IVF/FET Jan/Feb 2022

[Juno231]

I know I'm a bit early but knowing that I get to start in January I think I'll go mad just twiddling my thumbs until then.

With Christmas clinic closures I think there's a fair few of us around waiting for Jan to start, so hopefully we can gather here for support in the mean time?

About me - 33 years old (although I turn 34 in Jan!), TTC#1 for two years with unexplained infertility. Am due to start my first ever round of IVF in January (NHS). I've been told I'll do short protocol and in terms of next steps I've got a trial embryo transfer in two weeks' time, and both OH and I have to get blood tests done in Dec. I can order my meds from the pharmacy in Dec as well so got that to look forward to ha.

I'm currently predicted to start my cycle on the 31st of Dec which would mean having to wait a whole cycle due to the new year bank holiday getting in the way. My cycle can vary by a few days though so I'm really hoping CD1 actually comes a day or two later!

@Jazper I'm afraid I don't know about this but I suspect quite a few more of us will be in the same situation with Covid everywhere! Hope someone can answer this for you x

@Jazper I asked about this on another thread. I'm starting down regs on 3rd and my boyfriend has just tested positive I'm so scared I get it and we get delayed. Part of me wants to get it now then I know I'll have tested and isolated before my first Scan in 25th Jan. But u have to do a covid test before egg collection so I'm worried incase that still comes back positive as I've read covid can show up for 90 days on a test. Does anyone know what would happen then ? Would I have to do a lateral flow and show my isolation certificate ? They don't reopen until the 3rd for me to ask

This was posted on my fertility clinics FB page. Im double jabbed but wondering if I should get my booster...dont like the sounds of the treatment deferred section 😳

"The Scottish Intensive Care Society Report, published on 13 October, highlighted that of the 89 COVID-19 positive pregnant women who were admitted to critical care between December 2020 and end September 2021, 88 were unvaccinated, 1 was partially vaccinated, and none were fully vaccinated. Wave 3 has seen increased numbers of pregnant women being admitted to hospital with moderate to severe COVID-19 symptoms requiring critical care, with clinicians reporting a particular peak in September.

On 16 December, the Scottish Government, Chief Medical Officer, Dr Gregor Smith wrote to NHS Chief Executives highlighting recent updates to the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation advice on vaccinating pregnant women, namely that pregnant women should now be considered as a clinical risk group and part of priority group 6 within the vaccination programme.

In addition to this, the latest evidence from the UK Obstetric Surveillance System (UKOSS) and the Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK (MBRRACE-UK) shows that unvaccinated pregnant women and their babies have died after admission to hospital with Covid-19 and 98 % of pregnant women in ICU with Covid-19 are unvaccinated. We also know that of the all women who have died during pregnancy or up to 6 weeks after birth 88% of them were unvaccinated. A MBRRACE/UKOSS infographic illustrating this information is attached.

In light of the above evidence, the speed at which the Omicron variant is spreading through communities and the safety of pregnant women and their babies, fertility treatment for unvaccinated women will be deferred with immediate effect. We will review this decision during February 2022 or earlier if appropriate. Older women who have their treatment deferred, will have the deferral time added back on to their fertility journey to ensure that they do not lose out on eligibility for treatment due to their age.

Women who are within 12 weeks of having their second Covid vaccine dose or who have had their booster will continue their treatment as normal. For those who have recently had or are about to receive their booster vaccination, treatment can begin 10 days after the booster vaccination has been received. Positions on waiting lists will not be penalised if extra time is needed for vaccination"
www.rcog.org.uk/en/news/maternity-royal-colleges-welcome-prioritisation-of-pregnant-women-for-covid-19-vaccination/

@Autumn245

Not sure what clinic you are at but that is outrageous and goes against official gov advice regarding exemptions. Currently pregnancy is considered one of the valid reasons for exemption from the Covid vaccine by the government. This drug (while likely safe regardless) is still in the safety monitoring phase until approx mid 2023 so trying to withhold treatment to enable you to get pregnant unless you have an experimental treatment is awful. It should be entirely your choice and no coercion should be used. I would be making a complaint to the HEFA about them or considering finding another clinic.

