Is it possible for Short Luteal Phase to have caused my MMC?

[hippychick66]

I am currently very .

When we were ttc my recent pregnancy (2 previous successful pregs). I was having short cycles approx 23/24 days and seemed to be ovulating about day 14/15 (rarely confirmed by those horrid opk's). I took that to be a short luteal phase.

In Dec we went to see a consultant who scanned me on days 15 & 19. He said my lining looked a bit thin both times and the possibility of pregnancy was not promising.

On day 26 I got a BFP! and did 4 more tests and had a blood test because I was so confused because of what the consultant had said.

My GP was happy with the blood test and said I had a good HGH level of 69,000 at 6-7 weeks.

Fast forward to week 11 and I had spotting and cramping and was told at a scan that the baby had stopped at 8 weeks and I had just hung on to it.

I have had a medical management and was told that my odds were 1/4 at my age (43) and that they would still be 1/4 if we tried again.

I've asked 2 docs at the hosp if the thin lining could cause the mmc but there was no definite answer. I thought if the lining was too thin it might cause you too MC early say about 4/5 weeks because the embryo fails to implant - but shorly it couldn't effect a foetus whose made it to 8 weeks - can it???

I feel unable to TTc again until I can see if I have short luteal phases - this could take months (time I don't have at my age) plus I would miss out on this possible post MC fertile time.

If you're still reading - bless you for your perseverence. If anyone knows if LPD can cause this type of miscarriage and if I'd be more likely to suffer the same fate again please please let me know. I don't think I can cope with this again. Are my chances really 1/4 or are they much worse due to another possible thin lining???

[yogamat]

Hippychick so sorry to hear you've had such a rotten time.
re the luetal phase - you could try taking vit b6 - or a vit b complex. That is meant to help.
Try an iron supplement to help thicken lining maybe too. I'm no expert but that's what I think/have read.
Also have you tried accupuncture? It can really, really help with short l phase and also to increase blood flow to uterus.
Maybe none of these things will make a difference but it's worth a try cause they can't do any harm and it helps to feel your actively doing something to help doesn't it?
Good luck!
ps sure someone more in the know that me will be along in no time to give you even better answers.
Also type some questions in the search box - no doubt someone else will have asked the exact same thing before and you can read their threads.

[cupcakefairy]

Absolutely, a short luteal phase is a common cause of pregnancy loss because it shows a lack of progesterone- ie not enough to sustain the embryo. You can try natural supplements to increase progesterone. I highly recommend this book it is bloody brilliant- lots of natural remedies for this kind of thing.
Have also heard acupuncture can lengthen cycles.

Good luck, and so sorry for your mmc. I had a mmc at 8 weeks last year and medical management so I really do sympathise.

[DuelingFanjo]

cupcakefairy I wasn't aware of this and am now wondering could this have been why I miscarried? I have a short cycle of about 24/25 days usually and the one time I did get pregnant I was told at a scan at about 8 weeks that the foetus had no heartbeat, and was only measuring at 6 weeks. I went on to have a medical miscarriage.

I am about to start IVF - should I perhaps ask the clinic for a high progesterone course/shots?

hippychick66 so sorry to hear that you have been through this

[cupcakefairy]

Eek, dueling I don't claim to be an expert on this; it's only because I am a Natural Family Planner that I have read lots of literature on cycles and firmly believe there are natural and nutritional ways to solve lots of fertility problems - docs just tend to jump in with drugs straight away and don't actually investigate women's cycles (which contrary to popular belief, are all VERY unique!)

I'm so sorry for what you've been through and really hope the IVF brings you your dream but yes, I would mention it to your docs for sure.

[hippychick66]

Cupcake I'm really kicking myself now cos I thought once i got the BFP and got past the first few weeks that the short luteal phase no longer counted. I had read that LPD can cause early miscarriage but I thought it meant about 5/6 weeks. I didn't think a thin lining would be able to support the foetus to 8 weeks and then hold on to it for another nearly 4 weeks.

I wish i'd made more fuss about it now. My GP just said that the lining must have thickened up or I wouldn't have conceived and the consultant who initially said he'd do a 21 day progresterone test - just decided he would not do it after all as he thought I wasn't likely to get preg (b*stard!)

Also he offered us a scan at 6.5 weeks but we decided not to pay him anymore money cos we'd lost faith in him (cos he failed to spot that I was already preg when he scanned me).

I wish with all my heart I'd done that scan now - perhaps he would have said the lining was still thin and given me progesterone or something. God I feel like I let my little one down!

[mermaidspurse]

hippychick a horrid thing to go through
I also have yep you've guessed it the 23/24 day cycle. Almost hate to say that I have had 5mc.
I would definately go with the accup. as yogamat suggests from everything that I have read it would really seem to help some women.
Also the vits and get cupcakes book cos she is always banging on about it and it worked for her

I was given cyclogest for No.5 which is meant to assist with the thickening of the lining, I would deffo try to arm yourself with some. 2 mc were at 6ish weeks,1 at 8weeks, 1 at 12 and 1 at 11 -
For me I am running out of momentum and am enjoying my very precious ds but wish you masses of sparkly
good luck and I so hope that things work out for you.

[hippychick66]

mermaid I cannot begin to imagine how you have gone through this so many times. You must be super woman!

My Dh says we should just concentrate on arming ourselves with as much info as possible for next time and not keep worrying about why it happened this time. I'm pretty sure that if I'm still having short cycles when they return then i will feel unable to try again. It's a shame though cos I'm 43 and don't really have time to wait and see.

I too am lucky to already have 2 DS's.

I hope whatever you decide to do, it is right for you and once again I am so sorry you have had such an awful time.