IVF at CRGH or Lister anyone?

[NV42]

I contacted CRGH with some high level questions and they look very impersonal.

E.g. on their site under costs they had IVF Cycle (stimulated) £3400 and IVF Cycle (including assisted hatching) £3400 so I simply asked if one would have one or the other when estimating at a high level the costs as it is not clear from the website, and they replied to me that I need to speak to a consultant and pay £200 to get an answer.

That and that alone put me off especially when last night I went to Care Fertility London who answered all my questions for free and they were very nice and polite.

I also emailed Lister and I am expecting a similar response to CRGH as I have also heard that Lister is super expensive and can be impersonal.

I am thinking that CRGH and Lister may have more luxurious clinics and may even treat more women above 42 - as I am 42 (who knows.. as the data published by all clinics is so misleading with so many caveats that I have no clue what to trust).

I think that at a clinic where they only see you as a money cow, there is more room for mistakes and unsuccessful repeated cycles.. Maybe I am new to this and this is why I decided to start discussing on mumsnet.

Is it too much to ask for some humanity and personal interaction? Yes we all want to make money, but I still don't treat others like a patient number.

[orangefolly]

I'm currently on my second IVF cycle with the Lister and I have to say I think they've been great. They try to give you the same sonographer for each of your (many, many) scans and that helps build up a rapport, and when I have seen my consultant he has spent a lot of time answering my questions, going through options and helping with decisions. But you only see the doc when you need to.

They won't give you ballpark figures until you have a consultation because they tailor the treatment to what you need, and the amount of meds you'll need to support that cycle won't be known until you're in the cycle and see how you respond. Ultimately, I think you have to go with a clinic you feel comfortable with, since you'll be spending a lot of time there with various appointments. Best of luck with it!

[NV42]

@orangefolly thank you for your feedback. I assume you carried out research prior going for Lister. I have heard that Lister is the most expensive. Based on the research that you may have carried out would you agree?

Personally I am comparing the prices for PSD for example across Lister, CRGH and Care Fertility and the price seems to be the same.

[orangefolly]

I have to say I found it pretty difficult to compare prices because you don't know what you'll need. And naive me I had no idea how expensive meds would be! But I don't think it's unusually expensive. In the end I chose based on a personal recommendation of a friend who went there. Convenience for work location also a factor! I think both prices and success rates are difficult to compare because of the different ways they are presented.

[PinkBlue1985]

Lister was a bad experience for us, long waiting times, very busy, felt rushed with doctors and nurses.

Care fertility are great, they spend a lot of time with you and it feels more organised. The nurses and doctors are lovely. Its our first time using them

[Botanica]

I've had four cycles through the Lister and no problems at all. However I have been working through one of their smaller satellite clinics for all appointments and scans so it has been very personal and tailored.