Extra monitoring for IVFers?

whoberry

We had our anatomy scan last week (it's a boy and everything looked good!).  The doctor said with IVF pregnancies they watch out for pre-term labor and growth restrictions so he recommended coming back for another ultrasound in 4 weeks.  I'd seen others on the board mention a slight increase in cardiac issues but don't remember seeing anything about this.  I'm just glad I told the doctor doing the ultrasound it was an IVF pregnancy.  I will have to remember to tell them that every time I go in ( different doctors are at the ultrasounds each time).

So have your doctors mentioned this?

PhillyJ33

They didn't mention any additional ultrasounds until they found that I had a single umbilical artery during my anatomy scan. I have to go back at 32 weeks for additional monitoring to watch growth. Otherwise, they said I wasn't considered high risk due to IVF and I were planning on treating me like a normal pregnant person, I guess.

I also got a fetal echo done due to the cord issue but everything looked good. I learned on this board that some practices require them for IVF pregnancies. I asked my doctor and they said their equipment was strong enough to detect the cardio defects so they don't require them normally but I went to a specialist for extra reassurance.

I would gladly welcome the extra ultrasounds though

Congrats on your baby boy!

whoberry

Thanks @PhillyJ33 !  Fortunately they are not considering me high risk or anything.  I guess different doctors worry about different things?  I am definitely ok with the extra ultrasounds!  

krdesi

Congrats in the boy!

Im not as far as you, but my doctor did say they wanted me to have a fetal echocardiogram in addition to the anatomy scan because of the slight increase of chd in IVF babies.
They also suggested I go for a 16 week ultrasound, before my anatomy scan to check up on things, but I think she said something about wanting to keep an eye on my cervix !

olenkapdx

IVF babies have a very slightly higher chance of heart defects than non-IVF, so you might be having a fetal heart echo test as well.  I had mine a few weeks after the anatomy scan. 

golfrgal

I have yet to be hooked up to heart monitors and I'm full term.  I am hoping my MFM will do it tomorrow at my u/s appt.  

Roeni

I have not had any extra monitering and only had the regular ultrasounds done so far (just 2) and was told I won't have another until 38 weeks!  That is 4 weeks away for me.  Usually only 3 ultrasounds are done for normal, healthy pregnancies which really was surprising for me.  If I hadn't done the elective 4D the last time I saw him would be 20 weeks!

megs3084

My OB has treated me like a normal pregnant lady, but I've still seen Dr kk throughout the pregnancy who seems to really watch everything so I had extra monitoring there. I start the 2xa week appts with the nst & bpp the first week of Feb (approx 30w)

BzeetyD

We were treated with special care up front, prior to our anatomy scan, but mostly due to our loss history and not as much due to our IF history.

Since I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes (GD), we had a growth ultrasound a few weeks ago but everything looked awesome.

Even with all our history, GD and being older (38 now!) I am not considered high risk, or haven't been told as much nor have I had extra appointments or extra doctors or anything. My OB has also not talked of any kind of induction unless I'm over 41w.

It's nice to be "normal" for once!

ld08271

Congrats on your boy!

I think different doctors have different philosophies about monitoring with ivf pregnancies. I'm doing monthly growth ultrasounds starting at 20 weeks. My obgyn did say that ivf was a risk factor for interuterine growth restriction. But the reason they are doing them is primarily because my DD had IUGR (who was an iui baby). So I have multiple risk factors. Aside from that so far I'm not considered high risk. Knock on wood

FutureMrsW9

Nope, the only thing I was told was that IVF babies should now get a fetal echo, but nothing about extra scans just because of IVF.  Though, my m/w did say that IVF babies tend to grow in different locations in the uterus - usually babies are on the right, but IVF can be anywhere - my bean is right smack in the middle.  But she didn't say that would affect growth or anything like that. I'm not considered "high risk" per se, but I think they do keep a little more of a watchful eye on IVF ladies and their babies.  I am getting 2 extra scans to check my cervix, but that's due to LEEP history, nothing to do with IVF.

franj1104

My OB is considering me high risk, bc of miscarriages and bc I am carrying twins. She said with all twins she likes to be more cautious so I will have an ultrasound every appt. And referred me to MFM. And neither mentioned being high risk bc of IVF. I'm happy with the extra ultrasounds but every 4 weeks is still hard for me. IF brain sucks! I've even passed my craziness to my husband. We are just waiting for our 20week A/S and then hopefully we can relax a little.

sunflowermama42212

Congrats! And my DR is extra cautious with me because of IvF but every DR is different. My DR sees a lot of ivf patients so that could also be why.

katekat8721

I'm only treated as a special unicorn because of the twins. If I were having a singleton they'd treat me as a normal pregnant lady.

BBColt78

Yes, my office considers IVF a high risk pregnancy. There are three visits to the MFM for ultrasounds and the OB had me start two week appointments about a month earlier than normal. As PPs said, it's mostly to check on cervix length an baby's heart. For some reason he said IVFs can lead to preterm labor and same about the heart issue as listed above. Both of which were slight increases.

Peanutz21

maybe every doc is different

i haven't been treated any differently in terms of monitoring/tests since converting to the regular OB

congrats on the boy!

JSM0801

I just wanted to say congrats on Team Blue!  

ThereBeDragons

My last pregnancy (before I became high risk due to history) my doc treated me like any normal pregnant person. In fact he was pretty hands off. When I lost that pregnancy at 17 weeks the only explanation he gave me was that "these things happen sometimes with unnatural conceptions" which went over about as well with me as you might expect.

Maybe that was him acknowledging a higher risk of PTL with IVF pregnancies, maybe it was just him being a jerk. Hard to tell. I never went back to him.

My new OB treats me like spun glass- but I now have a history of second trimester loss and a cervix that still isn't behaving. It's never once been mentioned by her or my MFM that the PTL/IC issues might stem from this being an IVF baby.... Or from anything at all other than winning the genetic lottery and getting a bum cervix as my prize.

I'm getting plenty of scans and extra monitoring, but not because of IVF.

golfrgal

Follow up (I don't like typing F/U because I read that the wrong way!): 

I asked my MFM today while getting an U/S if I was supposed to ever get the heartbeat monitoring.  Answer was: no.  They only give those to people who are showing signs of distress.  Hope that helps.