"Is Your Body Baby-Friendly?"

So obviously I didn't get to even start my book "review" like I wanted to last post. So here it goes...."Is Your Body Baby-Friendly?" is a great book for those who want to understand the possibilities of what could go wrong in the immune system that contributes to recurrent m/c's, unexplained infertility, and recurrent IVF failure. Warning: It's not a super easy book to read because of all the medical jargon.

Dr. Beer, who has since passed away after the book was written, has over 25 year's experience dealing with unexplained pregnancy lost, IVF failures, and infertility. The drawback is many Ob/Gyn's find his practice and research controversial and many have labeled him as a "quack" or "money hungry". I hafta disagree. I find when things are controversial (let's eliminate politics because we all know it will always be controversial) its because we (generalizing everyone) don't know enough about the topic. Take for example chiropractors (since I'm married to one)...how often are they called quacks by people who never saw one or those who have an overall misunderstanding about what they really do? Sure there are quacks out there, but in every field.

Unfortunately, Ob/Gyn's do NOT study the immune system in full, only an immunologist has full knowledge, and yes their are reproductive immunologists out there, Dr. Beer was one of them and his practice continues on in California. We hear the same cliches (ie...Keep on trying, your still young, 3 m/c's are normal)over and over again from our Ob/Gyn's or even our RE's because they don't know what is wrong even after running all the tests they know of. Some even make up the excuse, "well your uterus is tilted" or "your too old" and its just not the cause. It's not their fault that they don't know since this is a relatively new idea and new research but at the same time it is their responsibility to help their patients and better their selves as physicians by reading and understanding research.

Some Interesting Facts:
- "Thrombophilia is found in approximately 2/3 of women with unexplained pregnancy lost." (pg. 48)
- Thrombophilia can be associated with conditions such as preeclampsia, intrauterine fetal death, low amniotic fluid level, m/c, premature labor, and stillbirth.
- "Up to 30% of women who repeatedly m/c or are infertile test positive for antiphospholipid antibodies (APA). (The percentage is higher for women who have failed 3 or more IVF cycles.)" (pg. 52)
- APA's make implantation & cell division very difficult, however if those things do occur often the heartbeat will be found at 6-7 weeks but then stops around 8-10 weeks. :-(
-ANA's (antinuclear antibodies) which attack cell's DNA, "are found in approx. 30% of women with recurrent m/c and in 20% infertile." (pg. 61)
- Things such as allergies, depression, anxiety, allergies to your husband's sperm, your spouse's DNA may be all too similar to yours, IBS, PCOS, diabetes, undetected thyroid issues, obesity, migraines (and so on), may all affect your immune system and your chances of conceiving or carrying to term.
- Dr. Beer has observed, "women with chronic hives have the strongest allergies that make pregnancy difficult." (pg. 86)
- Women who have difficulty conceiving or suffer early pregnancy losses may have low serotonin levels which may lead to "restricted blood flow through the vessels and capillaries of the uterus which can disrupt the early stages of pregnancy. Low serotonin levels can also accompany the myraid of health problems that women often experience alongside reproductive failure." (pg. 104)
- "If a mother has untreated autoimmune problems before she conceives, there is an eight-fold greater likelihood that her child will suffer from hyperactivity, autism, or attention deficit disorder." (pg. 123)

Dr. Beer in this book also lists comprehensive immune testing and gives normal ranges for each test and treatment for abnormalities. Somewhere, (I didn't mark the page of course!) it says that if you continue to have recurrent losses, your immune system may only worsen with each loss. The book also includes inspirational stories of patients who have undergone some of Dr. Beer's treatments, along with a section written by Zita West on diet and toxins to our babies, which i found a lot of good info. Looks like I may be buying her book next. :-)

I hope that if you are struggling with unexplained infertility, m/c or IVF failure that I have provided you with some hope and courage to venture onto other avenues and not settle for anything but answers.

Also please remember this is only my opinion and I have not meant to upset anyone by what I've written. I only wanted to share some knowledge I have gained through this book!

After reading this book my intuition tells me there is something wrong with my immune system. I've suffered from allergies all my life, with little or no relief from treatment ranging to allergy shots & meds. I know I have a weak immune system because I am prone to sinusitis 3-5 times a year (under went sinus surgery when I was 11). From all my sinus infections, I've found out that I'm allergic to about 8 different antibiotics. Six years ago I was diagnosed with depression (mainly seasonal) and anxiety issues. My family medical history includes: heart disease, RA, and possible signs of lupus. :::sigh:::

Well, we aren't making any further decisions until Mike and I hear the test results from my D&E which was now 2 1/2 weeks ago. Only 2 1/2 more weeks until I should hear something. If the tests are inconclusive, positive (for anything), or simply not good enough (because I'm not sure what tests are being performed) I am seeking a 2nd opinion and possibly scheduling with a RE or looking into a RI.

So looks like we will be waiting at least 1 or maybe 2 cycles to TTC Baby #3. Which I have debated over and over in my head and there simply is no good answer since every doctor's opinions differ from another. Which frustrates me to all hell. I deal with this every day even in my profession of physical therapy but I can't seem to grasp how opinions can be so different when we are talking about conceiving life! Physical therapy, sure....everyone including Dr. protocols (based on the procedure had) is treated differently by a team of PT's & PTA's. The treatment may vary but usually the end result is the same, a happy patient who has returned to full function.

Now that I've manage to some how work this subject in....let's look at it. A patient injures their knee, or back, or shoulder (doesn't matter in this example, nor does it matter how) and sees there PCP, who generally sends them to a specialist because injuries are not their specialty. The patient sees an orthopedic physician who proceeds with a bunch of testing (such as x-ray, MRI, bone scan, etc...) diagnoses them with....oh I dunno...pick something....a rotator cuff tear. Depending on the severity of the tear and patients function, determines the treatment. Usually surgery is required to fix the tear and even if not they end up seeing a physical therapist to rehab their shoulder. So now to compare....a patient who has suffered recurrent m/c who has been under the care of an Ob/Gyn...what's the next option to just keep on trying??

Ok this post is long enough and I thank everyone who reads this and understands anything I have just said. Hope you had a great weekend!