Is it safe to consider IVF treatment during the Covid Pandemic?

 During the course of the past few years, infertility has been on the rise. Ever-increasing stress, exposure to pollutants, work pressure and fast-paced lifestyles have led to a constant increase in cases of infertility worldwide. Fertility treatment is a stressful situation for couples and a global pandemic adds to the list of stressors that a couple facing infertility may face already.

The severity of the situation is most acutely felt by couples who are about to begin or are currently undergoing IVF treatment. Is it safe to get IVF treatment during Covid Pandemic? Will COVID-19 adversely affect the infant? Will it affect my pregnancy? Is the vaccine safe to use while undergoing treatment? How to safely undergo IVF treatment during Covid Pandemic? A lot of couples are puzzled by all these questions in their minds.

Table Of Contents

Feel free to skip ahead if one topic catches your eye:

1. The correlation between pregnancy and covid-19: How risky is it?
2. Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe?
3. Should you think about IVF during COVID-19?
4. Why is it critical to select the right clinic?
5. How are clinics kept in a safe condition?
6. What are some precautions you and your partner should take before going for treatment?
7. Takeaways

The correlation between pregnancy and covid-19: How risky is it?

In accordance with CDC guidelines, pregnant women are placed in a high-risk category. Does it mean that the virus will interfere with the child’s development?

No. According to studies by NHS, the severity of infection in both pregnant and non-pregnant women is similar or equal. The reason behind this categorization is the novelty of the virus and, as pregnant women are more susceptible to flu-like viruses, they are more prone to being infected.

If a woman has no prior health-related condition, then the chances of being severely impacted by Covid are reduced.

Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe?

• Vaccines have proven to be highly effective in reducing the severity of COVID-19.

Vaccines work by introducing a weakened or killed pathogen or germ or it’s components to the body. The immune system recognizes a foreign pathogen and This initiates a complex immune response involving different types of immune cells, where the body produces proteins known as antibodies to fight off the pathogen. This immune response can take a few days to generate. After the immune response, some special cells are formed, known as “memory cells’ which keeps a memory of all the past infections and information about how to fight them off with an appropriate immune response. So in future, if the same infection reappears, the immune system is quick in response.

This helps in reducing the duration of the immune response the next time the same infection reappears as the body has formed antibodies and knows how to form them.

• Vaccines are safer for the mother and the unborn child and have no side effects on the developing embryo.
• Fever and mild symptoms are common and completely normal after vaccination, so there’s no need to panic.
• Health care agencies around the world are promoting vaccinations for pregnant women.
• Recent research by CDC(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), indicates that vaccination does not interfere with fertility. It has no negative impact on male and female fertility. It’s safe to take the shot.

Should you think about IVF during COVID-19?

If you are a couple struggling with infertility, time is extremely important to you. The longer people wait, the harder it is for women to conceive. It is understandable to think about how IVF Treatment during Covid impacts your plans of parenthood. Before you begin your IVF consultation, you should be aware that:

• The latest research indicates no correlation between IVF and COVID-19 and no negative impact of the pandemic on the results of the IVF treatment plan.
• The rate of transmission of the virus between the mother and the newborn is extremely low.
• There is no evidence of viral infection in the placenta, amniotic fluid or uterine tissue.
• Children born with viral infections have been shown to recover quickly.
• Several additional trials have shown that IVF patients do not need to postpone treatment after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
• According to NHS (UK), a pregnant woman’s chance of contracting COVID-19 infection is the same as that of a non-pregnant woman.

As India’s immunization program is advancing more locations are becoming accessible and restrictions are being lifted. This provides couples who have been waiting for therapy with a glimpse of hope. More and more healthcare facilities are opting for teleconsultation in view of Covid safety protocols.

Before beginning treatment, you should see your doctor who would assess your health situation, and devise a treatment plan that is suited to your specific needs.

• If you and your partner are both healthy and have never been infected with Covid, you should follow your doctor’s instructions for treatment.
• If you have recently been exposed to Covid, you should give your body time to heal and postpone IVF Treatment until you have fully recovered.
• If you get infected with Covid in the middle of your treatment, you should see your doctor and take appropriate action.

Why is it critical to select the right clinic?

It is critical that you select a clinic and a doctor with whom you’re most comfortable. Going through IVF may be stressful, but finding the proper IVF facility and doctor can make it simpler to go through each stage and discuss your concerns during the procedure. IVF treatment during covid comes with additional worries about safety so it’s important to discuss the how the clinics are performing IVF treatment during Covid Pandemic safely. It is critical to select the proper clinic since IVF treatment can take months before results are visible, so having the right advice, experience, support system, and transparency in treatment is critical. An ideal clinic would never jeopardise your safety or health, and they would make sure you were thoroughly informed about the treatment. You should choose IVF centres with a high success rate, experienced personnel, quality compliance certifications, and patient-centred policies for a pleasant IVF journey.

