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Embryology

COVID-19 interrupts fertility plans for hopeful couples in the United Kingdom – PRI

Thousands of women may lose out on their chance to have a baby because of COVID-19. Fertility clinics across Britain shut their doors in mid-April, pausing in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment for many women midcycle. The decision has left thousands in limbo. No one knows when the clinics will open up again and for those who have spent years trying to conceive the closure is a cruel blow.

As lockdowns began, jokes were made about the baby boom in nine months' time. But its hard for some to see the funny side if they'vebeen trying for a baby for years. Anita Brien in Hull, in northeast England, has tried to conceive forfive years; Sian Brindlow in southern England has tried to conceive for 12 years. For these women, the quips can wear them down. Brien whos 34, blocked some social media accounts because it was too upsetting to read the jokes. Comments by parents on Facebook about the trials of home-schooling have left her feeling empty, too.

Related:Mourning in the midst of a pandemic

I'd love to be getting annoyed with my children right now. I'd love to be not understanding the work that the school has sent home, but I can't because I don't have those children, she said.

Brien was only three days into her first IVF treatment when she received a text last monthtelling her to stop taking her medication. Her fertility clinic was closing down because of the coronavirus. Even though she was in the early stage of the cycle, Brien was heartbroken. After so many negative pregnancy tests, the IVF treatment had been the first positive step in her hope of having a baby.

This was really positive, something really practical was going tohappen. So, I was completely devastated, she said.

But Brien, an events fundraiser, is practical, too. Her partner Matt is a paramedic and hes seen the close-upimpact of the virus.

As women across Britain began to receive the news that their treatments were being canceled, the Fertility Network, a national charity for people dealing with fertility issues, was inundated with calls. The organization's chief executive, Gwenda Burns, said women were distressed not just because their IVF was stopped, but because nobody could offer any guidance on what the next stage would be. But she thinks theHuman Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, the British regulatory body, made the right call to order the clinics closure.

I think for the safety of patients, the safety of embryos and of NHS [National Health Service] staff,there was no other actual way this could be done, Burns said.

We don't know how many months were going to have to wait now and, you know, we hear all these miracle stories of people conceiving well into their 40s. But that's what they are. They are miracles. They don't happen to everybody."

In Britain, women are entitled to a number of free fertility treatmentsunder the NHSbut it varies depending on age and where they live. Sian Brindlow, a teacher in West Sussex, was on her third IVF cycle when she got the call saying her treatment needed to be postponed.

Like Brien, Brindlowunderstands the need to pause treatment, but worries about the time passing.

We don't know how many months were going to have to wait now and, you know, we hear all these miracle stories of people conceiving well into their 40s. But that's what they are. They are miracles. They don't happen to everybody, she said.

Related:Many people arent putting love on hold during COVID-19

Brindlow says trying to have a baby has dominated her life and that of her husband Nick for over a decade. She says they naively thought it would just happen. Undergoing IVF treatment, she said, also gradually takes over your life.

You know, your evenings are injections, your hormones are not your own. You can't plan any weekend breaks, you cant plan any holidays."

Kirsty Duncan, 32, who lives in Cheshire, understands how all-consuming the experience can be. She says she is at the stage where many of her friends are getting pregnant, and she cant help wondering when her time will come.

It's an incredibly lonely place to be as a couple because, you know, you've got friends that are announcing pregnancies left, right and center. And you thinkwhy is it so easy for them? And it's not for us?

Duncan, an early career manager and her husband, Adam, areopen about their difficulties trying to conceive. Duncan posts updates on her Instagram account of their journey so far and says the communityis hugely supportive. But she says some couples are very reluctant to discuss their fertility issues and wonders if it might comedown to being British.

I thinkthere's this kind of British uneasiness about talking about something to do with sex, especially if your sex organs don't work. Its like well, if they're talking about IVF,that means they must have had sex at some point in their life. And that's just that's too distasteful for us to talk about."

I thinkthere's this kind of British uneasiness about talking about something to do with sex, especially if your sex organs don't work. Its like, well, if they're talking about IVF,that means they must have had sex at some point in their life. And that's just that's too distasteful for us to talk about, she laughed.

It might also have to do with the advice people seem determined to dish out. Duncan says shes heard countless suggestions about how she just needs to calm down and everything will work out fine.

There's so many people that I know will just say, 'You just need to go on holiday. Get a dog, get drunk.' I would say the worst thing is when people say just relax.

