I’m 25 and I’ve just had my second miscarriage in a row, is there anything I can do to avoid it happening a third time?

[Nikigeorgi]

I’ve just experienced my second loss within 6 months today. I was 9+4 weeks and a scan confirmed there was no longer a heartbeat after some light bleeding this morning. I had a scan a week and a half ago and the pregnancy was healthy with a strong heartbeat. It’s so hard, I feel lost & confused, absolutely devastated. It all felt so real this time. The last loss was at 5 weeks so I had less time to process the pregnancy, in some ways this made it easier to cope with. Now as I’m in the so-called 2% of couples who miscarry twice in a row, I’m starting to feel concerned, but with no investigations unless it happens a third time I don’t know what to do. I’ve read about low-dose aspirin, progesterone etc. Can anyone shed light on if these might be helpful the third time around, considering my age if this has anything to do with it? Please do share your stories with me if you’ve been in the same boat and gone on to have a healthy pregnancy the third time around, it will give me a glimmer of hope at such a dark time. Thank you in advance :( x

@custardbear Thank you for sharing

@Thethingswedoforlove Yes definitely, maybe I route I will try to go down with GP next time around.

@AdriannaP that’s wonderful, congratulations❤️ Thank you for sharing these suggestions, I’ll be taking them all on board. Bloods last done in December, GP said all looks ok… 🤞🏼for number 3

@4thtimethecharm thank you for your message. I’m sorry to hear about your past losses. Sending lots of love and strength to the little one in there❤️

@Nikki037297 wow, what a journey you’ve been on! Thank you for taking the time to share. These personal stories make me feel less alone… ❤️

@QuiltedHippo that’s really helpful thank you. Did your friends get progesterone prescribed only once they were pregnant again, or before when trying? X

@ChinChilly I’m sorry to hear about your losses, thank you for taking the time to share. Yes my thyroid is OK apparently, not sure progesterone has been checked but I guess it might not be worth doing now that I’m no longer pregnant because it fluctuates with my cycle.. is that the case? Congrats on your current pregnancy and good luck

Low dose aspirin helped me although I did freak out when I saw some bruising on my limbs. It definitely can increase random bruising so dont take it for too long or give yourself a break if you don't get pregnant in a few months on it.
Also, I'd recommend to not go from miscarriage straight to ttc again. Wait a few months for your body, hormones to get to a regular non pregnant setting. I had miscarriage after miscarriage for a couple of months. A roller-coaster for my body and mind. I wish I had parked everything for about 3 months after the first one. Good luck!

@VeryMeh hi there, no… this didn’t seem to be an option, perhaps because the losses were both ‘early’? I’m glad they finally found what the cause of your reoccurring MC’s were. This is really useful to know, thank you for sharing with me x

@2022newyearnewname devastating isn’t it but how beautiful to know that pregnancy number 3 is earth side with you. Gives me so much hope. If you don’t mind me asking, how soon did you conceive after the second loss? It’s been suggested to me by nurse & GP to wait for at least one period to come and go so that they can be really clear on dates. But I’m guessing not everyone sticks to this, whether purposely or not! X

@Thirder thank you so much. Good to know about the bruises, I’d defo panick if I saw that and didn’t know to expect it potentially… so you started taking low dose aspirin before conceiving? I thought it might be worth taking only when pregnant again, but to take folic acid and vits etc. when ttc x

@Nikigeorgi mine was a different way round to you, I had the MMC first then a chemical pregnancy. I was told to wait for at least a cycle after the MMC (where I had a delay for months for this!) and I did as I wanted to give any future pregnancies a good change. I then had a CP and I got pregnancy straight after that, I didn't wait that time (I heard people can get pregnant straight away after these so I risked it and I did).

I did read stories or people who successfully conceived after MMCs and I think at one point maybe I did just think to give up waiting, I can't quite remember back that far. But I definitely did have at least one cycle before the CP.

I have had two MCs, they weren’t in a row so so not exactly the same but I started on 150mg aspirin upon conception after the second. And it’s been successful. It won’t hurt and it might help. Either way it feels like you’re doing ‘something’ which psychologically helps! Good luck OP

I had my first miscarriage in November at 10 weeks and just had another last week at 8 weeks it's so heartbreaking

I took it in the two week wait each month, then if af arrived, stopped for the next two weeks until next possible conception. I stopped at 12 weeks pregnant on Gps advice but I understand so Gps recommend to keep taking it.

I had two miscarriages in a row and I'm now sitting here breastfeeding my three week old baby.

My first miscarriage was a missed miscarriage in August 2020. We'd had two scans at 6 and 8 weeks that had been fine and shown a healthy heartbeat. Went to have the harmony test and the scan revealed that the baby had died at around 8+4. We did medical management at home.

Second miscarriage in February 2021 - things weren't right from the start. I had spotting from the minute I got a BFP. Scans showed I was measuring behind (and I was certain of dates). The heartbeat was also very slow. I started miscarrying around 8 weeks and had a D&C for retainer products.

