Intro - Pregnancy #6 with 3 losses so far. Should I ask for any testing?

amwangel

I loved this board in 2013 after I was pregnant after 2 miscarriages and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have made it through the first few months without it! 

I am here again after another loss. Since that pregnancy in 2013 (which ended in my second son 2 years ago, hooray!), I got pregnant again at the end of 2015 and lost a baby three months ago when I was almost 22 weeks pregnant. I was beyond gutted, thinking my 2 previous miscarriages were "just bad luck" like my OB had told me.

I'm beyond grateful for my 2 sons and am tired of feeling like a walking tragedy, like "oh poor thing, she can't seem to STAY pregnant."

I haven't gotten my period yet after my late loss in April and have been testing from time to time to make sure I'm not pregnant (we are preventing until I go to a recurrent loss clinic, but we also had one night where we didn't use protection). 

I was surprised and terrified to see a faint, tiny line pop up on Thursday, and it's gotten darker. So. Here I am again. Hoping and praying this will be my second rainbow baby. 

I'm begging my midwife for progesterone (I took it with son #2 after the miscarriages, but we moved to a different state/provider so I never got it for my last pregnancy...) and taking a daily baby aspirin (again, took it with son #2 but not with my late loss).

My baby's autopsy revealed clots in the placenta leading to her death. I'm wondering if I need to request any bloodwork for clotting panels, etc - stuff I was planning to get at the RE for recurrent loss, but...well, now I'm a little bit pregnant.  I'm wondering if I should see an MFM or RE in addition to my midwife. Or is it too late since I'm already pregnant (for now - I have a 60% failure rate, so I'm not convinced this will stick just yet!) If anyone has been through this, let me know! I have asked the midwives, but it just seems so out of their realm that I think I'll have to advocate for myself. 

waterfall213

((Hugs)) I'm not sure what all bloodwork can be done once you're already pregnant, but I would definitely call an OB. They will have more experience with testing, etc than a midwife. I lost our second daughter at 31 weeks and all testing came back normal. My OB still recommended that I take a baby aspirin every day just in case of any clotting disorders. I also have to see a MFM and will have more ultrasounds and non-stress tests than normal.

My sister has had 3 early losses and she did have testing done and it turns out she does have a clotting disorder so she's also taking baby aspirin. 

Im always in the camp of advocating for yourself and getting a second opinion.

amwangel

waterfall213 said:

((Hugs)) I'm not sure what all bloodwork can be done once you're already pregnant, but I would definitely call an OB. They will have more experience with testing, etc than a midwife. I lost our second daughter at 31 weeks and all testing came back normal. My OB still recommended that I take a baby aspirin every day just in case of any clotting disorders. I also have to see a MFM and will have more ultrasounds and non-stress tests than normal.

My sister has had 3 early losses and she did have testing done and it turns out she does have a clotting disorder so she's also taking baby aspirin. 

Im always in the camp of advocating for yourself and getting a second opinion.

Seems like baby aspirin will hopefully cover my bases until I can see someone else! I love my midwives (they were incredibly support during my stillbirth), but also want to know if I have a more serious clotting problem and need an injectable. 

The problem with PGAL is that I will always wonder if I could have done more, should be doing more, etc! 

Anyway, thank you and I'm so sorry for your loss - I wish you lots of peace during this part of your pregnancy.

chrstna618

There are several blood tests to check your own clotting abilities, not sure if they would reflect a problem with the pregnancy. Most pregnant women get a CBC (complete blood count) to make sure the types of blood cells are present in the right proportions but you may ask for more platelet testing.

*Hugs and prayers!*

Neikoda

amwangel I highly suggest the anticardiolipin testing. After my two losses, I was diagnosed with APS, a blood clotting disorder that is well known for the development of blood clots in the placenta. Depending on the elevation of your levels, you may be put on daily heparin as I most likely will be doing around 8 weeks. It's a low chance of it being that but for a simple blood test, it's worth doing.

amwangel

nwegman7878 said:

amwangel I highly suggest the anticardiolipin testing. After my two losses, I was diagnosed with APS, a blood clotting disorder that is well known for the development of blood clots in the placenta. Depending on the elevation of your levels, you may be put on daily heparin as I most likely will be doing around 8 weeks. It's a low chance of it being that but for a simple blood test, it's worth doing.

