12 week scan a success!

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Our 12 week scan was successful. Everything looks normal, just how it should be. The lady said the fold measurement at the back of the neck was the smallest measurement possible, which is good.

So relieved. So happy.

When to stop Clexane?

So both my IVF doctor and my gynecologist have told me to stop taking Clexane at 12 weeks, which is what I am today. They told me the Clexane was to help with the implantation of the placenta and that taking baby aspirin would help thin my blood if that was an issue.

I'm conscious that both these doctors don't really know about MTHFR, and don't 100% subscribe to it. So today, on a phone consultation, I asked my naturopath what her opinion of going off Clexane was. She hesitated, then told me I should check my homocysteine levels. She said if they are between 5-7, that's good, and going off Clexane is ok. Otherwise I should stay on it.

To be honest, I trust her over the doctors.

So tomorrow I'm getting my homocysteine levels checked, also my B12/red folate, and thyroid THS levels tested. The naturopath said I need to fast before taking the blood, so before breakfast she said.

Big scan tomorrow... Will keep you posted.

Hurry up Tuesday

Tick, tick, tick... Feels like forever we have to wait.

On Tuesday we have our big 12 week scan. At it we find out if the baby has all its internal organs, and if they are working properly. They can tell if the heart has formed properly, if the bowels are working properly, if it is swallowing. They look closely at the nose, and the width of a tube at the back of it's back, this is to see the likely hood of Downes Syndrome, which we already know it's not likely to have.

I've only made it to the 12 week scan once before. Shame, everything was perfect then. But it only lived to 15 weeks (discovered at 17). Strangely, I do consider that pregnancy a success because it had a valid reason for dying. I had contracted toxoplasmosis!

Frustrating, cause not only do most people not know what toxoplasmosis is, most don't know if they're immune, and don't know how to prevent. I had studied up very closely on the topic, and knew I wasn't immune. Everything in my power was done not to contract, yet I still got it. What are the chances? Bad luck.

After speaking with my naturopath I wonder if everything happens for the best. She told me that if the child had lived it could have been effected by the lack of folate it had been getting, causing ADD, or learning difficulties, that type of thing. She said that all the vitamins I'm taking now will have such a positive effect on this pregnancy.

So now I am immune to toxoplasmosis, I'm on methylfolate, taking the right vitamins, organic. Will that be enough?

Fingers crossed.

I'll report in on Tuesday.

Wonderful news - low risk for syndromes

Yeah!!!!!!! Feeling so happy, today we had our 11 week scan - all still on track, heart ticking and baby is right size. Results from the syndrome test hadn't come through, but tonight at about 6.45pm our doctor called to tell us that she got them in the afternoon and everything is 'low risk'. Yeah!

Apparently the test is 99/98% accurate, so very happy.

She also told us the sex of the baby, but we're keeping it a secret. Don't want the world to start thinking of it too much as a living human yet... Not until it really is.

So hope this works.

Community for MTHFR women suffering miscarriage

If you want to discover a whole community of women going through the same miscarriage scenario because of MTHFR, then follow the link below:

http://community.babycenter.com/groups/a6704685/moms_with_mthfr_mutation

Brilliant summary of MTHFR

This person has written an excellent summary of everything to do with MTHFR.

http://www.dietvsdisease.org/mthfr-mutation-symptoms-and-diet/

Nervous

I'm feeling worried about getting the results of my genetic testing back.

We've been through so much, I'm not sure I can handle any more bad news. I'm worried that our MTHFR (both my husbands and mine) has affected the DNA of our sex genes, and that at conception there was something wrong, as we hadn't been on 5-methylfolate for very long at that stage.

I'm most worried about Downs Syndrome. Not so much about Edwards and Patau. I've had Patau before (reason for one of the miscarriages), what happened then is the fetus size was significantly smaller than it should have been based on our dates. This happened with a number of our other miscarriages we didn't have tested, so I assumed they also had a syndrome. The history of syndromes fits with our MTHFR profile. That's why I'm worried. 

This time our fetus is the right measurements. Because of that I assume it not to have Edwards or Patau, as they are the worst and would either have miscarried by now, or be small. Not sure about Downs, feel I'm kind of high risk, especially at my age (40). I'm thinking it will either have Downs or be normal. 

Please, please, please let it be normal. I'm not sure I can handle any more. Really, I don't think I can. 

If this pregnancy fails, it's time to call it a day. 

Sigh. 

Exhausted thinking about it. Big breath. 

