43 years old. 2 miscarriages. Any hope?

[Anonymous]

Yes - I know my eggs are old. I dont seem to have a lot of trouble getting pregnant thru IVF/IUI. Had miscarriage at 5.5 weeks and this one at 10.5 weeks. RE said to try again (eps. since insurance covers). But am I just kidding myself? Had successful preganancy at 39 thru IUI. I am getting a D&C this time around and theyu will check it to see if they can figure out what happened, so hopefullly we will have more info to make a decision. I guess I am just looking for some hope.

[Anonymous]

Always hope. The one you may get is the one you are supposed to have. It will be all the more special to you. Hugs!

[Anonymous]

if your RE is hopeful, and you trust him/her, go for it again. i would expect my RE to tell me if i had slim chances.

[Anonymous]

I'm with you. Two losses when I was 43. Got pregnant again just before I turned 44. Now 8 weeks. We've seen a heartbeat, but our last loss was a T18 discovered at the CVS. I think if this one doesn't work out, I am done. Good luck to us both.

[Anonymous]

44y.o. here again. My OB had a patient last year spontaneously pregnant at 50. Went successfully to term. Therefore, I find hope (guarded hope). I wish you great success.

[Anonymous]

I don't want to suggest that there isn't hope--because of course there is---but have you considered using donor eggs? The success rate is high.

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately, this is mostly genetics. Look at your family history. If your mother or other women in your family had success in their 40s you are more likely to eventually find success as well. If not, I agree with the PP--you may want to investigate using a donor.

[Anonymous]

I had three miscarriages in my late 30s (my eggs look like someone 5-10 years older). The second two were analyzed and both were trisonomies. (different kinds) I opted to do IVF with PGD to give me the best chance of finding an embryo that was genetically normal. I paid out of pocket since I don't have a specific genetic problem (old eggs don't count for insurance purposes), but it was worth it. Out of 10 embryos, 4 were found to be good, and I have a DS now and 2 more in storage. The other option is to keep trying, and eventually you'll implant a good one, but at our age I wasn't prepared to keep spinning the roulette wheel.

[Anonymous]

OP, I went through a similar situation in early 40s. Were I in your situation, I would do the 3rd IVF and pay out of pocket for the PGD analysis---like you, there was no identified reason why I shouldn't have been be able to get pregnant---but when we had all the embies at our last IVF tested, they were all abnormal.

I would also consider, especially if you have United Health Care, going to CCRM in Colorado for the 3rd IVF. I was a patient at the two biggest clinics in DC for our first 3 IVFs, and then went to CCRM for our last one----the difference in patient care and thoroughness was really noticeable. CCRM is just in another league altogether. (People may say the same about Cornell and some of the NY options). Best of luck to you---it is definitely possible to get pregnant in your 40s, and all it takes is that one good egg.

[Anonymous]

If you're going to do the route of expensive genetic testing, I'd go to a clinic that does CGH rather than PGD (FISH). CGH is much more accurate and reliable. I'm not sure if any clinics around here offer it yet, but CCRM definitely does, as does SIRM.

[Anonymous]

Your RE is right, TTC again. I had just had an initial workup with Dr. Gordon at Dominion Fertility, because I was very very concerned about the quality of my eggs because of 4 previous m/c. Discussed donor eggs, and that 99% of my eggs were PROBABLY too old - the typical over 40 coversation. I hadn't started any sort of protocals, because every time we TTC, I got pregnant, but unfortunately, not one pregnancy was viable. To make a long story short, he was very impressed with my ovulation cycle, my ovaries and uterus, and felt that I'd get a viable pregnancy at some point. I got pregnant that same cycle, and I now have a gorgeous, happy and healthy 4 yr. old son. To ease my mind, I stayed with him until 12 weeks because he was able to push through a weekly u/s from my insurance. When it was time for genetic testing, a CVS, he sat me down, told me where to go and what dr. to ask for (his wife was AMA when she had their son and had a CVS).

