3Rd Miscarriage in a year...need Some Advice!!

Updated on February 13, 2009
H.J. asks from Ashland, OH
19 answers

Hi! I am currently experiencing my 3rd miscarriage and was wondering if anyone could offer some advice. I go back to the doctor tomorrow to confirm that the HCG levels are indeed decreasing. What I want to know is things I can talk to the doctor about and tests I can request. He has already checked my thyroid and progesterone levels...both were normal (this was back in August). Has anyone else experienced this. I have had two normal pregnanices with no complications. When we started trying for the third it hasn't gone as smooth! I would appreciate any advice or suggestions! Thanks in advance!!

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So What Happened?

Thanks SO MUCH for all your kind words and advice!! The doctor is going to run some tests to see if he can find anything. I won't know anything for 2 weeks! Thanks again for all the advice...there were some really good suggestions I am going to look into!!

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J.O.

answers from Evansville on

H., please do s little research on Creighton Method fertility; I believe they are centered in Omaha, NE, but have specialists trained throughout the United States. I've heard wonderful things about their results.

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T.W.

answers from Cleveland on

H.,
So sorry to hear of the miscarriages. I had two miscarriages in a row, and my OB at the time decided to run a ton of bloodwork. It was discovered that I had a blood clotting disorder which was remedied with medication, and now I have two beautiful, healthy sons. I would have them look at clotting factors.
Good luck.

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D.K.

answers from Indianapolis on

You should also buy the book PAIN FREE WOMEN. This book takes you thru every stage of pregnancy. One of the things we are finding out is that the position of the pelvis can cause miscarriage as well as other matters. We have documentaion of gals who've had repeated miscarriages and used the EGOSCUE METHOD (what the book is based on) and then had successful pregnancies. It DOES make sense! CERTAINLY worth looking into. Just because you've already had successful ones doesn't mean your pelvis is currently in the same position as it was one or two babies ago.

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S.M.

answers from Cincinnati on

Refer yourself to a Reproductive Endrocrinologist. It could be as simple as taking an aspirin or heparin, etc. But go to an expert. After the 3rd one, it could be time.

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K.D.

answers from Cleveland on

I agree with many of these posts specially the one on checking your hormone level. I know a cream that is based on Dr. John Lee's teachings and has helped a few ladies I know that were having miscarriages. Arbonne's Natural progestrone cream. I have a great drs article on it. If you like just email me at ____@____.com and I can email it over. Here is the place to get the cream www.passion4more.myarbonne.com
Good luck!!

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M.T.

answers from Fort Wayne on

Hi H.,
I am so sorry to hear what you have been through with your miscarriages. I too had three miscarriages after a normal pregnancy/delivery. My OB was ready to start all kinds of testing but, I said no. She happened to mention that sometimes a miscarriage is happens because the baby isn't getting a proper blood supply. This can happen due to mom's blood clotting or the veins are to small to support the blood. She said that sometimes just taking an 81mg aspirin daily will help. I started the aspirin therapy but didn't believe that something so small would make a difference. Four months later, I was pregnant again. I didn't tell anyone except my husband because I just knew I'd miscarry again. Amazingly, before I knew it, I was in my 4th month! My doctor had me continue the aspirin through my entire pregnancy and the aspirin worked! After my son was born, I met two other women that had also suffered several miscarriages. They too had used the aspirin therapy & went on to have babies. I know it sounds too easy. I just wish a doctor had suggested it after my first miscarriage- maybe I wouldn't have had the other two. I hope this info helps. Good luck to you!

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C.H.

answers from Cleveland on

Hi H.. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I had no problems. She just turned one in January. Since then, I have had two miscarriages within the last four months. So far the bloodwork came back normal. Monday I am having a sonohysterogram to view the uterus to see if there is anything going on. I hope things work out for both of us.

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M.R.

answers from Cincinnati on

Perhaps request a referral to see a reproductive endocrinologist?

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B.B.

answers from Indianapolis on

H., There are so many things that can interfere with conceiving. I found that out the hard way, but fortunately there were things that could be done to counter those effects.

I can give you the name and number of my doctor (his office is in Noblesville). We went through 2 cycles there, and have 2 beautiful daughters. They like to find out what's going on before doing anything (as they say, "Find out the rules of the game before you play"), so there will likely be a battery of tests to find out what's going on. I know quite a few people who went to him after having miscarriages and he was able to help them figure out what was going on, and they were able to conceive.

Let me know and I'll get you his name/number to his office.

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P.R.

answers from Indianapolis on

I had 3 miscarriages before I carried my daughter to term. One of the first things my older OB told me after the second was do not rush getting pregnant again, give your body at least 6 to 8 months to build back up before you try again. Hormones are still out of line etc., and your body needs to rebuild it's strength. I probably would have been all right the next time but I switched doctors because they built a hospital in my town and I didn't want to travel 25 miles to deliver. There were two OBGYN's with the same last name and I went to the wrong one, he did a pap smear, which my records stated should not be done because it could lead to problems and he did one, my records were forwarded to the other Dr. I kept telling the nurse and doctor not to do one but he knew best, yeah. Anyway, I waited a year before trying again and everything went beautifully. I did switch to the right Dr., however, after the 3rd miscarriage! You need to let your body rest a while and then start trying again.

