TTC - Using aspirin to prevent another miscarriage without dr consent?

[rosalina72]

That's basically it really. I'm trying to conceive number 2. I've had 2 miscarriages in the past, one before my son one after (just this past July). I've just got off the phone with a GP in my surgery and I've asked the question whether I should use a low dose aspirin to prevent miscarriage. She said no.

I'm aware that as a general rule doctors only seem to take 3 consecutive miscarriages seriously however I would like to do anything in my power to try and avoid it. I've read on dr google that low dose aspirin can't really do any harm and may help. So why did she say she doesn't recommend it? Have any of you gone on to take aspirin without consulting with a gp? And did it have any ill effects?

I should give you my background as well as it is relevant. I'm 38, non smoker, non drinker, fairly good health, no chronic illness and I don't take any medications. I am taking folic acid but that's it.

[panashe]

Hi, I'm going to be doing the same. Had second mc ( I have dc but with a different partner which mw last time raised as a point) in July and am on cd5 now. I also take double folic acid.

Are you going to take it if you get bfp or start taking it now ?

[rosalina72]

I don't know what to do really. I don't want to go against the 'recommendation' of a doctor but she didn't really give a good (or any) reason why I shouldn't take it. She just mentioned how common miscarriages are and that they wouldn't do any testing unless you have 3 mc in a row, blah blah blah. Basically nothing of value. Did your doctor also advise against taking aspirin?

If I do decide to take it, I was going to do it now as I hear it could help with implantation. I don't want another miscarriage and if there's something I can do to help then I want to do it.

[eurochick]

I am doing it in an effort to help implantation as I think I might be experiencing very early losses. I did a lot of research and could find very little in the way of ill effects for people in good health and some research to suggest it might help. When I eventually saw a gynae after several months of waiting he asked what medication I was taking and I mentioned the aspirin. He asked why I was taking it and I said to help conception. He said rather snappishly that there is no evidence to suggest it helps but didn't tell me to stop taking it. I have carried on. I take the view that I am big and ugly enough to do my own research and make my own choices. I don't need a dr's permission. I've had no ill effects from it but I have noticed that I bruise "normally" now - I hardly ever used to bruise at all, even from hard knocks.

I guess you already know that it is the 75mg dose you should be taking if you decide to try this.

[panashe]

I haven't even mentioned it to my doctor, but I bruise very easily so that could be a problem for me.

I bought the 75mg form Boots

[rosalina72]

Thanks for your responses. I've bought the low dose 75mg aspirin available over the counter but have been too chicken to take it. So I plucked (no pun intended!) up the courage to call the doc hoping that they would say it's ok and to go ahead but got a similar response to you eurochick. Doc seemed really unimpressed with the question, the concern, pretty much everything I had to say and just spouted statistics at me about '1 in 3 pregnancies ending in mc ....'

I've got a friend who's having IVF treatment at one of the best clinics in London and her doctor recommended aspirin telling her it can't hurt and certainly helps. I don't think she's got a clotting issue, her issues is Killer cells.

I think I might take it.

[panashe]

How long does it take to get into our system though ? Perhaps its something that can be taken in the 2ww or should it just be taken all the time. I haven't opened mine yet

[rosalina72]

Not sure. I haven't done that much research and most people seem to take it when the get the positive result. Eurochick maybe you know when it should be taken for best results?

[kat2504]

If you haven't got a blood condition, some research I Dr Googled suggests that aspirin won't make a blind bit of difference.

The trouble is, nobody wants to go through 3 miscarriages before getting diagnosed with said blood condition.
As far as I am aware, the low dose will do no harm, even if you don't have the condition that means it will do some good. sometimes the placebo effect of feeling that you are doing something is good for you anyway.

[pommedechocolat]

I have a blood condition that makes keeping pgs hard. I was lucky enough to find out before ttc and I was (and still am) shocked at the three consecutive mc rule. I think it is pretty inhumane tbh. The tests that id blood discorders cost approx £600 if you private by the way.

My obstretrician prescribes 75mg aspirin in pregnancy. My haemotologist thinks it is pointless but harmless (apart from making bruising from fragmin worse). My conclusion from that in answer to your question is that it is unlikely to be harmful.

[pommedechocolat]

if you GO private

[rosalina72]

Thanks for all your responses everyone.

Just out of curiousity Pomme, did the aspirin work for you? And did your obstetrician prescribe it when you started ttc or only after testing positive?

It's interesting how the doctors seem to be really divided on this issue. I wish they would do more research on the subject but hey womens issues are not really top of the priority list...but that's a whole other matter!!!!!

