Successful Pregnancy after Multiple Miscarriages?

[JLK0707]

Has anyone suffered multiple miscarriages and then gone on to have a successful pregnancy without having any tests or taking any meds?  I have had 2 miscarriages and my doctor refuses to do any testing until after the third loss.  He has also told me that he won't perscribe any progesterone, baby aspirin, etc until after a third loss because he still thinks that the 2 previous m/c could just be a fluke.  I am terrified to try again because I just feel like it will end in m/c and I am so angry at my doctor for not doing anything to help me...I can't even get a second opinion because I live in a small town with only one medical clinic.  I guess I am looking for success stories from women who have been in the same situationa and have gone on to have a successful pregnancy without any medical assistance.  Thanks ladies in Advance.

[leahms_87]

I've had 2 m/c. One straight after another. My last m/c ended in a d&c. I waited 2 months then brought a OPK kit. Fell pregnant in the first month of trying. I'm now 15w5d pregnant. Had 2 u/s following bledding and cramping but all is fine. My beautiful baby is going well with a strong heartbeat. So it can happen. Sometimes your body just need a test trial or two before going for the real thing. Good luck darl, I hope all goes well.

[thendricks]

I say go to another doctor, many docs won't do much until after 3 losses, But I say that ****!@!! At least they can test your hormone levels, it took me 4 losses b/f they decided to check mine, all it was was low progesterone..God bless and good luck...p.s there is doctors who will do the testing for you, I'd get a 2nd opinion

[BusyMom92960206]

I had to miscarriages back to back.  My first was in 3/05 at 11w4d.  I was given the ok after three cycles to try again and had another miscarriage in 7/05 at 5w.  My doctor didn't test, but I do have thryoid disease so he put me back on my PTU and I conceived again in 9/05 and gave birth to my DS in 6/06.  I think mine had to do with my thyroid.

IF I were you, I would see about finding another doctor.  Is he the only one in your clinic?  That would seem odd.  I know it is frustrating.  How close are you to the next neighboring town?  Could they test for you?  It would put your mind at ease if you could just do some simple testing.  I wish you the best of luck and hope that good news come to you soon.  Take care!

[jenstam]

You could always get some progesterone cream at GNC. I've seen a couple of posters on here who took their fertility into their own hands and when and got some of that. You could also go out and buy baby aspirin and take it along with taking prenatal vitamins. I had a miscarriage on November 16th and I am now 8 weeks pregnant again. I kept taking my prenatal vitamins and took one 81 mg of baby aspirin and still am. Things seem to be going well. Good luck to you!

[klew]

What is the benefit of the baby aspirin??  I know about the imoportance of prenatal vitamins and have experience with the progesterone cream myself...but not the baby aspirin.  Please explain.

[mrsjmb]

Oh i had 2 m/c and in the process of using progesterone cream I got from GNC called Femgest and using that twice a day.  I'm excited about having my own bundle of job, but I'm waiting very patiently.  Everything happens in God's own time.  So now success story yet...now what's with the baby aspirin?  What does it exactly do?

[LadyCinni]

I've also had 2 miscarriages recently, one back in feb of 2005, which I passed naturally, and the second last april (I had a d&c on the 26th).  I'm not sure how far along I was for the first one, but I was about 10 weeks for the last one.  I am now 22 weeks along (due May 14th), and I didn't use any kind of medications, or get tested to see why I miscarried.  Everything is going fairly well so far with this pregnancy, although I don't seem to have a huge appetite, and I haven't gained much weight.

[momof3rugratz]

I hope this helps you. I am on my 9th Pregnancy but I have 3 live boys and now I am currently pregnant with a little girl 27 weeks along. I have 3 MC before my first son was born.

[LittleJohn'sMom]

I'm sorry for your losses.  My first pregnancy, I went to the doctor at a little over 8 wks and I heard my babies heart beat.  Five days later, I miscarried.  I was devistated.  Two months later, I conceived, and 9 months later I delivered a beautiful, healthy baby boy.  Recently, I had my second miscarriage.  I was 9 weeks and bleeding.  I notified the oncall doctor and he put me on progesterone 100mg pills.  He thought I might have luteal phase defect with my pregnancy history of miscarrying 5 days after hearing a strong heart beat.  The doctor said it wouldn't hurt to try.  He said if the progesterone helped then I might have Luteal phase defect, but if I miscarried there was some sort of chromosomal defects.  I don't think that's my problem, but it may be yours.  Luteal phase defect has something to do with your ovaries not producing enough progesterone.  They can test this by drawing your blood near or after the time you are supposed to ovulate.  I forget which.  If your doctor is unwilling to help you in this matter, go to a different town and find a new one.  This is so much easier than putting you through the agony of a 3rd miscarriage if you do have luteal phase defect!  I wish you the best of luck!

