Pregnancy After Miscarriage Part VI....Share your worries and knicker checking stories here...

[SparkyMalarky]

Will this do?

Hi Ladies,

Its awful reading some of you stories hopefully you get there next time round, maybe you may be able to give me some advice as i am out of my mind with worry. this is my first pregnancy, owed to my first cycle of clomid. i think im at my 6th week but im not sure. after intercourse one evening during last week i noticed light pinkish discharge just when i wiped myself. ive had slight stomach cramps for a few days now and on sat i noticed more pinkish disharge when i went to the loo but none since. ive still twinges though in my stomach. does this sound like the start of a mc or is it normal in pregancy? i rang my doc he said if my cramps get severe or if i get clots phone him to arrange an early scan, but by next friday if my current symptoms persist and i test positive ring for a scan which im assuming will take a week or so to arrange.

Sausage - I had an ERPC too and it was fine. Agree with the numb feeling (and was shaky for a day or so) but for me was so much better to know it was all finished. I'd had lots of bleeding too and the ERPC sort of (horrible phrase coming up) cleaned it all out - I bled for less than a week and more like a light period after that. Conceived less than 2 months after that.

Bluesatinsash - cannot believe you have to wait 2 weeks for an ERPC? Could you get one privately this week if you wanted to?

Sorry to all those with bad news - it seems extra sad at christmas...

Herbs - sounds like you're doing what's right for you - but the tests really do make it difficult for us don't they.

Seems like it was a w/e for odd discharge (we're not known as the knicker checkers for nothing!) - I had some light brown discharge on both days and ended up going to the antenatal ward to be checked - all fine, but it was such a scare...we hadn't even done the deed, so there's no chance for DH's xmas sh*g now!!

Oh sausage and blue I'm so sorry for you both. It is such a sad thing for you to have to go through.

I had an ERPC with the 2nd mc and was absolutely fine, only thing was I was last on list and had to sit for 4hrs waiting to go to theatre, cried constantly for those 4hrs . Definately felt more physically back to normal hormone and bleeding wise than after natural mc's.

Don't give up hope ladies, some of us just take a little longer to be lucky.

valz there's no way of knowing at this stage my love. Pinkish discharge can be nothing or something. Definately go back to your Dr if bleeding gets heavier or you get abdo pains. Some aches are normal in early pregnancy

Sausage and Blue - so sorry. Sausage I think you've made the right decision on the ERPC although I never had one. I was pretty scared of the prospect and naturally m/c anyway but my hormones took a real knocking which I don't know if it might have been better having an ERPC.

Herby - I think you've made the right decision too. I'm sure you've thought of it like this but there's only a 1% chance of having a baby with downs syndrome. Pretty good odds when you think of it like that. I have a friend who had 1:100 odds and refused extra invasive testing as they had had to have IVF to conceive so did not intend to terminate. They did 'allow' her an extra scan at a specialist unit where they looked at the heart and for other markers. Maybe something worth asking for it you want to.

Valz - sorry you're joining us on such a note. Its very normal to have cramps and some bleeding in early pregnancy as everything settles down and implants. Its such a worrying time though - fingers crossed for you.

Also meant to add - I am off for christmas tomorrow to my parents so hope everyone that can has a relaxing and peaceful christmas and all my thoughts to those who aren't having a happy christmas.

After 5 yrs ttc and 2 miscarriages in the last 18 months, I am delighted to report that Aidan George was welcomed into our family and household on Saturday evening.

Didn't think it would ever happen and have worried about every twinge of this pregnancy. A miracle has occured.

I wish you all every success and hope this message brings hope to all those despairing (as I did).

Happy Christmas and sending you all a little miracle of your own to cherish

Congratulations kd73

What a wonderful Xmas present!!

kd congratulations!! that's wonderful news! Have yo done a birth story? I will go look (as I am getting obsessed as mine is so close!!)

