Secondary Infertility - prednisone help

[fleur89]

Hello! 2 MMCs following healthy baby - secondary infertility. First I assumed was bad luck, second got me worried and the tissue was sent for testing. In the meantime while waiting a loooooong time for results I got blood tests done and these came back with all markers clear apart from high nk cells and high activated nk cells in pregnancy. Prescribed by Dr Shehata progesterone, intralipids and prednisone from ovulation.

Today my local nhs hospital contacted me with my dna results from genetic testing... this took MONTHS to come back to me. Turns out the pregnancy had genetic abnormalities - tetraploidy, very rare and nothing I could have done differently was the diagnosis.

So in this situation - armed with this information - what do I do? Do I try without the steroid interventions, given the nhs said chromosome abnormality was the reason? Or do I throw everything at the next try and go ahead with the nk cell reduction plan?

Concerned about side effects of steroids under the nk cell plan so please let me know if anyone has experience that would help reassure me. I'm naturally very petite so any weight gain would be immediately obvious. Moreover, my grandma had osteoporosis and I'm concerned about steroids triggering that.

Hi, so sorry to hear about your MMCs. Chromosomal abnormalities is the most common cause of miscarriages, and the fact that you’ve already carried a pregnancy to term should be encouraging.

The whole area of NK Cells is quite controversial, as there isn’t conclusive evidence for it, and many doctors don’t believe in it at all.

I was tested at my clinic (following recurrent MCs) and found to have elevated NK Cells and prescribed steroids (Prednisolone) for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. My next pregnancy was successful, though I don’t know if it was due to the steroids, as I was also on other medication (for a blood clotting disorder) and had IVF with an embryo that had been tested as chromosomally normal.

My main side effect was slight insomnia - waking up early in the morning, and feeling a bit jittery (though it’s hard to know how much of that jittery feeling was just anxiety about the pregnancy). I didn’t notice any weight gain, though I was bloated with the progesterone and normal first trimester symptoms anyway. I think steroids cause weight gain by actually making you feel more hungry, rather than changing your metabolism, so you could still control the effects through a healthy diet (though that’s obviously hard to do with the nausea of the first trimester - I lived on toast!)

12 weeks isn’t long to be on steroids - my consultant advised that the side effects are more of an issue when taken long term. In fact I read that in Australia, women who experience recurrent miscarriages are prescribed steroids (and blood thinners) even without any tests or diagnosis, just in case it helps.

So I wouldn’t worry about the side effects of taking the steroids. Hope this helps and wishing you all the best.

My third ivf transfer was successful and on that round I was also on predn. Can't be sure that was why of course x

Thank you ever so much for your replies. So sorry to hear about your history, it's lovely to hear you've now had success. Very reassuring to read and interesting to hear about Australia's system. I really hope it works for us 🙏

Hi all

i hope you don’t mind me joining this thread. I couldn’t post on the main dr Shehata thread.

im 36 and am now under dr Shehata for secondary infertility.

i have a 5 year old. I have been trying for nearly 4 years. 2 chemicals and 1 8.5 week chromosome miscarriage

I am on dr s complex plan. Prednisolone, hydroxy, infa colic, metaformin (I have pcos).

started super ovulation this month. Went in day 13 for a scan and follicle was already 25mm. They said it’s quite large but let’s trigger. I had no hope as I’ve had superovulation 6x, never successful with over 23mm

test at 10dpo no line. Stop pred, omprazole and cyclogest

tracking on Mira, 12dpo get a peak in progesterone and e3g estrogen which I had with earlier pregnancy

tested and got a positive at 12dpo. Was overjoyed. Went for intralipids Thursday at 14dpo. I noticed though my tests weren’t getting darker. I do drink a lot though

tested this morning 15doo and there is a line but think it’s lighter on the cheapies as well it’s not super strong

i decide to stop cyclogest to see if this morning I see a dip in progesterone on Mira

test this morning on Mira and progesterone is at the top and my estrogen is getting higher!!! My positive tests are still there but can’t see they are stronger?

I tested yesterday 15dpo pm with a first response and it was a line but not so strong. Any advice??