Recurrent miscarriage clinic.

[Nic2908]

Hi. 

just looking for some advice in the wild we was of miscarriage and clinics if there is anyone that can help me please? 

I am 37, last year I found out at a private 16 week scan that the babies heart had stopped shortly after 12 week scan. We decided on a basic pm which was inconclusive, the only thing it found was that in the cord there was two vessels instead of the usual three. 

we took a year out the recover and and this year fell pregnant again. I was under the rainbow clinic scanned at 8 weeks to find a heartbeat and started on Aspirin only to be told at the 12 week scan baby had passed away around 8+4. I had a d+c two weeks ago and the fetus has been sent for some genetic screening. 

I have been referred to the local hospitals recurrent miscarriage clinic and been accepted as I am over the age of 35, but I have been told that tests will only begin after two periods and then will take 12 weeks to be completed which is a total of 6 months. 

I guess my questions are what sort of tests should I expect/be asking for. What is the process and would paying privately mean tests and results are completed quicker at all? 

for absolutely clarity, I have a beautiful little boy who is three and with all three of my pregnancies I have gotten pregnant the first month of trying. 

Really appreciate any help. 

thank you.

[Tralalalaaa123]

Tests of your immune system for high NK cells (natural killer - horrid name, sorry).

[Prettyflowersallyear]

Hello and sorry for your losses 💐

I went for the miscarriage panel at Bourn hall recently as had been told the waiting list for my local recurrent miscarriage clinic would be 4-5 months. I paid privately (and it wasn’t particularly close to me) but it did speed things up and I found the nurses very nice and professional and the tests comprehensive. Waiting for the results now.

All the best.

[Nic2908]

@Prettyflowersallyear good luck with your results I hope that you find some answers.

@Tralalalaaa123 how do you test for that is that something the gp can do?

[Tralalalaaa123]

@Nic2908

@Prettyflowersallyear good luck with your results I hope that you find some answers.

@Tralalalaaa123 how do you test for that is that something the gp can do?

I don’t think so - they would most likely be through the recurrent miscarriage clinic itself. X

[Ttcafterlosses]

sorry for your losses

I’m part of the Coventry recurrent miscarriage clinic I have had many tests including blood tests for things like aps, thyroid and many others as well as genetic testing on myself and husband and I had a scratch procedure/womb biopsy

i paid for the scratch/biopsy but everything else was nhs and the initial bloods were done by my gp as the consultant sent out a blood form so I could have the results at first appointment

[Nic2908]

@Ttcafterlosses I have read alot about the Coventry clinic. I don’t live anywhere near, is it dependent on postcode if you would be accepted?

[Ttcafterlosses]

Hi
I don’t think it’s based on postcode because there are only 3 centres in the uk, Birmingham and Coventry which aren’t far apart and then London. My understanding is you get to choose the centre - I was recommended the Coventry centre by the nurses at early pregnancy unit following one of my losses and when I was referred by my gp i was asked which centre and I told them Coventry

[TinyTear]

I went to Coventry and live in London. I went self funded for the scratch/biopsy and then my local GP sorted the prescription
(This was 10 years ago)

[MrsC2018]

Hey @Nic2908 very sorry for your losses.

Just a bit of hope, I had 2 children, no issues with their pregnancies but with the 3rd, found out at 16 weeks that he'd passed away sometime between 13-14 weeks. PM and full genetic screening found no cause. Next pregnancy, found out at 15 weeks that she had passed away around 14 weeks, again no reason/cause found. Had stared on aspirin and had early scans due to the previous loss. Next pregnancy was ectopic, so just bad luck.

I've just had a healthy baby boy, no issues in pregnancy - heavily monitored, started on aspirin, clexane and progesterone at 5 weeks when heartbeat detected until delivery.

My experience is that testing showed nothing for me, my consultant also said that clearly I can carry children to term so they would concentrate on supporting a pregnancy rather than looking for a cause as most of the time with miscarriages, if the cause is not chromosomal then chances are you won't find out a reason. She was right in my case, no reasons were ever found but they did manage to support another pregnancy to term with meds and monitoring.

Finding answers is important if there are any out there for you, but you can carry on even if you never know why - I would ask your rainbow clinic what they can and will be doing to support you in another pregnancy and what you can be doing differently next time to get a different outcome. Tommys was a good resource for me, I rang and spoke to one of their specialist midwives a few times too - they're involved in the Coventry clinic/testing as PP have mentioned. I didn't go down this path but have heard good things about their research

[TheTigerWhoCameToEatMyHusband]

I waited a year for my referral to go through and actually see someone. Then 6 months after that was given the go ahead to try again. I was told I wouldn't be offered any extra support if I fell pregnant before all tests were complete. If I could afford to go private I would have done. The tests that the nhs done came to over £3000 privately. I just didn't have it at the time. I'm thankful for the miscarriage clinic though I got my beautiful baby in the end.

[Ttcafterlosses]

Lovely to her the positive stories. I’m still waiting for my rainbow, I had my 4th loss in August and I then had the biopsy and got sepsis and then started sitagliptin so have only recently started trying again

[Eggling]

It's great to hear these stories. I have just had my 3rd miscarriage in 14 months. First two were around 7-8 weeks after seeing a heartbeat, this one was early and the embryo didn't develop beyond 5 weeks. I have a daughter who is almost three.

All my pregnancies have been ivf and this last embryo was tested so we know it was chromosomally normal. I also had two embryo transfers that didn't take at all before the first miscarriage, so 5 losses total. i was also on steroids and clexane for this latest loss.

I've had the tests my clinic offers with nothing showing as wrong. I have a gp appointment next week and will be asking for a referral to the Coventry clinic. The only thing I've not been tested for is NK cells as my clinic don't believe in it.

we have 4 frozen embryos left so can carry on with ivf. I'm hoping the coventry clinic comes through, i cant afford to see a reproductive immunologist privately after spending £50k on ivf already. Did anyone struggle with getting their gp to refer them or was it straightforward? I've had decades of being fobbed off by doctors for fertility thing so kind of steeling myself for a bit of a battle, DH is coming to the appointment with me for back up!

[Nic2908]

@Eggling on their website it says you don’t need a referral and there is a number to ring if that helps at all. I’m so sorry for all of your losses. So incredibly sad.

@Ttcafterlosses im so sorry for your losses and then to get sepsis on top.

do either of you take any supplements at all? I’m just starting to look at that side of things

[Ttcafterlosses]

Hi

just to give further information based on my experience, implantation clinic is self funded (but only for cost of materials) at a cost of I think I paid about 1300 when I had my procedure done. It is all done via Prof Brosens. It gives you an initial consultation, the procedure and then a follow up.

to get a referral to the recurrent miscarriage clinic where you see Professor Quenby and that does not have a cost, my understanding is you need a gp referral

I got referred by my gp to recurrent miscarriage clinic, saw Professor Quenby, then had some initial tests and then took part in the implantation clinic and then went back under the care of Prof Quenby, hope that makes sense