Help! Can I avoid a miscarriage?

[syak]

Hi everyone-

I was hoping you all could help me out. I just found out this week that I am pregnant (I was just diagnosed with PCOS in early October). I had a miscarriage back in April (which can now be explained by the PCOS, as the baby was fine). I have my first appt tomorrow with my obgyn. I am not currently on any drugs (like metformin or clomid) but I am really scared that this is going to end up like the first. Is it possible to start the metformin now to prevent a miscariage from happening? Am I going to have to try to control my glucose levels thru other means? Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated- I want to go into my appt armed with as much information as possible.

Thanks!!

[HRkswildcat]

I had a miscarriage back in April (which can now be explained by the PCOS, as the baby was fine).

Having PCOS does NOT cause a miscarriage. It may be more likely to occur, but pcos alone does not cause the miscarriage. There would be other factors at work here, most likely that the pregnancy was not viable. How far along were you? Just confused as to why you would say the baby was fine.

The cause of a miscarriage cannot always be determined. The most common known causes of miscarriage in the first third of pregnancy (1st trimester) are chromosomal abnormalities, collagen vascular disease (such as lupus), diabetes, other hormonal problems infection, and congenital (present at birth) abnormalities of the uterus. Chromosomal abnormalities of the fetus are the most common cause of early miscarriages, including blighted ovum (see above).
http://www.medicinenet.com/miscarriage/page2.htm

The best thing you can do right now is to calm down! Try not to stress.
As for the Metformin, you should discuss that with your doctor. Yes, there has been research about metformin preventing loss in women with pcos, but some doctors are against this theory. If you trust your doctor then follow what he/she says. If you do not believe they are correct then maybe it's time to look for a new doctor.
I was on 1,500 mg Metformin when I got pregnant, went down to 1,000 around week 12 and I'm almost 28 weeks still on 1,000. But I also conceived naturally, with no fertility drugs.

Good luck!

http://www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com/miscarriage.html

[Harvmj]

I just wanted to add that Metformin can take up to three months to work in your body to its full and best extent. I agree that you need to try to just take it easy. To my knowledge there is no way to prevent a miscarriage.

[jessietex]

I'm sorry for your loss, but congrats on the new bfp!!

IA w/ pp's, there is no way to prevent a mc. PCOS doesn't neccessarily cause a mc, a mc happens b/c the baby would not be able to survive outside the womb.
All you can do is take care of yourself the best you know how, try to relax & understand that most things are out of our control.

GL to you, KUP!!!

[mnstrpc]

Docs do vary on what they think about metformin, but from what I've seen most tend to not want to put you on it after you've already become pregnant. In other words, some obs or REs will put you on met to TTC and then keep you on it either thru the first tri or the entire pregnancy, but I think most do not want to just start you on met once you've already become pregnant.

Good luck!

[EarthAngel1975]

It's not the actual PCOS that causes mc it's the hormone imbalances that go along with the PCOS that does. Low progesterone can often be a problem so maybe ask your Dr to have your levels checked for you.

As to those pp who asked how she could know there was no genetic issues with previous mc - if you can 'catch' part of the mc you can have it tested for these things so that you know why it happened. This is quite common where I am.

[*Jenny*]

I am so sorry for your loss and very happy for your BFP!!

Usually a miscarriage happens because the embryo wasn't viable for some reason (often due to chromosomal abnormalities, and often for inexplicable reasons), or because of low progesterone levels (which may be caused by PCOS). I agree with the PPs - PCOS itself does not cause miscarriages.

You can't prevent a miscarriage unfortunately. I had similar concerns when I got my BFP because my DH and I were about to go to Italy for 3 weeks. My doctor said that there was nothing we could do but let nature do her thing.