IVF quite soon after a c section? Risks??

[whatcangowrong]

I know there are a hundred threads and am generally reassured that lots of people get pregnant 6 months to a year after a c sections and all is well.

My question is a bit more specific... I will likely need ivf to conceive again (first dc was ivf). Has anyone's gynae agreed to a small gap between children where the first has been born by c section? Mine is adamant I should wait 18 months but I'll be 40 by then and I'm worried I'll miss the boat on account of what is (as far as I know) a vanishingly small risk of problems.

I have healed very well as far as I can tell. Is there any scan i can have etc to see what's going on internally with the scar etc?

Thanks in advance!!

My doctor wanted a year from caesar to IVF. They are concerned you will increase your placenta accreta risk - although it seems you probably know that.

Try asking what's the absolute soonest they will do it and consider switching doctors if you feel you can't wait.

Yes lots of women get pregnant naturally earlier than that but you're asking for their involvement so they will act in what they believe is safest and most professional - especially as they'll be the one cleaning up the mess if it goes wrong.

Sorry meant to add - no imaging scan will be able to assess the risk specifically

That's helpful thanks... i didn't know exactly what it was that I was trying to avoid. I wanted 9/10 months ideally before trying again as I'm obviously so conscious that it might not work first time... looks like that might not be an option. I will keep asking, and keep trying for a miracle natural conception!!

Mine said 18 months and would only consider 12 months if I had a doctor examine me and sign if off

Ugh... it's so annoying, I was desperate not to have a c section for exactly this reason but I didn't have much choice!

@whatcangowrong. Hi I had a c section too and before being discharged from hospital post delivery I was told not to try for another baby for a least a year. And every dr I have spoken to since has said the same thing. I was advised its the obvious risk as mentioned previously. But also it depends on why you needed a c section. In my case it was due to help syndrome (which is life threatening condition in pregnancy.) So also needed time for my liver and body to recover from the pregnancy

Yes I was told the same, but know so many people who have had smaller gaps without an issue, and my sil was told 6 months... I needed one just due to a failed induction, failure to progress so nothing dramatic. Had a completely smooth pregnancy. I am of course so so grateful that we have one healthy dc.

My experience is they ask for a 12 month gap, I got pregnant naturally 7 months after an EMC for an IVF pregnancy, no one was concerned

I think the difference is that doctors know most people will ignore the advice about wait times whereas IVF clinics are obviously a bit more in control?

For me having just had a placental abruption which was very dangerous for me and my twins anything which could risk leaving my children motherless is a big no no.

@lauren83 that's my dream scenario but fear it won't happen!

@Ivfbeenbusy yes my sensible head agrees with you. Of course even if the risks are small, the issues are pretty serious. Good to be reminded of that, I'm sure everyone thinks it won't happen to them...

My IVF clinic said minimum 6 months which I was surprised by! I did end up waiting for just over a year due to covid though. I had to have a saline scan before starting to make sure all healed ok. Good luck 😁

@Lemongrass1 do you mind me asking which clinic you were at? Just in case!

Like @ivfbeenbusy I had a horrific EMCS after a placental abruption with my twins. The clinic refused to do another transfer for at least 12 months after this. Having since had the horrors of urine rupture and the risks particularly during labour explained to me I'm very glad I waited - I do not want to go through another traumatic delivery like that again. 40 is not too old by the way, my twins were a fresh transfer at 40 (born at 41) and I'm currently 15 +2 with a singleton (FET from the same round of IVF) having just turned 43.

That should have said uterine rupture, not urine! Sodding auto correct 😂

Also bear in mind that there are a lot of internal layers that need to heal after a c section, so just because the scar looks fully healed there is no guarantee that everything is fine internally. The older we get the longer this healing takes so a 20yo getting pregnant again a few months after a section is far less risky than a 40yo doing so.

I'm in a similar boat @whatcangowrong but my LO is 2 months so I'm thinking for the future. Would doing egg collection and freezing your eggs be an option? That way you have younger eggs but are waiting till the appropriate time to do a transfer?

Hi @pinktruffle - not surprised you're thinking about it already, I was too! My lo is only 7 months and I haven't been able to bring myself to stop bf-Ing yet as I'm still aware that there might not be a next time... but yes that is the plan, we will do another round sort of ASAP really and then wait to do a FET when the gynae permits. We do have 2 embryos left from last time but I'm worried that if we wait 6 or so more months to do a first transfer and then both fail or implant and then miscarry then I'll potentially be a year or so older than now and then probably really up against it with doing a round then. Keep counting my blessings to be in the relatively good position we are in whilst still resenting all these ppl who get knocked up naturally on one go !! There's so much planning and expense doing it this way but on the plus side if it works then you do get to kind of stop time in a way.

@whatcangowrong I was private at a NHS clinic and unfortunately they are closed for the foreseeable due to covid so I don’t think they will be much use to you sadly. I would echo the pps that I didn’t feel fully healed from the csection until after 12 months so in hindsight I’m
glad to have waited. I did feel the same way about wanting to get started ASAP as was 40, nearly 41 before we were able to start again but we were v lucky to be successful with the second FET from the original collection from when I was 38/39. Hope it all works out for you. X