[kryan1000]

I had 3 mcs before my son and am miscarrying for the fourth time as I write this.  I took 81mg of aspirin from 6weeks with my son...also 200mg prometrium 2x per day.  I got the same song and dance after one and two.  I know exactly how you feel.  I would look for a new doctor who is not a jerk.  It won't hurt anything to check for clotting factors etc...although I only test pos for anti-cardiolipin antibody while pregnant.

Sorry to hear of your problems.

[mum2beagain]

Sorry for your losses. I had two mc's between my first and second son. My second son was a healthy and fairly uneventful pregnancy. I did take baby asprin though before concieving and during the first 12 weeks of the pregnancy, it wasn't prescribed, I just bought it over the counter, my midwife said it couldn't do any harm and may be helpful.

[jifnif]

i am so sorry for all of your losses.  were you on aspirin and prometrium w/ this m/c?  What does the baby aspirin do?  I am also w/ 2 m/c and wanting to get pregnant again but my dr will do nothing unless i would m/c again.  i do have a 1yr old son.  I really dont want to go through a m/c again....how far along were you w/ this m/c and what was your dr doing for you???  How old are you too??  I am 37 and I know it isn't old..but it isnt young either. :(

[sad kristen]

I had two miscarriages (12/06 and 5/07).  I just called a fertility specialist on my own & they ran all sorts of tests (I'm also 38 and was very worried).  Basically, they put me on one baby aspirin and I'm pregnant again.  Not very far along but VERY nervous.  Had an ultrasound today & there was a heartbeat.  Keeping my fingers crossed.

Just call someone else on your own...a doc that specializes in fertility so they can get the ball rolling.

[CLA1RE]

I'M SORRY TO HEAR WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH BUT DONT GIVE UP! I HAVE BEEN PREGNANT 5 TIMES I HAVE 2 CHILDREN, I HAD A GIRL THEN 3 MCS WE WENT FOR TESTING AND TRIED STRAIGHT AWAY, BEFORE WE GOT OUR RESULTS I WAS EXPECTING AGAIN EVERYTHING WENT WELL AND I HAD A HEALTHY BABY BOY, I STILL HAVENT FOUND OUT WHY I MISCARRIED 3 TIMES IN 2 YRS BUT THE TWO I HAVE ARE BOTH HEALTHY KIDS, & I HAD NICE EASY BIRTHS THATS ALWAYS A BONUS. GOOD LUCK !!!

[linzio]

Hi,i am taking 75 mg aspirin daily and was on progesterone pessarys until 12 weeks as i had 2 missed miscarriages,i am now 34 weeks pregnant,heres an article i found which explains about the aspirin,hope it helps.

Miscarriage Causes - Antiphospholipid Antibodies

Miscarriage causes are still not well understood. While Internet research reveals a number of treatments and speculated causes, the sad fact is that few courses of treatment have been conclusively proven to prevent miscarriages. Controversy surrounds even the most common treatments, such as prescribing progesterone supplements in early pregnancy. Antiphospholipid antibodies, however, are one of the few things that most accept as a proven miscarriage cause.

What are antiphospholipid antibodies?

Antiphosphopid syndrome, or APS, is an autoimmune problem in which specific antibodies attack substances in the blood, making a person more prone to blood clots. The medical details of the syndrome are far too complicated to go into in depth here, not to mention being out of range for my own level of expertise, but interested readers can learn more about the physiological aspects by reading this article on eMedicine.com.

As far as miscarriage, these antibodies have been positively linked with miscarriage by a number of studies. MedicineNet has an abstract available of one such study from 1997 that showed a drastic improvement in the live birth rate when women with antiphospholipid syndrome received treatment.

How do I know if I have antiphospholipid syndrome?