Eating organic - a must for MTHFR

So, as an MTHFR sufferer, our bodies can't get rid of toxins the same way normal peoples bodies can,  so it's really important we don't put toxins into it. If you have MTHFR you should do everything you can to be on an organic diet.

Sigh. What an effort. And man, that's expensive.

Yep. Unfortunately we're in the high risk category, so, if we want to live healthy lives, it's something we have do it.

I'm 100% organic at the moment, not sure if that's going to be sustainable, but I've looked at ways of incorporating it into my life with the least effort. To start with I had an hour long chat with a very knowledgeable lady at our local organic shop. She told me that the best foods to buy organic are vegetables, vegetables and fruit with lots of juice/liquid in them, like cucumbers and apples. She said the more liquid equals more pesticides, and pesticides are the thing we want to avoid. So if you're on a budget, just focus on fruit and veges.

I discovered a local organic delivery service who delivers fruit and veges to the door, so I signed up. I also resigned my self to the fact I'm going to spend the rest of my life eating quality food, not quantity. The food is going to cost more, but I'm going to eat less. I'm going to do a major shop at the organic shop once every 2 weeks, and use the local supermarket for everything else.

The Dirty Dozen (actually, the dirty 22) & the Clean Fifteen

Here is a list of the foods to focus on in terms of organic. I was shocked to find that apples have 40+ pesticides sprayed onto them. I was also surprised to find that potatoes are in the dirty dozen:
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/healthy/news/g168/dirty-dozen-foods/

10 weeks today

Yeah! Just had a scan with the specialist, and everything is perfect. The little baby was wriggling, it was the perfect measurement and had the perfect heartbeat.

What a relief. I was worried because I've stopped going to the bathroom so much, was going x3 times in the night, now only at 6am. Dr said this was a good sign because it means the placenta is taking over.

We have the next thing to worry about now, that is a Percept cfDNA blood test that I had taken. It can tell us if the baby has Downs, Edwards, Patau, Turners, Klinefelter syndromes, and it can also determine the sex. We'll know the results in about a week. Hope it's ok. Our Dr told us that they are v close to being able to determine the baby's entire DNA through this test. Amazing.

No negative pregnancy symptoms - other than tiredness

The most surprisingly good thing about this pregnancy is that, in contrast to all other pregnancies, there's been no negative symptoms other than tiredness.

I haven't had:

• Morning sickness
• Mood swings
• Constipation
• Sore breasts
• Headaches 
• And I haven't been needing to go to the bathroom as often as in the past

It's strange. My naturopath told me it's because my body is able to clear toxins, so there's no build up of hormones etc. Thank you 5-methylfolate.  

Not surprisingly, due to lack of symptoms, I worry the baby has miscarried every week and am always shocked to see it's little heart beating. Right now I'm feeling that way, worried. 

Please dear God let it still be alive on Monday.

P.S. Did I mention that I've been loosing weight? Yes. Despite the pregnancy, I've lost 5kg since starting on 5-methylfolate, AND, some of that is from my stomach which is a place I've never lost weight from - not in my life, not even in the skinny-university-days. 

Conditions associated with MTHFR

Some conditions that may be associated with MTHFR gene mutations

• Autism
• Addictions: smoking, drugs, alcohol
• Down’s syndrome
• Frequent miscarriages
• Male & female infertility
• Pulmonary embolism and other blood clots
• Depression & anxiety
• Schizophrenia
• Bipolar disorder
• Fibromyalgia
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Chemical Sensitivity
• Parkinson’s disease
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome  
• Stroke
• Spina bifida
• Migraines
• Hyperhomocysteinemia
• Breast cancer
• Atherosclerosis
• Alzheimer’s
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack)
• Methotrexate Toxicity
• Nitrous Oxide Toxicity

Methylation Overview for Professionals

http://www.drkendalstewart.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Methylation-Overview-for-Professionals-10.11.pdf

BioBalance Liposomal B Complex For Pregnancy

This is the product I believe is behind our success:

See information at:
http://blog.healthpost.co.nz/2014/new-generation-b-complex-best-pregnancy-vitamins/


Where to buy:
http://www.healthpost.co.nz/biobalance-liposomal-b-complex-for-pregnancy-bblbp.html

We've Graduated to the Obstetrician

At last we've graduated from the IVF clinic to the Obstetrician and today we visited her for the first time. It was our 9 week scan, and there's still a healthy heart beat! Yeah!!

Good news continues

8 weeks and 1 day today. Just had a scan and heart is still beating and size is growing perfectly.

Big relief.