Hi everyone, I’m writing here because I’m trying to understand what’s going on with my body and would really appreciate any insight or shared experiences.
I’m 37 and I just went through what is now a confirmed chemical pregnancy. I woke up today with heavy bleeding and cramps after previously having a positive test and low beta hCG.
Here’s my history:
* I’ve had 4 early losses total (all around 7-8 weeks, no heartbeat detected). No successful pregnancy after this time mark.
* 3 were with a previous partner. In each case, the pregnancy did not pass naturally and I required a D&C (dilation and curettage) and it was years ago.
* This most recent one is with my current partner, passed naturally at week 4 and diagnosed as a chemical pregnancy.
At the time of my earlier losses, I didn’t know I had hypothyroidism. I was diagnosed in 2021 and I’m currently on Synthroid, with well-controlled levels (TSH around 1.0 and T4 at 7.41). My Doctor ordered my to double up the medication dose 2 times a week as soon as we found out I was pregnant, which was very early (one day before expected period).
For this last pregnancy, my labs at 4w5d were:
* hCG: 11.5 (very low)
* Progesterone: 1.10 (very low)
* Estradiol: 33
My doctor started me on progesterone and estradiol support yesterday (at 4w5d) , but the pregnancy still did not progress. Will continue with this treatment for the sake of it.
So far, I’ve had a pretty extensive workup and everything has come back normal, including:
* Thyroid panel (TSH, T3, T4) — currently well-controlled
* Thyroid antibodies (TPO, thyroglobulin) — negative
* Autoimmune testing:
* Lupus anticoagulant — normal
* Anticardiolipin antibodies — negative
* Inflammatory markers (CRP, ESR) — normal
* A1c — normal
* Vitamin D — normal
* CBC and metabolic panel — overall normal
Other details that might be relevant:
* My cycles have shortened over time (now about 24–25 days)
* I ovulate around day 13
* I suspect I may have a short luteal phase
* I’ve experienced spotting before my period and feel nauseous when im ovulating.
I’m very fertile, got pregnant this time on our first try. But my body does not sustain the pregnancy, which is every time even more heartbreaking.
I'm trying to understand what could be causing this pattern:
* Could this primarily be a hormonal issue (low progesterone / luteal phase defect)?
* Could it still be egg quality or genetic factors, even with a different partner? Could I have a gene defect?
* Is it possible my earlier losses were due to untreated thyroid, but now something else is going on?
What additional testing would you push for at this point?
When do people typically consider IVF with genetic testing in cases like this?
I’m already working with a fertility specialist, but I want to go into my next appointment as informed as possible.
If anyone has gone through something similar or has insight on possible root causes or next steps, I would truly appreciate it.
Thank you 🤍