Two First Trimester Miscarriages

86 Comments:

• At Sun Aug 12, 09:08:00 PM 2007,  Anonymous said…

  Hi, approximatly 5 weeks ago I went into preterm labour and my son was 23 weeks gestation, he was to small to survive therefore he passed away 10 minutes after the birth.I have a healthy 20 month old and I never had complications in my first pregnancy.
  My question is, what are my chances of having this happen again, and why do these things happen? According to my ultrasounds and right until the he was born he was fine? My o.b says that the cause is not known yet I had to do some bloodwork something about antibodies? I need help trying to understand this, I am lost!

   

• At Tue Aug 14, 06:27:00 PM 2007,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To Anonymous Aug 12: I am so sorry for your loss. That is a very difficult time to lose a baby - so near, yet so far. To answer your questions more accurately, it would help to know how long you contracted before coming to the hospital, how dilated was your cervix when you arrived, did you have a fever, was there evidence of a bladder or intrauterine infection (chorioamnionitis, or infection of the cord or baby), were the baby and placenta normally grown, did he have any congenital abnormalities, was your white blood count elevated, had you had any bleeding during the pregnancy, had you been leaking fluid...? The most common causes of late midtrimester losses are 1) cervical incompetence or uterine abnormalities, 2)intrauterine infection, 3) unrecognized bladder infections, 4) fetal chromosomal abnormalities, 5)fetal or placental abnormalities, 6) on rare occasions severe early onset preeclampsia, and 7) maternal substance abuse (like cocaine). I hope the baby or at least the placenta were sent for evaluation to help answer some of your questions. If you really had no problems with your first pregnancy and carried to term, then 1 is unlikely (although if the baby and placenta end up checking out completely normal, you should be evaluated for cervical incompetence during a subsequent pregnancy). The hardest question to answer is the one related to risk of recurrence. Part of the counseling in that regard depends on the answers obatined related to the loss of this pregnancy. Unfortunately, history tends to repeat itself in this business, but the best thing you've got going for you is the normal first pregnancy. Please let me know what they find out about your son. Thanks for your questions. Dr T

   

• At Sun Aug 19, 05:06:00 PM 2007,  Anonymous said…

  Hi,I would like to say that four years ago I had a molar pregnancy in which I was carrying twins loss one very early into the pregnancy had the other one 22 weeks premature two weeks later my baby girl pass away.Ever since that my life haven't been the same. I had a very complicated pregnancy after I had may child I had two scrape done which the last one damage my uteris lining that I don't get a period. I had been going to my gyn ever since doing ultra sounds the lining to this day is getting better but it still not fully while yet. I've been waiting so long now . My physical doctor says that my hormones level is to low and that i can't have any more children. My gyn doesn't really say much he doesn't really know if I could have another child.I really want to but I'm afraid that something might go wrong. I get so depress sometimes at everything I thought I would get over the feeling of having another child but I feel that all this wait is driving me crazy I cry and I don't know what to do please give me your opinion on this matter. Thanks

   

• At Mon Aug 20, 07:09:00 PM 2007,  Anonymous said…

  My husband and I are going to see a fertility specialist in two weeks. I am wondering what to expect. Here is an overview - I don't have any children, am 29 yrs old and have had two miscarriages this year. The first one was a missed miscarriage, discovered at first appt. I should have been 8 weeks along, but the fetus measured around 6 wks - had a D&C. We waited two cycles, and got pregnant first again. I miscarried 4 days after finding out I was pregnant. My husband and I have started the bloodwork, etc. Genetic tests are not back yet, and the only test that was abnormal for me was Free Protein S. However, it was elevated (144) and normal limit is 125. So, does that indicate any type of possible clotting disorder? I always thought the level would be low, indicating a Protein S deficiency. Meanwhile, my OB has referred me to a specialist. I think the OB is just being super aggressive. Any thoughts on the Protein S leve?

   

• At Tue Aug 21, 06:30:00 AM 2007,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To Anonymous Aug 19: You have had so many problems and complications, I am afraid you need much more than just a general OB/GYN doctor. It sounds like you have developed a condition called 'Ashermman's syndrome" whichj is the scarring (synechiae)in your uterus related to your D&Cs. I strongly suggest that you ask your doctor for a referral to a specialist in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility as soon as possible, or simply find one on your own. You may need help both getting pregnant and keeping a pregnancy once you do get pregnant and from what you have told me, you may be running out of time and need help quickly. Best of luck to you and thanks for reading. Dr T

   

• At Thu Aug 23, 12:01:00 PM 2007,  neha03 said…

  Hi,My name is Neha. I am 23years.After two years of my marriage i concived my first preagnancy june 2007.I was fine till 8 weeks.Incidently i got spotting.Then my doctor suggested me to go for ultrasound.In this report,Uterus:"SHOWING SOLITARY GEASTATIONAL SAC WITH AN EMBRYO OF 16MM CRL WITHOUT CARDIC ACTIVITY CONSISTENT WITH 8 WEEK 0 DAYS. MINIMAL PERISAC HEMORRHAGE SEEN".After i had D&C done.
  I have one question to ask that the reason of this happening and which are test i should go for?
  I am from india.Please reply me. Thank you.

