Third miscarriage 😥 Is IVF available on NHS for women who have had multiple miscarriages?

[Halo79]

Hi everyone, I’m new here so just wanted to introduce myself and also ask a question. I’m a 40 year old mum of one amazing 4 year old boy. We decided to start trying for another baby one year ago, but sadly I’ve had three early miscarriages since then (the third one started on Christmas Eve, i.e. just over a week ago and is still ongoing) and I am beginning to think I’ve left it too late. 😥

I feel utterly despondent as I also don’t have a job currently, so we can’t afford private healthcare or IVF. Does anyone happen to know if you can get IVF on the NHS for a second pregnancy if you’ve had multiple miscarriages? I read the NICE guidance which states that IVF should only be offered by the NHS if the couple have been trying to get pregnant for at least two years - is that true and do they allow any exceptions?

I’m also wondering if IVF might be pointless for us seeing as I am able to get pregnant naturally - I just can’t STAY pregnant.

Many thanks in advance for any advice or encouragement from anyone who has been in a similar position!

[HollyT7]

Hey I'm sorry to hear you've had such a rough time. Your best to check with your local ccg on there set rules, they tend to have a webpage on this.

Most ccgs set additional critera such as not having any children and falling into a certain age range as some CCGs only fund under the age of 35 and if you don't meet the set criteria no other circumstances would matter. For example where I am, I had to be under 35 with no children (me or my partner) and trying for two years, reoccurent miscarriage would have had no affect on the outcome. Xxx

[Halo79 in reply to HollyT7]

Thanks Holly. I’ll check with my CCG. Xx

[Hidden]

Sorry to hear about your losses. We already have a child but unfortunately weren’t able to get pregnant again naturally. We had investigations on the NHS but were told there was no NHS funding for IVF if either of us already had a living child. Perhaps you could seek some advice and undergo some recurrent miscarriage testing on the NHS? X

[Halo79 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Aprilmama, thanks for your reply and so sorry to hear of your struggles. I did suspect that might be the case re. lack of funding for people who already have a child. I’m seeing a gynaecologist tomorrow regarding the miscarriages, so hopefully she will be able to investigate further and maybe even find the cause. Many thanks and wishing you all the best xx

[Afrohair]

Hello and sorry for your loss !I’ve heard if you already have a child you can’t have ivf on nhs !have you had any private investigation into your misscarriges .I think now you have had 3 they can do it on nhs but not ivf! Do know that your age also increases chance of misscarrige sending my well wishes at this time x

[Halo79 in reply to Afrohair]

Hi Afrohair, thanks for your reply. I haven’t had any private investigation into the miscarriages but I’m seeing a NHS gynaecologist tomorrow so fingers crossed she will be able to help me. Thanks for your well wishes x

[Afrohair in reply to Halo79]

Good luck it may be something easily fixed take care x

[Elynn]

Im sorry you are having such an awful time. Have you been referred to a recurrent miscarriage specialist? Im sure that would be helpful. Also sign up for a mc support group. The ladies on there will be able to advise you re tests and give you lots of loving support. Wishing you well.

[Halo79 in reply to Elynn]

Thanks Elynn. Yes I’m seeing a gynaecologist today re. the recurrent miscarriages. Where would I find a mc support group? Sorry if that’s a silly question but I have no idea where to begin with all of this.

[DC5867]

The criteria for ivf can be different depending where you live. Where I live the mother can be no older than 40, you must have been trying unsuccessfully for a year and you’re not eligible if you already have a child. The best thing to do would be to find out what the criteria is where you live, it can vary greatly.

But if you are able to get pregnant, which it sounds like you can without bother, then ivf probably isn’t for you. You can miscarry in exactly the same way. Have you had any investigations for recurrent miscarriages? That’s probably the place to start and your gp can refer you given you’ve now had three.

I’m sorry you’ve had such an awful time of it. I hope you can find some answers and can move on with completing your family soon.

[Halo79 in reply to DC5867]

Thanks DC. I saw the gynaecologist today who said I have to wait for the current miscarriage to end and then have a blood test done during my next normal period so that they can start to look into any possible cause for the miscarriages. So it’s going to be a long process unfortunately, but hopefully they can help me. Thanks for your kind words.

[Elynn in reply to Halo79]

Glad it went well in as much as they have a plan for you.

I love a group called whattoexpectwhenyouareexpecting. Its one of the best forum boards out there. I checked fir you, There is a mc support group. I also think there is a group on the healthunlocked site. Again one of my faves as it offers good peer support but with a health professional moderator to balance wacky responses.