Related:Countries herald lifting of coronavirus lockdowns, but UK says not yet

Trying to remain calm while dealing with fertility issues during a pandemic is a challenge. But its not the biggest issue on Briens mind right now. She has another slightly unexpected concern. Chocolate.

My biggest worry is how much chocolate I'm going toeat over the next few months, she said.

It might sound frivolous, but there is a good reason for this. The NHSin Britain only funds your IVF treatment if your body mass index is under a certain number, and Brien, like most people right now, is trying not to comfort eat her way through the lockdown.

For many women, the pandemic is a reminder of just how little control theyhave over their lives. Brindlow says she is now leaving it up to fate to decide whether shell be a mother someday. If it's not meant to be, thats OK, too, she said.

We've had a lot of time just us two. You know, I only want kids with him, I don't want them with anyone else. And I know it sounds twee, but, you know, I'm really lucky I do have the love of my life. ... Not everyone has that.

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COVID-19 interrupts fertility plans for hopeful couples in the United Kingdom - PRI

Embryology

The suspension of fertility treatment is a tragedy for many couples – The Guardian

Dont we owe it to those desperate for IVF treatment not to fall for the persistent spoilt/demanding female infertility narrative? Along with myriad NHS procedures, fertility treatment has been deemed non-essential during the pandemic. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority announced that it was suspended until further notice affecting not just new patients but those in the middle of treatment.

In response, IVF patients talked about their distress at the decision. The years trying to conceive and of waiting for treatment. Painful injections. Hormonal rollercoasters. Failed attempts. The physical, psychological and emotional toll. Anxiety that funding could be withdrawn. For some, the hopelessness about time running out, particularly for women over 40. As harrowing as the accounts were, they were also instructive: contrary to certain stereotypes peddled over the years, there was nothing entitled or presumptuous about these women.

Everyone understands the terrible impact that coronavirus is having on the NHS, including for cancer patients. However, this shouldnt cancel our sympathy for those devastated by the suspension of IVF, some of whom may be feeling that theyre at the fertility last-chance saloon. Is it possible for the rest of us to understand what theyre going through? Perhaps not. Those whove never experienced such problems may find the world of the non-fertile too dark and confusing to comprehend.

It doesnt help that, for decades, unshakeable narratives implanted themselves in the collective psyche: the central casting career bitch who put professional ambition first; the flaky party girl too busy having fun to heed the ticking of her biological clock; women who, for years, for whatever reason, squandered their fertility, but who now, like an IVF-themed Veruca Salt, stamp spoilt feet and demand that science sorts everything out: Ive had the big jobs, the flashy lifestyle, the fun and I want babies NOW!

Ive long doubted that such women exist. Anyone Ive come across with fertility problems seems to be everything from exhausted, embarrassed and wistful to sad, resigned and broke, sometimes all these things. And thats just the women. Indeed, as much as the cliches about infertile woman are cruel and sexist, theyre also inaccurate and simplistic. There are many causes of infertility its not always about the woman leaving it too late; its not even always about the woman. Yet still, women are usually the ones who bear the brunt of societal censure, who, on some primal level, are deemed to be righteously punished (by mother nature, no less!) for presumed insubordination.

What medieval phooey! Whatever happens next, in these uncertain times, however long it takes for fertility treatments to get back up and running, lets finally dispense with the creaking narrative that women wanting babies automatically equates with spoilt women demanding them. Lets try having a little sympathy for those for whom fertility treatment is anything but non-essential.

Have modern Britons really become so hypersensitive that they recoil from interruptions when watching or listening to political interviews? Richard Frediani, editor of BBC Breakfast, says internal research showed that people have tired of the aggressive Gotcha! type interview popularised by the likes of Jeremy Paxman and John Humphrys. Now Emily Maitlis is top of the interruption league (on average every 28 seconds), with Mishal Husain in second place (every 46 seconds). Still, isnt this often the nature of the game?

I understand how softer interviews sometimes reveal more about character, but lets not turn this into a valid reason for, say, Boris Johnsons post-election boycott of Radio 4s Today programme. Or, indeed, Johnsons infamous dodging of Andrew Neil in the run-up to the election.

However, its not just Johnson. As a breed, political interviewees are skilled and determined time wasters, who often have a highly rehearsed spiel designed to deflect and repel serious investigation of shortcomings. Its the job nay, the duty of the interviewer to crack through that, not to be aggressive, but to stop them waffling through their own buzzword-strewn agenda.

