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Original poster

To ask for specific miscarriage causes after a heartbeat?

33 replies

TheCatsPaws · 30/01/2018 10:54

I’ve just had it confirmed that at 8 weeks, my baby has died. Again. I had two scans at 6 weeks that confirmed a heartbeat. Everything looked fine.

This exact same thing happened in the summer. Heartbeat at 6 weeks, gone at 8 weeks. They said both times it happened just before 7 weeks.

I also had two CPs in between these two.

I have one DS who is two, and am due to have tests for why this is happening. But does anyone know any specific causes? Because it seems suspicious that it has happened at exactly the same time, after a heartbeat.

Thank you

OP posts:
aaaaargghhhhelpme · 30/01/2018 10:59

So sorry Flowers

I didn't want to read and run but I don't have any answers. It's heartbreaking. We had three mc. Each after a scan had shown a heartbeat. We never got any answers. Though we were sent for tests and I see you are too so maybe they can rule some things out

It's really hard but I found it soul destroying combing over every minute detail of what I had done/eaten to find a cause.

Hope you have some rl support. Take care of yourself Flowers

Original poster
TheCatsPaws · 30/01/2018 11:01

Sorry it happened to you too. It’s horrible isn’t it?

Did you ever find a cause? They’ve said they’ll test this one if they can but it’s tiny so we don’t think they’ll find anything on it. Our tests are next month.

OP posts:
Merryoldgoat · 30/01/2018 11:03

Sorry for your losses.

I know that thyroid problems can cause losses at around this time. Additionally, thyroid issues often only become a problem after one baby as pregnancy can affect long-term thyroid function and therefore future pregnancies.

puglife15 · 30/01/2018 11:10

I'm really sorry about this.

All I can say is that 6 weeks is still early days, I think 78% chance of a successful pregnancy with a heartbeat at 6 weeks compared to 75% in general. At 10 weeks the chances are 90%. So it's the time when most miscarriages after hearing a heartbeat happen, sadly, and may just be coincidence. The most common cause is chromosome abnormalities meaning the baby wouldn't survive regardless. Not that that makes it any easier.

I've racked my brains trying to work out why my miscarriage / CPs happened, having a reason means you have something you can fix so I totally get why you're looking for one. I hope it works out for you soon x

Original poster
TheCatsPaws · 30/01/2018 11:12

I had my thyroid tested and I think my levels were around 1. DP cut out caffeine and alcohol, as did I. I’m not diabetic.

pug exactly, I hate feeling vulnerable and as if I am doomed to repeatedly lose them. Was a cause ever found? I’m sorry this happened to you too. Flowers

OP posts:
GoodMorning1 · 30/01/2018 11:13

I had a mmc - heartbeat at approx 5 weeks, none at I think 7 weeks, then I actually had the miscarriage at what should have been nine weeks.

Most people I know haven't been offered tests unless they've had three consecutive miscarriages, so it's good they've offered tests after two.

It's hard, but the reality is they just don't know what causes most miscarriages. The tests might tell you the causes, but be prepared that they might not.

I hope you've got lots of support. I found the Miscarriage Association's online forum helpful. And I just has to be v gentle and kind with myself for a v long time.

OhCalamity · 30/01/2018 11:41

Mine were also 8 weeks on the dot. I don't know why. I did get an assortment of tests but nothing turned up on those so I was still none the wiser.

Flowers
MrsLeBear · 30/01/2018 12:20

You might want to get checked for blood clotting. Apparently one of the common causes of early miscarriages is restricted blood flow to the foetus if your blood is too thick and the baby is not getting enough nutrients. This happened to my sister. Can be helped by taking low dose ‘baby’ aspirin throughout pregnancy (as it thins the blood and improves blood flow to the uterus) and I’ve heard that it really makes a difference. I researched this quite thoroughly when I was pregnant last year and it seems to make sense. You might want to have a read about it here on MN, I remember there were a few threads which reported that aspirin made all the difference and helped pregnancues ‘stick’ after repeat miscarriages. Good luck OP, keeping my fingers crossed for you. x

SleepFreeZone · 30/01/2018 12:24

I can tell you why it happened in one of my MMC, the baby had Down’s syndrome and passed away at 11 weeks plus 2.

Dottieroses · 30/01/2018 13:31

Hi, me so sorry to hear this. From past experience it may be a possibility that your HCG levels (for an unknown reason) drop each time at around the same time, causing miscarriage. A friend of mine went through this and after some tests during her 3rd early pregnancy (blood test each day I think it was) they noticed at again the same point in the pregnancy her HCG level began to drop and so monitored her bloods and they continued to drop then she miscarried. Obviously this was awful but it meant they found what was happening, there's no reason for it but they can treat it. They have her HCG replacement injections from week 4 until week 16 I think it was, and then it was safe to stop as the body should take over them. She went on to have a beautiful healthy baby 🙂 This of course may not be the case for you, but it could be. Unfortunately miscarriages are common and it may have been coincidence it was the same weeks. Hopefully the tests show. Crossing my fingers and toes for you! Smile

Dottieroses · 30/01/2018 13:31

I'm so sorry not me*

Original poster
TheCatsPaws · 30/01/2018 13:35

Thank you everyone and I’m so sorry for everyone’s losses Flowers

OP posts:
PinkCrystal · 30/01/2018 13:46

This happened to me. I lost 4 babies altogether 2 being after 20 weeks and 2 early 1 after heartbeat. Turned out I had antiphosphilipid syndrome. In my case the antibodies seemed to come and go depending on pregnancies over a 12 year period. I did manage to have 4 healthy pregnancies 1 being twins so have 5 DC. But I needed injections and a cervical stitch in some pregnancies.

