Update post 14-Thanks, Update and Questions about clotting issues....

[scrooks]

I wanted to give a little update on how I and (we as a family) were doing after my miscarriage....see this thread http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=394719

First- I really want to thank the board for the support...it meant a lot in a time of great stress...

I am physically doing fine, my body has recovered as it should and DH and I have decided we would like to try again soon for a third baby.

There is no obvious cause for the miscarriage so my Dr. drew about 12 vials of blood a week and a half ago testing for everything under the sun and we are getting genetic testing done on the baby (those results are still probably a month out).

Based on the blood work my Dr has ruled out a virus. She has determined though that I have a couple of minor genetic blood clotting issues. She said based on those alone she would simply recommend a baby asprin daily with any future pregnancy and she stressed that they were minor BUT I also tested positive for another more serious clotting issue. I'm not sure exactly what it was (many technical terms were being tossed out) but the high range of normal is 25 and I was a 27...so not crazy high. Plus she said if I did have this other condition it would have been very very unlikely that I would have had 2 uneventful pregnancies as I have. Typically it causes pre-eclampsia and other issues (I have never had any complications). If I was truly positive I would need a blood thinner while pregant and it would be a much more serious issue. She is going to retest me because I was so boarderline and we will see what the result is.

Has anyone dealt with these issues? I know of at least 3 people I know who have mentioned clotting issues. One of which has multilple miscarriages prior to the issue being discovered and two of which required daily shots while pregnant (blood thinner?). All of these people have had multiple pregnancies and have healthy normal children. They all delivered early (scheduled that way) and had some minor complications....


I am just curious what the experience is on this board. I wasn't really nervous about all of it (the doc just made it sound like if we were dealing with just the minor issues an asprin a day would be all that would be required) but when I talked to DH he got me worried on implications for my health....

[wildfire]

My sister and I have clotting issues and we both have to take blood thinners during pregnancy. She went through several miscarriages and a loss at 20 weeks before they discovered it (she also had other complications that contributed to miscarriages as well). I was extremely lucky in that I insisted my OB test me at my very first appointment and we caught it early (knowing her experience). I have not had any miscarriages. Both of my pregnancies were under the care of a perinatologist as well as an OB.

We each have two wonderful kids. All four were successfully induced. I've been told to take baby aspirin for a few days before I fly anywhere, but I've never had any issue with blood clots. I do, however, intentionally avoid hormonal birth control since I feel like I'm at increased risk.

ETA: My other sister tested negative.

[cmo]

I had 3 MCs, and a whole battery of testing revealed results similar to yours. I took a baby aspirin every day during pregnancy, and delivered 3 DCs without complications. It's true if your clotting issues are more advanced, you may have to manage it with daily injections of heparin. A friend of mine did that several years ago, and had a positive outcome. :-)

[Minnifer]

I have some issues, also discovered after some losses, and have to do lovenox/heparin injections and take baby aspirin throughout pregnancy (and, in theory, the baby aspirin even when not pg). I would suggest seeing a hematologist who understands the issues in pregnancy to see what they recommend. Your OB (or a peri/MFM) should be able to give you a recommendation/referral - mine works closely w/my OB. Personally, I say better safe than sorry, in that I'd be happy to comply with a conservative recommendation of taking something if it will help me get to a successful outcome. Good luck!

[scrooks]

Thanks for all the responses. I guess we will see what the blood retest shows. I'm just not sure what to think at this point. It sounds like lots of people with this issue have miscarriage after miscarriage and I have had two normal pregancies...I guess i have some more questions for the doc!

[cindys]

I did several rounds of IUI and IVF(and always took baby aspirin as part of the protocol)....I was fine on my first pregnancy but then I had 2 chemicals...I insisted on some additonal testing and 15 vials of blood later it was determined I had slight clotting disorder...

I was put on Lovenox and although I didnt get pregnant the first time I was put on it, I did the following time...

