Recurrent Miscarriage Investigations

Good morning ladies. My partner and I have just had our third miscarriage. Our GP has referred us to Hollywood Fertility Centre in Perth to see what they can find, if any, may be causing the m/cs. I see from previous postings that many of you have gone on to successfully carry through to the "grand finale". I was wondering if any of you that are now holding your precious bundles could shed some light on the mysterious journey we are about to undertake. I'm pretty adament that I won't go down the IVF route for various reasons and I have no problem falling. Those of you are now holding your precious bundles - did you have to go down the IVF route after investigations or did it happen without that extreme intervention? I understand it depends on what "causes" the m/c, but for some it seems as simple as taking asprin. For those of you that asprin worked its magic for, did you also have to undergo IVF? I guess I'm just working through how far we feel we would go, and if, at the end of the day, IVF has to be undertaken, do we drawn the line in the sand now? What a rollercoaster! All sunshine and hope shared would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Deljar

Hi Deljar,

I don't have much insight sorry, I just wanted to say that i'm sorry for your losses :hug:
I've only had one M/C, so I can't really suggest anything useful. All I can say is that with my second PG, due to spotting & bleeding I had to take it very easy during my first trimester, which I still believe helped this little one to stick. I also had acupuncture (from someone who specialises in PG) throughout first tri as well.

Maybe someone else can offer some information re aspirin or anything else that helped? Best of luck for you and I hope you can find some answers or things that might be helpful for you.

Belfie.

Hi Deljar

I am sorry for your losses :hug:. I can't shed any light on the miscarriage investigation process at Hollywood but I am currently having my pregnancy monitored by them due to previous miscarriages, I can say that I have found them (the people at Hollywood) to be fantastic, very supportive and helpful which I hope at least gives you some peace of mind going into your appointment.

Good luck to you, I hope you get some answers soon.

I have had 3 miscarriages over a ten year period. The medical profession didn't really have any answers for me.

You will probably have hormone testing done, other blood tests, a scan, possibly a lap, most likely karyotyping (genetic testing done by blood test). The karyotyping is expensive so be prepared for a hefty bill if you have to have that done. I had also been investigated for infertility 10 years ago and that remained unexplained.

I became pregnant for the third time in 9 months last year (4th time in total) and that pregnancy stuck. I did not have any treatment to achieve or maintain the pregnancy. In my case the losses were probably age related. For me I think it was just a case of waiting for a good quality egg to implant and finally it did. I gave birth 1 month after my 42nd birthday.

Best of luck with it all.

Dear Belfie, Isla and Satya, Thank you so much for your replies. They offer hope and promise for the months ahead. We're finally in for an appointment at Hollywood at the end of October for some "investigations". Satya, I'm 41 in December and your post gives me hope. Like you, I suspect (and hope) its just a case of getting a good egg. How elusive they are!!! Isla, one of the girls I work with is currently undergoing IVF at Hollywood and speaks very highly of the staff also. Tis nice to hear positive feedback about such things. Keep us posted Isla. Sounds like you're in good hands. Thanks again ladies. Tis nice to know there is support "out there" in cyberland, and that others do know how the rollercoaster goes and most importantly, that I'm not alone!

Best of luck to you all.

Kindest Regards,
Deljar

hi Deljar, my story is three healthy kids in my 20's with no trouble falling pg at all, and here in my 40's three m/c so far this year - i agree with satya, it's really a numbers game, getting as healthy as you can and making a good quality egg. i'm taking blackmore's pregnancy and breastfeeding gold, blackmore's total calcium/magnesium, blackmore's 1000mg bio c, and vitex agnes-castus. i'm as healthy as a horse, have no trouble falling pg when i ovulate, but having trouble getting a "good" egg. i also have decided not to go IVF as my chances wouldn't increase by anything measurable.

why don't you come and join us in the Older Women TTC thread? you're most welcome! good luck with your TTC journey :)

Deljar - be prepared for the medical profession to push you towards IVF. I was basically told that my only hope of a successful pregnancy was to go on it. They were wrong.

Don't take Vitex as dragonfly suggested. It has been linked with early miscarriage. I had two miscarriages last years whilst taking it and my successful pregnancy occurred after I went off it.

Satya, i started on the vitex after my second m/c. it's indicated for uterine fibroids, low progesterone, ovarian cysts, and luteal phase defect, all of which i have and my naturopath has me on a low dose. i do very much appreciate your input, tho.

Deljar, all supplements, herbs etc should be discussed with your GP and/or natural therapies practitioner before starting on them. if you are going IVF, ALL supplements need to be discussed with your fertility team. the blackmore's website has a function where you can email a naturopath too, so you could "test the waters", so to speak.

Hi Deljar, I am so sorry to hear of your losses and I hope Hollywood can provide you with some answers.

I don't have too much to add after what the others have said, but wanted to offer my support and hope! After 2 m/cs and thinking it would never happen, I now have a beautiful little DD. I saw Dr Hart at Fertility Specialists of WA and he did stacks of tests, mainly those that satya mentioned. I didn't get a bill at all for the karyotying (not sure why?). They took 20 vials of blood, and DH had to have a BT too and then they did cycle tracking to check my hormone levels. Other things they may want to do include a uterine biopsy to test for natural killer cells, but I never ended up having that one done.

I was also taking the blackmores pregnancy vitamins and also Mega B (as recommended by an OB). Interestingly, I was on that before falling pg with my DD but not when I had the m/cs.

I was told that IVF would not help us as we had no trouble conceiving, and it would not help to prevent a m/c. Of course you may be given different advice, but that was what I was told.

I hope some of this has been useful! Best of luck with your appointment :)

Wonderful feedback ladies, thanks to you all for sharing and giving us hope.

Dragonfly - Shall pop into Old Women TTC (can't believed I just admitted that!).

Satya - I'd a feeling they might try and do the IVF push, but am really not keen to go down that road. So shall stick to our guns, but at least we are fore-warned.

Tis all very tricky with the supplements isn't it?!* I too am on Blackmores Conceive Well Gold and the naturopath has us both on Zinc as well - apparently improves DNA for us old chicks!

Bun - Wow, that's a lot of blood, but I guess I'd best get use to that.

Thanks again ladies. I shall keep you posted and hope to be posting cheering news in the not too distant future.

Deljar

Dragonfly, Where will I find the Older Women TTC thread? I'm having trouble locating it!

https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...-2008-a-9.html

never done this before, hope it works!!

welcome, Deljar!