Coronavirus and fertility clinics.

[mabel92]

Has anyone’s fertility clinic told them they will close due to Coronavirus? I’m due to start treatment and now confused as what to do or whether I’ll be able to start. Thanks.

Hi @AnnaLCox Hope you are well. My hubby and I wanted to make sure we are financially stable before starting a family. We didn't think it would be this hard. :(
I was quite surprised when my Dr suggested IUI as I wasn't sure how my body would cope with the invasive IVF treatment. I think my IUI is with stims and I was told there will be 2 or 3 scans before the procedure so they can see my follicles.
Are you going to have a natural round of IUI or with stims?
I hope C&W will reopen soon. xx

@Limeflower2
Last month I started IUI (though didn't complete) without stimulation. I thought I would try that first before opting for IUI with stims. I had a couple of scans but I didn't go through with IUI as it was clear the pandemic was just about to kick off and I was extremely anxious about it. I figured I'd only miss out a couple of cycles and it was better to start once the peak had passed. Issue now is it could be much longer! I looked at the C&W ACU website yesterday and it mentions a Patient Support Group Zoom meeting on Friday - have you heard about that? Not sure exactly who attends and what the format is but perhaps that could be helpful for us? Their website also mentions them awaiting the go-ahead from the government and the HFEA.

Hi @AnnaLCox, I think you were right to halt the treatment. There is too many uncertainty with the virus, better be safe.
Did you have a day 2 scan when you started IUI?
Thanks for letting me know about the C&W meeting this Friday. I actually stopped checking their website. I didn't think they would update it. But I will definitely join the Zoom meeting, hopefully they will give us a rough idea when we can expect they will reopen? Are you going to attend the meeting too?xx

@Limeflower2
No, the first scan is on day 7 or 8 as I recall. Then another on day 12.
I should probably join the Zoom meeting yes - it will be good to hear what they say. I've no idea who is hosting it but I guess we'll find out tomorrow. I don't think they'll be able to let us know when they'll reopen as it's out of their hands and up to the HFEA/government to decide when elective procedures etc can start up again.

I’m feeling more and more negative about when clinics will reopen, I was quite positive to start with but the government are given absolutely nothing away on what there initial plan would be for a phase out of lockdown, which worries me!

Hi @mabel92 I have unofficially heard that my clinic thinks they might be able to restart in July. Fingers crossed!

@mabel92 I'm starting to feel the same way. I think some clinics themselves may want to reopen earlier but the government are not handling the whole pandemic very well compared to other countries which have been better prepared to cope with it and thus better positioned to ease lockdown. In any event though, I think reopening regular medical services should be a priority and surely could happen before everything else reopens and everyone goes back to work? I know people who have still attended medical appointments, physiotherapy etc and the process has been to take the patient's temperature on the way in and practice social distancing insofar as possible. I don't see why that couldn't apply to fertility clinics .

I'm in two minds - one part of me wants clinics open ASAP next month so I can get on with treatment but the other part keeps reading about pregnant mothers who have died or mothers who have died soon after birth and I just wouldnt want to jeopardise me or a baby that way.

I think there there has been so much publicity about wards standing empty as the virus just isnt taking up as much of the resource that they thought it would that treatment will be given the go ahead to start hopefully June. 🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞

I've just heard from my clinic in Spain that they are reopening on Monday.
Obviously I can't turn up there myself on Monday, but it's good to hear they are starting again.
They will have fewer patients than usual as they are cleaning consultation rooms between patients and taking temperature before admittance, spacing appointment times so people aren't in the waiting room together.

@AnnaLCox I look forward to the meeting tomorrow. :)
@mabel92 I know exactly how you feel. We can see the curve is flattening, hopefully the number of cases will drop soon!
@JeNeBaguetteRien Good to know your clinic is reopening, I hope it will be the same in UK too.

Article in Ireland this morning string they are looking at re starting treatment early May! Fingers crossed we aren't too far behind! 🤞🤞🤞

That’s so encouraging ! Xxxx

Thanks @Limeflower2 it's a step in the right direction, I expect the UK will follow soon, especially given update from @ivfgottostaypositive about Ireland.

Hope the Zoom meeting today is helpful.

I expect it will be a few months before I actually travel to Spain by the time I do my preparation, I was using testosterone gel the cycle before stimming so will have to start that again when the time is right. I'm on short protocol but not planning a fresh transfer so will need two trips so not a bad thing to let a little time pass to see how travel restrictions operate. There are still too many new cases for me to feel ready to hop on a plane immediately, but just glad that people will be able to resume treatment.

Screen shot of the article - it came up on my Facebook feed

I just posted this in another thread!
Keeping everything crossed!

Hi everyone! It's great news about Spain because it's a country that was like the UK also very badly hit. I saw on Twitter that Spain officially regards fertility treatment as an important medical treatment therefore reopening when there are still many social distancing rules in place. The European fertility association has also released a statement that treatments can be restarted which is great as they were the first to call for a stop due to risks in pregnancy (as well as pressure on health care).Their website confirms that there is still no evidence of risks in early pregnancy. I heard from close family members working in the NHS that some care trust have received permission to restart the abandoned non-urgent and elective surgeries (which IVF is classed under according to HFEA). I tried to find another news source about this topic but I only found the daily mail mentioning that around 40.9 percent of acute beds are currently unoccupied. HFEA is still not giving us any details on an exit strategy but in Scotland similar regulators are working on concrete plans. That's all hopeful right! Fingers crossed! Good luck everyone, I hope you're all doing ok xxx

It’s all sounding hopeful . Fingers crossed 🤞🏻

On a side note ( and preparing for the reopening ) has anyone taken DHEA. From what I understand it’s controversial in the eyes of some clinics however there seems to be compelling medical evidence that those of us that are older and/or have diminished ovary reserves that it really helps?

Views / thoughts / experiences ? Should I start taking this now as I’m nearly 41 ?

Thanks all

X x x

@Xx40yearsyoungxx
My clinic doesn't agree in DHEA unless your antral follicle count is like 2 or something - because it's a hormone it can actually decrease your fertility if you take it when you don't need to x

@ivfgottostaypositive - ahh ok , thanks for that x

They'll be talking about Ivf/Covid on radio 2 soon if anyone is interested xx

I've just spoken to my private clinic in Wales, and they've said they're going to either be open again mid May, or to at least have a definite plan for reopening.

Someone asked about DHEA - I had a very successful ivf cycle using testosterone gel so I asked my clinic about trying dhea whilst we're in Covid limbo and they said absolutely go for it. Unfortunately, unlike the gel it takes at least 8 weeks to build up in your system to effective levels, and as it all comes in from America I'm still waiting (4 weeks and counting now) for what I ordered to arrive. I suspect we'll now be back in treatment before it has a chance to do any good!

Sorry that should have said hoping to be open, not going to be! Silly auto correct 🤣

@Xx40yearsyoungxx my previous clinic advised me to take DHEA prior to my second cycle which I did for 5 months - one egg retrieved which didn't make blast (had 2 top grade blasts on the previous cycle). Moved clinics and they are against it so have stopped taking it.

Encouraging news about reopening, thanks for the update ladies xx

@CritterTamer - our of interest what was the DHEA product called ..... when I was looking I couldn’t find anything actually called DHEA If that makes sense

@xx40yearsyoungxx I got it from Biovea - just do a search on their website for DHEA and it comes up straight away. I was advised by the clinic to get the 25mg strength and take 3 per day.