What is the process for IVF?

[Bubba3]

Me and my husband are wanting to go down the route of IVF after 5 failed years of trying to conceive. We have booked a GP appt for next week. Could anyone please talk me through the process if you have been in the same situation? We are nervous and I would rather know the protocol before starting. I hope it does not take too long, we have wanted this for so so long now

[Klndmr]

Hey hun. I can share my own experience and timing.

I saw my GP in march, he sent me for all bloods, and required tests like HIV, chlamydia, smear test etc. Once ive done them all he referred me to a fertility specialist.

I was lucky and the fertility specialists had a cancellation and we had a consultation on 7th of June. She then repeated some of the bloods, sent me for an hsg scan to check my tubes.

The fertility specialist sent my referral to the local commission on 17th of September to request funding, the funding was approved a week later and I've received a call to pick a clinic and that was is really.

A month later i had a consultation and baseline scan in the clinic I've picked. They were ready to start my cycle in November but af was late so we had to postpone it.

Im recently on medication and have a scan next week and due to start injections on 9th if all goes by plan.

I live in West Sussex as they say all areas have different waiting times and different requirements for nhs funded ivf.

Hope this is a bit of a help.

Good luck with everything and Happy New year! 😍😊xxx

[Bubba3 in reply to Klndmr]

Thank you so much for replying. I have never written on any forums before but reading everyone's stories I just had to sign up.

So it was relatively quick for you then?

One of my colleagues had her daughter 4 weeks ago through IVF. She had an IUI but due to the morphology of my husbands count I have read that probably won't be an option for us.

My friend said all in all it took about a year for her to get pregnant.

I'm so excited to start but so nervous.

My husband has no biological children of his own so hope we do get a chance. The private prices are confusing and expensive so I'm really hoping we get at least 1 try.

Good luck to you and Happy New Year to you too xxx

[Klndmr in reply to Bubba3]

fertilityfairness.co.uk/wp-...

You can have a look at this document. You can see the ccg criteria for you area and how many cycles they can fund.

There was a similar topic few weeks ago and the ladies wrote quite helpful stuff.

Good luck with everything 😍😍😍xxx

[Faith27 in reply to Klndmr]

Hello this is brilliant but is there any way that you know of to view the same information for Wales please? Xx

[Klndmr in reply to Bubba3]

fertilityfairness.co.uk/nhs...

And go to England data xxxx 😍😍😍

[Gertiee]

IVF is a procedure in which the focus is on fertility. The main aim is to get the egg to be fertilized. They carry out the fertility process inside the lab. Which is where IVF gets its name. It's quite an effective procedure. They may use your partner's sperm or a donor's, depending on your preference. That sperm is cleaned for a better chance of working out. IVF doesn't necessarily work in every attempt. However, as compared to IUI, it has a better success rate. It could take a couple of attempts. So, my advice would be to stay hopeful. Good luck to you, hun. I really hope it happens for you! Keep us updated on how it goes. I hope this was helpful.

[Hidden]

Hi,

We already have a child so are self funding. We went to the GP in summer 2017, they did 2 x semen analysis and bloods on us both. The semen analysis showed a very low count for my partner but the GP didn’t have understand how to interpret the results abd told us it was fine! We were referred to gynae at our local hospital and they did a pelvic USS for me, another semen analysis and some more bloods, told us they recommend IVF and referred us to our chosen clinic. There was a lot of waiting around for appointments etc and it was Feb 18 by this point. We could have started straight away with this clinic but due to a bad experience at the first clinic and a planned holiday we didnt start our first cycle until August 2018. We had to repeat the USS for me, have the AMH blood test and repeat the semen analysis with the clinic, these results dictated our treatment protocol. We weren’t entitled to any funding due to having a child so have chosen a partial refund ICSI package with access fertility. Good luck on your journey xx

[CLN1986]

We were thru the nhs, we are within London. We first went to the GP in Nov 2016. And we had our positive test in Nov 2018. I had to have a lot of tests beforehand, got diagnosed with endometriosis, every appt we got was another 3 months wait. We started the ivf injections at the end of sept 2018 (I was on the long protocol) so yes it took forever for us to get to the ivf clinic, but once we was there, it went very quickly. Good luck xx

[Bubba3]

Basically my husband was a heavy drinker in his teens (many moons ago 😂) and has never been in a predicament that any of his past g/f were pregnant from his long term relationships. I took him for a semen test 2 yrs ago and they said that they were abnormally shaped. That's all we know they didn't explain further so we just thought we were doomed. His count is also low.

I have had a laparoscopy for endometriosis in 2017 but have 2 healthy girls.

We have a GP appt tomorrow to hopefully get some more information and sail in the right direction.

We have never been able to get pregnant so by reading up I'm assuming an ICSI would be an option?

What do you all think?

I'm so confused and nervous. We have wanted this for so long.

Oh and BTW we are in Wales. Not sure all NHS are the same. Xxx

[Hidden]

Hey Bubba3, it took over a year for the first appointment with the NHS Wales (Neath port talbot) by which point we had already arranged to go private with London Women's Clinic Swansea. I got the call from NHS for our first appointment a week after I found out I was pregnant from ivf/icsi.

