is ivf a "treatment" for recurrent miscarriage ?

[MeredithD]

HI Minnie,
just happened to spot your thread. I could probably give you a 10page thesis on recurrent m/c but A) you probably wouldn't want to know all that and b) I gotta get out of the house soon!! As you can see from my sig, I have lost my fair share of bubbas. Sounds like you have had most of the standard blood tests on yourself. These should also include karyotype sceen of you and your DH, although given you already have 2 children this is unlikely to be an issue. You could also have NK cell testing. This can be a blood test +/- a uterine biopsy (done on a specific day of your cycle). AS far as I know, you can only get these done "properly" in Sydney, There is a Dr Gavin Sacks there who has been doing a research project on it. I flew to Sydney (from Melb) for a day to have the blood test done and see Dr Sacks. My levels were high so I went on prednisolone for my next 2pregnancy attempts. The sceond resulted in my DD but I did m/c her twin. Who knows if the pred made the difference but I am currently also tring for no3 and certianly using it again.
Did you ever have any of your m/c "products" (sorry I hate talking about precious babies like that but can't think of a better term) tested esp for chromsomal issues?
I had most of miine tested but only one was actually abnormal (one trisomy 15 boy). If you did have any with chromosomal issues then the IVF/PGD option certainly could be useful.I won't go into a detialed speil but in a nutshell,They remove a cell from a day 3 or 5 embryo and test for chromsomal abnormalities so only "normal embryos are put back in.
I don't have PCOS but rarely, if ever, ovulate on my own so I need the ART to concieve. My DS was with OI/IUI. I didn't necessairly need IVF to concieve but did do it firstly to try PGD -no pg and not to many abnormal embies so we did do standard IVF again in the hope of picking a "strong" one. We did get sucessful with DD but I'm not sure IVF was really necessary -just something I needed to do at the time. Now trying for no 3 we are doing IVF again probably more because I am very nearly 40 and we also didn't want the risk of twins again - I just don't think my body is made for two and I couldn't face that heartbreak again. IUI for me carries far to high a risk of multiples because I have never just produced 1 egg.
Anyway, sorry to be so brief and jumbled with this reply but I am happy to answer any more questions (when I have some more time!)

[minniemouse]

Meredith,

thanks so much for your detailed post, i saw the specialist today, she basically said the miscarriages are just one of those things and she doesn't know why they are happening. i mentioned my list of questions, she didn't really believe in the idea of NK cells but said she would refer me to dr Sacks if i wanted to.

she suggested a lap saying 10-20% of people find a problem that way but i think that would be more for people who haven't been able to fall pregnant not those who can but can't hold onto the pregnancies.

i asked about ivf and again she didn't think that was a solution as the problem isn't getting pregnant and she didn't think it would change the outcome of the pregnancy

so the bottom line is i declined the lap and we are at the point of deciding whether to try ourselves or calling it quits

i have never had any of the pregnancies tested so don't know about chromosome testing but we are both going to get blood tests done just in case


so sorry about all your losses and good luck ttc #3

[onthefly]

I'm not an expert or anything, but I don't think four miscarriages qualifies as "just one of those things".

[minniemouse]

madB: i know, its very frustrating i really don't know what to do from here

[LuluHB]

I've had 7 losses all up, 4 of which have occurred this year trying to conceive #3. I was told, like MadB said, that 4 miscarriages is well and truly past the odds of "just one of those things" and definitely indicated a problem. DH had semen analysis done, which showed no problems.

I haven't had any testing done for abnormalities following m/cs. My FS initially suggested puregon for the first half of my cycle (stimulate follicle growth), ovulation induction followed by pregnyl for the second half of my cycle. Its not going to fix any chromosomal abnormalities, but it will provide "support" for any conception that may occur. I've also had investigations done to check tubes etc and all OK. After a lot of debate, DH and I decided NOT to do the puregon, but to monitor for the first half and then take the pregnyl. If I do conceive then the pregnyl will be continued for probably the first three months. Can't tell you how successful it is because I'm currently in my first TWW. My FS hasn't suggested IVF/ICSI because in his view the problem is likely not with my eggs, and definitely isn't my DH's sperm, and we certainly don't have issues achieving conception.

I hear you on not knowing where to go from here. We started trying for #3 saying "what will be will be" and I was fine with that, but now after m/cs I have an almost desperate urge for another baby but also worry that its nature's way of giving me a big slap and saying enough's enough. We've put a definite limit on our TTC - three more cycles and then we're done for good. Emotionally, mentally and physically I can't cope with any more, and the impact it is indirectly having on my family has to end.

Maybe getting a referral to the specialist mentioned is a good idea - getting a second opinion can be good, expecially if you're not entirely happy with what you've already been told. Maybe you'll get told the same thing, but maybe not. It is so emotionally draining going through this process its hard sometimes to make a decision and then not want to change that decision in the next minute! I guess what you really need to ask yourself is will you regret it a year, five years from now if you give up now without perhaps exhausting all available options? It is incredibly hard to know what is the right thing for you and your family, and I wish you all the very best of luck on whatever road you decide to take.