Sausage I am so sorry, poor you. Timimg is shit. I had erpc and it was okay overall, but they did send me home with some rerally nasty knock-out antibiotics which were hard to function with - get dh or someone to look after you well. Also someone mentioned fertility - I was pg withi six weeks of mine, so if you ARE ready to try again its a good time. Good luck with it all.

bluesatin you too - you poor thing - sending you hugs - are you sure you are happy to wait 2 weeks? You maky be right about it being easier if it comes away on its own, if so stick with the plan, if not make a fuss.

And herby - concentrate on the fact that you have a 98 out of 99 chance (or is it 99 out of a hundred?) it will be fine. I didn't have testing but when the sonographer was doing the 12ish week scan measurements she asked in the middle of it all if we were having a nuchal and I just said 'no' (I am 39) but inside I was screeching 'WHY???WHAT CAN YOU SEE???' and in my darker moments I worry a wee bit about it.

Off to get xmas logs, xmas fizz and non-fizz for me, and a load of sprouts and parsnips now. And a ham.

Have a peaceful Christmas everyone - look after yourselves and be with loved ones.

sausage, Blue, Lizzie & Glimmer - so sorry for your losses. I hope that you are all as ok as you can be. It is awful going through this at any time, but it seems especially horrid at this time of year. Will be thinking of you all.

I had an ERPC with my last mc and the recovery was fine (well, physically - emotionally it took longer). I particularly would recommend it for those who have other children to look after - I have heard stories of medical management leaving people with awful cramps and bleeding for a couple of weeks. Couldn't have coped with that personally.

Well done kd73 - hope you have a lovely family Christmas with your new addition.

herb - hope you and dh are ok after your stressful time.

Have been offline for a week as relocating study to make the new nursery. Has been such a big faff and I have been really frustrated by it all. Am not used to being sidelined and unable to help but this bloody pgp is awful (definitely no more after this lo). Eight weeks or so to go - will find out cs date in mid-Jan. Panicking slightly as have 3 assignments due for uni before my EDD - . Will have to be super-organised as soon as Xmas is over.

Dh wants us to go out to a party on NYE, but I am feeling too huge, uncomfortable, tired and grouchy to go standing in a (? smoky, def beer-riddled)room full of (mainly) total strangers, and have said that I would prefer to stay at home. Am playing the dutiful hostess all over Xmas, so would really love to just slob out in my pjs and hoover up all the leftover chocolates on NYE. Do you think I am being a miserable old bint? What is everyone else planning?

Probably won't have chance to get back on here before Xmas Day, so best wishes to all

Bollocks sorry about the typos you all know what I mean!

well done kd73 and welcome to the world Aidan George

kd73 that's fabulous news! Congratulations & welcome to Aiden

Herb, I'm sorry I missed your post. With my dd we had screening results of 1 in 16 for DS & I did end up having invasive testing (god how terrifying it was - fear of losing the baby not of getting a T21 diagnosis). In all subsequent pregnancies we decided we wouldn't have invasive testing on the basis of first trimester screening so we declined the screening. Later ultrasounds would have to show significant problems before we went down that route. If I was in your position now I'd do what wheelybug suggested and get a detailed cardiac scan at 24 weeks & other than that I'd do my best to forget about it.

oh no, today my cramps have worsened, shooting pains on my left side and ive just been to the loo, had a red bleed now, ive never been pregnant before but i no myself this just dosn't seem normal. phoned my doc there he said ring again at 3pm he'll try to arrange a scan today if not it'll be tomorrow, meanwhile im at work tryin to stop meself crying, thankfully no-one can see me!!

Good luck with the scan valz - it still might be ok.

mwmmf hello to you - go for the slopping option! I am 34 weeks and as uncomfy as a big uncomfy thing and the last thing I want is to go to such an event! we tried to book into a local nice hotel for the night to sit in front of log fires and eat etc, it was booked so now I am looking forward to the same thing at home - xmas chocs and leftovers - bring 'em on!!

