Consultant appointment today as IVF Pregnancy

[vallinnapod]

Anyone have any idea what he will want to discuss?

I should be more clued up than this as this is my second IVF pregnancy, however I am now in a different PCT. I didn't have this appointment with DS - who was an incredibly easy pregnancy and birth. All midwife led.

I feel like I am wasting their time (although the appointment is at the hospitals instigation).

[Happilymarried155]

Hi,

I'm unsure why you would need this either. I am currently 9 weeks pregnant after ivf and after my scan at the clinic to check the pregnancy was viable I have now been referred as classed as normal pregnancy. Will be eager to hear of anyone else in case I've totally missed something! X

[vallinnapod]

Happily that is exactly what happened with my first PG. Hence my bafflement! Will update when I am back in case I am asked/offered anything that you may find useful.

[MrsCakesPremonition]

I suspect that the consultant may well discharge you back to the care of the MWs once you have talked through any risks and issues. I think they are just being cautious.

[vallinnapod]

First part of the appointment was like a normal midwife check, with a MW, urine, BP and even Fetal Doppler - which made me very happy

Saw the consultant for about 2 mins who reviewed my bloods and screening tests asked if I had any concerns and then said he was happy I had had an easy first PG and referred me back to MW care. All nice and reassuring!

[Chattycat78]

This is interesting because I have bern offered 2 extra scans because mine is an IVF pregnancy! I Also have to see the doctor after every scan. She said its because a Small study has shown that IVF babies are at higher risk of being smaller so they have to track their growth, it sounds like it's not a country wide thing! I was a bit mortified in a way because I have been labelled as high risk for this reason!

[eurochick]

I turned down consultant care because after such a medicalised pregnancy I was eager to have a low intervention pregnancy.

Anyway, as it turns out, I am one of those IVFers having a small baby. From what I have read they seem to think that there is something about the IVF drugs or the solution the embryos are grown in that affects the way the placenta implants (possibly - they don't really know). Mine was picked up anyway, without consultant care (although I am now under consultant care and reluctantly having the most medicalised pregnancy and birth it is possible to have).

[notoasthere]

They often want to induce ivf mums early because their pregnancies are viewed as 'precious' so they are trying to reduce the risk of stillbirth (but in doing so increase other risks)

[Happilymarried155]

Oh bloody hell! Here was me thinking I would just be a 'normal person' from now on! I hadn't heard of that at all! X

[eurochick]

I was the same - desperate to be normal after being a special case for so long. Now I am heading for an early section and a baby in special care. I am very upset about it all.

[vallinnapod]

Real interesting hearing how it varies around the country.

No mention of induction on due date - my guess is even if that was practice at my trust, NYD is not an attractive prospect for them . As I said in my OP, with my first pregnancy I was 'normal' from the get go.

For interest on the small baby front, DS was Mr Average. Born 10 days early, drug-free water birth, 6 hours from first contraction to first cuddle and 7lbs 7ozs.

[Happilymarried155]

I'm only 9 weeks so early days here but I'm glad I've read this thread so I'm prepared.

euro I'm sorry your so upset. When are they giving you a c section? Is the baby measuring very small. It must be very stressful for you x

[highlove]

I was consultant-led for my IVF pregnancy. Was also very upset at the start that I couldn't be 'normal'. Totally straightforward pregnancy but I did get very anxious as time went on so I appreciated the extra scans and reassurance. I could have opted to go back to MW care if I'd wanted.

The lovely consultant I saw said that in his view it wasn't necessary to be consultant-led, but was a sort of hangover from the days when most IVFers were older mums. It didn't stop me opting for a homebirth. (Which didn't happen, but would have had acute itching and dodgy liver function not intervened.)

[twinklestar2]

I'm consultant led too - waves at all the familiar faces!

For me it's meant that I've had a few appts with the consultant instead of the midwife and I'm being induced at 40 weeks. Sweep at 38 weeks. Apart from that I can't see that I've had anything different to a normal pregnancy.

