Note: Last October 4, 2013, I lost my second baby. While I am happy that I have a little angel in heaven, the pain does not really go away. I was talking to a friend the other day about the loss that we feel for a loved one and we agreed that it still does not become easier despite the years.
To celebrate the two months that I have carried my little one, I would like to re-post about APAS and my current condition to hopefully shed some light to those who are suffering from the same disorder. I am lifting these articles from my other blog and decided to centralize all my journey here. There has been an alarmingly increasing number of people who are suffering from repro-immuno disorder. It is a grueling and challenging journey and I hope that you could send a little prayer along our way.
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Before I go to the tests, I would like to discuss again more about repro-immunological disorder. I stumbled upon this site which has been very, very informative and has answered all my questions about my condition.
To quote from Reproductive Immunology Associates, one in every 200 couples are too genetically similar to achieve a successful pregnancy. They are saying that one among 200 couples will experience two or more recurrent miscarriages. That is way higher than the incidence of parents giving birth to children with Down Syndrome (1 in every 800) and children with Rare Disorder (1 in every 20,000). I am comparing this to the latter because I have also been involved with PWD causes.
To clarify my previous post, these are the causes of miscarriages as per the website:
To celebrate the two months that I have carried my little one, I would like to re-post about APAS and my current condition to hopefully shed some light to those who are suffering from the same disorder. I am lifting these articles from my other blog and decided to centralize all my journey here. There has been an alarmingly increasing number of people who are suffering from repro-immuno disorder. It is a grueling and challenging journey and I hope that you could send a little prayer along our way.
--
Before I go to the tests, I would like to discuss again more about repro-immunological disorder. I stumbled upon this site which has been very, very informative and has answered all my questions about my condition.
To quote from Reproductive Immunology Associates, one in every 200 couples are too genetically similar to achieve a successful pregnancy. They are saying that one among 200 couples will experience two or more recurrent miscarriages. That is way higher than the incidence of parents giving birth to children with Down Syndrome (1 in every 800) and children with Rare Disorder (1 in every 20,000). I am comparing this to the latter because I have also been involved with PWD causes.
To clarify my previous post, these are the causes of miscarriages as per the website:
| Cause |  | Percent |
| Infection | 1% | |
| Anatomy abnormal | 5-10% | |
| Progesterone level low | 20% | |
| Chromosome abnormal | ||
| Primary miscarrier (no live births) | 7% | |
| Immune mechanisms | 50% | |
| Unknown | 15% |
As you can see, the figure for immune mechanisms is quite high. When I was diagnosed with repro-immune disorder, I wanted to know more aboute it and research on it to be able to share more information as the incidence of its occurrence its quite on the high side. My OB, Dra. Valerie Guinto and my immunologist, Dra. Carolin Gloria mentioned five repro-immunological disorder and I hope that through this reference I stumbled upon, it would be a little clearer.
CATEGORY 1. The couple's tissue is too compatible; the woman's body considers her placenta foreign with her immune system activating against the baby. This was actually was the most confusing and I am tested positive for this. I see in most blogs of women with this problem that they do not understand what this means. And to give a little light to this, I quote Rialab -
Early in pregnancy, the mother's immune system receives signals from the tiny fetus. Many of the signals are hormonal, but others come directly from genetic messages that the father has contributed. Some of the messages involve the tissue type, also known as the human leukocyte antigens (HLA) and the white blood cell (leukocyte) type. HLA are expressed on white blood cells. They are unique to each individual and allow the body to identify anything foreign to it such as infections, cancers, transplanted organs and fetuses. One half of the fetus's HLA type is contributed by mother and the other half by father. When a woman becomes pregnant, her body's immune system usually recognizes the father's HLA as different from her own, and the white blood cells in her uterus produce protective, blocking antibodies. These antibodies coat the baby's cells and protect the fetus from mother's killer cells. If the father's HLA is too similar to mother's, her cells may not recognize differences that are vital to the production of blocking antibodies.
Per my understanding, when the wife's HLA is "too compatible" with the husband, the body does not produce the blocking antibodies that it needs to protect the baby.
