@onlygetitinmynightdress
what about IVF scares you? I’ve had it (a year of treatment, 3 rounds of egg collection, 8 embryos put back over 6 transfers).
it was fine. It’s time consuming. At various points you go for appointments for them to do stuff to run the cycle several times a week, each taking at least two hours. But most of that is waiting around - for the scan, and blood tests, to see the dr who assesses scan and blood test and sets or adjusts your drug regime, for pharmacy to issue the drugs.
but I found the physical side very ok. Not nothing, but fine.
it’s expensive and an emotional roller coaster. It’s a good prep for parenthood!
if I were you I’d clarify whether starting private impacts NHS access. I’d prioritise NHS access as IvF is so expensive.
but you can use your time now researching private clinics, going to their open days, asking questions.
doing all that takes time too, and then once you start they run investigations and tests which take a couple of months.
so it’s slow. And starting the research can make you feel you have a plan and options if a year of trying isn’t successful.
private clinics might also tell you what early tests they’d want so you can see what if that you can get out of the NHS meantime.
you’re young, so the chances of success either naturally or via the first few rounds of IVF are good.
i was 39 when we started treatment, and got sustainably pregnant on the last transfer one year later when I’d just turned 40. Several early miscarriages before that.
if you read the IVF stats for age, that’s close, I think slightly ahead of the 1/10 rounds successful stats for 40 year olds.
early 30s is more like 1/3 and that includes people who have stuff like egg quality issues which isn’t your reason for potentially needing treatment.
You have every reason to be optimistic you will make this happen one way or another.
last thing - private clinics will tell you to start now. But remember they are a business with a service to sell.
use this time to research, keep trying naturally (I’d say everyday sex not always the way - read up on the sperm meets egg plan which aims to get good quality sperm ready to fertilise at the right time) and get everything you can out of the NHS first.