If this is irritating and jarring for listeners or viewers, it should be acknowledged that its at least 50% the stonewalling interviewees fault. It may come as news to some, but politicians arent always desperately trying to deliver facts and truth - theyre often desperately trying not to. Add time constraints and theres your explanation for more aggressive interviews.

Even in the celebrity arena, the journalist often has to cajole interviewees away from charming but deadly dull chat about wonderful co-stars or dazzling film locations into more interesting territory. For political interrogators on television and radio, the stakes are higher and time even shorter. As far as Im concerned, they can interrupt all they like.

How concerned should Britain be about voter fraud worried enough to bring in new measures that prevent groups of people from actually voting? Community activist Neil Coughlan continues to appeal against the high courts rejection of his claim that pilot schemes requiring voters to produce photo ID at polling stations are undemocratic and unlawful. Coughlans local authority, Braintree in Essex, was one of the areas where the photo ID scheme was trialled in last Mays local elections. However, some people dont possess photo ID or may not be able to find it in time to vote. Moreover, apart from Northern Ireland, voter fraud is extremely rare in the UK: in one survey, 99% of polling station officials had no suspicions of anyone impersonating another person to steal their vote.

As Coughlan says, the Windrush scandal showed that many legitimate British citizens dont possess official documentation, while 3.5 million people dont have photo ID. To my mind, its sensible to be wary of anything that obstructs specific groups from voting for instance (just off the top of my head), poorer people who might not vote Conservative. Then again, what possible justification could there be for obstructing any group? There would appear to be more than one form of electoral fraud.

Barbara Ellen is an Observer columnist

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The suspension of fertility treatment is a tragedy for many couples - The Guardian

Embryology

Time is precious in IVF: the women who fear they have lost their chance to have children – The Guardian

Her fertility medication had arrived and Ellen Rayment was waiting for the first day of her period so she could begin taking it. Rayment, a 40-year-old health professional from East Sussex, had been trying to conceive with her wife Debby for three years. It had been costly and emotionally draining. The Rayments were declined treatment on the NHS because they were using donor genetic material, so they had spent in excess of 20,000 on private IVF.

In November 2019, Rayment had miscarried twins at 22 weeks. After taking some time to both physically recover and grieve, Rayments doctor gave her the go-ahead to proceed with egg implantation using the final frozen embryo from their second round of IVF in March. She was waiting for her period to start before taking the medication to thicken her uterine wall, ahead of embryo implantation. But when that came it was on the same day Boris Johnson announced a nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus. All non-urgent medical procedures, including IVF, would be postponed. Her clinic called her to confirm the bad news.

With each month that Britain spends under lockdown, Rayment can feel her dreams of motherhood slipping away. My biological clock is ticking louder and louder, she says. Rayment is aware that, after 40, it is difficult to conceive through IVF. It just feels horrific, to be honest, she says.

Rayment is one of a number of women whose IVF treatments have been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Although many IVF clinics decided to suspend treatment after Johnsons 23 March announcement, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, which oversees all NHS IVF clinics, did not officially stop all fertility treatments until 15 April. Exceptions are being made only when women are undergoing fertility-preservation treatment ahead of radiotherapy or chemotherapy for serious diseases.

We will do all we can to lift this restriction as soon as possible but we cannot give a date when this will happen given the current situation with the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK our aim is for the UK fertility sector to restart as soon as possible and we are keeping the situation under regular review, says an HFEA spokesperson. Whereas the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish authorities have confirmed that fertility patients will not be disadvantaged by coronavirus when clinics reopen, meaning that clinics will pick up where they left off with patients receiving the same treatment according to the same criteria that they would have been entitled to before the pandemic England has not made the same promise. There are fears that IVF provision in England which has already been squeezed by national cuts, with some hospital trusts selling or considering closing their IVF clinics, or offering a reduced number of IVF cycles could be further cut after the coronavirus pandemic, to help rebalance the NHS funding black hole.

For women who had already started fertility treatment and were on a cocktail of fertility-boosting drugs when the pandemic hit, the IVF ban was a bitter blow. That was the hardest bit, says Kara*, a 34-year-old social worker from Sheffield. Taking all those drugs that affect you so much, for nothing. After Kara found out her NHS IVF treatment was cancelled in March, she had to continue taking oral and injectable oestrogen and progesterone for a further two weeks, to complete her monthly cycle. Kara and her husband have been trying to conceive for five years; she has miscarried five times.