   

• At Fri Aug 24, 05:36:00 PM 2007,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To Anonymous Aug 20: First of all, you are only 29 years old. You probably have a fair amount of time to work on this. I am assuming those two early miscarriages were your first pregnancies? It also sounds like you are having NO trouble getting pregnant. Even without you telling me, I bet you are having regular cyclic menses which makes it very unlikely you have any kind of 'hormonal imbalance.' The REI will ask you all of these questions, including specific queries, such as "Do you have a lot of pain with your periods?" to try to get a feel for the possibility of your having endometriosis. This is something that most folks don't think about as being related to miscarriages, but I have become a believer in my old age! (In fact, at some point, I think I will write an entire post on that subject alone). Anyway, I am most curious about what other tests were done for which you are awaiting the results. You mentioned "genetic tests." Were these done on you (and your husband) or on the products of conception from either of the pregnancy losses? Were these chromosomal studies or tests for "thrombophilias?" The slightly elevated protein S level is NOT a concern to me at this point - rather that than a deficiency. If all the above are "normal" I am not sure you need to see an infertility specialist quite yet. But, if any aren't, or if you have had problems that were not related to me in your comment, then consider that option. Sometimes just making an appointment with an REI seems to cure all that ails you (really!). The least they will probably do is evaluate the shape and configuration of your uterus, probably by a sonohysterogram. Good luck. From what you have told me so far, bet you are successful in the end! Thank you for reading and best of luck to you and your husband. Dr T

   

• At Fri Aug 24, 05:49:00 PM 2007,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To neha03 Aug 23: If this was your first pregnancy, I do not think I would recommend having a lot of tests done yet at your age. It did take you awhile to get pregnant, but if you are healthy, it is most likely that you lost the baby because your immune system had not yet figured out the way to carry a pregnancy. True first pregnancies have a very high miscarriage rate. You might want to look at a couple of posts I wrote on March 15 and March 16, 2007 related to this issue. After those posts, I wrote a long series on recurrent early pregnancy loss. That series will provide you with a lot of information regarding causes for early pregnancy losses and tests and treatments that can be tried if this becomes a recurrent problem for you. I am sorry for your loss, but there is a very good chance you will be successful in carrying a baby - probably with your next pregnancy. Good luck to you and thank you for reading. Dr T

   

• At Tue Aug 28, 09:13:00 AM 2007,  Anonymous said…

  First of all I want to thank you for what you do for all of us lost souls. It is very helpful to read everyone's comments with your answers/suggestions. I, myself, am suppose to be 6 weeks today (give or take 2-3 days.) We originally thought I should be a few weeks farther along but also had irregular periods. I had my 1st ultrasound last Tuesday which showed only the gestational sac, so they thought maybe too early and had me come back today. Today's ultrasound did show something in the sac but no heart beat and again, measurements were off. Could it still be just too early or are things just not developing as they should. I have not had any problems, i.e. bleeding, etc. If I were going to abort wouldnt there be signs by now? Thank you again for your wonderful service!

   

• At Tue Aug 28, 06:14:00 PM 2007,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To Anonymous Aug 28: If your periods are irregular, things may be going okay, just a couple of weeks behind schedule. The first thing we see by ultrasound is a small gestational sac at 4-5 weeks, then a small sac with a yolk sac a week later. By next week they should be able to see an embryo with a heart beat. So, keep your chin up awhile longer. It is not unusual to have no symptoms related to miscarriage for awhile after a pregnancy is lost. Some women will report that they "feel less pregnant" with reduced morning sickness and breast tenderness before they have any bleeding or cramping. If you lose this pregnancy, consider asking your doctor for some medication to help you to ovulate in the normal midcycle, around day 13-14. Most physicians still usually start with a drug called Clomid that has been around for as long as I have been in this business! Good luck to you and thanks for the kind comments. Dr T

   

• At Fri Aug 31, 07:34:00 PM 2007,  Anonymous said…

  I WAS 25 WITH MY FIRST PREGNANCY WHEN I MISCARRIED AT 3 MONTHS. I WENT INTO A VERY BAD DEPRESSION I WAS DEVASTATED. I WAS SO TIRED OF HEARING THE SAME THING FROM PEOPLE YOU CAN TRY AGAIN AND 1ST TIME PREGNANCIES HAVE A HIGHER RATE AT MISCARRIAGES.EIGHT MONTHS LATER I FOUND OUT THAT I WAS AGAIN PREGNANT THAT ENDED IN ANOTHER MISCARRIAGE AT 7 WEEKS. DO YOU THINK THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH ME ,SHOULD I CONSIDER SEEING A SPECIALIST. MY MENSTRAUL SEEM TO BE NORMAL I DO EXPERIENCE SEVERE CRAMPS ABOUT TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO MY MENSTRUAL. PLEASE MAKE ME UNDERSTAND I THOUGHT I WAS HEALTHY
  
  CONFUSED IN PHILLY!

   

• At Tue Sep 04, 02:40:00 PM 2007,  Ashley said…

  Hi there, I am Currently about 14-15 weeks pregnant and the last time I was at the doctors a week ago and he says im all healthy and good to go. But I have a 5 year old sister and a 11 month old brother. Anyhow my little sister gets on that last nerve at times and I yell alot then afterwards I just cry about it because I am afraid, and especially getting all mad at my dog who misbehaves and after yelling and getting all wild up I try to relax and take deep breaths, but with me yelling I get so afraid that something bad will happen like a miscarriage, and I need to know how to just relax myself so this doesnt happen.
  Please help so I don't have to go through the harsh trouble and problems with a miscarriage.

   

• At Wed Sep 05, 08:35:00 PM 2007,  alawnbyt@aol.com said…

  I am 37 years of age, had my first child at 29, no issues conceiving or delivering. I have been remarried and trying to conceive with my second husband for 5 years. In '03, we had an etopic pregancy. In '05, we delivered our daughter at 29 weeks due to "hydrops", cause unknown. In Oct 06, we had a miscarriage. My ob/gyn has had numerous blood work tests done, with no explanation as to what has happened. My overall concern is that it is taking us 5 yrs to conceive 3 times and still have not had a successful pregnancy. Each fetus was "healthy and normal" with no genetic defects. I have scheduled an appt with a fertility clinic to discuss options. Are there any? I am not comfortable with pregnancy, since we have no answers. I know the chances for each case, 1 in 128 for etopic, 1 in 3000 for a virus attacking a baby in the womb, and 1 in 4 for a regular miscarriage (no heartbeat at 10 weeks, a D&C was performed). Is it common for so many things to occur or could my doctor be missing a common factor?

