BFPs following IVF to take symptoms & scans

[Justawannabemam]

Hi everyone.

I've started this group for us to chat about our symptoms, scans and any other pregancy related issues after getting a BFP following IVF/IUI/ICSI.

It is by no means to leave anyone out of the previous groups we have been in, where we all offer advice and help during an IVF cycle.

We all know hearing people's positive pregancy news can be heart breaking. I just found on the group that we are talking scans, symptoms, signs and positive tests I'm very conscious that those currently mid cycle may get upset.

We can all still give advice but maybe we could use this group as our pregnancies progress.

I've tagged who I remember from the last group, please feel free to add others as they join us on this next phase of our journey or if I have missed anyone.

@W1ngingit
@Millymillymillymillymilly
@womaninkent
@xreadytoglow
@Bluehawaii29
@Bryterlayter1

@seven201 I have everything crossed for you. Where there is a heartbeat, there's hope.

@xreadytoglow thanks for the good wishes.

@Bluehawaii29 hope all went well today.

All fine at my scan. Baby was in a bad position (back to my tummy), so they had me doing star jumps and squats, eventually little one moved and they got all the measurements. We decided not to find out the sex of the baby, keeping it a surprise for delivery day.

@Bryterlayter1 that's excellent news. I do find the image of you doing star jumps next to the scan bed pretty funny!

@seven201 that's definitely a better outcome than your last one and I hope they keep getting better and better from now on. Everything crossed for you.

@Bryterlayter1 glad to hear your scan went well and that baby cooperated in the end!

@xreadytoglow thank you. Your bump is looking beautiful

@Bryterlayter1 hi glad your scan went well. We had ours, baby looks good but just wasn’t in right position to get a good look at brain so they have to bring me back again in a week. Tried everything but it was too relaxed in one place. We found out it’s a girl :) my gut instinct had been right from the start.
however I’m bit worried after they checked my cervical length again transvaginal and it was a bit shorter so now I’m waiting to speak to a dr in maternity triage to figure out option to prevent premature delivery. Seems scary

@xreadytoglow glad to hear you're feeling lots of movement. Also great bump pic. It's better then mine. We found out at our scan that we're having a boy. It was weirdly emotionally finding out as it makes it feel more real. Just need those last measurements now to feel reassured. I have a Rhesus appointment on Thursday. Have you had one? Or got one?

@seven201 that's great to hear some progress has been made. I'm going to continue to keep my fingers crossed for you.

@Bryterlayter1 glad to hear your scan went well and baby cooperated in the end.

@Bluehawaii29 glad to hear all looked good - but frustrating you have to go back. Congrats on the baby girl and that your instincts were right. I can see why you are feeling scared about the cervical length - anything not completely perfect in pregnancy freaks me out. However you are in good hands and the fact they know means they can do something to avoid preterm birth. I hope you hear back soon to get reassurance.

@seven201 thank you 🥰

@Overlyanxious thank you! Aww a boy too! Congratulations 💙! It definitely makes it more real doesn't it. Have you thought of a name?
I found out from a blood test that he is also rhesus negative! So I don't need any more appointments/injections. Very thankful! Did they offer you a blood test to find out the baby's blood type?

@xreadytoglow we have a potential name but it may change. How about you? Ah that's good news he's Rhesus negative. I haven't had a blood test yet - maybe that will happen at my appointment on Thursday.

@Bluehawaii29 sorry to hear your scan wasn't all straightforward. Are you still at the hospital waiting? I hope they can offer some reassurance and/or solutions on the cervical length. Is this why some women have a cervical stitch put in? A girl! How exciting.

@Overlyanxious a boy!! Amazing. I had the rhesus thing when I had my dd six years ago. I can't remember what exactly happened but I remember having an injection in pregnancy and then another after birth I think. Could have been more.

