hello lovely ladies -
I think some of you saw my post on PAIF but in case not, we didn't see a heartbeat at our follow up ultrasound (after seeing it, albeit a slow one, the week before.) I'm going in for a d&c on Thurs and we'll have the tissue tested to see what was wrong chromosomally. This was our 2nd IVF.
I had a RPL panel (repeat pregnancy loss) run after our 2nd loss and nothing came up. I don't have my list of tests in front of me, but they took 11 or 12 vials of blood. I know that a lot of the major blood clotting disorders and some of the immunological screenings were in that list. I did a bunch of research at the time and felt it was a thorough test.
Here is a little background about our losses:
Our first loss was at 5w3d, we found out I was PG after I had 5 full days of what I thought was my period. I didn't have betas drawn until I miscarried naturally, but they were low for 5w3d and got a "you don't look pregnant at all" in regards to my ute at the hospital via ultrasound. So possibly prolonged chemical pregnancy... I don't know. It was so short. We only knew for 6 days.
Our second loss was at 8w, blighted ovum/missed miscarriage. (I took misoprostol at home for that one.)
Third loss was likely chromosomal, as we saw a heartbeat but the embryo was measuring small/behind and the heartbeat matched the small size, but was slow for 7w. The next week the heartbeat was gone.
My clinic and docs (and even I) don't really group these 3 losses together, because they were so different.
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I'm going to ask our RE to look over my old labs/test RPL panel and see if there's anything else to test for. Also I'll ask her about karyotyping (we were initially discouraged to do this because it's only like .003% of the population or something.)
What else?
Our plan going forward is to do 2 more rounds of IVF. I've never had frozens, but if we are lucky enough, then of course we'd do that in the mix.
Our clinic does do day 3 PGD testing but our RE told us that the results don't seem to be better than just picking the best of the bunch on day 5 and putting it back in.
If we want to do PGD day 5 testing, we need to go to another clinic New Jersey, Colorado or NY. I've only ever had 1 egg that would even make it to day 5 for testing. I don't think we're ready for that.
So...
Am I missing something? I feel like we've done our homework pretty good here but it's hard to be on the bad side of the odds so many times.
Any thoughts about steps we're missing or things to think about would be appreciated.
Big hugs and high fives to you all.
Re: XP: repeat loss ladies - Q's for you - WWYD? long
It's hard to know how to advise you because sometimes I think the whole process is just one big crap shoot. DH and I did the PGD testing on our 2nd cycle, and we had 2 chromosomally normal embryos. That was the cycle I got my c/p, so WTF you know?! I do not have lining issues, and I did a complete hormone and immunological panel before our last try to make sure everything was the way it should be. It was. I can't explain why not one of the two didn't stick around.
This 3rd cycle I had absolutely dismal fertilization and only 1 truly awesome looking embryo come transfer time. We also put in one that wasn't quite a blast but close. Go figure this was the cycle I was pregnant the longest, BUT we had a situation similar to you. Slower heartbeat and measuring behind at one ultrasound, no heartbeat at the next.
My RE's theory is that I basically have old lady eggs and all the problems that come along with them. It's going to be pure luck if I ever get pregnant on my own, and we're done forever with treatments.
Good luck to you as you take your next steps, and I'm so very sorry about your loss.
DH: Severe MFI/Azoo Me: Compound heterozygous MTHFR
IVF #1= m/c- methotrexate @6w2d
FET #1= BFN
IVF #2= m/c- D&C @8w5d
IVF #3= Beta #1 9dp5dt= 252, Beta #2 11dp5dt= 417, Beta #3 17dp5dt= 4,952
US #2 @ 7w2d= twins, baby B measuring behind
US #3 @ 8w5d= Baby A doing well, no HR in baby B
*S/PAIF always welcome*
Not sure what kind of medical advice I could give you - although I play a doctor on TV.
RPL is a good start to give you answers, but it may lead to absolutely nothing (as did mine). As I read through your post, a few things came to my mind: AMH, CGH, and/or possible uterine issues. First things first - have you had a saline u/s, HSG and/or hysteroscopy? You have to check that your uterus is clear as well as make sure your egg quality is good . Has your AMH been tested? That would give you a good look at egg quality (not just reserve). If we would've made it to ER when we did IVF, we were scheduled for CGH of all eggs retrieved and scheduled for a 5dt. The CGH stats are stronger in validity than PGD.
The SIRM (Sher Institute) may have some good information that might help. Sorry that you've had to experience your losses. It is so heartbreaking. While you may not find specific answers to the cause of each loss, hopefully you can plan as you move forward and find success. Good luck to you!
