After Nine Miscarriages, Woman Welcomes Healthy Son

by Amy Hatch (Subscribe to Amy Hatch's posts) Sep 15th 2009 2:00PM

Categories: Pregnancy & Birth, Medical Conditions, In The News

An experimental fertility treatment allowed a British woman to become a mom. Credit: Jupiterimages

A British nurse who suffered 17 years of heartbreaking miscarriages finally delivered a healthy baby boy at a Liverpool hospital, thanks to her pioneering doctors.

Catherine Findlow never thought she would be a mother after losing 10 babies, including one set of twins, but thanks to her dedicated doctors at Liverpool Women's Hospital, the 41-year-old Runcorn, England woman finally gave birth to a son, Daniel Robert, Aug. 12.

According to the Daily Mail, Findlow, who began trying to conceive in her early 20s, suffered nine miscarriages before doctors finally discovered the cause of her heartache -- "killer" cells in her uterus.

Also called "natural killer" or NK cells, the cells protect the body from cancer and infection, but can also cause problems in early pregnancy -- too many NK cells in the womb create too much oxygen, making it impossible for a fetus to survive. The Daily Mail reports that Liverpool Women's Hospital is the only place in England that treats this rare condition with steroids.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' Practice Bulletin states that high numbers of NK cells have been found in women who experience multiple miscarriages.

However, the publication also states that there is "no proven treatment for women with recurrent pregnancy loss found to have increased percentages of circulating NK cells."

Findlow had just about given up on having children and was considering being sterilized. She told The Daily Mail that the "need and desire to be a parent enables you to cope over the years," but she and her second husband, Matt Findlow, were at their wit's end.

"But we both felt we were getting to the stage where we couldn't deal with it any more emotionally," she told the newspaper. "Dr. Quenby and Liverpool Women's Hospital have changed our lives completely."

Little Daniel Robert is a miracle in more ways than one: Findlow underwent a cesarean section at 37 weeks gestation, and it was discovered during her surgery that half of her placenta had died.

"It was folded in a way it could not be detected on the scans, so we feel doubly lucky Daniel is here," she told the Daily Mail. "All that disappointment and heartache fades into insignificance when you hold your baby in your arms."

Findlow and her husband are not alone in their difficult journey; according to the U.K. journal Human Reproduction, some patients suffering from this syndrome have experienced as many as 19 early-term miscarriages before having a live birth.

How much would you endure to become a parent?

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Comments (48)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

Melissa 9-15-2009 @ 2:42PM

I have gone through several miscarriages myself, one at 20 weeks even, and I finally gave birth in 2006 to my beautiful little girl....although she was 8 weeks premature, tiny, and had to be fed through a tube for three weeks, you wouldn't know it now! She is one of the tallest children in her class, and she is amazingly smart (ahead of most children her age), and the only health problems she had were not related to the prematurity (she got ear infections a lot, and she has asthma; I also got ear infections as a child, and her father and I both have asthma, so the doctors said it was just passed on to her). It can happen, don't ever give up your dream of having a baby!

Momhadit 9-15-2009 @ 5:22PM

Good thing you didn't live in England.

phatgirl 9-17-2009 @ 10:31AM

I had a baby in 1993 then in 2001 I started trying to have another.I had 3 miscarriages before finally having another beautiful baby girl. I'm not sure what caused the miscarriages but I thank God every day for my wonderful children. I feel for any woman and the men they love who want children and are unable to have them for they are truely a blessing from God. I only wish I could have had more but decided to love the ones I have and be happy.

Kathy 9-17-2009 @ 2:53PM

God works in mysterious ways, Melissa! You're blessed.

ArmyChik 9-17-2009 @ 6:32AM

This is a wonderful story! I love hearing about this. I have also suffered multipule losses. Including a stillborn baby boy and twins. But they never figured out why I was losing them. Now here I sit, 31 weeks pregnant with a girl! They have no idea why I lost so many or why I am carrying this one healthy. But I am and that's what matters! Stories like this are so encouraging. Congrats to the mom!

Pink Yamaha 9-17-2009 @ 7:23AM

I delivered a daughter stillborn, had 2 other second trimester losses and 4 early losses. My endocronologist, and MFM doctor agreed on a treatment plan of steriods and heparin for me. I have birth to a beautiful daughter in my 36th week. She was a tiny little 4pds 9ounces and was perfect. We where even able to take her home in 4 days. Today she is a wonderful 2 1/2 yr old toddler.
The steriod option is not only given in the U.K. I was treated here in the good ole USA. It all depends on the physicians that you pick to surround you.

x_Vickeh_x 9-17-2009 @ 7:23AM

that ish just amazing; i'm so happeh for any women who have expirenced this miracle! true, i'm not old enough to get pregnant [since im onleh thirteen, unfortenelty] but when i get older, i totally wanna have 1-3 children :D so yea,once again, congrats to all teh women who have experienced teh miracle of having a child :)

Gwen 9-17-2009 @ 11:44AM

Before you start having children, finish your education. You really need to learn how to spell. For someone who is 13 years old, your spelling is atrocious!

