# Recurrent miscarriages



## mrsfatty (Dec 21, 2004)

I had a miscarriage in August 2004 at 6 weeks, 6 days.
I had a full-term healthy baby in June 2005.
I had a miscarriage in May 2006 at 8 weeks, 5 days.
I just had another miscarriage (on Thursday) at approximately 14 weeks--the baby looked perfect (no physical abnormalities)...and I'm just so torn up about all these losses.

My doctor (who's new to me because of our recent move back to MN) said we'd be trying to figure out why I'm miscarrying so much...

My question is--for those of you who have had recurrent miscarriages, what testing have you had done to "get to the bottom of it" to try and avoid further miscarriages/losses of children?

I already have some questions (about my body and the baby--and they're testing the baby now for chromosomal abnormalities)...but I was wondering what testing is done, if you've had testing....

Thanks.

(x-posted)


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## OnTheFence (Feb 15, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mrsfatty* 
I had a miscarriage in August 2004 at 6 weeks, 6 days.
I had a full-term healthy baby in June 2005.
I had a miscarriage in May 2006 at 8 weeks, 5 days.
I just had another miscarriage (on Thursday) at approximately 14 weeks--the baby looked perfect (no physical abnormalities)...and I'm just so torn up about all these losses.

My doctor (who's new to me because of our recent move back to MN) said we'd be trying to figure out why I'm miscarrying so much...

My question is--for those of you who have had recurrent miscarriages, what testing have you had done to "get to the bottom of it" to try and avoid further miscarriages/losses of children?

I already have some questions (about my body and the baby--and they're testing the baby now for chromosomal abnormalities)...but I was wondering what testing is done, if you've had testing....

Thanks.

(x-posted)

I am considered a "habitual aborter" due to a uterine anomaly. Mine was discovered during an emergent csection. However uterine issues can be determined through HSG. What happened with me was that the embryo would attach to a part of the uterus where there was not going to be sufficient blood flow to support the placenta. I've had early miscarriages due to progesterone issues as well. With my son I was tested and found to have low prog. and took medication until week 14 (well inserted prog.).

You and your husband may want to have genetic testing to find out if either one of you have a translocation that could be passed down or other genetic incompatibility.


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## MaryLang (Jun 18, 2004)

My DH had abnormal sperm, and very low count. This was the reason we had a super hard time having kids. And possibly our m/c's were due to abnormalities in the embryo from the sperm.


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## Shiloh (Apr 15, 2005)

Quote:

My question is--for those of you who have had recurrent miscarriages, what testing have you had done to "get to the bottom of it" to try and avoid further miscarriages/losses of children?
I haven't had this issue but I have had friends it ranged from one had low other hormone levels ( I believe progesterone forgotten) so she got pregnant but didn't keep the baby beyond a certain age every time. I think also thyriod issues can have an effect...

Mother's antibody testing - Blood types the classic o neg mother, but there are other issues my last son was tested for something as he was still yellow at 6 months from jaundice it was something in that immune system I'd fight his cells type thing, some women are allergic to the baby again another immune response.

Cervical incompetance those women get sutures to help the cervix stay put.
Other minor health issues can contribute - diabetis, infections.

Also some inherited blood disorders overclotting runs in my family and I believe it can influence pregnancy outcomes.

got this from a medical site:
•

Quote:

Genetic - 50-60 percent of all miscarriages in the first three months of pregnancy are due to chromosomal abnormalities. Genetic problems can contribute to multiple miscarriage and recurrent pregnancy loss.
get some genetic counselling to see if maybe there is some recessive disease poping up

Quote:

• Immunologic
Autoimmune diseases and cellular immune responses are intimately related to pregnancy loss. Immunology problems may cause down regulation of the mother's immune system at the beginning of pregnancy; excessive inflammatory responsiveness due to preexisting conditions, such as viral or bacterial diseases; or the presence of autoantibodies to embryonic cells or to maternal blood proteins that are crucial for a healthy pregnancy. Such antibodies bind, sequester, or block the otherwise normal functions. These immunology problems can contribute to multiple miscarriage and recurrent pregnancy loss.

Quote:

• Male Factor
The importance of male factors in recurrent pregnancy loss is extremely underestimated. While most of the emphasis on sperm quality has been connected to successful fertilization, the male genetic load delivered to a developing embryo is involved in practically all functions. Hence, qualitative assessment of sperm genetic material and male infertility testing may predict failures beyond fertilization, possibly affecting the full pregnancy, as well as postnatal, early childhood, and adult health. Click here for more information on Male Factor.

Quote:

• Thrombophilia
When a patient has a tendency to form blood clots, the condition is called thrombophilia, a potentially life-threatening event if the clots restrict blood flow. Since the successful development and well being of the fetus depends on a sufficient blood flow between mother and fetus, any clotting pathology may be deleterious to a successful pregnancy.
Recent research demonstrates a correlation between inherited or acquired thrombophilias and recurrent pregnancy loss.
http://www.repromedix.com/forpatient...scarriage.html


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## amis2girls (Mar 2, 2005)

Mine was poor egg quality. Getting pg was easy; developing the baby was not.