They collected 11 eggs, 9 fertilised (5 ,icsi and 4 IVF) we opted for half icsi because my husband had an operation 2 days before collection so was on alot of meds so we were worried his sample would not be good enough. 4 out of the 9 got to blastos stage (5/6 days) 2 transfered and 2 on ice. We were very lucky that they were both successful first time and I am now 17weeks 3 days with twins-boy & girl

They could not find anything wrong with either of us, it was just a case of time not on our side as I am 38 so we were advised to try ivf lite.

If you want to know anything else, just ask xx

[Bubba3]

Aww congratulations Southy2016. We saw our GP this morning and she has referred us straight away as my husband had a semen test 2 years ago. Even though he has to provide another next week she said we have waited long enough so has sent a referral today. It made us really excited but I am trying not to.

What is blastos stage? Im so sorry all these terms I am unfamiliar with. xxx

[Hidden in reply to Bubba3]

Fab news, it's a relief when things finally start.

Blastocyst is the embryo 5/6 days after fertilisation in the lab. So they will either transfer the embryos back at day 3 or if they are growing well, they will leave in lab to grow untill day 5/6 by which time they are called a blastocyst xx

[Bubba3]

I really wish I was able to go private

[Hidden in reply to Bubba3]

I know we debated for so long whilst waiting for NHS but we thought we would just book in for consultation and get all the checks done e.g. bloods, check sperm, ovaries etc as my gp was not willing to do anything other than my hormones and they came back fine. So when all our tests came back with fertility clinic as normal they put it down to unexplained infertility we were told IVF light package would be suitable for us, they went through cost and it was all about 4.5k which was less than the 10-13k we initially thought. I think it depends on results and what type of treatment you need tbh. We were very fortunate we had it in savings so just went for it xx

[LKT1]

I live in Hampshire and we’re covered on nhs for one cycle.Through gp I had a blood test on day 3 and then day 21 of my cycle to check ovulation. They confirmed I ovulated so my partner was referred for semen analysis which confirmed there were no sperm. We waited 3 months for first consultation. 2nd semen analysis took place and then husband had a procedure to look for sperm in case of blockage. I had further blood work and a transvagibal scan. Sadly we found we needed donor sperm so we took some time to consider things. I think it would have taken about a year if we hadn’t delayed appointments. Sounds a long time but it goes quicker than you think x

[Bubba3]

Aw I am so sorry to hear that LKT1.

Well I am in such a predicament. My period was due 6 days ago. I've never been one to check my cervix but have done today. It's low and not particularly hard its more soft. I've had all my pre aches and pains. I have felt sicky a couple of times but nothing major. Put it down to anxiety I have recently been having for some unexplained reason. I don't think there's any point in testing as we have been trying 5 years. I don't know. I actually thought I'd lost a tiny bit of weight 😂

I'm dying for my period to arrive so I can have my bloods done on day 21!!! Xxx

[Faith27]

Hi Bubba3. Wishing you the best of luck! We are hopefully being referred for IVF - just waiting on a Gynacologist follow up appointment. 2 years TTC and living in Wales . Whilst I don't know much myself about the process, do give me a shout if you ever need to talk xx

[jengi]

My journey : went to GP Oct 2017, first appt at nhs fertility clinic in Jan 2018. Lots of tests before starting first short protocol in May 2018, didn’t work. Now on long protocol. Will move to private clinic if this doesn’t work for us. For me I have low AMH, no other diagnosed issues so it moved very quick probably because of my age. I was 37 when I first saw my GP and I am now 39! Good luck Xx

[Bubba3]

Hi Faith27

Definitely let me know how your journey is going.

We saw a GP last Friday who sent an immediate referral as it's been 5 years for us.

My husband has an appt for his semen analysis test this Friday but I'm waiting for my period to arrive (which is 7 days late?) so on the 21st day I can get all my bloods done.

I'm so new to all this so I don't really know what to expect.

Everyone is different I suppose.

Did do a pregnancy test this morning which was negative as I thought 😔.

If someone could tell me I'd be pregnant by the end of this year I would be so happy 😂

Wishing you all the luck in the world xxx

[Faith27 in reply to Bubba3]

Ahh I know that would be worth waiting for! It's the unknown that's the hardest isn't it. 5 years, my gosh I've found 2 years an absolute roller coaster ride so I can't imagine what you both have been experiencing. Sorry to hear that your test was a no this morning. Fingers crossed that you are on the right path now and that the waiting times are not too long given how long you have both waited. Us on the other hand have had all tests including blood for me, semen for him and all look to be OK. I've come around to the fact that it's not going to happen on its own (I think that's going to be my coping mechanism this year and it'll mean that I'm ecstatic if it does!) I'm fully expecting a laparoscopy as suspected endo for me and IVF after this surgery at some point so our paths will probably cross quite naturally if it's IVF you are being referred for.

I don't know about you but I'm both nervous and excited for it! I've heard the injections are a bit sore but I'm willing to do anything to help and I bet you are too. Keep in touch xx

[Bubba3]

A little update for you all...

Sorry I haven't been active for a while been so stressed.

So my husband had his semen analysis test done and it came back normal which surprised us both.... So we saw our GP who said to still try and conceive naturally but as it has been 5 years they can still help. Hoping we will eventually conceive before we get to see a specialist 😊🤞