So sorry for your loss.

Original poster
TheCatsPaws · 30/01/2018 13:50

Pink they mentioned this to me. Did you have any other symptoms?

OP posts:
FozzieBear123 · 30/01/2018 14:10

Firstly, I'm so sorry that you're going through this. It's an awful time. I hope you've got a lot of support around you xx
I had 3 recurrent miscarriages, two at 8 weeks, one at 5. I was sent for tests and it was while all these tests were taking place that I fell pregnant again. My consultant put me on baby aspirin and progesterone pessaries as he said there is some research to suggest these can help recurrent miscarriages. 9 months later I had a baby girl. She's now 2. I fell pregnant again in November but lost it just before Christmas. I was taking the aspirin but was waiting for a consultant's appointment to be put on the progesterone (since found out my GP could've prescribed it because of my history, but that's another story). Anyway, that's now 4 miscarriages without progesterone and 1 successful one with it. There's no concrete medical evidence to suggest it worked, it could all just be a complete coincidence, but next time I fall pregnant I'm heading to my GP for progesterone as soon as I get that positive test. I know this doesn't answer your question but just wanted you to know there could well be options for you.
Good luck for the future OP xx

regularbutpanickingabit · 30/01/2018 14:15

There could be lots of reasons or no reasons, that's why it is so cruel

After 4 m/c I was given a different set of tests to my endless infertility workups (that had also only ever given an 'unexplained' response) and there were a couple of things that were flagged.

One was a blood clotting disorder and the other was low progesterone. Both meant a lot of medication and change of care during pregnancy. I went on to have 2 more children.

Hopefully you get some answers and I am so sorry you are on this horrible rollercoaster.

Abracadabraapileofbollocks · 30/01/2018 14:22

I had similar (heartbeat at 8 weeks) stopped around 9 weeks three times. No reasons. I was given a very extensive range of tests.
No real changes I was put on asprin and high folic acid at the start of a successful pregnancy. But no medical proof/ connection there I believe.
I have this depressing feeling that the heartbeat (being a natural function of heart cells) isn't a good a sign as we might "feel" it is. To me it's the regulation of a heartbeat that is probably a better indication. But still not reliable.
It's not an easy place to be Flowers

Dishwashersaurous · 30/01/2018 14:31

Firstly lots of sympathy. I had similar. Three mc, nine, ten and eleven weeks. Was then offered tests and before I had the. I fell pregnant. But I read lots and lots, and it is just the case that in most cases there is no reason. The one thing that you could do going forward, to help with the emotional roller-coaster, is to not test for two months. So even though you know, feeling sick etc, you don't know for certain.

Oriunda · 30/01/2018 14:48

Sorry for your losses.

Possible issues / remedies (with advice from GP as necessary)

MTHFR gene mutation (blood clotting) - easy to test for this. Can take baby aspirin (I had to take Heparin as I tested +ve for clotting disorder)
Progesterone - extra pessaries or injections

Natural killer cells - steroid treatment. I had very high levels. Your average GP may not be aware or want to know about it. I sought specialist treatment.

mumpoints · 30/01/2018 14:50

Haven't read the thread yet OP, but you can ask them to look at the remains to see if there was any genetic abnormality. I'm so sorry this has happened to you Flowers

mumpoints · 30/01/2018 15:00

Don't know how along you have to be to do the above. I was more like 3 and 4 months. But worth an ask. As far as I know three MCs count as "multiple" and they will do tests on the nhs. I was private and they did them after two as it showed a pattern.

Buggeredpelvicfloor2013 · 30/01/2018 15:03

Didnt want to read and run, and I wish I had answers for you. I'm so sorry for your loss. I hope you can get some answers on this. Flowers

Original poster
TheCatsPaws · 30/01/2018 19:03

Thank you everyone. I don’t think it’s progesterone, I was on progesterone from 6w when I saw a heartbeat (they wouldn’t prescribe it me until they knew it wasn’t ectopic). Would that be too late to do anything if it was progesterone?

OP posts:
mygorgeousmilo · 30/01/2018 19:13

Cats I don’t know what date you have to start taking it (progesterone)from, but I’m fairly sure mine were immediate after a missed period, they then started doing the progesterone injections. They hadn’t actually established a cause other than “hormone imbalance” up until that point, and that was after 4-5 mcs. Thinking back, I don’t know if they knew what they’re were doing prescribing progesterone, or if it was just blind hope. I had successful pregnancies with intensive progesterone injections and my first successful one I had to have a cervical stitch.

PinkCrystal · 30/01/2018 21:03

I had no other symptoms.