# IVF/ICSI + night shift



## Bubbles12 (Aug 29, 2012)

Hi,

Has anyone gone through IVF/ICSI treatment whilst working permanent night shift and go on to have a successful pregnancy.

As you can see by my signature, I havent had much look and a few people have informed me (not professionals) that there is a link between nightshift and miscarriage.

Thanks

Xx


----------



## Bubbles12 (Aug 29, 2012)

I am finding it increasingly frustrating that I have to fight for a reply/advice back from threads that I have started seeking help. 

In the last 4-5 threads I have started, 3 have either gone unanswered or I had to prompt a reply...

Not very good going hey!!!!!!!


----------



## barbster (Jan 26, 2012)

Hi Hope

Not sure if I can be of much help, but through my pregnancy I worked on a 6 week rota pattern of which 3 of those weeks were nights. The most I did was three 12 hour nights together. 

I have previously read that permanent nights reduce the levels of sleep hormone melatonin in your body and I have read of this being used in fertility treatment so it may be worth researching online the link between melatonin and fertility. There are studies of women who have taken 3mg of melatonin alongside their (successful) fertility treatment. Just to add I didn't take this myself through treatment.

Hope this may be of help to you.

X


----------



## Bubbles12 (Aug 29, 2012)

Thanks for replying barbster..

A few of my drivers (yes, men) came to me saying they had read that there was a link. A girl I work with who is also on permanent nights got pregnant naturally but I didnt know if it affected fertility treatment.

Thanks again for the info, I will research it 

Xx


----------



## goldbunny (Mar 26, 2012)

the trouble is you asked a very specific question so if like me you open the thread but then realise you have no experience of the specific situation, it is harder to reply. i doubt that it is people deliberately not replying, just that there may be few people in here on permanent nights.

i agree with the other poster you should read up about melatonin. do you sleep in blackout conditions in daytime? i think anything that disturbs the bodies natural rhythm could affect fertility but i think there may be ways to fool the body. i read it helps to eat two kiwi fruit an hour before bed to help you sleep. 

good luck i hope your treatment works


----------



## jules40:)x (Jun 15, 2011)

Hi there sorry you haven't got as many replies as you hoped but it is a little bit specialist tbh. I have read that shifts increase the incidence of miscarriage and tbh anything that increases stress on the body. This article may help http://m.nursingtimes.net/5060911.article xx


----------



## coweyes (Sep 4, 2008)

I work night shifts, long hours and all sorts of random shifts, im pregnant for the second time and can say that i haven't heard that before.


The thing is there cant be a study that's specific enough to your case to worth worrying about.  People always make sweeping statements that they cannot back up on subjects that they don't know about.  Eg is miscarriage linked to stress even if it is what qualifies as a worrying amount of stress and what are you actually going to be able to do about it?


Personally i wouldn't believe it.  I was told by some of my work colleagues to give up work and concentrate on having a baby.  Personally i couldn't think of anything worse, what the sat at home with too much time on your hands worrying, think that would be worse than working.


----------



## Bubbles12 (Aug 29, 2012)

I think alot of what you say coweyes is right. I made a pact with myself after my BFN that I was going to go with the flow, no obsessing about supplements or foods to eat AND I would be going back to work in my 2ww (my last 2 cycles, I had the whole process off work) but this is something to worry about IF I get a BFP. I was thinking of asking work to put me on days til 12 weeks.

I was just seeking some reassurance of people working night shift and having a successful pregnancy, no specialists required.

Xx


----------



## coweyes (Sep 4, 2008)

Its so tricky to weight it all up!  I guess for me its less about the hours i work and more about the stress.  Personally i don't really believe stress makes a difference to get/keeping a pregnancy, but you have to do what your comfortable with.


Can you use your holiday to reduce your hours down so you don't work nights?  I am nearly 31 weeks pregnant and Friday is my last night shift, i normally work 10am-10.30pm sleep at work then get up and work 7.30-11am.  As from next week i will only be working 10am-6pm the rest of that shift will be holiday.  



What do you do as a living?  I work in a residential care home for adults with learning disabilities.  Iv only just come home from work now, where one of the residents was screaming and shouting at me,  not nice and pretty threatening tbh!


----------



## Bubbles12 (Aug 29, 2012)

My work (or boss) is horrid. She wouldnt accomodate anything I reckon. Last year, I sat her down to let her know I was to start treatment again, she told me she would support me as much as she could, then a month later, she sat me down with HR telling me if I didnt pull my socks up, I would lose my job and whacked me on an improvement plan!! Totally unjustified!! Makes me mad.

I work as a transport team manager, so work with alot of men, its not at all physical. My hours are 10pm -6am and it wkends I have to do 12 hours. Its not so much the length of shift, I think its the messing with my bodyclock that plays heavy on my mind if I got a BFP. And because of my past history, I dont want to risk anything, and just do things right.

Your hours are crazy!! Thats alot!! My mum also works in a home for people with physical disabilities, its tough going.

Xx


----------



## Mzmaary23 (Mar 18, 2013)

I work 4 nightshifts a week. I'm 10hour shifts - we haven't got to have our treatment yet but my sleeping pattern is messed up! But I get my monthly so every month if it was affecting me badly wouldn't these be messed up?


----------



## coweyes (Sep 4, 2008)

Yer i guess the hours are a bit nuts, but worked shifts all my working life so kind of used to it.  Im pretty good at pacing myself and delegating so guess it could be worse.  We also don't get any set breaks which is hard, and i know a lot of staff dont feel they have finished at 10.30pm when its bed time so stay up to get more stuff done, not me though iv worked hard all day and regardless i will go to bed at 10.30!  For me one of the hardest things is the drive to work, its right in the country so when the weathers bad, eg with the floods its horrible and pretty scary , esp when we can start at 7.30am or finish at 10pm.


I totally understand your worries i really do, iv had a miscarriage and an ectopic pregnancy, but personally i have worried about sooooo much stuff before its happened.  When it does happen there is often a clear path to solve it.  Eg i don't want to work over nights towards the end of my pregnancy so iv taken holiday to reduce them down.  Its been the perfect solution for me and the company.  I would say carry on as per normal and just see what happens and how you feel, you can't really plan for the what ifs.


Mzmaary my friend works the same in a hospital and struggles with her sleep,  she finds it hard.  I would have thought your periods would have been messed up, could you take holiday and work less hours?


----------



## ForeverBlue (Oct 2, 2008)

Saw this and thought of you http://www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk/2014/02/can-we-reduce-the-risk-of-miscarriage/


----------



## Bubbles12 (Aug 29, 2012)

Thanks Ruth..

I will show this to my employer if/when the time comes.

I think we are attending the same clinic, your ar coventry right?

Thanks coweyes. Every since my losses I have deliberately blocked the 'what ifs' out or they will drive me insane. Worked for me so far.

Think its best to just go with the flow and see how I feel if/when the time comes

Xx


----------



## ForeverBlue (Oct 2, 2008)

Yes, I'm at Coventry - do you work at the hospital?


----------



## Bubbles12 (Aug 29, 2012)

No, I am a patient there  

Xx


----------



## ForeverBlue (Oct 2, 2008)

Sorry, I meant, is that where you did your nightshifts, lol. I've worked there for 13 years as well as being a patient there too.


----------



## Bubbles12 (Aug 29, 2012)

Oh sorry..

I suppose that easy for you when your cycling, you can just nip off for a quick scan... Lol 

Xx


----------

