IVF in covid times

[Knifeandfawkes]

How careful are you all being?

We (very fortunately) have two older DC from a number of previous rounds and about to try for DC3. DC1 and 2 are in school/nursery and both DH and I work full time. DC will have to stay in nursery/school and DH and I do hybrid working so into the office 1-3 times a week but can cut that down if necessary.

No asymptomatic testing at my clinic but obviously if have symptoms and test positive all will be cancelled.

How careful would you/have you been?

I feel like we're frankly a bit loopy to be doing this anyway 🙈

My other half and I had to keep working almost to the first day of starting injections, but then we had the duration of treatment off and effectively isolated until transfer day, to reduce the risk of covid preventing egg collection or transfer. We had PPE at work though and both double vaccinated. I'd be as careful as you feel you need to be, so that you feel confident that you've done everything you could do to try to get to collection and transfer - different people will have different thresholds for what feels safe enough for them.

Having IVF during a pandemic was stressful and I did feel people judged me for it, but it was a "now or never" situation, and I'd rather have that stress than give up a potentially narrow window of opportunity to have a child.

@Knifeandfawkes I frustratingly got covid during my recent FET cycle and had to abandon. That was in July and we can't go ahead until November due to set backs with clinic moving location which is frustrating too. We were so careful and always have been, it's difficult to decide what to do for the best but fingers crossed you stay safe & well and get that baba 🥰 x

@Scirocco

My other half and I had to keep working almost to the first day of starting injections, but then we had the duration of treatment off and effectively isolated until transfer day, to reduce the risk of covid preventing egg collection or transfer. We had PPE at work though and both double vaccinated. I'd be as careful as you feel you need to be, so that you feel confident that you've done everything you could do to try to get to collection and transfer - different people will have different thresholds for what feels safe enough for them.

Having IVF during a pandemic was stressful and I did feel people judged me for it, but it was a "now or never" situation, and I'd rather have that stress than give up a potentially narrow window of opportunity to have a child.

People judged you? Honestly, fuck them. You're absolutely right to try. Good luck!

OP, honestly, I wouldn't say I've done anything differently. Usual precautions with hand sanitising etc but I'm not isolating or anything. I'm only doing a FET though which might make me feel differently (though obviously @bluemeadowbaby has a cautionary tale!). I couldn't bear to have egg collection cancelled after all those injections and see my eggs go to waste. I'm also very lucky like you and have a dc from ivf, so my desperation and impatience isn't as bad as it was pre dc. I think if it was full ivf for my first child, I probably wouldn't leave the house!

@Holskey I second this! I too am very lucky to have dc from previous ivf and agree with the feeling of desperation I couldn't even begin to imagine how I'd of felt if I was starting from the beginning. I just felt so peeved as I thought it was just my luck and annoyed at myself 🤦🏻‍♀️ luckily I wasn't too in deep but deep enough to feel all the feels, it was more of a frustration it being put back. It's very hard at the moment as I guess there's no given end to the pandemic, do we put our lives on hold for it or go for it with all the hope & caution? Wishing you both all the luck there is! X

Hi everyone - so grateful to have found this thread.

We are trying for no1 and as of yesterday have had all our forms through from the clinic for ICSI.

I am so worried about us getting covid and it ruining the cycle. @Bluemeadowbaby I'm so sorry this happened to you.

DH works in a high risk environment but I WFH. I think there may be some possibility that he could for a short period of time too, but not entirely sure.

If you isolated, at what stage did you do it and how long for? Do you think it was the right thing to do? (Or did the isolation make it all harder?)

Thanks so much. Going stir crazy here.

I am doing the normal things, mask, avoid crowds, hand sanitizer...

@seathistle completely understand your worries. Have you both had your vaccines? Not that that stops catching it like 🙈 but for a little reassurance maybe? I was going to ask to isolate the week prior to my transfer - if it was a fresh cycle I would've asked to isolate/holidays for 2 weeks. It's very hard to avoid covid but so long as you're keeping safe, sanitising etc its the most we can do I guess. I think when we have big events coming up it's so natural to worry about catching the virus and it ruining our plans. This time around I will certainly be asking to not have my customers in my room for appointments the week prior to my transfer and check with work to see if it is at all possible to self isolate - I'm not sure if that's a thing my work place can do but I'll be sure to ask the clinic and anyone who will listen as it really was so frustrating when I caught it. The reason I was delayed my treatment was because when I tested positive the appointment for my scan to check my lining was a couple of days later and then transfer would've been the week after 🤦🏻‍♀️ do you know what sort of protocol you're on so you can work out timings if you wish to isolate? X

Feel like I've contradicted myself there 😄 I didn't ask to isolate with work as at the time I wasn't seeing face to face appointments so I was kinda safe in my little room on my own. We both caught covid as my partner went to watch the euro final...outside...group of 6 🤦🏻‍♀️ couldn't of written it really 😄 x

@Bluemeadowbaby thank you so much for your reply.

Honestly it's such a huge added stress isn't it, and even with following all the rules, trying your best, good hygiene etc it's just pot luck if you get it or not!

I am double vaccinated as is DH. We have our eligibility appointment in a couple of weeks time and then following that we will be able to speak to a doctor to ask them a lot of questions!

@seathistle you're most welcome, hang on in there you've truly got this!
I totally agree, I probably shouldn't think this way but I was thinking for myself it was only a matter of time until I got it - maybe I had that mindset because I'm one of these people who think the worst to soften the blow? 🙈
Keep doing what you're doing that's all you can do, don't let it put your dreams on hold.
Ah lovely! The ball will soon start rolling! If you ever wish to join my thread I made one for ladies who are currently going through all stages - I've made threads from when I first started trying in 2018 and the ladies I've met along the way have been so lovely, it's amazing to feel empowered by others supporting you 💕 my thread is Continued chat of all things IVF, FET & to feel sane...cycle buddies August/September - x

@Bluemeadowbaby thank you so so much 💕 honestly this can feel like such a lonely thing to deal with sometimes. And because we haven't started treatment yet I didn't know whether or not to go on one of the more established threads! Like I shouldn't be there 😅

I think most likely I am going to try and delay us getting started until after Christmas. Just to try and give myself a break to let my hair down a bit.

Although I don't know if starting in January will be much better?! The most miserable month of the year! 😂 you can't win can you!

@seathistle never! Never ever should you feel like that, we're all in it together no matter what stage! I have a little boy from a previous ivf cycle and honestly starting again I feel brand new to it all, then the set back of getting covid I feel even more new to it 🙈
Good for you! Definitely let yourself enjoy while you can, I went out for the first time in 3 years last night and it was so much fun! I've always been strict not to drink (I don't like drinking much anyway) during treatment but from my previous experiences for me personally, being too strict on myself did my head in and it's so important to look after your mind. You're right, there really is no right time 😄 but when the time comes around it'll all fall nicely for you. Here for you if you need to pm or join the chat to keep you going x

We are really careful, thankfully our DS understands how important staying safe is, so he actually follows all our "rules" for safety. We're both working from home 4 days out of 5.