Initial first fertility clinic visit

[Bluelady-sing]

How much is this? What happens?

What should I expect?

NHS or private?

[Cinderella5]

Think you've said before you are in your 40s so unfortunately NHS wouldn't treat you! Would have to be private. Contact the clinic they would let you know what's involved.x

[Bluelady-sing in reply to Cinderella5]

Even though I am going to pay?

[Cinderella5 in reply to Bluelady-sing]

Some NHS clinics offer self funding but some will have limits of AMH and ages that they were willing to see sadly. A lot of clinics may recommend donor eggs....speaking as a lady in my 40s too (so no offence) so it can be very person dependant.x

[Bluelady-sing in reply to Cinderella5]

Its is scary and exciting at the same time!

[pelvicpain123 in reply to Cinderella5]

I am over 40 and got nhs funding! Maybe check out the area that you live in :). My first appointment was mainly checking my medical history and letting me know what to expect from the process. Good luck x

[KayCan]

I was lucky enough to have IVF funded through the NHS but the cut off at the hospital we chose for treatment is 39. The clinic offered private treatment and they have a pricelist but I don't know if this is standard for all clinics in the UK or the cost would vary depending on which hospital you have your treatment. It might be an idea to choose a clinic and enquire about prices then you know what to expect cost wise but for an initial consultation I would say would be a few hundred pounds. Then following that they would need to do some diagnostics to determine which protocol etc.

[FrancyItaly]

My consultation at the private clinic was £200. In our case we talked about my cycles and our medical history, we had some blood and sperm test done with nhs prior the consultation. The cost obviously really depend on the clinic, I think £200 is the max you can pay.

[Hopingforarainbow]

We are on waiting list for NHS but have made the decision to go private as we are fed up waiting. Our first consultation with private clinic is via a zoom call on 27th and we have to pay £225 for this. We’ve had all tests done on NHS but may need to repeat some. We are now looking into the access fertility options as we feel this is a better option for us rather than pay as you go xx

[N2020 in reply to Hopingforarainbow]

what is the access fertility option?

[Hopingforarainbow in reply to N2020]

Access fertility offer IVF refund and multi cycle programmes in the UK. So for instance the package we are looking into is around 10.5K and with that we would get 3 cycles of IVF and if no baby after this we would get a refund. One thing is though I’m sure if doesn’t include your drugs so with our clinic the drugs are around £900-£1.5k so we would be that on top. Now I understand it’s not an option for everyone. All comes down to your statistics. Going private and pay as we go we would be around £7k for one cycle of IVF (£8K if we required ICSI) and then if we weren’t lucky first time round we would be same again. It’s a very costly journey. Have a look into it. Not all private clinics partner up with access fertility so if you thought this was an option for you you would need to find a clinic they partner with.

accessfertility.com

[N2020 in reply to Hopingforarainbow]

Thanks very much, very helpful information. All the best

[Hopingforarainbow in reply to N2020]

All the best to you too ☺️

[Running79 in reply to Hopingforarainbow]

I think that package is age related though?! Doesn’t include the over 40’s or so that’s how I read it

[N2020 in reply to Hopingforarainbow]

Sorry I have another question...How does a referral from your GP to a fertility clinic work?

So far, I've been doing my initial consultations privately, which the next step for me was to do a HyCoSy. Of which I had the results and one tube is scarred with adhesions so no dye went through. The other tube the dye went through but no spillage so again scarring and adhesions near the ovary part (from what I could see) I am yet to speak to consultant yet as we are waiting for hubby sperms analysis to come back do she can give us the bigger picture.

So in the meantime I've been trying to work what will happen next and what I can do as I think I will end up having IVF. How do I get a referral to a good clinic? how do I know the clinic is good? can I choose the clinic I want to be referred too? how do I find out what the waiting time is? could I be waiting a year before I'm seen? I just want to try and do as much prep work as I can to keep things moving...ideally I would like to do my first round via NHS ...

any advice from anybody would be really appreciated!!!!????

I'm also going to see a nutritionist too. Mak sure I'm taking in all the right vitamins and minerals and see if I am deficient of anything!

[Bluelady-sing]

When you had tests done was that through your gp?

[Hopingforarainbow in reply to Bluelady-sing]

Hi Bluelady-sing we had tests all done through NHS and are now on NHS waiting list for IVF but with covid we now have an even longer wait to start. We initially thought we would start around August time but that’s not looking likely now with the backlog of patients they will have to get through and obviously now clinics are running at a reduced capacity so I can’t see us starting this year. We have only just started to look into the costs etc involved if we go private (we feel this may be best option for us as we’re not getting any younger, I’m 36 Hubby is 38) xx

[KayCan]

Had some bloodwork done through GP and had hy-cosy done at my local hospital (not the one we went to for IVF) but then remember having to have bloods done again anyway at the fertility clinic a few months prior to starting IVF. It can be a long process, and that was without being in the middle of a pandemic, but then can't speak for private treatment. It may not take as long but the only was to be sure is to speak to clinics and go from there.

[Bluelady-sing]

As I am 43 I am going to need money..

[KayCan in reply to Bluelady-sing]

Yes I feel for alot of people on here who unfortunately pay out thousands for treatment not having any idea if it will work or not. That's the cruel thing about IVF you are not guaranteed a baby at the end.

[Uffculmedolly]

Blue lady... it sound like you just need to take the plunge and go for it! Book an appointment with a private clinic that is local to you and go from there... At this appointment the clinic will let you know costs, required tests and funding options etc. You can also ask them any questions that you have... good luck!