Recurrent Miscarriage - Lupus Anticoagulant

[LondonScot]

Hello, first thread for me! I had 2 miscarriages, (4+3 and 7+5). I had tests and turns out I am positive lupus anticoagulant. Saw Mr Rai at St Mary's and I've been put on aspirin 75mg and heparin from positive test. I got positive test 3 days ago, started the heparin and aspirin and then started bleeding and negative test today at 4+4.

So I've now had 3 mc. I'd like to hear from others with LA but also anyone else who is taking aspirin from ovulation. Did your Dr suggest that? Also, is anyone in the UK taking progesterone supplements?

Given i took the treatments, i don't know that the recent loss was due to the LA or something else.

Hoping i can find some support in this community xx

Hello!

Sorry to hear about your miscarriages :( .
I’ve had lupus for about 20 years and I’m positive for antiphospholipid antibodies. Last year I had my son and all went well. First and only pregnancy. I was in remission. I took aspirin 75mg every day (I’ve taken it since diagnosed) and Clexane injections as well, even 6 weeks after delivery as there’s still high risk of clot. I had a very healthy diet, no alcohol at all, low fat. No sun at all. Took Pregnacare vitamins during the whole pregnancy, plus extra iron and flood acid. Lots of sleep and rest and no stress. I had a baby scan every 2-3 weeks as there were other risks.

It is possible to have a successful pregnancy when having lupus and/or the anticoagulant. But doctors support is indispensable, close monitoring and much discipline from us... in the end it’s all worth it... :)

Best of luck :) X

Thank you for your message. I just have the anticoagulant rather than lupus itself.
The doctor only told me to take aspirin from positive test but I notice a lot of people take it every day anyway, e.g before conception. Perhaps I need to do this as 2 of the mc’s have been so early there has barely been time for the aspirin to work.

Fingers crossed this will work sometime!

Can I also ask if the extra folic acid was in the L methyl-folate form? Or was it just normal folic acid?

Congratulations on your success, good to hear!

Thank you!!! Pregnancy and motherhood are hard work but it’s without doubt the best! :)

I’ve taken aspirin 75mg every day for +15 years. It helps me a lot. And it was great during the pregnancy. I stopped it a week before delivery (I was induced) just to avoid too much bleeding. And I took it right after, plus I had to wear the special socks for blood clots. There’s still some high risk 6w after delivery. Same with the Clexane (enoxoparin)

And about the folid acid, it was just the normal one that you get over the counter. It’s super important for Baby’s development during the first Trimestre.

Fingers crossed!! :) x

Hi

I’ve treated by St. George’s in London for recurrent miscarriage. I was previously told all my blood tests were normal, however I went back to see my consultant yesterday as I’m pregnant (4 weeks + 6 days) and told I tested positive for lupus anticoagulant during my blood tests. I was given progesterone twice a day, daily fragmin injections and daily baby aspirin.

I started reading up on lupus anticoagulant and you’re meant to have 2 blood tests 12 weeks apart which I didn’t have. Anyone else diagnosed after one test?

And what kind of monitoring do you have during your pregnancy like regular consultant appointments?

I’d be grateful for any advice on this!

I've just had my first lot of blood test results back and the nurse told me my lupus anticoagulant was positive so they would want to repeat it in ten weeks. She said the first test is commonly positive because samples can clot on the way to the lab etc. I asked if that doesn't also just happen for the second test too, and she said it's a case of seeing if it comes back with the exact same result or not - if it's a match they know it's my true level, if it's not they put it down to lab errors. Apparently it's a very difficult test to get accuracy for which is why they never diagnose from just one sample and run them weeks apart. I clarified that a positive result is common and she said yes, about 90% of the time.

We ended up not having our first appointment in the recurrent miscarriage clinic but the reproductive medicine clinic (because of a booking error), so we weren't necessarily speaking to the exact person we were meant to, but the Dr we saw has said she expected this test to be normal for me because my miscarriages were on the earlier side at six weeks (she included the one MMC that wasn't discovered until 11 weeks in this) and she said clotting problems tend to cause later miscarriages, usually second trimester.

As our route to these tests hasn't quite been standard and we're still waiting for a proper appointment, I don't know how accurate this is, but I did double check everything as it was said to us.

It's horrible how unclear or contradictory everything is and how little access there is to information. I hope things work out for you.