[pommedechocolat]

My pg with dd was without issues and so far (fingers crossed) this one has been fine too. Whether that's down to the aspirin, the fragmin or just genetics/luck I can't say.

My obstetrician prescribes it when I am pg and I see her for the first time (16 weeks with dd, 10 weeks this time). I see the haem team before that and as I said they aren't bothered by it. Both times my ob has been upset I've gone without it for some of the pg and has instructed me that if there is a next time I must just start taking it myself as soon as I get a bfp.

[eurochick]

I take it through the month but stop if a week before I have any medical procedures that might cause bleeding.

[SlightlyBabyCrazed]

Interesting thread, I started taking aspirin last month, but have found that I am bruising way too easily and am a bit concerned about it, so think I'll leave off it until I see consultant again. I do know of people that it has worked for though, so if bruising wasn't an issue, I would certainly give it a more of a go

[Coconutfeet]

I was investigated by my local recurrent miscarriage clinic and all tests came back normal. The doctor there recommended taking 75mg of aspirin, saying that there was no evidence that it would help as I don't have a specific condition that they're aware of but it wouldn't do any harm. She did say that you should only take it after you've got a bfp though.

[ducksinarow]

The latest research that St Mary's uses suggest that asprin (if you don't have a blood clotting disorder), is at best does nothing but at worst might make a miscarriage more likely.

Also if you go onto have another m/c then having taken the asprin the blood-clotting tests will have to be delayed. Having been through many m/c's and many investigations, I really think that asprin is best avoided until you have have ther recurrent m/c tests done.

I know it is hard when all you want to do is try something/anything to try to prevent another m/c. But it is not necessarily going to do that. It certainly did nothing for me. I have taken asprin, progesterone, heperin, and all sorts of combinations, but to no avail.

If you do have a blood clotting disorder then you should be taking heperin as well as asprin. So starting asprin before getting diagnosed is not helpful in the longrun.

The good news is that before 3 m/c's you still are statistically likely to have the same chance of a normal healthy term pregnancy as anyone else.

I hope it works out for you all, and that you don't have to go though any more losses.

[Coconutfeet]

Oh dear Ducksinarow, that's a worry. I wasn't aware of that research. I haven't got a blood clotting disorder but was advised to take it anyway. I wonder whether I should continue...

[Ilovekittyelise]

I'm now 39 weeks and have taken in since before conceiving. I had a chemical pregnancy and got paranoid and read that 75mg helps sustain the early stages of pregnancy and thought, why not, it cant hurt (i've certainly never heard that the low dose can CAUSE miscarriage). And then i learnt that it can also help keep your BP in check later on and possibly prevent pre-eclampsia. It certainly doesnt seem to have done any harm amongst the plethora of supplements im taking and I think sometimes the psychological benefits can be very strong as well (I have a friend with recurrent MC issues and apparently statistically even where the cause of the problem is not found, regular intense monitoring of a pregnancy has been found to have a positive effect and dramatically increase the chances of a successful pregnancy just because the woman knows she is being monitored).

good luck.

[hairylights]

I had two early miscarriages, and was put on 75mg of aspirin from next bfp then had a very early mmc. I had rmc tests and given the all clear, but was advised to take150mg from next bfp. This I did and I am now 20 weeks pregnant. I have no idea if it has gone beter this time due to the aspirin.

[wombatinwaiting]

Hi Rosalina - it's a tough choice to make and as you can see here there are fors and againsts. My experience is that following 2 mc's (one natural, one mmc), my ob/gyn recommended taking it once I got my bfp (75mg once a day) plus progesterone supps (400mg once a day). I don't know if it's one, either or none of these that have made a difference, but I am now 28 weeks pg and have been advised to continue taking it until 32 weeks (I think, could be 34 - I'm checking with the doc again this week...) On another thread here, a fellow threader took the same dose without docs advice, also following 2 mcs, and is now 18 weeks pg. We are both 38 as well. Hope this helps in some way - very best of luck for a sticky bean next time around.

[Coconutfeet]

Hairylights - I remember you from the mc board. Lovely news. Congratulations!

You too Wombat. I hope it all goes well.

[wombatinwaiting]

Thanks coconutfeet - v kind of you.

[rosalina72]

Thanks everybody for your responses. Yes, this is a very tricky subject and I really don't think there's one good answer. It is very worrying that the research from St Mary's states it could actually increase chances of miscarriage! I had not read that anywhere.

I actually developed pre-eclampsia during the last week of my full term pregnancy so maybe aspirin could potentially help prevent the recurrence of that? I need to do more research on that front.

I honestly don't know what to do about it now .

[rosalina72]

Btw, glad to hear some of you are having healthy pregnancies after miscarriage! It gives me hope!!