Antiphospolipid syndrome/anticardiolipin antibodies, anyone?

[SweetLily]

Hi all,

I was just wondering if anyone has gone through this disorder successfully and had a baby. Any happy stories?

I've done a lot of research, but am a bit confused how heparin alone can cause the immunological aspect of this syndrome to back off and still have a baby, which experts say it does. I dont think I can take prednisone, I have higher bp most of the time and its supposed to raise it a lot.

Does anyone have experiences with this? I would love to hear that lovenox alone gave happy outcomes :)

At least there seems to be a reason for all the mcs now and they can treat accordingly.

Thanks.

[hotdogz&boyz]

Meet Kieran, Josephine, and Sawyer:

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All three of these beauties (obviously I am biased!) are successful lovenox babies. After my first son, I had a hard string of miscarriages and proceeded with testing. Although my RE did not suspect anything was wrong, I was diagnosed with APA (Antiphospholipid Antibody Disorder). It made perfect sense with our family history and my personal history. I was started on aspirin immediately and when we recieved the good news that we were expecting (not two weeks after the results came in), I started Lovenox shots. They aren't pleasant not easy. But worth every second.

Heparin isn't recommended in early pregnancy for APA, but I switch over in the last few weeks because it's half-life is shorter and it can be reversed in cases of emergencies. Prednisone is also contraindicated in pregnancy. I believe its used for maintenance if the levels can't be controlled by aspirin or other blood thinners alone.

Lovenox can be very successful :)

[atomic sagebrush]

hotdogz, what is their explanation as to why people are seemingly able to have one or more pg before this kicks in?? Was yours secondary to lupus or anything like that??? Do they believe it is like rH factor??

[SweetLily]

Hotdogz, Thanks for the intro to your sweeties! Success stories will help me stay positive :)

Atomic, I think it develops over age. I have had signs (looking back) since I was 26 with baby 3. I read about the whys on getting it, and amoxicillin use is a big one (in youth, and as a teen I had 10 sinus infections one year that they treated all with amoxicillin). Also, there seems to be more cases in a family tho not apparently hereditary, and i wonder if my dad has it as it causes heart valve problems and he had to have surgery on his valves 6 years ago.

I know several ppl who have gotten diagnosed after a baby with either a clotting disorder or auto immune, and it usually pops up in their 30's. The average age to be diagnosed with APS is 34. I was 35 when the test came back. I do wonder if there is a reason like the rh factor. My mom kept insisting it was something like that (she was freakishly accurate about things, and even called me to tell me I was pregnant with my first 3 kids before I could even do a HPT). Before she died she told me she thought I'd get pregnant in the next several months, I cling to that hope as she was always very right about these things. Lol, crazy side note. She dies in November, I miss her a lot.

Is it true autoimmune sways blue? Sheesh, will I ever get a girl? I will be happy with any baby but would give my right arm for a girl!

[atomic sagebrush]

I am really curious about this because as I always say, doctors know about .001% of how any of this works and I actually think what we are doing here is a big piece of the puzzle because I think gender ratio has something to do with it. I would not be at all surprised if within the next few years they discover more clotting disorders that can cause secondary infertility and I would bet $$ that they work like rH factors where you can have 1 or more normal pg and then it suddenly starts happening (in your case, very interestingly with a new partner).

Re autoimmune swaying blue, I have observed overwhelmingly that certain autoimmune disorders like Hashimoto's, eczema, severe allergies, and rheumatoid arthritis seem to be overrepresented among the boy moms. We have had a couple swayers on here with Sjogren's as well. But that having been said, I do not believe it's that autoimmune sways blue per se, but more that (like we discussed before) people who are in super good condition physically - to such an extent that their immune system is in such fine fettle that it actually ends up attacking itself LOL - are more likely to be having boys to start with. Good condition may not always be what it appears - people who are in poor health due to autoimmune disease may not feel like they're in good condition, but that's not necessairly how your body interprets the matter.

There are some other autoimmune diseases that seem to be associated with more girls conceived too - Type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis. Some types of arthritis in DH.

So sorry to hear of your mom. :(

[SweetLily]

Thanks Atomic :)

In calgary for my shg tomorrow and final test results. Hoping my uterus is clear of polyps so we dont need to delay ttc for another d&c!

Will post my results and drs plans when i get them. I hope ahe plans for more than just aspirin!

[SweetLily]

Oh--i will add that i had signs of this with my last pregnancy with my ex when i was 26 too. So maybe not relating to new husband...?

[atomic sagebrush]

Interesting! Thank you for sharing your experience, it really helps me help others.

Keep me posted on the outcome of the tests and sending "good news" dust due north. :)