What's your experience of taking progesterone and/or aspirin to help pregnancy after two miscarriages?

[hopefulgum]

I've jsut had a positive test at 11 dpo and now I'm not sure what to do next.
After my second miscarriage I had tonnes of tests which were inconclusive. The first miscarriage was due to a trisomy and with the second one they couldn't tell me if it was a trisomy as they botched the tests -but it definitely wasn't trisomy 13,18 or 21.

The tests I had showed that it wasn't a clotting issue, but I know that many over 40's are told to take aspirin anyway,and are put on progesterone as a matter of course.

My Gp seems to think I don't need progesterone as my day 21 tests were normal, however, I worry that as I'm older I couldn't sustain the amount needed and hence I had a miscarriage at 9 weeks.

Could you share your experiences with me.I don't know what to do.

I had a mc at 6-8 weeks at 34 years old, then a DS at 35, then a mmc at 14 weeks at 37. I insisted I took progesterone and baby aspirin for my next pregnancy, the obgyn wasn't bothered either way if I did (I was abroad) I then went on to have DS2 at 37. I don't know why I had the two mc's there were no tests done.

I have no idea if it helped. With hindsight I am not sure it made a difference and in fact I was a bit annoyed with myself for not having more belief in my body. However, I just didn't want to go through another mc and wanted to feel like I had done everything I could. I made the right decision for me at the time.

Congratulations by the way.

I am taking progesterone and heparin after 2 Mcs. The heparin is for a clotting disorder discovered at St Mary's Paddington (my local hospital results were normal). Some women also only develop clotting problems when pregnant so its worth beign tested again after BFP. The progesterone the consultant agreed to to keep me quiet but he does not believe in it! In fact have just taken the last tab at 16 weeks and terrified!

I would not advise taking aspirin without a clotting problem as it can cause other problems and there is no proof it improves outcomes.
My consultant did say that over 40 the problem is likely to just be chromosonal but can you get yourself referred to St Mary's? They really are fantastic. Here is hoping it is 3rd time lucky for you!

I was advised by my GP (who specialised in obstetrics, and was pregnant at the same time as I was) to take aspirin for the first 16 weeks after 2 MCs.

No investigations were done, but she said it wouldn't hurt to take it, and might just help.

DC1 resulted from that pregnancy. I did the same with DC2. No further problems.

(I was only 22 and 23, though, if that's relevant.)

I was on a variety of medications at first under the care of the Miscarriage Clinic. I have had four mcs in total (no children as yet) and am now 30 weeks pregnant. I have been diagnosed with high natural killer cells and was on steroids for the early part of this pregnancy. However the consultant (without having found any clotting disorders) also recommends most of his clients take 'baby' aspirin, additional Vitamin D3 on top of Pregnacare and Omega 3. I have also added Selenium into the mix this time at 200ug a day having found a lot of reports of its benefits in pregnancy, like Vitamin D3 (an extra 25ug a day). You can get these latter two from Holland and Barrett.

I personally was happy taking the aspiring and other vits without being diagnosed with clotting issues. I know a lot of people who have had successful pregnancies after miscarriage just by making these tiny adjustments. They are in a low enough dose not to cause problems and you could go off them all by 12 or more weeks. You can get low dose aspirin in Boots but they might ask if you are pregnant as sometimes they don't sell it to pregnant women! I have had to get DH to buy mine sometimes. I stopped it at 25 weeks but am still taking the vits just for that extra boost.

Good luck! I know how stressful it can be when you are pregnant after miscarriages.

I haven't got experience of what you're going through, but wanted to say that I'm thinking of you, and I hope you find a sympathetic doctor who can give you some proper advice.

I have had the run around from my doctor's office, who won't prescribe progesterone for me. My Dr is on holiday. She's the one who said,"call me when you get a bfp and I'll prescribe the progesterone". So I rang her office and she's away until June 5th. They said they'd get another doctor to prescribe, but that doctor couldn't find anything in my notes,so has contacted an Ob/gyn who has said there's no evidence for progesterone for helping early pregnancy, so, they won't prescribe.She aid,why don't you contact your specialist (consultant), but I don't actually have one!

I should be angry,but I'm not at all, I feel quite calm about it,and I'll continue with the cream. I have always had good levels, and I'll see my own doctor before I reach 9 weeks, which is when I was worried that progesterone might drop - and we can monitor that through blood work.
There is another doctor whom I might go and see before then, an acquaintance I know was put on progesterone by him,as she was 44 and had had two previous miscarriages. She had a baby,and is pregnant again (in Australia we can see any doctor we like).

As for the aspirin - I have one at home that is 100mg - is that too much? I think I've read the dose is 75mg?

hopefulgum congrats on being pregnant, Ive also had several miscarriages but I'm currently 24 wks. Like you my tests all came back inconclusive but apparently most multiple miscarriage cases are inconclusive only a small percentage are down to an identifable factor. As soon as I found out I was pg I self referred myself to the early pregnancy unit where I was scanned and told to take 75mg of aspirin daily. I didnt know the science but I did know that aspirin in small doses can definitely help. My parents have a friend who's a haematologist who kindly explained that after each miscarriage microscopic clots are left in the mothers bloodstream - causing no health issues for the mother but they can affect the flow of blood to the early foetus - potentially leading to miscarriage. Apparently every mc increases the amount of micro clots and therefore increases the risk of another mc! The drug of choice to treat this is aspirin and they usually start off prescribing 75mg to be taken daily, they prescribe clexane if they are more serious clotting issues. IMO I think you would be wise to take a low dose aspirin daily but you need your dr to agree, as for progesterone I asked about this and my consultant said that there was little evidence that progesterone supplements would have helped me. Anyway good luck and maybe try to get seen by an early pregnancy unit as they are experts in pregnancy before 24 weeks not midwives or general practitioners who are really only good for the later stages. X

Hopeful they usually say 75mg is the recommended dose but I don't think 100mg is going to do much harm for a few days until you can get to a chemist and get the 75mg. I do know some people who have been diagnosed with clotting issues and they were recommended to take 150mg. Both are people I have known on MN and both have now had successful pregnancies. But without known clotting issues I would stick with 75mg.

Just one thing though, if you start bleeding in any way do stop taking it. And stop taking it by around 20 weeks pregnant, as I know people who have gone into (unconnected) premature labour and have ended up having a bleed and been told aspirin could have made them bleed a hell of a lot more.

As for the progesterone, I think you are right and probably don't need to worry about it. Keep using the cream just in case. I was on pessaries until 16 weeks but my specialist said they were also immune system modulators so they might help me with the high NK cells.

Really interesting what your parents' friend says Boggler. I didn't know that might be the reason it is recommended. I might copy and paste that to the support group I am on (it's in Conception section) for people who have been treated for immune issues after recurrent miscarriage. Congratulations on hitting 24 weeks! That's viability. I am now at almost 31 weeks and know what those milestones are like.