From gov website;
‘Pregnant women can get the COVID-19 vaccination.
If you choose not to vaccinate, you can use your MAT B1 certificate to show your COVID status - you don’t have to use the COVID Pass.
Alternatively, you can apply for a short-term medical exemption so that you can use the COVID Pass.
Whether you use the MAT B1 certificate or the COVID Pass, your medical exemption will expire 16 weeks after you give birth. This will allow you to become fully vaccinated after birth.
The Royal College of Obstetricians, Royal College of Midwives and the UK Tetralogy Service consider COVID vaccination to be safe. They recommend that pregnant women get vaccinated against COVID.’

@BlueSilver23 absolutely agree. Whilst I am completely comfortable with the vaccination, it would be highly discriminatory to prevent fertility treatment on these grounds. In addition the vast majority of people in critical care for Covid are unvaccinated regardless of whether they are pregnant or not - are they going to withhold treatment from everyone else too?

@Autumn245 Did the clinic post that themselves or was it shared by an individual poster? I would do a bit more digging before taking it at face value. Best of luck!!

I do feel slightly annoyed by the constant ‘messaging’ pregnant women are getting with the vaccine. There were over 820,000 conceptions in 2019 (ONS data, probably higher for this year with all the lockdowns!) and 558 pregnant women in ICU from May until December this year. 15 of these died. (Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre ). Current estimates are that about 25% of pregnant women have had the vaccine, so 75% have not. There anecdotally appears to be a higher proportion of those in icu who are unvaccinated although I couldn’t find the official numbers for these myself. While this is of course awful the numbers of pregnant women (unvaccinated or not) actually ending up in ICU overall are still very low (and we have no idea of any underlying conditions with these either) and I feel a bit like the gov wants to scare pregnant women into having this vaccine. The vaccine is probably largely safe but there are always risks with any drug and especially in pregnancy (we even avoid certain cheese and fish for goodness sake yet are to be forced to take a very new drug without a choice?) Regardless of how safe we are told a drug is it should always be a woman’s choice what to do with her body, her fertility and her unborn baby. It should the woman’s choice to make this decision for herself, and not coerced into having what is still a very new drug still in its trial period, however safe it is being stated to be so far. Although I just want to reiterate that I’m not suggesting pregnant women shouldn’t have the vaccine as it is likely safe but it should still be a choice and the government has exempted pregnant women from mandatory vaccinations and Covid passes. Stuff like the post above refusing much needed fertility treatment because of this is infantilising women and policing our bodies yet again and really gets my goat!

Please do feel free to correct any figures above if they are wrong! I have provided the sources

@BlueSilver23 it's Aberdeen I'm at and just a new thing they have come out with this past week. I'm vaccinated so it doesn't concern me but I may have to get my booster before I start treatment. However i find it appalling that women are being forced to choose between getting a vaccine that still has unknown sife effects and having a chance of becoming a mother.

@Janefx40 yes it was the clinic themselves that posted it. It was also mentioned in the press & journal. I'm not affected as I've had my vaccines but I feel for those women who haven't and who don't want to

@Autumn245 I would definitely be challenging them on this. If pregnant women are exempt from vaccination requirements as per the government then how do they legally justify withholding treatment to become pregnant unless they have vaccine on the grounds ‘its what’s best for the woman’? I think they are on very shaky legal and ethical ground and I’d be wary of any medical facility trying to enact this. Are they nhs or private if you don’t mind me asking? If nhs pretty sure they can’t refuse treatment on grounds of not being vaccinated.

I will be NHS but i believe they do private at Aberdeen also. Taken from P&J...

Scottish Ministers have paused fertility treatment for unvaccinated women, it has emerged.

Rising cases and new information about pregnant women led the Scottish Government to update their guidance for IVF.

They say the vaccine is safe for expectant mothers. They have taken the decision to “temporarily defer” fertility treatment for women not fully vaccinated.

One parent campaign was angry at the decision, saying Ministers should reverse it “immediately”.

The Scottish Government says their decision to delay fertility treatment was in response to concern from clinicians working in assisted conception centres.

They added that they will review the decision early in the new year.

What has changed?

One of the places to spell out the changes isAberdeen Fertility Clinic in an announcement posted two days before Christmas.

They explained that of 89 pregnant women admitted to critical care with Covid in Scotland over a period of almost a year, 88 were unvaccinated.

