Is there hope after fourth miscarriage?

[BeanDotSprout]

I posted this on a different forum yesterday but I'm not sure if it was the right place. Hard to know where I fit right now 😢

I'm currently going through my fourth miscarriage in 14 months and my partner and I are struggling to decide how to move forward. I've not long returned from my reassurance scan and part of me wants to curl up in a ball and keep crying, but my head hurts and I don't think I can cry much more. I feel so heartbroken. My mind is so busy. I think the healthiest thing I can do right now is let this all out.

I have a 3 year old following a healthy and uncomplicated pregnancy. Last June I lost my son at 16 weeks and subsequent losses have been at 4, 6 and 8 weeks. We had a range of tests (which covered recurrent miscarriage testing) following my late miscarriage. This included a postmortem but sadly the genetic testing couldn't be completed and we were left with no answers. But also no reason not to try again according to our consultant and GP.

After our third loss we went private to have karyotyping done and I had uNK cell and MTHFR tests. The only thing that came back positive was that I'm heterozygous for the c677t mutation. However, the private clinic didn't feel this was a concern because I have just one copy of the gene.

Has anyone else been in a similar position and/or are there further steps we can take? Sorry again if this is the wrong place to post. Do let me know if there's a specific forum I can ask or if there are others I should join.

And thank you for reading. I feel like I'm going out of my mind and don't know what to think or feel and just need to focus on our future xx

I'm so sorry for your losses.

I just wanted to let you know that my mum had 5 miscarriages whilst trying for my sister. My sister is now almost 16!

Only you and your husband know what how best to proceed but I just wanted to give you a little hope that it can happen. X

I am so, so sorry for your losses. What you've been through is horrific and so unfair. I've had three early losses (two at five weeks, one at seven) so won't pretend I understand what it was like to lose your son, but do know a bit about the anxiety of testing (and the frustrations of the fact that for most people recurrent miscarriage testing gives no answers). I'd really recommend coming to the TTC after pregnancy loss thread on this board - it's a lovely, lovely group of women who are great for advice, comfort and letting off steam.

(I think you'd find it helpful even if not currently trying to conceive, and even if you're not sure if you'll try again - I'm on a 'break' until I get all test results back but I've found it so helpful to have a space with other people who understand the experience, and particularly the experience of multiple losses and all that comes with that)

Thank you, ladies. It's good to have some reassurance. I've almost made peace with the idea that having another simply might not happen for us but we can always hope.

Lisa, I may come over to the TTC group in a few days. I'm back at the EPAU to start the managed miscarriage process tomorrow morning. The midwives have been a lot more open to the idea of exploring things further so that's encouraging - they took urine samples and cervical swabs in addition to bloods yesterday and I'm hoping to 'catch' the pregnancy for testing. The idea horrified me but my son's genetic testing didn't quite go to plan.

Are you awaiting the NHS recurrent miscarriage test results? Have you had any private tests?

I'm so sorry for you losses. Our 9 month old baby boy just went up for his morning nap. He was pregnancy number 5 after 4 losses and 2 rounds of IVF. I had investigations done at the St Mary's recurrent miscarriage clinic but there were no answers for us. We'd resigned ourselves to never having children and then I found myself pregnant a few months later at the ripe old age of 42. Early pregnancy was a very scary time. Best wishes to you.

I've had the standard NHS recurrent miscarriage tests at my local hospital and also went to Coventry for the NK cells testing (which is what I'm waiting for now - one more cycle so they can do another uterine sample and then we'll start trying again). I hope things go as well as they can at the EPAU tomorrow and I think it's probably good that they're willing to do more tests, even though the testing process itself isn't a nice one.

I'm so so sorry for your losses. I had three miscarriages in just under a year and then read something online about a condition that many women have but don't know about. I don't remember the exact details but the advice was to start taking 50g aspirin. I did and now I have a screaming, tyrannical two-year-old
Maybe it's worth looking into?

BeauMirchoff that sounds interesting. From what I've read aspirin seems to be the solution to clotting issues but I've tested negative for all the tests we've had so far. Perhaps there are others? If you manage to remember do let me know as it can be like trying to find a needle in a haystack can't it?

Lisa I hope the testing goes well and you get some answers. I tested negative but hear the treatment can be very effective.

LateBloomer gosh what a journey you've been on. I honestly can't imagine another pregnancy. I told myself this was the last time because I was a wreck the whole time. I just wasn't in a good place.

Medical management didn't work first time, my pregnancy hormones are still raging, so back in on Wednesday for second attempt. Wish me luck!