Miscarriage, tests and waiting to try again?

[Homebird10]

I have had 2 miscarriages and my doctor has agreed to send me for tests. I had my first miscarriage at the age of 20, this was around 2 weeks into the pregnancy. I was then on the pill until I was 30. After being off the pill for 6 months I fell pregnant. I unfortunately had a missed miscarrage at 10 weeks. Since coming off the pill I have had irregular periods and really bad skin. The doctor has said that she wouldn't want to try again for it to happen again and has said I should go for tests. Does anyone know what these tests will be? Or how long the waiting list is on the NHS. I really want to get pregnant again but I am worried about miscarrying again. But on the otherhand I have read that you are more likely to get pregnant within the 6 months after miscarriage and your body is better prepared. I would like to know if it would be better to wait until after these tests are done to try again or not. Does anyone have any advise?

The typical NHS tests are: thyroid, clotting disorder / specific autoimmune tests (eg Lupus / Rheumatoid Arthritis etc), karyotyping. If you haven’t been tested for PCOS or womb problems you could probably request those tests from the consultant too.

I think she did mention testing for PCOS too as i had irregular periods. Although she said that this would normally affect being able to get pregnant, not miscarrying. Have you been through these tests @teddybear45 ? If so how long did you have to wait?

I have had all of them except karyotyping and have PCOS / thyroid and clotting disorders. I also have a rare genetic conditions that means I don’t digest folic acid appropriately. Plus autoimmune issues associated with my thyroid.

PCOS can definitely cause early miscarriages - that’s why Metformin is usually given as standard in IVF protocols where PCOS is suspected as the primary risk as it prevents miscarriages in the first 12 weeks. If your NHS consultant doesn’t know this, you should definitely get a second opinion.

Wait time in my area was 4 months minimum from point of referral so we kept trying in the meantime (ended up with a near fatal ectopic though!)
As above usually tests are thyroid blood clotting etc karyotyping isn't done by the recurrent miscarriage clinic unless they suspect that there is a family history of something. You can however have karyotyping done if a miscarriage was treated with a D&C

Please be realistic going into the appointment - it seems like the holy grail to get the referral as you have to have at least 3 miscarriages and can seem like the answer to all your prayers but the odds that they find "something" are really low. Most miscarriages are chromosomal or could be down to progesterone etc and NHS clinics don't test for that x

Thanks for your reply. Yes the more i look inton it the more it seems like even of they did find something its unlikely that it will be anything that there is a magic answer to. Do you know why they don't test for progesterone? Do you know of any treatments if they find i do have PCOS?

Even my ivf clinic is completely baffled as to why even if I get a BFP they don't bring me in straight away to check progesterone - luckily my clinic have said even if I get a naturally conceived BFP they will prescribe it. The miscarriage clinic isn't bothered about seeing me until 6 weeks and then fortnightly after that which is too late.

I think with PCOS they can proscribe metformin so there are treatments available for that