This is not something I am familiar with and google has not been that helpful. What does a MTHFR diagnosis mean for future pregnancies and how is it treated? What does it mean for other health issues? I would love to hear your experiences; both positive and negative. Or if you have another good online resource to share, please do. Thanks.
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Bumping for you!
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@Thenetexan: I'm just now seeing this, and hopefully I can shed some light on it for you.
I am compound heterozygous, meaning I have one of each of the mutations they test for. About 30% of Americans have one mutation, and I think around 10% has 2. What it means is that your ability to process folic acid is decreased. If you only have one mutation, its not that much of a problem.
Unfortunately, it can cause miscarriages because blood is too clotty (I've had 2, though we're not sure MTHFR is to blame). It can also cause heart problems, and a bunch of other things.
It is completely treatable, and you can have a healthy pregnancy and life with it. Check out Mrs. Hide & Seek's story, she has 2 healthy kids.
It is very important to be treated before pregnancy though, because a lack of folic acid can lead to neuro tube disorders (like spina bifida). There are also links to autism (something like 98% of autistic kids have at least one mutation)
I am being treated with 5-MTHF, which is an active folic acid. Other people get treated with blood thinners, baby aspirin, or something like Folgard. Its quite a range based on what type of provider you see (I see a naturopath).
Here are a few good resources for you:
http://mthfr.net/ (includes list of recommended supplements, and problems caused by MTHFR)
http://www.mthfrsupport.com/If you haven't already, I'd highly recommend seeing a naturopath about it. They seem to be more knowledgeable about MTHFR. Good luck, and let me know if you have any other questions!
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I don't remember what mutation I have...I had two miscarriages (12 and 7 weeks), was diagnosed, and put on baby aspirin and folgard for my third. I carried to term and have a healthy 3 month old. Heart issues do run in my family, but I take WAY better care of myself. Mine hasn't caused any other issues for me
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@Thenetexan: I am compound heterozygous, like Mrs. Someone. During my pregnancy (I am 9.5 weeks), I was prescribed baby aspirin, a prenatal with quatrefolic acid (easier to absorb), and a supplement with extra folic acid and B vitamins.
Were your homocysteine levels checked? Those give an indication of whether or not you are absorbing folic acid. Also, do you have one or two copies of A1298C? I have read that one copy of the A1298C is the least harmful of the mutations; next most harmful is two copies; next is one copy of each; and most harmful is two copies of C677T.
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Thanks all. I finally heard back from my doctor last night (the nurse posted the results online before he reviewed)... I have one copy of the A1298C. He said that this would not be cause for concern in pregnancy. If anyone else had a single copy and treated it, please let me know so I can push back.
I had an uneventful first pregnancy that gave us our now very healthy toddler, but recently had two miscarriages in weeks 6 and 7. All the rest of my blood work was normal, so I guess we just keep trying. @Raintree: he tested multiple things, but I don't think homocysteine is one of them unless it has another name. I will certainly ask about that. Thank again.
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@Thenetexan: From what I've read, one copy of A1298C isn't much of a problem, so there might be something else causing your m/cs. My doctor is about to test me for autoimmune issues, though many people never find a cause. Here is a helpful link that was shared with me on diagnosing and treating RPL. Hope you get some answers soon!
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