Recurrent loss?

[xXjunebugXx]

Hi ladies, I am just going through my fourth miscarriage but third in a row. I had a loss in January at 11 weeks but baby passed at 9 weeks, one in March at 6 weeks and one just now at 5 weeks. I have one child who I am very lucky and blessed to have.

I have been referred to a local specialist, so waiting for that. I have no idea what will happen. I know I will have blood tests but have no idea if my husband will too? I don't know if there is anything I should most certainly be asking? I don't want to leave thinking damn! I should have asked that! I know after all the NHS testing and so on if things aren't successful I will be referred to St Mary's. I know the local specialist puts you on 150mg of Aspirin when you have conceived but that's it, I think.

I take Sanatogen preconception but don't know if there is something better I could be taking? I have been reading about Omega 3, Vitamin d and Vitamin b's.

Can anyone help or give advice or even share their story? I would be most grateful and would really appreciate it.

Thank you x

[Roshbegosh]

So sorry to hear you are facing this. I hope a cause can be identified and you get the help you need.

[cher31]

I had tests last year after my three losses. The clinic was great. They had a long discussion about when the losses occurred and what tests they would do. They then took lots of blood and sent it off for lots of testing. Don't recall if they tested my husband's blood or not. I seem to recall them getting a sample to test for kartotyping (sp? ). But this may have been done at the doctors?
We were called back for the results and told that nothing had shown up and that it was just down to' baffled luck'. We were also invited to go back for weekly scans as soon as I found out I was pregnant again.
In the meantime I decided to try ' alternative' medicine so that I was doing something. I began accupuncture. I conceived the very first time I tried (usually takes 6 months). I continued with the weekly accupuncture all throughout my pregnancy. I also had weekly scans from 6-13 weeks at the recurring miscarriage clinic and stayed under their care until delivery. The care and understanding was exceptional.
I gave birth to my little girl in February who is feeding on me as we speak. She is amazing.
I hope this helps. If you have any more questions I'm happy to try to answer.

[cher31]

'Baffled luck' = 'bad luck'.

[Bakingtins]

Hi June. We have a very supportive thread for RMC, now just started thread 7 a couple of posts down the board, do come and join. I'm in a v similar place, just had 4 th loss but 3 rd consecutive, all mine at 8-10 weeks. We went private after loss 3 to get the ball rolling but had most of the recommended tests on the NHS. They will want blood from you both for karyotyping, then an armful from you for a whole raft of tests for clotting, APS, thyroid, hormones...I also had a mid cycle ultrasound scan but none of the more invasive tests for structural problems as I have successfully carried to term. This time we are hoping to get cytogenetic testing on the foetus, have never had this tested before as always MC naturally.
There were no abnormalities found for us, and you need to be aware with the standard tests this is quite a likely outcome, they don't find a cause in 50 % of cases. I was on 75mg aspirin, 800mg progesterone, 5mg folic acid and a preg multivitamin this time. Didn't help in my case. I've now been referred to a different consultant to review all the results and am trying to decide whether to start testing for immunological causes, which doesn't seem to be available on the NHS.
I'm really sorry you are on this journey too, it's a crappy place to be in, but the thread I mentioned has really helped me.

[xXjunebugXx]

Thanks for the replies ladies. Sorry to hear of your losses too.

I just have no idea what is going on with me. I get pregnant very easily, always first or second try but they just don't make it :( I have been reading about something called hyperfertility and think I might have that, well it's possible. I just hope my specialist appointment comes through soon and a new journey will begin with hopefully a happy ending. I just want to take another baby home with me. That desperate need is just a huge daily struggle and I'm so angry that this keeps happening.

Bakingtins, thank you. I will check ot the thread you have mentioned x

[Bakingtins]

it's been suggested I might be hyper fertile too. That's the last thing I feel after 4 losses. I'm really hoping we can find out if this most recent loss was chromosonally normal (which would suggest an autoimmune cause) or abnormal (more likely hyper fertility). I've just got appt through and it's in 8 weeks which feels like a long wait.

[xXjunebugXx]

I know what you mean. It's still a flipping negative isn't it. And people saying well at least you can get pregnant isn't helpful.