 That was one of the tests they ran after my first two losses (along with TSH, Factor V, XX hexagonal, Prothrombin Gene, and Lupus - which was borderline but ruled negative).  I wanted so badly for them to reveal something wrong, but so far, nothing. 

ceclarlinetlo

Have you been tested for mutations in the mthfr gene? 

MissPrint1219

I recommend getting a referral to a Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist as soon as possible. There are lots of tests that can be done. I would also start baby aspirin immediately and find a prenatal with folate or methylfolate (not folic acid) in case you have a MTHFR mutation (Thorne prenatals are great and available on Amazon).

Good luck to you and FX for a sticky bean!

lilp2015

I was tested the day we found out we lost our second baby. So technically I was still pregnant. Blood work came back I had 2 mutations (mthfr). My ob started me on folic acid and a baby aspirin right away and I had progesterone in the fridge for the next time we conceived. Like yourself we had sex once and was pregnant again before my first cycle. At 5ish weeks I started Lovenox shots (blood thinner) doc kept a close eye on me. Sono's every week till I was 14 weeks. Then every other week till I was 24 weeks and back to every week. With the help of her and meds I now have a perfectly healthy 5 1/2 week old daughter. I would def push the issue of blood work to see what the issue is. My ob said one ms can be a fluke 2 mc's and something is wrong. Hope all works out for you! 

amwangel

ceclarlinetlo said:

Have you been tested for mutations in the mthfr gene? 

I have not. I have appointments with an RE and an MFM in about a month, so I'll ask about that. 

amwangel

MissPrint1219 said:

I recommend getting a referral to a Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist as soon as possible. There are lots of tests that can be done. I would also start baby aspirin immediately and find a prenatal with folate or methylfolate (not folic acid) in case you have a MTHFR mutation (Thorne prenatals are great and available on Amazon).

Good luck to you and FX for a sticky bean!

Oh, thanks for the advice on folate! Since I have had 2 healthy pregnancies and living children, the MFM seems to think it's two separate flukes (2 miscarriages in 2013 and then the placental insufficiency loss at 21 weeks in April), but I do have an appointment with him in a month. I'm on baby aspirin and progesterone now, will order Thornes ASAP. 

amwangel

lilp2015 said:

I was tested the day we found out we lost our second baby. So technically I was still pregnant. Blood work came back I had 2 mutations (mthfr). My ob started me on folic acid and a baby aspirin right away and I had progesterone in the fridge for the next time we conceived. Like yourself we had sex once and was pregnant again before my first cycle. At 5ish weeks I started Lovenox shots (blood thinner) doc kept a close eye on me. Sono's every week till I was 14 weeks. Then every other week till I was 24 weeks and back to every week. With the help of her and meds I now have a perfectly healthy 5 1/2 week old daughter. I would def push the issue of blood work to see what the issue is. My ob said one ms can be a fluke 2 mc's and something is wrong. Hope all works out for you! 

Glad you got your baby! I am anxious that the baby aspirin will not be enough, but my MFM says that Lovenox should only be used for antiphospholipid syndrome. Did you have any other symptoms with MTHFR? I haven't had difficulty conceived, fatigue, or a depressed mood - so I'm not sure it's problem? But I also am looking for any stone unturned right now!  

lilp2015

amwangel said:

lilp2015 said:

I was tested the day we found out we lost our second baby. So technically I was still pregnant. Blood work came back I had 2 mutations (mthfr). My ob started me on folic acid and a baby aspirin right away and I had progesterone in the fridge for the next time we conceived. Like yourself we had sex once and was pregnant again before my first cycle. At 5ish weeks I started Lovenox shots (blood thinner) doc kept a close eye on me. Sono's every week till I was 14 weeks. Then every other week till I was 24 weeks and back to every week. With the help of her and meds I now have a perfectly healthy 5 1/2 week old daughter. I would def push the issue of blood work to see what the issue is. My ob said one ms can be a fluke 2 mc's and something is wrong. Hope all works out for you! 

Glad you got your baby! I am anxious that the baby aspirin will not be enough, but my MFM says that Lovenox should only be used for antiphospholipid syndrome. Did you have any other symptoms with MTHFR? I haven't had difficulty conceived, fatigue, or a depressed mood - so I'm not sure it's problem? But I also am looking for any stone unturned right now!  

I didn't but then again didn't know anything about it before hand. My ob had a suspicion it was a clotting disorder because when she performed the 2nd d&c most of the blood had already clotted. Wasn't even for sure I needed the shots so she left that decision up to me. I took about 13 pills a day and the shots but she was worth every bit of it!