Earlier this month, Chief Medical Officer Dr Gregor Smith wrote to NHS bosses. He said that pregnant women are now a clinical risk group.

The statement continues: “In light of the above evidence, the speed at which the Omicron variant is spreading through communities and the safety of pregnant women and their babies, fertility treatment for unvaccinated women will be deferred with immediate effect.

“We will review this decision during February 2022 or earlier if appropriate.”

The website reassured older women will not lose out through any delays.

Some NHS boards also have statements on their websites, and the Scottish Government decision applies to all NHS fertility treatment.

‘Reverse this decision’

Jo Bisset, organiser forUFT Scotland, said: “Services for women and children have been diabolically bad over the last two years.

“They’ve been the first to suffer while the government has been messing around with Covid restrictions.

“To deny someone a life-changing procedure like IVF on account of vaccination status is wrong.”

She demanded Ministers reverse the fertility treatment delay “immediately”.

Hi, I posted a few weeks ago and I'm back. I just had my day 2 scan and 'hormone panel' blood test, and my clinic will get back to me this afternoon with the FSH dosage for the next few days. I've been on suprecur (buserelin) since my day 21 (and today is my 12th day of down-reg).

The plan is to do 2-3 freeze all cycles for embryo batching, hoping to PGS test any/all 5-day blasts. In my 2 previous fresh ivf cycles (one unsuccessful, one mmc) I transferred multiple 3-day embryos and not had any to freeze, so I'm really hoping i get some blasts from this!

Egg collection should be in about 2 weeks.

My first EC they kept my in for a couple of hours after because my blood pressure and heart rate were super low. After some time to rest, tea and biscuits, extra pain killers, and using the bathroom, they let me leave. Because of the covid restrictions at the time, my dh couldn't wait inside, so i had to call him to come pick me up. I was in a fair amount of pain for a couple of days and it was hard to find a comfortable position sitting or lying down.

But my 2nd EC was a breeze comparatively. A bit of bloating and tender ovaries but otherwise felt much better than previously. I rested for a couple of days and drank loads of fluids.

No idea why they were different. Maybe the first time i had ohss but not bad enough to need to go into hospital? I've heard it can be quite serious. I've also heard that doing the stims cycle is a controlled form of ohss.

@Autumn245 Thanks. So only 89 pregnant women overall were admitted to critical care in a whole year out of how many pregnant women this past year in Scotland overall? And this is their justification for banning fertility treatment for unvaccinated women, for which these make up 75% of pregnant women? So the actual chances of ending up in critical care while pregnant regardless of vaccination status are minuscule anyway. Are they banning fertility treatment for women with underlying health conditions like asthma or diabetes that make them much more likely than the unvaccinated to suffer from Covid complications? Of course they are not, that would be discrimination. Not to mention this is data from the past year, the first half of which pregnant women were being advised not to vaccinate anyway so of course the proportion of unvaccinated pregnant women in ICU over the course of the year will be high. The data is skewed. I’d be more interested in seeing the proportion over the last couple of months. Infuriating.

I'm scheduled to have a FET in early January. So far, just taking estrogen pills that have some weird side effects. Fun fun...

@Bluebonnet3 ooh that's exciting starting a new cycle! I hope it all goes smoothly for you this time, and fingers crossed for some good embryos 🤞🤞🤞

Does anyone have any thoughts on delaying treatment for another month or so due to the risk of Covid messing up the cycle? Due to start my next cycle (likely FET) in February but now concerned about taking all the drugs etc only to have it cancelled at the last minute due catching Covid etc. wondering whether to delay it slightly. I have to use public transportation and work in a high risk job in healthcare so quite worried with the numbers being what they are now

Best of luck to those for those starting now!

Evening @BlueSilver23, I think the challenge is that if you postpone what is to say the situation will be different in 2/3 months time?

Is it an NHS round or private? If it was cancelled due to positive test could it be rolled over or would you just lose it? I’m just trying to stay tucked up and masked up and hope to stay negative?!

On another note, does anyone have any inspiration about do’s and don’ts of food for IVF?
I see lots about brown/ wholemeal carbs only (and limited), no alcohol or caffeine….. what else? It’s a minefield but want to do anything that can help!