With a plethora of clinics all around and with the pandemic going on, it’s very difficult to make the right and informed choices. The couple’s primary aim should be to find an IVF facility with advanced technology and labs such as the partners of IVF Junction. IVF Junction assists you in selecting the finest clinics for IVF treatment that offer a patient-centred approach and ethical procedures. IVF Junction’s fertility buddy guides you through the stages of IVF and provides value-added services such as fertility programs tailored to the couple’s requirements, financial counselling, and nutrition management.

How are clinics maintaining safety during the pandemic?

Many clinics all around the globe follow the Covid guidelines to ensure that the lab is free of contamination. The primary concern of IVF clinics is to ensure that their patients, as well as staff, is safe from the dangers that arise while providing treatment in the pandemic.

Clinics have taken a number of noteworthy steps to ensure patient safety while keeping the centres operational:

• Switching to telecommunications: Providing consultations online reduces the likelihood of clinic overcrowding. To minimise crowds, patients consult with doctors online and then visit the clinic at a predetermined time.
• Maintaining the social distancing through allocating locations in the centre to couples and minimising crowding
• Cleanliness and sanitization: The clinic and laboratory are kept clean by using a variety of disinfectants and sanitisers.
• PPE kits are protective gear used by essential service personnel to help prevent the spread of infectious illnesses.
• Extensive RT-PCR testing: Some Clinics may demand the patient and staff produces a negative RT PCR before the clinic.
• To further decrease the chances of the covid-19 virus being suspended in the air the clinics are maintaining proper ventilation, the laboratories are equipped with air filtration systems, laminar airflow, and HEPA filtration systems.

What are some precautions you and your partner should take before going for treatment?

So, after a thorough discussion with your doctor, you’ve decided to begin treatment; however, there are some guidelines that you and your spouse should follow to ensure a stress-free Treatment experience.

• Get tested: Before you begin your treatment, get yourself tested to confirm that neither of you has Covid. As Covid can be asymptomatic in many patients, it’s best to double-check everything before starting treatment.
• Consult your physician: Any pre-existing medical conditions should be discussed with your doctor. This will assist them in better formulating a strategy.
• Take care of yourself: Before starting treatment, it’s critical to be physically active and live an active lifestyle.
• Keep away from things like cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs: It is critical for the pair to stay away from substances like these. This can disrupt normal physiology and have a negative impact on your health.
• Avoid crowds: With the pandemic in mind, it’s critical to stay away from crowded areas and to wear a mask whenever you’re near people to avoid infection.
• Vaccination: Vaccination should be considered against Covid-19 after discussing the same with your Doctor.
• Maintain a healthy and balanced diet: It is important that you eat a healthy, well-balanced diet that is rich in minerals and vitamins. This would help with maintaining good health.
• Never skip a doctor’s appointment: It’s critical to have frequent checkups and visits.
• The female spouse should start taking folic acid, iron, and vitamin D supplements If recommended by the doctor. All of these vitamins contribute to a healthy pregnancy.
• It’s critical to be active and healthy (physically, emotionally, and mentally). You may do this by walking at home or looking for free fitness courses online. You can even do some light cleaning, such as dusting or vacuuming.
• Find alternative methods to unwind and stay in touch with someone you can count on, whether it’s your spouse, a friend, a family member, or a coworker.
• Please follow all of the IVF specialist’s advice, suggestions, and precautions that he or she has given you and your spouse. You should also ensure that pregnancy-related medicine is consumed as prescribed by the doctor and diagnostic tests are done on time without delay.
• Prenatal checkups should not be skipped.

Takeaways:

There is hope that everything will return to normal with widespread immunisation. Couples considering IVF may now visit a doctor safely from the comfort of their own homes. IVF Junction allows couples from all across India to communicate with the best IVF experts online.

IVF Junction is well-known in the IVF world for a variety of reasons:

• Well documented list of clinics and doctors
• One-stop IVF assistance with network partners ranging from Gynecologist, dieticians and fitness assistance.
• Doctors with a lot of experience and qualifications
• The partnered clinics adhere to the Covid-19 safety recommendations.
• Thermal screening of personnel and patients, Rt-PCR testing on a regular basis, and thorough sanitization are practised by the clinics we partner with.
• IVF Junction adheres to the strictest sanitation, sanitization, and patient safety requirements.
• Verified information on doctors and clinics

Pregnancy is one of the most unforgettable experiences a couple can have and IVF Junction can assist you through the journey. Pregnancy with IVF adds a new level of complication to the mental and physical elements of pregnancy, as well as the financial preparation that goes into it. Because covid-19 is causing worry to people all around the world, it’s vital to know that your physicians will put your health and safety first during your IVF journey. We at IVF junction believe that when you seek your IVF treatment from the best, you must set your worries aside and know that you are being taken care of by the Best IVF experts.

Source : https://ivfjunction.com/blog/ivf-treatment-during-the-covid-pandemic/