advice please! - seeing the GP on thursday for help with TTC

[bessie26]

We're both 37, have been TTC#2 for over a year now & have had two m/c, so we decided it's about time we go see our GPs & ask what tests are available...

I am a TCOYF addict & have a CBFM, so know that we have been bd at the right time. We both eat reasonably healthily, take our 'conception' vit pills, aren't overweight, do some exercise, don't smoke & at most might share a bottle of wine or two over the course of a weekend.

I know it will depend alot on the Dr, but do you have any ideas what they are likely to say so we can plan responses?

when DH mentioned it to his GP a few months ago (he was in for something else) he was told he could have a SA after we'd been TTC for 12months - is that it, or should he ask for more?

When I asked my old GP about it (have recently moved surgeries) she said that as I'd already had a successful pregnancy, there weren't really any tests they could do. Is this right? Am hoping my new Dr will be a bit more helpful!

I guess what I'm really asking is, what tests are available on the NHS? and should we be asking to be referred to a specialist?

TIA

I would be asking to be referred to a specialist, as the problem is clearly not with getting pregnant, but with staying that way. There is usually a clinic you can be referred to when you have recurrent miscarriages, but I'm not sure if the threshold is to have 2 or 3 MC before you can be referred. I'm sure someone will come along and know the full details though. It might just be coincidence that you have had 2 consecutive MC and your next pregnancy might go to term with no problems, but its still worth getting everything checked.

bessie,

It goes without saying that you should be referred as a couple to a gynae at a subfertility unit for further evaluation and tests.

Think both your GPs have been unhelpful to date; they should have referred you before now. It is not correct for them to state that as you've already had a successful pg there are no more tests they can do. Well actually there are (potential antibody and blood clotting problems can be looked for). Such problems as well are well outside a GPs remit, this person was not correct at all to state what he did.

Would not attend this appt on your own if at all possible, your H should go with you as well as he can ask questions and provide moral support.

Blood tests at the very least should be done to confirm whether ovulation is happening or otherwise. They may not take much if any notice of temp charts etc so these may be dismissed out of hand.

BTW semen analysis would also need repeating; one test is not enough to confirm or rule out any male factor problems. Both of you as well should be tested in tandem; its no point at all in solely testing you only to discover a year on that there are male factor problems.

Good luck. You will need to be persistant in order to get answers. Do not be fobbed off!!.

Thanks for your replies. We both had reasonably successful visits to our GP.

DH has got details from his GP on how to make an appt at the hospital for SA. They will only test quality & quantity for now. You have to have 3 m/c before they will do any other tests. I don't know if he is due to have a second test - will ask him when he comes home.

I'm now booked in to have my blood & swabs tested.

• day 2-4: FSH/LH; PRL; TFT & ocohroyn (sp? the writing is unsurprisingly unclear!)
• day 2-4: FBC; Rubella immunity
• day 21-33 progesterone

My GP says she needs the results from these to fill in the form to request further investigations. She did warn me that it is likely to be rejected because I have have had two "spontaneous pregnancies" (and again, you need to have had 3 m/c before any further tests are carried out) but assured me that if that happened she would argue my case & re-apply.

So, we'll do the tests this cycle & see what happens... if these tests don't show up anything and we get rejected by the NHS then I might have to think about going private - has anyone any idea of roughly how much they would cost?