Worried about taking time off work for IVF

[ChartsNHearts]

Hi ladies,

Hubby and I have an appointment for a 'Patient Information Evening' soon, where we'll find out about the IVF process and hopefully get started along the road. However, (apart from injections!) the thing I'm most anxious about already, is the possibility of having to take time off work for treatment/procedures etc.

I started a new job last week, so it's actually terrible timing!! However, after TTC for 2.5yrs before getting to this stage, we don't want to put IVF on hold.

I haven't told my new employer about IVF/TTC and I don't intend to unless I really have to, because I don't want people thinking that I'm not committed to the job, or treating me as if I'm not worth investing in because they presume I'm going to be going off on maternity leave soon. (I know very little about IVF at this stage, but I am aware that the success-rate is likely to be only 1 in 3 anyway, so I'm not building my hopes up, and I don't want other people presuming that IVF will definitely result in a pregnancy.)

So, I hoped that some of you would be able to share your experience with me (especially ladies in the UK who had IVF on the NHS)…

• How much time off work did you need throughout the IVF process?
• What did you need this time off for and at what point?
• Was it possible to make necessary appointments outside of work time at all (e.g. evenings or weekends)?
• Anything else I need to know about how the process is likely to affect my work?

Thank you in advance for any advice/experience you can share!

 

[highhopes2013]

I've had two cycles now. One nhs and one private. First one got bfp but mc at 11 weeks. Second bfn.

There were a lot of scans during the stim stage. My clinic offered these as early as 7:30am so I didnt need time off for those. I had two days off for egg collection time - one day for the procedure and they said I couldn't drive or be unsupervised for 24 hours so I had another day off the next day. The embryo transfer day I was off and then I booked unpaid leave for the next 3 days because I wanted to give my embies a chance and not rush about at work straight away (I'm a teacher). But they do say u can go back to work straight away after embryo transfer.

Good luck!

 

[Baby Me]

Once we'd had all the tests and the results and were on the road with ivf, I had the following appointments, all were less than an hour and most were in the morning 9-12. Clinic only open 9-5. I just told work I had doctors appointments, no questions asked. Some were booked loads in advance and some I only had a few days notice. I used some holiday leave too.

1) briefing with doctor to decide on treatment and sign forms, with DH, various blood tests too
2) injection training lesson and consent forms with DH (about a month later)
3) down reg scan, only needed one as was ready but sometimes you have to go back a few times over a week if you haven't responded (2 weeks after starting down reg)
4) stims scan 2 weeks later, follicles too small so...
5) stims scan 3 days later, ready for egg collection
6) 2 dates later, egg collection, you need a full day off will be sedated, DH came too as had to drive me home. For this one told work I needed urgent medical procedure, got signed off work for over a week by gp who said I was having a gynae procedure. All this time off not necessary however I didn't want to be in work the next day when the embryologist called in case it was bad news, and didn't want to have to come up with another excuse for the day of the transfer
7) 5 days later, embryo transfer, DH came, could have been day 2 or day 3, depends on quantity and quality of your embryos. After transfer I had a week off work signed off as 'gynae' procedure. Again not necessary, you can go back to work the next day, but I wanted rest and relaxation. Got a BFP, ended in chemical sadly.

Don't tell your new work your having ivf. However nice they may seem they will just think you're a nightmare.

I am uk based and NHS funded by the way. Private clinics offer better appointment times.

Also, injections are nothing to worry about. This is coming from someone who used to cry at needles!

Good luck!

 

[Bkrispy]

That is a big concern for me too! I don't know how to approach it... expecially since I will likely be doing a lot of traveling next year.

 

[pbl_ge]

If your clinic offers morning times early enough for you, it's likely only one day, maybe 1.5 days, off from work, once you have the preliminary appts finished (BabyMe did a good job summarizing!). There are a LOT of scans, but they're quick, and I was never late because of them.

The only time you really have to take a day off is for egg retrieval day. This can be difficult, because you may only have 24 hour notice about it. Some people take the day of transfer off, too, but it's not clear that's helpful, and I wouldn't have needed it. Might depend on how active your job is, too.

