Going through IVF during COVID-19 pandemic

[Kat_15]

Hi IVF warriors

Hope you’re all keeping well and safe during these surreal times.

I’m sure like many of you, I watched the announcement with excitement last Friday that fertility treatments in the UK would be starting again and we heard from our clinic that they would be releasing more information this week.

I then started thinking about the reality of this. I’m in an at risk group for coronavirus as I have asthma. We live over an hour and half away from our clinic and would usually get the train but could drive instead.

I worry if I contracted the virus while going through treatment what this would mean for our treatment (we are now going private as our NHS funding has run out) and also if I were to get it while pregnant the impact this could have on our baby. We would be going for a fresh cycle this time.

Interested in your views and what your clinics have been advising?

Thanks so much and best wishes to you all. xxx 🌈🍍 ❤️

[Hidden]

Hey lovely, sorry to hear about your confusion, I think we are all struggling to decide what the right thing is to do at the moment and I am not sure there is a right or wrong answer its definitely an individual choice.

I don't really have an option at the moment as my clinic is doing FET only and I am a fresh cycle, but my sister is due an FET transfer and her clinic is about an hour by train and a half an hour tube ride as its middle of London in the middle of a busy NHS hospital. We discussed it at length and she decided not to go ahead for a couple of months - whilst time isn't really on her side (at 40), she didn't feel the risk of the travel etc weighed up with the potential benefit. I think if they had been able to afford a cab there and back rather than trains and tubes that would have been a different story - but they can't so they are going to wait.

We just agreed that whilst she was desperate to try for a second baby (I am still trying for my first!) she wanted to be around to have that baby, and not risk Covid 19 at this stage

Hope you get some clarity xx

[Kat_15 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Daisy, thank you for your message. It’s so tough isn’t it! We heard from our clinic yesterday and need to have a covid risk assessment before we can start to plan so we will see. Going to get in touch with them this weekend. Got a feeling because of my asthma we may need to wait for a while but we will see. Wishing you all the best with your IVF journey, hope you don’t have to wait too long. xxx

[Jobo-Mollie]

It is definitely a personal choice. I’ve actually just done a fresh cycle of IVF during lock down which was successful and now 6 weeks pregnant. I was the last patient at my clinic to do a fresh transfer before they stopped treatment, I was told it would be a freeze all but then on Easter Monday my consultant gave me a choice of having a fresh transfer if I wanted to. I jumped at the opportunity, i was anxious and don’t get me wrong it was not plain sailing but I have tried to take the right steps to be as safe as possible. People who fall pregnant naturally are in exactly the same boat. You just have to way up the risks during treatment ( I was lucky that my clinic is only a half an hour drive away and I could self isolate the whole time by working from home). I am also continuing to work from home until the end of June as have a fit note from my GP.

I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer but you have to do what is right for you in your circumstances xx

[Kat_15 in reply to Jobo-Mollie]

Many congrats! What lovely news, I bet you’re so glad you made that decision. That’s great you can work from home too. I am very lucky that I can work from home in my job too and have been for two months now. Wishing you a happy and healthy pregnancy. Xx

[KiboXX]

Hi Kat,

It’s such a hard decision to make and I completely understand how it must be more difficult when you are already in the at risk category.

I don’t think Covid is going to go away any time soon, we are still a long way from having a vaccine so I would be asking yourself, are you willing to wait a year? Maybe longer? As someone who is currently pregnant in lockdown, it is scary and this is not the pregnancy I imagined and dreamed about for all those years but I’m also incredibly grateful and if I have to sit on the sofa until the baby arrives then so be it! It’s easier to stay home at the moment because I’m not missing out on anything.

Only you know what the right decision is for you xxx

[Kat_15 in reply to KiboXX]

Many congrats on your pregnancy. As you say it’s so tough having to stay at home but in another way it makes it easier to relax and you don’t feel like you’re missing out on anything. I don’t think I can wait another a year (I have already waited a year as after my failed IVF last year I had thyroiditis so I have had to wait for my thyroid to get back to normal and it finally stabilised in March this year, great timing! 🤦‍♀️). Our clinic has been in touch and we need to have a covid risk assessment so sounds like that might make the decision for us. Wishing you a happy and healthy pregnancy. Xx

[Still_hopeful_88]

Hi, i would think about you and you partners work situation too (and any one else in your household). How easy is it for you to self isolate through the 9 months? Im 25 weeks and this has been a big concern as pregnant women are classed as vulnerable to this virus. I know can’t be easy to decide what’s best but my advice is to think about the whole journey embarking on. X

[Kat_15 in reply to Still_hopeful_88]

Thanks for your message. Poor you, most be tough having to isolate during your pregnancy. My hubby and I are very lucky we can both work from home so this wouldn’t be a problem. My work can be a bit stressful though as I work in the NHS. Our clinic have been in touch to say we need to do a covid risk assessment before we can start treatment so I think that may make the decision for us. Hopefully we don’t have to wait too long. 🤞Wishing you a happy and healthy pregnancy. Xx

[Chowlady14]

Tough decision to make. I had a FET just as lockdown was starting and honestly it was the worst decision of my life. I had a double transfer, I've experienced bleeding and countless tests confirmed I had lost one twin but one was ok. Started bleeding again last night. I’ve been back and forth to my clinic like a yo-yo. My mental health is absolutely ruined. I can’t tell you how down & anxious I am. It’s affecting my relationship with my husband. Lockdown and lack of support from friends & family or even just being able to go for a nice meal has made it all so much harder & now I can’t stop thinking I’ve lost the other twin (scan on Thursday) and will have to go into hospital for medical management and risk catching coronavirus. I’m so mad at myself for so many reasons. I was desperate to have a baby & scared treatment would be put on hold but all I’ve done is put pressure on myself and my marriage. I know it’s hard but try to think of the bigger picture before making your decision although now lockdown should start to relax hopefully you won’t experience the same. Good luck with whatever you decide xxx

[Kat_15 in reply to Chowlady14]

Thank you for your message. I’m so sorry to hear you have had such a rotten time. Sending you a big virtual hug. How are you doing now? Hope all is okay.

Our clinic have been in touch now to say we will need to do a covid risk assessment before beginning treatment so I think that may make the decision for us. Definitely not going to rush into it regardless though. I need to have my thyroid checked (it has been unstable for the last year since our failed IVF and me having thyroiditis shortly after) and my hubby has been monitored for DNA fragmentation so he would also need to have a follow up to decide on our course of treatment. So if we can progress I think we are looking at a couple of months before we can begin.

Take care and hope you’re okay. xxx

[Southwestcat]

It is an unprecedented situation, already difficult IVF journey becoming even more difficult ....I guess for me i would prefer to continue asap , I am 43 and was having DD treatment which was cancelled . I am extremely grateful that a donor is willing to restart . I think the safety measures in clinics will be strict for everyone and have staff safety at eh forefront too.......and people continue to conceive naturally and there is not advice not to do this . Everyone is in unique situations but for me at 43 after so many years I am continuing as soon as I am aloud to by the HFEA and clinic x

[Kat_15 in reply to Southwestcat]

Completely understand. Like you say, they will need to be so careful to ensure everyone is as safe as possible. Our clinic has said we will need to have a covid risk assessment so I think that will make the decision for us. Wishing you lots of luck with your next round, I hope it brings good news for you. 🤞🌈❤️ xx