NHS IVF process

[ColinCat19]

Hi, I am quite new to this and was just after some advice.

Have had my scans and blood tests, which were all ok. Have an appointment with the fertility consultant tomorrow to get husbands sperm results and discuss next steps. We have been told that we will be eligible for one ivf attempt on the nhs by our consultant.

Can anyone give me a rough indication of what happens next and how long it is likely to be for us to be able to start a cycle (if results from analysis are ok)? I’m sure it varies by area, but I just have no idea how long it is likely to be. I’m 40, nearly 41, so time is not on my side!

Thanks I’m advance for any guidance.

[Tnthketnf]

As you said it depends on where you are. And and what stage. Are you still at investigation stage or you have been told already you need IVF and these tests you mentioned happened at the fertility clinic?

If you're in Scotland there is still some waiting time after it is decided you will need IVF. Times vary in different areas, with west of Scotland being the worst given that it treats the largest number of patients. It used to be 6-8 months for West of Scotland but this might have changed.

The process in the Scottish nhs is like this

Once you reached top of the list you are being called to have some swabs, amh, check your weight and smoking and rubella vaccination status. Next appointment within a few weeks

you are given a protocol based on your egg reserve. They will also discuss if its going to be icsi or simple ivf.

Then you are told to book with your next period and start injections accordingly. Two weeks before that they also do the virology tests.

[Tnthketnf in reply to Tnthketnf]

Obviously if you're in another part of the UK all that is irrelevant. I hope all goes well!

[ColinCat19 in reply to Tnthketnf]

Thank you so much!! The tests are ones carried out at the fertility clinic, so hopefully we are a bit further along.

I really appreciate your reply x

[StarsAllAround]

It varies massively from area to area. If you look up your CCG online it will give you the criteria and what is covered by NHS in your area and some will tell you the wait time too. Good luck 👍

[ColinCat19 in reply to StarsAllAround]

Thanks, unfortunately my ICB doesn’t give a wait time. We have already been told we meet criteria, but not sure how long funding takes!

Thanks for replying x

[Grassfields]

Hi there, as people have said really does depend on location and personal circumstances. For us we needed a sperm donor so that meant things took a little longer, both with all the tests but then also selecting donor. From first referral to egg transfer was 18mths. It can be frustratingly slow at times and the communications has been poor as we were transferred clinics. Hopefully yours will be a smooth process (as much as can be with IVF!) and quicker x

[ColinCat19 in reply to Grassfields]

Thanks so much for your reply, it’s so helpful to have examples of timescales. I hope your journey is going well! X

[Chicky86]

It was a few years for us, but my experience was this-We'd had all of our testing done, and we're referred for IVF. We had a meeting in the July at our local hospital to put the application for funding through. We then had another meeting with a fertility nurse where I needed another blood test and was asked to choose my preferred IVF clinic. I then had contact from the IVF clinic in September, had our first video consultation in the October, started Meds in November, had my eggs collected and first transfer in December. Second transfer in February, third in April and gave birth in December!

Good luck with everything x

[ColinCat19 in reply to Chicky86]

thank you for your response and congratulations! I’m so happy it was successful for you ☺️ x

[Lucy014]

Hi

We are in the south east and I tracked all of our appointment. Our hospital doesn’t do IVF in house so we we referred to a private clinic with NHS funding.

I know it’s different for everyone but to give you some idea, for us, my fertility consultation at the hospital was 12 Jul 2022, this was after private testing for both of us which was done in May 2022, at this point they wanted another semen analysis as sperm runs in 3 month cycles, so this was booked for Aug. The nurse told me on the 15th Sept we were being referred for funding (after I called for an update the day before) and we needed to go for another blood test. 13th Dec (again after lots of chasing!) we were told funding was approved and we should hear in the new year. On 5th Jan we heard from the private clinic and everything got going. After afew more tests we had our egg collection in early May 2023.

Good luck with your journey! For us, it was very frustrating all the waiting and chasing, I know the NHS are under pressure but I found chasing did move things along so I didn’t feel bad for it, but you just have to remember each day you are one step closer xx

[ColinCat19 in reply to Lucy014]

Thanks, that’s really helpful about the chasing! We were due to have an appointment today and it’s been cancelled due to the doctor’s strike. You’ve reminded me it’s ok to chase for a new appointment! X

[Lucy014 in reply to ColinCat19]

Oh no 😔 just delays things even further, it’s soo stressful and emotional when you want to get going but have to go through all the hoops first.

No one likes to chase but I honestly dread to think how long it would have taken had I have not done so.

