Gosh Laura - it's hard to say...pg m/c kids ment

Gosh Laura - it's hard to say...pg m/c kids ment
Posted by SueW on 18:36 4/14/2007:
In Reply to: just curious, what is involved in the immune tests (ds m) posted by lauragriffith on 20:35 4/12/2007:

It isn't easy to find a reproductive immunologist - many physicials - OB/GYNs or ever RE's have never heard of them and know little about reproductive immunology.
so, Unless you seek out the testing - as in through Dr. Coulam or Dr. Kwak (unfortunate name for a doctor...she was Dr. Beer's partner) - or the few others, your own doctor is not likely to recommend immune testing. What I was tested for includes NK cell activity, blocking antibodies, antiphospholipid antibodies, DQ Alpha testing of me and DH, and probably more that I can't remember. I did it all remotely, having to FedEx about a gallon of blood (maybe it was only seven tubes). It's up to you if you want to seek the testing, and then any treatment, or "risk" another pregnancy. I had five losses before DD - I had been referred to Dr. Beer when I found myself pg three weeks after a D&C for m/c #5, and that pregnancy was sustained to 42 weeks with only progesterone supplemetns in the first 10 weeks. Then I lost three more to early m/c and finally sought out Dr. Beer. We did a phone consult, the testing remotely, and then DH and I had LIT treatment in CA, and pre-conception IVIG. After about nine cycles trying to conceive on our own without luck (we had not had issues getting pg before) we move on the IVF through Dr. Zouves in SanFrancisco (I was getting older, the IVIG was $$$, and the infusions exhausting, and we felt that IVF would also be diagnostic). That IVF resulted in 39 eggs, 12 great embryos - and we got pg on the first transfer with DS - then 4 years later got DD#2 with FET from that cycles. Interestingly, I was tested before the FET and did not have high NK cell activity, thus no IVIG - only progesterone, aspirin and heparin.. So, of my three successful pgs - only one involved IVIG.

It all depends on you - but if you'd feel better knowing that you did or did not have immune issues before attempting another pg - then you can seek out a RI and get any recommended testing and then enter the next pg knowing you were doing all you could.

Good Luck! Sue

Follow Ups:

Barge...I did mine through a hematologist.... - LauraG1 22:51 4/28/2007 (0)