After 5.5 years of loss, heartbreak, and empty arms, our dreams were fulfilled through the beautiful, selfless gift of adoption. We are amazingly blessed!
Blog About Us | Blog About RPL/IF/Adoption
I'm so sorry!
I am in a somewhat similar situation. All three of my losses have been somewhat different-one chemical possibly ectopic pregnancy, one definite ectopic pregnancy and one m/c at nine weeks after seeing the hb. (and a failed IVF cycle). We've had all the RPL work done, genetic karoyping and a DNA frag test on dh's sperm-all normal. The only thing we are waiting on is genetic testing from the last miscarriage.
My RE suggested we try PGD with IVF, but with my DOR it's very unlikely that we would have enough embryos to work with. So here we are. It would be easier if all our losses were the same-so a cause could be identified. Maybe I have crappy eggs, maybe it's just bad luck, who knows. For now we'll keep trying and pray for a different outcome.
It sounds like you've have a thorough work up and unfortunately you fall into the gray area of the unknown. I wish I had a better answer than that-bc it's so hard to keep trying without being able to fix anything.
TTC since 5/2010
DX with Diminished Ovarian Reserve - AMH of 1.1 - 7/2011; AMH of .42 8/2012BFP 9/1/10-M/C confirmed 9/8/10-Methotrexate 10/6/10
IUI #1 (w/clomid)-9/5/11-BFN ; IUI #2 (w/clomid)-10/5/11 - BFP - 11/1/12-No sac seen; 11/2/11 and 11/9/11-Methotrexate
IVF #1- ER 2/2; ET 2/5;-Two 8 cell embryos transfered = BFFN
Surprise BFP - 5/7/12
U/S on 6/8/12 - H/B at 128 BPM; U/S on 6/14/12 @ 9wks-No H/B-D&C on 6/17/12
IVF 2.0- ER 10/17; ET 10/20-One 12 cell, one 10 cell and one 8 cell embryo transfered
BFP! 11/16/12 U/S- Two nuggets with perfect heartbeats! EDD 7/10/13
5/31/2013- My miracles arrived at 34w2d! Welcome to the world Harper and Nolan!

My Blog- http://waitingonaangel.wordpress.com/
No experience but I am sorry for your loss.
Also wanted to point out that a prior poster said AMH will tell you about the quality of your eggs. That is not true.
TTC #1 since 8/1/10; Me:41 and BRCA1+, DH:46
DOR (FSH 24.3)/ terrible egg quality ; homozygous MTHFR c677t
5 IUI's: 2/11 to 6/11 and 1/12= BFN
OE IVF#1-4 8/11-6/12= all BFN
DE IVF#1 11/12 bad embryos= BFN
DE IVF #2 2/13 BFP/Beta hell: m/c 5w6d
CFNBC 7 months, not doing well; decided on guarantee program at RBA w/frozen DE
DE IVF #3 1/14 ET 4BB; BFP;M/C 5w1d, incomplete m/c; MVA extraction in ER 7w1d
DE FET#1 ET 3/1714; BFP, beta 1 3/27= 197, beta 2 3/31= 1586, beta 3 4/7= 13879!!
First u/s= Twins with HBs at 6w2d! We are Team Pink x 2!!
K & K born 11/21/14 at 38wks 4 days
SAIF/PAIF Welcome
http://waitingforraintostop.wordpress.com
More clarification:
I've had an HSG, a laparoscopy and saline sonogram as well. We'll repeat the SIS before we start our next cycle.
I have not had my AMH tested but I know that number isn't always used. My FSH is elevated at 9.5 but not alarmingly so.
Thanks for all the thoughts and suggestions, I really appreciate it.
TTC #1 since 1/10
DX: Unexplained/??? MFI issues
Our lil' lost sparks:
5w3d loss 7/30/10 - EDD March 2011
8w loss 4/15/11 - EDD November 2011
8w3d loss 8/2/12 - EDD March 2013
4w c/p loss 10/29/12 - EDD July 2013
Long story: trying on our own + testing testing testing with 6 rounds of Clomid, more testing, injectables + TI, laparoscopy - one tube blocked, 2 IUIs with Follistim...BFNs.
RPL testing all normal, Karyotyping normal
Moving on to IVF.
IVF #1 April 2012 = BFN, IVF #2 June 2012 = BFP. U/S 7/23 = saw heartbeat but measuring behind. Follow up U/S on 7/30 - no heartbeat. D&C 8/2. Trisomy 12. IVF #3 Oct 2012 = Chemical Pregnancy
Phone consult with CCRM on 12/12/12 - ODWU 1/4/13 - both tubes clear(!) - AFC 24, AMH 3.2, FSH 9.6, LH 5.4, E2 25. DH has high frag rate but improved!
