When can I get support?

[Bambi2626]

How long do people in the UK have to be trying to conceive for before your GP will provide support and refer you to fertility clinic?

[treezuk]

Usually two years depending on age and if you have any other related issues then they sometimes refer you sooner.

[Bambi2626 in reply to treezuk]

Wow, that seems like a very long time to be trying without even having any tests to check for issues! We have only been trying to conceive for 7 months and it is really really taking its toll. It’s been the longest and hardest 7 months of my life.

[treezuk in reply to Bambi2626]

It does but I think they do it that way to make sure your in a committed relataionship etc but you can approach your GP it’s really down to them wether they refer you or not you could ask for some baseline testing and at least if any thing shows up with that then you have a reason to be referred

[Ladypii in reply to Bambi2626]

I’m in the north-west in England and the official guidance is 1 year if you are under 35 and 6 months if you are over 35. This is on the NHS website. If you have any issues with your gp helping you, refer them to this guidance xx

[Fertileflower in reply to Bambi2626]

After 1 year you qualify for some assisted for if conception

[cmbxm]

My GP told me a year, I’m on month 8 and it’s already taking a toll, I’ve got endometriosis too so I’m not too hopeful it’s going to happen naturally, but I just have to wait this time out until we can get the ball rolling to see if there’s anything else stopping us xx

[Bambi2626 in reply to cmbxm]

Yes I have read that it is a year on all guidance that I can find, but I called and spoke to my GP last week who told me it was at least 18 months now before a fertility clinic would even look at my case. I wasn’t sure whether it had changed and the online advice was out of date. I am 35 next year and worried about time ticking on and the fact there could potentially be an underlying issue that means we are trying in vain each month. Is this the same for men? Can they speak to their GP about getting their sperm checked or would they also need to wait for a referral to a clinic?

[Lizzielizzielizzie in reply to Bambi2626]

I would go to the GP at bang on a year and ask for the preliminary tests and state that the nhs website says you should be referred after a year of trying. I made my hubbie register at the same GP as me and come to the same appointment so we could both be referred together.

[Bambi2626 in reply to Lizzielizzielizzie]

Lizzielizzielizzie, that is a very good idea. His GP is much more supportive than mine, so I may try to join with his GP instead.

[Sunshine92]

I remember feeling exactly like you. I think i finally went to the GP at 9 months in but told them we’d be trying just shy of 2 years. I knew that it would take almost a year to get all the tests and go through the system which it did pretty much.

TTC can really impact your mental health .. i really suffered. It helped me to feel proactive. Only you know how long you’ve actually been trying .. your GP doesn’t, just tell them its been a little longer than it has to be taken seriously xx

[Bambi2626]

I did consider adding a few months on after my phones call, but I am now worried that they will have my 7 months on record. I am considering a change of GP on the back of this, as she was not at all helpful or understanding. If I can find a new GP then I will add a few months on to try and fast track the process slightly.

You are right, the impact on your mental health is huge. I wasn’t expecting it to affect me this much, but it has taken over my life and I am struggling to think about anything else. It doesn’t help that since we have been trying to conceive, three of my close friends and sister I law have fallen pregnant. All claim that it happened within the first month of trying. I have been very open with them about my situation, but none of them can understand. It makes you feel very, very alone.

I hope that you managed to get a positive outcome at the end?

Thanks for everyone’s helpful reply’s xx

[Hidden]

Hey Bambi. It depends on your age. Basically if you are over 35 they will take you serious if it is been 7 months to a year. If you are under 30 i have heard some gp’s even want you to try for 2 years. Mine thought a year was enough to start some tests. X

[Bambi2626]

I am not 35 until next year, but the 18 months that my GP advised to wait for will be around about the same time. It’s frustrating that different GPs seem to have different opinions on how long we should be trying before we are entitled to some support xx

[Italy300618 in reply to Bambi2626]

I would add a few months on when speaking to your gp, I was scared they would look back and see when I came off the pill but they didnt, i wouldn't worry xx

[KiboXX]

It depends on where you live. It’s different for every county CCG. The fertility fairness website has a great spreadsheet which lists all the areas in the UK, IVF funding criteria including how long you need to have been trying for.

You can find info here: fertilityfairness.co.uk/wp-...

[Ranchu90]

We was told 2 years of trying, I was 25 years old at that time 😊(I am not that young anymore 🙄😫). You can go to a fertility specialist for checks before 2 years of trying but if they won’t find you or your partner any issues you will have to have exactly 2 years of trying before moving to an IVF or IUI treatment. Have a look at criteria’s for IVF NHS. They will also ask you how many years of relationships you have with your partner 🤔...

