Sunday, September 3, 2017

Preventing Miscarriage with IVF

It is possible to have a miscarriage after an IVF treatment and it's heartbreaking when it happens to you.  After working so hard to conceive, the last thing you want to happen is to miscarry.  The older you get, the harder it is to get pregnant.  It's even harder to carry a pregnancy to full term.  Is there anything you can do about it?  The answer is yes.  You can take steps to help prevent a miscarriage with IVF.

Preventing Miscarriage with IVF


Risk Detection

A good fertility clinic will run numerous blood tests on you before starting your IVF treatment to make sure there are no detectable issues.  There are standard tests they typically run, like LH and FSH.  Not all clinics check for the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), which is a known cause of miscarriages.  Before you have an IVF treatment, insist that they perform a blood test for TSH, which can be medically treated.  Another test to insist on is a hysteroscopy.  This examination analyzes the uterine wall to see if there are problems, which can then be treated properly with IVF meds.  Having these tests done prior to the IVF may be uncomfortable or seem like an annoyance, but considering the expense of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), they are well worth the early detection.

IVF Drugs to Help Sustain Pregnancy

Progesterone injections are the most frequently prescribed IVF drug for maintaining the pregnancy.  It mimics the hormone your body naturally produces.  For anyone who has already had a miscarriage, your physician should automatically consider starting you on this medication.  If they don't, talk to them about including it in your IVF regimen.  Once you've been prescribed a progesterone injection, ask your fertility specialist where the best IVF pharmacy is near you.

Health Risks You Can Reduce With IVF Drugs

It's hard to see the health risks we create in our own lives.  However, you can do many things to improve your health on your own.  Restricting the amount of caffeine you ingest on a daily basis is important.  Avoid smoking, even second hand, as it is a known cause of miscarriages.  Reduce or eliminate how much alcohol you drink.  Don't take illegal drugs.  Do speak with your doctor before taking any kinds of medications, prescribed or otherwise, especially if you are taking IVF meds.  Stay away from infectious diseases.  Switching to a healthier diet, including healthy fruits and vegetables.  Try shedding excess pounds and adding some exercise to improve your body's overall condition.  Reduce stress whenever possible.

Patient IVF Experiences

community.babycentre.co.uk

Patient 1: This patient was terrified of needles, working herself into a bundle of nerves before the first injection.  Her partner assisted her by injecting the IVF medicine.  She was amazed to find there was only a slight sting when injected.  The rest of the shots were far easier and she found several ways to reduce the stinging sensation.  She feels her baby was very much worth the mild discomfort she experienced.

babycenter.com

Patient 2: This patient found the intramuscular injections were not nearly as painful as she expected and became easier after the first couple times she injected them.  As a result of using the infertility drug, she carried her baby to full term.

mamapedia.com

Patient 3: Tests confirmed that this patient had very low progesterone levels, so was prescribed intramuscular progesterone during both of her pregnancies.  She had a family member, who lived nearby, inject the fertility shots during the first pregnancy.  Her husband gave the fertility injections during the second pregnancy.  There were no further issues with the pregnancies and each baby was born healthy.

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