IVF #4 March 2013 CCRM. EP protocol w/ Menopur, Gonal-F & Dexamethasone. ER 3/29 & IMSI, PICSI. 43R 13M 10F 6blasts bio'd. CCS testing reveals 3 normals!!!
FET 5/31/13 of 1 4AA blast - thawed and expanded. 4dp5dt BFP.
Beta 9dp5dt = 181, 11dp5dt = 427. 1st u/s showed a healthy heartbeat! EDD 2/16/14
After 4 years of hoping and heartbreak, our sweet little bean was born on 2/19/14
We are so in love with her.
"I'm not telling you it's going to be easy, I'm telling you it's going to be worth it."
Everybody is welcome!!!
Not missing anything I can see except maybe push for the karyotyping. If it isn't anything else you might be in that .003%.
I'm so sorry for your loss. Most of my losses have been earlier than yours. Your first m/c sounds a lot like my first, but that was followed by another c/p, an early m/c (confirmd 5w6d) and another c/p. I've had a RPL panel with the blood clotting disorders, but no immunological stuff. So I'm really no help here I guess
Positive for HLA-B27, I'm a mutant
Testing - Me ok, gluten issue? DH - borderline count, low motility
4/28/11 IUI#1 = BFP!(5/25), EDD 2/2/12 - m/c 5w3d
7/3, 7/31, 9/25 - IUI#2-4=BFN
IVF#1 - 1 blast = BFP!! (12/30), EDD 9/9/12, confirmed c/p 4w2d
FET#1 3/2/12 - 2 blasts =BFP!! EDD 11/18/12, us#1 = twins! Confirmed m/c 5w6d
4/20-surprise BFP and another c/p 4w2d
FET#2 7/16/12 - 2 blasts = BFN
FET#3 8/20/12 - 1 blast - BFP!! Beta #1-2=177, 354
1st u/s 5w6d, one beautiful little HB
baby girl born 5/10/13
TTC#2 since 12/17/2014, Cycle 8
Repeat Testing...FSH=12, AMH=3.8, AFC=28.
IUI#5 5/10/15- c/p?
IVF#2 8/19/15 - cancelled due to cysts
IVF#2 take two 10/2015 - 5 blasts frozen
FET#4 12/11/2015 - BFN - 4 blasts remaining
FET#5 2/18/16 - BFP!!! Beta1-3, 126, 250, 745!!
Tons of love and ((hugs)) to my IF sister NMscubagirl
I don't have advice on repeat loss, but wanted to send well wishes and condolences. I hope you get the answers you are searching for.
Countless BFN(s)
Moving to IVF
IVF1 (ICSI): Long Lupron
6R. 3F. 3DT. 8Cell 1Grade 2Embies. 1Frostie.
Beta 1/22: 14 Beta 1/24: 24 Beta 1/26: 28
Round One Result: Chemical Pregnancy
Pressing Forward
IVF2 (ICSI/AH/ACU): Microdose Lupron Flare
13R. 11F. 5DT. 2TFR'ed. 1Frostie.
Round Two Result 4/30: Harsh BFN
FET. 2TFR'ed.
Round Three Result 6/25: BFN
Where do we go from here?
Moving forward with CCRM in 2013
ODWU revealed blocked tube(s). Lap 2/15.
Bilateral Tubal Ligation. Stage IV Endo.
Finally some (tough) answers.
IVF3 (ICSI/CCS): Antagonist with EPP
13R. We have 3 CCS Normal Embryos!
Lupron Depot: May 2013 to August 2013
Long awaited FET on 9/3. 2TFR'ed.
BFP on FRER 5dp5dt: IN SHOCK!
Beta1 9/10: 152.7! Beta2 9/12: 378! Beta3 9/14: 1224!
1st ultrasound 10/1: TWO beautiful heartbeats! Overjoyed!
I don't have any experience with repeated loss but I did want to say how sorry I am die your losses.
Big hugs
Hysteroscopy 3/2011 2 Polyps removed 4/2011
DH on Clomid / Arimidex to address hormonal issues - Sperm found July 2011!
IVF #1 September 2011 - ER 9/8/2011- 8R, 5M - icsi - 1 made it to transfer - BFFN :-(
IVF #2 Lucky November 2011 - ER 11/25/2011 - 15 eggs!, 13 mature, 10 fertilized with isci - 7 made it to transfer! Transferred 1 - 8 cell and 2 - 7 cell. BFP!!!!
1st U/S - Twins! 2nd U/S - 3 heartbeats!!! - HOLY COW!!!
Prayers for our take home babies!
2 babies born on 3/27/12 and lost. Last baby born on 3/29/12 and lost at 20 weeks.
