Homebirth and IVF

Does anyone know if having an IVF pregnancy causes you to be "high-risk"? Or for some other reason, means you can't birth at home? I don't know if it's mentioned somewhere else...

There's no correlation between form of conception and type of pregnancy or risk at birth.

There may be some relationship between IVF and maternal age. Maternal age can sometimes be used as a risk factor but lots of "older" women have successful homebirths.

Are you considering using an IM or a community homebirth program?

some obs like to say that if you had AC you are "high risk" but why on earth? There is no evidence of difference in birthing outcomes. The only difference seems to stem from the woman's desire.. some AC women feel a little hmm disappointed in their bodies and want their babies as safe as possible due to the stress of conceiving them via ac and attempt a cs to avoid any more complications... when in reality, a HB or even hossy birth is safer. Sorry to ramble.. if you are an AC woman and want a HB, go for it :D nothing about AC will stop you. Best of luck.

Thanks for your quick replies!
I'll be 36 by the time I'm cooked so not hugely advanced maternal-age-wise. I just read a few places of various professionals mentioning to others re high risk- perhaps it was just due to maternal age though.
I can't help but feeling that something is going to get in the way of my HB plans, and having to do IVF didn't help that fear.

i think some of the "high risk" link comes from the reason that ivf is needed. if your reason for IVF is pcos, there is often maternal weight and risk of gestational diabetes used as the "label" for high risk. but they would be the same risks if it was natural conception as well

i think if you're otherwise healthy, you could tell them to jam it and, if they want to label you high risk, use something other than IVF - it is irrelevant. just be prepared for them to play the "this pregnancy is extra special, you don't want to risk it" card - i had that one played at one point when i was discussing birth options. it didn't sit well with me. EVERY pregnancy is extra special... playing on your emotions is something you have to be really prepared for

Josie, I haven't done any research into this as I am not sure homebirth is for me (and I am not even pregnant yet!! lol) but it might also have something to do with the "reasons" some people need to do IVF. There may be a gynaecological reason that means any pregnancy (whether "natural" or IVF) would be high risk iykwim.

Is it your first child? Maybe 36 for first child puts you in the "high risk" category. Also, even though 36 is still young, I am pretty sure from a medical point of view it would be considered a case of AMA (Advanced Maternal Age).

I would be interested to hear anything you find out.

Elderly primigeaviter is someone over 24 I believe! I couldn't believe it when I was pregnant withy first at 25 to be told this lol

Yikes 24! Yes its my first child...sigh, elderly primi indeed! I am otherwise healthy- and yes Briggsy's girl, I agree, every pregnancy is special. We ended up on IVF due to what looks like insufficient progesterone...though early tests indicated it was fine.
I can see I'll need to track down a homebirth midwife here and check out what she thinks. It's early days yet though so i feel a bit silly contacting birthing options at this point. I just want to know I can...or might be able to. I want to concentrate on the birth, not being alert to things that are going to make me cross in a hospital IYKWIM

it's not really too early to research options. homebirth middies aren't that thick on the ground, so you need to see if you can secure one for the time you're due. you also want to know where you stand early, so that you're not focussing on one birth to find out, for whatever reason (resource, risk etc) that it's not an option and you have to re-focus and plan something else kwim?

JosieJo - I went to a homebirthing get together yesterday and one of the Mums planned a homebirth for her first child, who was IVF, not quite two years ago. There was no apparent high risk because of AC. She is currently going through IVF treatment again and will plan another homebirth when that is successful.

How did your enquiries go?

IVF will not stop you from planning a HB! :)

There are many chicks that have had AC and gone on to have successful HBs!!!!

I can highly recommend having a baby at home (there is a link to my birth story in my sig (DD2) if you are after some positive HB stories...)

Hello everyone, thanks for your responses.

I spoke to a midwife yesterday who isn't concerned with the whole IVF thing. I forgot to mention my advanced maternal age though (sigh, when did I get to be so advanced?) I meet up with her in a couple of weeks (I'm going to be busy with other stuff) and find out more from her then. I'm very excited!

X

oo and I updated my sig too! :)

Sounds like the reasons for your IVF would not make you "high risk" :)

My DD is an IVF/PGD princess and after the confirmation ultrasound I had with the IVF clinic to confirm that I was indeed pregnant with her, I never had any more contact with the IVF clinic. It was then all left to me and my Obstetrician (or whatever healthcare provider I wanted to choose). I was told that once you reach that point your pregnancy is basically the same no matter how you conceived.

My DD was born in a hospital, but I delivered her by myself (midwives were super supportive of letting me do what I felt was right) and things went so quickly that my Obstetrician arrived about 5 minutes after I delivered the placenta. I recently asked him if that means I get a "freebie" birth this time around, but he just laughed ;)

Quick update here-
IVF might not do it but I reckon the ol' identical twins might do the trick. Sigh. Working hard to resign myself to the inevitable loads of medical interventions and praying I'm lucky enough to skip the c-section...How quickly our hopes change!

You are pregnant with identicals from IVF? Congratulations.

Thank you :)

Congrats!

I know the IMs I deal with will not do a homebirth with twins, but they will support you prenatally and during the birth in a hospital. Having that kind of support and continuity of care will definitely make it easier to have the kind of birth you want, if not in the exact setting you would have preferred.

There are many, many twin births that are successful vaginal, no/low intervention births. Your knowledge and intentions will definitely hold you in good stead. Get in touch with an IM if for no other reason other than to ask about pg and birth support and also to get a recommendation of a good ob and hospital in your area. The IMs I've spoken with are all very aware of which obs are going to be supportive of your wishes when you have extra things to deal with.

GL!

Congratulations! There are midwives who will support a woman to birth her twins at home. ALternatively you could have a midwife or experienced doula to support you to labour at home and then come to the hospital with you. DO not resign yourself to intervention if you don't want it and don't believe it is necessary, find people who will support you to birth your babies.