IVF is a long road, littered with obstacles; now the coronavirus pandemic is one more thing thats out of your control

Being full of pregnancy-inducing hormones without being pregnant, in the midst of a global pandemic, did not do much for Karas physical or mental health. I was devastated, she says. All those hormones make you really emotional and the injectable progesterone makes your stomach sore, and you get so tired. You dont mind that when youre building up to an IVF cycle. But when it gets taken away from you youre like: Now what? Gwenda Burns of Fertility Network UK urges any women feeling distressed or overwhelmed to call the networks support line, or join one of its regional online support groups. We believe no question is too trivial or worry too small, Burns says.

IVF is, by definition, a time-sensitive endeavour: any delay diminishes the likelihood of a woman successfully conceiving, as her egg reserves drop month-on-month. Time is so precious in IVF, says Rayment. A month can make such a difference. If you have already spent years on a waiting list for NHS IVF, any further delay is agonising.

We went through a shocking number of delays until we finally got our NHS approval letter through, says Polly Towler, a 38-year-old audio typist from Bristol. Towler was due to commence her first round of NHS IVF this April, nearly four years after she first visited her GP about her fertility issues. I am very worried about my egg reserves, Towler says. I will be 39 at the end of this year. The decline will be steep from now on.

A lack of clarity from the government about when the lockdown will end adds to many womens anxiety and sense of powerlessness. So much of IVF is beyond your control, says Seetal Savla, a 38-year-old PR manager from London. Its a long road thats littered with obstacles, and now the coronavirus pandemic is one more thing thats out of your control. After her first round of NHS IVF failed in 2017, Savla and her husband Neil turned to private clinics. Savla has low egg reserves, meaning that her chances of becoming a mother are already low. If the government would say that in two or three months, IVF can start again, that would be something to count down towards, she says. Its the uncertainty thats difficult to accept.

An exit strategy for the fertility sector is needed, says Dr Geeta Nargund, a fertility expert at St Georges NHS Trust. We need a proactive approach to restarting these services, detailing which social distancing measures and safety approaches will be required, and what protective equipment will be made available for staff, she says. When the lockdown is lifted, Nargund wants priority to be given to women with low egg reserves, or those who are older. Time is of the essence for them, she explains.

All the women understand the pressures on the NHS. I get that we have to protect the NHS, says Kara. I understand why theyve cancelled all the treatments. But Im still allowed to have some personal grief about it. Even before her IVF was cancelled, Rayment felt uneasy, because her history of miscarriage and age made any pregnancy high-risk. I felt dubious, because I knew that by carrying on I could be a burden to the NHS, she says. But then I thought: no one else is being told not to procreate. It didnt seem fair that I should be told to stop whilst everyone else was carrying on regardless.

The naturally fertile aren't being asked not to try to have children, only infertile, single women and same-sex couples

Nargund argues that the IVF ban exacerbates existing healthcare inequalities. Those who are naturally fertile are not being asked not to try to have children, she says. Its only the infertile, single women and same-sex couples that are being delayed access to fertility treatment is an issue of equality, whether its a couple who delayed parenthood due to financial insecurity, or a lesbian couple. Denying them their fundamental right to parenthood exacerbates societal inequalities.

Meanwhile, for the women whose dreams of motherhood are on indefinite hold, lockdown conversations can be painful. Having to hear people make baby-boom jokes or people complaining about having kids at home is really hard, says Savla. I would love to be in the situation of having kids at home to complain about.

Many of the women I spoke to believe that coronavirus has cost them their chance of having biological children. I just feel like its not going to happen now, says Towler. I am preparing myself for the possibility of not having children. Rayment is taking things day by day, but is similarly dejected. The media is saying that we wont come out of full lockdown until we have a vaccine, says Rayment. That could take a year. I could be too old for IVF by then all my chances of having a family would be lost.

Savla has gone some way towards making peace with this. With every day that goes by I do feel my chances are shrinking of having a biological child, says Savla. But theres nothing I can do about it, so Ive come to a state of acceptance. She has started looking into surrogacy and adoption. Having been through the emotional rollercoaster that is IVF, I do feel more resilient and able to deal with coronavirus, she says. But that doesnt mean Im not hurting.

