Hep B vaccinated, asked to do virus tests again and again

[LRed]

Both my partner and myself were vaccinated against Hep B, so we are both testing positive of Hep B antibody in our fertility treatment screening tests.

When I did an IVF around with the NHS, this wasn't an issue. The NHS hospital didn't ask us to take a Hep B viral test.

However, when I was doing IVF with a private clinic in London, they asked us to take Hep B viral test to prove that we didn't actively have Hep B. We took the tests twice during the year of treatments at the clinic. Of course we always tested negative (no Hep B).

We were planning to do a around of IUI this summer at the same private clinic. First, they told us our Hep B virus negative results from last October were still valid. Then, they changed their mind last minute and said we had to take a new test. As a consequence, we didn't have the time to arrange the tests with our GP but did them at the private clinic. We received an invoice at £460. This number may sounds nothing compared to the astronomical costs of fertility treatment. But a full set of Hep B and HIV screening tests only cost £150 at this very clinic. £460 is nearly half of the cost of an IUI cycle. And we could've done the tests for free. More annoyingly, we did ask for a price of this test beforehand, but we didn't get an answer.

We feel ripped off and cheated.

Has this happened to anyone else?

Many thanks

[Hidden]

Not quite the same but my cycle was delayed due to me needing an op. The clinic then told me I needed my bloods doing again and my GP refused to do them - so had to pay £590 to my clinic. I then found some of my drugs were out of date.. clinic said I had to pay for new ones as ‘I chose to delay my treatment’ (even tho they wouldn’t transfer until I had had my op and waited six months). Now they say that a mistake was made and they didn’t do my thyroid test and I need to do that and they are charging me for that again separately - even though that was their cock up

Got nowhere arguing with them just invoice chasing reminders and refusal to start my treatment until I paid!

This is a clinic in London too, can’t help but feel this is a bit of a money spinner

So sorry you are stuck with it too x

[LRed in reply to Hidden]

Eeeek. We might have been at the same clinic! Either they do these kind of things for profit, or they are genuinely disorganised and terrible at communication and coordination! xx

[Hidden in reply to LRed]

I fear that former! And they know we are all out of fight! I pride myself on being vaguely sane and capable but when I am dealing with a call centre when I’m number 15 in the queue or an email that never gets answered I do tend to give up. Heaps of luck with your round xx

[VariR]

I was told by my private clinic in London that the virology tests are valid for 2 years, if within 3 months of doing the tests you have egg collection or IVF. However if doing IUI within the 3 months only the partners/sperm virology is valid for 2 years. Something to do with the eggs haven't been through the lab. Apparently this is HFEA guidance although tbh the lab and nurses seemed to be confused within themselves and giving different info to us. In the end the consultant had to step in and sort it out. Meanwhile they has to keep the sperm in a container all by itself until they sorted it out, as you can't mix positive and negative samples in containers. Hope that helps and makes some sense!

[Hidden in reply to VariR]

Wow thats amazing, it must vary by clinic, my 2 clinics I have used have always said most are valid for 6 months, smears for a year, but things like thyroid only 3 months!!

[LRed in reply to VariR]

Thanks for sharing the info! Isn't it true that no sperm samples should be mixed and all containers should be sterilised after each use, for both ethical and hygienic reasons...? The whole thing is so confusing. I think in future I will have to assume all the screening test results are short-lived 😅

[VariR in reply to LRed]

When freezing sperm they have big containers where all the samples get kept until needed.

[Flutterbby]

I myself was found to be immune to the hep b injection. It's possible. And I needed it fir work (nurse) and fertility