Cindy
Mama to 3 boys...19, 5 & 2 :heartbeat::heartbeat::heartbeat:

[alirebco]

I have no personal experience but my best friend just recently found out in January that she suffers from some clotting disorders which were most likely the cause of her 2 miscarriages. Her first pregnancy with her DD she had no issues. She is now on baby aspirin and was during TTC and then started Lovenox/Heparin injections right after she found out she was pregnant. She also sees a hematologist and will be monitored more closely this pregnancy.

She is now 14 weeks along and she is so happy to be out of the first trimester after having 2 losses back to back. She will most likely be induced because they want you to be off the blood thinners before you deliver but she is not worried about that.

[scrooks]

I am finding out this is more and more common. I just talked to our daycare provider...she also had a minor clotting issue and took baby aspirin with her pregnancies plus one of her best friends had 4 normal pregnancies and with her 5th baby they told her she needed the daily blood thining shots! I just hope my bloodwork comes back ok and that baby aspirin will do the trick.

[Edensmum]

I am sorry for your loss, and glad you have something to go on for next time. I'm impressed that they did the testing. After my loss I asked about it and was told that they don't test until there are 3-4 losses. This is the same doctor who wanted me to have a 4th pap in twelve months just because I was pregnant and would not let it go that I declined. So she was not conservative about all testing, just the ones I wanted.

[scrooks]

I am sorry for your loss, and glad you have something to go on for next time. I'm impressed that they did the testing. After my loss I asked about it and was told that they don't test until there are 3-4 losses. This is the same doctor who wanted me to have a 4th pap in twelve months just because I was pregnant and would not let it go that I declined. So she was not conservative about all testing, just the ones I wanted.

Yeah...I really love my doctor. I think she ordered all of the tests because my case threw her for a bit of a loop. I had ultrasounds at 12 and 16 weeks that were perfectly normal and all my previous bloodwork was fine. She said most cases of second trimester miscarriage had something going wrong that would have shown up if an ultrasound was done at 16 weeks (not the norm)....and we specifically asked for the genetic testing on the baby. I'm not sure if that normally would have been done.

[kaharris83]

I too am sorry for your loss. I went through fertility treatments that resulted in 2 back to back miscarriages at 8 weeks. For both genetic testing came back normal, and for the second one they did all the blood clotting tests on me. They too seemed normal. However I had an OB tell me that there are literally thousands of clotting disorders, many of which tests haven't been developed to confirm the presence of. In our case we hadn't had a baby successfully and after 3 years of trying were willing to do anything to make that dream a reality. I took baby aspirin during my 2nd IVF cycle and a shot of Lovenox(blood thinner) every day of my pregnancy until 36 weeks when they switched me to Heparin(clears the system faster when you go into labor). It was a small inconvienience with a huge payoff. I hope a simple baby aspirin does the trick for you, but if you find yourself needing the daily injection it's not too terrible and I didn't have to be induced or have anything done differently at my delivery.

[scrooks]

Thanks again everyone for your responses!
It makes me feel a little bit better that this isn't an odd or really rare thing.

I just went for and had my blood drawn again for the retest....we will see what happens!

[katydid1971]

Sorry late to this thread. I am Factor V Leiden and MTHFR. We lost my DS2 at 7 months because of a clot. I was on Lovenox for my entire pregnancy with DD and Coumadin post delivery. Losing a baby is so hard (I usually skip the posts with "loss mentioned" because of it) but know that there is hope. I have a beautiful little girl who brings me such joy and happiness. My pregnancy was hard, I had to take the blood thinners via a shot in my stomach 2 times a day, I was scared every minute that I would lose heruntil I held her in my arms. I am through that now and have 2 wonderful children who bring me such joy, and frustration and anger and tears and laughter, you get the picture. If you can see a perinatologist, they might be a better fit for your medical issues. Hugs to you and good luck. Hopefully you have found what is causing you to lose your babies. There is hope. :hug5:

[scrooks]

Well I got some good news...my blood retest was completely normal so for any future pregnancy I would just need to take a low dose aspirin..no daily shot of blood thinner will be required. I'm glad its not serious but sad in a way- it would have been an answer why....something we may never get...still no genetic results from the baby but my doc really isn't expecting anything.