Hi ladies. I had my first midwife appointment yesterday and she kept saying how high risk I will be for delivery because of having ivf and that it will be consultant led rather than midwife led. I have no other medical problems at all and just wondered if anyone knew why it’s a high risk delivery.
Thank you
Are you older? High risk can be for anything higher bmi, diabetes related, lower weight prev baby, mc etc I wouldn’t worry you can possibly get more tests and scans.
No I’m 34, first pregnancy, bmi is spot on no past medical history, unexplained infertility. She just kept saying how high risk I was because of ivf and it kinda freaked me a bit x
I had to see a consultant 3 times during my pregnancy, purely for the fact it was ivf. I still had normal midwife appointments, the consultant was just to keep an eye on things for me x
They said the exact same to my wife who is in perfect health. Its a default thing if you're over 37 or had IVF or/and used a donor egg.
When my wife had her first consultant meeting, he basically said I don't need to see you after this appointment. He suggested inducing once my wife hit 40 weeks, she turned around and said she'd prefer not to, and he said that's fine. All her other appointments have been with a midwife.
You really have to remember that YOU are in control of your pregnancy, unless they can point to a specific medical reason, breeched baby, high pressure, etc, there is no reason why you can't have a midwife led delivery or even a home birth. Legally you can actually do whatever you want, your unborn baby has no rights, you can choose to have your baby with a circus clown delivering it on double decker bus, its completely up to you! (extreme example, but you get my drift)
We did a hypno birthing course and it was a real eye opener, also our midwife is totally onboard on us having a midwife led water birth delivery. The only reason we're not having home birth is our big dog is getting dog sat by a friend once we go into the hospital and it would be too hectic with her running around trying to jump into the blow up pool!
Most hospitals allow aromatherapy, hypno birth music and soft lightning, inflatable pools,
The thing is ( hope to god it doesn't ) but if there are any complications you can be moved to an obs ward with lots of doctors and machines and drugs etc. One of my best mates is a doctor, my wife's grandad and uncles are doctors and they all agree - pregnancy is ideally left to midwives, they should only be called in for complications. The trouble is we all look at one born every minute, and many women opt to have all of medical science behind them at birth.
Trust your instincts, and go with them. As my mum (mother of 5) says, women have been having babies for 1000's of years and just getting on with it.
I needed a consultant to say I was ok for midwife care but I definitely not classed as high risk
I think all IVF are immediately classed as high risk. Nothing to worry about having a little extra care x
I'm high risk due to having ivf and lupus-i'm 29 and will be induced at 38 weeks. I'm under a lot of consultants and specialists having monthly bloods and will then move to weekly scans. I was told the placenta loses most of it's s nutrional value after 38 weeks so i' m being induced as a precaution and to prevent still birth.
I think it depends what area you live in as to how they treat IVF babies. I was treated like any other normal pregnant lady. I was 28 with no risk factors and it was unexplained fertility x
I’m 34 too, first pregnancy, IVF and as Hydromermaid has said it purely depends on your area. They aren’t bothered about how I conceived in my NHS trust and I’ve just been transfered to another hospital different NHS trust just for the birth (closer but not my catchment area) keeping my same community midwife. They sent me a consultant appointment and when I went just like my NHS trust they weren’t bothered by the IVF and I’ve been discharged into the care of my midwife again. However someone at work who is under a different trust to those two got told she wasn’t allowed to go overdue and was classed as higher risk. I’d go to the first consultant appointment you get sent and see what they have to say but try not to get overly worried. If it was a big thing we’d all be being monitored the same but it looks like it’s a trust decision based on risks x
I’m 37 and had IVF and all my appointments are with a midwife. I saw the medical team once but that was due to a query the midwife had rather than a being considered high risk- they did say being IVF they won’t let me go over my due date. Maybe your midwife was a bit inexperienced. Try not to worry- from what you have said so far, you don’t sound high risk to me . X
Hi I was high risk aswell and consultant led even though all medical history fine was just because I had ivf.