   

• At Tue Sep 11, 08:49:00 AM 2007,  Anonymous said…

  I am a sixteen year old girl and am 7 weeks pregnant, yesterday I experianced very light and occasional spotting and today I have traces or dark brown staining. Have I lost my baby or is this normal? I am experiancing symptoms very early in this pregnancy as I have already begun to suffer morning sickness, exhaustian and headaches which my doctor says are normal due to my age and the big change going on in my body. I am not sure. I have awful back ache and now the bleeding has worried me as this pregnancy is very much wanted. Please help. R.

   

• At Wed Sep 12, 05:44:00 PM 2007,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To R Sept 11: Your symptoms could be related to early miscarriage or simply to 'implantation' bleeding of a normal intrauterine pregnancy. The "back ache" could also be uterine contractions associated with miscarriage or caused by something outside the uterus such as an ectopic pregnancy or ovarian cyst. At 7 weeks, your doctor can do a transvaginal ultrasound and should be able to confirm whether or not there is a pregnancy in the uterus and if it is alive at this time; they can also look at the rest of your pelvis to look for other problems at the same time. Hope things turn out okay. Thanks for reading. Dr T

   

• At Fri Sep 14, 05:25:00 PM 2007,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To alawnbyt Sept 5: I'm sorry but I thought I had responded to your question earlier. There could be a "common factor" but from your history, I have to wonder if you just haven't had a string of 'bad luck.' You do seem to have some fertility iossues, so I think it is a wise move to consult with a specialist in REI and to do so ASAP. Remember, on top of everything else, you have a 'biological clock' that has no regard for our wishes to carry on with our fertility forever! I don't want to second guess what they tell you, but at your age, I bet they recommend IVF, especially if you have had an ectopic pregnancy in the past. Please let me know what they find, what they do, and how things turn out. Best wishes, thanks for reading, and I apologize for the delay in my response. Dr T

   

• At Thu Sep 20, 04:48:00 PM 2007,  Anonymous said…

  hi, approximatly a week ago i took a pregnancy test and it came out positive. 2 days later i took another one and it was negative. so once again i took another and it was negative. finally i went to the health department and the test i had there was negative also. the nurse said if i was pregnant i would be less than 4 weeks. i would like to know what the percentage of me beig pregnant is. also the test i took that was positive was a first response brand. and the other two were cheap off brand ones.

   

• At Fri Sep 21, 01:25:00 PM 2007,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To Anonymous Sept 20: Wait about two weeks and if you have not started a period, ask for a blood pregnancy test. Good luck! Dr T

   

• At Mon Sep 24, 03:51:00 PM 2007,  Anonymous said…

  Hi Doctor. Im 32 and this year, I had 2 miscarriages. One in April in which I started bleeding soon after my pregnancy test but the miscarriage never completed and I ended up having to take misoprostol. I got preganant again in July and was feeling healthy, had pregnancy symptoms, but then started spotting last monday and had an automatic miscarriage wednesday night. An ultrasound confirmed wednesday morning that the sac was only 6 weeks along. Im devastated, emotionally and physically exhausted, and come from a family of doctors that say I should get tested for what is wrong with me. Could you please tel me 1) are there some simple, not too invasive tests that could give me some information and/or 2)If we should just eventually try again. Im scared to go through this emotional turmoil again.

   

• At Mon Sep 24, 05:03:00 PM 2007,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To confused in Philly Aug 31: Hi there. I actually did respond to your questions a good while back, but sometimes blogger doesn't post my responses. Anyway, short and sweet...there is no way to tell if there is something that "might be wrong" with you at this point. That will take some work on the part of a doctor. You certainly should see a 'specialist' who has an interest in recurrent early preganncy loss if you miscarry again. Your cramping in midcycle could indicate that you have endometriosis or adenomyosis which is endometriosis in the uterine muscle. I now firmly believe that the inflammation associated with endometriosis is not only a cause of infertility, but also a cause of recurrent early pregnancy loss. If you decide not to see a doctor now, consider starting a baby aspirin (81 mg per day), a prenatal vitamin, and extra folic acid (up to 4 mg per day) BEFORE you try to get pregnant again. Unless you have an allergy to aspirin, that is a safe 'empiric' approach that might improve your chances. Best of luck and thank you for reading! Dr T

   

• At Mon Sep 24, 05:27:00 PM 2007,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To Ashley Sept 4: Ashley, your note worries me a lot. You sound like you are very young yourself and you also don't sound like you have much support. Are you having to care for your brother and siste too? You need someone to whom you can vent your frustration. Pregnancy is hard enough by itself, but if you do not have someone to whom you can express your fears, questions and concerns, it can be much more difficult. You are past the point in the pregnancy when most miscarriages occur, so try to ease your mind about that...you have the right idea...count to 10 and take a few deep breaths every time you start to feel stressed. When you go to your doctor's don't be shy about asking questions - the nurse can often be very helpful in this regard. Tell them (NOT ME) about your concerns at home. Perhaps they know of a support group for ypoung mothers run by a school, church, or the local health department. We are ALL here to help you, but you have to give us a chance! You have taken a big first step by writing to me...now take it to the next level and get some support near home before something bad really does happen. Good luck to you Ashley, thanks for reading, and please let me know how things turn out. Regards! Dr T

   

• At Fri Sep 28, 11:06:00 AM 2007,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To anonymous Sept 24: Yes, it can be devastating and I am sorry for your losses. There are many things you can do both diagnostically and empirically from a 'therapeutic' standpoint. In March and April of 2007 I posted a long series on "Recurrent Early Pregnancy Loss." If you read the last 3 posts on this topic, it will give you an overview of what can be done to evaluate and 'treat' this problem. Odds are in your favor that you will eventually be successful, even without medical intervention. Read those posts and get back with me if you have any questions. Thanks for reading and best wishes! Dr T

   

