On Wednesday , I was admitted to hospital after believing i have an ectopic pregnancy - after IVF treatment, my HCG levels were doubling every 24-72hrs to this point but they were worried they were not high enough! i had a scan on Tuesday and they found no pregnancy in uterus so sent me for more scans in hospital. They thought they had located it so we went for laparoscopy - when they went in they couldn’t find anything so waisted surgical procedure. My HCG levels have continued to rise to 5000 now and they have now offered me methotrexate - something which we had decided against to avoid the messy 6 month wait afterwards before we could try again. From the reading I have done this has a decreased chance of working (levels above 5000) and 2 maybe 3 injections will be needed. Because they haven’t found anything this is now a pregnancy of unknown location! I am feeling fine in myself (apart from some tenderness from the laparoscopy) but am feeling very negative about the methotrexate! Just wondering if anybody has been through similar or has any advise??
Dear Hmatthews,
I am so sorry to hear of your ectopic pregnancy and loss,
Unfortunately I am not medically trained so cannot give you specific advice on your treatment options and would advise discussing treatment options further with your Dr.
Our advice following one or two doses of Methotrexate, is that you should wait until your hCG levels have fallen to below 5mIU/mL (your doctor will advise you when this is through blood tests) and then take a folic acid supplement for 12weeks before you try to conceive, not 6 months. This is because the Methotrexate may have reduced the level of folate in your body which is needed to ensure a baby develops healthily. The Methotrexate is metabolised quickly but it can affect the quality of your cells, including those of your eggs and the quality of your blood for up to three months after it has been given. The medicine can also affect the way your liver works and so you need to give your body time to recover properly before a new pregnancy is considered. A shortage of folate could result in a greater chance of a baby having a neural tube defect such as hare lip, cleft palate, or even spina bifida or other NT defects. This is why the “wait” and then taking folic acid for 12 weeks before trying to conceive is so important.
I can understand your feeling nervous about more treatment and this is very normal after going through the ordeal you have. Recovery from ectopic pregnancy is a challenging time and it is very important to ensure that you stay safe. Your doctors can guide you through your treatment and we are here to lean on for emotional support, too.
Sending much love,
Karen x
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