Oh, I was 43 when I had my little boy. I'm now 47, and had a m/c last month. What I'm about to say might seem a little cold, but the way I was able to get through the m/c's was to look at them as being stepping stones and that eventually I'd catch that golden egg. Don't give up! I know several women who got pregnant with donor eggs, know of many adoptions, so therefore, there's not just one path to parenthood. I was open to all paths - I just wanted to be a mommy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your RE is right, TTC again. I had just had an initial workup with Dr. Gordon at Dominion Fertility, because I was very very concerned about the quality of my eggs because of 4 previous m/c. Discussed donor eggs, and that 99% of my eggs were PROBABLY too old - the typical over 40 coversation. I hadn't started any sort of protocals, because every time we TTC, I got pregnant, but unfortunately, not one pregnancy was viable. To make a long story short, he was very impressed with my ovulation cycle, my ovaries and uterus, and felt that I'd get a viable pregnancy at some point. I got pregnant that same cycle, and I now have a gorgeous, happy and healthy 4 yr. old son. To ease my mind, I stayed with him until 12 weeks because he was able to push through a weekly u/s from my insurance. When it was time for genetic testing, a CVS, he sat me down, told me where to go and what dr. to ask for (his wife was AMA when she had their son and had a CVS).

Oh, I was 43 when I had my little boy. I'm now 47, and had a m/c last month. What I'm about to say might seem a little cold, but the way I was able to get through the m/c's was to look at them as being stepping stones and that eventually I'd catch that golden egg. Don't give up! I know several women who got pregnant with donor eggs, know of many adoptions, so therefore, there's not just one path to parenthood. I was open to all paths - I just wanted to be a mommy.

Thanks for this story. May I ask if your losses were early? I seem to be in the same situation; I'm AMA but my numbers are fine, DH's counts are great and I can get pregnant on my own. Unfortunately, all of my recent pregnancies have ended very early. I do have a DC conceived naturally when I was 38 so I am hopeful that I still have a good egg somewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your RE is right, TTC again. I had just had an initial workup with Dr. Gordon at Dominion Fertility, because I was very very concerned about the quality of my eggs because of 4 previous m/c. Discussed donor eggs, and that 99% of my eggs were PROBABLY too old - the typical over 40 coversation. I hadn't started any sort of protocals, because every time we TTC, I got pregnant, but unfortunately, not one pregnancy was viable. To make a long story short, he was very impressed with my ovulation cycle, my ovaries and uterus, and felt that I'd get a viable pregnancy at some point. I got pregnant that same cycle, and I now have a gorgeous, happy and healthy 4 yr. old son. To ease my mind, I stayed with him until 12 weeks because he was able to push through a weekly u/s from my insurance. When it was time for genetic testing, a CVS, he sat me down, told me where to go and what dr. to ask for (his wife was AMA when she had their son and had a CVS).

Oh, I was 43 when I had my little boy. I'm now 47, and had a m/c last month. What I'm about to say might seem a little cold, but the way I was able to get through the m/c's was to look at them as being stepping stones and that eventually I'd catch that golden egg. Don't give up! I know several women who got pregnant with donor eggs, know of many adoptions, so therefore, there's not just one path to parenthood. I was open to all paths - I just wanted to be a mommy.

Thanks for this story. May I ask if your losses were early? I seem to be in the same situation; I'm AMA but my numbers are fine, DH's counts are great and I can get pregnant on my own. Unfortunately, all of my recent pregnancies have ended very early. I do have a DC conceived naturally when I was 38 so I am hopeful that I still have a good egg somewhere.

3 were early and 1 was at 11 weeks - completely sucked! I had to have a D&C and it took forever for the HCG #s to fall. I'd keep TTC but your RE may be telling you to go the IVF/PGD route.

[Anonymous]

I had a DC conceived naturally at 37 then 3 m/c. After the 3rd m/c I went to IVF and PGD to make sure the embryos would be normal (for what was tested). I did IVF at 41 and was successful, birth at 42.

[Anonymous]

Don't give up hope yet. I had a child at 37 and then three miscarriages at 39, 40 and 41 (8 weeks, 9 weeks and 12 weeks). We did a number of IUIs and I am now 12.5 weeks and just had a good nuchal translucency screen, so we are hopeful that we finally got a good egg. It probably is worth considering IVF with PGD (or CGH, whichever is more sophisticated), but I would encourage you to not give up.