Anybody continue taking Fish oil and/or NAC up to the birth?

[IamnotwhouthinkIam]

So I'm on aspirin which I've been told by midwifes to stop at 36 weeks (although I forgot to ask whether that includes the 36th week or not - I'm guessing not). I'm assuming they tell you to stop the aspirin at this stage because it's an anticoagulant and they want to prevent excess bleeding in case you give birth earlier - possibly even more important if you're having a c section like me.

BUT I've realised that supplements like Fish oil and NAC can apparently act as anticoagulants too. When I mentioned stopping these as well to the consultant, she seemed unsure whether supplements would matter - so I'm guessing if I ask my midwife at my next appointment, she might not know either .

Has anyone else stopped taking supplements before birth? Or kept taking them? I'm guessing something like a prenatal or vitamin D, choline etc is fine to keep up, but I'm not sure about Fish oil or NAC.

Thanks for any help or advice

It hasn’t occurred to be to stop taking fish oil and I haven’t been asked to stop aspirin either, but maybe because only 31 weeks still (also I’m not expecting a C section).

I’m not sure on the supplements but I’m also on daily aspirin (from 12 weeks) that was supposed to be until week 36 but when I asked the same question as you about when and how do I stop, my midwife said the guidelines have now changed and to take it up to birth as the pros of this far outweigh any bleeding risk. I double checked this with two other midwives just to be sure. So I would check that as well as the supplements with your midwife and make sure your receiving the right advice.
So with that in mind, if they’re now saying take aspirin until birth than maybe supplements aren’t a problem either?

Thanks both - I'll ring and ask today to double check about the aspirin (since I'm 36 weeks now - I stopped taking it last night but I'm sure 1 day missing won't hurt!).

The supplement thing is more difficult as understandably all consultants and midwives I've spoken to over the course of IVF and my pregnancy don't seem to know much about them (apart from the standard Folic acid and Vitamin D advice) I guess it would usually be more a nutritionist speciality? - some have even got out their phones and started googling in front of me trying to help . If I see a different consultant next time I'll try asking again just in case, but I suspect it may be another "just do what you feel most comfortable with" scenario.

Thanks again for the help

What did they tell you? Did you stop taking it? Thanks

The consultant I spoke to didn't seem worried about the supplements at all. But just to be safe I dropped them a week or so before my C section date - and started on the fish oil again asap afterwards (I haven't started the NAC again yet - I figure it's done it's job as an protective antioxidant during pregnancy/IVF, but I'll start it again once my periods come back since I find I get less cramps on it as a bonus).

I’d stop a week before due date as it does thin the blood.

Thank you

@IamnotwhouthinkIam I know this is an old post but I have been advised to take NAC 600mg once a day to help get rid of any bacteria I have from my BV infection. I’m on antibiotics but I’m starting IVF treatment soon for my stimulated frozen transfer. Do you know if NAC is safe during stims? Also, I will be on blood thinners just before transfer. Were you on blood thinners just before you became pregnant? Thanks

I didn't take any extra blood thinners (eg. aspirin) until I was advised to by the midwife once I was 12 weeks pregnant, but I took the 600mg NAC throughout all of IVF and pregnancy till a week before my c section.

Not sure about NAC to get rid of BV though@2021ivfagain . When I got BV during stims they gave me Metronidazole vaginal gel for 5 days to get rid of it and I also took Optibac women's oral probiotics to try to add "good" bacteria back.

@IamnotwhouthinkIam Thanks. I’m currently on vaginal clindamycin but my gynaecologist said I will have residual bacteria for 1-2 weeks after, so I want to take NAC to speed it up before my transfer in July. I suffer from recurring BV infections since my fsh got high last year. I’m on a truckload of oral probiotics and vaginal probiotics but it’s due to my fluctuating hormones. I’m 42 now so things are just going to get worse but hopefully clindamycin will work better. I took metronidazole so much but it always back due to low oestrogen and low lactobacillus. Last time I got rid of atopobium vaginae I took more estradiol, digestive enzymes and metronidazole for 8 days. But 4 weeks later BV came back. NAC breaks down the BV biofilm that it forms but I would have to stop before I start blood thinners which will be 5 days before transfer.

@IamnotwhouthinkIam Did you get BV just before you became pregnant? I’ve tried optibac but because I seem to get it a lot I am on two extra strong oral probiotics a day. I’ll also be on vaginal probiotics after transfer but worried they won’t work well due to low oestrogen. I was so different at 40. I had good amh of 16, but suddenly when I got to 41 nearly everything changed. I don’t know what my fsh is like now but I take norethisterone and hrt for maximum time when doing oestrogen priming so I can use stims to thicken lining for transfer.

@2021ivfagain Yes I got BV during stims, a week or two before egg collection (I also had thrush just before that too, plus was on antibiotics for an eye infection!).

Never had it before or since, I think it was the stress of years of IUI/IVF finally catching up with me and making my immune system run down . In fact I'm wondering if all the anti-biotics I was on (metronidazole, canesten pessary, plus several weeks of Doxycycline for my eyes) was the reason that after 3 years of IUI's/IVF's I finally got pregnant - maybe it killed off any bad bacteria hanging around down there? Could be total coincidence of course, but if i ever transfer my frozen embryo's I'm going to try to take them all again, just in case!

Sorry should have clarified that I had a fresh Day 3 transfer, so yes, I was on those antibiotics till a week or two before I got pregnant (and kept taking the NAC and probiotic throughout my pregnancy).

@IamnotwhouthinkIam Thanks for your messages. I’m worried my BV has not gone and I might need a short course of oral clindamycin (eg 5 days). Did you say you took oral metronidazole in your treatment cycle just before your transfer? Did you stop the antibiotics a week before? Sorry for the questions. Were you having your stimming injections eg taking meriofert whilst taking antibiotics? My consultant is on leave and my transfer has to be this month as my fsh is getting bad.

@2021ivfagain Sorry but I can't remember exactly when I stopped the Doxycycline for my eye infection. It was either while I was taking the Norethisterone/waiting for my bleed to start or a couple of days later during the beginning flare part of my protocol (I didn't have Meriofort, but Buserelin for the flare and the max dose of Menopur for the main stims). I remember it was my choice to stop the Doxycycline though, my clinic said they were okay with it during stims even though they hadn't prescribed it.

I also wasn't on any oral antibiotics for the BV during stims either - my consultant prescribed the Metronidazole in the vaginal gel form.

Good luck! Hope it works out for you