Ectopic, miscarriages and stress.

Preparing For Your Next Pregnancy
1

Hi All,

I’m feeling desperately alone and deep down know I shouldn’t!

Back in 2020, I was rushed to hospital in crippling pain. I knew something was instantly wrong with my pregnancy. I was scanned and told I would need emergency surgery and had my right Fallopian tube removed with my baby.

Since then, I have fallen pregnant another 2 times. Once, 3 months after the ectopic and again 3 weeks ago. Both pregnancies ended due to my declining progesterone levels and slowly falling HCG levels, ending at 5 and half weeks.

I am completely and utterly heartbroken and so desperately wanted a second child.

Looking back upon these last 2 losses it’s made me realise how traumatised I am by my ectopic. The fear of going through it again terrifies me. Any twinge, ache or pain I panic. I admitted myself to A&E with this recent pregnancy, adamant I was having shoulder tip pain at 5 weeks pregnant. Of course, nothing could be seen on the ultrasound and nothing could be confirmed if I was experiencing an ectopic. Once I got back home the pain stopped and I didn’t experience the pain in my shoulder again, so was this pain just in my head?

I am still under observations through bloods as my HCG levels are still slowly declining. My bloods were measured at 75, 10 days ago and measured at 70, 4 days ago. I’ve bled, thinking I’d completely miscarried but am now starting to question whether or not I have :woman_shrugging: I’m currently just having period pain like symptoms.

Falling pregnant triggers me in such a way is this why I’ve had two losses since, through stress?

2

Dear Casey,

I am so sorry to hear of your ectopic pregnancy and losses, to experience one loss is difficult, to deal with multiple losses is heartbreaking and my heart truly goes out to you.

Further loss can certainly be triggering after a traumatic event such as ectopic pregnancy. I know when I next fell pregnant, I couldn’t relax and was constantly on edge until the early scan results.

Some women however find it deeply triggering and upsetting and it’s not uncommon to experience symptoms like PTSD. Have you thought of counselling for this at all, as talking through our feelings can help. I accessed counselling years after my ectopic pregnancy and it certainly helped.

If you do decide to try to conceive again, as you have sadly experienced an ectopic pregnancy and two losses since, I would speak to your doctor or medical team about referral to fertility specialists to see if they can advise and support you going further. Knowing you are under specialist medical care may also help you feel more at ease.

For now be kind to yourself and allow time to grieve, to heal both physically and emotionally.

We are here for you for as long as you need,

Sending much love,

Karen x

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