2 Miscarrige and ANA test is positive, 1:80, pattern speckled

[worryofpreganat]

I just miscarrige on 25 Feb 2011, when it was about 8 weeks. It is my 2nd miscarriage, 1st miscarriage was May 2009, during that time i was around 18 weeks pregnancy.

Recently i have done several blood test and found that the Antinuclear Antibody Test(ANA) is positive with Titre 1:80 Speckled Pattern.
Doctor say this ANA positive do not causing the miscarriage and told me that nothing to be worry about and do not need to do anything now until my next pregnacy.
And he only mention that when come to my next pregnancy, i will need to take aspirin.
Can someone share with me more on this ANA positive? Is it relavant to my both miscarriages? What i need to take note and anything to do to prevent miscarriage?
I am worry now and at the crossroad as do not know what i should do to prepare prior to my next pregnancy?

[kris71]

i also have ANA antibodies also 1:80. It isn't high but it is relevant. Dr. Beers - the Reproductive Immunologist wrote in the book Sherri mentioned that prednisone should be used during pregnancy with ANA antibodies. Ask your Doc about it. Most docs do dismiss it but i definitely think it could be causing your miscarriages but you never will know unless they test the fetus and if it is a healthy baby that miscarried you know your body is doing something to end the pregnancy.  Good luck

[worryofpreganat]

I am very thankful for your advice and opinions. For sure i will go for 2nd opinion from the other gynae doc and look for further testing. At this moment i am fear and lost of not sure what went wrong with me. Hopefully i can find out the causes of my miscarriage soon.

And I wish you also successful in year 2011 and hope to hear your good news soon :-)
Sherri, again i thanks for your kind sharing.

[Sherri90049]

For starters, I recommend the book "Is Your Body Baby-Friendly?" by Dr. Alan Beer. It is a great resource to help women understand the field of reproductive immunology. The ANA titer of 1:80 is not very high BUT I would NOT say that it definitely doesn't mean anything. I hate when drs dismiss women's concerns so quickly. If I were you, I would look into getting further testing done. I see you're in Malaysia. There probably isn't a reproductive immunologist there. But there are several in the U.S. and I think a couple in the U.K. I believe that it's possible to have blood drawn where you are and have it Fedexed to one of the labs in the U.S. The RI specialists here all do consulting via telephone. It's not cheap but can be very effective at helping women for whom the cause of repeated miscarriage is the immune system. It helps also if you have a doctor who would be willing to work together with the immunology specialist.

I know that baby aspirin is one tool that is used, but there are many others. It just depends on what your particular issues are. And only lab tests can tell you that. For some women, baby aspirin and extra progesterone are enough to make the difference. But for many women, additional treatments are needed.

I have had two early m/c's and 8 chemical pregnancies, so I understand how you feel. I wish you the best and hope that you are able to figure out what caused your losses, so you never have to endure that again.