Not getting pregnant after miscarriages - scarring after test?

[warnerka]

Hi ladies. I haven't posted before here, but have followed a few of your journeys. I just need some advice!

Has anyone been in this position? So, I'm 37yrs and have been trying to have a baby with my partner for about 4 years now. I got pregnant twice within the first year but miscarried both at about 6 weeks. Got pregnant twice the following year and again miscarried both at a similar time :( After the 3rd miscarriage I had all the tests done (genetic, clotting etc) which showed there was nothing wrong. I had progesterone, Clexane and high folic acid the last pregnancy and still miscarried at 6 weeks. This was last January ('17) and I haven't been able to get pregnant since, so it's been a good 18 months of trying. I have PCOS which is well controlled (I'm on Metformin, try to keep my weight down etc). I have longer cycles, usually around 35 - 40 days but I do ovulate according to the digital tests.

Anyway, went for a private appt and she's put me on Clomid 100mg. I had 3 large follicles last cycle (3rd cycle) and was told I was definitely ovulating, but wham! I get my period :( What is going on with me? Why can I suddenly not get pregnant anymore? I'm tearing my hair out over it and feel like I'm going to lose it. Everyone around me is having babies and here's me unable to have my own.

I had the killer cells test a couple of months after my last miscarriage, and I'm worried it's caused some scarring. It wasn't an easy procedure and they had to try for about an hour and half to get a sample. It was awful. I'm having a hycosy test done next week, so hopefully that might show something (or not!) Sorry for the rant, just hoping someone can relate.

Love and hugs x

When you say you had genetic tests done did that include a karyotype? I know that one doesn't always get included any more. And if so did they karyotype your partner too?

Hi Bertie. We had the tests which are done on the NHS, so not sure if karyotyping was included. Not sure what that is! Both my partner and I had the genetic/chromosome tests done.

Hi Warnerka. I am sorry for all your losses.

The choromosomal tests should be the karyotyping.

I had the NK cells testing done last March after 3 miscarriages at 11w3d (baby had died at about 8 weeks), 5 weeks and then 4w4d, then a year of not conceiving at all. High levels of NK cells found, progesterone prescribed to try and help sustain the pregnancy until I could get a positive test. At the same time I attended another clinic who do natural fertility planning (wasn't sure that they weren't pedalling a lot of woo, but had been recommended them through a church friend). I had been charting for that clinic since the january. They felt that although my hormone levels looked fine on the Drs blood tests, they didn't think that my body was responding well to them. They recommended extra progesterone, which I already had from the NK cells clinic. "Great" thinks I, two potential diagnoses, treatment plan all in place, we know that up until the last miscarriage I was falling pregnant at the drop of a hat. This is the one. Plus the biopsy should have worked like an endometrial scratch and helped. More months of not conceiving at all followed. I admit that I was close to giving up at that point. Clinic 2 suggested HCG injections instead of progesterone as that should upregulate my oestrogen as well as my progesterone. I was feeling more than a little disillusioned by that point, but decided one last stab (literally in that case) and then I was done. That cycle worked. I had my prednisolone for the first trimester and also progesterone until 20 weeks courtesy of the second clinic and we made it. I still had problems with bleeding in my first trimester and it was not the easiest pregnancy physically (we won;t even mention how bad it was mentally), but my wee girl arrived 5 weeks early (spontaneous labour, no idea what caused it) but healthy and happy. It would appear I am really crap at being pregnant, even with a lot of help. The biopsy definitely didn't make it any worse in my case (it also only took a minute or two for me). Possibly all the pregnant/not pregnant hormone swings may have just messed up my ability to respond to the hormones and more help was needed for me to sustain a pregnancy.

I hope that you get your little miracle eventually.

Very sorry you’re going through this. It seems much more likely to be the PCOS (and now perhaps also your age/“ovarian reserve”) that’s the issue rather than scarring from a test.

Prof Lesley Regan’s book on miscarriage has a chapter on PCOS

Yes karyotyping is where they look at each of your chromosomes to see if there is anything unusual.