• At Tue Oct 02, 05:13:00 AM 2007,  Anonymous said…

  Im not sure if Iam posting correctly here so please forgive me if Iam not. I just found out that Iam pregnant with my second child and according to my calcuations (lmp Aug 18th) I would be about 5weeks and 5days.I have several concerns and Im really not familiar with this stage of pregnancy as wtih my daughter I did not know until nearly 12weeks. My first question is aprox 2 days ago after usin the bathroom I noticed in the toilet a very small (about the size of a pinky fingernail) amount of blood. Like I said it was a very small amount was mainly brownish is color with a slight rusty red color and looked to be mixed with cervical mucus (Im guessing) I wiped and there was nothing on the tissue. (sorry for the extreem detailed account) This has me very concerned, there hasent been any blood at all since this incident. What does this sound like to you? It sounds consistent with what I've read about implantation bleeding but would this type of bleeding occur this late? I'am also not having bad cramping however slight cramps and twinges in the uterus area and lower back pain primarily when I'am up and active.Also from time to time cramping in my upper thighs and my hips that feel more like a sore muscle from working out or something. Could this be an early miscarriage? Any thoughts would be greatly appriciated! Im 22 and healthy what would you say my statisical chances of miscarriage would be. (I have a 1yr old that I carried to term with no complication or bleeding.) Thank you again very much, I have my first appt with my Dr on the 5th Im just trying to get some insight on the situation until then.

   

• At Thu Oct 04, 05:42:00 PM 2007,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To Anonymous Oct 2: If you have had no pain, cramping, or further bleeding, it could still just be 'implantation' bleeding. Implantation and placental growth continues throughout first trimester. The placental tissues (trophoblasts) actually invade the lining of the uterus (the endometrium) and set the anchors for the developing placenta and invade and remodel the mother's blood vessels (spiral arterioles) so that they will be adequate to supply blood to the placental bed. It is actually amazing women don't have more bleeding during this process than most do. Hope things go well with the pregnancy. Let us know how things turn out and thanks for reading! Dr T

   

• At Tue Oct 09, 10:24:00 AM 2007,  beckie87 said…

  i'm a 20 year old female and i've had 3 miscairrages in the past year and 2 months. i have a 4 year old already so i know i can go full term.i was on the depo shot for 3 years and my boyfriend thinks it permantly messed up my reprductive system.my 1st one was last augest, my 2nd one was this past january and my recent one was a week ago.i want to have another child so bad so that my 4 year old is'nt to much older than her sibling. i was wondering if asburgers syndrome or if xyy disorder acn cause misscairrages? i also want to know if i'm doing something wrong.
  BECKIE

   

• At Mon Oct 15, 01:34:00 PM 2007,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To Beckie Oct 9: Bet your current boyfriend was not the father of the baby you carried, right? As for the DepoProvera, if you are having regular cyclic periods, it probably has NOT messed up your reproductive system. I am curious, why did you ask about Asperger's syndrome; and, also is your boyfriend 47,XYY? If the latter is true, his chromosomal abnormality increase your risk of having chomosomally abnormal babies and as many as 40% of pregnancies he fathers will be lost to miscarriage or other reasons. Anyway, I really doubt there is anything "wrong" with you, but since you have had 3 consecutive losses with your boyfriend, you BOTH should go to see a genetic counselor and a specialist who has an interest in recurrent early pregnancy loss. Good luck Beckie and thanks for reading! Dr T

   

• At Mon Oct 15, 10:04:00 PM 2007,  Anonymous said…

  Hi Dr. Trofatter. I have had two miscarriages within the last five months. The first one was considered to be missed as I was supposed to be 13 weeks pregnant but the embryo only developed to be nine weeks. I had a D & C on May 15, 2007. The Dr. said the miscarriage was "normal." Then around the 8th of September I conceived again. From September 16th through September 20th I had light pinkish, brownish spotting. On September 20th I went to the Dr. office and had a quantatative blood test done. They said that I was four weeks pregnant and the HCG level was at 15-the Dr. said 15 was pretty low. Four days later on September 24th they tested my HCG level again as well as my progestin level. The HCG was at 42 and the progestin as at 20 which the Dr. said was a high level of progestin for being four weeks, four days pregnant. So, the pinkish, brownish spotting was probably "implantation bleeding." And, everything seemed to be okay but for safe measure the Dr. had my blood tested again three days later on September 27th. Unfortunitely, I started bleeding that same day. The HCG level had dropped to less than 5 so I was for sure having another miscarriage. I bled steadily but not very heavily for about 10 days and the entire time it seemed like a lot of blood clots and tissue looking material was being expelled. My Dr. didn't suggest any tests be done to determine a common cause between the two miscarriages. I am wondering if I should be tested to find if there is a cause for having these two miscarriages. My mom, my maternal grandmother and my maternal great grandmother had miscarriages with their first pregnancies but went on to have multiple successful pregnancies. So, once I found out that I was pregnant the second time I thought I would be fine. But, then I had another miscarriage. The Dr. said the second miscarriage was either a chemical pregnancy or a blighted ovum because a gestational sac was visible via ultra sound. I really want to get pregnant again but I am terrified of having yet another miscarriage. Should I and/or my husband be tested after having two consecutive miscarriages or is it more appropriate after having three? Another question I have is whether it is too soon after having a miscarriage only two and a half weeks ago to try to get pregnant again. My Dr. suggested waiting until after I have had two periods but we have had unprotected intercourse over the last two weeks a few times. Is this an irresponsible move?

   

• At Tue Oct 16, 06:51:00 PM 2007,  Anonymous said…

  I am 36 years old and a mother of a 3 year old boy. No complications. I have never miscarried. I took a pregnancy test last week and it was positive. My last menstural cycle began Sept.11. I have had nausea, headaches, and fatigue everyday for the last 2 weeks. For the past 3 days all of those symptoms have vanished. No cramping or spotting. Should I be concerned? With my first pregnancy I only had an occassional headache. I was getting use to not feeling well and all of a sudden I have more energy than I know what to do with.

