Wednesday, April 27, 2005

MTHFR Factor

I am just amazed at how many women are having difficulties carrying pregnancies past the 5th and 6th weeks... and at how many doctors are NOT testing their patients for the MTHFR Factor.

As you've read in past issues, I was diagnosed with MTHFR Factor. The following is an excerpt (with a few changes) of an email I just sent out to a fellow infertile who was just diagnosed with MTHFR... Not to mention that much of this is verbatim from a previous blog entry of mine...

I just can't talk about it enough times to get the message out....

MTHFR is a genetic mutation. I have the homozygous scenario --Two of my genes (1 A and 1 C) are mutated, or broken, or whatever.

Here's how my doctor explained this to me... People with MTHFR factor don't produce folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12. So, wohoo ... one might think, big deal! But on the contrary, it IS a big deal! Women with MTHFR factor have spontaneous miscarriages between 5th and 6th weeks (uh, that would be me--4 of them), and a lack of B6 and B12 directly affects rapidly reproducing cells... and that would be what an embryo does. In fact, a lack of B6 and B12 causes rapidly reproducing cells to STOP reproducing. So, my doctor put me on a massive cocktail of Baby Aspirin, Folic Acid, Vitamin B6 and B12... and I do mean MASSIVE ... and -- WOW... what a difference! I got an instant jolt of energy, and come to find out, that's how I should have been feeling if I didn't have this MTHFR factor!

I take 2 milligrams of Folic Acid, 100 mg of B6, and 250 micrograms of B12. I also took (notice I say "took") a baby aspirin daily until I had a positive pregnancy test in February. Then, I only stopped the aspirin, but continued everything else. Surprisingly, my prenatal vitamin only had 1 milligram of Folic Acid, 3 milligrams of B6, and 8 micrograms of B12. That's nothing in comparison with what I take now!!! By the way... I take regular old over the counter vitamins. I could get a prescription for the Folic acid, but why bother. It's cheap enough.

I started this cocktail back in November. I had my next IVF transfer in January, and am now, for the first time in my life, carrying a healthy and happy baby. I'm 15 weeks pregnant. After 15 years (that's not a typo!) of non-stop trying to get pregnant with a ton of different doctors, I'm finally pregnant ... I just want to cry tears of joy each time I think of our baby, or see him or her on the ultrasound machine. My heart is overflowing with joy!

And ... I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this diagnosis and corrective action (vitamin cocktail) is what my successful pregnancy is attributed to.

This has now become my new war cry... GET TESTED FOR MTHFR!!! Any time I hear that a woman has had multiple miscarriages by about the 5th or 6th week, red flags start flapping all over and I just have to share about my own experiences. MTHFR and PCOS have totally screwed with my ability to reproduce naturally. And, my doctor suspects that I had a lot more miscarriages that I wasn't even aware that I was having. Besides the spontaneous miscarriages, it also is the leading factor in coronary heart disease (which my dad has). Another reason to be tested.

Just remember ... It's not just the Folic Acid that is important ... B6 and B12 are also critical, critical, critical. Also, I'm pretty sure that because of the massive doses of B6 I'm taking, I didn't have any morning sickness... what a BONUS!

So what does it all boil down to? If you are an infertile, and you've been diagnosed with MTHFR Factor, You WILL GET PREGNANT and successfully carry a child if you follow the correct protocol. Of that I'm certain. I feel so grateful for my doctor at Shady Grove Fertility. I can't tell you how many times I've referred my fertility specialist (Dr. Melissa Esposito) to other women. She's outstanding, and without her, I wouldn't be pregnant right now. Even my OB agrees, and he doesn't work with her or in their office.

That's all for now!

Monday, April 25, 2005

One Whole Month!

Today is exactly one whole month since my last post. ONE WHOLE MONTH!

And now... I am 15 weeks pregnant... AND... ALL IS WELL!!!

Except for the severe moodiness, emotional ups and downs, and darned leaky tear ducts.

Mother's Day is around the corner, my in-laws 40th Anniversary is on Mother's Day, too, and it's going to be a busy, busy weekend.

I need to start banking some sleep.

Enough said!