# My Fertility Story



## emily020606 (Oct 6, 2012)

I am currently 42 years old soon to be 43.  
My partner and I meet in 2003  and found ourselves pregnant in 2005.
The pregnancy went to 23.4 weeks due to severe pre-eclampsia and I had to deliver our baby daughter emily who was stillborn.
I was very scared and did not try again for 2 years.  At 9 weeks I began to bleed and miscarried
2 years later I was pregnant again and once again miscarried
I found myself pregnant again and miscarried around 7-8 weeks

I have been to the fertility and recurrent miscarriage clinic and have found myself at a loss.
Recurrent miscarriage clinic told me :  I am not worried about you until you are about 45.
My antiphospolipid test was negative, was told loosing weight would help and put on 5mg of folic acid and 75mg of aspirin
I lost alittle over two stone in weight.

I asked about IVF and was told that I would have to pay for it because I am so old and that they don't do any PGD testing.  I thought why bother I can get pregnant what is IVF going to offer me?

Fertility clinic told me:  It is probably your eggs you are old have run the risk of a miscarriage of about 50% or more and if I was to fall pregnant again I run a high risk of chromosomal defects because of my age.

I have been looking into taking different supplements that could possibly help with my egg quality.
What else can I do feel hopeless and not sure what to do anymore?
My partner had his sperm tested and it was very good.


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## Chandlerino (Nov 30, 2011)

There are plenty of women on this board who have been successful with their own and donor eggs. Also at our age there is plenty of info to say that the miscarriage rate is high in the over 40s. We're a similiar age and I'm still trying after 3 mcs and then 2 ivfs but I have 2 friends who conceived their first child at 42 and 43 which gives me hope.

Go to another fertility clinic and get a 2nd opinion but one that specialises in the over 40s. I can't afford anymore treatment at UK prices so have chosen to go abroad probably to Reprofit in the Czech Republic. Serum in Athens are also excellent for over 40s, recurrent mc sufferers and mutiple cycle ivfers. The director will give you a consulatation by phone or email.  Its worth finding out what they say x


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## Ellie.st (Mar 11, 2005)

Dear Emily
    I agree that you should definitely get a second opinion somewhere - preferably a clinic that has experience of treating older women, and also at one which offers PGD.  It would also be worth considering getting immune testing (if you haven't had this done at the recurrent miscarriage clinic).  I doubt that you will get much if anything done on the NHS unfortunately because if your age (we had to self-fund everything after the age of 38 except although I did get some tests done by my GP - see daisyg and agate's lists on the investigations board) but a private consultation at a new clinic should not be too expensive and should help you decide on your next steps.  As Chandlerino says, going abroad is a cheaper option worth considering although I have no personal experience of this.  

Getting yourself as healthy as possible won't do any harm and I think it is well worth doing some research into supplements and lifestyle changes. I found the books by Zita West and Marilyn Glenville particularly helpful.  But with your history of m/c I think that you need to go to a fertility clinic specialising in your kind of case as well.

Please don't feel that things are hopeless - there are still options open to you.  I had my first baby at 43 after 9.5 years ttc, and now have a DD and a DS. I still remember how absolutely hopeless everything felt before my first BFP and but if you don't want to give up yet, there are things you can still try.     

Ellie


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## mfmcmoo (Jul 16, 2010)

Hi Emily

I put together a list of supplements which may help - look especially at the ones which improve egg quality (dhea, myo inositol, coq10, l'arginine, melatonin) - I really believe that some of these work. I just ordered a whole lot online (mostly ebay), as I am hoping to have another go myself.

http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=294994.0


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