Fertility treatment? Partner has children and vasectomy reversal.

[jenny34]

Hi everyone, I've recently found out that we are NOT eligible for IVF on the NHS due to my partner's vasectomy, which we had reversed 3+ years ago. My partner has 2 children already but I was told this does not matter with our PCT.

I've had blood tests and an internal scan and everything is fine with me. He's had his sperm tested and it is low (as expected do to the op) but there is still sperm which is mobile, etc.

Now that we are not eligible for IVF (I was given misinformation about this from my GP - devastating, but that's another story) I want to know what my/our options are.

Should we try IUI privately? As I don't think we are eligible for that either on the NHS, from what I have read. Also, I believe egg sharing lowers the cost of private IVF so maybe we should go for this.

I'm not sure that fertility drugs will help as there is nothing wrong with me or my ovaries/egg production.

Any advice or support would be amazing. I have just turned 35, we are both non smokers and neither of us are over weight.

xxx

[DianeArnold Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

Hi jenny34. So sorry to hear that all is not as well as hoped with your partner’s vasectomy reversal. It always seems so unfair to not allow any treatment on the NHS when one partner has a child(ren), but it is up to each CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group) as to how they allot their funds. You can always try and appeal, but you will most likely still be ruled by their criteria for treatment. You mentioned the possibility of paying privately for IUI treatment. If you do decide to investigate this further, then make sure that your partner is producing sufficient numbers of “good swimmers” and shaped sperm, as you need a lot for IUI. If he is not, then discuss the possibility of collecting and freezing sufficient quantities beforehand – just a thought. You might also like to give your partner some multi vitamins with added zinc and selenium, which can sometimes help to improve sperm motility. Regarding egg sharing, yes, this could be a possibility to cut costs, but most clinics like to recruit egg donors under the age of 36yrs, so not much time left for this option. Plenty for you to investigate further, so I wish you both well with whatever you decide. Kind regards Diane

[jenny34 in reply to DianeArnold]

Thanks so much for your reply Diane. It is a really difficult situation. Really hard to constantly get bad news. Eg – the egg sharing won’t be an option for me soon.

According to my PCT it is not my partner’s existing children that make us ineligible, it is the fact he has had a vasectomy operation.

If we go for private IUI, I guess we should take the print-out test results of the sperm analysis that has been done, would they then be able to tell us whether it would work?

On what grounds do people appeal a ‘no’ to IVF on the NHS? I’m sure everyone who has applied for IVF wants a baby just as much as me. Our options are very limited though, for example - I know we will never be approved for adoption due to an inevitable bad reference from my partner’s ex.

Do you know what other fertility help we might benefit from, other than IUI? Am I right that the drugs are more in relation to women’s problems (eg – PC ovaries)? Which I dont suffer from.

Thanks once again,

Jenny

[DianeArnold Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

Hi Jenny. Yes, I think that the vasectomy works as a “double whammy”! Who knows who we are going to meet in our lives, it all seems so unfair. However, the NHS will still see the situation as having a child(ren) within a relationship. You could try and see whether they would listen to the fact that you do not have a child? If you do decide to at least have a consultation with an infertility specialist, then of course you must take any information with you regarding semen analysis etc. so that you can all discuss whether enough sperm would be available to use in IUI, or he need o collect and store it frozen fo use. You would probably find that you would be required to have your Fallopian tubes checked too, to see if they are patent. Oral drugs are usually prescribed, as you say, for women with ovulation problems, or to enhance ovulation in cases of unexplained infertility – but you need good sperm numbers for this as well. I feel that you need to book an appointment with someone to talk over all these issues Jenny. Your GP would be able to arrange this for you. Kind regards Diane

[Chychy]

Hello you and me have similar problem. if your husband did vasectomy, then you have to do ivf, privately. That is what am doing now ! Have done internal scarn, still waiting my result was ok, so still waiting for the doctors letter to direct me what to do next.

Which facility clinic did you attended? Get buck to me please

[jenny34]

Hi, thanks for your reply.

I am very angry that I was referred for IVF on the NHS which I am not eligible for for the above reasons. I am still waiting for official confirmation of this. I have had internal scans and bloods, all of which are fine.

I am hoping that even though I am not eligible I will at least get an appointment with a fertility expert at which stage our options can be discussed, even if they are all only private options.

I have not been to a fertility clinic privately yet, would appreciate your recomendations.

Good luck with your scan results and thanks again

xxx