I am 34 and just found out I am pregnant. I honestly thought after my last son that I was done because here it is 5 and a 1/2 years later with no form of prevention before I conceive again. I like you have had multiple miscarriages. This makes a total of 9 times pregnant and so far I only have successfully carried two boys. I also had miscarriages where I was told my body passed everything and had no cause for a DNC. I have only had one miscarriage in which I passed the gestational sac and that was when I was almost 12 weeks along with twins (confirmed heart beats and babies on ultrasound). No one doctor could tell me why specifically that I was miscarriaging because all my testing came out fine. It wasnt until my first son that the doc went a lil further with the testing and found out that I have PCOS, diabetes (not gestational), and my progesterone runs low in my first trimester. Since then I take insulin and prometrium to counteract what can be and have only had one miscarriage and that was in between my sons. I am hoping this one lasts because it will be my last and this time we hope for a girl. Hopefully this one goes well for you and the docs figure out the direct cause to help you and others that have the same situation as you.
Btw...did your doc ever put you on metaphormin to help with the PCOS symptoms? Not while your pregnant of course but in between?
Would what my dr described as a standard "miscarriage panel" include the tests you mentioned?
Also, after my last miscarriage the remains were tested and it turns out it was a "genetically normal" male. My RE said that b/c it was a genetically normal male (as opposed to female) that meant my husband and I were genetically normal, too. Is this necessarily true?
Thanks so much!
Hello 1denhair,
I read your post and it is important first off for me to mention something called MTHFR (Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase). When you have had multiple miscarriages (I am sorry to hear of your losses, I too have had a miscarriage) you need to consider genetic testing. MTHFR is responsible for several things, one of which is multiple losses. It is a genetic mutation that many women have and yet do not even know. It can be tested for, but it has to be requested specifically because it is genetic. If you do not have MTHFR (and there are several resources on the Internet regarding it)
http://www.pregnancy-info.net/mthfr.html
and even here on MedHelp.
In order to test for MTHFR, many doctors will do labs of blood testing looking for elevated levels of homocysteine hormone. HOWEVER, having low levels dose not preclude you from a positive diagnosis. The genetic test itself must be done, since women's level of homocysteine can change daily. It is often a good indicator if the levels are not in the normal range though.
If not MTHFR, you may have a Genetic Translocation/mutation which may not affect you in the way a full genetic abnormality would, but it can affect your fertility.
When you are in your 30's, even at 32, you should know that as soon as you hit your 30's your fertility takes a nose dive and you are actually up to 60% less fertile then when you were in your 20's. So, this too can be a factor.
I would suggest, as a previous post above, that you speak with your doctor first, see if you need to be referred to a gynaecologist, geneticist and or a fertility doctor/reproductive endocrinologist since additionally have PCOS (I do too) which in itself will be responsible for fertility issues, but not necessarily recurrent miscarriage.
There is a lot I can share with you, and if you wish you can certainly send me a direct message, and if you have additional questions, hopefully I can help.
In addition to anything I have mentioned, please keep in mind, that while I or others may have extensive knowledge in many areas, you should always seek professional medical advice from your own physician, as it pertains to medical conditions or concerns.
Good luck, and if you have any other questions that I can help you with, please feel free to message me directly.
Sincerely,
Sandi (Dragon1973)
MedHelp Genetics Community Leader;
Children - Special Needs Community Leader;
Down syndrome Community Leader & Ds Group Forum Founder/Moderator
Is your dr an ob-gyn or a Reproductive Endocrinologist? If he or she is an ob-gyn, you might consider moving to an RE as they have more experience with high risk pregnancies.
Did your dr not suggest having testing done on the "cacoon?" When I had a miscarriage, they tested the remains to get an idea of what happened.
Finally, have you and your husband had genetic testing? After my second miscarriage a "miscarriage panel" of tests were done on my husband and myself to see if there were any genetic issues that were causing the miscarriages. If this hasn't ben done, I would HIGHLY recommend it. B/c you've had recurrent miscarriages, I think it should be covered by insurance.
Good luck! And you're under 35 which is a really good thing in the world of infertility : )