Covid19 - trying to conceive

heldel00 · 19-03-2020 3:40pm #1

We have been flat to the mat trying for baby number 3 but I heard worrying news on Sean O'Rourke's radio show this morning.
The head of Merrion fertility clinic has suspended all IVF treatments until there is more known about the effects of Covid on a developing foetus. (Following British and American advice)
This scared the bejaysus out of me. She says evidence shows that it can cause premature delivery of babies but as for very early pregnancies they just don't know.
Any thoughts?

Neyite · 19-03-2020 3:47pm

That's just it - they don't know.

I suppose the way I would see it if I were currently pregnant is to be hoping for the best and ignoring all but what my consultant or a reputable OBGYN tells me. If I was TTC then I think I'd skip a few months (though the lockdown could have been quilte helpful in that regard!) just in case.

There really isn't any point in worrying - easier said than done, but for a clinic to suspend it it's probably precautionary from a legal perspective rather than based on solid clinical data - at this time anyway. The virus only surfaced in November so how it affects any stage of pregnancy is probably only anecdotal at this stage and not based on fact.

Princess Calla · 19-03-2020 4:03pm

I think there was a link to research in one of the COVID19 threads, someone might link again.

As far as I can remember (it stuck with me as we have a newly pregnant family member).

Risk of miscarriage is 50% in the first weeks. I think it went to 20 weeks.

Then there's a risk of early labour around 30 weeks and still births too.

I was pretty upset after reading the figures and I'm fearful for my family member.

But like that, this is all new so they really don't know. I don't know if I would personally do an IVF cycle during this time, but that's extremely easy for me to say as I'm not in the situation.

If I was pregnant I'd be in lock down now. I plan to give any pregnant women a wide berth, I've small children so it's likely I'm a walking petri dish.

theteal · 19-03-2020 4:08pm

We decided to stop trying as all this was unfolding but of course she's 7 weeks today. Also she's a Critical Care nurse and now has to isolate for 12 weeks. I think today may be kid no.1's last day with minder for a few weeks too.

We just don't know what to expect so best to play it safe/

heldel00 · 19-03-2020 4:14pm

My stomach is in a knot about it. It really is a case of now or never for us. Waiting 6 months or a year is not an option for us.

krissovo · 19-03-2020 4:48pm

Princess Calla wrote: »

As far as I can remember (it stuck with me as we have a newly pregnant family member).

Risk of miscarriage is 50% in the first weeks. I think it went to 20 weeks.

Then there's a risk of early labour around 30 weeks and still births too.

I was pretty upset after reading the figures and I'm fearful for my family member.

This has to be BS and how fear spreads, you made a frightening statement with no responsible back up medical evidence. Shame on you!

Antares35 · 19-03-2020 4:54pm

Princess Calla wrote: »

I think there was a link to research in one of the COVID19 threads, someone might link again.

As far as I can remember (it stuck with me as we have a newly pregnant family member).

Risk of miscarriage is 50% in the first weeks. I think it went to 20 weeks.

Then there's a risk of early labour around 30 weeks and still births too.

I was pretty upset after reading the figures and I'm fearful for my family member.

But like that, this is all new so they really don't know. I don't know if I would personally do an IVF cycle during this time, but that's extremely easy for me to say as I'm not in the situation.

If I was pregnant I'd be in lock down now. I plan to give any pregnant women a wide berth, I've small children so it's likely I'm a walking petri dish.

Sorry, where did you read this? I am 31 weeks and wasn't scared until you posted this! I have not read this anywhere to be honest.

bee06 · 19-03-2020 4:56pm

krissovo wrote: »

This has to be BS and how fear spreads, you made a frightening statement with no responsible back up medical evidence. Shame on you!

It was BS. That link that was posted was actually stats in relation to SARs and MERs.

The attached has been issued by the national maternity hospital. I’m not going to summarise because everyone interested should read valid sources for themselves rather than someone saying xyz says this.

https://rise.articulate.com/share/j_A9M2VrxvdeZgDiCbBTEw0lCvNoeTMX#/lessons/Elxxli66LedVF9M0WmTn_7r-qzgbY6LU

Edited to add the link to the article from the royal collage of Obstetricians and gynaecologists

https://www.rcog.org.uk/coronavirus-pregnancy

Neyite · 19-03-2020 5:35pm

Guys please no scaremongering - if you have a link to a valid medical article that substantiates your claims, link it, otherwise please don't.

nicholi · 19-03-2020 7:32pm

We were due to do a Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) in the next few weeks, hadn't started the medication for the cycle but decided on Sunday that I wasn't happy to commence the cycle.