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Time is precious in IVF: the women who fear they have lost their chance to have children - The Guardian

Embryology

Coronavirus: IVF services shutdown in UK leaves thousands of women fearing they will be unable have children – inews

NewsHealthHuman Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has stopped all fertility treatment at NHS and private clinics due to lockdown measures

Thursday, 23rd April 2020, 4:46 pm

Thousands of women are increasingly fearful they will miss their last chance of becoming a mother due to the ongoing shutdown of fertility services across the UK amid the pandemic.

Last week, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) decided to stop NHS and private clinics providing treatment and leaving patients with no idea when their IVF treatment is likely to resume. Women who had already begun a cycle of treatment, which includes being injected with a fertility hormone which increases the number of eggs your ovaries produce, were also told they could not continue.

Those affected say they have been left in limbo. One woman, Sian, who was about to start her second cycle of IVF before it was halted said: "My clinic, although I'm NHS funded, is a private clinic, and they do have the resources and the staff to be able to afford treatments in some cases.

"I do worry if this goes on for longer that it will be too late for me. We have been trying for a baby for a long, long time, and the effect it's having on my mental health, as well as my husband's, is enormous at times. While you do try to keep positive, ultimately I've sacrificed much of my 30s trying to achieve a pregnancy that just hasn't happened.

"I feel especially sorry for those women who have already had their injections because unless you've been through this process, you don't understand the toll fertility treatment has on you."

Unable to guarantee safe service

Sally Cheshire, chair of the HFEA, said one of the reasons why clinics closed was because they could not guarantee a safe service due to NHS staff being moved elsewhere to help with the coronavirus outbreak.

"A lot of equipment in embryology labs is now being used for coronavirus testing as well, so it's a mix of factors," she said. "We have huge sympathy for the thousands of patients who are not able to continue their treatment. In our 30 years of existence this is the most difficult decision the HFEA has had to take."

Exit strategy

The HFEA said in a statement: "We understand what a difficult and emotional time this is for fertility patients with fertility treatment ceasing from 15 April 2020 in line with other NHS and private healthcare.

"Any decision to allow fertility clinics to re-open will consider the views of the UK professional fertility societies and the impact that resuming treatment would have on NHS services. We also need to be assured that clinics are able to provide a safe service to patients and a safe working environment for clinic staff.

"We recognise the distress this closure is causing any patients awaiting fertility treatment and hope that those relying on NHS funding will be allowed to continue their treatment as they expected. We want to reassure patients and clinics that we are actively working on an exit strategy to enable fertility treatment to resume when Government restrictions on social contact and travel are lifted."

Dr Marta Jansa Perez, director of embryology at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, said: We would advise that patients to contact their local Clinical Commissioning Groups as soon as possible to ask for written confirmation that funding will be maintained for treatment in the future, as we know this is a huge cause of concern for many. Individual IVF services should be able to provide their patients with up-to-date information about their current position, and also professional counselling."

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Coronavirus: IVF services shutdown in UK leaves thousands of women fearing they will be unable have children - inews

Embryology

Cork clinic hoping to resume some fertility treatments in May – Echo Live

The Sims Clinic, which operates a facility at City Gate in Mahon, says it is hoping to resume some of its fertility treatments next month, but it awaits government guidance on the situation.

The clinic, like others across Europe, had deferred fertility treatments following recent recommendations from the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) that assisted reproduction treatments such as IVF should temporarily not be carried out in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

ESHRE has now reviewed these recommendations and says that once the risk of COVID-19 infection is decreasing, treatments can be resumed in line with local regulations.

It has urged however that "vigilance and measured steps must be taken for safe practice and to minimise the risks related to SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19-positive patients or staff during treatment."

The Sims Clinic said it would look to resume some of its treatments in May, adding "however, we still await government guidance on the situation."

It said the resumption of services would be on a phased basis.

The safety of patients and staff is of paramount importance to us and we are making all preparations necessary. We have sourced PPE equipment and are ensuring our clinics are prepared for social distancing, the Sims Clinic said.

The clinic said that this would take some time and that staff will start to contact patients regarding their treatment next week.

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Cork clinic hoping to resume some fertility treatments in May - Echo Live

Embryology

Ag in the Classroom lessons in the bag – Agri News

HENRY, Ill. University of Illinois Extension Marshall-Putnam Agriculture in the Classroom Program and the Marshall-Putnam Farm Bureau collaborated to provide Ag-Bag lessons to school classrooms.

