What to factor in when choosing the DE clinic?

[amazingsummer]

hello! Ive been following this group for quite a long time and Ive always learnt something new and useful. After quite a few unsuccessful egg collections and transfers, we have decided to move to DE. My clinic works with 2 clinics and I am not really sure what things I should consider when choosing the one to go with. I was wondering if any of you have had any experience with any of them but I don’t think I am allowed to give the names of the clinics. another thing that I would appreciate to get your view on is what else should I consider when choosing the clinic, apart from others experience with them? Thank you

[JA-fnuk Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

If mentioning clinics by name or costings please use PM

Thank you

Janet

[Tnthketnf]

Hi

I havent use a donor yet but I am planning to have donor treatment for my next steps. For various reasons this won't take place until later in the year , one of them is not being entirely happy with the clinic I had previous treatment with.

My preference is fresh donor eggs. The rates are better than frozen.

After some thought and research I summed up the things that will help me decide on clinic.

1. Costs. Clear from upfront and reasonable (more likely abroad due to being cheaper)

2. Exclusivity per cycle-without it being a deal breaker I believe that I will have better chances if I get to use all the eggs produced in one cycle

3. National registry to monitor number of donations and how many times the donor donated in total and how many live births- that's if you are going abroad, I think on uk it's monitored.

4. donor criteria:Age ideally around 25-28, not over 30. Proven (previous live birth).Screening for donor. What tests? Any genetic tests? How many times the donor donated in the year up to our cycle? Ideally no more than twice in the same year

5. Option for non anonymous donation-meaning that when the child is 18 to have the option to find out the name of the donor - again not a deal breaker but I believe it would be good. ( But of course You might want completely anonymous and that's OK too )

6. Information on matching -do they just match hair/ eye colour or other characteristics too?

7. Individualised transfer protocols

Then of course are the more general things, to be treated like a person, not a wallet, to be able to communicate with them easily and quickly etc.

[CXCYCZ]

I use a clinic in Spain. Early days yet but they are linked to a clinic in the uk so I have my scans in the uk, they send prescription requests to the uk clinic who organise the uk prescription for me. That takes a lot of stress out of the process. The Spanish clinic organised the donor, (25 year old), exclusive to me, they matched my characteristics with the donor, they can’t match me of course because I’m so much more than what I look like or what my genes were at birth and that’s fine with me. Both clinics are really personable, I’ve never felt like its just about my money, they both seem to genuinely care. I have been over for two transfers, unfortunately one was a chemical and the other was a miscarriage at 7 weeks but I am now 46 and was going through a really rough time at work so it was never going to be easy.

Having the UK clinic meant I had help in the UK when I needed it and they booked me into the EPU at my local hospital and followed up to make sure I was OK. (Spain were also very supportive).

I have also been over to Spain for some blood tests and also collected some prescriptions from Spain which I could also do in the UK but it is cheaper in Spain. I find doing tests in Spain is again easier and less stressful. The results go directly to the clinic and we have Skype calls about the results. I can fly to the cities airport and take a 20 minute train to the city centre, it’s very easy. Their pricing is clear and I had 7 viable 5 day blasts, (5 are currently on ice!). I’ve just had a hysteroscopy in Spain which came back with good results and they have told me I can transfer again or I could have another couple of tests but they have left the decision with me. No pressure to do either, my choice and no pressure to decide which I do. I can take my time.

So I can’t fault the treatment abroad or in the UK. I went abroad because of the availability of DE and when I looked into it it was a lot cheaper than the quotes I had in the UK with no waiting lists. I chose the clinic because they were linked to a local one in the uk and because when I met them I liked them and trusted them.

I think when choosing a clinic abroad especially if you have two that are linked to one in the UK my advise is to talk to them both and talk to the UK clinic. Make sure you can communicate with the clinic abroad. Mine has English speakers who I can speak to or email. Make sure the UK clinic is happy to do prescriptions and scans for you on their behalf and that the clinic abroad is happy to accept their findings. Trust your instincts and think about the practicality of actually travelling there, how easy that is, what is accommodation availability and flight availability like as a lot of the exact timings can be short notice. It’s a stressful time anyway so which option is going to be the least stressful for you.

I also do this on my own. I did take a 5 day holiday in the city when I went over for tests the first time to familiarise myself with the clinic, the city, travel etc so when I went for the transfer it wasn’t a step into the unknown and that part did not generate any extra and unneeded stress.

Read up about the clinics as well but I think it’s no substitute for actually talking to or meeting them. This journey is tough, success is not just about the clinic but about each individual and their circumstances. Some transfers will fail and some will succeed. I’m confident I will be successful and I know I have both clinics support and they will do everything they can to help me achieve that. I contacted them first just before COVID, and then had some fibroids removed so it’s been a long journey to actually start but they have never pressured me and have always been there when I was ready to try again. It has always been easy with them.