My angels grew wings shortly after birth.
Ahava Raisel, Matisyahu Nissim & Zev Chaim - Mommy and Daddy will always love you.
IVF #3 July 2012 - ER 7/17/2012 - 10 R. 5 F. 4 made it to ET
Transferred 2 on 7/20/2012 no snow babies :-(
Beta on 7/31/2012 = BFMFN
A miracle gift expected to come to us through adoption around 9/2012
Baby girl adopted - Birth Mother changed her mind and took the baby back
IVF #4 October 2012 - New RE. Doing PGD Testing. 8 R, 7F, 2 made it to 5 day blast for PDG testing. Both Normal (Thank you G-d!!!) 1 boy and 1 girl
transferred one beautiful 5day blast (girl)
Please G-d the almighty one - let this be our take home baby!
Beta #1 158, Beta #2 318, 1 Absolutely magnificent HB at 175! Thank you G-d!!!
Baby Girl born August 5th. Thank you G-d for our precious miracle.
AMA. PAIF & SAIF always welcome - I need all the prayers I can get!
I'm sorry for your losses. I'm not sure I have much more advice to give you as my experience with five losses has not yielded any answers either. The drs thought that my first 2 (c/p, missed m/c) were egg issues. Then I discovered that I had MTHFR, so I started the extra folic acid, etc. But then I did 3 cycles with donor eggs that were also not successful - the first was a presumed ectopic (so drs said that was a fluke), the second was a loss at 17 weeks (baby was normal, but I had had much bleeding since the beginning so it was blamed on an implantation issue). I had done Lovenox and prednisone for that cycle. Then for this last cycle I consulted a reproductive immunologist - this is a field that's not always accepted in the mainstream medical community, but I had tried everything else so I decided to try 'experimental' treatments. He found that I have high NK T-cells and something else. He also had me do Lovenox and prednisone, but added in IVIG, which is very expensive. He thought that IVIG would be better for me than intrallipids, which are more affordable.
But, with all that it still didn't work! This loss was like yours - heartbeats one week but no heartbeats the next (it was twins). I am waiting for test results to come back on the embryos, but I find it hard to believe that 2 embryos from a donor with a lot of prior success were both abnormal.
So... what would I tell you to do? You could look into immune testing and intrallipids/IVIG - I think SIRM does them - even though I'm not convinced about their validity since they didn't work for me. Also if you haven't had an endometrial biopsy you probably should. I think PGD/CGH would be the only way to definitely tell you about embryo quality, but I know that can be difficult without a lot of day 5 embryos. It's hard to know if it's an embryo quality issue or a uterine issue. I think though that a second opinion may be in order.
GL and ((HUGS))
Early loss 10/08
Lap 1/09
IVF #1 "natural IVF" - 1 egg retrieved, missed m/c
Tried several mini-stim cycles with no response
Switched clinics - dx'd as carrier for Fragile X
IVF #2 MDL protocol Jan/Feb converted to IUI, BFN
IVF #2 take 2: Antagonist, one embie, BFN
IVF #3: Antagonist, no fertilization
One last ditch effort at OE IVF (antagonist with Clomid) cancelled
DE cycle #1 Jan/Feb 2011, BFP, ectopic
DE cycle #2 June/July 2011 - BFP
10/28/11 Baby girl lost at 17 weeks due to pre-term labor. We love and miss you.
DE cycle #3 June/July 2012 - BFP, twins, both heartbeats stopped, D&C
2 frosties but don't know what's next
FET Dec 2012: BFP! Praying this one sticks for the long haul!
Me: 36, DH: 42
Dx: DOR and MFI
DH: low count + very low motility; hormones all normal; Sperm DNA Frag. test = poor to fair; male karyotyping normal
Me: FSH 13.4 + AMH 0.26 + hypothyroidism; Scratch the hypothyrodism (?); Blood clotting and immune panel all negative; endometrial biopsy normal
IVF #1 (MDLF - Jul/Aug 2011): BFN (9R, 5M, 3F with ICSI, 3dt of 1 10-cell grade 2, no frosties)
IVF #2 (EP-antagonist - Sep/Oct 2011): BFN (6R, 4M, 3F w/ ICSI, 3dt of 1 6-cell, 1 7-cell, grade 4s, no frosties)
DE IVF #1 (shared cycle - June 2012): c/p (6R, 6F w/ICSI, 3dt 1 8-cell grade A- and 1 7-cell grade A-; no frosties)
DE IVF #2 (shared cycle with new donor - Nov/Dec/ 2012): - BFP!!!!! 12/14/12. U/S on 12/27 shows twins!!!!!
SAIFW/PAIFW