IVF questions

[juniper76]

Hi,

- As per the ladies above, I had the scans I would normally have with my (private) OB. The only extra ones were at 7 and 10wks with my FS. However, if I hadn't had a 10wk scan with my FS I would have had one with the OB instead, so it was only the 7wk scan that was extra.

- I always stuck to the due date based on EPU day. We knew exactly when the egg was fertilised, so we knew exactly how old the embryo was. She measured spot on at 7wks, but measured ahead after that.

- Sorry, can't help with premmies.

- The IVF process itself has not been shown to cause any disabilities. Any higher rate of incidence is more likely due to the fact that the population of IVF parents contains a higher percentage of problems than the general population of parents. That's often why they're getting IVF in the first place. You see all these doomsayers saying the IVF causes birth defects and the like, but it's nothing but scaremongering because they either don't understand or simply object to IVF.

[onthefly]

No, there's no evidence that IVF itself is associated with higher risks to baby or pregnancy. However, often the underlying causes of the infertility are, and so there may be correlation between IVF and higher risk pregnancies.

My due date was altered with an early dating scan with both pregnancies. I was happy with this as it gave me an extra 3-6 days as I measured 'behind'. (Very handy if you're a 42-weeker). Personally, I reckon there are so many variables in regards to gestation etc, that I would just go with whichever date suits me best.

If you go with a private OB, then you may well have scans that often. We were with DS and after a few checkups asked him to stop all the scans as they were an unnecessary risk.

With regards to prem risk - I don't know of any research on this? I suppose if the mother is older (as many IVF mums are) and she is getting older with each subsequent baby, then that prem risk may well increase. Again, not related to the IVF.

[RhiChiChi]

In relation to the disability question - I was not informed of this as a risk when doing IVF. In fact I'd say it could be the opposite or have no affect due to the egg & sperm being of the best possible quality. eg: The clinic selects the best egg and they clean and do all sorts of things to the males sperm to ensure it is of high quality. HTH

[RhiChiChi]

FYI - Certain IVF clinics run free information sessions to the public which may interest you. I just googled Monash IVF and they have quite a few coming up around Victoria.

[beansbeans!]

Thank you again.

I think Im starting to understand a but more about a pregnancy from IVF (if that makes sense?). So really on average there isnt too many more, if any, risk factors in a pregnancy resulting from IVF compared to non-ivf pregnancy.
Thank you

RhiChiChi, thank you I will have a look into that and see if there are any information sessions I could go to.

Thank you all very much,

[onthefly]

There is no evidence that there are risks associated with pregnancies resulting from IVF, no. There is a correlation between IVF and risks etc, but no proof this is due to the IVF itself.

[Maruschke]

There is no evidence that there are risks associated with pregnancies resulting from IVF, no. There is a correlation between IVF and risks etc, but no proof this is due to the IVF itself.

Yep don't let anyone tell you, or anyone else, that you are high risk purely because of IVF. They MUST look at why you needed IVF first.