   

• At Fri Oct 19, 07:23:00 PM 2007,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To Anonymous Oct 15: I would have to agree with your doctor. You should probably wait 2-3 months before conceiving again. Why don't you use condoms for contraception during that period of time. You don't seem to have trouble getting pregnant, so without doing a big work up at this time, why don't you just start taking prenatal vitamins, extra folic acid and a baby aspirin every day (but clear all that with your doctor first). If you lose the next pregnancy, send some of the tissue for chromosomal analysis. At that point you probably could begin a more thorough evaluation for causes as well. I have summarized my thoughts on evaluation and treatment in my final posts in this series so you might have some idea what that work up and therapy might entail if you read these. I know how hard it is to go through miscarriages, but from what you have told me, you probably have a very good chance at a successful pregnancy in your future. I wish you luck and thank you for reading. Dr T

   

• At Fri Oct 19, 07:27:00 PM 2007,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To Anonymous Oct 16: I always worry when people suddenly don't feel pregnant anymore, but that is a highly unpredictable measure of pregnancy 'well-being.' Why don't you have an ultrasound done in about two weeks. That will tell you if the baby is alive. Even if it is, that does not preclude a pregnancy loss or a baby with a chromosomal abnormality, but it does reduce your risk. Good luck my friend! Dr T

   

• At Sun Oct 21, 09:17:00 PM 2007,  Anonymous said…

  Hi, i am 17 years old. this is my 2nd pregnancy. the first i had an abortion. this one i am keeping. i am 7 weeks as of today and my appointment is not until nov.16. i have been experencing pain when i pee. not virus infection pain but uti pain. i had the one b4 this 1 treated. but ive been reading and first i read that it could be a possible miscarriages then it could be possible that i have kidney stones. but i tonight i went 2 the bathroom i noticed very slight blood pinkish light but not at all dark. can u tell me what this may be? thank you!

   

• At Mon Oct 22, 03:59:00 PM 2007,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To Anonymous Oct 21: This does not sound like kidney stones and is not typical of miscarriage. It sounds like a urinary tract (bladder) infection and if you have had those before, it most likely is. Pregnancy increases your risk for UTIs. You need to call your doctor even if you regular appointment is not until November. In the meantime, drink lots of water and a glass or two of cranberry juice. Good luck. Hope things turn out okay.

   

• At Mon Oct 22, 05:17:00 PM 2007,  JOANNA said…

  HI, IM A 22 YR OLD FEMALE WHOS IS AROUND 11 WEEKS NOW, THIS IS MY FIRST PREGNANCY. I FOUND OUT I WAS PREGNANT AT 6 WEEKS AND WAS EXPECTING TWINS BUT I HAD SOME BLEEDING. ON MY NEXT VISIT AT 8 WEEKS THE DOCOTORS DETERMINED THAT I HAD A VANISHING TWIN, THEREFORE I LOST ONE BABY AND THAT THE OTHER BABY WAS FINE. ON MY NEXT VISIT 9/14 THEY SUPPOSELY DETERMINED THE SECOND BABIES HEART BEAT AT 103. ON 9/26 THEY DETERMINED THE BABIES HEART BEAT WAS 167 AND THAT EVERYTHING WAS OKAY THEY HAD ME DO NUMOROUS TESTED TO DETERMINE EVERYTHIN WAS OKAY. A WEEK LATER I HAD A CALL FROM THE HOSPITAL ASKING ME TO COME IN THEY GAVE ME MEDICATION BECAUSE IT WAS FOUND THAT I HAD A BLADDER INFECTION. THEY HAD ME TAKING THE PILLS FOR 5 DAY MY NEXT VISIT WASNT UNTIL 10/17. THE DOCTOR THEN SENT ME TO GET AN ULTRASOUND AND A PRELIM, MIND YOU THROUGHOUT ALL MY VISITS I HAD TO GET BOTH INTERNAL AND OUTERNAL ULTRASOUNDS DONE. WELL THE RESULTS TO MY APPOINTMENT ON 10/17 STATED THAT I MISCARRIED THE OTHER BABY. THEY STATED THAT THEY DID NOT HEAR THE BABIES HEART BEAT. BUT MY QUESTION TO YOU IS THEY LET ME GO HOME AND ASKED FOR ME TO COME BACK IN 3 DAYS BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO GO THROUGH MY RESULTS AGAIN. WHEN I ARRIVED TO THE DOCTORS AGAIN THE DOCTORS DID NOT SAY ANYTHING TO ME THEY JUST ASKED IF I HAD ANY QUESTIONS, AND I ASKED IF I CAN HAVE ANOTHER ULTRASOUND DONE AGAIN TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE MY CERVICS ARE CLOSE, I AM NOT CRAMPING, AND THERE IS NOT ANY BLEEDING WHERE WITH THE VANISHING TWIN THERE WAS. COULD IT BE THAT IT WAS TO EARLY TO HEAR THE HEARTBEAT THAT MAYBE THEY HEARD THE PLACENTA INSTEAD OF THE HEART BEAT AND THAT MY BABY IS FINE. MY PREGNACY FEELS THE SAME BUT I SUDDENTLY HAVE BEEN FEELING SOME MOVEMENT INSIDE OF MY STOMACH. I AM A BIG GIRL COULD IT ALSO BE THAT BECAUSE OF MY WEIGHT ITS HARD TO DETERMINE THE BABIES HEART BEAT. WELL MY NEXT VISIT TO THE HOSPITAL FOR THE ULTRASOUND IS ON 10/29. I ALSO FEEL AS THOUGH THE DOCTOR WAS NOT SURE CAUSE HE COULD NOT REALLY GIVE ME ANY EXPLANATIONS AND HE LET ME GO HOME WITHOUT A D&C WHICH EVERYONE SAYS ITS DANGEROUS. PLEASE WRITE BACK I AM CONFUSED AND IN DESPERATE NEED OF A DOCTORS OPPINION. THANKS MOREWETTA@AOL.COM

   

• At Fri Oct 26, 05:41:00 AM 2007,  Anonymous said…

  HI,Iam having a lot of pains when i pee. And I am only in my first trimester. PLEASE HELP ME!!!! I am only 18 years old.