To make it short-

For tests/checks less than 2 years

For IVF above 2 years

Take care 🤗❤️

[Peanutchips]

Official NHS guidelines are 1 year, 6 months if over 35. However, if you have a known underlying condition I would ask to checked sooner. My GP told me to try for a year, even though my periods were completely irregular (PCOS) and I feel like that was a waste of time as it was near impossible xx

[Bambi2626 in reply to Peanutchips]

Thanks Peanut chips. Did you get referred to a fertility clinic after 12 months then? Did they give you medication to help regulate your periods?

I have no known underlying heath conditions, but my cycles are super irregular, with a very short luteal phase. My uterus lining doesn’t stay around long enough for implantation to actually happen. This makes me think that we are fighting a losing battle trying to conceive without some sort of medication to improve my progesterone levels.

[Peanutchips in reply to Bambi2626]

Yes, I was referred after a year. Then maybe 2-3 months later I was put on Clomid to regulate for 6 cycles and unfortunately I didn’t have any luck with that (I did ovulate though). Doing IVF now. I wish I’d pushed to get seen quicker as I was having periods every 8-12 weeks so felt like I was wasting my time. If you know something is preventing you from conceiving naturally, then I’d def push for support earlier. Nothing to lose, everything to gain x

[Bambi2626 in reply to Peanutchips]

My cycles can vary from 5-12 weeks, so like you, I don’t even have the luxury of knowing that I get another chance of success every 4 weeks! It’s so frustrating. I am definitely going to change GPs and just be super pushy, so I can hopefully start the journey to getting some answers and then get a plan of action in place xx

[Peanutchips in reply to Bambi2626]

Sounds like a good plan, best of luck to you xx

[Bambi2626 in reply to Peanutchips]

Thank you. Good luck with your IVF cycle. xxx

[Bambi2626]

Thanks so much for the information KiboXX and Ranchu90.

I have checked my CCG and it says 2 years for my age group. Me and my husband have been together for 8 years and have been married for 1, so hopefully the question of being in a committed relationship wouldn’t be an issue for us.

I am going to persist to try and get a referral to a fertility clinic as soon as it gets to the 1 yr point. Hopefully they will be able to give us the help we need to get pregnant without having to use IVF. It’s good to know where we stand if it does get to that point though xx

[Sorax]

We tried for a year then went to doctors and got referred for testing straight away 🙂 we we’re both 28 xx

[kt_11]

I went to my GP after just under a year as I’m pretty sure the guideline was 12 months if under 35 and less if over 35 (I was 33 at the time).

We were referred to the fertility clinic and had various tests, and I was having my IVF treatment 6 months later. I was very fortunate in that the waiting list in my area was short so it didn’t take long to get seen.

I think if all the tests had come back with no obvious cause of infertility, we’d have had to wait until 2 years of trying until we actually got treatment. However as my partner’s tests came back with low count & motility we were lucky enough to start our IVF cycle about 18 months after we started trying (which fortunately resulted in my little boy who is now 2).

If I were you I’d have a plan to get booked back in with the GP after about a year of trying at the most. I know 7 months feels like forever but it’s actually still not an unusual amount of time to take so hopefully having a plan of when to go back will help you stop worrying about it as much and maybe you’ll be able to conceive in the meantime. x

[Rain415]

It was a year when they would put us through for the first blood tests (I was 28). I noticed my husband got his analysis and referrals quite a bit quicker than I did. It’s taken another year and we’re now waiting for our first ivf consultation however Covid did happen during our referrals for ivf and they wouldn’t refer us until my husband has 2 analysis’s- 3 months apart as we have a male factor issue. It’s stressful but you are doing the right thing asking theses questions to the gp now, might be worth Seeing if you can get your husband In for a test?

[Bambi2626 in reply to Rain415]

Thanks Rain415. Yes we are going to call his GP this week to see if he can get an appointment to discuss getting a test.

Good luck for your IVF consultation. Xx

[Fertileflower]

1year

[Love_the_mountains]

Think it depends on where you live in UK. My area was 2 years before getting referred to hospital for tests. Although my partner managed to get a sperm test done after 18 months. Once got referred to hospital for tests they took 8 months from beginning to getting referred for ivf! Rule in my area for ivf was 3 years. After all that we got rejected for nhs funding for ivf!!! So a very slow process!!! Thankfully i fell pregnant naturally just before starting private ivf xx