Hope you get great support and encouragement. Stay hopeful, 2020 can finish way better than it started.💐

[Halo79 in reply to Elynn]

Thank you so much, Elynn 🙂🙏

[StaffyMummy87]

Hi I’m so sorry to hear about your trouble

The criteria for NHS IVF is extremely strict and as far as I’m lead to believe you aren’t considered eligible if you already have a children .

Like Holly says check with your local health board and see what their guidelines are. Fingers crossed for you xx

[Halo79 in reply to StaffyMummy87]

Thanks StaffyMummy x

[JojoWash]

Hey darling, they are really strict on giving it for free if you already have a child. So you’d have to pay for it. Have you pushed for thrombphilia test? The sticky blood syndrome test? That’s the problem with me, I’m 40 and have two children born in my twenties. I also begged for the contents of miscarriage to be sent away and tested. Came back no chromosomal issues. This is often a reason at our age for miscarriages but not for me and maybe not for you. Push and push for testing or asked to be referred or to pay private as the test for blood clotting is under £100, so easily affordable.

This might be all you need. Good luck x

[Halo79 in reply to JojoWash]

Hi JojoWash, thanks so much for your reply. I saw the gynaecologist today and they are going to test for thrombophilia (among other things) once the current miscarriage is over and I’m back on my normal cycle.

Can I ask, have you been prescribed Aspirin for the thrombophilia? My mum died of a blood clot, a possible side effect of the chemotherapy she was receiving for her lung cancer, but I can’t help wondering if we might have had her for longer if they had tested her for thrombophilia 😥 x

[JojoWash in reply to Halo79]

Haven’t been prescribed anything as they won’t take it as a positive until I have another test in 12 weeks. But I know if I get pregnant they will have to treat x

[Halo79 in reply to JojoWash]

Ah okay. Thanks and best of luck with it all x

[JojoWash in reply to Halo79]

But on Tommy’s website it says aspirin and heparin injections whilst pregnant x

[catwerner]

Hi,

I guess first vou need to understand why you are having multiple MC. It can be due to thrombphilia, have you tested for it? For this one you have a simple solution. If that is not the case, I disagree with those who mentioned that since you are able to get pregnant the IVF is not for you.

It is because you can test your embryos (PGS) and check if they are genetically normal.

I am 34 years old and have no chromossomal issues, but many of my embryos were not viable to be transferred! It may be due to poor egg quality on your case due to your age. I think IVF would help!

[Halo79 in reply to catwerner]

Hi catwerner, thanks for your reply. I saw the gynaecologist today and they are going to test for thrombophilia once the miscarriage is over and my cycle is back to normal.

Interesting angle on IVF - I did wonder if it would be helpful for me from that point of view. The nurse in the EPU who did my scan said the miscarriage was “most likely” due to chromosomal abnormality but they don’t actually have any medical evidence for that, so I guess IVF would answer the egg quality question. Thanks for your suggestions!

[catwerner in reply to Halo79]

It is also possible to sent the tissue (from the MC) for tests to know if it was genetically fine or not! But I really really hope you don't need to go through this again 😘

[Halo79 in reply to catwerner]

Yes I asked about that when I had my second miscarriage but they were very resistant to the idea as they said it generally doesn’t show anything. Thank you so much 🙏 😘

[Corchi]

I have had 6 miscarriages and they never found anything and I did every test under the sun. Sometimes you just never find out. I did however go on to have a healthy beautiful boy at 37 and then miscarried at 3 months after that that was heart breaking. I am 40 now and going to try ivf with embryo testing which apparently reduces miscarriages greatly as they can check them before transfer.

ivi-fertility.com/blog/embr...

Hope this helps!!

Don’t ever give up hope.

Xxx

[Halo79 in reply to Corchi]

Hi Corchi, thank you so much for your reply and so sorry for your losses. I’ve had a read of the link and it’s very helpful, thanks.

Fingers crossed for you that you get your second baby too! Xxx

[Corchi in reply to Halo79]

Thank you so much

[Mini79]

Hi hun I'm so sorry for your loss . I am going through my 12 miscarriages and had a still birth at 27 weeks .

I just had my first ivf cycle and same thing happened again stopped st 5 weeks all the time . Happened just before xmas so still going through it . Ivf miscarriage is the worst ever . I am going to see my consultant to see if nhs can find a second cycle i will push them but this time i will find the psg test my self . Just waiting on my tissue results . My problem is keeping it not getting pregnant .

Big hugs to you xx

[Halo79 in reply to Mini79]

Hi Mini79, I’m so sorry for your losses. I can’t even imagine how hard that must be. I really hope the IVF works out for you. Stay strong xx

[Mini79]

I am also 40 years and hubby is 42. So time is not on my hands