# My two miscarriages and Factor V Leiden--anyone else?



## ninafel (Apr 14, 2003)

Greetings all:

I've been mostly a reader of the mothering boards for the past couple of months and have gotten a lot of support--particularly from the pregnancy and birthloss board. Thanks to everyone for sharing.

I am wondering if any of you have--or have experience with--Factor V Leiden?

This year, I had two early miscarriages, in December and in April. Although I believed I was pregnant until about 11 weeks each time, in fact the babies did not have the opportunity to grow beyond about 6-7 weeks.

Ok, now on to the subject of my post! I had several blood tests done after the second miscarriage and they revealed that I am heterozygous for Factor V Leiden (FVL). It took talking to a few professionals, but I finally saw a hematologist who specializes in blood clotting disorders and recurrent pregnancy loss and he assured me that in fact early losses *are* associated with FVL. (Initially I had been told that it was only associated with later losses).

I am taking a baby aspirin daily now, and will be taking Lovanox (heparin) shots daily after I have a positive pregnancy test (we will begin TTC this cycle) for the duration of the pregnancy.

Is anyone else FVL hetero? Does anyone else have one of the many other clotting disorders? Does anyone have any experience with taking heparin?

Some days I've felt stronger, knowing that many FVL women go on to have successful pregnancies with treatment. Other days I find myself focusing on the possibility of experiencing more losses and it makes me nervous to TTC--I don't want to be completely neurotic during my next pregnancy and I don't want to go through another miscarriage.

Also, knowing about the Factor V Leiden has really made me view these two pregnancies diferently. To me, it was somewhat reassuring to think that perhaps there was a chromosomal problem with my two pregnancies and that my body made a decision to discontinue them. I've been willing to accept that. Now, however, I believe that both pregnancies could have resulted in healthy babies, but my body mistakenly cut off vital processes and nutrients due to this clotting disorder. So I am grieving anew for both of these babies.

Thank you for reading. I hope to be posting on the "pregnancy after loss" board sometime in the near future!

"Ninafel"


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## karenpl (Dec 18, 2001)

{{{{ Ninafel }}}}

I have no advice for you, but I wanted to let you know that I had the same feelings about the babies I lost. After I found out that I had a fibroid, I was thinking about all those embryos which tried to implant in a nice safe place, and then just couldn't because of the stupid fibroid being in the way. I am still dealing with those kind of feelings.

If you haven't found it yet, there is a support group for factor V Leiden http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FVL-PG/

Good luck!!

Karen


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## SummerLover (Nov 19, 2001)

ninafel- I just saw this and want you to know I have the same clotting disorder. I had a miscarriage at 9 weeks last fall and like you the baby hadn't grown past 6w1d. If it eases your mind any I had a perfectly healthy baby at the age of 34 before I knew I had FVL. Obviously I wasn't on baby aspirin or heparin. I'm not advocating you have no treatment, just letting you know everything was fine even without it. I understand how you feel about trying again. It's hard not to be nervous. Best wishes to you.


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## crazy_eights (Nov 22, 2001)

FWIW - one of the OB's I work with was telling me that current research (not yet published) is showing good outcomes with folic acid, and some other supplementation (but I can't remember! I'll have to ask him) with clotting disorders such as this.


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## Delta (Oct 22, 2002)

ninafel -- I have a very similar genetic clotting disorder. It's called Factor II (or Prothrombin 20210 Gene Disorder, Hetero.)

We lost our first son to it in December at 24 weeks. At the 20 week ultrasound we found he was 2 weeks behind in growth, and I had numerous tests and was found to have this disorder. I started Low Molecular Weigh Heparin (Fragmin) immediately, but our baby's placenta was just too damaged and we lost him.

I am now 9 weeks pregnant and am on Fragmin shots twice daily - a theraputic level. I take 1mg of folic acid, Women's one a day, and B6, B12 and Vitamin E supplements. Purple grape juice and FRESH garlic are also great natural clot busters/blood thinners! I also walk as often as I can to keep blood pumping.

So far, so good. I noticed that my symptoms are stronger this time around too, so hopefully all is well and the shots and everything else are doing their jobs.

Yahoo Groups has a great group for women with FVL (and other clotting disorders) who are TTC or pg - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FVL-PG/

PLEASE let me know if you have any questions!!

Christi


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## irksten (Apr 2, 2002)

Ninafel,

I have anti-phospholipid anti-bodies and took Lovenox with my successful pregnancy.

I have had three early m/c, and am soon going to try again.

It is scary.

www.INCIID.org is a good resource for m/c info.

GoodLuck, Kirsten


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