IVF suspended due to coronavirus

[peasoup8]

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/12/thousands-lose-last-hope-of-having-a-baby-as-lockdown-closes-ivf-clinics

Sorry but this is so wrong and unfair. Thousands of people could lose out permanently on their chance to have children because of a virus that most people survive if they get it anyway! The restrictions have now gone way too far.

Many people have had very important (potentially life saving) medical procedures cancelled or put on hold because of coronavirus patients taking priority and that shouldn't be allowed to happen either.

[StrangerDays]

I’ll simply say I don’t have children of my own, as in bloodline

Why be cryptic? Surely you're either a parent or you're not.

[Shelby2010]

Some of the Health Authorities have already said that they would honour cycles for patients who fell outside the age limits due to corona.

Also some clinics are staying open to carry out fertility preservation for cancer patients.

Whilst I don’t disagree with the decision, especially as staff are needed elsewhere, it’s interesting that they haven’t advised the general population to avoid conception. In fact lots of people are predicting a baby boom post-lockdown!

[ineedsun]

@strangerDays

Not so simple to answer on MN. Step parents don't count as parents, adoptive parents are tolerated.

FWIW, I appreciate that it's difficult (and perhaps another knock on top of many others), but ultimately it isn't essential treatment, even though some people feel it is to their wellbeing.

[LilacTree1]

ineedsun “adoptive parents are tolerated”

Only just. Though I expect step parents would say the same.

[SleepyNightOwl]

MrsHardbroom

Sorry, are you saying ivf is essential? It really isn’t. You won’t die from not being impregnated..

[LilacTree1]

Tbh, if it’s taken ivf to get OP to think about the way lockdown has been handled, it’s not a bad thing.

[MotherofDogs3]

No sorry dont agree about the ivf being unfair. I myself am waiting to have ivf but luckily i have to have an operation before hand or i could of possibly been pregnant now if id of had ivf treatment (originally planned for January). Why anyone would choose to conceive right now with all this going on i do not know! I do understand how long people have been waiting etc as i said i also need ivf. Ivf isnt a necessity its a choice and i believe only urgent operations treatement etc should be done right now.

[MigginsMs]

Yep, it’s awful and not sustainable. There’s going to come a point where the impact of cancelling everything is worse than the impact of the virus. Cancer screening programmes in Scotland have been suspended for 3 months, I wonder how many deaths that will cause.

[LilacTree1]

To the pp whose father had hip replacement cancelled, that’s appalling...I’m now wondering if it’s that specific trust and if other trusts would do it.

In terms of cancer growth, you never know do you? Dads last treatment was ten days before he died and he want meant to be a terminal patient.

I think three particular people I’ll lose within the year - 2 x cancer, 1 x heart trouble. 40s and 50s.

[StrangerDays]

There’s going to come a point where the impact of cancelling everything is worse than the impact of the virus

Especially concerning the economy - there are just so many consequences.

[LilacTree1]

Well, there won’t be any funds for the NHS when the economy goes down the pan.

[Wisteriacottage]

I mentioned this thread to a Medic friend who works in an IVF clinic and the advice is: please use lockdown to exercise at least an hour a day at home and get your BMI to around 20 for best chances to conceive, include tinned fish and vegetables and take alcohol off the menu. So many couples we see are seriously overweight and unfit and these measures will increase their chances of having a happy outcome. Please don't shoot me down in flames but he says most IVF couples ignore this advice or make excuses not to be fit or think a BMI of 30 + is ok. It is not.

[LabourDilemma]

To the pp whose father had hip replacement cancelled, that’s appalling...I’m now wondering if it’s that specific trust and if other trusts would do

They’ve certainly gone round here, they’re just dealing with infected implants etc. They’re a quality of life issue, not a life saving issue. Some on this thread would therefore say a “nice to have”. I wouldn’t - I feel desperate for those people in pain who have waited months for their op only to see it cancelled. I hope that poster whose father is bed bound gets his op soon

primary arthroplasty operations are cancelled all the time sadly. I expect they’re one of the last things that will come back.

[NerrSnerr]

Unfortunately IVF is just not a priority right now. I am a nurse and our workforce is massively reduced due to staff isolating and we need all hands on deck. I'm one of many that has been redeployed into other areas just to keep going. In my area both private hospitals are closed to private patients and used as discharge wards for the NHS to reduce the risk of people without Covid catching it while waiting for care homes/ home care.

Most people have seen the videos from Italy with people gasping for breath whilst they were seriously ill with Covid. That's what it's like- it's awful to watch someone die that way and the more we have people in hospitals the more people will die.

[NerrSnerr]

I have massive sympathy for people having hip and knee replacements delayed but Covid spreads through hospital wards like wildfire and by the time the first person is symptomatic and tested positive it is possible everyone else in the bay will have it.

[LilacTree1]

Nerr what’s the way round it? I bet there is one.

What would happen if someone tried to go private for a hip replacement at the mo?

What’s happening to people who need surgery on joints after an accident for example?

[Sirzy]

With the operations another issue will be availability of Anethatists as most will probably be on the ITU units. I have also heard of theatres being used for ITU patients (or being prepared so they can be)

Also the vast majority of people having things like hip replacements will be due to age if nothing else high risk.

[Bizawit]

@NerrSnerr if we are so desperately trying to save lives, why are we apparently putting fewer people in ICU than other countries? Why are we leaving many old people to die when we still have beds free?

[NerrSnerr]

@LilacTree1 in my area you can't have any private operations as the private hospitals are not operating for private patients. If someone needed an emergency operation that would still go ahead but rehab is reduced in hospital to try and get people home ASAP. That's my trust anyway.

[NerrSnerr]

@Bizawit I don't know. I can only tell you what's happening locally. I'm a lowly nurse, not a policy makers

[Bizawit]

@NerrSnerr fair enough

[LilacTree1]

Nerr thanks. I’m in outer London and was wondering what happens if you’ve got the money to pay, because I see private hospitals on the bus to town. I presume they just want money and don’t care what health authority you live under.

Tbh if I needed a hip replacement and could pay, I would totally do it.

[Nixen]

It’s shit but IVF is not remotely comparable to life saving surgery and it’s ridiculous to even try to compare the two. Sorry but IVF is never going to be a priority when we are in the middle of a global pandemic. Why would you even want to be pregnant right now if you could avoid it?! The worry would be horrendous

[Thefaceofboe]

It’s heartbreaking but understandable.

[Thefaceofboe]

@Nixen I do hate statements like that. I’ve been trying for a baby for a long time and I would do anything to be pregnant right now, regardless of the circumstances.