Pessimistic doctor

[Lou573]

Hi all, just after a slightly more positive perspective than that of the GP I just saw for my midwife referral etc. He told me that most first pregnancies end in miscarriage. I feel like that can't be true - most? I guess that could cover anything from 51% up, but still. I hadn't heard that there was an increased risk with a first pregnancy though - is there any truth in that?

He didn't fill me with confidence anyway - in a conversation about my cats he assured me that I would be aware if I had toxoplasmosis at any point, but a quick glance at the NHS website would suggest that's untrue!

Thanks in advance for any thoughts - I'm such a worrier anyway and could really have done without being told that I should basically sit back and expect to miscarry.

I'd ask to see a different GP if I were you. The idiot GP I was seeing when I was trying to conceive was utterly useless, which the consultant I eventually went to was very happy to tell me.

Forget about him.

Twat. Him not you! No idea of the stats, but I think what he said about mc was probably bollocks. Regarding the cats, just wear rubber gloves then wash your hands when changing the litter tray, and don't touch their bum holes!!

What an idiot! I have never heard of most firstvpregnancies ending in miscarriage.
My gp advised the percentage is about 20% until about twelve weeks.

I had a GP who said this and banged on about older mother's. Unfortunately he was right but it was so unnecessary.

I am almost sure that the rate of MC's for everyone is 1 in either 4 or 5. I have never heard that a first pregnancy is so high?

You are right about toxoplasmosis you won't always have symptoms. I believe the advice is to avoid the litter tray, someone else will have to deal with that... but that's about it (I think!)

I think he sounds like a total jerk tbh! I hope someone else comes along with the correct facts and figures but I think its highly unlikely what he has said is true. Albeit miscarriages are common I don't think they are THAT common! Try not to worry too much

Thanks all - I was pretty sure he was incorrect but it's nice to hear it from elsewhere. Will try and avoid this particular GP in future - hopefully I will mostly be dealing with the midwives now anyway.

Its about 25% but reduces with every week that goes by. And some of us have lots of them which in effect reduces the actual rate a bit for everyone else.

If you want to look at the actual basic curve, the overall rates for all women are as high as 33% at 3 weeks (so only a few days from implantation) down to about 9% at 6 weeks and only about 2% by 9 weeks.
These numbers are based on large scale aggregates of first time conceptions.
Your rates will increase on an individual level based on age, but not by nearly as much as your dr says.

Thanks again. Early 30s so not high risk due to age yet. Currently 6 weeks so the table in the link above gives me about a 10% chance - much smaller than 'most women' as according to the GP!

As for toxo, you are right, most people have no symptoms. If you are very worried about that, you can get a blood test to see if you're immune. If not, then most people actually get the infection from undercooked meat - according to studies, cat owners do not have a higher rate of toxo infection during pregnancy than non-cat-owners.

What a cheery - and incorrect - man.

You can blood test for exposure to toxo, I did this in my first pregnancy but not this time, you're mw just orders it with the initial blood tests. I wouldn't worry though if you've had previously exposure you'll already have immunity it's only new exposure during pregnancy that's a problem

Oh and also as long as you don't eat cat poo that's older than 24 hours you won't catch it either.

As you can imagine it's very very minimal risk...