Ivf nhs eligibility

[Sambuca91]

Myself and my partner have started infertility investigation.
We have been trying for 8 years, however only starting at 20years old we decided not to push for it until now 27&28. As previous we were occupied with work etc and was happy to still enjoy each other's time.
Result for myself have come back fine. However other half has low sperm count. Both our doctors mentioned icsi & told us not to panic but sent him for retest. Results for him exactly same, doctor appointment today for our referral as a couple to fertility specialitist, she mentioned the criteria for NHS funding for ivf and if we would be eligible. She stated there isn't much if any funding for fertility treatment due to the cuts etc. She told me previous pregnancies and existing children would affect any funding. We don't have children. But I asked her to elaborate, on previous pregnancies and asked because I had a termination at 17 would that affect decision for funding to her reply was yes! I'm absolutly besides myself and so angry that at 17 I did what I did, but in my eyes I did it for the right reasons.
Since then I've worked nearly 60 hours a week with 2 jobs to provide myself a decent life and to be able to provide for a child when the time was right. It's made me very bitter about the government and that they will fund people who choose to take drugs / get drunk on a weekend (I own a nightclub and see how many ambulances are used from other various's) yet factually from results were eligible for treatment, but money says no because of my background.
I didn't even know they considered terminations to be in criteria I've looked on all documents and nothing is stated! As anyone had anything similar?

[ronswansonstache]

It's a bit of a postcode lottery I'm afraid. My area has zero funding, but if I lived on the other side of the county I'd be entitled to 1 cycle.

The table below summarises the criteria in different areas. No mention of previous terminations used as criteria, unsurprising given the many different reasons someone may have had one. I'd ask for a second option on that. Good luck

www.fertilityfairness.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/FF-League-Table-2017.xlsx

[Blankspace4]

They asked me if I had ever fallen pregnant, with the inference being if I’d said “yes”, I wouldn’t be funded.

[JeNeBaguetteRien]

Sambuca you need to check which is your CCG and what their policy is.
You should find more information here
www.fertilityfairness.co.uk

I haven't heard of a previous termination excluding people from IVF but the rules are a postcode lottery indeed.

The relevant point is that you've been trying for a long time without conceiving.
If the termination is relevant it is just proof that you got pregnant once, and I suppose they might check depending on the procedure you had in the highly unlikely event it could have affected fertility. This is unlikely anyway, and as your partner has low sperm count perhaps it's worth seeing what supplements he could take or any lifestyle changes if relevant.

When you say your results have come back fine what tears have you had?
You should ask for copies of results so you can be sure that they are indeed fine, or if any are borderline.

Sorry to be so cynical but it helps to know exactly what you are dealing with. Good luck!

[27aime]

Thankyou for your responses
I'm aware of the postcode lottery situation and spent hours looking all of this up, but just never found an ounce of the previous pregnancy situation, it was always existing children that came up.
The termination was from another relationship.
From the tests I mean whether I ovulate, routine to check see if everything is clear By the sounds of it they will investigate further on me once we see specialist.
My partners sperm isn't just low, it's considerably low. Noones mentioned the hormones or other treatments soon as we got his results back both our doctors said it would likely be icsi.
I feel as if doctor has now thrown this spanner in where she doesn't have clear clarification herself. For me now to be waiting for weeks and panicking over a decision I made at 17. It's a decision I didn't just make on a whim, I was young and in a relationship, it just wasn't the right time.

[hoping2018]

I think your GP is wrong - I have never heard of a previous pregnancy effecting ivf funding - only living children.

Look up your CCG and you'll be able to find there policy and put your mind at rest - it is a lottery though as there are a few CCGs that won't find any rounds at all.

[pumpkinspicetime]

We had no funding for IVF because our area had no funding for anyone full stop and that was 10 years ago, the situation has only got worse.

[physicskate]

I had two early miscarriages and had funding. I've never heard of this being part of the funding criteria. Many gps are not very au fait with infertility in general and ivf criteria in particular.

It would worry me too, but I think the reason she gave you is utter hogwash.

[27aime]

Thankyou, she's been great up until that appointment and flipped it on its head, fair to say I was heartbroken, what I did at 17 is what drives me every morning, I have my own business (not rolling in money as it's only just started, I work full time Monday to Friday, then I do casual youth work on an evening. I've pushed my myself to extreme and made a promise that I'd be in a better position when the time was right for kids.
If we have to pay, then I'll save every penny, but it just certainly makes you very bitter about the country, she couldn't understand how I was feeling, then hesitated to give us the referral as she thought I was ready.
The point was I'd had those anxieties for the last 6 months, and outnof the blue she said that without any facts and just said to wait for the specialist, so I now have to wait weeks for this appointment with what could be unnessacery anxiety surrounding it all.

