Q for those who've had losses...
I've had 3 losses from natural cycles. I've also done 4 medicated cycles and gotten BFN's each time.
Since I seem to have better luck on my own then with the help of meds, I'm torn about using meds, but also sick of waiting almost a year between each BFP and then having them continue to end in losses.
Those who've had losses from natural cycles - what has made you decide to pursue treatment? I know statistically medicated cycles give you a better chance then natural, but I've already been in the small percentage of enough statistics! I feel like medicated cycles will help us get a sticky BFP, but historically - they don't.
I considered posting this on TTCAL, however most of those girls aren't doing medicated cycles and get pregnant relatively easily. TIA, ladies.
Re: Q for those who've had losses...
This isn't an easy answer, and everyone us going to be a but different. I had one natural cycle early loss, and though we proved we can get pregnant, we obviously need luck, time or science on our side to do so. Once we found our dx we realized first bfp was just sheer luck, so we felt comfortable moving forward with the science options. Now that we had a bfp with a medicated cycle, that also resulted in a very early loss, we are lost at what to do. After this break we'll sit down and discuss this with our RE. Do you have an RE? If so, go talk to them. Share your concerns, which are very valid, and ask what he thinks you guys should do. Perhaps there is testing to see why you've had multiple early losses, and then instead of focusing on getting that bfp it can be shifted to keeping that bfp. Whatever you decide to do, I wish you the very best of luck.
(please excuse formatting/typos, on phone)
This is a tough one and I think depends on a lot of factors. Do they have any idea why you struggle to get pregnant or any idea what has caused your losses? I think those things would play a role in my decision about what to do.
The decision to move to medicated IUI's and now IVF was "easy" for us because we knew that getting pregnant on my own was going to be difficult after my tubal issues.
[spoiler] My Blog: Grow Baby Grow
BFP #1: 12/2009 m/c 1/2010 BFP #2: 6/2010 m/c 8/2010
BFP #3: 10/2011 ectopic 11/2011 (right tube removed, learned left tube was probably nonfunctional due to scar tissue from infection after m/c)
3 failed IUIs, IVF #1: 18R, 12M, 10F, 3 poor quality 5d embryos transferred= BFP #4!!!!!
Betas: 9dp5dt: 64 ~14dp5dt: 91 (expecting miscarriage, doubling time of 236 hours) ~16dp5dt: 200~18dp5dt: 500
First Ultrasound at 6w2d revealed two sacs, only one with a heartbeat
LK arrived after 42 weeks on August 14, 2013! Beautiful, healthy, and happy!
TTC#2: IVF booked for April 2015
Surprise BFP#5 February 19, 2015 EDD: November 2, 2015
Betas: 10dpo: 10, 14dpo: 77, 17dpo: 270
First Ultrasound at 5w1d showed a miracle UTE baby! And right ovary ovulation to left fallopian tube.
JD arrived at 38 weeks on October 20, 2015.
TTC #3: Since October 2017. BFP #6 July 2, 2018 EDD: March 16, 2019 [/spoiler]
Yes, I've had a complete RLP work up and was found to have MTHFR and DVT. I've also had a full IF workup and was taking baby aspirin and progesterone to try to prevent another loss for my third pregnancy - clearly neither of those things worked.
I've also had 2 SHG's and 1 HSG - all clear.
Yes, I have an RE and he thinks we should do treatments, I think moreso because that's what he does and how he can help (clearly we go to him when we want/need help having a baby). We are OOP and if that's what it'll take to have a take home baby I am all game, but I just question WHY our RE is pushing it if it hasn't worked for us so far.
I guess not many RE's tell someone who comes in and wants to get pregnant to go try on their own for awhile and see what happens, right?!
My first RE pretty much told us this. We are obviously no longer with him. What type of MTHFR do you have? I have C677t homozygous, which (according to my RE) requires Lovenox injections throughout pregnancy due to the high risk of clotting in the uterus/placenta. (The jury is still out on this apparently, but I've found several articles that support the BA/Lovenox combo for a successful pregnancy with elevated ACA levels, which I have - so I'm willing to give it a shot...no pun intended)!