CHRISTINA 9-17-2009 @ 1:29PM

I am more concerned with her grammar than her spelling. Sweet, just learn to puncuate correctly. I am a pretty good speller, but suffer from typonetics at times.

Maureclaire 9-17-2009 @ 8:22AM

Wow ! They shoulda named that kid Lucky !

Henry C. Hannah 9-17-2009 @ 8:42AM

Momhadit >>>>>>>>>> It is a good thing the lady lived in England. You posted to a lady who had only one miscarriage before having a healthy child. In England, they went the full extent to allow this lady to have a baby. It appears you really want to say something about the current health care in America and how it might look some like England's.. If it does it will be stronger for the patient and that is the best point. Take care.

MRSWAMPFOXX 9-17-2009 @ 9:15AM

HAPPY FOR HER ... MY WIFE HAD A FEW MISCARRIAGES HER SELF ... BEFORE MY YOUNGEST SON WAS BORN IN JUNE 1985 SHE HAD 14 ... SHE WAS 41 WHEN HE WAS BORN

WE HAD 2 OTHER CHILDREN BEFORE THE LAST ONE ... A GIRL IN 1963 & A BOY IN 1971 ... THE LAST ONE WAS NOT PLANNED ... BUT LIKE THEY SAY " THINGS HAPPEN " ...

ONLY THING IS SHE PASSED AWAY IN JAN 2005 ... SHE MISSED SEEING HIM GROW TO BECOME A MAN ...

wolf 9-17-2009 @ 11:27AM

I am so sorry for your loss.

mshariann1 9-17-2009 @ 9:14AM

I DO WISH THAT I COULD HAVE A CHILD. IN CASE THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN. I HAVE TURNER SYNDROME.SURE MAY BE IF I HAVE EGG INPLANT. IN ABOUT A 6 MONTH I WILL HAVE THE MONEY.BUT THE DOCTOR WILL NOT DO. THAT BECAUSE I AM DISABLE NOW. .I HAVE TO USE A WALKER. THAT FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.I CAN NOT CARE FOR A BABY.. I CAN NOT CARRIE A BABY .I WOULD FALL AND THE BABY.BUT THIS IS WISHFUL THINKING.IT WONDERFUL YOUR DREAM COME TRUE FOR YOU.

Tonia 9-17-2009 @ 9:31AM

You can get off the walker and into a motorized chair and then you could have a baby. I have seen several women who were wheelchair bound and they have healthy children. Even women who were paralized from the neck down. I can understand why they won't do it while you are struggling to walk on a walker. Good luck to you. I had a baby early in my marriage and I have suffered 9 early term miscarriages. We decided to adopt. We adopted 4 wonderful children. We are blessed beyond measure. They are the children of my heart instead of my womb.

Angiebaby 9-17-2009 @ 9:14AM

I might have undergone experimental fertility treatments when I was of child-bearing age.

jamom 9-17-2009 @ 9:24AM

I am so thrilled for this couple. I understand the pain having had 13 miscarriages before having twin boys 9 1/2 years ago. I wish them nothing but the best.

Lalalotier 9-17-2009 @ 10:45AM

This is truly a wonderful story. This has made my day!

Joanne 9-17-2009 @ 9:45AM

I had a hysterectomy when I was 16.
We adopted 8 children. There is
always a way to have a baby. What
a joy ours have been!

Terry 9-17-2009 @ 10:09AM

What a wonderful story! I suffered several miscarriages back in 1984 through early 1986 before giving birth to twin boys who will turn 23 years old next month. My boys were 6 weeks premature and have turned into wonderful men. Interestingly, they attributed my problems back then to a progesterone lag and I was placed on progesterone suppositories for my first trimester. It was only early this year that they discovered what my actual problem was, which was a clotting disorder that often causes miscarriages. I had a TIA (mini-stroke) in January of this year and after undergoing many different tests, they did a specific blood test and determined that I have the MTHFR gene, which has been linked to miscarriage. For those of you out there who are experiencing multiple miscarriages, ask you doctor to check for this genetic mutation. It can be treated and can result in successful pregnancy. Back in the 80's when I had my sons, they did not realize the link but now it is quite common and treatable.

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