Answers...Maybe?

We had another appointment with the specialist this week for a follow up of some blood work. We completely expected them to find nothing and to never have any idea of what happened to Sam. BUT...something came back. It turns out that I have a gene mutation called homozygous MTHFR C677T. So both of my parents were at least carriers of this mutated gene since I got two of them. This can cause blood clots and inhibits your body's ability to use folic acid correctly...both things that could have contributed to the loss. It can be treated with folic acid, b vitamins and baby aspirin daily...for the rest of my life. If we choose to get pregnant again then they will monitor me and the placenta.

It is a relief in some ways to have something that definitely supports our thoughts that it was a placenta problem. It's sad that there was nothing wrong with Sam and that he had to die for us to find this problem, but on the other hand he could have saved a lot of people in our family if others have this. And he saved me from possibly having other medical problems during and after pregnancy.

This genetic mutation was only recently discovered and there are varying answers on the best way to treat it. I had some more blood work done yesterday to now see if the mutation is affecting me. I am scheduled to see a hematologist in 2 weeks and then after that have an appointment with my OBGYN to discuss all that we found out and make a plan for the future.

It's been kind of interesting trying to look at both sides of my family and see who may have had it also (anyone with heart attack or stroke because it can cause atherosclerosis). I have strongly encouraged my mother, sister and uncle to be tested to see if they are carriers and therefore at higher risk of these illnesses. I look forward to those results and that will help me put the pieces together too. I'll let you know more as i find it out.