Self isolating during ivf

[Purplewave]

Hi, I've just been filling in consents forms ready for our first round of ivf and I see they advise to shield from the start of ovarian stimulation. I'm going to speak to the clinic about it as I wasn't expecting this but just wondered if it is standard practise still at present or what others are doing in this situation? I am happy it self isolate if needed but just concerned about work. Thanks x

[McQueeny]

Heya. I’ve been told to be careful and sensible, but not to self isolate I don’t think....

[JudithSS]

My clinic have advised the same within reason. I WFH and I think I’ll be taking it easy during that time, probably won’t be going to the gym or anything. I would never forgive myself if after all this time I was lax and caught Covid and cancelled our cycle x

[Purpledoggy]

Mine says strict social distancing until the last scan before EC, then covid swab and strict isolation until EC. I have been super careful since starting downreg and almost isolating as I don’t want to take any risks with the cycle being cancelled. I expect clinics will continue to be very careful for a long time for various reasons. Good luck! Xx

[Mycatsaremykids]

I had a round last July and really didn’t want to have my cycle cancelled because I caught covid so I was cautious and stayed home as much as possible.

My clinic did a test three days before collection and three days before transfer and they instructed you to isolate after the test so that you didn’t bring covid onto the ward.

Not sure whether the rules would have relaxed by now. xxx

[Candlewax3]

We were told the same we isolated as much as possible & were just super careful. I found the thought of catching Covid more stressful than any of the injections x

[Ashj15]

Mine didn't mention self isolating and I'm a midwife working for the NHS so self isolating would have been impossible! I wouldn't worry too much!

[Hidden]

I’m 4 days post transfer, 2nd round, I’ve stayed at home throughout, you’ll have 2 COVID tests so as long as you are extra careful you should be fine. Good luck with your cycle!

[JoyfulStar]

My clinic just carried 2 Covid test for every single cycle. One at the baseline scan just before stims and one prior to egg collection.

We spent almost 1.5k on Covid tests alone while doing a 3 cycle package so if I was told to self/isolate. I would have been happier as I mostly work from home and only go to the shops for food once or twice a week- I could have eliminated the food shopping for 2 weeks quite easily.

It is a difficult ask though if you don’t work from home 😐

[Sparklylife]

Our cycle was back in November- so might not be valid now as numbers and risk was different then. We had to isolate however from the USS on day 9 until after ET. They did two covid tests, one before we started injections and one at day 9 scan. So I ended up having to take annual leave and I was really lucky as my work have a policy for time off for ivf treatment, so got a few days there too. It did feel reassuring however as I think the risk of having to cancel because either myself or my partner got covid - would have been so much worse. But it does make it tricky for work 😏

Wanted to wish you all the best with your first round!! 🥰🤞

[Orla9298]

Personally I would just go about your daily business but be super careful with hygiene and avoid crowds.

[Purplewave]

Thanks everyone, that's really helpful. I was definitely planning to be super careful as the thought of the cycle bring cancelled is awful. It's just an added stress on top of an already stressful time isn't it but hopefully will be fine 🤞

[Ozma4]

I self isolated for the 2 week wait but not from injecting. They suggested it but was my choice, not a must. The covid rates then were much higher. X

[NemoFish]

We’ve not been asked to isolate, just to be careful. Neither of us have the option to work from home either so it would’ve been impossible!

[Hidden]

I had to have a Covid test 10 days before egg collection and self isolate from then till the procedure. I am about to have Alice, Emma and Era on Thursday and initially they asked me to do the same and said it would be the same for transfer but they rang me the next day and said they had a change of policy and are now only asking people to self isolate for egg collection. I assume because you can’t wear a mask for that appointment but you can the rest.

[Koala365 in reply to Hidden]

They made me wear a mask under the oxygen mask for my first egg collection procedure back in October but oddly they didn't for the one in early February when the rates in my area were through the roof or for the one in late March. I had to wear it until I got into the operating theatre and switched it with the oxygen mask though.

[Hidden in reply to Koala365]

My goodness, I can’t imagine wearing a mask under an oxygen mask was very pleasant, it makes me feel a bit claustrophobic just thinking about it.

