TTC - 8 mc's 1 ectopic and now 1 year+ no conception - need advice please

[ThePFJ]

Hi everyone,

I will give you my basic history and what the gyno said recently....

I am 34,I have a 4 year little boy, and 10 months after I had him via emergency c-section I suffered an ectopic pregnancy and lost my right tube. The hospital was very unclear about what the reduction in my conception chances would be with one tube, but in the next 2 years approx I then had a further 7 mc's all about week 6/7/8.

So I finally decide to go to the doctor and get referred to the hospital for tests etc. It's now been over a year since I have fallen pregnant.

The hospital say I have a clotting issue which they are doing a follow up test to check on right now. It will take a few more weeks to get the results.
I decided to grab an extra appointment with a gyno doctor recently because my wonderful mother, bless her, decides after years of me going through all this NOW is the time to tell me that she went through early menopause at 38. And I am now 34......

The gyno told me that the blood tests I did earlier this year show my fertility and ovulation, FH levels etc etc are all PERFECT. He has decided to do a followup menopause test and repeat that every 6 months to check if I turn out like my mother - which unfortunately for me - he says could be likely.
But right now I am healthy. Even with one tube. He told me to just keep trying. No extra advice. Just 'keep at it'. And when I fall pg they will look at the clotting thing, which I am assuming is normally easy to fix.

So here's me, desperate for a brother or sister for my son, not wanting to restart a career until I know one way or the other because I want to be a stay at home mum until school, and its hard for me :(
I don't want to panic....

The gyno has not -ahem- given me a physical exam down there yet,
and no one has questioned whether my husbands swimmers are ok.
I am on folic acid.

Is there anything I should be asking for? Or doing?
Are they doing everything for me?
I have no idea.

What would you do? Would you just sit back and keep trying and relax?

Thunks everyone. Much Love to you all. xxx

gosh poor you, what a journey you've had! I'm certainly no expert but didn't want to leave this unanswered. I don't know anything about recurrent miscarriage (never conceived ), but I think you should ask whether you should be doing or taking anything prior to conception. Don't let them fob you off.

It seems odd to me that you were previously conceiving easily and now aren't so it would seem that something may have changed? Therefore, I would ask for an ultrasound scan to check your uterus and ovaries, and also an HSG to check that your one tube is clear. This would be normal after trying for the length of time you have been and is part of the NICE guidelines (if you're in the UK) which you can quote if they aren't keen. I think that you should definitely ask for your husband to get a sperm analysis, since you've not conceived in the past year.

Good luck - it's a hard journey. We are about to start down the IUI route prior to IVF. I know what you mean about the career and things, but I would suggest that you try and carry on your life as normal rather than waiting for a pregnancy that could take some time, as that only makes it harder when it doesn't happen.
x

So sorry for your losses. I've had 5 mc all at about 6 weeks and am ttc again now.

If I were you I would wait until you get your clotting results back before you try again. I think most clotting issues are easy to treat with drugs but you might need to be taking them before falling pregnant?

I take pregnacare with omega 3, vitamin d3 (to regulate immune system) and 75mg aspirin daily as advised by my consultant. Most consultants recommend aspirin for 'older' ttc-ers (I'm 37) for its anti-coagulant properties (perhaps blood gets thicker as you get older?!!!). Just taking 75 or 150mg daily of aspirin has worked for some recurrent mc sufferers.

Depending on your clotting result, it may be worth asking your consultant about auto-immune issues, which can arise at any time of your life even after successful pregnancies. I am being treated empirically for an immune issue with steroids and progesterone supplements.

Hopefully you will get your answer with the clotting diagnosis. Good luck

As previous posters have said, do push for further testing. Firstly your dh!!!! Then ultrasound and hsg for you, and go get autoimmune testing (see the prednisolone threads on the conception board for information here on options with that).

Make sure that you get the heperin / asprin for the clotting issue, St Mary's hospital repeat the TEG clotting test during pregnancy as for some women the clotting issues only show up during pregnancy. No harm on having the heperin and asprin from next bfp.

I hope that you get pregnant again soon.

Wow ..I really was fobbed off wasn't I?

Why is it every time I have issues I never get good care??? :(
I also nearly lost my first baby after he was born because the hospital gave him MRSA... then they fobbed us off about him and he actually had a reflux in his tube.. from his bladder to his kidney.. I had to fight all the way to get him looked into.. he got ecoli septicemia and all sorts of issues .. because his bladder wasn't sterile, and they blamed me. Said my house wasn't clean. My little baby boy nearly died......

I fight everyday to get them to sort out my asthma, I had to fight my ex landlady about fixing the damp in my house, which she never did and I had to move.
There are Sooo many things ALL the time i have to FIGHT to get. I shouldn't have to fight.

So depressing. Musn't cry musn't cry...

Ok.. will ask them for what you have said and look up these NICE guidelines.
Thank you girls.
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