Interesting article about IVF

[Esme78]

Hi ladies

This article has been published in this week's Guardian and may be of interest to you: theguardian.com/lifeandstyl....

There are some valid points but there are also areas I disagree with. What do you think?

[Hidden]

It went through to a page not found page. Can you edit to the full url? X

[Sarah_S]

This is interesting, thanks for sharing! I wasn't aware of the HFEA traffic lights for add-ons. Too late for me, I already had several of them, some a few times over before I got my bfp. Worrying about clinics being of interest to investors. It just seems morally wrong that there are profits made out of this, but I suppose clinics wouldn't exist otherwise. I did feel I got good info about the add-ons from my clinic though, and my consultant was honest about the amount of evidence behind the ones she was suggesting for us. We seem to have been informed better than some people on here were by their clinics. I do agree that the upfront costs usually shared and publicised are completely unrealistic and way under what you end up paying once tests, drugs and add-ons are costed, and that ought to change x

[Sarah_S in reply to Sarah_S]

NB. I've assumed the post is about this article: google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theg...

[Tugsgirl]

We use the traffic light system by the HFEA for all our add ons and have only ever opted for the Amber ones xx

[MaggieBluee]

Hi, unfortunately the link is not working. Would you mind checking it please? I’m interested in reading this article...

[Refocus]

Thanks so much for this. We're hopefully starting our ivf journey soon (not sure if nhs or private), so it's a great heads up. X

[Birdwithnoname in reply to Refocus]

Look on YouTube for bbc panorama inside the ivf business (something similar not sure if remembered it exactly) - think it was first shown late 2016 so not on iplayer anymore, really worth keeping in mind xx

[Birdwithnoname]

Fantastic article - thanks for posting! I followed closely the panorama show about the ad ons and was wondering when it was going to be highlighted in the media again. More ivf patients struggling like me NEED to be aware of this. Yes you will do everything, but when you only have so much spare cash you need to know your money is well spent

[Maikai]

theguardian.com/lifeandstyl...

[precioce]

I have had add one recommended over the years and never seen the traffic light system!! Frustrated me on more than one occasion the money making side of the business!!

[Hidden]

Its very interesting. The embyroscope is an add at our nhs clinic which has good evidence and hopefully will become standard practice in the near future. However they charge you a flat rate of 700 pounds regardless of what stage you get. For us we had failed fertilisation which meant we used the camera for 16hrs. Very expensive add on per hour. Some may get to 1 day, 3 days or the full 5. I believe it should be charged according to the use.

[Birdwithnoname]

Link to older news report from 2016 about same thing

bbc.co.uk/news/health-38094618

[Pigeon2017]

This is a very interesting read. It's ashame you can't name and shame clinics for trying to sell you things that are not required. From my experience the 1st clinic I went to the consultant was honest and excellent. I decided to switch clinics as my treatment did not work and I read this is a good thing to do. My experience of the 2nd clinic was it was trying to sell things I did not need. Blood tests approx £2000 some of the blood tests I already had free of charge from the 1st clinic. I spoke to the 1st clinic and they told me I had some of the tests that was lucky for not pay £2000 for blood tests i did not need! Thyroid test cost £50 already had this a year ago and was told i needed to have another as it was not a recent test. I just went to my doctors surgery and had it done for free. HCG trigger shot at clinic cost £60 a different brand that does the same thing costs under £10 in Asda. I was recommended to use half my eggs with my husbands sperm and half my eggs with donor sperm by 2nd clinic additional cost for donor sperm not even required as my egg and husbands sperm where creating good quality embryos. Had 3 embryos in my last cycle. The 2ww wait is over and pregnancy test was positive. It's still early days. I think things need to change in the fertility world. I would recommend reading lots, speak to others and do your research. We can be vulnerable and desperate to have our little ones but we should not be taken advantage of.