Mthfr

Hi K.,

I too have that issue. I went through 6 confirmed miscarriages (saw heartbeats) before they finally found it and diagnosed the problem. Once they found it, they started me on a baby aspirin a day. Then when I finally got pregnant with #7 confirmed, I started daily injections to get me through the pregnancy. I was 41 when I became pregnant that time and 42 when I delivered. He is very healthy and active 20 month old now. I was monitored closely and he was delivered 5 weeks early, but that was my blood pressure and his impatience mostly. But I would do it again in a heartbeat to get another one as special as this one. Don't give up. I am now too old and would have to do IVF to have another one. Good luck! But you do need to let your body recover from the miscarriages before trying to conceive again. Getting pregnant so quickly has its own problems.

I am so sorry to hear about your losses. I have this same mutation. I had a daughter who was stillborn at 38 weeks - the cause is unknown. I also had an ectopic pregnancy. This mutation was discovered when I was pregnant with my son who is now 7 months old. I still continue to take the extra vitamins. I also have 2 older boys who are 8 and 5 1/2 years old. I know how hard this is.

Hi K....I have the exact same issue in my DNA. I have had 2 miscarriages. The first I belive to have been a blighted ovum which means I had a sac, but no fetal development. I lost that pregnancy at 13 weeks. I got pregnant the same month again and gave birth to my wonderful and happy son who is now 4. A couple of years later we lost a baby girl at 16 weeks. It was then that I had all the testing under the sun done on the baby, myself and my husband. They couldn't find anything wrong with the baby, but did determine that I had the mutation issue. They put me on the same protocol as you, plus a baby aspirin a day, and I went on to have a healthy and vibrant baby girl almost 19 months ago. We are even considering trying for a third baby in the fall! I was worried about it at first, being that I'll be 38 this fall on top of the mutation issue. But my doctor has given me the all clear! Just have to make sure to be off birth control pills for at least a month before and at the same time start back up with the baby aspirin, extra folate (I need 4x the amount for "regular" women) and b vitamins. I have never stopped taking the prenatals, so that's one thing less to add! lol. I'd start your meds and then try again! It would be wonderful if you didn't have to go through IVF or IUI. I'd be happy to talk with you more on the topic or give you all the encouragement I can if you'd like to chat with someone who's been there! Good luck! -A.

well, sorry i can't really speak directly to your request, but after discussing this with someone i know recently, two questions popped into my head when i read your posting:

what are your homocystine levels like?
do you take any fish oil supps?

don't mean to pry, though pls feel free to pm me or ignore me if you'd prefer; i'd understand! ;)

I have MTHFR c677T homozygous as well as prothrombin g20210A (heterozygous, also has to do with clotting). My doctor put me on Neevo (prescription prenatal vitamin with a different form of folic acid that my body could handle better) as well as a low dose of blood thinners (daily injection) through my entire pregnancy. This pregnancy was completely successful, I have a happy healthy 9 month old boy. I had one miscarriage before she tested me, and I feel for your 4 losses.

There is no way to tell in my case whether the prescription prenatal and blood thinners helped me with my second pregnancy or not, but as my doctor said, she'd rather not look back after another miscarriage and wish we had gone ahead with the treatment.

Here is an article that, while it concludes that MTHFR is an "unproven cause of recurrent miscarriages" (just saying that it hasn't been conclusively proven, not that has been conclusively unproven), is easy to read as a lay person, and gives some good information. It is interesting to note that "nearly half the population of the United States may be at least heterozygous for an MTHFR gene mutation."

http://miscarriage.about.com/od/thrombophiliadisorders/i/...

Stay positive, there is a very good chance that the treatment your doctor has you on will help.

It is an excellent idea to do all you can to bump up your nutritional level. 4 miscarriages in 4 months is alot for your body to handle, especially over age 35. We women do have a "shelf life" and we need to be aware of that. You need to approach getting pregnant (and staying that way) like you are in training for an athletic event, drink water, plenty of rest, destress, and really educate yourself on good nutrition, take good quality vitamin supplements. You get the idea.
I have been pregnant 10 times and only birthed 4 children, so I've been through this before. I had my youngest when I was nearly 40 and my doctor hovered over me throughout my pregnancy, because my "track record" wasn't good, but that was the easiest birth I had with any of my children. I really worked on my health during my pregnancy and my child was born strong and healthy and is a fine young man today.
Good luck and keep trying!

I almost cried when I read your question. I have 3 month old and have the exact same condition. I had 3 miscarrages and had to change doctors before I knew what was the cause of my miscarriages. I am 34 and have a 6 year old as well. My first dr. told me to just keep trying since I had a previous healthy pregnancy, but after #3 I moved on. After my new dr. put me on the Foltab, and had we wait a month, I was pregnant within about 2 months. She is now my 3 month old. I actually had a better pregnancy with the 2nd. You will have to give yourself a injection daily when you do become pregnant. It sounds daunting, but it becomes easy. I would love to answer any other questions you have. Just let me know. Jennifer C

I actually have that as well. They discovered it after two miscarriages. I went on the folgard and baby asprin because I had another level that was elevated. I was hetrogenous for it. They did check my homocysteine level before I tried conceiving again and I was able to have a healthy pregnancy after this. I now have a 2 1/2 year old daughter. I am almost certain I also had the C677 allele but I would need to go back and look. Email me if you have any other questions. I did stay on the folgard through my daughter's pregnancy and the baby asprin until 37 weeks. T.