I then started doing research and did the following, since at that point is just turned 39 and wanted to try everything I could for a successful pregnancy (I have one other child who I conceived when I was 18): saw a nutritionist and made a concerted effort to eat well. I started having acupuncture too. I began taking the supplements recommended in 'It Starts with the Egg'. I also booked a private appointment with Nova Fertility and the doctor prescribed the following: progesterone, clexane, steroids, aspirin and high dose folic acid. The appointment and medication probably came to around £1600 in total.

I got pregnant again in June and immediately started the medication. Whether it was luck or the result of the meds, the pregnancy stuck and we have a beautiful baby girl.

Please do PM me if you want any info.

I am so sorry for your losses x

Have you asked your GP to investigate the reason behind the mcs?

FWIW my GP also told me my thyroid was fine and it wasn't, TSH especially shouldn't be over 2.5 for TTC or pregnancy but anything under 5 is considered normal in primary care, mine was close to 5 so my GP wouldn't treat it but the recurrent MC clinic did

I've only had one mmc but found a book called what every women needs to know about miscarriage really helpful. It's a good balance of science detail without being so in-depth it's hard to follow. It's by professor Lesley Regan it made me feel much less anxious about it.

I see you've had lots of advice so I'll just briefly add my bit of hope for you.

At a similar age to you I had two mcs and a chemical. I then fell pregnant again and did absolutely nothing differently (other than worry a lot I guess!). Anyway that baby is now fast asleep next to me. I remember being in your position frantically googling and looking for answers so I send you lots of best wishes and hope.

@DappledOliveGroves I'd love to know more about your experience with Nova. I have just suffered my third miscarriage and am looking at private care to hopefully make my next pregnancy successful. Did you pay for private tests to send to them? Or did they prescribe the medication based on your medical/pregnancy history only? Did your Gp have to write the script or do they do that for you?
Sorry I have no idea how to DM on here . Any advice you can give would be great!

@FfayeN

Thanks for your message. Nova was a bit hit and miss. The initial consultation was fine (did a zoom call) and the medication that was prescribed was easy to get. It was done solely on my medical history that I told her - didn't have any tests or anything. It was done as a private prescription and they have a relationship medical company which then couriers the meds once you've paid for them.

I ended up on progesterone, Clexane, steroids, aspirin and high dose folic acid. I had no side effects from any of them (other than a bruised stomach from the Clexane injections!) I had to google how to give myself the injections (so follow up care from Nova isn't brilliant) but it was pretty easy to figure out.

I don't have any experience of any other clinics to compare, but Nova did mean I got an appointment and medication pretty quickly (during lockdown too) and at a reasonable price. I think the medication in total ended up costing maybe £1000 or so, including the extra I needed, whilst the consultation was £150 I think. So not cheap, but not prohibitively expensive, and the consultant was very willing to throw everything at the problem, whereas I think NHS recurrent miscarriage clinics are more cautious.
The issue I had with Nova arose down the line, when I started running out of Clexane, and couldn't get hold of anyone at the clinic to sort out a new prescription. The main telephone number of the home page of the website doesn't work, although the administrator's (Barbara) number did let me get hold of her (www.novafertilityuk.com/meettheteam.html) But I had no reply to my initial email requesting further Clexane, which caused no end of stress, since I couldn't find anyone else to prescribe it either. So I would say to give them a few weeks' notice if you think you'll run low on anything!
It's so hard to know if it was the meds which did the trick in the end or whether the pregnancy would have been successful regardless, but I felt that at least I was covering all bases. I also did acupuncture, saw a nutritionist and took all the recommended supplements in the 'It Starts With the Egg' book.

Hope this helps and wishing you all the luck in the world - miscarriage is such an horrific thing to go through and having multiple miscarriages is soul destroying 💐

@DappledOliveGroves thanks so much for your reply. Loads of helpful info in there. Can I ask what they thought the issues may have been? Did they treat you for NK cells or immune disorders? I am not sure what all those medications are for, however I'm sure they would let me know at the consultation and I'll be on Google first thing tomorrow. Whatever happens I just want the best chance next time and this seems like such a good option, I just want to make sure it's right for us. Been reading a lot about Dr Shehata but it seems costs there could spiral.
Thanks so much

Can I ask, at what point did those who took aspirin start taking it? Once you've found out your pregnant or just everyday whilst TTC?

Thinking of you OP, it's a horrible experience, and the not knowing why is so difficult. Lots of great advice on here x

@FfayeN - we didn't really discuss why I'd had two miscarriages in a row or what the cause was. I think the fact I was older (39) was probably a factor. But as I'd already had a successful pregnancy (had my first DD at 19) the doctor seemed to think that another successful pregnancy would be possible.

One thing I feel may have been a contributing factor was potentially low progesterone as I'd had spotting between the first and second miscarriages. Or possibly egg quality. So hard to know really. It may have just been bad luck. But at least having all the medication basically covered all bases.