Miscarriage, PCOS, and TTC

[JemRose]

Hello online community!
This is my first time ever posting in a group like this. It been a relief to read other threads and realise I'm not alone in my experience, because so far in my real-life support network it seems like everybody is popping out babies left right and centre with seemingly no problems! I wanted to share my story here and ask if anyone has any experience to share of similar situations. Any comments welcome, both with positive and negative stories.

I'll start at the beginning; for the past 5 years, I havn't had any periods. At the time I was told that this was because I was very light and didn't have a high enough BMI to ovulate... I spent the next few years working HARD (and it was hard!) to gain weight, and now, 2 stone heavier and right in the middle of a healthy BMI range I still havn't had any periods. I was then diagnosed with suspected PCOS, and all the info I found online was that I now needed to LOOSE weight (I'm not overweight, don't have any excess hair growth or any other PCOS symptoms). My partner and I decided about 6 months ago that we wanted to start trying for a baby, and where told it would be a long process, probably involving chlomid and IVF.

We where very surprised to get pregnant after just 3 weeks of not using contraception. We had a textbook pregnancy, with all the right symptoms at all the right times, no bleeding or cramping, and a beautiful early scan which showed an embryo and heartbeat.

At our 12 week scan, we where told that the baby was no longer alive, and we where having a 'missed' miscarriage. We where completely heartbroken.

We decided to wait for the miscarriage to happen naturally, and it took 2 more weeks for that to begin. It was pretty awful physically when it finally came, but the closure it brought made things a little easier to deal with.

We're now starting to scary process of considering trying again. What I want to know now is, will I start to have a more normal cycle after this first pregnancy? And am I likely to have this happen again next time? I don't really know where to begin with TTC, as last time we just stopped using protection and where pregnant super quickly.

Anyone with any thoughts, experience, or advice would be so very appreciated.

J
x

Sorry to hear about your loss. I think just ease into TTC, same way you did it last time. TTC can get quite stressful.
If that doesn't work especially as you have PCOS, you should probably look into getting some ovulation test kits (OPKs) there are loads on amazon and start tracking your period and ovulation. ClearBlue ones are quite expensive but easier to read.
Also start taking folic acid and vitamin D or preganare.
Sending you lots of baby dust!!!

Hi

I had a pretty similar situation to you. Got pregnant unplanned in March which was a happy surprise as I also have PCOS. But then very sadly found out at our 12 week scan that the baby had died a few weeks earlier. Had an MVA procedure but unfortunately found out a few weeks later (after still having a positive pregnancy test) they didn't manage to get it all, so then had to try medical management. That didn't work either so finally in august ended up with surgical management under general anaesthetic. All pretty traumatic and because of the surgery etc have only been in a position to think about TTC again since September

At my request, my GP also put me on metformin to hopefully try and help regulate my periods (get about three or four a year normally) but I mostly wanted it because there is a growing amount of evidence that continuing to take metformin in early pregnancy can reduce the risk of miscarriage. Hasn't been long enough really to be able to track exactly the impact metformin has had on period regularity, but I've had two periods since starting, in September and now October so I'd say that's progress!

In terms of ovulation predictor kits, they aren't reliable for women with PCOS as we have hormonal imbalances including a constantly higher level of LH - so essentially you're likely to get a faint positive on the OPK most of the time. Pretty frustrating but hopefully if my periods regularise, and work out that way and by tracking cervical mucus.

Be great to keep in touch about this tricky process!

Thank you so much. I'll certainly research metaformin, that sound hugely positive that you've seen two cycles already, I don't think I've ever had 2 periods in the space of 2 months 🤣. I'm so sorry for the aweful experience you had, and I'm so sorry for your loss. Let's keep in touch, wishing so much luck x

Thank you 💚