To feel exploited by private fertility miscarriage clinic - need advice

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Posting for traffic and really stressed about this.

I'm 8 weeks pregnant and feeling distressed about my experience with a private fertility clinic. After getting pregnant naturally, I sought their care for early monitoring. They prescribed intralipids and steroids, insisting on fortnightly visits costing £800-£1000 each. When I tried to reduce costs by arranging NHS scans in between theirs and therefore reducing visits from fortnightly to monthly, they became uncooperative and sent me some quite shitty pressurising emails.

Recent research has made me doubt their treatment approach, especially regarding intralipids and steroids. When I expressed these concerns and asked for flexibility, the clinic responded with stern emails and ultimatums about prescriptions. They seem more focused on maintaining their expensive scan schedule than addressing my well-being.

This is my 7th pregnancy after previous losses, and I'm torn about how to proceed. Should I continue with this clinic despite my reservations, switch entirely to NHS care, or seek a middle ground?

I'm worried about the right treatment and don't want to risk another miscarriage, but the clinic's behavior feels unethical. I have NHS appointments coming up and would appreciate any advice on this. Thanks

This is a description of what they do on the gov official website;

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) is a small and focused body, but it is an important one: it regulates assisted human fertility treatment and scientific research involving human embryos.
Since HFEA was established in 1991, scientific understanding of human development has changed, as have societal attitudes to family formation. The provision of fertility treatment has become more common and is now a commercial and often privately funded activity. HFEA plays a major role in ensuring this activity and related research is conducted safely and with positive outcomes for those involved and affected by it.
I hope this report helps HFEA and the government to continue to regulate this area effectively and efficiently.

@Inkyblue123 thank you x

My, personal, and it is personal opinion, is that Clexane and Steroids kept my baby alive. I had lost ALL the others.

However, I paid for what are called 'Chicago Tests' - they were literally sent to Chicago! It's a clinic there that specialises in Immunology Fertility. So, I knew why my steroids were prescribed. Have they not told you why? In my case, they were used to suppress my immune system due to very elevated NK Cells amongst many other gene mutations that I possess!

It's bizarre for them not to 'have a reason' and tell you the reason for prescribing something.

Have you read the book by Dr Beer book 'is your body baby friendly - unexplained infertility, miscarriage & ivf failure explained and treated'? Loads of really good information in that book and being informed for this battle with the clinic and the NHS.

I mean this as kindly as possible OP, from what you’ve said you’re being fleeced by this clinic. They’re using dodgy sales tactics and unproven, potentially harmful meds, plus they are preying on your fears.
Im assuming your recur miscarriages were investigated?
Id hang back from them until you’re had your NHS appointment,

I am also pregnant after loss, it is the hardest thing ever. Try to relax and not worry too much about hfea/NHS/research, and let things work itself out until dating scan, hopefully the travel can also allow you to reduce the cost of scanning, you can tell them you're travelling for few weeks and then keep going with medication but scanning through NHS. Unfortunately there are a lot of people trying to make money, but now that you're here, hopefully all progresses well and you have your baby in arms 💚 after dating scan hopefully you'll have a lot more reassurance and confidence.

Doctors are regulated by a governing body , report them and provide evidence. I'd seek a second opinion on your care especially the steroids.

I'd be seeking a second opinion from another independent consultant as soon as possible.

I took steroids with no ill effects while pg, who knows if that was what worked but I had a successful pg after 4 mcs in a row. Lots of people have used steroids in pregnancy. I wouldn't be massively surprised if they were found out not to be necessary, but I would be far more surprised to find they were causing harm.

The tone of the emails lacks empathy, any care or any help I also stayed I am on holiday for one of the weeks and live six hour return so am trying to cut down visits that don't involve treatment.

I was honestly stunned to receive those emails. I work in a professional setting and would never send those to someone in this situation, no care at all.

GDPR guidelines has nothing to do with it as they claim in the emails. It's complete rubbish.

