Treatment has stopped

Fertility treatments has dominated everything in my life, from holidays, work, wedding plans, date nights with friends, birthdays and my body! My life literally is living from one appointment to the next.

Two weeks ago I had a Zoom call with Harley Street Fertility Clinic Doctor Venkat and she has confirmed I have The MTHFR gene https://www.healthline.com/health/mthfr-gene (I also know that I need to take methyl folate rather than standard folic acid. Methyl folate and folic acid are both forms of Vitamin B9. Methyl folate is the one that metabolises better than the folic acid so it's preferred. find in my shop here https://www.ivfchasingdreams.com/product-page/female-fertility-supplement.

We also had genetic testing run on all 4 embryos and everything came back normal. My doctor reassured us that this meant genetics was unlikely to be the cause of my miscarriages. I also had my Thyroid tested and now take meds treating a slightly inactive thyroid, however My blood tests came back positive for the Natural Killer Cell. Having tested positive for this means my body fights off the pregnancy as a foreign object.

Having this diagnosis has put me at ease but at the same time I’m so angry this was not picked up sooner and I feel that I’ve wasted 5 years and have mourned many pregnancies over the face of not selecting the right clinic for me.

The cancellations from the coronavirus have left me emotionally unstable. I was so elated when we had the news from The HFEA that treatment was starting up a few weeks ago but yet again my dreams have been shattered, I didn’t realise that having my new diagnosis of showing positive for NKC would mean I don’t fit into that category of women who can start treatment. My doctor explained that due to now having to take steroids and intralipids to keep the natural killer cells down I will also lower my immune system meaning treatment can not go ahead for my safety:

The outcome of the HFEA Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority could be the difference between me being a biological mum or not.

I have now emailed them this -

Dear HFEA,

I am a patient at Harley Street Fertility Clinic. (www.hsfc.org.uk)

I unfortunately have been left with very sad news that my treatment can not start because HFEA have instructed clinics to not perform treatment on women who need additional medication such a steroids and intralipids that lowers the immune system. I fully understand that HFEA puts guidelines and restrictions in place for a reason but I am a healthy female that is about to have the antibody test and will have a coronavirus test done prior to treatment. I will be self isolating for 3 months when treatment starts and I will be keeping myself, others and of course number one my baby safe and staying away from others.

Stopping treatment for me is heart breaking. After 5 years of miscarriages, I finally have the answers to why I have lost my pregnancies. I have been diagnosed with the Natural Killer Cells but due to the NFEA restrictions my clinic can’t help make my dream of being a mother a reality. I’ve fought for 5 years for this to happen and I feel so lost right now with no answers to when IVF treatment can start again for me. 

I beg of you to reconsider, so many other hospitals have opened and are treating people, lockdown is easing, even cinemas and restaurants are open with the likely hood for gyms to open in then near future.

Please could you give me some hope of when this restriction will lift. 

I thank you in advance,

Nicola

If you are in the same situation as me and treatment has paused then why not email them on enquiriesteam@hfea.gov.uk, the more patients that email HFEA the better chance we have of starting sooner,

Stay safe guys

XoXO