To pay for IVF instead of waiting 4 months?

[Saturnlan]

DH and I have been diagnosed with unexplained infertility and my AMH is on the lowest end of what is considered “adequate”. We are early 30s and are eligible for NHS funded IVF but the wait times at our clinic are long, and we still have another 4 months to wait until we can start the process, which even then may take us in to next year what with Christmas. The wait is driving me crazy at this point, and it is all I can think about. The clinic is also very unresponsive and it’s felt like an uphill battle to even get to this point.

We could easily afford to privately fund IVF, though it’d set us back a couple of months with our home buying plans for the future. I’m so incredibly tempted to pay privately and start the process right away, but equally is it incredibly wasteful of us to blow the money for the sake of waiting a few months? Advice appreciated

How many rounds will the NHS fund? You could start and then if it’s not successful switch to the NHS when you reach the top of the list.

How much would it delay your house buying?

I would try to get one private attempt in before starting with the NHS.

Consider whether you might need to save the money to fund future private rounds of IVF if you exhaust what is available on the NHS. For example, to potentially have a second child (depending on your area).

Or, whether you could put some of the money to good use in enjoying and optimising the time you have left before commencing IVF (I know this is very much easier said than done and completely understand your very normal fixation on getting on with having a baby right now).

Ultimately, you will make the right decision for you - and that might be to go ahead privately now because that is better for your mental wellbeing. Can't put a price on feeling optimistic and in good spirits. Good luck on your journey

NHS will fund one fresh round and one frozen transfer (if we have any to freeze) in the event that the fresh transfer is not successful.

It’d take us 2 months to re-save up what we would spend on the IVF.

4 months is not a long time and you are still young. Having a private round can take away an NHS funded round so check what you are entitled to. Your financial and home stability right now are paramount so I would concentrate on that and preparing for the IVF as it can take a lot out of you. Good luck

It's just 4 months, honestly I'd wait. Mine was a 2 yr wait, extremely low AMH and late 30s so we cracked on with private by the 2 year time frame we wouldn'thave been eligible and whilst you say you have the money the meds and anything additional soon add up. In these 4 months i highly recommend you start preparing your body for treatment. Diet, lifestyle, supplements, emotions, mental health, managing stress, think about how you would manage time off required during work, understand the protocols they would put you on etc. That alone will take 3 months to kick in.

Double check you won't lose your NHS entitlement if you go private.

I'd wait the four months. You are still young and 4 months isn't that long (I know it feels endless when ttc). Also with unexplained infertility you might still conceive naturally whilst waiting. You also might need the money for a sibling round.

Read It starts with an egg and spend the four months following it to give yourself something to focus on.

Be careful, the NHS might have a policy that says if you start private, you're not eligible for NHS funded IVF afterwards. Do look into your local policy.

I should add I’m permitted to self-fund up to two cycles and still be eligible for the NHS funded cycle.

2 months? How much does it cost?

my private cycles were circa £10k each (we had quite a few).

The wait doesn’t seem that long. When doing financial planning, think also of potential nursery costs, cost of maternity leave etc.
You could reframe the wait as the last months of me and husband enjoying each other’s company before the IVF journey.

Check your FSH in day 1-5 as more reliable often than amh.
Have you had all your other investigations, hycosy etc?

It’s 8k including meds.

@Saturnlan I've been through IVF so know how agonising the waiting is. I actually did pay for a private round first before having my second round on the NHS. But my advice is to wait for the NHS.

Firstly, a lot of NHS trusts will agree to a certain number of rounds "however funded". So my trust allowed 2 rounds "however funded" which meant that because I had already paid for one privately, I could only have one on the NHS. So paying privately may reduce your entitlement.

Secondly, although it is agony waiting, your age is on your side. I was already 40 so felt I was in a hurry.

Thirdly, if you haven't already, read It Starts with an Egg and use the time to implement the lifestyle changes needed. It's not a sticking plaster but I personally do think that amending my lifestyle (which wasn't awful anyway) supported my cycles.

Finally, I know you say you can afford it but it can sometimes take quite a few rounds. I had my first child on my second round but my second child took 7 cycles (depending how you count it - slightly complex). I don't want to say how much it cost but it is eye watering and I am eternally grateful that I was able to pay it. If affording one round means setting you back a few months, then I am going to gently suggest that your pockets aren't deep enough to spend money on a round that could be funded by the NHS. As a pp said, you may need to save that for growing your family further.

Wishing you all the best on this journey. It is really hard but it can work. I was one of the lucky ones for sure xxx

Hycosy done, ultrasound, SA and all bloods.

Pursue both avenues and the answer will become clear. In my experience when going privately the ivf clinics weren't more responsive. So see how you get on. It's also quite expensive. But you can also look into this scheme https://www.accessfertility.com/programmes/the-access-fertility-multi-cycle-programme/?utm_term=how%20much%20is%20ivf%20treatment&utm_campaign=Birmingham&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_acc=4883569902&hsa_cam=747663591&hsa_grp=140693368475&hsa_ad=615486983403&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=kwd-5732565623&hsa_kw=how%20much%20is%20ivf%20treatment&hsa_mt=b&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gclid=CjwKCAjw_ZC2BhAQEiwAXSgClkaWzsAcGCc-_60hasVtahG3Vez4A33WjssZ0bqNpR5fMYeKL67qAxoCuuwQAvD_BwE

Good luck

If I was thirty I would use these 4 months to get fit & healthy and do it under nhs.

I would prioritise your house buying saving, you don’t know how pregnancy, childbirth will affect your future earnings, get somewhere for you all to live as a priority.

Thank you, I know deep down you’re probably right. Just feeling desperate 😔

Is it to upgrade a house or would you be first time buyers? If you don't already own a property I'd save the money for that.

To upgrade to a more suitable property (more bedrooms)

4 months is not really long. people wait far longer for essential treatment. I would sit it out and start on the NHS. 4 months more won't make any difference.

If you are ovulating every month I would get Hycosy (tubes flushed) before paying for IVF.

I know why you are anxious to crack on but I would wait.

As mentioned, make sure your lifestyle is cleaned up- alcohol, coffee, processed foods etc in restricted amounts. Vitamins super important. Stress and sleep sorted. Diet that gives stable blood sugar. That’s if you are not doing this already!

For what it’s worth, I did one round NHS and a second private at the same hospital. They were even more unresponsive when I did the private round!

To be honest, I would go private. I did 3 rounds of IVF, not on the NHS. Those that are saying 4 months isn't long possibly haven't been in this situation, it feels like a lifetime. And it's all very well saying you're young (which you are) but if your AMH is low I would get going. I'm speaking as mother of an IVF child that I had mid-40s.

Maybe do a little research into going abroad. There are lots of great clinics, equally good or even better than those in the UK and usually cheaper. If you're not on the fertility friends forum, go on there, loads of great information.

I definitely think it's worth going now if it doesn't negate your NHS rounds which you've said it doesn't. Also, if you're lucky enough to have it work quickly, you may want those NHS rounds for a second child in a few years and you'll need to do that before you "age out" of getting it on the NHS.

Best of luck.