Second ectopic - can it just be bad luck?

Hi

I’m sadly going through my third loss atm. Started trying for a baby in May 23, I had an early MC in September 23, then an ectopic in Feb 24 (treated with methotrexate) in my left tube. Then fell pregnant November 24 turned out to ne ectopic again in my left tube, and am now currently on my second dose of Methotrexate as the first didn’t work.

I feel like I have a 101 questions. Since my first MC all I have done is try to educate myself and find out why this could be happening. I naively thought when i start trying for a baby everything will be fine as i was pregnant when i was 16 and that seemed like a ‘normal pregnancy’. I was very young and immature at the time and wasn’t ready. So I sadly had a termination.

After my first MC and ectopic. I knew the NHS rule to get any help was 3 MC but i thought surely they will help me, ectopics can be dangerous! I went to see the GP and was told nothing can be done its probably bad luck and to try again. We waited for the MTX to be out my system, and went with the flow. One afternoon in september 2024 i was so hyper fixated on researching if there could be something up with me. I ended up booking a private gyne scan. The lady who scanned me said everything looks normal, womb size and position. Ovaries looked good no cysts. And that i had ovulated from my left that month. She then said that my Endometrium looked very very thin. I was measuring at 3.3mm on cycle day 25, so a few days before my period was due. she said you should be at least 8-10mm. I said how when i was scanned at EPU to find my ectopic back in feb they said my lining was thin. But i thought it was just a comment. Even to have ivf your lining needs to be measuring at at least 7mm. She also said she could see some small signs of Adenymiosis.

I straight away researched into thin linings, and read that pretty much no pregnancy will be able to implant or stay implanted if your lining is under 6/7 mm at least! i thought this is the reason! I started doing everything i could at home to help thicken my lining. Eating all the best foods, acupuncture, taking L-argenine. Keeping my uterus warm. everything to help with blood flow.
I took my findings to the gp and said you cannot tell me to go try again when its there in black and white that it will probably fail again. She listened and referred me to fertility. well Gyne - fertility.
I also knew that my lining hadn’t always been thin as from when i started my periods at 13 right up until i had the marina coil at 24 my periods were super heavy, painful and 5-7 days long. When i had my coil out my periods where light and about 3-4 days. And since more recently gone to 2 days and just pink. I thought wow so what has happened to cause my lining to thin. Hormonal imbalance? The coil? I’ve had some bloods done and my FSH etc and everything that would indicate early menopause has come back normal which was a relief. My estrogen looked low but was still within their normal guidelines. I was meant to recently have my progesterone checked but fell pregnant. so i will get that done once i’m back to normal.

Found out my fertility appointment isn’t until march 20th 2025 and i felt so sad it was so long away. In the meantime fell pregnant again Nov 2024, another ectopic in my left tube. This time my Hcg risen a lot higher than my last ectopic. And the second dose of MTX was needed. I am currently 9 weeks and 4 days. I’m very lucky to not of had a rupture, up to now anyway. Again i can’t get my head around why this is happening. Is there something also up with my tube as well as my lining being thin. I have read that the egg can find somewhere else to burrow and implant when the lining is to thin. Causing an ectopic. I asked the doctor this and he said that likely wouldn’t happen. so i don’t know.

I was offered surgery but I couldn’t see the reason to do it when there could be chance my tube is okay. And a perfectly good tube could be removed before any testing is done. I know there’s a very good chance there is something up with the left tube with both ectopics happening there. But i thought if i can save it i will! And i worry that imagine it was absloutley fine and my right is blocked and the good one has been removed. I know unlikley but i think of every possibly outcome out of anxiety. if anyone has been through anything similar id love to know?
And also your reasoning for choosing having your tube removed rather then MTX?

All three experiences with the EPU have not been good. Both ectopics i was turned away by them. Had some awful comments made to me. Told to stop taking pregnancy tests, there not positives. Making out i was obsessing. Me and my husband to be are currently in the middle of complaint to the medical board. If i had listened to the professional advice given by the head nurse there i very likely would of ruptured and not known i had ectopics.

To top things of i’ve just found out my fertility appointment has been cancelled and been pushed back to end of June. I burst into tears as each day i feel like all i do is fight for answers. Answers seem to be getting further and further away from me, with lack of hope for a baby in the future.

Love to hear anyone else’s experiences.

Thanks if you took the time to read it all!

Dear Sam,
I am so sorry to hear of your ectopic pregnancies and losses. To experience one loss is difficult, dealing with multiple losses is heartbreaking and I am so sorry you are having to go through all of this.
I am sorry, but we are unable to provide individualised medical advice and I am unable to comment on your womb lining. I would advise that you write all your questions for your fertility doctor on a piece of paper and ensure each one is answered. Especially as you are having to wait so long for the appointment.
I completely understand the need to try and find out why you have experienced ectopic pregnancies. I also searched for answers. Whilst there are risk factors, miscarriage and termination of pregnancy are not known risk factors. A third of all people who experience ectopic pregnancy have no risk factors at all. Sadly there is no way of preventing ectopic pregnancy, so please do not feel guilty about things you have or haven’t tried that didn’t work.
We advise keeping a healthy weight, stopping smoking and drinking within government advised limits, as well as taking pre-pregnancy vitamins.
Whilst you are waiting for your appointments, please be kind to yourself and allow time to grieve and heal both physically and emotionally.
Sending much love,
Karen x

Hey Sam,

Just wanted to send my heart out to you for the rough time(s) you are going through. I’ve had two ectopics in my left tube and a MC myself, so I can related to the level of heartbreak and stress you might be experiencing.

I ended up getting my tube removed after the 2nd ectopic (they initially thought it had ruptured, and once they figured that it hadn’t yet I decided to still get the surgery). I’ve never known a cause for either EPs, but have assumed the first must have caused the second one - just a guess though. In some ways my MC felt like at least a positive in finding out the my other/now only tube could work… not that it felt any good anyways, but at least an embryo had reach my uterus…!

Im really sorry you have had such awful medical help. Im in Canada, and I’ve had mostly good support except perhaps for the fact they don’t consider me to have a reccurring pregnancy loss issue because that takes 3 MC and I’ve only had one (apparently they don’t count EPs…).

A bit of rambling of my own here. I hope it makes you feel less alone. Im here if you need someone to talk to <3

Cam