Yesterday I found out I miscarried for the second time. I plan to exhaust all options with testing this time around but am wondering what I should be tested for.
My RE has recommended a hematologist specializing in recurrent miscarriage. I'm assuming he'll be testing for clotting and autoimmune disorders and my RE has already warned me it's likely the tests will show nothing wrong.
What other tests should I be getting? I've heard thyroid can cause problems. I'm also wondering if there should be a scan of some sort in my uterus.
Thanks.
__________________ Melissa (36) To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. DH (39) Lola To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
TTC #1 since July 2007
Femara BFPs but 2 m/cs: Aug '08, Feb '09 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
I didn't start the testing until after the 3rd loss. There were no findings to support why the losses happened. My hematologist/OB placed me on the Lovenox injections just for prevention AND progesterone and so far everything is going well...This is the farthest (13wks) I have ever gotten in any of the pregnancies.
I sure hope they find out what the issues are. I just hate that they don't start testing after the first loss. It is so hard. I will keep you in my prayers.
Oh yeah--I also had the hysteroscopy. That is where they take the camera in to view the uterus for abnormalities. They did find that I had a teeny tiny septal wall present that he said could pose a problem BUT he felt that the size of it was okay. We could have opted to snip that but I decided to try again with the methods I am using now.
Valeria - thanks for responding and your condolences. I'm so glad that this pregnancy has stuck for you.
I am going to pursue a hysteroscopy. My RE thinks it also may be a result of poor quality embryos but the only way to check that would be to do IVF next time around. I guess that will depend on what we find with the testing, but I'm starting to prepare myself for going down that path.
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Femara BFPs but 2 m/cs: Aug '08, Feb '09 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
The procedure initially scared me because I was going by what I had read on here. Lots of people said it hurt and I was just like, I don't know about that.
My doc called in Toradol for me to pick up prior to the appt. They injected it into my hip about 15 minutes before the appointment and I will honestly say I didn't feel ANYTHING except the icy cold water they spray in to keep the area clear.
I sure hope you find some answers.
__________________ Valeria (34) DH (38) DD
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Melissa-Again, I am so sorry for your loss. It's so cruel that we have to go through this multiple times. I've been trying to do a lot of research on m/c. Have you had your thyroid tested? I have hashimotos thyroid which is an autoimmune condition that causes hypothyroidism. My thyroid levels were fine when I began TTC this latest round, but after this m/c they tested and my levels have gone hypo and I needed my synthoird dosage upped. I'm not sure if this could have contributed to mine, so you may want to ask about it. Also, I recommend getting all the autoimmune/clotting testing. I've had all of it and it came out normal, but I'm still strongly suspecting autoimmune issues as a possible cause for my losses. I plan to try and talk my doc into letting me try lovenox or heparin next time I get pregnant. I'm also considering making an appointment with a hematologist to see if he will be able to find anything. I've already had a lap/hysteroscopy after my second loss so I know that wasn't the cause of my latest loss, but it may be beneficial to you to have one done. Sometimes they find uterine issues that you had no idea were there. I had no idea I had endo until my lap. Also, will your doc do any chromosome testing on the remains? My doc is doing that for me this time around. They can also check yourself and your DH to see if either of you are carriers of any hereditary chromosome abnormalities. I've also read a lot about something called MTHFR that seems to be related to repeat m/c that I want to ask my doctor about. I'm not sure if testing for that is included in the standard clotting/autoimmune testing. So anyway, again, I'm so sorry you have to go through this. I hope you are able to get some answers that will prevent you from ever having to go through this again. ((hugs))
Stacy – thanks for all the advice and again, I’m so sorry for your loss too. Other than the basic annual physical, I have not had my thyroid tested. That’s another one on the plan to do list. I guess there’s a different panel that’s done that goes beyond a basic thyroid test. My RE has recommended a hematologist who specializes in recurring miscarriage, so I’m sure he’ll do the autoimmune/clotting testing. Were you on baby aspirin this time? I was but I guess it didn’t help. Depending on what they find, I’d be willing to do the lovenox or heparin next time too. I’ve also read about MTHFR (which makes me laugh b/c it looks like an abbreviation for mother f*cker!) and plan to ask on that too. I haven’t had a lap/hysteroscopy but I definitely want one. I feel like my uterus is a breeding ground of bad things and maybe that’s what’s killing my babies. My RE has already braced me for the fact that I may not find anything with all this testing. I think that’s the hardest to take. He did say that it could be problems with the embryos and in that case I would have to do IVF so they could evaluate them. At this point I would be willing to go down that road. Anything for us to have a healthy baby…. How are you holding up?
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Forgot to add about the chromosomal abnormalities - DH and I haven't been tested, but I want to do that too. As for the chromosomal tests on "the tissue" - unfortunately since it looked like I already passed it, they can't do anything this time around. Last time, I had a D&C and they screwed up the doctor's orders and never did it. I was so upset and now I can't do anything about it, so I'll never know. But my RE says they usually don't come back with answers either. It's just so hard.
