I feel let down by both the NHS and private consultants

[WildflowerPetals]

I’ve had 3 MMC’s (2020, 2021 & 2025) with a healthy baby in between (2022). After my MC in April last year I was referred to the recurrent MC clinic. I knew the wait for this was quite long so in October ‘25 I decided to see a consultant privately (who is actually the consultant who runs the NHS clinic). We had a fairly good consultation and was referred for all the usual bloods and I also requested an AMH test. However, she didn’t mention about any scans. Towards the end of the consultation it started to feel like she didn’t want to offer anything we’d have to pay for (even though we’d obviously paid for the consultation and knew I was having the appointment to skip the NHS queues). She even tried to talk me out of the AMH test cause I’d have to pay for it. I thought some scans might be suggested once my bloods came back but, nope.

We’ve been trying for a baby since the last MC (so for a year now) with no pregnancies in between. I mentioned to the cons that I was worried about how long it took us to fall pregnant and that without knowing what caused the MC’s that I might have another. She basically said that if we fail to fall pregnant within a year from the MC (so, now) then we’ll be referred to the fertility clinic (which we’re in the process of doing). I just feel really let down and like I basically paid for a consultation to get nothing out of it. No suggestions of tests or scans, just some information that I pretty much already knew.

I had bloods done for blood clotting disorders after my 2nd MC and found I have Factor V Leiden, but other than that nothing has been found that could potentially be causing the MC’s.

Are there any tests or scans that I could ask for to try find out why it’s taking us so long to conceive and what could be causing the miscarriages? I’d really like a HyCoSy or HSG but they’re quite expensive so I’m just wondering what other options there might be. I’ve pretty much researched everything but I’m just feeling at a bit of a loss and I don’t really know where to turn.

Thank you if you read all of this! There’s probably things I’ve left out so feel free to ask for more info!

So I don't have experience in miscarriages, but I do with health systems over and over. And my best advice to you, is get a second opinion, privately. Never just accept, keep moving.

I was in a similar situation in that I had a miscarriage then healthy pregnancy then 4 further miscarriages and 2 ruptured ectopics

miscarriage clinics bar some basic and routine blood tests won’t offer some of the other tests on offer. AMH is irrelevant to miscarriage - it’s just an indicator of the hormones which drive ovulation. HSG could tell you if your tubes are blocked but since you are getting pregnant than you could assume that’s not the issue

personally…..you already have 1 child so aren’t eligible for any fertility support on the NHS. The NHS fertility clinic won’t offer you anything so I wouldn’t bother - they will just check you eligibility for IVF then confirm you’ll have to pay.

id just skip the wait and go privately for IVF now if that’s something you are prepared to do. IVF clinics are more likely to do the additional tests (AMH being one) and also offer additional pregnancy support like progesterone steroids or clexane.

@elfendom1Thank you, this is what I’m thinking I might have to do.

@justaddshallotsI’m aware AMH is irrelevant to miscarriage but since it’s taking us so long to conceive I just wanted to check what my levels were, and they’re on the low side of normal. I feel like I’m essentially battling two things here, not being able to conceive and then when I do I end up having a miscarriage, so I feel really torn in which way to turn.

In my last miscarriage I was given Dalteparin (which I took with my son) and progesterone but I still miscarried, I had tests that confirmed no chromosomal abnormalities so got no answers there either.

I’m not sure I want to go down the IVF route as I know it can turn into a bit of a money pit. I just wanted to figure out why I have a hard time conceiving and why I miscarry.

@WildflowerPetals
i think if you are not wanting to go down the IVF route then knowing your AMH may just cause unnecessary stress.

There is a couple of clinics you could self refer to - the Tommy’s one in Coventry springs to mind or if you don’t mind paying I think Dr Shehata is about £3k.

You could ask for karyotyping but it’s done individually and not about the embryos you make together with your husband so my IVF clinic said don’t bother. Or you could look at NK cells testing - but that’s not widely available. How much testing has your husband had? I get pretty frustrated with miscarriage clinics as they always test us women when it could just as likely be the man contributing to the issue. So there is sperm dna fragmentation testing etc. but my IVF doctor said not to bother with that either as my husband had been taking Proceive max supplements for a long time (available at Boots and Holland and Barratt) and the treatment for dna fragmentation is the same as what’s in that largely

how old are you both?

@justaddshallots I wouldn’t say it’s necessarily caused me stress knowing, but I just like to have all the data I can.

I’ve been looking at the Tommy’s miscarriage clinic in Birmingham, so I might ask my GP to refer me there. I’ve also been looking at NK cells testing, I think there’s a clinic near me that does it although I don’t know costs. My husband has had semen analysis’ done, but that’s all. He’s been taking the regular Proceive since we started TTC (as have I).

I’m 33 and my husband is 34.

@WildflowerPetalsi know they did NK at Warwick Uni? I’d up to Proceive Max if you can for both of you? I know how frustrating it is and I found the NHS miscarriage clinic utterly useless too.

Did you have a c section with your full term baby? And - sorry - personal question but were your MMC confirmed as being such rather than ectopics? I only ask as it’s another avenue to explore - some of my losses may well have been ectopics as well as the confirmed ruptured ectopics due to scar tissue from my c section pretty much destroying my tubes. The damage wasn’t visible on the HSGs though. Other than going down the IVF route an/or accepting that conceiving is going to take longer though there isn’t really a remedy for blocked or damaged tubes but again at least it’s more information - I painfully remember that I felt like knowledge was power too and spent hours and hours researching to try and take back some control as it was the only way I could cope with it all