Secondary infertility + recurrent chemical pregnancies, 30 years old

[Syli]

Hi,

Putting this out here in the hope that someone, somewhere might be able to relate. I turned 30 in April and next cycle is the 2-year mark for when we started trying to get pregnant with our second child.

Since then, I've been through sporadic follow-ups from my clinic from 6 months-1 year of trying. Starting last summer, the testing, checking and follow-up became more thorough - although I still definitely experience that my age and the fact that I already have a child makes the practitioners substantially more relaxed in terms of timeline and efforts to help me get pregnant.

We've been through HSSG, sperm check, ultrasounds, and blood work, and I'm apparently the picture of perfect fertility. Except I'm not. For the past four months I've been on Letrozole, and for the past three months I've had chemical pregnancies. The latest faint positive was last night, and then my period arrived this morning.

With our daughter, we conceived in our first month of trying.

It's starting to feel incredibly hopeless. Everyone tells me I have so much time, and yet we had a dream to have three kids close in age. I've been able to let go of that now, but it still stings.

Anyone else with similar experiences??

Hi @Syli

I am so sorry you are going through this.

I am in a similar position, conceived my first child first month with no issues and we are currently trying for our second. We have only been trying for 6 months but in those months I have had 4 chemical pregnancies.
We have had basic blood work done and all seems ok, I tried progesterone last cycle but that still didn’t work for us 😞
We have an appointment with the recurrent miscarriage clinic in June.

Sorry I am probably not much help to you but just know you are not alone! Xx

Hi @Icklemissgem

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond and share your story. It means the world to me that someone would reach out.

I'm so sorry to hear about your chemical pregnancies, that's awful - as you know, I can fully empathise. How old is your first one? Have your cycles been back to normal since pregnancy/giving birth?

We discovered, once I started on Letrozole four months ago, that something had definitely been out of whack with my cycles and hormone balance postpartum. I'd experienced much more irregular periods, substantially more painful cramps, extreme PMS, and spotting up to a week in advance of my period since my period came back after breastfeeding - when before pregnancy I'd been 28 days spot on, with no spotting, and only mild PMS/manageable cramps.

Once I started the Letrozole, everything went back to normal - which is also when the chemical pregnancies began. So I'm definitely fertile, no question about it, but obviously something is going wrong either with the embryos (ie, chromosome issues) or the implantation (ie, progesterone levels). I'm based in Sweden, where they're very reluctant to give progesterone when there's 'no history of miscarriages'. Since I'm also young and have a child from before, it's an even tougher fight. I'm 'hoping' the recurring chemical pregnancies will help us push our argument.

You mentioned you'd had basic blood work done. Any ovulation stimulating hormones? Sperm check for your partner? HSSG? I'm happy to read that you have a recurrent miscarriage clinic to turn to. I'm keeping my fingers crossed they can help you. Please tell me more of your story if you'd like :)

I totally can relate with that. Doctors are so dismissive when we already have children. We know when there's something wrong with our our body so I don't understand why they have such a negative attitude towards women who already have children.

I had 2 children in my early 20s which were conceived first month trying. I'm 34 now trying for my 3rd. I was having lots of spotting and irregular bleeding for the past 1 years. I was back and forth to my GP who was completely dismissive as I already had 2 children. I was finally diagnosed with a polyps which turned out to be a fibroid when I decided to ditch my GP and went private. Had surgery 2 weeks ago. Hopefully I can finally have some success now.

@Angie887 - I know! It's so frustrating. It's like their perspective completely changes when you have kids from before. Which it really shouldn't - sooo many things could have happened postpartum, so if anything we should get more rigorous follow-up when we struggle getting pregnant.

So happy to hear you finally got help to find out and solve your issue! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you. We have an appointment this Friday. Fingers crossed we get somewhere then.

How are you getting on?

@Angie887 Thanks for checking in, appreciate it!

I'm on my 4th day of progesterone treatment now, which I have to say is pretty rough. PMS on steroids. We're trying this out this cycle only, and if not successful this time either, we're going for IVF next possible cycle (July or August).

My cousin had her second baby a couple of days ago, which was pretty hard. I'm happy for her, of course, but it makes me quite sad, too. Feels like time lost.

How are you going?

I have my fingers and toes that it works for you. But I'm glad you're getting the help you need. I know it can be frustrating when it seems to work for everyone around but us. Hopefully you have some good news soon 🤞
I'm 3dpo today. First cycle ttc after surgery. Hopefully I can now get some good news.

Keep us posted xx

@Angie887 Thank you so much, it means a lot. I'm so hormonal now it's ridiculous, but at least this'll rule out whether it's a progesterone issue or (fingers crossed!) give us some good news.

Oh, I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed for you, too.

Let me know how you go! x

@Angie887 Hi, I wanted to send a little update.

So, the last one and a half weeks have been rough to say the least. On 10 DPO (8 days after I started taking progesterone), I got the strongest positive line I've gotten since I started getting pregnant with chemical pregnancies earlier this year. Unfortunately, 3 days later, the line hadn't gotten any stronger, and by a day after that it was barely visible. I got my period this past Saturday (3 days late), so the progesterone just strengthened and prolonged the chemical pregnancy.

We're starting IVF next cycle as the clinic is summer closed for this cycle - and frankly, I'm pretty excited to have a whole month completely off hormones and treatment.

How are you getting on? x

@Syli omg that must be devastating getting your hopes up for nothing. So sorry to hear that 😢.
It's good you're having a month off so you can be prepared for ivf. I think that's the best thing you can do. Honestly if I could afford I'd go straight to ivf as I think it takes a huge weight off your shoulders.
I also got my hopes up for nothing this month. Af was 2 days late which never happened before. CD 2 for me today.

Wishing you all the best and keeping my fingers crossed you get your sticky bean on your first round. Keep me posted xxx

@Angie887 Thank you for the kind words.

I'm really sorry about your false hope, too - was this your first month after surgery?

I'm on CD 4 today, so if my cycle is normal this month, I'm starting injections in pretty much exactly 28 days. Fingers crossed.

Keep me posted too x