It's done in some areas on the NHS but not others so it's not always the case you get this test done unfortunately.

Yes Bertie, they wouldn't do it for us. They told me to come back with the 'products of the next miscarriage' and they would test that instead. Thankfully it never came to that.

:( That's horrible, sorry you were told that. It might not even have helped anyway!

Hi ladies.

I’ve never posted on here before but I’m really struggling. I have a three year old and desperate for her to have a sibling.

Tried for a year to get pregnant and finally happened in Jan. Had a miscarriage at 14 weeks in April and just utterly devastated. Have been trying since then but just got my period again yesterday.

I’m just so sad, so angry and ready to give up. I’ve had private fertility tests, which all came back fine and my headband has also been privately tested and everything normal.

I’m just so terrified that my time is running out. I’m 36 now and just starting to feel that this is never going to happen for us. I know that I should be so grateful to have my daughter but I’m heartbroken at the thought of her not having a playmate and never being pregnant again.

Right now I just need a bit of hope. I’m so sick of this relentless cycle of being disappointed and angry. I just feel like my body is failing me and I can’t see an end to this.

Does anyone have any good news stories about getting pregnant post miscarriage after trying for so long? Xxx

It's so typical that they don't do the full tests on the NHS. This fertility journey has already cost us a lot of money which we can only just afford. Haven't even thought about IVF due to costs. So frustrating!

Thanks Brenna24. Your situation sounds a bit similar to mine. Maybe we are just a bit crap at being pregnant. I've been given prednisolone to try when/if I get pregnant next, which I haven't tried before. We just need that chance to try. Interesting about the HCG injections, I've heard of it but it's probably something we'll have to pay for. So happy that you got your little girl :) What a miracle! It's so so hard and I bet it wasn't easy being pregnant after so many losses. I'm well aware that my PCOS isn't helping, so probably is a hormonal thing. We just have to keep trying! Thanks for sharing :) x

Thanks Loopytiles. I'm quite aware that my PCOS/age isn't helping, but I did have a ultrasound and the consultant told me I have plenty of eggs, similar to a 25yr old! Not saying that they're great quality eggs, but I still find it weird that I suddenly can't get pregnant. We'll see what the hycosy says :(

Hi Op

I'm really sorry to hear about your miscarriages.

I wanted to ask if you've had a laparoscopy? This is a crucial procedure to check your uterus, ovaries and Fallopian tubes, and to check to see if you have any scarring.

Unfortunately, many NHS trusts are reluctant to carry it out. The reason I asked about it is because when you said it took a long time to have your NK biopsy, I wondered about endometriosis. This can cause pain & problems with smears, transfer of eggs in ivf etc. due to scarring and adhesions. Endo can also increase the risk of miscarriage.You don't have to be in lots of pain to have endo- but it might be worth keeping an eye on any mid cycle spotting, and cyclical pain. It may be worth having a look at www.endometriosis-org.uk

The only way to diagnose is to have a lap- but I would try and push for this anyway. You've been trying for over 3 yrs and they need to take a look regardless.

Good luck

Hi thesunkenplace. Thanks for your message. I haven't had a laparoscopy and have never been offered one, although I am having a hycosy test done on Monday, so they're going have a good look around to see if they can see anything unusual. I think once that's over and I still don't get any answers, then maybe a lap is the way forward.

I did think about endometriosis and have looked into it, but I don't have any of the symptoms. I've never had mid-cycle bleeding, nor any pain during my cycle, but I will definitely keep an eye out. Thanks so much for including the website :)

I just need something, any answer! It takes a lot of pushing to get the things you want and time is not something I feel I have.

Thanks!

Your story did resonate with me warneka. I can see a lot of similarities. We had to pay for botht he prednisolone and the HCG injections. In total I think we spent between £2500 and £3000. A drop in the ocean compared to IVF, but it was my redundancy pay twice over. Worth every penny now, but it was scary at the time thinking we may not even be looking for the right things. I hope you get your little miracle too.