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Original poster

Baby Aspirin in Pregnancy / Recurrent MC - Conflicting Advice

33 replies

PurplePansy05 · 05/12/2020 08:41

Hi all.

I'm expecting again (4th pregnancy) after 3 MCs. I had all the basic tests at a Recurrent Miscarriage Clinic, came back good, no identified issues. DH was tested too, no issues. Supposedly we've been unlucky to date.

I have also been in touch with the Coventry clinic re NK cells tests. Obviously can't have the biopsies now that I'm pregnant.

I'm on Cyclogest, prescribed by my NHS consultant and also endorsed by Coventry.

However, I've had contradicting advice regarding use of baby aspirin (75mg) daily. My NHS consultant said that it "won't do any harm" and that if I want to take it, I can get it over the counter. She said she's not sure it will actually help considering I have no thrombophilia-related issues.

Coventry said they don't recommend using baby aspirin at all before 10 weeks.

I'm now just over 4 weeks and in a real pickle. I only had one thrombophilia blood test which came back fine, but I read they should be done twice with a 6 week gap. I'm now paranoid the result may have been wrong. I do get lots of clots during AF, I told my NHS consultant but she didn't put me through another test. I'm confused.

Then I read lots of empirical evidence re baby aspirin, overwhelmingly positive, but again you just don't know the actual position of a stranger online. I haven't actually seen much on this topic regarding the risks.

I am obviously very cautious after multiple losses, but also don't want to avoid doing something that might help. I don't want a fourth loss.

So my questions are, to those of you who had thrombophilia blood test, did you all have two tests?

And to those of you who had no identified clotting issues, what advice have you been given regarding baby aspirin, please?

Are there any scientifically confirmed risks of use the 75mg dosage in early pregnancy (so for a short period of time) to mother and/or baby?

Thank you in advance xx

OP posts:
Original poster
PurplePansy05 · 03/02/2021 13:25

Oh @Jeds55 that's awful. I have no DCs yet, I'm hopeful everything will go well now and we'll take our son home 💙 Re baby aspirin, have you been tested yet for thrombophilia/APS? My results came back fine but I never fully shook off a suspicion that I may be developing APS in pregnancy. I read a lot about this and unfortunately NHS doesn't normally test early on in pregnancy so it's very difficult to detect. For me it was between that and NK cells which I was about to get tested privately for, but this pregnancy happened and here we are. I hope you've been referred to an RMC and getting good care, v happy to share my knowledge so far if needed 💙 Wishing you all the luck in the world 🌈 xx

OP posts:
Jeds55 · 03/02/2021 12:28

@PurplePansy05 that's such fantastic news. I've had 4 mc (3 in a row since dd). My health Trust said they'd prescribe progesterone next time (if there is one) I've read really positive things about baby aspirin so will also probably try that too.
Wishing you a very healthy rest of pregnancy

Original poster
PurplePansy05 · 02/02/2021 21:55

Hi All! Thought I'd share my latest news, I had my 12 week scan and a private NIPT test and we're expecting a healthy baby boy 💙 I'm 12+5 now and ovee the moon. I have no idea if baby aspirin has helped, but I'm sticking to it and will do the same again going forward. For the first time there's some hope out there 🌈

OP posts:
Original poster
PurplePansy05 · 05/12/2020 09:22

@Hardbackwriter Wow, our stories are very similar! Thank you for responding, it means a lot. Congratulations on your healthy pregnancies and your little boy. I definitely feel just as you've described, I want to try everything possible, but do no harm. I'm a researcher too, I've read so much on pregnancy loss, probably too much, tbh! I know exactly what you mean. Best of luck for the remainder of your pregnancy, I hope you're feeling well xxx

OP posts:
Original poster
PurplePansy05 · 05/12/2020 09:16

Hello @VenusStarr, we did speak before, I remember! Thank you so much for taking time to respond to this, we're very much in a similar boat from what you've described.

I am so sorry about to hear about your fourth loss. I really hope your current protocol will balance the NK cells and allow your next pregnancy to progress without the need to endure any more pain and loss. Sending you lots and lots of strength xxx

I have to say, I am leaning towards taking it because it is such a small dose and it would only be taken for a short period of time. As you say, it used to be part of the standard protocol. I had a look at other countries too and in the US it's routinely taken BUT from 12 weeks onwards.

I will email my RMC to confirm their view on this. It's such a minefield, isn't it, you don't want to do anything wrong, but you don't want to miss out on something so easy that might just help.

Tbh, I was shocked when I heard I had no clotting issues, I somehow suspected they'll come back with an issue based on my AFs. But no. I understand you've not had any clotting issues diagnosed either, in addition to NK that you've mentioned?

Wishing you SOOOOO much luck, I really do. You're not alone! Xxx

OP posts:
toptreeroots1 · 05/12/2020 09:07

I've been having 150mg since 8 weeks.
Previous pre eclampsia.
On midwife advice.

Hardbackwriter · 05/12/2020 09:07

I was in a very similar situation - I also went to Coventry after three miscarriages. They found that I didn't have elevated NK cells, but prescribed me cyclogest. I had already been to the recurrent miscarriage clinic at my local hospital, who found nothing (I'm reasonably certain I only had the thromophilia test once but I think that was standard?) but told me to take aspirin. When I got pregnant a fourth time I did take both, despite Coventry saying not to take the aspirin - I can't really remember why I did that now, I guess I wanted to try everything. I had DS, now 2.5. I'm now 31 weeks pregnant with my second, and in this one I took aspirin but not cyclogest. This one is an not-quite-unplanned-but-certainly-not-really-trying pregnancy, in very stark contrast to DS, so I hadn't spoken to anyone about trying again and what to do first, which is why I bought the aspirin as a 'might as well' but didn't talk to anyone about being prescribed cyclogest. But that's all just more anecdote!

I did quite a lot of (obsessive) research when going through it all to have DS and my understanding is that the efficacy of aspirin in recurrent miscarriage is unclear but the safety of taking aspirin in pregnancy is well established - they tell a lot of women to take it for a lot of different reasons - which is why they take such a 'might as well' attitude to it in many clinics.

Wishing you the absolute best - it's a horrible thing to go through.

VenusStarr · 05/12/2020 08:52

Hi @PurplePansy05 we've spoken before I think. Congratulations.

I was given similar advice re aspirin and was specifically told by professor Brosens at Coventry to not take it, so I took the cyclogest only in my 4th pregnancy and sadly I had another mmc (not to scare you, just sharing my own experience) - nothing to do with the cyclogest as I've had 2 other mmcs so the cyclogest didn't mask the miscarriage and I actually bled quite heavily on it.

I think you only need the thrombophillia bloods again if your first shows a positive or inconclusive result, so I wouldn't worry about that.

The frustrating thing I've found is that some recurrent miscarriage clinics seem to try things like aspirin or clexane even if there's not clinical reason to. Mine offered nothing, the only reason I got the cyclogest was because I'd been to the implantation clinic and got normal results, so they said try it.

I have since been to see a private clinic and part of my standard protocol I'm taking baby aspirin now (not pregnant yet). I have been diagnosed with aggressive nk cells, so am on other medication too, but the specialists view was that baby aspirin isn't going to harm.

Baby aspirin used to be the standard recurrent miscarriage protocol and I was asked by my epu if I had taken it as 'that's what we used to tell everyone'.

I know a couple of people who only used cyclogest in their 5th pregnancies after having no reasons for previous losses and they both have their babies and the prism study supports the use for recurrent miscarriages.

Best wishes xx

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