Was Your IVF Cut Short Because of COVID 19?

It absolutely sucks. COVID 19 has put a halt on your fertility plans. Your plans to have your family that you have been waiting patiently to have. With ESHRE’s recent recommendations to postpone and suspend fertility treatments, you may have had your IVF cycle cut short and your eggs or embryos frozen. This is devastating and the last thing you want to have happen during such an incredibly important process in your life. However... let’s try to remain positive and be rest assured that our fantastic Fertility Centers are looking after you as best they can (although right now it might not seem like it).

Unfortunately this is what we have been handed and until the ESHRE recommendations are lifted we have to wait.

In the meantime there is a lot we can do. Make time for ourselves and prepare ourselves mentally and physically for the next stage, which is going to happen. Control what we can control and leave the rest.

Your cycle was stopped- What does this mean?

More than likely this means that you stopped your treatment at the egg collection stage with the plan of pursuing a frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycle when things are all a bit clearer. 

Will freezing embryos reduce the chance of pregnancy?

Freezing eggs and embryos is carried out regularly in IVF units and the method of freezing is very successful. Vitrification (fast freezing) freezes the egg or embryos at a very fast rate - getting the temperature from 37 to -196 degrees within seconds. In both cases, studies have shown that freezing eggs or embryos has no negative effect on the chances of pregnancy or live birth (ESHRE).

And breathe😊.....

Every Fertility Center despite being closed will have measures in place to ensure that all eggs and embryos frozen are kept safe and frozen. Staff will be allocated responsibility to ensure the temp is constantly kept at -196 so that as soon as things improve in relation to Covid, you will be able to plan for your embryo transfer.

Remember, it absolutely sucks I know, but your fertility clinic is looking after you and as soon as possible, you’ll be back on your journey. Take this time to focus on you and how you can prepare yourselves for the next stage. 

Have a question for us? Feel free to contact us. Alternatively, you can find us on Instagram @thefertilitytalk