Questions to ask

[bb99]

In a nutshell...13yo , new DH , LMC, EMC, DC , LMC.

Both missed LMC at the same gestational point 17 - 18+ weeks. I think they probably passed away at about 17+ weeks as heartbeats were dopplered at 16 weeks for both and thinking about when pg symptoms started to feel weird.

We had all the obvious tests first time around with the LMC as it was SO unusual and special , there were no obvious risk factors and I was well below the 35 year mark then, plus the nucal fold and triple test had such a low risk factor it was unbelievable that we had a mc (and my local hosp is a centre of excellence). Oh, plus by the time we had a follow up appt I had stated my EMC the evening before (how the poor consultants face fell when on congratulating us we gave him the news - poor soul).

No Hughs syndrome found, TORCH all negative, swabs (ouch) negative, only thing that was obvious was the trophoblast cells had not developed correctly during the second trimester (heamatology looked at the placenta), so general consensus was 'an immune system problem' ie my immune system shutting down the placenta. So tried baby aspirin from TTC to 34 weeks and that seemed to do the trick with DC , but not this last time

I have run out of poignant questions to ask at the end of the month when we have our 40 minutes of fame and a 'counselling' appointment.

This time around we did have a PM done on poor DS (once is unlucky, twice is fate, three times a charm...) we really wanted it done this time as a helpful (ahem) mw talked us out of it the first LMC time around.

Sorry to pick the tops off my emotional scabs wih you and go all FAR TMI Thought the collective pool may have some useful input as I am out of curiosity at this point (had 4 A4 sheets last time, of closely typed questions )

Better days to us all xx

Hi bb99, I'm normally MiniMarmite and you kindly supported me after my emc.

Not sure I have anything useful to offer but couldn't just read and run. Is your appointment tomorrow or end of Jan?

Is this where the results of your son's PM will be discussed?

I've tried to think of a few things that I might want to know in your situation but you might have already discussed them:

If your DCs that you lost by LMC were both boys: Have they ruled out sex-linked conditions?

Possible referral to St Mary's (Prof Regan)?

Do they think the cause is likely to have been the same in both cases of LMC?

Not sure if helpful at all but thinking of you x

hi there, i don't have any experience of late miscarriage - all mine have been first trimester. But one thing struck me as odd about your message. you said the general consensus after your first LMC was 'an immune system problem.' I have read Dr Alan Beer's book on immunology and miscarriage and don't recall aspirin being a suggested treatment for immune reactions. i might be wrong about this but my understanding is that aspirin is usually used for blood clotting disorders, including Hughes/antiphospholid/anticardiolipin (i think these are all different names for roughly the same thing.) Immune issues are more usually treated with steroids i beileve. are you familiar with Beer's research? it is still controversial but fascinating. The book looks daunting but is actually easy enough to read - you only really have to skim through it. I would definitely recommend it.

Thanks for the thought mincemeat, hope u r ok (nice name change - v.seasonal )Will hopefully have some genetic test results from this poor soul's PM.

kissmummy, the consultant said that it might not do any good, but it wouldn't do any harm IYSWIM and thought it would be worth a go. I was v. pleased and thought it had worked as DC2 finally turned up, but possibly was a bit overconfident. I hadn't started taking the aspirin this time around until I was over 2 months pg so was clutching at straws and thought maybe that had something to do with it, but who knows (not me that's for sure).

I haven't heard of Beer's research before - have you got an ISBN number or a title (will google Beer in a min), all the research papers I've found that mention steroids are pretty controversial (dangers vrs outcome etc, as with so many things)

Appt is end of Jan and the PM results should be available. Who knows, maybe DH and I are just genetic anomolies (quite possible, well in HIS case )...I have worked out I've got about another 5 - 7 'goes' (if AF ever happens again - still waiting for that one, but had some problems stopping bleeding this time around) taking into account getting BFP, having another LMC and then waiting to TTC again...before I will personally start to feel a bit over the hill and past it, and DH and I are starting to 'come to terms' with the fact that our shared DC may have been a one off lucky charm and we might not get all the little people we wanted. But we are ridiculously lucky in so far as that one is concerned.

Really am not expecting much from the appt to be honest as it's such a complicated thing the docs are trying to unravel. They tested for Hughes again, but I'm not too expectant that there will be any other information other than the placenta was shot again (my theory, not theirs, because of the unbelievably co-incidental timing) I did have a massive bleed and over 100ml haematoma sitting on my os, but there was little or no evidence that this was a critical bleed from the placenta and the bean was always fine upto the 17+ danger zone, no growth restrictions or any obvious problems. Plus the research I've looked at concerning haematomas indicates that they don't necessarily lead to a negative outcome if they are in the early part of the pg IYSWIM and lots of women probably have them and just don't know they do. Anyway, enough BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

Have a happy new year and good days to us all xx