We’ve been TTC for just over a year and the NHS has confirmed they won’t fund IVF for us at this stage as they consider our case to be ‘unexplained’, though my husband has low morphology (3%).
In our area we would have to wait until 3 years of trying to be eligible for IVF on the NHS.
We are therefore looking at private options but are wondering if it’s too soon and if we should continue to try for a bit longer? Has anyone else got any input as to how long they TTC before they decided to go for IVF privately?
Thanks in advance for any responses 😊
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04purple
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We started our IVF journey at just under 2y TTC but I was 38 and low progesterone seemed to be our issue. So, natural conception v unlikely and a ticking biological clock. One thing for you to consider if not aware already is any private rounds usually reduce your NHS rounds. Eg if NHS fund 2 rounds in your area and you do 1 private round the NHS will usually then only fund 1. As you know IVF can get very expensive so do bear giving up funded rounds in mind. Having said this, at your age you may be eligible for refund packages and also some clinics allow you to donate some extra eggs in exchange for massive cost reductions. So you do have potential options to mitigate costs. Xx
Also talking to a fertility counsellor might help the mental side. PM me if you would like the details of a lovely counsellor I talked to via remote video xx
Hi. Just a thought but it might be worth getting further sperm testing eg DNA fragmentation before considering IVF. Have a research around this as I don’t know much about it but this seems a good link
Some private clinics also offer a fertility MOT for couples which you won’t normally get on the NHS at this stage. This can involve blood tests and scans etc.
While these are costly it may help you have a ‘plan’ of sorts which can help when TTC.
Hi Purple, my partner had differing percentages when his sperm was tested. I was 38 when we were having tests, had been trying 6 months and they made us try for another 6/8 months during the tests to see if we could do it naturally. Conceded the sperm was borderline and passed us for ivf… I do wonder if that’s because I was approaching 39 at that point and 40 was cut off. You absolutely have age on your side and if they’ve done a lot of tests on you, the chance is you could conceive and 3 years will only take you to 31 as you’ve already been trying a year. Covid stopped our progression when I was 38 - we had done ivf but I was awaiting a polypectomy and so embryos were frozen. Within that time I did fall pregnancy (sadly miscarried) but you see it was possible - it had just taken 2 years at that point so was obviously a lot harder. If you can afford to go private I would, we just didn’t think we could and luckily got a round on the nhs and fell lucky with our 2nd embryo transfer (paying for storage for our last and final one just in case and that treatment would be paid for). If I was 29 now I’d definitely keep trying and wait it out. But it’s a very personal decision x
I’ve been on this journey for over 3.5 years and one of the hardest parts for my mental health was when I was on the waiting list for NHS IVF so I completely understand how you feel.
As others have said if you can speak to a fertility counsellor they should hopefully be a huge support.
In my case I needed to wait 8 months from being told I needed ivf with icsi to starting treatment. If I had my time again I would have gone private as I found the wait agonising. (Although at the time every appointment was only a few months away so I didn’t know it would be that long)
As you’ve only been trying a year, hopefully you will have good news soon and not need to use IVF. IVF can be all consuming and you have so much going for you with your age and diagnosis so far. You could dip your toe into IVF by attending a few virtual information sessions for private clinics (they are free to attend) as it’s like a group teams meeting.
My perspective is this from an "older" woman so time was pressing for me, which isn't your case. I started trying naturally at 34. And because of NHS waiting times and covid delay I was well over 37-almost 38- when I had my first ivf. No success yet.
Reflecting back to my journey I think I wouldn't wait if I was starting again at 34. Yes we got NHS funding and that was very helpful as we can now continue with further treatment privately but I can't help thinking that if I went privately around a year after starting trying I would have had better chances with my own eggs. Now I am considering DE as realistically the chances will be much better. Obviously that's something I will never know for sure. And of course this is not relevant in your case due to being much younger.
I guess it will depend on how long you are prepared to wait and whether you have the funds to pay privately. Only you know the answers to these questions. The NHS recommendations of 2 or 3 years of unexplained before ivf are too long in my view. But I understand that a publicly funded system has to have stricter criteria to limit the treatments.
So knowing what I have been through, I feel that one year of trying without success is a reasonable time to consider ivf with unexplained infertility.
All the best!
Hey lovely, I was 26 when we decided to TTC and we waited around a year before speaking to our GP. He referred us to the fertility clinic at the local hospital to have further tests etc because the wait would have been another year before referring us to have IVF (total 2 years).
The fertility clinic did lots of tests for us, we tried 2 months of clomid and they decided after around 5 months with them that IVF would be our only option unless we want to wait it out… which we didn’t. Partners count was high but with not much motility or morphology, and my ovulation date changed every month so it was super hard to catch. We were referred to the IVF clinic in May 2022 and heard back from them in June/July. I was 28 in the August and we started our first and only funded cycle in October which worked with the first transfer 🙏🏼. Before starting the cycle, the consultant at the IVF clinic advised us that we could have waited for maybe a tiny chance that one month it would possibly catch, but that he wouldn’t take that chance and would start ASAP.
If we had the funds to go private straight away then we definitely would have, but I’d try to ask your doctor first if they’ll refer you to a fertility specialist. It reduced our waiting time by just over 6 months so it’s always worth a try 🤞🏼
If you are going private then you can have the first tests and appointment and then decide when to start. Will take a month or 2 for the first part. Then you will feel like you have a plan. I did this at 11months ttc my 2nd got all the forms in. Maybe relaxed and didn't need to go through with it.
They can advise you for your age etc what's best to do. You might want to visit 2 clinics. I was not v impressed with my closest one. The basics didn't fill me with any confidence!
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