Birth plan for IVF babies (& 40 year old mum!)

[DLR14]

Hi,
I’m 40 years old and nearly 27 wks pregnant with my first baby. She’s an IVF baby and took 3 difficult years to conceive, but all looking good so far despite typical pregnancy challenges!

I’m looking for experience and fact based advice
to inform our birth plan, considering IVF and my age.

We have heard anecdotally that C section at 38 wks is recommended but not finding much online about this.

thanks!

There's no reason medically why a C-section would be necessary just for IVF or age. Once you're past the 12 week mark and no longer having progesterone it's the same as any other pregnancy.

However, If you want a C-section you have a right to request one for whatever reason.

I found a lot of mixed things about his online and some countries treat ivf very differently. I was told that once pregnant it was treated like any other pregnancy and I’m the same as anyone else, induced or c section only if overdue around 41 weeks. (And only c section option really as I’ve had one before - but obviously you can request one if you want).

I don’t know if age may change things though?

Navigating pregnancy with IVF and at 40 involves careful consideration. Discuss with your healthcare provider to formulate a personalized birth plan. Some recommend a C-section at 38 weeks, but this decision should be based on your specific circumstances. Consider factors like your health, baby's development, and any potential complications.

Agree with PP. Also midwife friend that had IVF said she was choosing ELCS due to "precious cargo"
Obviously everyone's baby is precious cargo but thought that was an interesting comment from a midwife.

I had a midwife telling me that I ‘would’ be induced early due to pregnancy being IVF. Discussed it with a consultant and they said that’s out of date advice.

They said it used to be discussed/recommended as there were thoughts that the placenta deteriorates sooner in IVF pregnancies. But that reasons for IVF are so varied, it’s hard to draw much from the data. Age can be a factor with things from what I understand, but generally they don’t think IVF on its own is - more is the reason for IVF a risk factor or not?

The consultant also said a lot of IVF mothers do elect for induction or c sections etc, often due to increased anxiety etc. Every pregnancy is precious, but a lot of IVF mothers will have experienced loss of some sort, and stared into the void of having no baby, so are maybe more risk averse/struggle to see past the stats a bit. I know I was very aware of how low the % risk was for things when they discuss the risks of going ‘overdue’, but having already been on the wrong side of low % risks with fertility issues etc, it’s hard to not worry about it.

Having said all of that, I think there is a benefit to waiting if your anxiety can, you know your due date is bang on. I insisted on working on our IVF due date, not the dating scan date, and consultant agreed to that. To me, why not use the most accurate date we can? So that gave me reassurance that we were working on a correct date.

In the end I went 8 days over my NHS due date, and 4 days over IVF due date. Waters broke 1 day after IVF due date, lack of progress, so agreed to an induction 24 hours later.

If anything indicated concerns, I would have considered induction etc sooner, but that would have been regardless of IVF pregnancy or not.