Is my egg quality the problem?

[User13355]

Hello

Been TTC for 1st baby. On cycle 3 (April) I got pregnant but this ended in a chemical pregnancy. 6 months later I got pregnant again on cycle 9 (October) but this ended in a natural miscarriage at 7.5 weeks.

I am not sure how to interpret this - getting pregnant twice in 9 months I feel suggests my fertility is OK, but the miscarriages perhaps suggest my egg quality is not (assume the losses were due to chromosomal problems).

Not sure if anyone has had similar experiences and ended up managing to go on to have a healthy pregnancy? Should I be doing anything to improve my egg quality? Currently taking Ovum supplement, omega 3 with DHA, vitamin D.

I had 3 losses and went on to have a healthy pregnancy. Now 37 weeks. Sorry for your losses. X

How old are you may I ask?
Do you have conditions such as pcos ?
Are you naturally getting pregnant?

There could be a whole host of reasons why miscarriages take place and really it could just be a matter of bad luck.

Apologies I forgot to mention. I'm 34. First cycle I tried I was 33 (Feb 2023). I'll be 35 in March.
Don't have PCOS as far as I know, periods mostly regular. I am going to get bloods to check some things though at my next period if I don't get pregnant beforehand. I got a day 21 test in October a day before I got a BFP and this was 41.

*day 21 progesterone test

It’s so common, I only know one person who hasn’t had one or more miscarriages when ttc. It could be an egg quality issue, could be a sperm issue, could be a genetic issue, but more likely it’s completely unexplained. You can ask for testing if you go on to have a third miscarriage. I did and it was a chromosome issue, but we were then genetically tested and there were no issues. Our fertility checks were completely normal. It’s such a long hard road in the dark!

I had 3 losses in a row too and turns out DH also had issues with sperm quality. We both cut alcohol, caffeine, exercised more + omega 3, vit D, magnesium and some herbal supplement with a very complicated name that apparently boosts sperm massively. Maybe get your DH onboard too!

Edit: ashwagandha is what it’s called- only Dh took that one.

Why are you taking dha? You shouldn't unless you're having regular blood tests and someone is checking your testosterone levels. And then you want a prescription for a good one not online stuff.

Have you tried coq10? Don't take a crap one though off Amazon. Try igennus or biocare.

Other supplements I was advised to take.

Methylfolate not folic acid
Resverstrol
Quercetin
Nicotinamide riboside
L-carnitine
Baicalin
Vitamin E

But it can just be bad luck. Wishing you better luck xx

(I took all of the above plus growth hormones and ultimately it didn't work. 9 eggs, down to 2 embroyos, both no good when tested)

@Popdrop I am taking DHA which is just part of the omega supplement and is just an omega-3 fat that is not harmful. You may be thinking of DHEA which I believe you should have bloods to check before taking and is hormonal.
Thank you so much for the list! I will take a look at them.

@Rosiiee so sorry for your losses as well. I think I maybe thought if there were sperm issues it would be affecting conception rather than the embryo so assumed the problem was me. Would a semen analysis with the NHS flag up any issues that could be causing miscarriages? Did you go on to have a successful pregnancy?

I have a dd19 and then had 2 mc I then went onto having ds16. Fast forward to 2019 me and new dh decided to try, we had 4mc in a row the 4th fetus was tested and had chromosome 13, so I was tested and I have robertsonian translocation between chromosomes 13/14. We went on to have another mc before getting pregnant July 2022 and had my beautiful ds in March 2023. Its been a long hard road but we eventually got there. Hope this gives you a little hope x

A miscarriage is due to embryo quality, which can only be tested prior to ivf through pgs testing.

If I were you I'd just try naturally again, you're 34/35 and really are pretty young in the scheme of things and wouldn't be falling pregnant so easily if your eggs were such an issue.

Its unlikely you have pcos as you're regular.

Oh yes! Sorry! Good luck. Keep going x

@User13355 we did semen analysis through a fertility clinic so the turnaround was really quick and they’re the ones who advised us to take all those supplements. Also maybe switch bit D to an oral spray rather than tablets (better absorption apparently). Once we made all the lifestyle changes we thought the next pregnancy would stick but I miscarried at 12 weeks so we eventually did IVF.

The hospital was kind enough to send the last two miscarriages for testing and they both had abnormalities hence the mc.

Edit to add: strongly disagree with PP who said that you wouldn’t be falling pregnant so easily if your egg were the issues and to keep trying because you’re young. I was only 27 when we did ivf! After 3 consecutive losses they’ll investigate anyway. Good luck!

I had 2 MCs before current pregnancy (now 32 w). I'm 42, partner is 43.

It starts with the egg and the sperm. Both contribute to embryo quality (age, lifestyle and other uncontrollable factors).

How old is the father, what supplements is he taking, has he stopped drinking, smoking, cut down caffeine? What are your stress levels like?

Plastics in the home eg kettle, water bottle?

How's your vitamin D? Thyroid?

You could also ask your GO for day 2/3 and day 21 hormones plus a full blood count.

Currently 8weeks at 42 and have had multiple early losses (also have an 18 month old and a 12 year old)
The key thing my midwife told me to do differently this time is to take Folate and not Folic.
Working so far! 🤞🏻

I've got this fear too. Just had to have a termination at 14 weeks as the baby had a chromosome problem (T18). It had taken us 18 months before that. I had been taking 5mg folic acid and halfheartedly taking a prenatal vitamin with folate, Vit D, Omega etc. Since the TFMR I have been taking it everyday, plus I added in Ubiquinol this month for egg quality. It takes 3 months for the egg to mature so need to allow that to see any impact.