Knowledgeable OB/GYN or Infertility Doctor recommendations?

[Seattle_Rose]

This is my third miscarriage, and I am tired of dealing with OBGYNs who are not willing to run tests or lack experience in recurrent miscarriages and/or infertility issues.

For me, I do not have issues getting pregnant (at least not on clomid) but cannot seem to make it pass the first trimester successfully.

Does anyone have experience with this and can recommend a compassionate Dr. who has dealt with this? We are also very close to considering infertility treatment, so if anyone can recommend or have had a good experience with a clinic, please please do let me know.

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[Weezie]

Very sorry for your losses, but please do not give up. Wonderful experiences with Seattle Women’s Clinic over the years. My own OB/GYN is no longer delivering babies so has left that practice, however. SWC is on First Hill, adjacent to Swedish’s main campus.

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[manolita]

I have a friend who had 4 miscarriages befero she decided to see a different doctor. She was given a treatment and she happily welcomed her baby boy last month. I can get find out who is her doctor for you (she lives in Kirkland).

Also, I highly recommend my gyno (he does not do the obstetrics part) but is very compassionate and specializes in fertility issues. His name is Phillip Welch and is at Swedish First Hill, his number is 206 386 6000

Good luck and hang in there!

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[Irukandji]

On First Hill, Tiffany McDermott at 860-4541 is a GREAT ObGyn, and Seattle Reproductive Medicine has a fantastically supportive and professional team of successful docs. I highly recommend them if you pursue fertility treatment. We started with Dr. Angela Thyer, then on to the whole team while she went out on maternity leave.

http://www.seattlefertility.com/

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[Tracy]

Seattle_Rose – sorry to hear about your fertility issues. You should definately see a specialist. I went through a # of issues myself, and really liked Dr. Letterie at NW Reproductive.

http://www.northwestreproductive.com/

(Ultimately I ended up at a clinic in Colorado, but in Seattle, I would recommend him)

Sounds like you may have low progesterone levels that with some tweeking in your first trimester, you could carry a pregnancy successfully.

Best of luck to you.

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[abstract]

Any of the doctors (REs) at http://www.pnwfertility.com.

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[Seattle_Rose]

Thank you all for your suggestions!

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[leigh]

Seattle_Rose, so sorry to hear about your difficulties. Sounds like you’re experiencing the same problems I did. No problem getting pregnant, but had a hard time keeping the babies throught the first trimester. My doctor put me on progesterone immediately after ovulation and kept me on it through the first trimester and it seems to do the trick. It’s not 100% proven, but I do have two beautiful girls to show for it. And after four miscarriages, I’m a believer. I saw Dr. Tracy Johannsen at Northwest Women’s Healthcare and I can’t say enough good things about her and the other doctors there. Their web site is http://www.nwwomenshealth.com/pages/home.php. Good luck and I hope you hear to pitter patter of little feet soon!

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[Cait]

I don’t know of any OB/GYNs that specialize in that but I used to work for Acupuncture Northwest and they specialize in acupuncture and herb based fertility treatments and I saw them have huge success in the short time I was there. They are in the Medical Dental building downtown.

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[Seattle_Rose]

Leigh or Anyone,

Do you know why progesterone therapy is considered controversial? I keep hearing people say it, but have not heard the pros or cons. I can’t seem to find that much information about the subject other than it’s untested and can’t be proven one way or another? I have really short cycles, so I feel like it may have something to do with it, but of course, going to a specialist will help. My last OB/GYN seemed very uncomfortable with it but did not explain one way or the other; an indication to me that I needed to find someone new. The reason I want to go the route of a regular OB/GYN first (w/ experience in recurrent miscarriages) instead of skipping right to a reproductive specialist is because my insurance only covers 50% for infertility treatment with a lifetime max of 20k.

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[meg]

progesterone is often used in women who have a difficult time maintaining the uterine lining in early pregnancy–which is commonly the case in a short luteal phase. It is given to keep the levels of progesterone up until the body takes over at 10-13 weeks. I haven’t heard much controversial about it.

I used PNW fertility…and while I didn’t love them, they got the job done. I had to be my own advocate a lot though. In your case it sounds like perhaps a regular OB might be able to help. The Polyclinic MD’s are great and also have heard good things about Tiffany McDermott.

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[herongrrrl]

Seattle Rose, I’ve known many women who have used progesterone successfully, and if you have short cycles the odds of that being the issues is so high…I can’t imagine why your current doc is not suggesting it or has a problem with it. I’m a doula and have studied women’s fertility extensively, and I’ve never heard controversy over this treatment. I know it used to be true that some docs would not do anything to investigate the cause of miscarriages until a woman has had three, but I think that’s really outmoded and, as you know, causes a lot of suffering.

You may be able to determine yourself whether or not progesterone is the issue. If you haven’t read it already, I can’t recommend enough the book “Taking Control of Your Fertility” by Toni Weschler. Charting your fertility cycles in detail can often show you if progesterone levels are an issue or not, and the method outlined in her book is very easy to use. You can then bring your charts to your care provider and explain what you’re seeing–good ones will look at them with you and listen, which is a good indicator of how they will eventually treat you during labor as well!

It sounds like you are right to be seeking a new care provider based on your experience! I’m so sorry for your losses, and wish you the best of luck.

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[luckymom30]

I too had miscarriages before our daughters birth. I also had no problems getting pregnant regardless that I was older and was told I had a 1% or less chance of conceiving. I also was on clomid for 5 months, I was told longer than 5 months at a time would make getting pregnant almost nil.

I had alot going on in my life back then deaths of family members, stress from my mom who was going through brain and lung cancer and other issues. Before my miscarriage I was not told and not aware of the dietiary limits I should have taken like avoiding coffee, nitrates (bacon, hotdogs, etc…) certain cheese (cream cheese was a good choice), eat food that is pasterized. Are you taking prenatal vitamins?

I made myself an appiintment at Swedish for an ultrasound with athe fertity specialists and little did I know I was pregnant again (5 weeks) so I became vigilant in watching what I ate, what was in the food I ate, my stress level, everything. We were considering invitro but I was able to go full-term.

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