Hi
I was wondering if anyone could give me their advise. On Monday 13th March my consultant advised me my HCG was below 20 and I was on that day discharged from the hospital.
The consultant advised to not try again for another baby until beginning of June.
Would you take this as 1st June or if you count 12 weeks from 13th March that would be 5th June.
The reason I ask based on my period at the min i think I will be fertile the first week in June.
Any advise or thoughts appreciared xx
forgot to add, ive had methotrexate treatment xx
Hiya,
Hope your doing ok?
I had the same treatment as you and was told to wait 12 full weeks after starting taking folic acid again. You need to give your body time to 're stock on the nutrients.
I know it seems a long time but my thinking is you want to give your next pregnancy the best possible chance. Xx
Dear xxnic87xx,
I am so sorry to hear of your ectopic pregnancy and loss.
With Methotrexate, you should wait until your hCG levels have fallen to below 5mIU/mL and then take a folic acid supplement for 12 weeks before you try to conceive. 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.
The chances of a further ectopic after a first in UK is 10%. So that’s 90% chance of the embryo being in right place next time.
Importantly early scans avail. As soon as you know you are pregnant, contact your local EPU to inform them and book in for an early scan at around six weeks. Remind them of your previous ectopic pregnancy. This self refer route is the best route in our view. Hopefully you will have some comfort to know you are under the radar of medical professionals right away.
While generally it is possible to conceive after an ectopic pregnancy, the amount of time it takes varies from couple to couple. Factors include age, general health, reproductive health and how often you have sex, among other things. It may be comforting to know that 65% of women are successfully pregnant within 18 months of experiencing an ectopic pregnancy and some studies suggest this rises to around 85% after two years.
Making the decision to begin trying to conceive is an emotional rollercoaster compounded by our sad loss. Again, you are not alone. We here emotional support whenever you need us.
Sending much love,
Karen x
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