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Infertility

Our Infertility Support forum is a space to connect with others in the same position, discuss causes, treatment and IVF, and share infertility stories of hope and success.

Original poster

Birmingham Womens Hospital

165 replies

jm2020 · 02/05/2020 16:01

Hi all,

Just wondering if any one else is awaiting information from BWH in relation to when they will start back up?
Thought we could have a board to share info?

xx

OP posts:
Pinktruffle · 02/05/2020 17:07

I had just finished my treatment there when they shut down. I don't think the nurses were all deployed because I spoke to one two weeks ago as I've had some complications. Last time I was in was mid-April and the clinic was already set up for social distancing so hopefully it won't be too long. I'll keep my fingerscrossed for you all.

Original poster
jm2020 · 02/05/2020 18:59

Thank you for replying :)

Hope everything went ok for you

xx

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Pinktruffle · 02/05/2020 19:24

I was very lucky, I got a BFP first time and 3 frozen embryos, the hospital where great.
Now just praying to get to the second trimester as I've had bleeding on and off since 8 weeks (10+2 now) but had 2 scans and been told baby is fine, hopefully it has carried on that way.

I hope your treatment goes well. Are you doing long or short protocol?

Original poster
jm2020 · 02/05/2020 19:26

Wow congratulations! Fingers crossed for you :)

I will be doing short protocol, which one did you do?

xx

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Pinktruffle · 02/05/2020 19:37

I had short protocol too. It was no where near as bad as I had built it up to be in my head. I had very little in the way of side effects and it's over quite quickly, think I had just over 2 weeks of injections. To be honest, I found the pessaries to be the worst bit (they are messy, buy lot's of panty liners).

Egg Collection and transfer were both quite straight forward though I did transfer under general anaesthetic because I find smear tests very painful and they were happy to accommodate me.

Original poster
jm2020 · 03/05/2020 09:23

I've read the pessaries are messy lol.

I'm glad they listen to us in regards to our fears as I find smears painful aswell so I'll mention it to them :)

I had Kim for consent signing and she was really lovely

xxx

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VenusStarr · 03/05/2020 11:10

Thanks for setting this up @jm2020 we'd been for our group meeting early March but postponed our consent signing as I am having recurrent mc tests and needed one more test before we carry on, but then everything ground to a halt. But will be following with interest.

Congratulations @Pinktruffle, I'm sorry you've had a difficult time but glad to hear all is well. I'm reassured to hear about the care provided is good and person-centred, I've had some anxieties about doing ivf there as our early appointments haven't been great (been under them for a year having various investigations), maybe as we move to actual treatment it will be different.

Pinktruffle · 03/05/2020 12:10

@venusstarr I felt exactly the same way. In fact I'm sure there are previous posts here of me moaning about BWH and hating my consultant - the same consultant who did my IVF collection and transfer resulting in my pregnancy!

Most of your time whilst doing the IVF is spent with the nurses, all of whom were lovely and have been great over the phone whilst I've been having my difficulties. The bleeding started after I was discharged from BWH but the nurses were still happy to talk to me to reassure me and said I could call back if I needed support even though I'm not under them anymore. A truley wonderful bunch.

VenusStarr · 05/05/2020 08:04

That's lovely to hear @Pinktruffle :) you've honestly reassured me. I hope all continues to be well for you x

@jm2020 someone I follow on Instagram is also at BWH and posted yesterday that she'd got through to them about the announcement and was told they knew nothing about it and they'd be in touch once something had changed 🤔 I had the same response from my recurrent mc clinic too. Just trying to be patient but it's not working...

Original poster
jm2020 · 07/05/2020 08:06

Hi Ladies -

Hope you're both ok.

@VenusStarr

I seen that on the ladies Instagram aswell.

I hope they are just getting all the policies and the application in place.

It's hard because you can see on other boards clinics are updating patients but we've heard nothing :(

xx

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Expat30 · 12/05/2020 12:05

I had IVF ICSI there 6 years ago. Had one top grade embyro transferred and ended up with identical twin girls who are now 5 years old! Good luck

VenusStarr · 12/05/2020 13:42

Just seen on Instagram @jm2020 BWH are applying to re-open 🙌 hopefully in a couple of weeks they'll be resuming.

Congratulations @Expat30 :)

Original poster
jm2020 · 08/06/2020 15:33

@VenusStarr

Just seen on Instagram *@jm2020* BWH are applying to re-open 🙌 hopefully in a couple of weeks they'll be resuming.

