Progesterone and low dose aspirin success stories?

[Frazzlerock]

Hi there,

We suffered a MMC and a MC 2.5 years ago and I was prescribed progesterone (for PCOS issues) and low dose aspirin for my next pregnancy. Well I am finally expecting again at long last - Whoop!
I am only 5 weeks and just find this all so difficult as I'm so apprehensive and pretty much terrified even to get out of bed.
I'm taking the prog and aspirin daily as prescribed, as well as pregnancy vitamins.

I wondered if anyone can tell me their success stories with these meds? I just need a bit of positivity I think

My twins were progesterone and low dose aspirin babies after 3 miscarriages in a row.

I took progesterone until about 24 weeks and aspirin until 32 (think it would’ve been for longer but I was at risk of early labour)

Im 26wks pregnant having been on progesterone till 14wks and on 75mg aspirin still. Ive had 2 mmcs and a stillbirth previously. Fingers crossed for you!

I've only got 8 weeks worth so that will take me up to 12 weeks. Reckon I'll need more progesterone if I make it that far?

Different doctors have different ideas. The first half of my pregnancy was overseas and I had private healthcare. I came over here and my obgyn didn’t understand why I had it, the midwives seemed to think it may have made the difference though.

I'm now 35 weeks, came off aspirin at 32 and progesterone at 15ish. The progesterone tapered down gradually over about 10 days as apparently stopping it cold can cause spotting, and my doctor felt it wasn't worth the stress that might cause. I think the idea is that by the end of the first trimester the placenta starts producing progesterone which is why lots of people stop around then - my doctor said this can happen up to 14 weeks so as a precaution he preferred to stop then rather than at 12 weeks.

As I understand it the research into progesterone is inconclusive and doctors have very different ideas about it - I'm in another European country where they're less hesitant about prescribing it.

The evidence for either low dose aspirin or progesterone is not there. In large trials of women that had experienced recurrent miscarriage, one trial of progesterone showed no additional benefit (to completion of full term pregnancy) over placebo and a trial of low dose aspirin showed similar results.

However, as niether treatment cause harm, some specialists will still prescribe it.

Important to note that the women included in these studies were a mixed population, so some may have experienced recurrent miscarriage for specific reasons where these treatments may well have conferred a benefit.

When I looked into the evidence, I saw an interesting piece of research that suggested just being looked after in the early stages of pregnancy made a difference in terms of completing pregnancy to term.

So in my completely unqualified opinion, it you feel it helps there is no harm in taking it.

Good luck

Hi there,

I just wanted to update you in case there is anyone lurking that is wondering about outcomes.

We sadly lost our little baby. Found out at a scan at 9+3.

I'd had two previous scans both showing small for dates. Each scan showed smaller measurements and sonographers were insistent I just had my dates wrong. Strangely, our baby's little heartbeat managed to hang on for us to see only one week before the final devastating scan, despite measuring two weeks behind by that point.

So progesterone and aspirin didn't work for me, much as I used all my strength to will it to work.

Having had three MCs now, our little on has been sent for genetic testing and we have an appointment at the recurrent MC clinic.

I still cannot believe this has happened again. I genuinely thought this would be our time now. Third time lucky and all that

Hi @Frazzlerock. I know this post is a couple of years old, sorry for your losses. Just wondering how did the genetic testing go? And did you manage to find a solution?

Hi @Slk3558 our third little baby had a chromosome disorder, one of the Trisomies. We were told it's "one of those things" "just bad luck". My DP and I were both tested and we had nothing to suggest we'd be more likely to have a baby with a chromosome issue. Apparently it's the most likely cause of most losses, or so they say...

We then managed to get pregnant for a fourth time and the same thing happened at 9 weeks, once again it was one of the trisomies 😢.

We now have a beautiful 5 month old little boy after we completely gave up trying (how many times I heard that story and didn't believe it!). He's a force to be reckoned with, mind you 😂, but I think that's why he survived the perils of pregnancy (thought we lost him after extremely heavy bleeds three times, then born by crash section 6 weeks early!) so I'm eternally grateful for him 🤩

I’m so sorry for your losses but glad you got your rainbow baby in the end!

I’m currently almost 10 weeks after 2 early losses, I have pcos.

I am on progesterone and aspirin. Aspirin in particular is helpful for many women so I’m hopeful. I hope to be able to give a positive update after my 12 week scan in 2 weeks time! Xxx

@Frazzlerock I remember reading your rollercoaster thread for your little boy. I was so thrilled to read you had a successful pregnancy. Were you on any treatment for him?

Oh huge luck @Cafeaulait27
I tried aspirin and progesterone for my final three pregnancies. In my last pregnancy (with our rainbow) my consultant said not to take aspirin until we saw a heartbeat as (she said) the sticky blood is needed to help the baby to burrow into the lining. I didn't end up taking it though as I had a very very heavy bleed with huge clots at 8 weeks and which turned out to be a sub chorionic haematoma (of course my pregnancies can't be easy 😂).
But I did continue to take progesterone until 16 weeks. Obviously it didn't work before as it can't stop chromosome issues, and I'll never know if it helped this time, but it can't do any harm. What I will say though is it's supposed to be really good for breastmilk supply which can often be low with PCOS.

Please come back to let us know how you get on

@Daffodil21 I only took progesterone for this one and, as I say, we'd completely stopped trying as we couldn't put ourselves through yet another loss.

Thanks @Frazzlerock That's good to know. I only asked because I'm currently on progesterone (and was also on steroids until 16 weeks). I'm nervous about coming off the progesterone so I was going to ask how long you took it until

I wish you so much luck @Daffodil21 what has your consultant says about taking progesterone? Have they said to stop after a certain length of time?

@Frazzlerock thank you! It was prescribed until 16 weeks, but one of the consultants said I could carry on taking it until 20 weeks if I wanted to. I'm 19 weeks tomorrow and have gone down from 2 pessary to 1, and then I'll come off completely at the end of next week. I know you don't need to slowly come off it but I felt more comfortable doing it that way as I've been on it so long!