[Michellebelle]

Hello, I've been reading through these posts and they are so helpful and reassuring!

I've been pregnant twice in the last 6 months, but both ended in miscarriage, one around 8 weeks and one around 6 weeks. Both times to get pregnant I did Follistim, Clomid and a trigger shot. DH has has a SA and everything is fine, so my doc thinks it is just bad luck twice in a row. However, to rule things out I'm getting my thyroid levels, blood thickness (can't remember the correct term) and a karyotype test done. Then I'm getting a HSG so he can make sure I don't have any uterine abnormalities.

I'm hoping all the tests come back fine and that it really is just bad luck and that the third time is the charm and we can try again soon!

to everyone.

 

[dairymomma]

Michelle-Have you had your progesterone levels checked while pregnant and/or have you been on progesterone supplements? My dr said low progesterone levels were my likely initial cause for my recurrent miscarriages because I was m/c before 9 weeks. I started taking a progesterone supplement from bfp to 13-14 weeks and my first rainbow baby was the result. I'd bring that up as well with your doctor.

newly-no help with the FSH levels as I've only ever had that checked once and it was completely normal. My only thought would be if your MTHFR is somehow affecting your hormone levels. I was recently diagnosed with the MTHFR C677T mutation (homozygous) and from what I've been able to find out, it not only interferes with folate methylation but it can trigger clotting issues and hormone imbalances-specifically with estrogen. It's just a thought really.

AFM-I got the raw data results from 23andme today. After getting it interpreted, it looks like I'm homozygous for another gene issue and this one affects B12 absorbtion or usage but the folate/B vitamin supplement I'm on is one that's recommended as treatment so I'm not concerned. It's just really interesting to see what my genes are telling me and I'm glad I did this.

 

[newlywedtzh]

Okay so I have been doing some crazy research. Like crazy digging way back into 1980s published journals crazy. And from what I can determine nursing does play a slight role in FSH. One of the few studies done on this and is most referenced was a study that showed FSH levels while experiencing lactational ammonreha are on the higher end of normal of the follicular phase (10 being the cut off) Which is exactly what mine was. Also another paper determined 8.1 (although most were right below the number) as the mean of 10 nursing women experiencing lactational ammonreha. The number went down to 6.9 when their periods resumed. So phew. I feel a little better. Hope this info might help anyone in the future who is looking. I'm going to try to go back to my zen zone and work on getting my bmi up and hope that helps my period return. Wish me luck!