I have just been reading that my odds of a pregnancy being successful is 70% as I have a living child, but those odds are based on younger women. I'm not old, early 30's but I know I'm less fertile than a 25 year old, so maybe the odds are a little lower. I'm glad that IVF would be an option for us if we keep losing.

I'm definitely going to push for all tests, I am keen for chromosome testing and tests for NK cells. I have a feeling all will be normal though and I know I'd have to be referred for those tests as the NHS won't do them.

[squizita]

Junebug the 70% rate is based on people our age. Believe me I have questioned and questioned on this (I am 34 - gonna be 35 in a month). As recurrent MC usually affects women over 35, that stat is for women between 30-40. It rises after the age of 40 but at the moment, we've got to tell ourselves we have a 70% chance!! :)

[freelancegirl]

Hi Junebug, sorry for your losses. I've had 4 losses but after treatment was able to have my little boy, now 11 months. It was through the recurrent miscarriage thread here that I found out about natural killer cells and Me Shehata at the Miscarriage Clinic. I also was seen at St Mary's but as I had had all the tests they do already (and they don't test for nk cells) they couldn't do anything for me, nk cells turned out to be my issue but they are not tested for on the nhs as standard and you have to ask for a referral for someone like Mr Shehata who does work on the nhs at Epsom and St Helier hospitals or see him privately if you can get the money together and don't want to wait. I did the latter. I have a master list somewhere of tests that I managed to get on the nhs, will see if I can dig it out. But my personal move would be to go straight to the experts if you can.

My treatment was steroids and other medication but in advance I was also recommended to take Pregnacare plus omega 3, an additional 25ug of vitamin D3 (the yellow one in holland and Barrett) and 75mg of aspirin. Upon BFP progesterone pessaries were added as a back up.

If you want to know more about high natural killer cells please feel free to ask, or come read the recurrent buns off shoot that started two years ago on the Conception boards all about immune treatment - it's called TTC on Prednisolone or similar.

[xXjunebugXx]

Oh that's good to know Squiz, I will take 70%!

thanks for the reply freelancegirl. Your post is helpful. Did you go private with Dr S? Can I ask how much it cost to see him and have the tests?

I truly hope I don't have high nk cells, we just don't have the money to deal with it (although my hubby has said that's what loans are for!)

[freelancegirl]

I did see him privately in the end as I wanted to do something quickly and the wait for my NHS appointment was 3 months. I can't remember exatly how much an appointment is but I think it might be £150. He is very good at helping you get what you can out of your GP if you tell him it's an issue. I was lucky in getting pregnant quickly that it didn't work out a huge amount in the end. And very much worth it of course!

I've found my list of testing that I managed to get done through my GP and/or that my research led me to believe would be worth doing:

CHECK THYROID HORMONES
CHECK FOR HIGH THYROID ANTIBODIES
CHECK SELENIUM LEVELS
CHECK VITAMIN D LEVELS
CHECK FOR PROGESTERONE DEFICIENCY - ALTHOUGH USUALLY SHORT CYCLES
CHECK FOR HUGHES AND/OR STICKY BLOOD
Antiphospholipid antibodies
Antinuclear antibodies

Thrombophilias:

Factor V Leiden
Protein C deficiency
Protein S deficiency
Antithrombin III deficiency
Acitvated Prothrombin C Resistance (APCR)
Methylene-tetrahydrofolate reductase MTHFR C677T, leading to hyperhomocytseinemia
G20210A prothrombin gene mutation

All the above I managed to get through my GP. And then NK cells with Mr Shehata. I just remembered as well as the other vits and asprin I also took Selenium as I've read that can be beneficial. I am also on thyroxine for thyroid problems already.

In addition there is a test that St Mary's do once you are already pregnant, as it changes when pregnant, called TEG.

[Bakingtins]

June, I've looked into getting NK cells tested if this latest MC had no chromosome issues and would go to Prof Quenby in Coventry. You have to have had one normal period, be definitely not pregnant and go 7-10 days after ovulating. Consult and uterine biopsy for NK cells is £350, incl phone consult for results.