[Koala365 in reply to Hidden]

It was certainly interesting and I made the anaesthetist promise that I wasn't going to aspirate it (which he assured me I wouldn't) and that he would be watching me the whole time (which he assured me that he would). Then I was pretty much out like a light!

[Downonthefarm]

Hi Purplewave,

I was in a situation before my last scan were someone had just joined us for a site visit shortly after taking a Covid test. They got a call within the first five minutes of meeting us to say they tested positive, so they left and went home - luckily non of the rest of our contact-tracing apps picked up on it, otherwise my treatment may have ended - so for me it was a really close shave - I was due my last scan that week. I rang the clinic, turns out they recommend isolation after the last scan anyway. I wouldn’t have been able to have the scan if the contact-tracing had triggered and my treatment possibly could have ended there as the clinic couldn’t take the risk of me potentially bringing Covid to the clinic and infecting other patients.

I don’t know if telling your boss is your worry? I made my boss was aware I was doing IVF and she’s been brilliant. I told her to tell was her boss too if it made life easier and as it transpired he and his wife had also been through IVF, so he was also very understanding. With it being such a private thing, I held off telling her initially, but I’m really glad I did now - she’s been very supportive as has her boss.

Also, it made it easier to explain when I got a really high temp during the 2 week wait and needed to take a 1.5 days off to rest (I never have sick-days)...

I think most people will get it, they’d want to be pretty shitty bosses if they don’t - it’s such an emotional roller-coaster, not to mention the cost.

Anyway, hope this helps.

Xxx

[Purplewave in reply to Downonthefarm]

Gosh, that was a really close call for you, can't imagine how stressful that must have been. I have told my boss and she has been supportive, I hadn't even considered possibly needing to self isolate though. Think I'll wait and see what the clinic say but if they do advise to self isolate I may be able to work from home for a few days hopefully. Really don't want to do anything to jeopardise it now! X

[Koala365]

I wasn't told to but I did it anyway. The idea of having spent all that money and gone through all the physical stress for my body of the stimulation only to have to abandon the cycle because I had caught COVID (and then the weeks lost as a result and potentially months lost if it turned into long COVID) just didn't bear thinking about. Luckily I was working from home the whole way through but if you can do so and have medical note from your clinic to say you should that you can show to work if necessary then I would definitely do that!

[Purplewave in reply to Koala365]

That's a really good point. You've just made me think that maybe I should ask my boss about working from home for a few days even if the clinic don't enforce it. It would be so horrendous for it to be cancelled x

[Ome867]

I was told to self-isolate all the time, which was from the dat I started stimulation injections till the day of transfer. Also not only me, my partner had to self-isolate as well. So we didn't go out whole this period! It was long, but it was something we had to do. so I was off from work, my husband worked from home. They told me that we can't have treatment otherwise(!)

[Sukibubs]

I had my cycle start at the end of January and throughout February and I pretty much self isolated the whole time (apart from my mother-in-laws funeral and the odd walk). They told me if I contracted COVID then they would abandon the cycle. I would say be careful as much as you can and maybe avoid busy areas like restaurants for the time being. Good luck ❤️

[Purplewave in reply to Sukibubs]

We've been really careful anyway and definitely won't be going anywhere to eat out etc for now. We do quite a lot of walking in quiet locations anyway so I guess it would be ok to continue with that, thanks x

[Ganges]

I work for the NHS also and the clinic know this and I wasn’t told to isolate. Just to be sensible. Good luck x

[_CrochetQueen]

I had my first round on Feb and was told that me and my husband both needed to isolate from the day I started my injections until after my egg retrieval and if we didn't isolate they would cancel the treatment. X

[Papillonblue]

I’m mid way through my first cycle, I’ve been advised to isolate from Friday with a view to egg collection the following Wednesday they do a covid test I think the day before egg collection

[starviolet]

My clinic didn’t advise to self-isolate but they gave me a Covid test 48 hours before my egg retrieval and told me if it was positive that the cycle would be cancelled. So you just need to be extra careful as you don’t want to be in a position where your cycle could be cancelled. Same thing goes if you are notified to self isolate because you are identified as a close contact of someone who tested positive.I decided to use 2 weeks annual leave while stimming, and then my GP actually signed me off from retrieval until official test day x

Good luck with your cycle and wishing you lots of baby dust x