APS does not have any definite symptoms that will let you know if you are at risk. Recurrent pregnancy losses are often one of the first signs of a problem. (The thinking is that very small blood clots circulating in the body will get stuck in the placenta and block the baby from receiving vital nutrients.) Because no real indications exist that would suggest APS, doctors routinely run tests for the antibodies as a part of a routine miscarriage workup. If you see anticardiolipin antibodies or lupus anticoagulant antibodies on your lab form, your doctor is checking for antiphospholipid syndrome.

Be aware, however, that many times antiphospholipid antibodies can be transient in the body. They may be present at one blood test and then absent at the next. For this reason, some doctors will not diagnose antiphospholipid syndrome unless two blood tests turn up positive with an interval of a few weeks or months. Others will treat a woman for APS with just a single positive blood test.

How do doctors treat antiphospholipid syndrome?

The accepted treatment for APS, as described in the above MedicineNet link, is to take low-dose aspirin and heparin injections throughout the pregnancy. This treatment has been shown to lift the live birth rate of women with APS up into the same range as women without it. Some doctors prescribe low-dose aspirin only, particularly in cases that they're not sure whether a woman really has APS or not. Heparin treatment is unpleasant and expensive, and carries some risks, so many avoid prescribing it unless evidence suggests a clear benefit.

Conclusion

APS is an easily treatable and easily detectable cause of miscarriage. Estimates suggest that 15% of women with recurrent losses have APS, and that the treatment may drastically improve pregnancy outcomes. Women with two or more losses should probably consider asking for the blood test to check for APS.  
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[cagrlasu]

Thank you for your stories of success. I am now recovering from my 3rd miscarriage. My first 2 were blighted ovum’s so I went to an RE and it was discovered that I have a blood clotting disorder.  I had never gotten to see a baby on that screen. Just empty sacs. This time around I was on heparin twice a day, progesterone 3 times a day, 2 baby asp once a day, and folic acid 3 times a day.  We finally saw a baby with a nice strong heartbeat at 7 weeks 2 days measuring perfectly.  I had no symptoms of miscarriage nothing.  I though this was our keeper.  Then at 11 weeks I went in for an ultrasound only to discover that the baby had died at 8 weeks 3 days. I was and am still heartbroken. I can't believe it. I really thought this was our little keeper.  The good news is that something we did worked because we finally finally had a baby in there this time instead of an empty sac so now we are left waiting to results. I had a D&C on Halloween and the doc is going to test the baby. He thinks this time it was chromosomal and that we did everything right. The baby just didn't stand a chance but we will know for sure in a bout a month.  I have a follow up appt on Wed from my D&C and I guess we will try to figure out where to go from here. I hope and pray that our next pregnancy is our keeper. I still can't believe my little baby is gone. I really thought he/she was going to make it I really did.  I feel so empty inside. Like a part of me is missing.  Congrats to all of those who have been successful and my sympathies to those of you in my position as well.  A few quotes come to mind when I think of all that I have been through and I hope they help you keep going like they do with me. "I believe you can keep going long after you think you can't” and “My fear of miscarriage doesn't outweigh my desire to be a mother and to have a baby."  I thin of those quotes every time I feel like giving up.  I WILL succeed in my goal and give birth to a baby.  I am that determined to succeed and overcome this obstacle.  I WILL survive this and accomplish my goal of being a mother and giving birth to a child I can finally call my own.    

[AshleysMom]

I am so sorry for your loss.  There is hope, though.  I've personally had 10 m/cs and it looks like this preg is finally a keeper (I'm 11w2d).  It has been a tough road, and I know I'm not out of the woods yet, but I just knew if I kept trying it would happen.

All my tests came back normal.

Best of luck to you.  Hang in there.  It will happen.

[montie]

I have had 2 miscarriages in between 2 successful pregnancies.  The last one 3 years ago.  Now, at 39, and one ovary missing, I am surprisingly pregnant and am now 20 weeks.  Don't give  up.  You just never know what is going to happen.