So much depends on the hours of your local clinic(s), so you really just need to call and ask them.

Good luck!

 

[ChartsNHearts]

Thank you so much for all of your replies. They are really helpful

I think I'll take the advice not to mention anything to work - I'll just see how things go & hopefully if I just say that I need to pop to a doctor's appointment that will be enough most of the time.

 

[nobump]

I made an appointment with HR and explained to them that I was starting IVF treatment soon and would need time off for appointments and stuff. Did this as getting treated at hospital over an hour from work so even with early appointments I will still need time off or flexibility in my working day. Also not easy to get time off at short notice, so if I end up taking sick leave to go from 1 day sick in a year to several in a month will raise questions. They were understanding. Also wanted to avoid telling my boss anything, and wanted to ensure everything will be confidential, sick leave system is electronic, wanted to know who could see what.
Treatment won,t be until new year, my appraisal is in December, so will wait until after that to mention up dimming hospital appointments to boss, HR said just to make him aware of me requiring time off some of which might be at short notice.
But everyone,s situation is different, this made sense to me to speak to HR so now not stressing about having to take time off.

 

[Baby Me]

Nobump, are they making you take unpaid leave? I wish I knew what my company policy was, I think they would make me take unpaid or holiday leave as most employers class ivf as 'elective'. Ridiculous! Especially if you have a few rounds. On top of the stress and expense!

 

[mandy19]

Hi ladies,

Hubby and I have an appointment for a 'Patient Information Evening' soon, where we'll find out about the IVF process and hopefully get started along the road. However, (apart from injections!) the thing I'm most anxious about already, is the possibility of having to take time off work for treatment/procedures etc.

I started a new job last week, so it's actually terrible timing!! However, after TTC for 2.5yrs before getting to this stage, we don't want to put IVF on hold.

I haven't told my new employer about IVF/TTC and I don't intend to unless I really have to, because I don't want people thinking that I'm not committed to the job, or treating me as if I'm not worth investing in
because they presume I'm going to be going off on maternity leave soon. (I know very little about IVF at this stage, but I am aware that the success-rate is likely to be only 1 in 3 anyway, so I'm not building my hopes up, and I don't want other people presuming that IVF will definitely result in a pregnancy.)

So, I hoped that some of you would be able to share your experience with me (especially ladies in the UK who had IVF on the NHS)…

• How much time off work did you need throughout the IVF process?
• What did you need this time off for and at what point?
• Was it possible to make necessary appointments outside of work time at all (e.g. evenings or weekends)?
• Anything else I need to know about how the process is likely to affect my work?

Thank you in advance for any advice/experience you can share!

Hi there, i started my IVF cycle in july and got to egg collection stage but unfortunately my cycle was cancelled as i was over stimulated, after 3 months of waiting my treatment has started again. I told my boss about my IVF, it was easy enough for me to make my appointments as i work shifts and would just swap my days off. This time round i havent actually told my boss that my treatment has started again, although she knows i have been back to the hospital a few times, i just dont feel she is supportive and the thought of telling her again makes me anxious, ive heard she has made a few comments to my colleagues about me going through IVF, she doesnt understand how much of an emotional rollercoster this is or how important it is for me. My embryo transfer is scheduled for the last week in November and i have decided to speak to my GP and take sick leave for a few weeks after transfer, my job is very physical and very stressful and my boss clearly isn't supportive, i think it depends on what type of job you do, some people would rather be at work and keep busy but im not able to do that in my job and want to give myself the best chance of this working.
Goodluck with your cycle

 

[nobump]

they said just to book up to two hours out for appointments and to try to make up time, for egg retrieval and transfer or any other appointments which last more than a couple of I will need to take sick leave. I can work from home so can make up time easily without having to be in the office.
I did check works handbook and didn't mention IVF, there was a link in another thread which shows infertility reported as a medical condition so think you can argue IVF is not elective.