Chromosonal testing after miscarriages

[Scarlatav]

I had two miscarriages, one in April 2005 at eight weeks and one in August 2005 at six weeks. They were both missed miscarriages and I had two D&E's per my RE and OBGYN.

For my second miscarriage my RE suggested I have chromosonal testing done. The D&E was done on August 18,2005 and I was told that it would take four weeks or longer for the results if there even are any results. Its possible that there may not be any anwers with the chromosonal testing.

Has anyone had this testing done? I am curious what the results are. I am also quite anxious to start TTC again, but I also don't want to move on without answers.

[Heather719]

First off, I'm so sorry for your losses!

We had chromosonal testing done after my 2nd miscarriage as well and it took forever. I had the D&C in Feb and I don't think I got the results back to close to June. Mind you, I live in a small town, so everything had to be sent out. Hopefully you won't have to wait as long as I did. All of our chromosonal tests came back normal.

While waiting for those test results, my ob/gyn also ordered a complete Repeat Pregnancy Loss (RPL) work up. You can get a good idea of what these tests were here (http://www.fertilityplus.org/faq/miscarriage/rpl.html) and here (http://www.fertilitymemphis.com/article_recurrent_pregnancy_loss.asp). You may want to consider getting those tests done as well. Some RE's differ on if these tests need to be done after 2 losses- some would rather wait until a 3rd miscarriage occurs. I was very glad I had the tests done b/c they showed I have both an auto-immune and blood clotting problem.

Best of luck to you!
-Heather

[aprilshowers]

I'm sorry to hear you are going through this. I too had a missed m/c and had chromosomal testing (I assume you are talking about testing on the fetus, not the RPL chromosomal testing for you and DH that heather mentioned). I believe ours took about 4 weeks to come back and the results were that the fetus had Trisomy 2 (an extra #2 chromosome). This particular abnormality cannot support life so the doctor knew that it could not have been inherited from either DH or I, which was a great relief to us. I had a chemical pregnancy about 6 months afterwards and the doctor still thought it was a "random chromosomal abnormality" but sent us for RPL testing anyway. Those results all came back normal. So, in our case the chromosomal testing seemed to show that the loss was just "one of those things." It definitely wouldn't hurt to talk to your doctor about RPL testing. If s/he is willing to do it now it could either put your mind at ease or give you something to work with before proceeding to TTC again.

I hope you get some answers soon. Best wishes!

[bottleored]

I had 2 cycles earlier this year that registered 'borderline pregnancy' levels of hCG (4.6 and 6 - 5 being pregnant). Last cycle I had a chemical pregnancy at 5 weeks. I've had the immunology work up (and have been on blood thinners for the past 3 cycles) and my RE has ordered the karyotyping (chromosome testing) on my DH and I.

We did it last week and he said it could be 4-6 weeks. Ugh! So we have to go through another cycle (or two) without knowing.

[RileyMom]

I m/c last week at 9 weeks and had a d&c last Friday. My OB told me that they would send the fetal tissue to a lab to be tested, but not to get my hopes up because they often times don't get any answers. I called my OB's office yesterday to confirm whether or not they would be doing testing, and the person I spoke with told me I would have had to request testing and if I didn't they don't do it automatically. :confused: Does anyone else know if this is something you have to specifically request? That seems odd to me. I was under the impression from my OB that it is routine to do the testing.

[Heather719]

I'm so sorry for your loss, RileyMom. I know with my ob/gyn's office, you do have to request the testing, it isn't routine. I would try to talk to your ob/gyb directly to see is s/he did send the tissue in to be examined since you had discussed it with her. I know sometimes my ob/gyn does things the front office staff isn't always aware of. I hope you get some answers!

[Phen]

If you're talking about karyotyping (chromosomal testing of both partners, not the fetus), that does unfortunately take 4-6 weeks for results to come in. It's a long 4-6 weeks! (actually, when we did it, the results came in almost exactly 4 weeks after the blood draws for the test).

~ phen

[Ole Miss Bride]

First of all, Scarlatav, I'm so sorry you're going through this. Following my last miscarriage and D&C, I had a genetic analysis performed on our baby. It was very helpful to us. We found out our baby, a girl, carried an unbalanced translocation of two of her chromosomes. Most often, that sort of abnormality is inherited from one of the parents, and through further testing, we discovered that my husband carries a balanced translocation of chromosomes 1 and 14.

The karyotyping for the D&C took about two weeks to come back. The karyotype on my husband and me also took about two weeks. But our lab seems to be abnormally quick with that sort of thing (our testing was through Tulane in New Orleans).

Sheryl, I am so sorry to hear about your miscarriage. For us, genetic testing was kind of a given, as it was my fourth miscarriage, and I was working with an RE. I don't believe I had to sign anything or specifically request it from the lab, but my RE and I discussed it briefly before the D&C, I think. I hope you're able to get some answers.

-Betsy

[RileyMom]

Thank you everyone. I appreciate your condolences. :)

I have a follow-up to my d&c on 9/22 and I'll get some clarification then. Maybe she said "we CAN send the fetal tissue out to be tested, but often don't get any answers" and I thought she said "we WILL send it out...." who knows? With the state of mind I was in at the time (this was about 6 hours after I found out the baby had died) I could have been hearing a number of things. :(

I realize that this is only my 1st m/c --and I have delivered a healthy baby--but the reason I am wondering is b/c I have a bicornuate uterus (its shaped like a heart with two separate horns, so any baby conceived only grows in one "horn" or the other) and I know that women with uterine abnormalities have a higher rate of m/c. I am trying to figure out whether the BU caused the m/c or whether it was something urelated, like a chomosonal issue (I am 38 also). I'm not sure if I will ever know the answer to that. I am kind of guessing that it was chromosonal b/c the baby did implant correctly and in a good spot which I *think* is the big hurdle for bicornuates. Hopefully she will be able ot shed some light on this.

[aprilshowers]

I'm so sorry for your loss, RileyMom. With my missed m/c I didn't have to request the genetic testing on the fetus - the doctor did it automatically. It was also my first pregnancy. It sounds like from what other people are saying that there isn't a specific standard that all doctors follow.

I just took a look back at my calendar last year - looks like it took 3 weeks to get the results from the testing on the fetus. The karyotyping (thanks, phen, for the right term!) results also came back in 3 weeks. Actually, in the second case I got them back at our next appt so they may have been in earlier but the doctor didn't bother to send them.

[shouldaeloped]

for my second miscarriage, the testing was done automatically. my OB asked me before the d&c if I wanted the testing done and when I agreed it was the best way to go, she just ran with it. it took about 4 weeks for the result on the fetus to come back. everything turned up normal. . no abnormalities. the karyotyping on my DH and I both took about 4 weeks and also turned up normal. we have tested everything my doctor can think of and everything I can find on my own to test and there is no evidence that anything is wrong. both miscarriages were just "one of those things." while I am happy for that so I can have a little hope and peace of mind for the next time, a few answers would have been nice too.

I'm sorry for your losses and I hope you find the answers you are looking for.