I might need to look to you for inspiration, I should really be writing a 15 thousand word dissertation before I pop (due 7thish Feb) but feeling like I can't be arsed...prob is I am not sure how long I can defer - should have been done by last June and I deferred due to mmc, but then got pg immediately and basicallly have just mostly ignored it...prob is work have half funded and someone somewhere will notice it hasn't been done and poss ask for money!! Dunno what to do...my head is so full of baby stuff..

Kd hope you don't mind, I am just being anal in wanting to tidy the list!!

Anyone know how Toratora and Jackstini got on?

GUSSET PATROL GRADUATES
RainRain - 25th September - GIRL
jennylindinha - 27th September - GIRL
Splishsplosh - 28th September - GIRL - 24
Perkypopsy 29th September - GIRL - Stella
Bethoo - 6th October - GIRL - Maia
Ronshar - 6th October - BOY - William
07mumstheword - 19th October - GIRL - Freya
Emmsy1-23rd October - GIRL - Amy
Cricri - 1st November - GIRL- Elise Vivienne
LackaDAISYcal - 6th November - BOY - Finlay
barbareebaa - 24th November -BOY - William
KD73 - 20th December - BOY - Aidan George

CURRENT CONCEIVED-AIR PASSENGERS
Toratora - 8th December
Jackstini - 12th December
downbutnotout - 25th January
supersteph - 1st February
dan39 - 4th February (or 7th, or 9th)
winemakesmummyclever - 23 February
bunnyinheadlights - 26 February
Wheelybug - 13 March
Tsom - 23rd March
Grinningbee - 26th March
Daisy J - 30 March
Scotlass - 21st April
Swaliswan - 25th April
Youknownothingofthecrunch - 25th April
Aquababe - 1st May
Ladyhelen2 - 3rd May
LoobyLou36 - 3rd May
Ses - 10th May
SparkyMalarky - 15th May
divedaisy - 7th May (also 12th, 17th or 19th!!!)
cece - 18th May

Further rambling thoughts on my tests...

My overall risk was 1:99, but the nuchal alone was 1:16, which seems remarkably high, considering my measurement of 2.6mm was still within 'normal'. It's got me all worried.

The blood test results came in with the risk of 1:350 or so, which meant the risk averaged out at 1:99.

I comfort myself that they didn't take into account the presence of a nasal bone, which is a v good sign. Some say. This is SO RIDICULOUSLY COMPLICATED.

How about this for sweet: I was saying to DP last night that however Cromwell turns out, we'll love him anyway. And DP said 'I love him already'.

Ladies, may I join? Some of the names here are familiar from other boards and I really need someone to hold my hand.

I'm 39, already have one ds (7) and a step dd (10) and after years of contented, peaceful life went and fell pregnant, completely foolishly and unexpectedly, in July. Dh and I were simply over the moon once we'd got over the surprise, though. I was happy and totally relaxed in that pregnancy - what irony. It just wasn't to be. I discovered in early September, when I thought I was 10 weeks, that I'd had a missed mc around 6 weeks. I had an ERPC and have been haunting the mc threads ever since. But then... we began ttc again this month and I've just discovered that I'm pregnant again (I'm 4+5). And now all the fears and terrors are beginning, just as I'd suspected they would.

I've booked an early scan for 7 weeks and am trying to stay optimistic and to trust that this pregnancy will be fine, but part of me just can't believe that it is going to turn out all right. It would be so good to hang out here with people who understand - I don't want to keep going on and on about it in RL, but having had that mc it's hard just to get on with things as I was once able to do... Anyway, thanks for listening. You all seem so warm and caring and it would be wonderful to be able to pop in here once in a while. x

Herb This is all too complicated. I've read that a nasal bone reduces the risk three fold, but isn't taken into account in the calculations (why not?). My risk was 1 in 177 after nuchal and is now 1 in 274 after blood tests. Did you get the actual numbers for the blood tests? They must have been very good. I'm going to await the scan at 20 weeks in mid January and then consider an amnio depending on what is seen.
Sorry, ladies, I'm not on this thread. I'm part of the TTC 40+ thread having had 3 mcs in past year and I just don't "feel" pregnant yet. It's too early for me. I'm on Aspirin with this pg and am now completely hooked on it.

herb the 1:16 does seem really high - 2.6mm is still considered normal Where did you have the screening done? I have several friends who've had NHS nuchal screen coming back screen positive who've gone on to be re-tested at the FMC/Kings in London with low risk results.

