Anyone else having trouble TTC after PE or HELLP?

[evansmommy]

Hello all! I developed HELLP in the 37th week of pregnancy with my first child. I had him right at 37 weeks and we were both lucky to be very healthy immediately following delivery. We decided to TTC following his 2nd birthday. This year, his 4th birthday in May marked 2 years of trying. We have been pregnant twice in those two years and lost both pregnancies in the first trimester. Our RE couldn't find any medical reason for the m/c, and we are back to rounds of Clomid and two weeks ago had IUI #2. My OBGYN and RE agree that HELLP couldn't have an effect on TTC, but I can't help but think that it does. I can't help but think that my body and make-up were changed by HELLP and that it is somehow related to these issues that are otherwise unexplained. Has anyone else had a similar experience? Thank you!

[sam10]

I have had difficulties conceiving and/or staying pregnant since we started TTC seven years ago (without any medical reasons). I had MCs and chemical pregnancies before and after my PE pregnancy. There is definitely literature out there regarding the link between PE/HELLP and infertility. I don't know if there are any definite conclusions/findings; If PE/HELLP is a direct root cause for infertility though, I don't know, but I will dig around and see if I can find any related info. Good luck with your treatments.

[angieb]

My non-medical guess is that women with underlying fertility issues (in some/many cases which can be unknown/unexplained), are more likely to get pre-e/HELLP. I used to frequent a lot of fertility forums for people struggling to TTC, and pre-e/HELLP comes up on the pregnancy sections very very rarely. So I'm not so sure that there really is a great link.

I have long crazy cycles. Ovulated somewhere around day 100+ with dd and got pregnant, developed HELLP at 23 weeks. Struggled to conceive DS, we did fertility meds (femara ended up working best for me), and then IUI (mostly IUI out of frustration of being unsuccessful more than necessity), it worked our first IUI but can't say for sure that the IUI even helped or we caught the egg the old fashioned way. This third time, I managed to get pregnant while still breastfeeding, I used soy isoflavones for 5 days (similar to clomid, it works the same way for some people), to my surprise it worked and we timed things well and got pregnant the first month we tried, completely on our own. My progesterone was lowish and I most likely would have miscarried if I had not had it tested and supplemented.

Good luck to you! I know TTC can be really frustrating and difficult.

[kerisue]

Wow, those miscarriages after trying so long and hard to conceive must have been really difficult. I too have had a lot of trouble trying to conceive after preeclampsia two years ago; however, my doc and I agree this is due primarily to my age (40). I wish you patience and perseverance. and hopefully success!