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Melissa-I'm holding up o.k. It was really hard at first, but I'm doing better now. I'm sure it will be really, really scary when I get back to TTC. How are you holding up? I find it theraputic to research ways to prevent this from happening again. I feel like there is so much doctors don't yet know about m/c and its so frustrating. About the thyroid, yes, they can go beyond the normal tests that look at thyroid hormone levels and test for antibodies that are attacking the thyroid (autoimmunity). Unfortunately I have the antibodies, and I've read that women with them have a higher m/c rate. I've read that selenium supplements can reduce thyroid antibodies so I am going to give that a try. I'm pretty much willing to try anything at this point! That's why I'm strongly suspecting autoimmune issues as my cause, although its so frustrating that my testing came out normal. Yes, I was on baby aspirin this time around but I still would like to try lovenox or heparin. That's great that your RE is referring you to a hematologist that specializes in m/c. I wish I had someone like that to see, my RE did the clotting/autoimmune testing himself. (And LOL about the MTHFR, mother f*cker, I've thought of that too!)
I'm afraid my chromosome testing on the remains will be inconclusive as well. It was confusing because the day I started bleeding I went to the ER and they found a fetal pole and sac (no hb). The next day, the nurse at the RE's office couldn't find the fetal pole or the sac so I figured I had passed it. A week later I met with the RE himself and he said I still had fetal remains in there and he was the one who wanted to do the D&C. So I was a little confused on why they found it, then couldn't find it, then found it again a week later. So anyway, I had already been bleeding for a week by the time they did the D&C so I don't know how much was left to test. I was a little annoyed about that. If I knew that all my m/c were caused by chromosmal abnormalities, I would do IVF with PGD, but with my luck I would shell out $20K to miscarry again. I just want some answers! I really hope your testing ends up giving you some answers, keep me updated on how it goes. Lots of luck to you. Sorry for all my rambling!
Melissa, Stacy ~ I just wanted to say how sorry I am for both of your losses.
I am thinking of moving to IVF too but had asked my RE about recurrent m/c in our last visit. I told him that I didn't want to pay for IVF just to have another m/c. So I am getting ready to have the blooding clotting tests done. He also did tell me that IVF would be the only way to find out egg quality. I know one thing he has been insistent about is not pushing a cycle past ovulation on day 16. He says egg quality is greatly reduced with later ov dates. I know this is not the standard for most REs and we all know lots and lots of ladies on here that have successful pregnancies with late ovulation dates so I don't know how true that is but maybe it can be true sometimes. I hope you all find out something. Gosh we all have been through so much. I just hope and pray we all get to the other side of this one day.
__________________ Me (33), DH (36) TTC#1
Treatments: 9 rounds total: 4 anovulatory, 5 ovulations 1 Miscarriage,twins at 7wks 2 chemical pregnancies To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
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Juno - I feel the same way about the IVF - I don't want to do it only to m/c again. Interesting about the Ov dates. My first pregnancy, I O'd on CD23 but with this pregnancy, I O'd on CD16 which was the earliest I ever O'd. Last pregnancy I had low progesterone but this time it was perfect. Everything went right this time, until it didn't. I just hope we all get some answers so we never have to endure the pain of loss ever again.
Stacy - I know what you mean about it being therapeutic to do research. It makes us feel proactive and sort of in control versus feeling completely out of control with TTC and even our pregnancies. I'm holding up ok - I don't think I've really let it sink in yet. DH called our parents but I haven't spoken to anyone yet. I'm just not ready. To some extent I'm feeling a bit of relief and I think deep down I just knew something was wrong. And now I don't want to go back to TTC until I find out what it is.
__________________ Melissa (36) To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. DH (39) Lola To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
TTC #1 since July 2007
Femara BFPs but 2 m/cs: Aug '08, Feb '09 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
I have a question. How do you guys afford all of this testing? I have heard that intertility testing is not covered under any insurance. i would do whatever they wanted me to do if i knew it would mean a healthy baby in the end. i envy those people who get off the pill and wham they are pregnant. it is exhausting to try to think about what could be wrong and how to fix what they do find wrong. i could just scream
__________________ Angel 1 -4/06-5wks Angel 2 1/08( stephanie grace) 6wks Angel 3 2/09 (steven blestman) 8wks Current meds: ba, prenatal, 2mg folic acid & B complex- Dx'd with PCOS 1/08 dx'd with mthfr homo. 4/09 Entering a clinical study for clomid/Femera- Tammy-39-Steve 48-ttc 6 years
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My insurance does not cover any type of infertility testing/treatment, but my doctor's office coded it so that they covered everything. Glad I went through with the testing since they found the MTHFR with it. With the proper treatment (lots of folic acid, baby aspirin, & Lovenox), I have made it much farther than I ever have. I pray that each of you who have had losses will be successful.
__________________
Me(28) + DH (29) = 3 years married
M/C 2001 (11wks), 2003 (6wks), 2007 (10wks)
BFP 8-27-08
Ainsley is here! 4-21-09
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And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5:3-4
Just wanted to update the group with a list of recommended tests I received from my acupuncturist:
Recurrant Pregnancy Loss
Prolactin
Antilupus Antibodies
Thyroid peroxidase Antibodies
Thyroglobulin Antibodies
PT/PTT
Glucose (Fasting blood only)
Insulin
Prothrombin 20210
C reactive Protein
MTHFR gene
Factor V Leiden mutation
Protein S
Protein C
Antinuclear Antibodies
RPR
Rubella
Anticardiolipin Antibodies
Blood Type
TSH
FSH
HBAIC
DRVVT
Homocysteine
Serotonin
NK Killer Cell
__________________ Melissa (36) To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. DH (39) Lola To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
TTC #1 since July 2007
Femara BFPs but 2 m/cs: Aug '08, Feb '09 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Testing for recurrent miscarriage 