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C.T.

answers from Cleveland on

I am so sorry H.. :(
I had 2 miscarriages in a row after textbook pregnancies and was shocked and baffled too. My dr ran two batteries of tests but I don't know which ones of the top of my head. When it happened the first time in Oct07, he said that he was running the standard tests to see if they showed anything unusual. When I had my second miscarriage in Feb08, he said that he was running extensive blood work, mostly to give me peace of mind, but he didn't expect to see anything unusual come back because of my other healthy pregnancies. He was right. All the test came normal. No answer was ever found, but my current pregnancy seems fine/normal and textbook, although I was scared every day up to 25 weeks that I was about to miscarriage at any moment.
I hope, if you try again, that the next one will bring you a wonderful healthy 3rd baby :) God bless you.

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K.H.

answers from Cincinnati on

I also had 3 miscarriages. I had a blood clotting disorder were I had to give my self daily injections of a blood thinner to keep my self pregnant. I would have the doctor run any and all blood tests. Hope this is your last!

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L.G.

answers from Columbus on

H., I'm so sorry to hear about your losses.

A couple things I would suggest - did your doc check for thyroid antibodies? When they check thyroid levels they don't always check thyroid antibodies and they can cause problems. Also, I would request a copy of your thyroid lab work, so that you can see what the actual number is. Thyroid levels have a range and studies have shown that optimal fertility is with a TSH level that is at the low end of the range. If your TSH levels are towards the higher end, it is not uncommon for pregnancy to cause them to go even higher and that can contribute to miscarriage (and so can thyroid antibodies). A lot of docs just look to see that it's in range and don't go any further, even if it's at the high end of normal.

For me, even though my progesterone levels were normal, my doc had me supplement after my 1st miscarriage because "it might help, can't hurt".

I would also suggest having a thrombophilia panel done - this will check for a variety of blood clotting disorders which have been known to contribute to miscarriages. Some of them are antibody related and can develop over time vs. being genetic.

Also, I would suggest having a hysterosalpingogram done (HSG) to rule out intrauterine polyps and fibroids which can cause problems with miscarriages. Given that you've had 2 successful pregnancies you probably do not have a uterine septum, which can also cause miscarriages.

I hope this helps. You might also find the book Coming to Term: Uncovering the Truth About Miscarriage by Jon Cohen helpful. I'm pretty sure Columbus Library has it.

Take good care of yourself.

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J.C.

answers from Cleveland on

Hi, H.! I'm sorry to hear of your misfortune lately! I wanted to share a story that my friend had experienced. She could get pregnant, but she couldn't stay pregnant. She took Clomid, so that helped her keep the pregnancy in place. She had a crazy hormone level, but once they got it straight, she was able to fulfill the pregnancy to the end, and now she has four healthy children! I wish you the best of luck!

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S.E.

answers from Cleveland on

I have no answers, but can assure you you are not alone. I had one healthy boy then two miscarriages. I went through all the tests and they said I was fine. Took some time off from trying then got pregnant with my son. Hang in there. Its hard.

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K.Z.

answers from Cleveland on

Hi H.,

So sorry to hear about three miscarriages! Maybe you should wait longer in between before trying again? That's not a medical opinion, by the way, just mine.

When I was going through infertility 17+ years ago (couldn't conceive), there was a great support group called Resolve. I think it may have changed its name to Resolve Through Sharing; I don't keep up with it any more. In addition to the meetings where people would share their experiences and support each other, they had a ton of info on current research. Maybe if you googled them that would help.

Good luck!

K. Z.

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P.Z.

answers from Cleveland on

So sorry! How did they check your hormone levels? Blood, or saliva? Blood can be misleading, saliva is the best, I'm not in the medical field, but having done TONS of reseach before and after my infertility issues, I've come accross this several times. I don't remember the exact reasoning, but i do have a cd of a lecture by a Dr. Lee who is an authority on hormones. He has written several books too. you can request them from your library if you'd like more info.

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J.L.

answers from Toledo on

I am very sorry to hear what you are going thru. I had a friend who experience a few miscarriages before her 2nd child. She had to take meds every day, a hormone I think, to keep her pregnant. Her 2nd baby is healthy, so it had no effect on him.

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M.C.

answers from Cleveland on

I know how you feel!! I suffered 2 before I finally got my first child almost 5 years ago. After some testing we figured out it was a hormonal imbalance that required me to take a progesterone gel vaginally for 12 weeks when I finally did get pregnant. The medical term is Luteal Phase Defect, meaning after the egg is released it makes a corpus luteum which produces progesterone until the egg is fertilized (it takes the place of the placenta until the 2nd trimester) or the egg isn't fertilized. My corpus luteum wasn't making the progesterone...you get the idea. Something to talk to your doc about. Prayers to you!!

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