Recurrent miscarriage

[Sarbob13]

I am just going through my third miscarriage within a year and feeling very hopeless about the future ahead.

Has anyone else had three miscarriages in a row? I will now be referred to a gynaecology consultant in which they will do 'tests'. Has anybody has these tests- what happens? Are there any specific questions that I should be asking?

[doleritedinosaur]

I had my third miscarriage in a row a few weeks ago.
Have you had any tests by your GP?
I've been referred but it takes up to 3 months so my GP got the ball rolling by arranging tests she could do such as thyroid, anti-colag which is clotting which means when I do get referred will have all the results back.

I also make sure I'm still taking vitamins & have upped my vitamin b12 as well as D & folic acid.

As most of my tests have come back normal hoping it's just bad luck but will have to see.

My GP said gynae will do their own further tests & also go down adhesions route possibly.

Have they given you a waiting time?

I did do a lot of reading around this board to ask my GP & to prepare for the appointment. It's also distracting me as the last one was very hard to get over.

[Sarbob13]

I'm back at the hospital on Friday where they will scan me to check everything's passed. Then said they will do both my husbands and my bloods to get started. Think the waiting time is three months+ to see the gynaecologist consultant. I have an appointment with my go in a week so il ask her about the tests that you had done.

I found my second miscarriage hard in February as I went for my 12 week scan to be told that they couldn't find a heartbeat. This miscarriage I was monitored from week 4 in which they saw bleeding around the sac from an early stage so prepared myself.
I personally think I'm miscarrying because it's something to do with a hormonal imbalance as I read bleeding around the sac can be due to this or because my blood group is rhsesus negative but who knows!

Do you have any children?

[Sarbob13]

Also what's the adhesions route?

[doleritedinosaur]

I have one DS who's 14 months who was a surprise & really easy! I'm Rheus negative too which my GP said causes more late miscarriages not early ones & she didn't think it was related to my early ones.

I did read that previous pregnancies can cause adhesions in the uterus but that means an operation. Not sure how they investigate those.

I just hope it's not not too long a wait, but in the break now from trying which is helping.

I've read about new studies about super fertility from women who get pregnant very easily but from embryos that normally wouldn't be viable anyway, hence the recurrent miscarriages but it's in very early stages.

We've agreed to try NHS testing but by Jan next year will look at the clinic that does tests for £360 if nothing comes up from these & ive had more miscarriages.

I've found its good to do some reading but not too much.

Have you got any children?
Hopefully your GP will be helpful. My family have a history of recurrent miscarriages so my GP was keen to get started but she did say sometimes they either can't find the reason or its bad luck.

[Getintogear963]

Hi Sarbob13

I am so sorry to hear of your losses.

I am at the same stage as you unfortunatley (just about to miscarry number 3 in a row). Unfortunately I am not a Mum yet. I have been trying since I was aged 38 and I am now 41. First pregnancy was not a miscarriage. It was in Oct 2014 where I decided to end the pregnancy at 13.5 weeks as the baby had Down's Syndrome and was extremely ill and very unlikely to have made it. I then waited a year to try again due to the devastation. In Oct 2015 I had my first miscarry (empty sac known as a blighted ovum), then again in Jan 2016 I had my second miscarry (this time had heartbeat at 7 weeks and m/c'd at 9 wks), and now again is my 3rd miscarry - discovered at 6 weeks / 3 days just a fetal pole and yolk and baby just hasn't made it .

I tried the NHS route and they do very basic tests (the minimum). The tests they did were to check for antiphospholipid/APPT (blood clotting) and they also carried out a pelvic scan to check the anatomy ie. uterus and ovaries look ok etc. All these tests came back normal and they just told me to keep trying so I did but now suffering with 3rd miscarry. They are now referring me to a doctor called Mr Himanshu Borase and after waiting 4 weeks I still have no appointment letter to see him yet.

Regarding the NHS initial tests, you can take a look at the NHS recurrent miscarriage website to see what they test for (www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Miscarriage/Pages/Diagnosis.aspx) you'll see it's very basic stuff. If these come back normal then it's up to each NHS hospital who they refer their patients to next.

At the point after having two miscarriages in Jan 2016, although I was under NHS care I wanted more help as the NHS are too slow and I do not have time to waste. After doing some research particularly on Mumsnet, I came accross a highly recommended private doctor called Dr Shehata (www.miscarriageclinic.co.uk/). I contacted them and made my first appointment which was late April (quite a long wait). So I am now currently under Shehata's care and waiting results of blood tests. Shehata thinks I have thyroid antibodies that are attacking my pregnancies (as I was diagnosed with an overactive thyroid in August 2015 which they think was triggered by my first pregnancy).

Shehata specialises in recurrent miscarriage and looks at NK cells in the body (Natural Killer cells) which is a very common cause of miscarry and treatable by steroids.

He is definiately one to consider.

I also hear that Zita West (anothe private doctor) is an expert in recurrent miscarriage and specialises on the IVF side so also worth looking in to (it depends on your situation and type of complications you are having ie. not being able to conceive or not being able to carry?).

Anyway, whatever route you take I wish you all the best and I am happy to keep you posted about my journey with Shehata.

Lou x

[Getintogear963]

doleritedinosaur I am also very sorry about your losses .... it's all a very devasting journey for us ladies... whoever thought having a baby would be so difficult!
Lou x

[doleritedinosaur]

Thank you Lou & I'm so sorry about your losses, really hope the Doctor can find the cause for you.

I know, it's so hard & frustrating especially as my son wasn't planned & now a sibling is being difficult.

Hope you both find out & are successful.

[limon]

Yes I had three miscarriages within a 1 month period. so sorry for your losses. genetic testing found nothing on my or dhs side. In my fourth pregnancy - at age 43 - three months after my third loss, I fool 2x baby aspirin every day, had a healthy pregnancy and I'm currently tly watching g my lovely DD (aged 4) play . There is always hope.

[limon]

Sorry for typo. my miscarriages were within a 10 month period. June, October and January - I then became pregnant in the April and had dd

[Dixxie]

Hello, may I join? I'm sorry to hear your stories and can relate to you. I'm just having my 2nd miscarriage age 43 and we want private doctor / advice / tests now. How are you getting on with Dr Shevata, would you recommend? X

[Dixxie]

Ladies, I've just started a new thread, TTC Self Help book club, to discuss the two books that many Mumsnetters have recommended, that offer advice on how to prevent miscarriage and have a successful pregnancy (It Starts with the Egg and Is your Body Baby-Friendly). Hey some of us may still have to throw money at private clinics at some stage, but there's lots we can do to help ourselves... Do join and share, let's support each other!