[savvy002]

I was thinking about the fact that I had two very early miscarriages up to 16 days pregnant. Technically, I wasn't even pregnant (my levels of HCG were too low)


I heard sometimes women with APS have implantation problems, can someone still help me? ANyone else have this problem and overcome it. I was on blood thinners this time but implantation seems to be the problem

Savvy

 

[cath]

Hi Savvy,

There is a lot still to be learned about how APS affects implantation. It was until recently not thought to cause problems at all so early, but we now know this is not true.

I am wondering though about your 'second miscarriage'. After a miscarriage it is common for the HCG levels to fall relatively slowly, and still be detectable in the blood up to 6 weeks later. So, if you never saw a gestational sac on ultrasound, or had a foetus 'found' in a tissue sample, it is soon enough after the first miscarrage that a low level HCG reading was simply a hang over from that first pregnancy, and that you have not just lost a second baby at all. Of course I don't know the details - how was this 'second' pregnancy diagnosed?

For clarity (especially in talking to your obstetrician), it would be helpful if you could use the standard terms for dating pregnancies.

The first day of your period is day 1, week 0
14 days later you ovulate. This is week 2
28 days after your last period is generally the first day of being 'late' for your period, and the first day you'll get a positive pregnancy test if you are pregnant. This is then week 4.

So when you say 16 days, I don't know exactly what you mean. At 16 days after a miscarriage, you couldn't possibly know you were pregnant again, as any new conception would have only happened 2 days ago and is too early to be producing HCG. I guess what you mean is that it was 16 days after ovulation that you started bleeding? Is that correct? In that case you were 30 days or 4 weeks and 2 days pregnant. But as I said earlier, if the only 'evidence' of a pregnancy was a hcg reading (was this confirmed by a blood test? I presume so as you said the level was very low, and a urine test doesn't give a numbers result), then it could have just been left over HCG from your first miscarriage.

Which of course doesn't make it any easier for you to get over, and is still a loss that needs grieving.

What ever the situation is, I suggest you talk to your obstetrician as soon as you can and find out as much as you can. Also ask if there are other tests you could have. For example a 'cycle analysis' migh be helpful. This is where blood is drawn at several points in the menstrual cycle to check that your hormone levels are normal. A low progesterone for example can cause infertility or early miscarriages because the endometrium fails to get ready enough to support the fertilised egg.

Does this help

X C X

 

[savvy002]

sorry about the rambling

Cath,

Sorry I realize I was being confusing, just so distraught over this.

I was pregnant in December 7th, found out I was already miscarrying (HCG levels were never high and fell)

I again found out I was pregnant January 8th, got a blood test done and HCG levels were again low) 2 days later I started my period. Technically, this was a miscarriage since I guess I did conceive. 2nd time I conceived I was on lovenox so don't understand why this happened again?

Anyway, this is my explanation.

Savvy

 

[cath]

Hi Savvy,

I am sorry you are finding this so difficult. I do know how that is.

The success rates with levanox (a low mollecular weight heparin) is about 70%. So, it is still possible to miscarry on it. I have had 3 miscarriages whilst being anticoagulated. It doesn't mean you will never carry a baby to term, but it does mean you have to be very brave and tough if you want to keep on trying and risk yet another miscarriage.

Were you also on asprin (low dose - usually 75 or 80 mg)? That is the standard regime. It might be something worth adding next time.

The other thing I think you should do is before you start trying to concieve again, get a HCG blood test, to make sure it is negative.

Just occasionally (very rarely indeed) some left over fetal cells in the uterus can regrow and make HCG. This is called trophoblastic disease and is potentially serious as it can turn into a sort of cancer. So, you could have a positive pregnancy test, and not be pregnant, but in fact sick. This is not common at all, so don't presume it is happening to you. It is much more likely that you did indeed have a second miscarriage. But it would be reasuring to know that your HCG levels have indeed gone completely before you embark on a new pregnancy.

Hope this helps

X C X