Hi Jaimie,

I'm curious to know why they waited 12 weeks to do the testing? Seems to me that those results would be pretty much useless by then. Did you know that antiphospholipids can change? They can be positive during the pregnancy and then neg after.

Two miscarriages in a row is not a co-incidence. At the hospital where I work the clinic that sees recurrent miscarriage patients puts all patients who suffer recurrent miscarriage on baby aspirin and heparin whether they test positive or not, as a precaution.

This article may interest you:
http://www.asklenore.com/miscarriage/bick/bickintro.html Dr. Bick reports 100% success in treating patients with thrombolic disorders using baby aspirin and heparin.

When we hear stories like this we recommend prophylactive treatment as follows:

1)One baby aspirin per day starting 48 hours following LH surge or ovulation and continuing until 12 weeks gestation.

2) Fragmin 2500 UI once per day starting at 48 hours following LH surge or ovulation and continuing until 12 weeks gestation.(this is refined Heparin, easier on your system)

3) Progesterone support if need be. Check your level. This is usually started at the time of a positive pregnancy test and continued until 10 weeks. If you can do a blood test the day your period is due, it would help to get you on the progesterone quickly.

4) Avoid heat sources such as hot tubes, hot baths (showers are ok but not too hot), electric blankets, and so on. Embryos do not like heat.

5) At least 1 extra mg of folic acid to assist prevention of neural tube defects such as spina bifida.

6) Don't lift ANYTHING over 5 lbs.

This is usually enough to carry the pregnancy to term but there is a small percentage of patients who will require additional assistance. If you find yourself in this position you may want to consider having the full workup at the Beer Clinic. www.repro-med.net

My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Warmest regards,

Thank you for the responses.

To answer a few questions, my doctor (who is not a specialist, just an obgyn) spoke with a homotologist who said that all pregnancy hormones had to be out of my system before running the listed tests. Now, I'm really concerned. I trusted that judgment and I hope it was the correct one.

The doctor's philosophy is that the first loss was at 8 weeks, very common, just something that happens. I've carried children to term before; the second loss was at 18 weeks, therefore, they're not connected due to the timing of the losses.

He is going to have me speak with a reproductive endocrinologist just to ensure we've covered all bases, but I'm not so sure there are any in our area. So, I may see about a consultation from one online.

thanks so much. I need to go research further I guess.

Jamie

Okay, that was supposed to be hemotologist, not homotologist..geesh, I should proofread more often...

Hi Jamie,

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to confuse you. Unfortunately, not all hematologists are created equal. They don't all treat recurrent miscarriage comprehensively. When I read stories like yours it frustrates me, can you tell? Seeing a reproductive endocrinologist is a good idea. I would also strongly urge you to contact Dr. Roger Bick from the research paper I mentioned above.

Dr. Bick has said that he is willing to correspond with women on this site that I refer. If you email me at lenore@asklenore.info I'll put you in touch with him. He is the best to answer all of your questions. Remember, I'm not an MD and so my suggestions will not hold weight with your physicians. But Dr. Bick is considered to be an expert on this topic. I think you'll get farther, faster, if you involve him.

Warmest regards,

Hi Jamie,

First I want to tell you how sorry I am about your losses. I have had two miscarriages in the last eight months and know how heartbreaking it is. I also wanted to tell you a little about Dr. Bick and encourage you to go to him. He is an amazing man and really puts you at ease when you meet him. He did a TON of blood workups on me and they found two pretty significant problems. The first one has to do with being low on Folic Acid and b-12, and b-6 (Homosystein), so he put me on very high doses of foltx. The other has to do with blood clotting. When I get pregnant next I will take Heparin shots twice a day for the entire pregnancy, starting as soon as I know I am pregnant. Apparently when you have this blood clotting disorder, the blood clots too much and can clot in the placenta and cause any oxygen and nutrients to be cut off from the baby, causing a miscarriage.

I am really confident that this next baby will be the one, now that I am armed with all the necessary information and meds. I would at least talk to Dr. Bick if you could to see what he might recommend. I almost didn't do the tests since they are very expensive and he is out of network so I have to pay a very large portion, but I am so glad I did it, otherwise we would not have known about these problems! The clotting disorder I have, combined with birth control pills, puts me at a very high risk for strokes, without the blood tests I never would have known. Also, my Dr. said that being pregnant is like taking mega doses of birth control pills (hormone levels I am guessing), and when I was pregnant I was at a very high risk for a stroke. The homosystein I have (folic acid deficiency), can cause heart problems, another thing I didn't know about. I am very fortunte that Dr. Bick is in my city, actually right in my hospital in Dallas, and hope that even if he isn't near you you might still call him and see if you can get a consultation over the phone.

Take care and if you have any questions feel free to email me barbihud@msn.com,

Barbi

Thank you very much. Lenore, I have emailed you. Thanks for your offer of support and guidance to Dr. Bick.

I appreciate everyone's help so very much. It's tough talking to others about this who do not truly understand, who've not been there.

thank you

jamie

Jamie,
Let me first say that I am sorry for your losses. I also would like to say that I REALLY hope you go further in your search for the truth...I am SO tired of doctors saying "these things just happen" or "nature has a way of taking care of itself". It also really sucks that you have to lose 3 to be a "recurrent miscarrier"...don't they know that each one was a life and a missed oportunity??? Anyway, I am so sorry for venting.

Now on to why I decided to post...My name is Candace & I was referred to Lenore just recently. I just lost my third pregnancy (stillbirth 4-14-99 @ 37 weeks, m/c 10-14-02 @ 8 weeks, m/c 5-1-03 @ 12 weeks). With each of my pregnancies my baby stopped developing...it wasn't getting it's nutrients! I tested high positive for ANA with my first loss...they retested again after this last one & it was normal. I came to this website to find info on adoptive breastfeeding (I just couldn't go through another pregnancy with an incompetent doctor...my husband is military & we don't have any RE's so I felt like maybe we were being led to adoption). Anyway, I contacted Lenore and her first words to me were "Please contact Dr. Bick". My initial response was "I'm not really that interested"...just so fearful that he would be another one of "those" doctors that don't give a darn about you. I called Dr. Bick's office today & have my first appt with them on 5-19-03. We are also starting the adoption process. I don't want to give up on having our own kids, but I also feel the need to pursue adoption.

I'm sorry for blubbering on...I just wanted to let you know that I am here if you want someone to talk to. Please feel free to email me.

Take care,
kellyandcandace@yahoo.com

Candace,
Alot of adoption agencies do not want their clients to go through infertility tests/trying to get pregnant while they are pursuing adoption. Adoption and fertility tx's etc..are both really stressfull events. Most professionals rec. doing one or the other, but not both at the same time. I understand you want lots of kids, just thought I would suggest you focus on one or the other right now. I went through the same things you are going through,,,it took 2 years after our last IVF did not work for me to be wholeheartedly into another adoption. (I have lost 7 pregnancies ) . Take care, good luck with Dr. Bick! Cathy