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## michelle1k (Jul 7, 2002)

My reason was low progesterone levels - also called luteal phase dysfunction. Not enough progesterone is secreted to thicken the uterine walls to the level needed to sustain an embryo. I suffered 8 emotionally wrenching miscarriages (but had a live birth in-between) before I caved and saw an infertility specialist. It took a number of tests to determine the LPD and two rounds of Clomid, but now we have our 2nd child and we are sure our family is complete. The very best of luck and love to you in figuring out what is causing this, mama.


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## oliviagoddess (Jan 10, 2003)

You didn't say what the sex was of the healthy pregnancy and your miscarriages. A woman's body sees a male fetus as slightly more foreighn than a female fetus.

Also egg quality declines sharply in your mid 30's. The optimum egg "laying" happens between 23 and 28, then it's downhill from there. Not saying that an older woman won't have a healthy pregnancy, but rather her chances go down significantly, especially if she has a risk factor noted above.

In my case, I had 3 misscarriages when I was in my late 20's before we found out I wasn't making enough progesterone to keep a pregnancy going until the fetus could make it's own. I would go about 6 to 8 weeks and then abort.

I went to an alternative osteopath and he did some blood tests and coupled with the fertility charts I was keeping, we figured out the progesterone problem. He prescribed some progesterone cream that I had to use starting the 2nd 1/2 of my cycle. I had to get it from a compounding pharmacy that makes it's own drugs (hard to find these days).

The 1st month I used the cream, I stayed pregnant and had a healthy pregnancy (I had a girl). I used it a total of 8 weeks, past the point I would abourt and then we did some blood tests and found out that blood levels were normal, so I didn't have to continue.

I was very overweight at the time and he told me that fat stores estrogen and there was a residual amount that wasn't combatted by the normal progesterone I would produce, so I had to supplement. So loosing some weight may help if you are in the "overweight or obese" BMI category. This will also contribute to Polysystic Ovaries (usually insulin regulated), so if you have POS it could be a lot harder to get quality eggs.

If you are skinny, gaining as little as 5 to 10 pounds before getting pregnant will help you keep from aborting. Of course in today's society a woman would rather go through extensive fertility treatments instead of actually getting a little fat. I have a friend now who refuses to accept that 5 pounds will make a difference and still keeps her size 3 figure expecting to sustain a pregnancy!

In the end we decided one would be the perfect number and decidced not to try again, so I don't know if I still have the problem or not. I encourage you, as I encourage all friends who are having conceiving a 2nd (or 3rd) time to look at your family. If it doesn't seem complete, why not adopt? If it seems complete, why not let one be your prefect number?

There are numerous ecological reasons to have only one child. Not to mention ecconimic reasons. Also, will you inadvertantly send the message to your oldest child that he/she is not good enough? If you try so hard for a 2nd (or 3rd) will the older child feel that you are trying to get it "right" because they are so "bad" that you need a "do over"?

This is child logic, it does not make adult sense but kids of divorce ALWAYS feel it is their fault. If they had been good enough their parents would have stayed together. You don't want an older child to think that the only reason you wanted another child was to "get it right" this time.

Many times parents inadvertantly send this message because they become so fixated on the pregnancy and forget about the older child. Sometimes they ARE trying to right the wrongs that went awry with the 1st pregnancy/child. I encourage you to look at why you want another child before comitting so much energy to getting and staying pregnant again. Will it deprive your older child of parents who are focused on their well being?

I say all this being in the minority. At the waldorf school there are many families with more than 2 or 3 children. We are a singleton family, sometimes we feel left out and almost looked down upon. Dh asked only one time "why" she didn't have a sibling but never actually asked FOR one.

Being pregnant I knew that this was my only child, no second chances, so "do overs". I decided that the 4th time was the charm and I wasn't going to tempt the fates by asking for more. I have a beautiful healthy baby and because of knowing she was my first, my last, my only child, I refused to listen to other people. It is why she was breastfed until 3 1/2 when she self weaned and it's why she's going to a waldorf school (even though both sides of the family think she'll live under a bridge from the lack of education). It's why every choice, every decision about her life has been deliberate, done with the knowledge that I won't get another chance.

I guess the trick is knowing which child will be your last, so you don't have any regrets or "next time" thoughts. I may be putting the cart before the horse in the 5 stages, but maybe acceptance of a singelton family is not so bad.


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## craftymom (Jun 27, 2005)

My miscarriages ended up being the result of a genetic clotting disorder--in my case, Factor V Leiden (plus increasing age). For me, they ran a bunch of blood tests, then one genetic test. Clotting disorders are treatable with heparin.


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## mrsfatty (Dec 21, 2004)

Thank you so much everyone--your imput has been very helpful.


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## cchrissyy (Apr 22, 2003)

we haven't done any testing at all, just reading for answers.


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## staceyshoe (Feb 5, 2005)

Have you ever gotten a progesterone test during your pregnancies that ended in m/c? Low progesterone is the most common cause and can be resolved with supplementation.


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## mrsfatty (Dec 21, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *staceyshoe* 
Have you ever gotten a progesterone test during your pregnancies that ended in m/c? Low progesterone is the most common cause and can be resolved with supplementation.

Yes, this last pregnancy I did have my progesterone checked early in the pregnancy and it was "normal" but on the "low" end of "normal"--but "normal." So, I don't know.

Thanks for the suggestion!


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