@seven201 thank you, we got home about 7ish, waited a few hrs just to speak to dr as they were all in theatre. The consultant said it’s just borderline so they will scan me again next week and if it’s the same then it’s ok and they’ll do a follow up scan at 24 weeks. If it’s still getting shorter then they can offer progesterone vaginally and stitch is last resort which I don’t think I’ll be up for tbh. There is a swab on Thursday they doing for me for a protein which can also be a predictor of prematurity risk as well. They told me I should be resting at home and not going in to work, just remote working now. Also to avoid long walks etc and just potter about the house basically until they know more

That all sounds very sensible and it does sound like the hospital are on top of it and have a clear plan. Will your work be ok with you wfh now? I do hope they're supportive. I bet your head is all over the place as it's a lot to take in.

@seven201 yeah I was really looking forward to seeing the baby and finding out who it is today but don’t feel excited anymore. Just scared. I just hope I make it to 30 weeks at least

It sounds like they're just being cautious. Pregnancy, especially after loss or ivf is just such a worrying time. I wish we were all able to be happy carefree pregnant ladies. Hopefully next week will bring positive news for you.

@Bluehawaii29 I'm sorry you're feeling scared. Sounds like you are in good hands though. Keeping everything crossed that it stays the same x

@seven201 @Overlyanxious thank you x
yeah this has massively triggered my anxiety again, I think it’s the fear that it may come to have the stitch put in but I’ve read that the vaginal progesterone is equally effective at preventing preterm birth and can really help to stabilise things. So if it comes to it I think I’ll go for this option. Also read that if it’s an incidental finding like in my case and between 20-25mm the cervical cerclage is not usually recommended. I think it could have been worse and been less than 15 mm so just thankful it was only 0.6mm out on the 20 week scan. Just getting through next few weeks is going to be stressful with the monitoring going on but apparently after 26 weeks they leave you alone as there’s no benefits of monitoring cervical length after that. I started with 31 mm length at 12 weeks which they said was normal but appparently the cervix shortens gradually during pregnancy anyway so looks like it went below their cut off a bit faster than the average person. Most people I think start with 40-41mm

Sending you virtual hugs @Bluehawaii29 the anxiety is the worst. The progesterone sounds like a positive though. Hopefully you'll get good news next week and that will help to ease some of the anxiety

@Overlyanxious thank you, yeah it was just a shock yesterday. Was on a high seeing the baby and then immediate low when she proceeded to do transvaginal and found that out. Put me in a very negative headspace but feeling bit better about it today and baby is still kicking away so have to remember to keep positive for her and just make things go as smoothly as can be now x

@Bluehawaii29 that is interesting about the progesterone alternative. I do think progesterone is amazing stuff! Saving pregnancies/babies in various ways! I'm on suppositories and injections of it until 16 weeks (if we get there) as after my first transfer I started bleeding 6 days after due to low progesterone.

Hi ladies! Sorry been MIA, but my app refuses to post and I have to remember to post when I'm on my laptop (which is normally work time)

@Bluehawaii29 sorry to hear about your cervix, I am sure they will monitor it closely and do everything they need so your little one stays right there until the time comes. Also being borderline means they are just doing preventive work, which I think is also reassuring, meaning they not gonna let anything bad happen!

@seven201 all my best to you, please keep us posted!

@xreadytoglow congrats on that beautiful bump and the rhesus being same as yours!

@Overlyanxious congrats on you baby boy! so exciting!!

I had my new scan just today at what I thought was 16+4, but its now 17+1?? They say I should take as a reference the bigger baby but idk about that? Shouldn't I take my pick-up date + two weeks?

Anyway both girls are fine, one measuring on the spot 17+1 and the other 17+4, one is in the 48% percentile and the other 87%. So one normal and one bigger baby LOOL both HC (which I was sooo worried about) above percentile, the rest of the measures also above percentile minus the AC in the smaller twin which in the 30% but I was also bc she is a bit smaller?