   

• At Fri Oct 26, 09:41:00 AM 2007,  Anonymous said…

  Hello...I am a very confused 28 year old woman, who has 2 healthy boys...ages 4 and 7. No complications with their pregnanies either. I was wondering an outsiders opinion on my situation. I found out I was pregnant for the 4th time (had a miscarriage in between my two boys) in December of '06...lost the baby in April '07. Bled periodically throughout the pregnancy and I was believed to have a subchrionic hematoma. But, in the meantime she did the HcG tests and my levels increased, but did not double like they were supposed to. Things should be fine, I was told and the baby was doing well. Went in for routine appointment and the baby did not have a heartbeat. Had a D&C the next morning.(gestational age was 12 weeks 0 days) Doc didn't recommend doing anything, because I had not had 2 consecutive miscarriages and she believed it was probably chromosonal. She told us to wait one normal period and we could try again. We did that, and I should mention, I have NO trouble getting pregnant what-so-ever. So, I found out I was pregnant in the beginning of June...Doc did all the HcG tests and all that good stuff. This time around my levels more than doubled and things were looking good via ultrasound. All was going well (I thought)...no bleeding or anything like that. Went in to routine appt and again, no heartbeat. Once again, had a D&C the next morning. I was supposed to be 15 weeks, but baby measured 13.5 weeks. This time around we did genetic testing on the baby...nothing found there. They have done the antiphospholipid, lupus and and other autoimmune testing on me and have not found anything yet. I am in the pocess of trying to find a high-risk OB/GYN to see what their thoughts are on this. But, in the meantime, what do you think is going on? I keep thinking the answer is going to pop up in soem of these tests...Thank you...
  Mandy

   

• At Fri Oct 26, 04:03:00 PM 2007,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To Joanna Oct 22: Things aren't adding up Joanna. Rather than me saying anything else right now, why don't you get the ultrasound done and then determine where you go from there. PEOPLE DON'T MISCARRY AT 11 WEEKS WITHOUT EVENTUALLY BLEEDING, CRAMPING , AND PASSING TISSUE. So, don't get a D&C until you have had that ultrasound done. I had a case in the past year or so where a patient was sent to me at 11-12 weeks for a D&C because the ultrasound she had done in the emergency room said that there was no live pregnancy in the uterus. I decided to look myself because she had a high normal pregnancy hormone level, and sure enough, there was a perfectly normal 11-12 week baby inside the uterus! So, don't give up hope quite yet. Let me know, okay? Thanks for reading. Dr T

   

• At Fri Oct 26, 04:07:00 PM 2007,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To Anonymous Oct 26: "Pain when you pee" could be many different things that, unfortunately, I am not clairvoyant enough to diagnose over the internet! It could simply be a urinary tract infection or blood in the urine, chlamydia or gonorrhea urethritis or, if the pain is external to the urethra, even a herpes infection or genital warts. You need to go to your doctor and get checked out. Good luck! Dr T

   

• At Fri Oct 26, 04:15:00 PM 2007,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To Mandy Oct 26: Was the father of your children the same as the father of the babies you miscarried? Do you have any other medical problems? My suggestion at this point would be to take a deep breath, get the test results (and if you'd like, let me know what they are), and then see what additonal workup can be done. I wrote a long series on recurrent pregnancy loss in March and April of this year, so you might want to read a few of those posts while you are waiting for the test results. Women can develop uterine fibroids and polyps and endometriosis with time that affect deleteriously affect pregnancy implantation. There are many other possibilities, and you are young, so I would wait a little longer before jumping into another pregnancy to try to get some answers first. Good luck, thanks for reading, and let me know what you find out! Dr T

   

• At Sat Oct 27, 01:49:00 PM 2007,  Anonymous said…

  Dr T, I am 35yrs old w/a 15yr old daugh. I have never been able to have anymore children. Recently I had a ovarian cyst removed from my right ovary 4mm in size. During surgery my dr discovered that my uterous had gotten stuck up in my bellybutton area attached to scar tissue from my c-section. He says its probably the reason I hadn't had anymore children due to it being in the wrong postion. Now i have Rheumatoid arthritis which i hear goes into remission during pregnancy. What are your thoughts on my chances of becoming pregnant again? Also my hasband and I are rh neg and postive. I had a shot when i was pregnant but they didn't give me one after I had my daughter. If the babys blood is normal do you not need the second shot? In reading alot of your other blogs most i found i had a lot of things in common such as periods being the dark brown and passing blood clots. However my dr said there was no endometrosis and my tube were clear. Thank you. KDF

   

• At Thu Nov 01, 06:04:00 PM 2007,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To KDF Oct 27: If you haven't gotten pregnant in 15 years since the birth of your daughter, and you REALLY want to, you need to find a good reproductive endocrinologist as soon as possible. You might not have had visible endometriosis and your "tubes may be clear" but you still haven't gotten pregnant, have you?!? With regard to your Rh-status, your daughter is probbaly Rh-negative like you, so you would not have needed a shot of Rh-immuneglobulin after delivery. With regard to the rheumatoid arthritis, it may or may not improve during pregnancy. About one-third of women will have more problems. Thanks for reading! Dr T

   

• At Mon Nov 12, 11:25:00 AM 2007,  Anonymous said…

  Hello, I am a 29 years old woman who has four healthy children. In Feb., I miscarried. My fiance is 40 and has no children. In August, we discovered I was pregnant again and the baby had heartbeat which excited us that maybe this time we would not miscarry. But at my 9th week , I did. We did not find out until the 12th week.This is extremely painful for me, as I have never not been able to carry a child full term. I am scared to get pregnant again, and my fiance does not want to watch me anguish over the lost of another child. I want to know what can be done to prevent this from happening so that my fiance can finally have a child of his own. Are their test or drugs to rectify this situation? Please help.

