How the fuck am I STILL not pregnant????

[Goinginsane000]

Sorry, I appreciate that this isn’t an AIBU but I am at breaking point and hoping there’s more traffic here.

I have been TTC for 3 years. I was referred for NHS fertility treatment 2 years ago. Tests showed I have PCOS, as suspected. Put on Clomid, had a chemical preg after 3 months. Ovulated probably 10 times out of 12 cycles if I remember correctly. No further BFP for another year. 13 months ago I had a laparoscopy with ovarian drilling. Worked wonders, had a natural period for the first time ever (without needing drugs to bring one on). Continued on Clomid and ovulated every single month without fail. Got pg 6 months later but miscarried at 7 weeks. Was then put on Letrozole. I have ovulated on every one of the 6 cycles I’ve been on this but no fucking BFP. Due to the miscarriage, I had to wait another year for my IVF referral because you need to have not had a pregnancy in the past 12 months.

There must be something else at play, surely???? How can this be happening? Does anyone have any insight or personal experience of a similar history??

For what it’s worth, I am 30. Size 10, have eaten a mainly carb and sugar free diet for 3 years. I don’t smoke or drink much (because I am constantly “possibly pregnant”). I exercise regularly and can run 6 miles in just under 40 mins with zero effort. I take very good care of myself.

Seriously, WTAF!

Caribbean I also encountered some surprise from some medical practitioners, but the consultant obstetrician said that she was not at all surprised and that many women all over the world get pregnant with a very low BMI (well below the bottom end of 'normal')

If you think about it, probably a huge percentage of all the women who have ever lived have been very thin.

By your logic B.B, as long as you’re ovulating, you will fall pregnant.

That’s simply not the case

Carribean that just doesn't tally with what I've read about it or my personal experience, sorry.

OP has mentioned having scans to confirm ovulation.

She has mentioned having a laparoscopy so doesn't need an HSG to clear her tubes as laparoscopic ovarian drilling will include a dye test to check for tubal patency

She has mentioned she is a size 10 and therefore deeply unlikely to be severely underweight

Pregnant rates amongst sexually active anorexics that are still ovulating are minuscule.

I will root out the article and post...

I believe that pcos can reduce egg quality. Have you tried supplements? Royal jelly, coq10, high strength vit d and good quality fish oils? Acupuncture?
These things can have amazing results!
Best of luck

Sorry Bb, what doesn’t tally?

I didn't say that at all

I simply said being underweight doesn't cause fertility problems aside from preventing ovulation.

Of course ovulating isn't a guarantee you'll get pregnant.

That being seriously underweight doesn’t impact chances of falling pregnant?

Sorry xposted

Ah we do disagree.

One can ovulate but still have a much diminished chance of conception than the woman next door who is not underweight / overweight

Being underweight absolutely affects the chances of pregnancy, regardless of ovulation.

Your bodies stress hormones will be higher. There’s also a higher rate of miscarriage (same with a very high BMI)

This is not new or controversial, not sure why people are arguing with it?!

It’s a bit like saying: ‘having blocked tubes doesn’t affect your chance of getting pregnant as long as you are ovulating’
If it was just ovulating and sperm meeting egg every time, IVF would have a 100% success rate!

That’s why your BMI has to be a certain level (and you’ll be advised to put weight on if you are overly muscular) in order to qualify for IVF on the NHS

Exactly chewed

That being seriously underweight doesn’t impact chances of falling pregnant?

As OP is a healthy size 10, what has the miniscule sample size of 'anorexic women who do not suffer from amenorrhea and are ovulating normally and successfully conceived despite being severely underweight' have to do with this thread?

She isn't severely underweight quite evidently, based on being a size 10, having a very healthy diet, and having been treated by fertility clinicians who wouldn't have done treatment until she put on weight if she was very low BMI.

I would also agree anecdotally that my friends who are on the larger side of healthy (BMI 24-25 and boobs and hips) tended to fall pregnant without problems, whereas the underweight/extreme excercisers/restricted dieters either struggled, or sadly did not have children.

That is a very small sample though

Banana - she could be 5,10 with a 6 pack and not a scrap of fat on her, and fit into a size 10.

I’m 5’7, 7 stone 5 and I’m a size 8 (6 in a very few)
BMI of under 18

Chewed - I spoke at length with my consultant about BMI - he wouldn't start IVF until I had put on weight due to the risk of OHSS, he wanted me up to a minimum of 18, preferably 18.5, ideally 19. I'm well aware of the optimum BMI levels (19-24) for achieving a pregnancy.

Given OP is eating a very normal and healthy diet, it seems unlikely that she would be an anorexic size 10?

@NotTheFordType Doggy wasn't in my general repertoire due to finding it painful due to my endometriosis.

Again, clothing size is not a good indicator of body fat/ BMI.

It’s self reported (people choose what size they wear), tall people/big boned people need bigger sizes.

I don’t know why you are so against this point being mentioned? If the OP has a BMI on the lower side and a low body fat, eating more and increasing her body fat may help her get pregnant. Why are you so keen that this avenue isn’t explored? Do you have eating issues?

Yes banana fish, this is almost a side discussion not really linked with OP. Perhaps not very courteous but point being we are not specifically referring to the OP in this side discussion about weight and pregnancy

Yes, I'm 5'7" and BMI 18 and size 6/8, if we're deciding that adding our heights and weights is a valuable contribution to this thread?

I'm also infertile, and have PCOS, and have had 4 cycles of IVF, 7 cancelled cycles, 2 miscarriages, and have reached the end of the road with treatment, as my womb is too damaged to sustain a pregnancy

This is of zero relevance to the OP

If she were severely underweight the NHS clinic would not have treated her for ovulation induction and laparoscopic ovarian drilling, given that she could easily have been suffering anovulation due to hypothalamic amenorrhea, and thus would have been instructed to put on weight to get her BMI up into healthy range, in order to see if putting on weight restored ovulation

Given that this is not the case, and she's been treated by the NHS, it's pretty safe to conclude that she's not an underweight size 10

Why are you so keen that this avenue isn’t explored? Do you have eating issues?

I think it's a very important avenue to consider

I was advised to put on weight by my own fertility consultant, so I agree it CAN be relevant

But I think that if someone is being treated by specialist fertility clinicians, it's pretty unlikely that her weight is going to be the issue here

There are a wealth of issues that could be at play in her case - elevated uterine NK cells, APS, thyroid issues, elevated prolactin, MTHFR, elevated TNF-alpha, elevated levels of anti sperm antibodies, high levels of sperm DNA fragmentation or ROS

That are all worthy of investigation, as the NHS won't look into these

These seem more relevant to her case, given that her clinicians don't seem to be overly concerned about her weight?

I’m sorry for your loss and hardship Bananafish.

The point is, not only is it more difficult to get pregnant if you are underweight, it also makes miscarriage more likely.

For example this study:
www.lshtm.ac.uk/newsevents/news/2006/miscarriage.html

Found that underweight women were 72%more likely to miscarry.

Therefore increasing your BMI if you are underweight will increase your chances of a successful pregnancy.

I don’t mean that as a dig at you, but rather to point out to the OP and to anyone else reading that it can make a massive difference to the chances.

Although this is speculation, because the OP hasn’t said what their BMI is