[laborgirl]

Hi I am in the same boat and my heart goes out to you.  I have just had mu 4th MC.  We had a healthy baby between the 1st and the 2nd.  The 2nd was in 8/06, the third in 3/07 and the fourth was on 10/16 at 10.5 weeks.  I am a L&D nurse and had a feeling something wasn't right.  I had seen a nice heartbeat at 6 and 7 weeks, my levels were sky high, I was on progesterone and folic acid and maybe should have been taking baby aspirin.  Anyway, I ultrasounded myself at work on the morning of 10/16 and the heartbeat was gone.  Since I had been seeing both my OB and a fertility specialist, after work they both confirmed that we had lost her.  Had a D&C that night and she was sent for genetics (thats how we know her gender).  All came back normal.  Every test that the fertility specialist had done was normal also, except a minor clotting disorder treated with high doses of folic acis and They did discover that I was hypothyroid and am on synthroid for that.  I dont understand and am at a loss.  I would like to try again, but the physical and emotional toll on myself and my family increases with each loss. I am finding it hard to bouceback this time.  Seeing how determined you are is helpful.  Keep theFaith.

[ntaylor]

I've had 3 miscarriages and am now 9 wks with twins, that so far are perfect. But, that's because I had testing done, did a lot of research myself and pushed for what I needed. It seems to be working.

I really think that testing needs to be an option after even 2 miscarriages. These are babies that could be saved if a few blood tests are done, as a want to be mom, it seems ridiculous to have to lose more. Especially when you are young and healthy, it's not that common to have even 2 in a row. I was 23 when I started miscarrying. I just would not take that they were flukes. There is usually some sort of an issue that needs to be resolved before you can have a healthy pregnancy. Just my opinion though! I hate miscarrying, I don't want to do it again and want to give it the best chance possible. But I know it's hard to pay for it and work out insurance before 3. It's annoying! Good luck...

[souljahlove]

i just had my 3rd m/c today at 19 wks5days.  I'm going for testing asap.  I need to know from anyone who's had testing done, what types of results were they given?  Reason I'm asking is so I know what to look out for if anything, as I'm so afraid.  I have a feeling it might be chromosome abnormalities, but everywhere I've researched, there seems to be no treatment for that.

Any advice and insight would be great.

[tarat77]

Your story sounds just like mine.  I have now lost my 4th baby.  On Oct. 15th we had an u.s and the heart rate was 167 bpm. Everything was fine.  I was tested for everthing under the sun, I think, after my 3rd m/c and found to have the MTHFR mutation.  It is a clotting disorder.  The doctor said that as soon as I became pregnant again to start Heparin injections in my belly 2 x a day.  I also was taking a prenatal vitamin called Vinate GT, a b-complex, b-12 vitamin, and 1 B-12 injection once a week.  On Oct. 30 I noticed that some of the progesterone I had been inserting was coming out in the toilet.  It appeared to be mixed w/ old blood.  I called the office on the Sat. before and the doctor on call told me that this was a normal reaction the the progesterone.  
    On Tues. Oct. 30th it started to appear in bigger amounts so I called my doctor and they got me in right away.  I didn't know that anything was really wrong this time because I had no cramping or bleeding.  I was vomiting and everthing this time.  Well after my exam, they sent me to u/s where that baby was found to have NO HEART BEAT!!!!!!!!!   How could this happen??  The baby only measured at 7wks. 1 day which was smaller than at our 1st u/s on the 15th.  (our 2nd yr. wedding anniversary).  This one was our special one.  The one that would make it.  After all they found the problem and "fixed" it w/ the Heparin, progesterone, and additional vitamins.
   We were really 10wks along.  Further than I ever made it before!  How could this happen again.  Here the baby had no heart beat for 3 wks. and I was so stupid to think everything was fine.
    On Nov. 1st I had another D&C where they decided to send the baby and placenta off for chromosome testing.  We find out on the 29th.  I feel so empty and hopeless.  I have let my husband and family down.  I know I will make it though I don't feel as though I will.  
     I am praying for you.  Maybe we can help each other through this terrible ordeal.  
Take care,
TAra

[unbornandworried]

i just had a natrual m/c last week. i do i know if i'm ovulating to try again. me and my man have just been ttc every chance we get to see if we can hit the jackpot again and be blessed with another healthy baby. any adivce. this was my 1st m/c.

[unbornandworried]

one more question. i still have progestrone pills from my last pregnancy that resulted in a m/c. i still take the vitamins. should i still take the progestrone pills too if im ttc again?