Can't get pregnant, can't get unpregnant

I don’t want to spend too much time talking about the D&E itself. I will say that if you take away the heartbreak, the procedure is fairly simple and painless. We hadn’t told anyone about the pregnancy except my mom and my best friend, so we only had to break the bad news to two people. My mom had apparently told her friends, so she got to untell them as well.

My RE’s office needed to know if the defect was genetic in origin, so we had karyotyping done. Neural tube defects (NTDs) aren’t typically genetic, and ours was no exception (meaning it wasn’t the donor’s fault). I never did ask if the donor was allowed to cycle again. I did find out the sex of the baby, which I’ll refrain from sharing. (Mr. GB didn’t want to know.) I also received tiny footprints, which are tucked away safe for now.

(We don’t know what caused the defect. They say that NTDs can be prevented with folic acid. I’d been taking prenatal vitamins for years, but it wasn’t enough. At my request I was tested for MTHFR (a disorder that can cause difficulty in absorbing folic acid), and I don’t have that mutation. My homocysteine levels were also normal. I read NTDs are more common with IVF…I always wonder if the lengthy embryo transfer was the cause. I also read that hot tubs and saunas can cause NTDs, and I wonder if sunbathing was the cause, even though I sunbathed after the window for NTDs closed. It was probably just horrible bad luck. I’m taking 4 mg of folic acid now, just in case. I have a 1% chance of it happening again. I hope it doesn’t.)

As I was recovering from the D&E, I was more determined than ever to try again. In fact, I was filled with an odd sense of hope that’s really hard to explain. Maybe it was just a coping mechanism. I did have bouts of sadness and grief, but I was ready for AF to arrive and start a new donor cycle.

Except AF was nowhere to be seen, and my HPTs were still positive. And I was still bleeding, like for a month. Went back to the MFM’s office for an ultrasound but nothing looked suspicious. She gave me Cytotec/Misoprostol to try to flush out my uterus, but nothing happened. Mentioned the bleeding to my donor coordinator, who talked to my RE, who told me to come in for a hysteroscopy to look around. The camera showed that my uterus was filled with cobwebs (aka “products of conception”) and a second D&C was needed. My RE said I could get the procedure done at the RE’s surgical center, but we’d have to wait a month.

So we commenced waiting. Again. We’re talking 77 days between the first procedure and the second.

Surprise surprise, AF arrived 58 days after my D&E. I will spare you the details but let’s just say it was the worst period EVER. My RE still recommended the D&C, but the good news was that I got to go on the pill, which meant I’d finally have control of my cycle back and we were finally ready to start looking at donors again. YAY!

I had my second D&C on August 11, the same day we put down our donor deposit. In the next few days I’ll talk a bit about our selection process (my criteria changed dramatically), a slight setback, and where we are today. But for now, I’ve got to run upstairs for a Lupron shot!

To be continued…

Golden Bud

Our Genetic Testing Results are in...

A Very Busy June...

June and July have been quite busy months for myself and Mr. Blessed Bud. In June we made preparations to move into a new house and we underwent Genetic Testing to see if a genetic defect is the cause of our miscarriages. We had blood drawn for the Male and Female Karotyping Tests. This test also known as a Chromosome Analysis looks at the structure, number and arrangement of all 46 pairs of chromosomes. This test looks mainly for something known as a Balanced Translocation, which causes recurrent miscarriages.

Photography Credit

What are Balanced Translocations???
A chromosomal translocation is a condition in which part of a chromosome has broken off and reattached in another location. In a balanced translocation, a person usually has all the genetic material necessary for normal growth -- a piece of a chromosome is merely broken off and attached to another one. However, when that person's cells divide to create egg or sperm cells for reproduction, the egg or sperm cells can end up with extra genetic material or missing genetic material, which could lead to miscarriage depending on which chromosome and genes are affected. Balanced translocation is diagnosed through a test called a karotype in which blood samples from both parents are analyzed looking for the translocation. Some research suggests balanced translocation in the mother is most likely to be associated with recurrent miscarriages, but fathers can be carriers as well.

Photography Credit

Treatment for Balanced Translocations
There are no cures for Balanced Translocations, and these are the options for those TTC:

A. Keep going on your own and the odds are in favor of a successful pregnancy eventually, you will most likely experience more miscarriages
B. IVF w/ PGD
C. Donor Egg or Donor Sperm, or Donor Embryos depending if one or both partners have the Translocation
Our Test Results and What's Next?
Both of our Test Results came back NORMAL! It's kind of annoying because there is absolutely no explanation as to why I am miscarrying. We have a consult with Dr. B this Thursday to discuss our upcoming FET in August and what changes he will make to our protocol. I know one change he is making is to switch me from Crinone to PIO so he can monitor my Progesterone levels closely. For my first 2 pregnancies/miscarriages (one natural and one with TI and injectables under a different RE) I had no Progesterone support. My third miscarriage a c/p I was on vaginal suppositories and for this most recent FET/miscarriage I was on Crinone. I will have an UPDATE on Thursday from my consult and in the meantime we are still busy settling into our new place, which we absolutely adore.

Have a Great Weekend,