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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.

Lockdown IVF first appointment

12 replies

PurpleUnicorn01 · 22/02/2021 15:00

Hi Guys,

I hope your all well. I wanted to ask if anyone has had their first appointment to the fertility clinic during lockdown? If so what was the process?

Thank you xx

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Donimo · 22/02/2021 15:49

Hi @PurpleUnicorn01 I have had most of my appointments during a lockdown. The way my clinic is working is they are doing most appointments via telephone. If they need to see you in clinic they will do a covid screen prior to seeing (I.e. check for covid symptoms). The clinic has also reduced capacity to allow for cleaning and distancing etc. I have just started my IVF medications and I will have to have a covid swab and then isolate prior to egg collection. If I test positive for covid at all then the treatment well be cancelled. Does this help at all, or is there anything specific you wanted to know?

PurpleUnicorn01 · 22/02/2021 17:08

@Donimo firstly thank you for your reply. I hope it goes well for you. Its great to have someone to talk to. What happens on a first appointment? My husband has had his test and he is low. Will they run more tests on me?

Thanks againSmile

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CyclingMumKent · 22/02/2021 17:28

We needed vitamin D (both), rubella and TSH (me only) next. Good luck

Donimo · 22/02/2021 17:31

@PurpleUnicorn01 from my experience, but I think all clinics run slightly differently. And also depends if you are NHS or private. We are private, but this is what happened for us. I was referred by GP and had telephone call with consultant and went through mine and husbands medical history. Then arranged for me to have an ultrasound scan and some bloods and my husband to have sperm anayalsis. We then had a follow up telephone appointment to discuss our results (I had low AMH and husband has low sperm count) so it was decided we needed ICSI. Then had a further telephone appointment with consultant to arrange our treatment plan. And then finally a nurses appointment to do further bloods, BMI and gets meds and then could start treatment.

PurpleUnicorn01 · 22/02/2021 19:40

@Donimo im with the nhs. Birmingham Womens Hospital. Thank you for the information. How long did the process take until you can start?

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PurpleUnicorn01 · 22/02/2021 19:41

@CyclingMumKent when did you have to take these?

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Donimo · 22/02/2021 20:06

@PurpleUnicorn01, we are not too far away at coventry hospital but private rather than NHS. And from reading other posts I think the process for NHS is a little different as you have to get CCG funding approved prior to waiting (unless you already have this). But for us I had all my tests in October and my husband had to have 2 x sperm anayalsis (one in October and obeNovember). We had 2 x consultants appointments 1 in October and 1 at christmas. Then nurses face to face appointment in Jan. I started my injections on Saturday, planned egg retrieval and transfer at the end of March. But again there are a few different protocols for IVF (I am on standard long protocol)

With vitamins its just the normal ttc vitamins which I'm sure your both already taking. But our consultant did check we were both talking preconception vitamins. Plus for me to take additional vitamin D and folic acid (I have liver condition which causes low vitamin D and have spina bifida in the family). We had the blood tests as advised above at my nurses appointment in Jan before starting treatment.

CyclingMumKent · 22/02/2021 20:35

These were done before the main consultation once we decided to go ahead with ivf (i have blocked fallopian tubes). Hope it all goes well

PurpleUnicorn01 · 22/02/2021 20:57

@donimo thank you for that. That sounds like its quite a lengthy process. I hope it goes well for you. I have everything crossed for you. Be great to hear how your getting on.

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PurpleUnicorn01 · 22/02/2021 21:01

@cyclingmumkent i hope it goes well. When does your cycle start? Smile

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dogmam · 24/02/2021 12:15

@purpleunicorn01 hi, I'm in a similar position to yourself slightly further along I think. After a year of ttc our first, I contact my GP in October last year, my 21 day bloods come back fine but partners SA come back with low motility and morphology, we referred to a fertility clinic and had the first appointment in January. Obviously because of covid it was a telephone appointment, and it was for both myself and my partner, the specialist asked lots of questions, period length, any previous children, how often we have sex, smoking, alcohol, jobs, lifestyle, supplements etc. The outcome of this appointment was that I need an internal scan and more generic bloods done and my partner needs repeat SA which is all happening next week (so about 8 weeks between initial appointment and tests). Specialist said if everything comes back ok, then other than booking me in for a HCG (to check fallopian tubes), we would have to continue ttc until the 2 year mark before being offered treatment, however if for example my partners SA hasn't improved then we would be eligible to start treatment without having to wait the full 2 year.

If you have a look on the conception board, I started a thread called First Fertility Appointment Tomorrow, back in January, there's a few of us on there who have either just been referred or have had the first appointment, so you should find it helpful.

Hope this helps!

PurpleUnicorn01 · 24/02/2021 12:27

@dogmam

That is so helpful, yes we are just a tad behind you. Will have a look at the other thread.

I hope all your tests go well for you and also they let u start your treatment soon.

Thanks again

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