Due to the stay-at-home order, students are not able to participate in their regular Ag in the Classroom lessons. Abrianne Holler, University of Illinois Extension Ag in the Classroom community worker, and Tiffany Moody, executive director of the Marshall-Putnam Farm Bureau, provided four different lessons focusing on agriculture for students who pick up a weekly lunch at school.

Lets Grow at Home was the first Ag-Bag. In this bag, students were given pots, seeds, magnifying glass or ruler, along with a way to mark their plants. A brief lesson about plants was enclosed with the supplies, including a germination journal to keep track of what they did each day with the plant.

Lets Get Poppin lesson was based on the Illinois state snack: POPCORN! Each bag had popcorn facts, a small bag of popcorn, and a popcorn craft.

Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road? lesson was focused on the embryology project most students would have experienced first-hand in the classrooms with Extensions incubator project. This bag included a snack that was made to look like a chicken, chicken activities, and 4-H resources to watch chicks hatch online.

The fourth Ag-Bag was Calling all Conservation Superheroes. This bag was focused towards Earth Day. The lesson focused on resources on how to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

University of Illinois Extension Ag in the Classroom and the Marshall-Putnam Farm Bureau will continue to work together to support students, teachers, schools and parents, with the Ag-Bags and to provide experiential lessons highlighting the importance of agriculture.

For more information or questions, contact Holler at 815-224-0889 or by email at anholler@illinois.edu.

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Ag in the Classroom lessons in the bag - Agri News

Embryology

The Impact of Suspended IVF Treatment On Women – GLAMOUR UK

At the moment, it feels like life has been put on pause... Literally. The government has advised us to stay at home to help control the spread of coronavirus. So what does this mean for women who are struggling to fall pregnant and embarking on IVF?

IVF is already a daunting, stressful and emotionally-draining process. But now, there are a whole new cohort of people with the added layer of uncertainty of whether they will ever get pregnant because treatment has been postponed indefinitely.

On 24 March, the official regulator for fertility clinics, Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) announced no new treatment can begin. It means patients whod already started an IVF cycle can finish it, but all treatment after 15 April has been stopped.

On the face of it, HFEAs measures are simply complying with government social distancing advice to flatten the curve and ease the burden on the NHS which is already under huge pressure. Sounds reasonable. But that doesnt change how upsetting this is for so many who now feel helpless in their pursuit of parenthood.

We have had many calls from patients who are upset and distressed by the indefinite delay, said Dr Geeta Nargund, Medical Director at CREATE Fertility and abc IVF. Not knowing when they're able to start treatment brings with it a potentially serious mental health impact, particularly when patients know that time is of the essence and that it may impact upon their chance to become biological mothers.

Dr Nargund says that once a patient is given medication to stimulate ovaries, it can take up to two weeks to mature the eggs and prepare them for egg collection. First, she is given stimulation medication and monitored with ultrasound scans and blood tests, before an egg-collection procedure is booked in. Next, the eggs are fertilised with sperm in a lab to create embryos. Embryo/s are either transferred as fresh embryos three or five days later or frozen for later use.

Nargund says the treatment suspension has been particularly hard for women who have waited a long time for IVF or those diagnosed with a very low egg reserve, for whom time is of the essence.

Matilda*, 37, from Cheshire has a low Anti-Mullerian hormone level for her age, indicating a decreased egg reserve. Shes had two unsuccessful rounds of NHS-funded IVF, in August 2019 and January 2020. She and partner Eric*, 41, scraped together savings and borrowed from family and friends for private treatment, costing around 7,000.

At first, I was reluctant, Matilda says. If you have another round of heartbreak, you lose all that money. But you also feel, if I dont do it, will I live the rest of my life in regret?

We decided, finding all the funds, going into debt, using our life-savings, its such a huge risk. Sometimes I feel physically sick about spending that amount on a small chance and potentially ending up with nothing at all, she explains.

The clinic put Matilda on the pill and scheduled her egg collection for 17 April. But her treatment was cancelled as it had surpassed HEFAs deadline by two days. As Matildas turning 38 in a couple of months, shes concerned the delay for someone her age could mean not having a biological child.

Your chances diminish every month. This could have been my month, this could have been my cycle. Im losing that chance and its getting less likely it will ever work. If this lasts six or twelve months, Ive spent all that money and its going to be pointless, she says. Ive lived from appointment-to-appointment for close to a year, trying to keep healthy, not drinking alcohol, doing things to prepare and now theres no appointments, theres nothing. I dont know how to carry on. Im depressed and angry at just how hopeless you are as a woman in this situation.

