# oestrogen valerate in early pregnancy?



## lexx7 (Oct 19, 2011)

Hi,

Hope you can help.

I just tried to call my clinic and when someone answered I could hear loud alarms in the background and she said they are having an emergency and I need to call back tomorrow  !!!  I hope all is ok  

I rang them to ask if I should still be taking oestrogen valerate (2mg once in the morning.)  My Otd is 8th May but in theory is Saturday but as it's bank holiday and they like to go over the otd to be certain of the result, it's the 8th.  I was given oestrogen valerate after ec to support my lining (along with cyclogest that I'm still using 3x day 200mg), as I had some bleeding the day before ec.  Had a scan on the morning of et (which was done at 6pm) and lining looked great and chunky and was 9mm.

Well I've done pregnancy tests for the last 4 days and I've gone from faint positives to super full on positives    So I'm taking it as positive and that I'm pregnant    I just don't know if I should therefore still be taking the oestrogen valerate.  My consultant did say that it's fine to take them in the first 2 weeks of pregnancy, but I don't know what he meant by this as when I put the dates into the ivf calender on here, it says I'm 4wks tomorrow (had et on 23rd April.)  Or did he mean the first 2 weeks as in literally the 2 weeks from et to test?  

I've been getting very very strong af type pains centrally and had a tiny spot of red blood on 8dp3dt and thankfully nothing since. Today I've got a very crampy stomach and had loose stools   Given my med history though, I just want to be certain that I'm doing everything correctly and I also wonder if I shouldn't be waiting until Otd on the 8th and should be tested asap and also seeing my Gp to get bloods done to check all's ok and get all the ologists on board to keep a close eye on me - my details are are under my post.

Many thanks for your help and time


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## Mistletoe (Holly) (Jan 1, 2007)

It is difficult for me to answer as I do not know your history or the clinic protocol or what the prescriber intended.

I do know that when I was doing my own frozen embryo transfer cycle I was to be taking 8mg of progynova (oestradiol valerate) every day until 12 weeks pregnant and then wean off, plus of course cyclogest 400mg, and I was on 3 times a day of those as I had a 16mm lining. I also know that people who have done donor egg cycles are put on a similar protocol.
This is obviously specific to their and my treatment and not a prescription for you.

Sudden withdrawal of hormonal support, that is keeping the lining in place, could result in a drop in hormone levels suffcient to cause a hormone withdrawal bleed. This is a bit like when you stop the pill for a week in each month to get a bleed. I would not alter anything at all until OTD and then contact your clinic for advice about whether to continue the hormonal support, and if they recommend tapering it off how to do that without jeopardising the pregnancy.

I also just want to make sure that you are at least 14 days past your trigger shot of HCG, as sometimes this can be slow to clear and can be picked up on pregnancy tests if you test too early.

Well done for getting a BFP,   is it a true result and I hope your pregnancy goes well and safely especially with your history.


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## lexx7 (Oct 19, 2011)

Hi,

Many thanks for that    Great to know others have taken it and all ok    I did wonder about suddenly stopping it and I will ensure I find out what's best about weaning off it - eeek    How did you wean off it and were you ok?  I do understand that everyone is different but I'm just interested and appreciate the sharing of your experience.

Had my trigger shot 15 days ago so my tests are pregnancy      I also did tests 6dp3dt and nothing at all showed up (I did 3) so that was really reassuring that anything picked up after that wasn't from the trigger    Also, the tests have gotton darker each day - I literally had to hold the first ones up to the light and tilt it and tell myself I wasn't going crazy    The first response I did today came up straight away and test line exactly the same as control line  

Thanks for the good wishes - I feel generally ok (well, no worse anyway) in respect of the mg and ic etc so hopefully this will continue and I go into remission (for good   ) but I will get all the ologists on board just to be on the safe side.

Thanks so much for your help


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## lexx7 (Oct 19, 2011)

Tad worried after reading this - http://www.askdoctorforfree.com/index.php?xq=93747

I know I shouldn't go searching but I'm feeling a tad anxious. The answer is from a doctor and all I can find is info on women who have had fet having taken these. I'm sure my fs is only doing what's best but I'm really worried after reading the risks stated on the reply from the link above.....

I'm also concerned about suddenly stopping them after Tuesday as he did only mention taking them for the 2 weeks  I will throughly question him on Tuesday about it all and of course, I'm not going to stop taking them whatsoever without his say so, but I just wonder if you can shed some light on the link?

Many, many thanks


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## Mistletoe (Holly) (Jan 1, 2007)

I have just read the link you sent and I think this is a standard answer from company information.

I have looked at micromedex (which is an independent trusted professional resource) reproductive toxicity information and many of the studies were based on high doses in rats and mice in the 50s.

3 studies in humans have since shown that pharmaceutical doses are unlikely to cause malformations.

This is what it says....

''Epidemiologic reports in humans are limited by the use of estradiol with other agents and sometimes by failure to distinguish among different estrogens and progestins, but at least three studies support the conclusion that estradiol use during pregnancy does not increase the incidence of congenital anomalies.'' 

I have also looked in the Martindale drug reference (again one that pharmacists use) and although there may have been problems caused by very high doses and a certain type of oestrogen used years ago called diethylstilboestol, there is no evidence that modern oestrogens at normal doses cause any increase in the baseline levels of anomalies. There is concern that the increase in male infertility over the last 20-30 years may be linked to environmental oestrogens in plastics etc. It is difficult to know if maternal exposure in early pregnancy to the drug would have any effect.

Oestrogen levels naturally in the body are increased in pregnancy. Certain type of Oestrogen is made by the placenta, gradually increasing in concentration over the first 9-12 weeks of pregnancy until the placenta is fully formed and supporting the pregnancy. This would happen naturally in all pregnancies.

The answer I have given is based on a quick search of two trusted references, but there are other books which I do not have access to at home whilst on maternity leave myself. You need to discuss your concerns with your consultant, and if still worried you should contact your local hospital pharmacy medicines information service and have them do a full search of the evidence in pregnancy for you. You can then make an informed choice, after discussion with your consultant about the risks and benefits to you and your baby.


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