The FMC nuchal screening looks at many more thing than just the NT/bloods.

• Age of the mother
• Nuchal translucency
• Presence or absence of the fetal nasal bone
• Fetal heart rate
• Blood flow through the tricuspid valve of the fetal heart
• Blood flow through the ductus venosus in the fetal liver
• Presence or absence of any physical abnormalities
• Levels of free ß-hCG and PAPP-A in the mother's blood

Hi Villagemum! Congratulations

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to pop in and say a great big thank you to everyone on here. You'll never know how helpful and supportive you have all been through my difficult last few weeks. I had the ERPC today. It went very well despite my fears, and I feel so relieved it's all over so easily after the diasterous medical management last time. As I never really got too excited about this pregnancy, I am also feeling pretty okay emotionally. I've got all my friends coming round in a bit for a takeaway, and I'm just feeling lucky for everything we have.

Anyway - all the best to all you guys. I'll still pop on and check on how you're all doing, and hope to see some of you on here again soon. Happy pregnancies, anfd happy Christmas everyone!

Thanks again everyone - you're all lovely.

(Do they give you some kind of 'happy pills' when you have an ERPC? I'm feeling a bit too tree huggingly loving!

Sausage x

Thanks for the well wishes...

Whilst it is not my place to say, Jackstini I am sure has posted on mumsnet somewhere to say she had a little boy. Both are doing well and I am sure she will post an official in time.

Herb, not sure if you remember but I am 35yrs old and Aidan was high risk of downs syndrome. His status was changed from 1:350 to 1:120 due to his nuchal fold being 2.6mm. Although not officially considered by the medical status, we asked about the nasal bone on the 20wk scan.

Obviously you need to decide what is what and I can only say that Aidan is absolutely normal / beautiful. Good luck with whatever you decide and my DP was much stronger than I re the Nuchal Fold saying similar to your husband and as the due date approached, I found that the issue of his Down Syndrome became less important to me as this was "just" a much wanted baby created by his dad and I and whatever, he would be loved.

i had it done at Homerton. The only reason I can imagine it was so high is my age - 43 - which gives me a baseline risk of 1:49, so anything in 'high normal' could skew it as low as 1:16. Maybe...

I think I might have a private scan in a couple of weeks to get a fuller/better picture.

Tabitha - apparently the nasal bone is only factored in in the OSCAR test, which my hospital wasn't licensed for. It's a disgrace that the service and tests you get varies so much around the country. Some health authorities don't even offer screening at all...

Just crashing in to say congratulations to villagemum I am keeping everything crossed for you to have a wonderful and uneventful pg. Hopefully I will get to join you on here in 2009!! xx

Welcome to villagemum and conrats on your pregnancy - hand holding commenced!! One day at a time is our mantra in these parts as we limp from scan to scan!

tabitha fingers quietly crossed for you!

sausage really glad you feeling ok - maybe see you back here soon?

herb i don't know enough about testing to be any great help but am thinking of you. Feelslike its been such a rollercoaster for you! And I didn't know you were 43 - I have 2 friends who started at 40 and all well with their lo. Can you push for someone to go thru it all and translate it for you?

Gotta go make beds and wrap presents now for the family onslaught. Am procrastinating here now...Will play xmas music really loudly in process. Then will bake a ham and make meatballs for tea....quite the little Nigella I am!

Good xmas one and all!!

Thanks Dan !
Herb my NHS hospital doesn't offer nuchals at all - only to those who meet certain criteria. At age 43 I do not. How odd. Anyway, we paid for ours and it was well worth it.