Matilda says she will try again once the suspension lifts, but knows her chances will be slimmer.

Leanne Jones, 31, from Hampshire is having pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) IVF because her husband Kyle, 30, has a genetic disorder called PKD1 which affects life-expectancy and has a 50% chance of being hereditary..

During five years of treatment, Leannes had two cycles resulting in early miscarriages in September 2019 and February 2020. When you have a positive pregnancy test, a door opens. Youre planning the next 35 years of your life and your emotions run away with you. Then someone goes nope and shuts the door. Its grief. My emotions were like someone had died. I felt like someone had taken my right to breathe and I couldnt catch my breath at all, she explains.

As a midwife, Leanne sympathises for NHS staff, both in the face of COVID-19 and the suspension: It must be horrendous. Its hard but its the right thing.

What can you do if youre in a similar situation?

Dr Nargund suggests:

1. Use this time to make sure your body is ready for treatment. Make sure you're maintaining a healthy weight, getting regular exercise and following a balanced diet. While it may be difficult during this time, trying to stay relaxed and giving up vices such as smoking will all help to optimise your fertility status.

2. Do your research. There are multiple discussion groups and webinars being hosted that will allow you to better understand the treatment suspension and what it means for you, as well as ask questions of experts and decide on what treatment is right for you.

3. Explore getting treatment started online. Some clinics are offering virtual consultations that can be conducted over video call and using hormonal blood tests conducted at home. This will allow you to get the process moving and ensure that once the lockdown is lifted treatment can be started as soon as possible.

Help:

HFEA are updating patient guidance on their website.

The Fertility Network UK support line (0121 323 5025) is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 10am-4pm.

Professional Infertility Counselling Association(BICA) have a Find A Counsellor section on their website.

Professor Dr Geeta Nargund at CREATE Fertility is hosting webinars twice a week to provide information and guidance for all those considering starting treatment after the suspension.

*Matilda and Eric are fictional names

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The Impact of Suspended IVF Treatment On Women - GLAMOUR UK

Embryology

Care home boss who exposed full horror of coronavirus in video diary reveals 16 of her residents have died – The Sun

A CARE home boss who exposed the full horror of coronavirus in a video diary has revealed that 16 of her residents have now succumbed to the disease.

Nicola Richards warned earlier this month that supplies of personal protective equipment were getting dangerously low as 39 of her residents and staff fell ill.

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Her grim update came as the World Health Organisation said those in long-term care facilities account for up to half of Europes coronavirus-related deaths.

Nicola, who recorded the diary for Sky News, is director of Palms Row Healthcare in Sheffield.

She said in her video diary, recorded earlier this month: Theres a lot of panic, unrest, apprehension, concern around.

Weve got staff really fretting about this.

3

3

Words cannot describe how difficult it is on the front line.

The impact has been something else.

Weve never been faced with anything like this.

The challenges have increased daily.

Nicola said infection rates at the firms three care homes in the city have slowed in the past week, but still urged authorities to provide more help.

She added: We do stress that we need this help now and that other providers need the support we have been lacking during the last month."

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The WHO admitted a deeply concerning picture was emerging of the bugs impact in care homes.

Its regional director for Europe, Dr Hans Kluge, said: According to estimates from countries in the European region, up to half of those who have died from Covid-19 were resident in long-term care facilities.

He added that 50 per cent of the worlds Covid-19 cases more than 1.2million have been in Europe, and they have resulted in more than 110,000 deaths.

Stopping IVF 'was so hard'

A FERTILITY watchdog boss said halting all IVF during the outbreak was the most difficult decision in its 30-year history.

Sally Cheshire, head of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, said safety and shortages of key staff and equipment were behind the decision.

We have huge sympathy for the thousands of patients who are not able to continue treatment, Mrs Cheshire said.

We are working on an exit strategy to allow treatment once restrictions are lifted, she added.

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Care home boss who exposed full horror of coronavirus in video diary reveals 16 of her residents have died - The Sun

Embryology

Now Hatching: Check Out The CSU Chick Cam Live Stream – CBS Denver

ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) The Colorado State University Chick Cam is back and the eggs are hatching now!

The CSU Extension of Arapahoe County is running a Virtual Embryology Program, complete with video lessons families can watch to learn all about the life cycle of a chicken.

Check it out at https://arapahoe.extension.colostate.edu/chick-cam/.