   

• At Tue Nov 13, 06:31:00 PM 2007,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To Anonymous Nov 12: Sorry for your losses, but there is no short answer to your question. Since you have successfully carried pregnancies in the past, your current losses could be due to a problem with your new partner (such as a balanced translocation), a new medical problem you have developed (such as a thyoid or autoimmune disorder), chance (conceptuses that had chromsomal abnormalities), or simply the fact that your body has to develop a 'different' immune response to carry a baby that is half your new partner. You could try some safe 'empiric' treatment with baby aspirin and extra folic acid or you can find a doctor who has a special interest in recurrent early pregnancy loss. Odds are in your favor that you will evetually be successful in having a baby with your new partner. Dr T

   

• At Wed Nov 14, 11:06:00 AM 2007,  JAY said…

  hi! i am a 17 year old girl.I recently got pregnant by my boyfriend and got up to being a month old.I didnt tell my mother anything.I began to bleed heavily and get abdominal pain.I didnt go to the doctor because i didnt see a point telling my mother if i wasnt going to have the baby.This ALL just happened about a week ago. I just stopped bleeding and i feel much better.Do you have any advice what should i do??I know i need to go to the doctor to get checked out but i dont want to tell my mother!

   

• At Fri Nov 16, 08:50:00 AM 2007,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To Jay Nov 14: I cannot tell you what you should do regarding your mother, but sometimes, Moms are much more understanding than you might think under these circumstances. I do strongly recommend you see some provider who can follow-up to confirm that you are no longer pregnant, check your blood type and antibody screen, test you for sexually transmitted infections, and counsel you regarding contraception. Oftentimes all of these services can be provided by your local health department. Good luck! Dr T

   

• At Tue Nov 27, 11:44:00 PM 2007,  Anonymous said…

  Concerned stepmother question: My 22 yr old stepson is seeing a 30 yr old women with 2 children who claimed to be pregnant with twins last November (She was big on her 6th day). Then she lost it, etc. Now 1 year later, she claimed to be pregnant with twins again, and Monday when she was due to have an ultrasound, she said she lost the babies again. She had an ultrasound at 11 weeks, and 1 baby was 8 wks, 5 days, and the other 8 wks, 3 days. She also had sex with another man the week before, but was confident that these babies belonged to my step-son. He knows no doctor's name, hospital, etc. She showed him a positive pregnancy test. We believe that this woman keeps telling him she's pregnant, then losing the 'babies' as a game to keep him close to her. He is mildly retarded, lives in his own home, and his mother claims that of course, she was pregnant. But there's no proof. He's grieving and hitting walls for the loss of another child. She claims she was lightly bleeding, went to the hospital, and was checked for heartheats, and there was none. She also said, if she didn't expell the babies on her own, (she hadn't), she would have to have a D&C. At this time, she would be about 11 weeks--due June 1st. She said she was RH neg, and our son doesn't know his bloodtype, and she claimed she didn't get the RHOMGAM injection in time. I read last evening that doesn't happen until the 28th week. She then left the hospital after diagnosis that the babies were gone, and went to his house to tell him. Last year, she waited for about 2 weeks to tell him. I smell something funny. . . what do you think?

   

• At Thu Nov 29, 11:28:00 AM 2007,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To concerned stepmother: I think you've hit the nail on the head. I smell something very funny and, unfortunately, sense the abuse of your handicapped stepson. Is there anyway to get social services involved? By the way, the standard of care in the U.S. is to give Rhogam to Rh-negative women who have spontaneous abortions, if the father of the baby is unknown, does not know his blood type, or is known to have an Rh-positive blood type. Dr T

   

• At Thu Dec 20, 03:24:00 PM 2007,  siniamejia said…

  I am aproxiametly 5 weeks pregnant, and had my levels HCg checked. My doctor said my levels were really low, also my progesterone levels were low and that it looks as if this pregnancy will not turn out to be healthy. My levels were 114 Saturday and only 145 today. He says that i should have a D&C but i refuse, so he told me that i will miscarry or should. I am so upset right now cause i do not want to be the one to make that decision to have that done. I feel like maybe there still is hope and maybe a couple of days from now the bleeding will stop and the numbers will increase. I am still praying and i still have hope that my baby could still make it, but my doctor really doesn;t think so. I am so hurt, i never even imagined this.I have a 8 yr old son and a 5 yr old daughter, which were both high risk pregnancies. My son was born at 24 wks 1 pound at birth. He is completely healthy and normal,with my daughter, i was having early contractions. The whole pregnancy not to mention ,that i couldn;t hold food down and needed IV everyday in the hospital. Could this mean that me and my husband can;t have anymore children i am still young and i lost alot of weight. I exercise and maintain a healthy life, why could this be happening to me, its so painful, emotionally, Please Help Thanks

   

• At Fri Dec 21, 05:54:00 AM 2007,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To siniamejia Dec 20: There is always hope, but I am afraid your doctor is correct in telling you this pregnancy will not make it. You have had two other children, and even if those pregnancies were complicated, that probably has nothing to do with what is going on woth this pregnancy. The most common cause of an isolated miscarriage in a woman who has previously had successful pregnancies is a chromosomally abnormal baby. Fifteen to 20% of all pregnancies miscarry and MOST of those are babies that are not chromosomally normal. It is still your baby, and I know you will be sad and you will go through wondering about what "could I have done to prevent this and what could have been", but this is certainly no reason to think that you cannot ever have another baby. With regard to a D&C, as long as you are not bleeding heavily or have any evidence of infection, you are not in any danger and don't need to do anything else at this time. Waiting is just fine under these circumstances. My best wishes to you. Dr T

   

• At Wed Jan 02, 03:53:00 PM 2008,  Anonymous said…

  Hi, I am 17 years old and just ended my period. I have been taking birth control for about 4 months now. I have taken it for about 6 months last winter. After I ended my period I began taking birth control again, and I recently started my period again. WHAT IS GOING ON!?!?