Now they want to see me again in two weeks and a half for the 20th week scan (which I will have on the 19 the week) and then in 3 weeks for another regular scan..after that my next scan will be back in Europe

I had a really good last week and then was sick 4 times yesterday after my prenatal massage on Sunday LOOL..do you think it might have anything to do?

i've also signed up for aquatic gym prenatal classes and I am loving them!

hope everyone is having a lovely week!

@bajanbump i'm glad to hear both your baby girls were fine. sorry to hear you were sick, i wonder if the massage did bring it out !

I had my midwife appointment yesterday and i was told as im on blood thinners as part of my ivf now (Clexane) i will be on these again 8 weeks after the birth, i googled if you can breastfeed on Clexane and it says it is not recommended. Has Anyone else been on Clexane or similar?

@bajanbump congrats on the scan. I don't know much about twin pregnancies, but them being not small sounds positive to me.

@Gigi89x oh interesting. I'm also on clexane. I think my protocol is to stop at either 12 or 16 weeks. I'm early days so not discussed after birth. When I had my dd 6 years ago I was on aspirin and had to stop one week before my c-section. I did have blood thinners (it was an injection so possibly clexane) for 2 weeks ish after birth, but that was because I had a c-section. I breastfed and no-one mentioned I shouldn't, and I was in hospital for 5 days, so someone should have clocked it.

@Bluehawaii29 Different sites say different things for third trimester. I went with the later date and considered third trimester as 28 weeks myself. Honestly third trimester is a lot easier now covid has passed! I'm back to mostly enjoying being pregnant again and no longer feel like my body is falling apart! Still tired, and bump is feeling pretty heavy and stretched now, but otherwise I seem to be finding it easier than most (no insomnia, no hip pain etc, no swelling in feet, no emotional breakdowns) so I'm considering myself lucky! Its great your latest scan went well - I would try not to worry about cervical length, we knew going into this pregnancy I had a short cervix from previous LLETZ treatment and I had it proactively monitored from 16 to 24 weeks and everything stayed totally fine - no progesterone, no stitch, no anything. After 24 weeks they don't look at it again as baby can survive if it comes after that point x

@seven201 I'm sorry you're in a bit of limbo at the moment at latest scan wasn't as reassuring as it could be. There is a heartbeat though so there is a chance 🤞🤞🤞

@Bryterlayter1 Congrats on scan :)

@bajanbump Great to hear both twins are doing well and a good size. Don't worry about your NHS dating, they dated mine earlyier than it can possibly be too, but then fetus has continued to measure big. Its not an exact science their dating scans!

@Gigi89x Sorry no experience of blood thinners. I'd speak to your midwife about it.

Not much to report here to be honest. I've started making a list of things to put together a hospital bag, and we're nearly finished nursery (just need to build crib, buy a few shelves to put up, and get paint to do some stenciling on the walls). I'm not going on annual leave until my due date, but I've now booked myself a week of annual leave the week before as getting tired. Only 7 more weeks of work after this week!

@2mumlife thank you so much for the info, yeah I just been worried since Monday but seeing specialist this morning. That’s really good yours stayed the same, I’m hoping the length for me is stable too, will know more next week. Glad you are feeling better now.
can I just ask what was your last cervix length measurement before they stopped monitoring? x

@Bluehawaii29 I was around the high 20s / low 30s throughout the period I was monitored. These measurements aren't very accurate, so some scans they said longer and some scans they said shorter but overall stayed roughly the same to be honest. I got a scan once every 2 weeks, got reviewed each time by consultant who basically just said each type 'yeah, thats fine, seen you in 2 weeks'. Hopefully you have as simple a situation. As long as they can't see your cervix getting progressively thinner you should be absolutely fine x

@2mumlife yay results were all good from the swab they did, such a relief. She calculated low risk of prematurity and said I can resume normal activities and just take the progesterone for added protection so I’ll just have the pessaries one at night till 34 weeks. Just got a check next week for the cervix length but she’s not worried about it and said I have no other risks. She also looked at the scan pics from Monday and said cervix looked firm and was good on examination also, and said she couldn’t see any funnelling so all good signs. Heard baby again too x