Pregnancy

Hi Everyone,
I thought I was 12 weeks pregnant when we went in for the ultrascreen sonogram the day after thanksgiving this year and found no heartbeat and a fetus that was only measuring 9.5 weeks. I miscarried the following Monday. I am a beta thalassemia carrier.
Of course, it could have happened for a number of reasons not related to thalassemia and we are waiting for the results from the genetic tests on the fetus for that part and that is when I found this site.

From the beginning ultrasounds I was about week off what I and the Dr. had predicted based on first day of LMP.  She said I must have just ovulated late this month- thinking more about this it would have been difficult to conceive when she thinks I did( if I did in fact ovulate late), i really didnt think anything was wrong with the comment about ovulating late until i miscarried.
 So I am thinking this may be slow growth, does this happen this early? I haven’t been able to find much on first trimester growth restriction from thalassemia although some posts here have had people saying similar things.

Anyway, based on reading a lot of posts here I have made changes for next time. I changed to a Prenatal without iron (my previous prenatal had 30mg in a daily dose) and I have a low dose iron supplement if future testing shows I do in fact need this. The new prenatal has 1000 mcg of folic acid, getting some additional and Vitamin D and Vitamin E for potential clotting issues.

 My Hgb is normal but low normal and always has been and I have been told on numerous occasions by doctors to take iron supplements in addition to by my OB at the 8 week visit –“start an iron supplement when you get into the 2nd trimester” which I didn’t get up to and it seems I shouldn’t unless I am certainly deficient. I have requested my most recent blood work to have actual numbers.

Please forgive me, I know a lot of this has already been covered in many, many posts, if I repeat any previously covered information.  But I just needed to vent a little bit..

Thanks. Any additional insight is very much appreciated.

-k

Hi Kay,

We have seen better results from pregnancy when folic acid is taken in doses up to 5 mg daily and natural vitamin E of 400-800 IU daily is used. Iron may be needed during pregnancy if Hb drops significantly but there should not be an assumed need unless testing shows deficiency.

Hi Kay,

I just wanted to say that I am saddened to hear about loding your baby.  I hope that you will have perfect success this next time knowing what you know now.

Awna