[Pumpkin18]

I've never heard of having a termination affecting eligibility for IVF either. Was it your Dr who said this or the fertility clinic you were referred to? I would be inclined not to tell them about it

[Pumpkin18]

I had a termination years ago and it's not on my doctors notes so they don't need to know. Sorry to say that there will likely be a waiting list for IVF even if you are eligible. When I booked our fertility clinic appointment it said most people had treatment within 43 weeks so even if we were eligible for IVF on NHS (which we're not) we would probably go private anyway. We are going abroad to do it and it will probably take all of our 5k saving but it's so much cheaper than the UK. Good luck with whatever happens x

[pumpkinspicetime]

The specialist won't be able to authorise the funding or not, the funding comes from you meeting the CCG criteria in your area, you can check this before your appointment as pp have said. Significant issues with sperm are treated with ISCI, on the plus point you don't have to work through a hierarchy of treatments ending up with IVF you go straight to it. Our CCG funded our investigations to establish we needed ISCI and then we had to pick up the costs of the treatment.

[27aime]

Thankyou! That's useful to know, I've looked on the CCG, that's what I couldn't understand as it didn't stater those stipulations the doctor said. Even though I said this to her.
It's just my gp not the specialist. But as I say I'm just annoyed she's put those thoughts in my head. Mind at some rest now I've been able to speak on here with people in similar situations, hopefully I can just wait without working myself up until we see the specialist and he can answer any questions. I just don't think that doctor should have had that conversation with me.

[Pumpkin18]

Our gp couldn't tell us anything at all other than DH had low results and we needed referring to fertility clinic. Asked about eligibility for IVF and she didn't have the answers.

[hoping2018]

Sorry the GP stressed you out - I think they were wrong in what they said. CCG Guidelines would have to stipulate if a previous pregnancy that had not gone to term effected whether you could have it - so ignore the GP.

Hope your CCG fund many rounds!!

[ClaryFray]

Based on the table because I have a living child I am entitled to nothing. Life is so crap. I know its a long way off consideromg we're just over a year Ttc with no pregnancy's. But that sucks.

[Donnas146]

This is so strange I could have wrote this myself! Your situation is so similar to mine! I’m now nearly 28 and had testing and everything has come back fine but my partner has very low count we have been referred to the clinic for more testing now. I also had a termination at 17. I’ve been told it doesn’t matter about past pregnancies or terminations as there were no live births so because we have no children we should be elegible, I wouldn’t worry too much about this yet as you won’t know if you will be funded until you are referred for ivf please feel free to message me as would like to talk to someone as much as in a situation like myself x

[Donnas146]

Forgot to mention we have also been trying since we were 21 till now it’s been 7 years this Christmas so I really feel your frustration and pain x

[Viletta]

My GP said that the fact that I had pregnancy (though willingly terminated) mean that my fertility is probably all good. We also have male factor. I didn't mention this to NHS but they routed us out based on other criteria (me not being a UK citizen). Funny enough my home country refused free treatment too because I'm not a resident there anymore. Private clinics have better success rates so hopefully it'll all turn out good for you. You are very young which is a massive advantage. I would recommend try and improve sperm quality before going through with IVF/ICSI. You can also try egg donation funding. Good luck!

[27aime]

Hi everyone just an update.
So we had our appointment with the specialist a few weeks ago, she went through our history etc and asked why we hadn’t been sooner when since we had been trying so long, to which we replied we tried about 3/4 years ago and neither of our gp’s took us serious and wouldn’t test us due to our age, and the fact we just said we hadn’t been using contraception for 4 years rather then saying we was ‘trying’
Fair to say she seemed pretty upset for us, she then proceeded very sensitively to explain that we wouldn’t naturally conceive due to other half’s low sperm count and that the only treatment for us is IVF/icsi at the moment. She’s said everything is looking like we should be eligible for 2 rounds and that previous pregnancy wasn’t in any criteria Again she saw how upset I was over what my gp as said they did a few tests there and then with me and my partner, booked me in for an internal scan and said things will start moving after Christmas was music to my ears! Very bitter sweet as no one wants to have a baby that way and for the first ever time me and my partner had some hope, we got excited on the way home, talked about us getting married, and our kids names and before it’s always been a subject we just can’t bring ourselfs to speak about.

Hope everyone has a lovely Christmas, and thankyou for the support on here, it really did help! X

[Donnas146]

So happy to hear you have got the ball rolling @27aime
Can I ask who you were referred to? As we’ve been to the gp end they’ve referred me and oh to a gynaecologist at the hospital so we can both have tests is that where you were referred to? X

[plaidlife]

Nobody wants to have a baby that way but having done it once they are born you won't care. A few years down the line it becomes a total irrelevance.
Best of luck.

[Cherries101]

It’s not correct. Previous terminations could have been for any reason. I suggest you go to the Fertility fair and find yourself some actual NHS clinics to talk to. They will reassure you.