Anybody been prescribed 5mg folic acid?

[Ju1es22]

Hello

I'm just going through my 5th mc in two years.

After my 3rd mc this time mmc at 11 weeks last September my consultant ran all the blood tests on me and hubby (I had about 8!)

I got our results back beginning December which came back clear, he advised to take low dose apirin! At which stage I was already in the early stages of pregnancy again and unfortunatly mc 24 December.

After a few horible cycles Jan, Feb, March my body started to repare itself. From December to now we haven't use any contraception I was beginning to think it would never happen when I got a bfp 14/8.

I started spotting on and off from 5 weeks - 6 weeks 5 days I had hcg bloods taken and scans which showed only a sac no heartbeat. I started to mc naturally last Thursday which I should have been just over 7 weeks.

My consultant has now advised a prescription of 5mg folic acid and to continue taking low dose aspirin. Has anybody taken this and think its helped have a healthy pregnancy and what is it meant to do?

Any advice is appreciated.

xx

[escapeartist]

Ju1es sorry for your losses and everything you have been through! It sounds like you have been through it all!

A prescription for folic acid is usually given when you have tested positive for the MTHFR mutation in the standard thrombophilia work up. The idea behind it is that your body cannot metabolise homocysteine well - elevated levels of homocysteine are linked with neural tube defects, as well as clotting problems (and therefore miscarriage), strokes etc etc etc. It is quite a common defect apparently (60% of the pop can have such a mutation) but it can cause problems in pregnancy (which is on its own a hypercoagulative condition= blood clots more in pg).

I would ask my dr to explain their thinking behind prescribing aspirin and 5mg of folic - it is always useful to know - I know I want to know why. I received my thrombophilia work up, the gynae said there was no problem, despite the fact that they were positive, as I was only hetero (for 3 different mutations). However, I had a thorough look as I wanted to know for myself and found that 2 of the three mutations I have can cause rec miscarriage and other pregnancy complications. Saw a haematologist two days ago who confirmed this and said that my chances of carrying a pg untreated are lower than 10%, while with treatment (injections) they can go up to 80%!

I have learned my lesson - sometimes you need to take charge of your treatment and chase dr's up - not all of them know everything. Also, ask questions, youa re entitles to know! Sorry for long post... I hope I have helped a bit...

[milkyways]

Hi ju1es, I am really sorry to hear about your mc's.

I had 4 consecutive miscarriages in a space of just over 1 year. Like you, all my tests came back clear for any problems.

After my fourth miscarriage I was prescribed 5mg folic acid which I started taking 3 months before I conceived again. During this time I was also diagnosed with a vit D deficiency which I was treated for over a week of high dose tablets, and also started low dose aspirin from BFP.

I think escape has explained the use of folic acid in women with the MTFHR gene really well. I would also like to add to that, that high dose folic acid increases circulation in the uterus aswell, so that blood flow remains constant from the forming placenta and the hormones being released from the ovaries. This is really important in early pregnancy, and even before conception.

Although I don't have any clotting disorders, I had to personally ask for the high dose folic acid from my GP, as I had done my research into it beforehand.

In saying all the above, I don't know whether it has been the low dose aspirin, the high dose folic acid or the vitamin D deficiency being treated, but something worked and I am currently 22 weeks pregnant. I am still taking the vitamin D and aspirin, and will do until week 36. It is still unbelievable, as I never thought I would have another baby again, but I am confident that the influx of one of the vitamins I increased in my diet helped this baby stick.

Hope everything works out for you in the future.

[letshope]

@Ju1es22 hey I know this is an old post but your story is so similar to my own. I also have mthfr homozygous. And had 3 misscariges.
I wanted to see how you got on, when like you said it, got back in the saddle 😂 and any advice you could give me would be appreciated. Thank you xx