IVF pregnancies - high risk?

[embiemomma]

so I'm now 15 weeks pregnant following our second cycle (FET) and when I had my midwife appointment she asked if I wanted to be midwife led, I said yes but didn't know if I should or not? I've since read IVF pregnancies are classed as higher risk and should have more monitoring? I had unexplained infertility and have so far had a problem free pregnancy with no other health problems. Anyone have any advice or experience? I'd like to stay midwife led if that's ok, but obviously what's best for me and the baby is what matters.

[Ro5ie]

Hi there I did my first icsi cycle last year and my pregnancy was high risk due to being icsi pregnancy i was consultant led but wasnt given a choice to be midwife led. I had more scans and seen the consultant regularly during pregnancy xx

[sum1sweeta]

Hi, I was asked the same question. I contacted one to one midwives who are there for me 24 hours a day, I have home appointments and if I have any hospital appointments they accompany me to these. They have referred me to a consultant specialising in Ivf and crohns, who will support me along side my midwife. I chose to have baby at the hospital to be on the safe side so my midwife will hand me over when that day comes and then will see me after the birth for 6 weeks. Do what ever you feel comfortable doing x

[Daisy14]

Glad to hear all is going well!

I'm 16.5 weeks and desperate to have midwife led care if I can, but my midwife insists I see an obstetrician as I'm classed as 'high risk' due to ivf and the fact I'm 38.

I'm off to see an obstetrician in a few weeks and have been told it is a technicality for now and he/she could well sign me off to midwife led from that appointment if I ask. I'm now thinking it's another appointment and a chance to maybe have another scan or bit of reassurance.

I think go with your gut. I'm very sure that I'd prefer midwife led, bit biased as my Mum is a midwife tho!!

Good luck xx

[embiemomma]

thank you for your replies. I'm 34 and my only health problem is that I had to have IVF (never found any underlying reason for my infertility) and I was under the impression that I was classed as a normal pregnant woman once discharged from the clinic after my 6 week scan. When I saw my midwife at 8 weeks, she asked how I wanted to be cared for but she didn't seem too sure if I should be classed as high risk purely due to the fact I had IVF. This made me think, and since then I've read a few things about it so am now not sure!

[rosy_l]

Hi, I was discharged from Leeds at 6 weeks and told I would be treated as normal pregnancy. The midwife referred me to see consultant at 12 weeks I think maybe routine for them, and he basically said as I had no problems and Leeds discharged me there was no need to see him and my pregnancy should be treated as normal and midwife led and almost questioned why she sent me to him. Hope this helps x

[embiemomma in reply to rosy_l]

thank you, that's reassuring to know. X

[rosy_l in reply to embiemomma]

If anything changed in your pregnancy they would refer you anyway like in a normal pregnancy so dont think it matters that much. Im 30 weeks and am just starting to relax and worry less now and just enjoy being pregnant 😊

[embiemomma in reply to rosy_l]

wow, not long left now!! I've got my next midwife appointment in a week and my 20 week scan in just over a month so will know if everything is still ok soon. I'm quite relaxed now really and enjoying feeling well I the welcome second trimester! Best of luck with the rest of your pregnancy and birth! Xxx

[Bumpwanted]

I know my experience is different and very uncommon but I just wanted to share just in case.. I conceived naturally after failed IVF and I was told I would be low risk by the mw at my booking in appt, I had loads of bleeding in the 1st trimester and it had taken 3.5 years to get pregnant and I was 36 at the time, we questioned it but she said low risk. So I was midwife lead and had no scans between 20 weeks and 36 weeks when my baby died due to my placenta failing, if I had been high risk and had some extra scans he would be here with us today. I am not trying to scare u at all but I just wanted to say if u are offered extra care take it because u just never know, I never thought anything would go wrong at that stage but it did and now knowing what I know I wish I had insisted on being high risk but hindsight is a wonderful thing. I hope u don't mind me sharing my experience all i want to do is help xx

[Lamb82]

Our nct put all women who have had ivf as consultant led. I'm fine with it as I still get to see my midwife, just get a bit of extra care on top as far as I can see! X

[Dreams1982]

Hi I'm almost 13 weeks and we are having consultant led care. Our clinic said we needed to have it this way so have our first appointment in 2 weeks time xx

[Missy_22]

I am a midwife and I do not think she should of asked you what you wanted. Every hospital is different but generally you get referred once and the consultant signs you back off to low risk midwifery care.

if she asked you then take it.

Good luck to you. I'm going through an IVF cycle right now xx

[Hopefulholly]

I was told I couldn't be midwife led but when I got transferred to the local hospital to be consultant led but once I was being booked in they transferred me back to midwife led as they did not see there being any extra risk which there wasn't and 6 weeks ago I had a beautiful baby boy on a midwife led ward so don't worry to much about it as if the midwife sees anything in your regular checks she will send you to the consultant anyway ! Good luck in your pregnancy xXx

[DianeArnold Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

Hi embiemomma. Well done, you look as if all is going well for you. Your midwife wouldn't offer for you to be midwife led if there was any problem at all. Even if you choose to be midwife led and a problem should occur (I hope not), then you will automatically get transferred over to a consultant. you will still get all you scans that you need etc, so try not to worry. All the best with the rest of your pregnancy, and of course, birth. Diane

[Cornwall12]

Hi, I am 23 weeks pregnant and am being consultant led, didn't have a choice, but from my experience so far I don't see the point, when I went to see my consultant I had to wait a while for her to come in and when she did she said she had been trying to find out why I was there as there didn't seem to be a reason apart from the IVF that I needed to be consultant led, she just asked if everything was ok and I said yes and said that was the end of my appointment. I will get a extra scan at 34 weeks which I'm pleased about. Xx

[embiemomma]

I'm now 22 weeks and have had no complications, scans have been fine and midwife happy. My clinic said I was a 'normal pregnant woman' when they discharged me at 6 weeks. With unexplained infertility I don't see why I would be high risk anyway, and I'm sure my midwife would refer me if concerned... Do you know why you have the extra scan? X