QuestionI'm almost 22 and pregnant at around 6 weeks. I had m/c in March of 06 which stopped at 10 weeks and I had a d&c. I had another m/c in July of 06 at 8 weeks. I just recently had another miscarriage in December of 07 and not sure how far along I was. I was sent to a RE for bloodwork and testing. However, I ended up falling pregnant before I was able to get the blood work complete (due to lack of insurance and money to pay for it at the time). Now here I sit, pregnant, again, and terrified.
LMP-1/26/08
2/24/08- HCG 10.7 Prog. 23.9(found out in ER as I was sick)
2/26/08- HCG 37.2
2/26/08- HCG 138
3/1/08- HCG 689
I have my first appointment on 3/11 but I'm just so worried about it and wondering if they'll do an u/s at 6 weeks or not? I haven't really been too sick, I just started getting queasy a few days ago and my boobs aren't as sore as what they were, although my husband says they are now huge, not to mention bluish and purple. I didn't have all of this before, is this considered normal? I just wish I knew if this was going to end with another loss or what the chances would be.
AnswerHi Amanda
I'm sorry to hear of your miscarriages, it's no wonder you're terrified!
I'm not sure how it works anywhere else, but here in the UK they investigate miscarriages after having 2 to 3.
It's really important to make sure you have adequate insurance, even if it means going without certain luxuries. This is to ensure for your peace of mind that you get the right care.
I'm not sure what sort of advice you have been given, but it's best to wait for 3 whole months after a miscarriage before you try again. This reduces the risk of a recurrent miscarriage, giving your body time to heal fully and build up a good lining to accept another fertilised egg.
I'm afraid I cannot give any answers as to why you are having consecutive miscarriages, but it's normally due to chromosomal abnormalities that are either determined by pure chance (ie, an old sperm or old egg means that it just won't develop properly) or it could be a genetic problem with yourself and/or your partner. It's even been known for women to be able to carry only one sex full term, therefore miscarrying any embryos which are the other (my aunt could only carry boys full term and miscarried 6 times with girls!). Alternately, some women simply cannot carry full term, but there are several explanations for this.
You will need tests to confirm the real reason.
I will say that miscarriage is so common that it's estimated that 1 in 3 women experience miscarriage at least once. Conception is indeed a game of chance, if the timing is slightly out then the pregnancy won't continue. It's a small saving grace for women who suffer recurrent miscarriage.
There are statistics relating to the chances of miscarriage, but to be honest you could well go full term with this pregnancy and go on to have several healthy children. Nature is a peculiar and cruel thing.
Your blood work looks promising and your pregnancy symptoms are normal at this early stage. Increased blood flow to your breasts mean that the veins can stand out and give your breasts a bluey-purple tinge. They will get increasingly sore as time goes on, believe me!
Sickness will be mild to start with, but you may be lucky enough to avoid that. You may notice that you feel more tired than you usually do & that you need to wee more. Don't panic if you don't get strong symptoms straight away or even at all, not everybody does and they can vary from day to day.
There's no sure-fire way of knowing if the outcome is going to be as the others were, I think the most important thing is to enjoy the pregnancy as much as possible.
Cut out cigarettes, alcohol & if you're on regular meds (or any over the counter meds) then check that they're safe during pregnancy. Take your folic acid & look after yourself. If you're working, make sure that you're safe and not in contact with hazardous substances.
If you can, push for as much care as you can get (and afford). I'm hoping that they'll give you regular scans and keep you monitered, especially owing to your past history.
I hope I've shed some light on things for you. I really do hope that this pregnancy is plain sailing - please do keep me posted and let me know how you get on.
If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Kindest Regards
Sarah
