Trying again after 4 miscarriages

[Huncamuncaa]

Desperately want a baby but can't face stepping on the hideous pregnancy rollercoaster. Anyone else in this position?
Last miscarriage was particularly upsetting. Dh was depressed afterwards for a good few months. He says he now feels ready to try again.

In my head I know we both want this and it is better to try sooner in case we meet more complications. We have a ds so we're lucky but we've always wanted sibling for him. I feel so sick with worry at the thought of getting pregnant and losing another one. I don't know if we've got it in us to go through it again. I know that sounds dramatic but it's taken so long to feel happy again.

I've had tests and there's nothing they can find. Just bad luck. How do you keep trying? Will I feel any better if we wait any longer?

I'm so incredibly lucky for your losse. I had two after my DS1 and god, it was just awful in ways you can't even describe. I was really hesitant about trying again because I didn't think I could face another loss.
We were struggling to conceive so I went to an acupuncturist who asked about my cycle (no doctor had ever brought it up) and so I got my progesterone levels tested which ended up being low. I saw a gynaecologist privately and when we did get pregnant, he gave me progesterone supplements for the first trimester and now I'm laying next to my beautiful baby boy who's about to turn one.
Trying again after MC is one of the most difficult things you'll embark on and there are never any guarantees unfortunately. I don't have any advice other than follow your heart and I wish you all the very best.

I am so sorry for your losses. It is utter hell. I am on pregnancy number 4. No living DC so far. I had tests at the RMC after 3 mcs in 7 months, they found nothing. I then either stopped conceiving or (most likely in my opinion), started rejecting them straight after implantation. I went private and got tests done at two different clinics. One found that my hormone levels were low (both oestrogen and progesterone). Not off the charts low, but in the bottom 10% and by monitoring cervical mucous and my cycles said they felt that I wasn't responding that well to the hormones either. Initially we tried supplementing with just progesterone between ovulation and my period, which made no difference. Then we tried injecting with HCG during that period and I got pregnant that month. The second clinic tested me for Natural Killer cells in the endometrium and found high levels. Once pregnant I was on prednisolone for the first trimester and have been on progesterone since my BFP to now (19weeks and 5 days). We (clinic 1 and myself) keep trying weaning me off the progesterone and testing my blood levels, but they keep dropping a bit much. I won't lie to you, this pregnancy has been a long, slow hell for me, but I have never got this far before and it will be worth it if we can get to the end (and then do it again as we would like 2 children). I hope that you manage to find the courage to try again and that this time it works. It is a horrendous rollercoaster to be on.

Thanks for your reply.I was on progesterone last time and it didn't help. Since my last mc the Dr has suggested a daily blood thinning injection? Can't remember what it's called. I kind of got the impression she was clutching at straws to give me some hope as nothing has been diagnosed. The thought of taking all this medication puts me off even more! My dream is to just fall pregnant and not realise until I'm 12 weeks! It's stupid things in dreading like not drinking and then everyone assuming I'm pregnant when we're only trying. I've been through it so many times before.

Thanks for your reply too brenna. Really hope all works out for you sounds like you've really been through it.

What you said is really helpful. I have thought about going private but the nhs tests seemed to be thorough. However, having read all your information I don't think I was tested to that extent. It also doesn't help that for some reason the results were never posted and all the results were given over the phone mid miscarriage as I fell pregnant again before they got any results out to me.

I think I will look into it.

Oh my god...I don't know where Lucky came from. I meant sorry, incredibly sorry.

I hope you get some answers. I honestly think that we don't yet know many of the reasons for miscarriage and those who are put down as unlucky or unknown have something that is yet to be tested for. I found it hard to decide where to start with clinics and tests but I am so glad we did it now. I would certainly recommend the NK cell testing. It is quite well documented now. It was my consultant at the RMC who recommended that one. It hasn't been quite well proven enough for the NHS to adopt it, but it has been well documented and tested now.

The blood thinning meds might be heparin. After 2 m/c i was tested and found to have anti phospholipid syndrome (blood tends to clot). I started injecting as soon as i found out i was pregnant and had 2 successful pregnancies (along with another m/c inbetween when i didn't know i was pregnant so wasnt on meds). Did they test you for it? I think levels can be misleading if you're tested when pregnant or in few months after so maybe worth asking if you've had a pregnancy close in time to tests.

Repeat m/c is an awful experience and does cloud future pregnancies, but i hope you have a happy ending

I tried again after four mcs and was lucky enough to be successful fifth time, but don't think I could have kept trying without a treatment plan (NK cells, in my case) which was not offered to me on the NHS. Good luck whatever you decide.

Thanks everyone really helpful. I was left feeling that i had been tested for everything but having read what youve all said i feel like there might be more answers before we go through it all again.

Mollysfriend I realised you didn't mean lucky! Don't worry!

I don't have a clue about how I would go private. Do I go to my gp and ask for a referral? Or do I need to go through the bep clinic?

I just contacted the clinics directly.

I don’t know the others but for Mr Shehata you would just google his name and “miscarriage clinic” and you’ll get his website with contact numbers.