Norethisterone and pregnant?

[IWillBeWaxingAnOwl]

Hello,

I have just been taking norethisterone to induce a period after a failed letrozole cycle. I tested on cd40 prior to taking it (BFN). However, I am now 4 days after stopping it without a bleed. I therefore tested and got a BFP.

I called the NHS assisted conception clinic I am under, to ask 1) if being on norethisterone was okay when pregnant and 2) if I should take any further progesterone as I am spotting (likely due to the drop in progesterone coming off of norethisterone).

The clinic then said they don't know, and I should call the GP. Which is pretty confusing as they were the prescriber and are the experts! I spoke to GP secretary and will try to get an appt tomorrow in the 8.30 am rush calls 🙄

My Q for now is - does anyone know if norethisterone is a problem in early pregnancy? And if yes, why?

It says not to take when pregnant but it has also been used in miscarriage studies to reduce the risk of miscarriage so I can't imagine the impacts are that negative?

I really have no idea and I'm not a medical professional but I think personally would keep taking it until I was seen. Especially if I was now spotting. I would also call other clinics (private) and get their advise or ask my clinic to prescribe pregnancy safe progesterone. No idea what help they think the GP would be.

On second thoughts I'd be calling my clinic again to get a different nurse to speak to and see if you get the same response or more help.

Congrats and I hope you get the help you need.

@Hoping4baby21 thanks for your reply ☺️. I can't take more norethisterone as I don't have any more! But will be asking the GP for progesterone tomorrow and will also call the clinic again (esp if GP as predicted doesn't know what to do!)

Should say I have actually stopped spotting so maybe the progesterone is staying high due to pregnancy?

@IWillBeWaxingAnOwl congrats on the bfp. This is great news.

The noresthisterone should be fine this early. The embryo isn't taking anything from your blood as yet so nothing will have passed to it.

I don't quite know how it's different but noresthisterone isn't a progesterone that's given in support of pregnancy as you already know, so I wouldn't keep taking it personally even if you did have any. But I also wouldn't worry about it having caused any harm.

The clinic absolutely should be able to give you supportive progesterone like Cyclogest. I agree that you should keep badgering them until they agree. Unfortunately badgering is often part of getting what we need from clinics!!

Best of luck xxx

Update from GP chat:

1. They're not worried about the norethisterone exposure at all.
2. they don't think I need supplemental progesterone as I've never had a problem maintaining it before and my body should kick in to increase progesterone itself.
3. no more taking norethisterone or letrozole (I had guessed this already)

Test is stronger lines today so now just have to cross my fingers !

@IWillBeWaxingAnOwl this is great news! Congratulations. Really hope things progress well for you xxx

Thanks @Janefx40 - spotting has stopped and tests are strengthening so now I just need to quell the anxiety for ooh, another 8 weeks 🙈

2.5 years of infertility and one MMC, so feeling very unreal and also anxious

Wow that is quite a journey. Congrats on the pregnancy and I'm sorry to hear about your MMC.

I have a DD from our second round of IVF and have also had 3 chemicals and a MMC. I found the anxiety post BFP worse than I could possibly have imagined with my DD and that was before the losses. You spend so long wishing for that positive test and it's a shock when you get there and feel mostly panic.

It's not right for everyone but personally I like to have regular scans. I think doing scans every couple of weeks can be reassuring. However with my MMC I was at a clinic that did constant bloods and scans and that was a bit much.

If this pregnancy continues, I'm going to try to strike a balance between the two. Really hoping I get that far 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

Hoping for us both @Janefx40 . I'm thinking 8wks, 12wks (NHS), 16 wks, 20 wks (NHS)?

@IWillBeWaxingAnOwl that sounds sensible. Personally if I get that far, I would probably do 6 weeks, 10 weeks, 12 weeks (NHS) then probably 16 and 20 like you.

With my last pregnancy they kept scanning me every 2-4 weeks until the end because I was an older mother too.

Really hoping for us both!!! Please please please let these be the ones xxx

@Janefx40 yes please let these be the ones! Feel free to stay in touch if you'd like to x

Just to update in case anyone comes across this in future - eventually the fertility service consultant contacted me and said they have no concerns about norethisterone exposure whatsoever.

@IWillBeWaxingAnOwl are you still active on this? I'd love to hear an update. I took noristherone before starting ivf and discovered today I'm pregnant. I took it from 3dpo for 10 days . I'm so worried as I've read it can cause problems with baby so would love an update from you

Hi @HowlingAtTheM00n . Our wee girl is now 18wks old and is the absolute joy of our lives. She was born with a cleft palate, which the specialist team do not think is related to norethisterone (we aren't really sure why it's happened but can be totally random). She is otherwise 100% healthy.

Best wishes for your pregnancy - I'm hoping it's smooth sailing!

Hi @IWillBeWaxingAnOwl congratulations!! Our boy is also 18 weeks. Born 16th May. Glad it all worked out for you x