I've had 3 early losses on natural cycles, and one m/c at 7.5 weeks on a medicated cycle. We are moving onto injects next cycle (whenever that may be), because my RE feels she has better control with injects as opposed to clomid/femara. I am okay with this because I want to be as aggressive as we can be.
We have good insurance coverage (although will still have a hefty pharmacy copay for the injects), but if we were completely OOP, I too would be questioning trying medicated cycles vs natural cycles.
Also, because of my MTHFR, I'll likely be starting Lovenox injections earlier in my treatment cycle next time (for our loss I didn't start them until my BFP).
I'm sorry about your losses, and I hope you and DH can formulate a plan with your RE that you are comfortable with. GL!
~~PgAL March Siggy Challenge - Pet Shaming~~
TTC #1 since Feb 2011 Dx: MTHFR C677T Homozygous, Antiphospholipid Syndrome, LPD
BFP #1: 8/4/11 c/p 4w5d
BFP #2: 9/4/11 c/p 5w0d
BFP #3: 1/16/12 c/p 4w0d
BFP #4 8/9/12 m/c 7w3d
BFP #5 11/2/12 ?EDD 7/16/13? PLEASE grow sweet baby!!
I've had 2 losses, 1 natural last fall and 1 from a clomid/Iui cycle last month. We've decided to go with Ivf. Probably because we've tried for 3+ years and I'm just tired of the whole situation and decided to go the route with the highest percentage chance of a take home baby. I'm sick of all of it so I'm going to give it one last chance with Ivf. I am counting on PGD to determine if our embryos are healthy and hopefully avoid a loss.
10/11: after 2 years, saw a RE, FSH 5.4
11/11: BFP! (surprise after thyroid & normal hsg),
12/11: missed m/c after 7 week u/s, 1/12: D&C
6/12 IUI#1-IUI #3: clomid = BFP!, C/P
IVF #1(10/12) FSH 5.4, AFC: 16 long Lupron, 5R/5M/4F, all 4 made it to 5dt, 1 blast/1-8 cell transferred=BFN
IVF #2(12/12)AFC 21, MD lupron, 4R/4M/3F, 5dt of 1 blast and 2-8cell. BFN.
IVF#3(4/13) Natural start antagon protocol, 12R,11F. one PGS normal at day 6 transfer. BFN.
IVF#4 (11/13) C.CRM (ODW.U normal 8/13 Still no Diagnosis) EPP/antagonist. ER 13R/7M/6F. Only 1 made it to freeze. Abnormal. Looking into options of DE, Fresh vs frozen.
10/14 new local RE to look into what's next. CD3 FSH 4.7, AMH 0.9. Met with DE agencies and exploring options for feb/march 2015.
Surprise natural bfp (4 days before donor is signed). Beta #1 at 9dpo: 51.8, 2nd beta: 195 (25 hours doubling) @11dpo. 3rd beta (12/15): 516 (35 hrs doubling) 4th beta(12/17): 895 (58 hours doubling) 5th beta(12/19): 2120. U/S at 5w0d(12/22): one gestational sac with yolk sac. U/S #2 (6w0d)12/29. One little bean measuring 6w0d with HR 124. 3rd u/s(1/4)7w0d: baby measuring 7w2d. HR 134. 3/30: A/S at MFM went great except for low lying placenta. Verifi results are normal! Team Blue! Please send any positive thoughts our way! EDD:8/24/2015
Baby Will born 8/18. He's perfect.
J&D - thanks for sharing. I've considering going this route as well, its hard waiting and feeling helpless and not wanting to be aggressive and proactive.
Has your RE indicated that doing PGD and other testing should reduce your risk for another miscarriage? My fear of trying IVF, is that if I tend to miscarry, would I have the same risk of miscarriage from an IVF cycle, where we've invested so much more?
It sounds like you have a great plan in place and I hope that this is the perfect mix for you! Best of luck.