   

• At Fri Jan 04, 06:10:00 PM 2008,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To Anonymous Jan 2: There are lots of possibilities, but you will need to find your doctor to figure things out. If you have taken the pills regularly, you may simply have a pill that's not strong enough for you and getting 'breakthrough bleeding.' Another possibility is that you have gotten pregnant, even while taking the pill. This is more likely to occur if you have not taken the pill regularly, with a low-dose or 'progestin only' pill, or if you have taken some other medication that can reduce the effectiveness of the pill. Another erason this can happen is if you have gotten a pelvic infection. So, like I said at the outset. If you are having problems, please go see your doctor. In the meantime, keep taking the pills even if you are having some bleeding. Thanks for reading.
  Dr T

   

• At Sat Jan 05, 11:22:00 PM 2008,  Anonymous said…

  i am 29 yr old women. I had a miscarriage 2 months back.At that time i was traveling overseas and my uterus had stated contracting and i thought it is because of my severe gas and constipation.i was 9 hr flight and when i reached hotel my pain was fine but on the same day at midnight bleeding has stated.I went to the doctor immediately and he gave me two injection ns to stop my pain. He explained me that bleeding is because my bladder infection.He had given me some medicines and again the pain had started and he had given me injections and discharged me saying that everything is fine.But unfortunately i miscarried after two days , baby had come out itself. now i have discovered that i have PCOS ovaries.MY periods are irregular from the last one year.
  
  Now just want to know should i fall pregnant again and will i be having higher chances of miscarriage because of PCOS ovaries.Please help.......desperatly want a baby.

   

• At Tue Jan 08, 08:36:00 AM 2008,  lizzy said…

  Hi, within this last year i have had 2 miscarriages i am 19 years old and i only made it to being up to 5 weeks pregnant then i would miscarry. then in october i had surgery and come to find out i have a mild case of endometriosis the doctors said i was fine and would definitly be able to have kids. well after my surgery a month later i found out i am pregnant again and now ive made it to almost 11 weeks what do you think the chances are of me miscarrying again

   

• At Sun Jan 13, 11:05:00 AM 2008,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To anonymous Jan 5: With your history of irregular periods and the appearance of your ovaries, you may well have PCOS. PCOS IS associated with a greater risk for early pregnancy losses and pregnancies complicated by diabetes, hypertensive disorders, and early delivery. Rather tha just going out and getting pregnant again, you should see a specialist in reproductive endocrinology and infertility who can thoroughly evaluate you and prescribe a treatment regimen that will optimize your chnaces for conceiving, getting through firts trimester, and having a successful pregnancy with minimal risks for the complications I have mentioned above. Sorry for your recent loss and best wishes to you for the future. Dr T

   

• At Sun Jan 13, 11:06:00 AM 2008,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To Lizzy Jan 8: If you have made it to 11 weeks and the baby is doing well, the overwhelming odds are in your favor that you will not miscarry this pregnancy. Dr T

   

• At Sat Feb 02, 07:20:00 PM 2008,  Anonymous said…

  Hi I have a 2year old little boy ! But recently I have 2 misscarriages one inJuly of 07 and one a few weeks ago! The last one I carried for 8 weeks and the baby stopped grow! My question is why do u have to wait until u have three to have any test done! Also my sister just recently had 2 miscarriages about the same times I did! but the last one they found that she had a cyst on her left ovary! Could this run in the family ! They say it's not cancer! Which I have had a cyst before but it was inside my vagina! What should I do! I want a baby asap but dont want to have my heart broke again!

   

• At Wed Feb 06, 05:01:00 PM 2008,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To anonymous Feb 2: Sorry for your losses. You do not HAVE to wait until you have 3 or more losses before you have an evaluation, but the evaluation, if done correctly, can be quite expensive and most women, especially those who have already had a normal pregnancy, will conceive successfully without either an evaluation or any special treatment. The cyst your sister had in early pregnancy is nothing to worry about. It was probably a 'corpus luteum' cyst at the site on the ovary that made the egg that became the pregnancy. These are VERY common, ususally go away by 12-14 weeks,and do not increase your risk for complications during the pregnancy or for cancer. Hope this helps. Thanks for reading! Dr T

   

• At Fri Feb 15, 12:25:00 AM 2008,  Anonymous said…

  hi, i'm kristine, im 25, and i am 15 weeks pregnant right now, but just last august i had a miscarriage, and i went to D&c. the ultrasound says that its 6 weeks and 4 days, without heartbeat, but according to the right computation of the age it was about 9 weeks. I had a second opinion/another ultrasound done and it's the same.
  
  I'm thinking about my blood type and husbands bloodtype...Could it be the reason of my miscarriage before?.. mine is AB+ and my husband's O+...
  i am worried right now, i dont wanna lose again this time. i am 15 weeks pregnant and so far, the baby in my womb according to my check up is normal and hav a normal and regular heartbeat. this is our first baby...
  thanks and more power! Godbless...

   

• At Fri Feb 15, 10:04:00 AM 2008,  Kenneth F. Trofatter, Jr., MD, PhD said…

  To Kristine Feb 15: Things sound good right now! Don't worry about the difference in blood types. That did not cause your miscarriage and should not affect this baby. Let us know how things turn out! Dr T

   

• At Thu Feb 28, 01:20:00 PM 2008,  Anonymous said…

  Hello! I'm 24 years old. I had a cone biopsy done a year ago. About 5 months afterwards I became pregnant. I miscarried at 12 and 1/2 weeks. We have been trying to get pregnant again since December. I just can't seem to. Does the biopsy have anything to do with that?

   

• At Mon Mar 03, 10:48:00 PM 2008,  chantell19 said…

  hi,iam 19 years old and last year i lost my baby. iam still having a very hard time with this.i was 14 weeks along when i lost the baby i had no bleeding but i was cramping. my doctor said the baby was the size of an 8week old. i was going through alot and i want to know if stress played a part in the loss of my child? i just need more answers. iam heathy so i dont know what went wrong?

   

• At Tue Mar 04, 12:32:00 PM 2008,  Ano