Hello everybody, I'm pleased to meet you all on your journeys. I've just started my 2nd fresh IVF. First on short protocol IVF/ICSI with donor sperm. Second we have gone private long protocol, different donor. I'm same sex so must have journey for us. No other health implications. Biggest things I've learned, in case of interest to others:

1 - Emla cream is great for numbing the area for injections
2 - 2L water is a must
3 - Mediterranean diet is encouraged
4 - Embryoscopes increase quality by 12%!
5 - Different follicles trigger in different cycles which contributes to the pot luck nature of IVF
6 - Don't so high intensity exercise or drink alcohol during treatment/stims
7 - Co enzyme 10 boost egg quality and helps egg maturity (200-300mg x 3 times a day was recommended to me)

I'm staring Stims (ovaleap) tomorrow after 16 days of Buserelin down regulation. Next scan 7/1/22.

Best of luck to you all x

@BlueSilver23 I think things should be better by Feb. I say go for it!

@MollyVanDer welcome

@Hopeful199 the book to read on diet and supplements is It Starts With an Egg. It's basically the IVF diet bible. Don't get too stressed about it tho especially if you are under 40 (but even if you're not). I hadn't done any special diet before my successful cycle. I also have a cookbook called "eat yourself pregnant" by Zita West. It doesn't follow quite such a strict regime but it's good. The "go to" woman on fertility diet is Melanie Brown. You can hear her speak on this podcast episode if you're interested!

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/for-trying-out-loud-the-infertility-years/id1462661416?i=1000477676554

Xxx

Thanks @Janefx40

I am under 40….. but only just 😂

Trying to have a balance between doing what I. Am but not letting it stress me out. Figure caffeine and alcohol is a good start and big change so hopefully that with less carbs and more fresh foods has to be good?! I will definitely listen to the podcast.

Hi @MollyVanDer…. We are at similar points in the process. I’m currently on buserelin with next scan on 4th Jan which will be day 13 of injections.
Everything crossed for you this time x

@Janefx40 thanks for sharing the podcast

Just catching up and I am shocked about the taking away a woman's choice/autonomy and withholding fertility treatment no vaccine. Just shocked...like I literally can't form words to express how problematic this is and scary that is to me.

Welcome @MollyVanDer! Using donor semen here also. Also doing second round, same clinic and protocol as first time (private, short protocol) Got 6 eggs, 4 blasts last time but the two PGT-A normal blasts were the lowest quality morphology, hoping this next round to get at least one normal blast that is 3BB or higher.

@tulipsandsnow - hasn't donor sperm been hard to find this past year!? Hope you have better success in your second round. We had 9 collected, 6 mature, 4 fertilised, 2 made it to day 5 blastocyst and 1 transferred (3BB). The other one ended up not suitable for freezing unfortunately. I had a bleed on day 9 post 5 day transfer so it didn't take. I felt so bad, mainly for my wife who I want to have a baby for so much. I'm keeping everything crossed for the second time working...

@tulipsandsnow I know, it’s frightening in a ‘Handmaids Tale’ sort of way. Disappointed there hasn’t been more outcry over it in the press etc. Sincerely hoping a complaint is made to the HEFA. I’m a great supporter of the vaccine but it’s becoming almost cult like in some peoples devotion to it. Withholding a woman’s right to control her own body and fertility unless she submits to the vaccine is terrifying to me.

@MollyVanDer Welcome to the thread, wishing you best of luck with this cycle!

Re delaying treatment while we are in a Covid surge; im still in two minds tbh! Got a couple more weeks to make a decision anyway

@BlueSilver23 welcome ! I would go for it . I'm the same a bit. However I'm.over 40 so I ain't delaying it anymore.
I'm starting down regs on Monday 3rd . Got a scan on 25th my partner has covid I have a honking cold. I've been testing every day since 22nd bc we had people.coming for lunch). Also I worked with a girl who has also tested positive so I'm half expecting it to come to me. I have upto around the 11th to get it, test and isolate before my scan.

Good luck to everyone starting out.

This be our 2nd cycle. First one was a CM in October.

This is our year guys . Our dreams will come true. X

That's interesting @Justawannabemam . My clinic would not allow me to take my stims on 4th as planned due to my positive covid test over Christmas. They need to PCR test me 28 days after my initial positive. They will not treat me while I still show positive and have said I could show positive for weeks afterwards.
Do you not need a PCR before egg collection?
It's strange how every clinic operates differently.