NHS funding for meds post FET?

So my clinic discharged me at 7 weeks for the same reason. I had a chat with my local EPAC and I'm continuing my meds till 24 weeks due to my history. They can take over till 16 weeks and iniate consultant/midwife care for you for after that, It seems this is the standard practice with NHS funded patients and clinics 🤷🏼‍♀️ I found it overwhelming especially given my history, but definately talk to your EPAC... I also got scans 7,9 & 11 weeks with them too, so was totally worth it x

Thanks @Dani! Did your EPAC fund the meds between weeks 7-16 then? My GP said she’d spoken to a number of early pregnancy units but they also thought it was unusual and couldn’t help ☹️ Were the scans covered? x

So iniate your first appointment with your midwife network (pick your hospital for birth/care) and usually they have a form online to fill in... Midwifes usually see you around 8 weeks of pregnancy. EPAC - The scans were covered in my care with them and free, You're classed by default as a "high risk" pregnancy due to being an IVF patient.. So EPAC look after you till 16 weeks, however, when they sorted my meds from 7 weeks, she sorted me up till 20 weeks as a precaution.. Once anetnatal took over from 12 weeks (12 week scan and appointment) I was told to stay on meds till 24 weeks anyway (So he'll do the prescription for another 4 weeks for me) Hope I'm making sense.. your care may be different to mine, based on the trust etc, but I know EPAC as protocol and under their NICE guidelines will sort your prescriptions till 16 weeks because your an IVF patient ☺️💕

Thanks so much! My GP booked me in for a scan at my local EPAC just in case because at that stage my clinic hadn’t booked me for one yet. They since have so she said I could just cancel the EPAC scan if not needed - I’d quite like to have it anyway (it’s 2 weeks after my clinic one), but I don’t want to select that hospital as my antenatal care provider. Do you know if you can see an EPAC at one hospital and then choose antenatal care elsewhere, or should they be at the same place? Sorry for all the Qs! x

Yes absolutely.. because generally you have a choice of which hospital you want your baby to be born at (or if home birth you want the midwifes to come from a sister hospital etc) depends how many hospitals are connected in their trusts, I had a choice of 3 hospitals when I signed up to iniate midwife etc.. EPAC is separate don't worry x

Don't cancel the EPAC, go there and sort all your medication situation. They usually know that NHS IVF patients have a time limit etc.. As I say, it seems to be happening more and more that "Funding ceases" xx

Thank you 💖

That is a bit strange , my clinic told me I was under their care until 12 weeks and they kept prescribing all medications until then - check again with your clinic and just tell them GP said under their care. That’s what I would do, specially this early in pregnancy x

@Carmina I was also told 12 weeks as that's when the NHS take over your anenatal care, but was discharged at 7 weeks. Seems the normal now with clinics unfortunately, and each area and funding from NHS is different too x

Hi both, by way of update I managed to speak to a different GP who was happy to prescribe all meds other than Lubion so it seems it’s at least partly luck of who you get on the phone!! 🙄 My clinic’s also now prescribed me enough Lubion to last me to 10 weeks so all set! @Dani thankfully all looked good at our 6wk clinic scan last week but I still have the EPU one booked in 2 weeks’ time as would like the extra reassurance rather than having to wait until 12 weeks for another update! The GP booked it for me on the basis I’d cancel once the clinic gave me one, but do you think ok to keep it (will they feel I’m wasting their time 😬)? I feel bad as there’s nothing specific wrong or causing me worry but I’m really conscious things can go awry between 6-12 weeks and I’d rather know sooner than later if that’s the case…

Keep the appointment honestly. I had my reassurance scan at 7 weeks with the clinic and went to EPAC at 9 weeks, the secret is, the EPU can support you till 16 weeks of your pregnancy, and if you have an issues up to 12 weeks, they can scan you there, or after that refer you into normal radiology where you have your 12 weeks and 20 scans etc. I say keep it as you won't get many on the clinic funding going forward.. if any.. (I was offered more scans but had to pay once my funding was paused) so I used the EPAC/EPU etc.. I'm so glad you've sorted your meds.. I was talking to a friend this morning actually and she told me lubion is so hard on the NHS.. but im glad you're all sorted 💖

Ah thank you! Did you have a reason for going at 9 weeks, like did something go wrong?

@Dani how odd back in 2023 they did have me till 12 weeks, hoping for the same now I’ve just done an FET

Good to hear you got the meds