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Infertility

Our Infertility Support forum is a space to connect with others in the same position, discuss causes, treatment and IVF, and share infertility stories of hope and success.

Antiphospholipid Syndrome & IVF

6 replies

Readingiscool92 · 20/12/2025 08:16

i was due to hopefully start IVF in jan due to 3 ectopics and losing my tubes but because i had 3 previous miscarriages the clinic did testing recurrent miscarriages for APS.
it was come back raised however cannot be diagnosed until the second blood test which has to be 12 weeks apart- due end of Feb.
i am devastated we have to wait longer.
If this comes back positive i'm guessing i am started on aspirin & blood thinners.
my question is has anyone been diagnosed with APS and had successful IVF transfers?
thanks

OP posts:
AlmostTime · 20/12/2025 10:51

I’m in a similar boat. No positive new- yet!

I had my latest FET yesterday, so i’m hopeful the additional medication has done the trick this time.

If any help this is my experience with Care Woking.

My clinic needed to use all my frozen embryos (3) before further investigation could be carried out using NHS funding. I am fortunate I was able to challenge this, and insisted on paying for private testing for the follow on investigations after my last FET failed. This was to avoid using anymore embryos without an answer. We are were referred as unexplained. All embryos are PGT-A tested and confirmed Euphloid. My body responded perfectly to the meds for egg collection and FET prep last time so I wanted some answers before potentially wasting another embryo repeating the same protocol.

I asked if I could try aspirin and fragmin on the next cycle anyway, but he wouldn't allow it.

He did however support me by agreeing to order a Thrombophilia Screen and TH1:TH2 cytokine ratio testing. I paid for this privately.

The primary screen results revealed I have elevated Beta 2 glycoprotein antibodies and I also have an elevated TH1:TH2 cytokine ratio so I have now been prescribed fragmin, aspirin and prednisolone steroid in addition to the usual oestrogen and progesterone to prep my womb. It’s not supported by a huge amount of research, but an intralipid infusion was offered too so I have taken that on the basis evidence suggests it can potentially help, there is no evidence to suggest it hinders.

The waiting between each step is a killer! For a confirmed diagnosis the 12 weeks between tests makes sense, but if the outcome is you end up taking aspirin and fragmin I would challenge the value in waiting to confirm it. I didn’t, once it’s there you’re almost certainly going to end up on aspirin and probably fragmin too, your end goal is a pregnancy.

The healthcare system in the country is unfortunately event driven, there is no long term strategy for individual patients unless you challenge things.

I visited my GP several years ago with symptoms of lupus and Raynaulds syndrome and no investigations were progressed as there is no treatment. Now I have a better understanding of my situation these tests I have just paid for and a course of prednisolone would have likely avoided IVF in the first place. It was never considered as part of the fertility referral, I didnt know enough about it at the time to think it relevant and raise it. I dont want to count my chickens before my eggs hatch, but the most obvious answer tends to be correct. Aspirin and a steroid course cost pennies by comparison to my costs to the NHS this past year. All from a reluctance to follow up or progress screening. Or review the patient history as part of a referral.

I asked the consultant if a second positive result would impact the medication and he said not unless something new was identified.

Ask more questions is my advice, never accept a wait without a reason being provided.

Readingiscool92 · 20/12/2025 14:12

thank you for replying!
can i ask did you get PGT-A testing done on the nhs? i was told we can’t and can’t even pay privately for it!
Why would he not allow it?
Aspirin is so cheap to buy i might start taking it x

OP posts:
AmberRose26 · 20/12/2025 17:43

Don’t take normal shop asprin, it’s too high a dose and not good for baby or pregnancy! Baby aspirin - what you will be proscribed is a low dose that is safe, it’s generally 75mg or 150mg once a day.

I tested positive for APS on the 1st test like you then on the 2nd test it came back negative so they take that as an overall negative result. We had a round on NHS and two private paid rounds, The NHS said they would never but my on the blood thinners due to ‘not needing them’ but on my private rounds .. after multiple miscarriages, they let me try the blood thinners this time as a precaution (7th transfer) and this FET worked! I am currently 12weeks pregnant, whether is was a coincidence or what I don’t know but the only thing we done different was blood thinners. I was on the blood thinners up to about 10 weeks then came off them. GP has proscribed me baby aspirin now to take from 12 weeks but that’s due to high risk pre-eclampsia due to my age and other factors. I would push for blood thinners though if I was you and take at least up until 8 weeks al lest! Good luck !

AlmostTime · 20/12/2025 18:35

Readingiscool92 · 20/12/2025 14:12

thank you for replying!
can i ask did you get PGT-A testing done on the nhs? i was told we can’t and can’t even pay privately for it!
Why would he not allow it?
Aspirin is so cheap to buy i might start taking it x

I had to pay for PGT-A testing.

NHS funding for stims, egg retrieval procedure, medication for a transfer.

The fragmin has been included in NHS funding for this cycle, I have self funded the prednisolone (£20) , aspirin (pennies) and intralipid (£440)

Speak to your consultant about the repeat after a 12 week wait before starting aspirin as it may interfere with the result and then delay things further for you.

Readingiscool92 · 20/12/2025 18:49

i’m so frustrated as i want to do PGA and would happily pay as add on but my clinic don’t allow that if you are nhs.
Thank you so much for sharing! please keep me posted! xxx

OP posts:
Readingiscool92 · 20/12/2025 21:21

AmberRose26 · 20/12/2025 17:43

Don’t take normal shop asprin, it’s too high a dose and not good for baby or pregnancy! Baby aspirin - what you will be proscribed is a low dose that is safe, it’s generally 75mg or 150mg once a day.

I tested positive for APS on the 1st test like you then on the 2nd test it came back negative so they take that as an overall negative result. We had a round on NHS and two private paid rounds, The NHS said they would never but my on the blood thinners due to ‘not needing them’ but on my private rounds .. after multiple miscarriages, they let me try the blood thinners this time as a precaution (7th transfer) and this FET worked! I am currently 12weeks pregnant, whether is was a coincidence or what I don’t know but the only thing we done different was blood thinners. I was on the blood thinners up to about 10 weeks then came off them. GP has proscribed me baby aspirin now to take from 12 weeks but that’s due to high risk pre-eclampsia due to my age and other factors. I would push for blood thinners though if I was you and take at least up until 8 weeks al lest! Good luck !

Thank you for replying and congrats on your pregnancy!
yeah it’s the low dose aspirin i’ve already got xx

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