Congratulations @Expat30 :)

Hi Ladies,

Still no update on BWH - thought they would have least kept us updated :(

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Original poster
jm2020 · 08/06/2020 16:27

Ladies, I messaged the hospital to ask for an update and this was their reply :-

Hi, thank you for your message.
We have spoken to our fertility teams and they have informed us that they are currently looking after some urgent cases and will start doing frozen transfers and low tech-treatments in a few weeks and IVF/ICSI procedures in July. The delay is to make sure our patients and staff have the safest restart possible to try to ensure the best pregnancy outcome.
Kind regards, Communications team

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VenusStarr · 08/06/2020 18:04

Hi @jm2020 thanks for the update. They've been truly shocking - zero communication. I contacted the ccg last week to enquire about our funding as it runs out in August. They told me that the hospital is open and running the fertility services however the hefa website isn't showing them as approved yet Confused

It's literally the only clinic not on the list! I'm going to try and contact them this week to check about our funding. I'm tempted to try and move it to a different clinic, not sure if that's allowed though.

Original poster
jm2020 · 08/06/2020 18:15

@VenusStarr

Hi *@jm2020* thanks for the update. They've been truly shocking - zero communication. I contacted the ccg last week to enquire about our funding as it runs out in August. They told me that the hospital is open and running the fertility services however the hefa website isn't showing them as approved yet Confused

It's literally the only clinic not on the list! I'm going to try and contact them this week to check about our funding. I'm tempted to try and move it to a different clinic, not sure if that's allowed though.

I thought the funding was from when you start treatment?

I'll phone my CCG tomoz as we got approved in jan for ours so it's possibly run out

xx

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Pinktruffle · 08/06/2020 19:20

There was a few members of staff at BWH that died from Covid so I don't know if they are just being extra cautious but it is concerning that the hospital has said nothing.

VenusStarr · 08/06/2020 22:04

We haven't started treatment yet @jm2020, we were about to sign the consent forms but everything got cancelled the week before. We've only done the group meeting. We got ours approved in February.

@Pinktruffle I hadn't thought about it from that perspective, feel shitty now for complaining.

Pinktruffle · 08/06/2020 22:33

Don't feel shitty! All of us that have suffered infertility have the right to complain!

I was just trying to point that they may not have started things up from a patient safety point of view. The last thing anyone would want is to catch Covid whilst having fertility treatment

VenusStarr · 09/06/2020 08:35

Thank you @Pinktruffle Flowers

VenusStarr · 09/06/2020 13:58

Hey @jm2020 I called the hospital today and spoke to someone about our funding. Our CCG has changed their contract and we have a choice to stay at BWH or request a move to Create (that's the provider my CCG has chosen). I've emailed today and already had a positive reply, just waiting to hear when we've officially transferred over. It suits me because my amh is on the low side so their approach is possibly better for me.

She said that all CCGs who refer to BWH have reviewed their contract providers. I got the impression if I was referred now, it would be Create only not the women's.

I think it helps that we were at the consent signing stage, so slightly easier to transfer us.

Hope you're OK and you hear something soon x

Original poster
jm2020 · 09/06/2020 14:09

@VenusStarr

Hey *@jm2020* I called the hospital today and spoke to someone about our funding. Our CCG has changed their contract and we have a choice to stay at BWH or request a move to Create (that's the provider my CCG has chosen). I've emailed today and already had a positive reply, just waiting to hear when we've officially transferred over. It suits me because my amh is on the low side so their approach is possibly better for me.

She said that all CCGs who refer to BWH have reviewed their contract providers. I got the impression if I was referred now, it would be Create only not the women's.

I think it helps that we were at the consent signing stage, so slightly easier to transfer us.

Hope you're OK and you hear something soon x

Oh wow @VenusStarr that is really positive.

Did you phone the fertility clinic? I think mine will be different as we already had consent signing :( and was just waiting to start.

My CCG is Wolverhampton - where is yours?

x

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VenusStarr · 09/06/2020 14:19

Yes I phoned the fertility clinic, I called Anna Ackern who was the name on our funding letter. If you call the switchboard and ext 5348. She checked my CCG (Sandwell) and advised me to put a request in writing if we wanted to move @jm2020. It might be worth speaking with her just to check and get clarity?

I don't know how long it will take but am reassured that it's been acknowledged.

Keep me posted x

VenusStarr · 09/06/2020 14:19

It's Anna Mackern**

Original poster
jm2020 · 09/06/2020 14:21

I can't find my funding letter arghhhhhhh - I've emailed my local CCG as mine isn't solihull.

Will wait to hear back

xx

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