For those patients or staff who have or do conceive spontaneously during this time, there is not any direct evidence of increased harm to pregnant women or the embryo or fetus due to coronavirus, although we have limited data on this due to the short exposure from the virus.

However, as a precautionary measure, the advice from our professional bodies such as the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology and British Fertility Society is that we should avoid fertility treatments leading to pregnancy at this time.

UHB provides secondary level care for fertility including investigation and initial treatments for subfertility. Patients prescribed Letrozole or Clomiphene for ovulation induction have been advised to stop the medication immediately.

All outpatient fertility investigations, and treatments have been cancelled until further notice due to the pandemic. Local tertiary providers of in vitro fertilisation services (Birmingham Women’s Hospital and University Hospitals of Coventry and Warwick) have suspended their services.