[twinklestar2]

Euro - been reading your story but haven't had a chance to get on touch. Hope you're feeling ok, so stressful for you after the battle you've had to get here xx

[Bunnygirlie]

How strange, after scan at FC at 6 weeks I was discharged to normal mw care. I only saw the consultant because of a fibroid picked up at pre treatment scan. Saw consultant for all of two minutes and he didn't seem bothered. No talk of extra scans or induction so far and I'm 28 weeks although I do have mw appt weds so we shall see.

Just shows hiw different things are from county to county!

Waves at twinkle euro and val

[time2deal]

I've been seen so many times I've lost count! And will have a c-section which I knew right from the start.

There was a brief period up to about 12 weeks when I was a normalish pregnant woman, and then for a few weeks in the teens but mostly it's been entirely medicalised.

But, it doesn't bother me at all really. I want to have a baby not a pregnancy. I think TTC is misnamed as I was always trying for a baby, not just conception. I've been really lucky to have this chance to I'm grabbing it! There will hopefully be many many years of happiness ahead and if this medical life is the cost I'm willing to pay it.

I'm not saying anyone else's feelings are wrong just giving my perspective. Pregnancy for me is a means to and end, and so is birth IMHO. I just want a healthy baby boy born as late as I can manage.

[Happilymarried155]

Had my booking in appointment and she said that I would be under consultant and that he would contact me in time for an appointment at 16 weeks! Obviously more common than I thought, trying to look on the bright side that we will get extra scans! X

[twinklestar2]

I didn't get extra scans :(

[Happilymarried155]

Must be dependant on district, when I said I was abit disappointed she said that I'd get extra scans and that they would be taking extra special care of me so I can't really moan about that! X

[RevoltingPeasant]

This is weird, I'm consultant led due to kidney issues (mine not baby's) but round here, that means one appointment at 20 weeks apparently! It's not just me as my friend who was high risk due to having an EMCS with her previous birth had the same.

[biascut]

Hi folks! Same boat here and I'm just googling to try and find out more about what's going on. I started my pregnancy in Manchester where I was treated as a low-risk, midwife-led, and they couldn't have been less interested in the fact that it was IVF. Moved to Leeds at 26 weeks, and after it taking a few weeks to get re-refereed to the community midwives and then for the consultants to notice that I'm IVF, I had an extra scan yesterday at 32 weeks and have now been told that it's Trust policy to offer an induction at 40 weeks.

I'm kind of ... Not Happy! I was enjoying being low-risk and was hoping to be low-no intervention. And I'm a bit annoyed at the registrar yesterday who said, "so we'll induce you at 40 weeks ... I mean, offer you an induction." Like he kept telling me what "they" were "going" to do and then remembering that oh yeah, he's supposed to be offering me choices and information.

And having looked, there kind of seems to be toss-all information available. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaeocologists doesn't recommend early inductions for IVF pregnancies, and I've searched around and there seems to be a fair amount of evidence that there are slightly higher risks with IVF pregnancies, but no specific evidence that any of those risks are mitigated by early induction.

So. Obviously I know I can refuse, but I just feel a bit narked because up until now, I'd really felt that everything was midwives going, "that's what you want? Brilliant, we totally support that! Or not, if you change your mind! Either is fine with us! S'up to you! Just let us know!" And now I feel like I've got to actually fight my healthcare providers. It doesn't help that the communication between my GP, the Leeds community midwives, the Leeds hospital midwives and now the consultant-led team has been shocking. I want to go back to Manchester!

(Also, the "extra precautions because IVF babies are PRECIOUS babies" thing seems to come up a lot, and that makes me want to puke and throw things. I don't know why, but telling me that this baby is more "precious" than a baby who was conceived naturally really creeps me out. Ughh.)

[tiggy2610]

IVF pregnancy here and no extra fuss what so ever! I'm West Yorkshire too biascut, but Calderdale not Leeds.

We has treatment over in Sheffield and as soon as we had our viability scan at 6 weeks they discharged us and sent is to the "normal people clinic". (Their words, not mine!)

The NHS and their differing procedures cause hours of confusion!

[tiggy2610]

Oh, well now I'm just completed flummoxed Buggerlugs. I have no explanation for that. Funnily enough I has a MW appointment this afternoon so will ask her more about this.