Why do midwives ask if a baby was IVF

[cupoftea84]

I'm currently pregnant with baby 2. Both so far conceived naturally.

I've been asked both times if the conception was natural or IVF. I've also heard that IBG babies are more likely to to induced.

I might need IVF if I want a 3rd due to age so I am curious to know why they ask and if they really need to know. If I did have an IVF pregnancy in the future (via a private clinic) could I just say it was natural? Feels a bit intrusive and I don't see why they need to know.

Does anyone know?

It's quite simply a part of a patients medical history not specifically directed at you and you alone. This is not something to get worked up about, enjoy your pregnancy!

Yes because a small study says there's a increased risk with ivf births. It's just adds a point to their score system to work out if you should be considered higher risk, need to see a consultant etc

It's nothing to be worried about. It's only in your best interests. (My baby is an ivf baby)

I think they monitor if births more closely as there are increased risks and also an increased likelihood of twins or other multiples.
They ask everyone the same questions, it's really not something to get worked up about. The whole point in the booking appointment is to get as much medical information about you/the baby/other family so they can make an informed decision about the care you need through your pregnancy.

*ivf not if births

Surely it's obvious that there is in increased risk of complications in pregnancy if the baby was conceived by IVF? It's not intrusive, it's about looking after the welfare of mother and baby.

Also if it was ivf your dates are likely to be very accurate. Whereas non ivf can be way out.

I had fertility treatment 16 & 11 years ago both times was referred to consultant care. I was told due to higher risks.

IVF pregnancies are slightly higher risk particularly if they go overdue, that's all there is to it really.

Because the physiology of early pregnancy in IVF is different (because it's all reliant on artificial hormones rather than the patient's own endogenous ones), certain conditions (twins, pre-eclampsia, GDM) are more likely, and there's a slightly higher risk of bad birth outcomes if IVF pregnancies go overdue. They're not just being nosy!

Don’t be ridiculous!

Because it is clinically relevant. For goodness' sake do not lie in the future. Why do you feel that there is such a stigma to fertility treatment?

Trust me, if you end up doing IVF, you REALLY won't feel like this is intrusive!

There are marginally higher risks with an IVF pregnancy that they need to be aware of. Not everyone is automatically consultant led but often the causes of your infertility might require a consultant led pregnancy.

As others have said, it's because the risks are different to a natural conception. Why on earth would you lie??

If they asked you what sexual position you naturally conceived your child in, I would agree that was an intrusive question😂 But ‘was it IVF?’ couldn’t be more relevant to your care for them to ask you, what a bizarre way of thinking, if you wanted to hide it then go a head but then you couldn’t complain if any issue went undetected as your care isn’t tailored to meet your individual needs.

I got asked if my partner was a blood relation.. still didn’t find it intrusive, some people are just so difficult🙈

I don't want to pile on and I mean this very kindly, OP, but if you find the question intrusive then I would have real concerns about how distressing you would find fertility treatment.

I had an IVF baby and volunteered this information without being asked as it may be medically relevant in more ways than we know. It's not exactly shameful.

I actually didn't tell anyone except my partner and my boss that I was having IVF as I just wanted to get on with it with little fuss and didn't want friends and family asking me how it was going and now to this day I still haven't told anyone (mostly because I think it would be weird now to go oh btw). But I let any medical professional involved in my pregnancy and birth know and will let my son know when he is older as it is part of his medical history.

No need to be weird about it with medical professionals!

What an odd approach you’re considering taking to a very sensible, medically-important question!

As well as for the reasons mentioned above, they also link up births with the fertility clinics as IVF births are monitored, studied and analysed.

You sound a bit ignorant but that's not really a criticism - I was too before I had treatment. You should be aware though that it's a sensitive subject close to people's hearts, and to refer to it as though it is an undesirable thing with a stigma around it can be a bit hurtful.

It’s a medically relevant question. They want to know because it can be associated with certain increased risks, so they might want to monitor you more closely.

I wouldnot even think about a 3rd child OP. You haven't had DC2 yet.

There are good clinical reasons to ask.
If you have IVF then 'intrusive' is very hard to avoid.

I had a GP literally nudge me and ask if my babies 'belonged to my H'
As she had read they were IVF in my notes.
(she was normally hospital based but had stood in in small local practice in an emergency staffing situation)
She was my neighbour (literally) in a small Scottish town.
When I said 'yes' she did a head tilt. I was a bit 'eh?' especially as it was in the bloody lane behind the GP practice where we both lived, not actually in clinic. Now that is intrusive (and bloody rude)

I have had IVF 4 times and I have no problems with any medical situation or questions after that.

I have been poked, prodded, examined with multiple people present and had various implements inserted in me over the years.

Now that is intrusive.

It's required for medical reasons, OP. IVF pregnancies have a slightly higher risk then natural ones. Why would you lie to a medical professional about that? If you find just the question intrusive then you will be in for a major shock if you actually look at getting fertility treatment in the future. It's not different from of a question then asking your general medical history.

Your OP comes across as though you feel like IVF is something to be ashamed about if you feel compelled to lie to medical professionals about it.

It's significant if you've used donor eggs. For example, a 40 year old woman who had used eggs from a 30 year old donor would be different from a 40 year old pregnant through using her own eggs. Similarly, if you were using your own frozen eggs from years earlier they would need to know as otherwise they may be unnecessarily concerned about age-related issues.