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Now Hatching: Check Out The CSU Chick Cam Live Stream - CBS Denver

Embryology

Suspension of fertility treatment having a devastating effect – The Irish Times

Sir,

Im writing this letter to raise awareness of the countless women and men whose hopes of having a family are currently on hold due to the cancellation of all fertility treatments.

All fertility clinics in Ireland have ceased providing any treatment that could result in pregnancy. This is in line with recommendations from the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE), and with fertility treatments not being deemed an essential service.

Two main reasons have been given. Firstly, clinics have said they are taking a precautionary approach given the limited data on how the coronavirus could affect women and babies in early pregnancy; and secondly, treatments have been stopped in an effort to prevent any additional burden fertility patients may place on the healthcare system.

Im 42 years of age, and more than two years ago, I started down the precarious road of fertility treatment. After three rounds of IVF, countless diagnostic tests, and three early miscarriages, two weeks ago I was due to have my fourth embryo transferred.

A few days before the procedure, I got a call from my fertility clinic to say it was cancelled indefinitely. My hopes of having a baby in 2020 shattered, and with all treatments stopped, there is no sight of when I will get to try again.

People speak about fertility treatments as elective procedures, much like they would of breast implant surgery or a face lift, yet fertility treatment is anything but. The World Health Organization recognises infertility as a disease and fertility procedures as a treatment.

The American College of Reproductive Medicine in one of its recent Covid-19 updates continues to emphasise that infertility is a disease and infertility care is not elective. Elective procedures generally refer to surgery that can be delayed for a period of time without undue risk to the patient, and this is not the case with fertility treatment.

We know a womans age is the single most important factor when it comes to fertility. Any delay, even a month, can mean the difference between success and failure.

For me, one of the hardest and most frustrating parts of the IVF process has been my inability to translate into words the sheer desperation and sense of urgency I feel. If I was drowning, someone would throw me a life line. If I was starving, someone would find me food.

For me, the longing and desire to have a child is just as strong and instinctual as wanting to survive or eat, yet when it comes to infertility, it is somehow okay to say, sorry your treatment has been cancelled indefinitely. Would we tell a person with depression that their treatment has been put on hold?

While the reason for cancellation of taking a precautionary approach is a noble one, surely if this was being taken seriously as a real threat, like the Zika virus, our radio and TV screens would be filled with experts advising all women to avoid pregnancy, not just women undergoing fertility treatment.

This is not the case.

Currently, to my knowledge, there is not one governing body advising fertile women to avoid pregnancy. Only women requiring assistance are being asked to avoid pregnancy. As a fertility patient reliant on treatment, the talk of a baby boom in nine months time is agonising.

As regards to the intent of reducing any unnecessary burden on the healthcare system: in Ireland, fertility clinics are run as private entities and therefore operate outside the realm of public health. It is estimated that 5,000-6,000 women undergo fertility treatments in Ireland each year.

Many of these women will not interact with the public system until they are 12 weeks pregnant. Early pregnancy complications are a concern in both fertility patients and women who conceive naturally.

However, is it really equitable to say to fertility patients, we are not providing treatments as we dont want you to be a burden, yet we accept we will be treating the complications of fertile women?

As a someone who works in healthcare, I am acutely aware of the current situation and truly sorry for the tragedy that will befall so many. I know our Government is fighting fires and doing the best it can during this very uncertain time.

However, as the powers that be get to grips with the situation, I am pleading with them to strongly consider the time-sensitive nature of this treatment.

It is well published and widely accepted that a womens fertility begins to decline after the age of 35. At 42, fertility takes a nosedive. Women my age have about a 6 per cent chance of success per IVF treatment. Just one month could determine if I become a parent, one of the most natural miracles of our existence, or live for the rest of my life wondering.

As a nation we have made great strides to acknowledge and address mental health issues, and so I would ask ESHRE, the National Public Health Emergency Team, our Government, the Medical Council and the clinics to take into consideration the massive unintended psychological distress this action has already caused, and will continue to have, if fertility treatments are not resumed.

Fertility Network UK has reported a 50 per cent increase in the use of its counselling helpline, and psychologists in the UK have said the shutdown is having a devastating impact on IVF patients. The Hippocratic Oath says, first, do no harm. Are we doing more harm by doing nothing?

Sarah K is not the writers real name. It has been changed to protect her privacy

Originally posted here:
Suspension of fertility treatment having a devastating effect - The Irish Times