I hope it doesn’t take long to rearrange your appointment 🤞🏼 xx

[ColinCat19 in reply to Lucy014]

I am going to chase on Monday!! Wishing you so much luck with your journey xx

[Lucy014 in reply to ColinCat19]

Thank you. And to you too ❤️ xx

[W031]

heya, I think it differs per area but for example. Once we had the GP referral, it was referred to our local hospital. Our consultant then made sure we hit all criteria and then they referred us for the funding. Agreement probably took 6 weeks and then we were referred to an NHS IVF clinic. Once you get to the IVF clinic, you’ll discuss medical history and the usual troubles you have been having etc then they will probably do weight, blood pressure height all that jazz. Then that’ll be your first initial consultation. They will figure out where your cycle is at and work out when to start a medicated cycle from that. Keep log of your cycles, day you start bleeding and when you stop. We unfortunately didn’t have the greatest experience with the NHS, we were with them for 6 months (it was really the clinic that were the worst). After one failed transfer and them giving me Ecoli ans Haemophilus influenza in my uterus. We paid privately, went to the lister fertility clinic in London and in 6 weeks they did what the NHS couldn’t do. I am now 8 weeks pregnant. (I think you do get to pick your NHS clinic, so just do a ton of research and ask others for recommendations) - best of luck it’s a whirlwind of a journey! Also, wait times also depend on how busy your clinic actually is. Wishing you all the luck in the world!!

[ColinCat19 in reply to W031]

Thank you, I’ve been researching the clinics my hospital offer. And congratulations on your pregnancy!! X

[AshleyJB]

Hi. We are NHS funded and we waited around 12 weeks for the application and funding to go through. We're in Cheshire xx

[ColinCat19 in reply to AshleyJB]

Thank you and wishing you so much luck in your journey! X

[AshleyJB in reply to ColinCat19]

Wishing you all the best. Thinking eggy thoughts for you! x

[Tginger]

Hi, I can imagine you're concerned because of your age. I'm 39, turning 40 in September, and for some reason they say I qualify for NHS funded IVF only until I turn 40. In November 2022, I had a consultation and the consultant said that due to my age all further steps including any referrals or tests will be done very quickly. Unfortunately, this is not the case in our hospital (I'm in Northamptonshire). Nobody seems to care. I keep ringing relevant departments and chase them but things are not moving. I'm freaking out that I may fail to receive the treatment because of these delays. Wishing you all the best luck on your journey without delays! ❤️

[ColinCat19 in reply to Tginger]

I am panicking for the same reason! We are near you (Bedfordshire) and the cut off is 42, but I turn 41 in a couple of weeks. It’s just a minefield isn’t it? Just had our appointment cancelled today due to the strikes! Wishing you so much luck and hope things start moving quicker for you! X

[Katieloulou1983]

Hi,

I was finally referred last Nov at age of 39 (after 6 months of testing completing locally), had funding appointment first week Jan and started first round in March

Keep pushing, you have to advocate for yourself but they should be prioritising you due to your age too

Wishing you the best of luck!

[ColinCat19 in reply to Katieloulou1983]

Thank you. I wasn’t sure if they would prioritise due to my age, so it’s helpful to know they should consider that. Wishing you all the best in your journey! X

[Midsummer_daydream]

It took us about 8m. I’m a little younger than you and I’m in London. My first appointment with the fertility clinic was in August after my GP referred in April. Blood test and sperm discussion and all that jazz were done after and we were told we are qualified for IVF. More checks and scans were done on my side to make sure there was no risk. If nothing found we should be good at this point (3m after) but they found one of hormone level was off that led to treatment for another 4m. During that time the funding was approved and I finally got called in for the first cycle in March the year after, egg collection was in April.

You are quite far along, hope things go smooth and your funding is approved quickly. Always chase them as there is a long waiting list. Once you are in the list for their next cycle you will be taken care of automatically

[Maaty]

for me was approximately 1 year since first ask the gp for referral and finally frozen transfer. And because was Christmas around the transfer I had to wait couple of months. If was fresh transfer would be 4 months before.

Also, all my tests (they are a lot of them) were good , so it was kind of straight forward everything.

This was after the pandemic.

I started everything before the pandemic, in north London , and was really slow by then. Everything was cancelled because of the lockdown.

I moved to south London, I had to start everything from the beginning , I was lucky because in north London I only had one transfer , but In Greenwich 2 transfer.

And I found south London much easier and faster than north London.

Lucky me everything worked in the first try.

Best of luck!!