Rang the clinic on Monday to let them know I wasn't going to proceed. The nurse was lovely but said that they were going to have rang me that day anyway as the decision had been made to close the clinic on Friday.

While part of the reasons influencing my decision not to proceed were medical, there were also a few practical considerations such as having to travel to the clinic for scans (clinic is in Dublin but I live in Co. Clare) I normally stay with family the night before and have an early scan before heading back to work after the scan, but that option was out due no social distancing etc.

I'm happy that I had made the decision not to proceed rather than it being forced on me, also the fact is I was only doing a FET and not the full egg retrieval, but my heart goes out to those who are up against the clock in terms of age versus egg quality or even women who are about to undergo cancer treatment who may be missing out on their only chance to become a mother.

Hopefully we will be able to go back to the clinic in a few months and start again!

Antares35 · 19-03-2020 8:02pm

nicholi wrote: »

We were due to do a Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) in the next few weeks, hadn't started the medication for the cycle but decided on Sunday that I wasn't happy to commence the cycle.

Rang the clinic on Monday to let them know I wasn't going to proceed. The nurse was lovely but said that they were going to have rang me that day anyway as the decision had been made to close the clinic on Friday.

While part of the reasons influencing my decision not to proceed were medical, there were also a few practical considerations such as having to travel to the clinic for scans (clinic is in Dublin but I live in Co. Clare) I normally stay with family the night before and have an early scan before heading back to work after the scan, but that option was out due no social distancing etc.

I'm happy that I had made the decision not to proceed rather than it being forced on me, also the fact is I was only doing a FET and not the full egg retrieval, but my heart goes out to those who are up against the clock in terms of age versus egg quality or even women who are about to undergo cancer treatment who may be missing out on their only chance to become a mother.

Hopefully we will be able to go back to the clinic in a few months and start again!

I hadn't even thought about those people.

I hope your journey won't be interrupted for too long!

heldel00 · 19-03-2020 9:24pm

nicholi wrote: »

We were due to do a Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) in the next few weeks, hadn't started the medication for the cycle but decided on Sunday that I wasn't happy to commence the cycle.

Rang the clinic on Monday to let them know I wasn't going to proceed. The nurse was lovely but said that they were going to have rang me that day anyway as the decision had been made to close the clinic on Friday.

While part of the reasons influencing my decision not to proceed were medical, there were also a few practical considerations such as having to travel to the clinic for scans (clinic is in Dublin but I live in Co. Clare) I normally stay with family the night before and have an early scan before heading back to work after the scan, but that option was out due no social distancing etc.

I'm happy that I had made the decision not to proceed rather than it being forced on me, also the fact is I was only doing a FET and not the full egg retrieval, but my heart goes out to those who are up against the clock in terms of age versus egg quality or even women who are about to undergo cancer treatment who may be missing out on their only chance to become a mother.

Hopefully we will be able to go back to the clinic in a few months and start again!

And would it mostly be logistics that made you consider postponing?
My fear is that there could be some abnormality passed across but I know I'm over thinking.
Miscarriage to me would be the most obvious side effect (purely because of the effect of flu symptoms on mother's body) but I had a miscarriage last year and my heart is only starting to heal

nicholi · 20-03-2020 6:07pm

Find it very hard to describe exactly - was it logistics only or fear only?

Was very conscious that if I did get pregnant then I would be classed as a medium/high risk pregnancy anyway so if this crisis does last longer than 6 - 8 weeks then you're into hospital appointments/scans etc...

In fairness the maternity system is very good in Ireland (compared to the health system in general) but there will be a huge strain on all parts of the health system in the coming months as it attempts to play catch up on all the procedures that have been cancelled postponed due to COVID19.

I have absolutely no problem with someone becoming pregnant at this time, but for me personally (and this is only me opinion, not anyone else's) I did question whether it would be the most ethical/moral thing to go to the lengths that I am going to (have done several cycles of IVF and looking to do a frozen transfer), at a time when there is such pressure on the health system as a whole.

The other factor for me was the fact as a new illness/infection there is absolutely no evidence bar somewhat anecdotal at best for later in pregnancy in terms of outcomes for either mother or baby.

I would hate for this to be taken as a women shouldn't get pregnant rant - it is not. Women get pregnant all the time including during times of physical stress and hardship such as during famine, war, plagues etc. Otherwise the human race would probably have died out during the first famine it encountered! :rolleyes:

This has ended up being a much longer post than I anticipated at first! Hopefully this is just a small delay in the (very bumpy so far) road to motherhood for us!

heldel00 · 20-03-2020 6:59pm

Really valid points here. Thank you for replying.
Best of luck with it all. X

Covid19 - trying to conceive

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