CATEGORY 1. The couple's tissue is too compatible; the woman's body considers her placenta foreign with her immune system activating against the baby. This was actually was the most confusing and I am tested positive for this. I see in most blogs of women with this problem that they do not understand what this means. And to give a little light to this, I quote Rialab -
Early in pregnancy, the mother's immune system receives signals from the tiny fetus. Many of the signals are hormonal, but others come directly from genetic messages that the father has contributed. Some of the messages involve the tissue type, also known as the human leukocyte antigens (HLA) and the white blood cell (leukocyte) type. HLA are expressed on white blood cells. They are unique to each individual and allow the body to identify anything foreign to it such as infections, cancers, transplanted organs and fetuses. One half of the fetus's HLA type is contributed by mother and the other half by father. When a woman becomes pregnant, her body's immune system usually recognizes the father's HLA as different from her own, and the white blood cells in her uterus produce protective, blocking antibodies. These antibodies coat the baby's cells and protect the fetus from mother's killer cells. If the father's HLA is too similar to mother's, her cells may not recognize differences that are vital to the production of blocking antibodies.
Per my understanding, when the wife's HLA is "too compatible" with the husband, the body does not produce the blocking antibodies that it needs to protect the baby.
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| http://www.rialab.com/miscarriages_prevented.php |
CATEGORY 2. Blood clotting problems like antiphospholipid antibody syndrome or APAS. This I think is the most common; I am positive for this also. From Rialab --
Phospholipid molecules are normal components of all cell membranes. Some also have glue like properties and allow cells to fuse. Antibodies to phospholipid molecules can, therefore, cause problems. Specifically, they can damage the inside of the blood vessel wall. This allows blood cells to stick to the site of the injury and cause blood clots. Antibodies to phospholipid molecules can, therefore, interfere with the development of the placenta. With each pregnancy loss, there is a 10% chance that the mother will develop an antibody to a phospholipid molecule. Most women with antiphospholipid antibodies are not sick. However, some have underlying autoimmune tendencies and should be appropriately evaluated. Women with underlying autoimmune diseases may have antiphospholipid antibodies even before they ever become pregnant.
In simple terms, there is a problem with the way your blood clots making your blood "too thick" that the nutrients and oxygen needed for the baby's growth is blocked.
Phospholipid molecules are normal components of all cell membranes. Some also have glue like properties and allow cells to fuse. Antibodies to phospholipid molecules can, therefore, cause problems. Specifically, they can damage the inside of the blood vessel wall. This allows blood cells to stick to the site of the injury and cause blood clots. Antibodies to phospholipid molecules can, therefore, interfere with the development of the placenta. With each pregnancy loss, there is a 10% chance that the mother will develop an antibody to a phospholipid molecule. Most women with antiphospholipid antibodies are not sick. However, some have underlying autoimmune tendencies and should be appropriately evaluated. Women with underlying autoimmune diseases may have antiphospholipid antibodies even before they ever become pregnant.
In simple terms, there is a problem with the way your blood clots making your blood "too thick" that the nutrients and oxygen needed for the baby's growth is blocked.
CATEGORY 3. Anti-nuclear antibodies. There seems to be an immune reaction to the baby. When the baby develops as a cell, it contains a nucleus. The nucleus is the " brain " of the cell. It contains the information that regulates the function of the cell. Some people have antibodies to different nuclear components.
CATEGORY 4. The couple produces antibodies to sperm which immobilize and destroy them on contact.
CATEGORY 5. Certain white blood cells are over active like the NKs or natural killcells. I thank God so much that I do not have this since this seems to be the hardest to treat. See this excerpt from www.miscarriage.about.com --
Despite the strange sounding name, natural killer cells are not a bad thing to have -- on the contrary. NK cells play a vital role in the functioning of the immune system. They help the body fight off tumors and destroy cells that are infected by viruses.
Because of the finding of elevated NK cells in some women who have had miscarriages, some researchers have speculated that NK cells could also be responsible for a woman's body terminating a pregnancy. Not everyone agrees, however, that the finding of elevated NK cells in women with recurrent miscarriages means that the NK cells themselves are the cause of the miscarriages. There are other reasons why the NK cells could be elevated.
There is a lot of evidence that NK cells are elevated in women who have had recurrent miscarriages, but not so much evidence that the NK cells themselves are the actual cause of the recurrent miscarriages. Researchers are looking at whether treatments to reduce the levels of NK cells reduces the risk of miscarriage
Read more here.
So there you go, I hope that in some way, I was able to help provide more information on this condition and hopefully, will be able to guide our partners, our family, our friends about our case.
Reference: Reproductive Immunology Associates