I quite enjoyed it though as it meant for me having lots more scans which was nice x
Ive never heard things like this before, my son was from ivf and I’ve never been said it’s high risk pregnancy, never seen consultant was pretty active with cycling swimming and even riding motorbike ...but my son was born 3snd half years ago, could’ve the attitude of nhs changed towards ivf pregnancies since then??
I count as a high risk pregnancy because I hit three of the risk factors: ivf, first baby and over 35 at time of conception. To count as high risk you have to hit three minor risk factors or one/two major risk factors. My community midwife is much more reassuring than yours though, telling me I’m not really high risk as I don’t have any major factors.
They do know that your placenta is more likely to fail if you have these risk factors, so my consultant prescribed baby aspirin from 12 weeks and I have regular growth scans. As I’m 40, my hospital won’t let me go over my due date, but that’s hospital policy for women 40+ nothing to do with ivf.
Ps if you have the green national maternity notes booklet in your area it has lots of info about risk factors in there, but not everyone has these any more if your area has moved onto computer based notes.
I think it depends on who you see whether they automatically class an ivf pregnancy as high risk. I’m higher risk any way because of my age so I see the obstetrician monthly. This is fine by me and they even did a bonus scan for me when I saw them the other day.
I have a particularly cautious consultant but he reckoned we are at higher risk of pre eclampsia and also placenta problems. I know others who don’t necessarily say this and my midwife is completely chilled about it all.
Congratulations on the pregnancy.
X
You have to hit two factors to make it consultant led and its not for the delivery, it's for the pregnancy prenatal care.
Ivf, high bmi, age, previous medical history of mother of things like preeclampsia etc.
Nothing to worry yourself about on the actual delivery. On the ivf side they won't let you go past 40 wks or they will induce you.
Don't worry both my son and this pregnancy both got classed as high risk as ivf. That just meant consultant led and extra scans which I was happy to have. With my son at my last appointment I asked to go midwife left and as I'd had no problems it was fine. Currently my baby sitting breech but if he moves and all ok I'll be doing the same and going for water birth. Don't worry it's not more high risk they just keep a closer eye on you during the pregnancy. Good luck x x
I agree with the other ladies, it seems to depend on what area you live in as to whether they class IVF as high risk. Mine does class it as high risk and what it meant was a couple of extra growth scans, a couple of consultant sessions you wouldn’t normally have (but they didn’t do anything other than ask how I was feeling) and seeing the midwife every 2 rather than 3 weeks towards the end. Not sure whether it’s because of the high risk factor but my area also won’t let you go over 40 weeks if you are an IVF pregnancy - they say because there is some evidence the placenta stops working as well after 40 weeks so they don’t want to take the risk.
Hiya, I was being consultant led until they discharged me after my week 28scan. They said they had no reason to keep seeing me. I think they like to take precautions. However I was told by my midwife that IVF babies should be treated as natural pregnancy. I was also told I was going to be induced early. But having gone to NCT classes I am a bit against the idea! And would like baby to arrive when he is ready. Good luck and congratulations! X
As other ladies have said, for some reason ivf is just classed as high risk. I met with a consultants 3 times (1 was a impromptu after a scan) just to discuss being induced. They don't like you going over 40 weeks with ivf, well in the case of my hospital. I did have extra scans as my little girl was measuring small and to be honest I was glad that I was being looked after and monitored. When I went into labour there was a doctor around (whose only part really telling me to push harder!). The midwife was there from start to finish and actually delivered me. She was wonderful,much better than the doctor.
I also used hypnobirthing and my mum said I was very calm and I had a quick birth with no complications.
Feel free to pm if you have any questions. I'm not saying I know everything but I can at least offer my experiences.
Try not to worry and wishing you lots of much and a happy, healthy pregnancy xx
Just adding to my previous comment, I’m 32 weeks and saw the consultant registrar yesterday, asked whether I’ll be allowed to use the midwife led centre for labour and birth and she said yes as long as I go into labour spontaneously before being induced. She specifically said the words “ivf doesn’t make you high risk” and I thought of you!
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