# Due dates, special IVF scans



## Ellie.st

I had my first hospital antenatal appointment today (14 weeks) which ended up being quite upsetting - not least because of the 8 mentions in 10 minutes of the risks associated with my age (42) - which I was well aware of before and which DH and I had considered very carefully long before we started our IVF treatment. (Sorry - not expecting a reply to this - just needed to get it off my chest    ).

Anyway - two other things came up which I would appreciate your thoughts on:

1. They recommended a special scan at 32 weeks because this is an IVF baby and "fertilisation was artificial so we need to make sure all the organs etc are OK".  As far as I was aware, there is no evidence that IVF babies are any different from babies conceived naturally (ie no higher incidence of birth defects etc) so why do you think this extra scan is being offered? Is it something which all IVF pregnancies get?

2.  I have my due date from my IVF clinic who worked it out based on my ET date, and weren't influenced in this by the measurements from the seven-week scan they did which showed the baby was about 5-6 days larger than its age.  However,because my dating scan at the antenatal clinic also shows that the baby is about 5/6 days ahead size-wise of its age, the antenatal clinic are insisting that my due date is six days earlier (ie based on the date the dating scan gave them) - and they were going on today about how they would not let me go past the due date that they have calculated.  I am having visions already of being pressurised into being induced because they say the baby is overdue when I think it isn't.  Who is right - the IVF clinic or the antenatal clinic?!

Hope this makes sense and look forward to hearing your thoughts!  

Thanks in advance.

Ellie


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## jan27

Hi

congratulations

1.  I am more inclined to think they are checking for growth at 32 weeks.  I have known this for some IVF pregnancies depending on the consultant.  However, if you are clinically growing well and there are no concerns you could decline this scan if you wish

2.  You dont say if your IVF was done at the same hospital as the antenatal care but i suggest you get a copy of your initial scan report.  Early scans are more accurate than even 12-14 weeks dating so i am more inclined to go with the IVF dates personally.  Where i am we do not have dating scans yet, but will always use early scans from EPU if available. 

Hope that helps

Jan x


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## Ellie.st

Dear Jan

Thanks very much for this - I appreciate your help.

I think I will have the 32 week scan as, as you say, it will also show generally how the baby is growing.  I will try to ignore the fact that they recommend it specially for IVF-ers and their "articificial" babies!

The IVF clinic is separate from the ante-natal clinic at the hospital although there are links between them.  Both the midwive and registrar I saw today said that the IVF clinic's date is probably more accurate but that the ante-natal dating scan but that going with the ante-natal dating scan is hospital policy.  Oh well, if they want to induce me before the IVF's clinic due date (assuming I'm lucky enough to get that far), they will have to catch me first.    (Though I'm not sure how fast I will be able to run given size I am even at 14 weeks...).

Although I wasn't too impressed with some of what was said at my appointment this morning, I still feel incredibly lucky to even be in the situation of going to see them.  Feeling much chirpier again now!!!

Thanks again

Ellie


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