I don't find those emails particularly bad, I was expecting something worse! They are insisting on following the protocols signed up to when you started.
However, the consultant I saw privately was happy to sign me off to the NHS once the 1st trimester was over.

I'm not sure what area you live in but you could contact the Early pregnancy assessment unit in your local hospital. In some they will provide early pregnancy care for women who have undergone multiple miscarriages.

Or failing that - you could a second privately sourced opinion from a obstetrician/gynaecologist who also works for the NHS.

I agree that the sales tactics (and costs!) are concerning and would raise red flags for me also. However, the treatment could be sound.

The only way you can get clarity on this is by a professional 2nd opinion.

@Iggi999 fair enough, perhaps I'm overthinking but I feel they are getting quite shitty.

I work in Healthcare and don't think they are remotely shitty either. Ultimately you have decided on a plan and they have prescribed off licence medication on the basis you follow the plan otherwise they pull the meds. You signed up for it. I do understand it must be very fraught having had recurrent miscarriages but they have not done anything wrong here.

If you are worried about the treatment then I would see a private consultant to get a second opinion. The emails are polite and clear. There is really nothing unpleasant about them. They are undoubtedly fleecing you but whether the treatment is safe or not is something you really ought to have satisfied yourself about before you started it. In any event I would get a second opinion to put your mind at rest.

Thank you I'm struggling to see wood through the trees at the minute

I don’t find those emails shitty at all OP, they’re just strictly following their protocols.

I think you either need to try and have a frank conversation with the consultant about any concerns about your treatment, or urgently try and seek a second opinion (I used CREATE fertility and would highly recommend them). But I would not just abruptly stop treatment especially with steroids.

As another poster says earlier I truly don’t think my pregnancy would’ve made it without the steroids and Clexane I took. But all of my results and medications were explained very clearly and any concerns addressed swiftly.

I mean this gently - Shehata has always been a renegade. You may your money, you take your choice. Don’t second guess, or try and overlay the NHS advice over individualised medicine.

FWIW I had Chicagos but not under shehata, plus full steroids and clexane. Couldn’t have ivIG cos some other bits of my system were out of whack. I was also at the time, a lay adviser for the HFEA and worked in a scientific research setting.

In summary, go with it, do exactly as the clinic say and I hope the rest of your pregnancy goes well.
(I had 3 babies from two cycles by the way. All healthy massive gobshites these days.)

Get a second opinion.

@Ourdearoldqueen thank you, is HEFA more reliable as their advice is going against what I've been told. This is the most worrying thing

Possibly. But only possibly because the HFEA guidance is for the general population but your treatment plan is specific to you.

The clinic I was under had all sorts of off-protocol stuff going on, and my NHS gynae said “you know that this is bullshit.” But but but when you analyse the success rate/live birth rate then there was absolutely no comparisons and additionally a lot of the women who went there had had failed cycles and losses already. So who knows which tiny tweaks were enough for the incremental gain to tip the balance?

Most pregnant women don’t need anything at all let alone heavy duty immunosuppressants and heparin. I did though, or at least I believe I did based on the outcomes which I had and which were repeated across the patient population.

Congratulations OP. I'm in a similar position in that I need to be monitored closely due to previous history. I engaged a private obstetrician privately who has (is) been scanning, given prescriptions as required. In your position I'd look to engage a consultant and get a second opinion. If you're at guys have a look at their consultants and see if you can book one privately.

Is this your first pregnancy under these treatment protocols?

It is even common in NHS to prescribe progesterone after a scan, so I see that this protocol is common. Scans are around 150£ in London for early pregnancy, in a clinic environment. Medications are probably few hundred. Maybe the consultation 200-300£. It seems standard.
I would also say the email sounds fine.
It is very common to scan frequently and prescribe medication otherwise you're receiving medication without knowing how the baby is progressing which is probably not very ethical or right.
Lots of people make a lot of money on fertility, it's awful.