Ivf clinic recommendation for low AMH

[chickenfordinner]

Hi there

I have recently had my first cycle of IVF, which was unfortunately not successful. We are now considering whether to stay with our current self funded NHS clinic or whether to go somewhere different. I have a low AMH (1.9) at age 31 and would like to go somewhere with experience and enthusiasm for women with lower AMH levels. I can get to London and Surrey without too much difficulty. I'd really appreciate any recommendations - I know it is personal opinion but any comments gratefully received!

Thanks

Chickenfordinner I also have low AMH (2.3 I think) and was 33 when that was measured last January. I'm now 36 weeks pregnant with huge thanks to the team at the Lister in Chelsea. Jaya Parikh was our consultant although after the decision on your treatment regime it's very much a team approach. She only did one of my three transfers.

My first cycle was with Guy's and was cancelled. We went back to them for advice but weren't comfortable with what we heard so went to the lister for a second opinion. Haven't regretted it for one second. It took a couple more goes to get where we are but we couldn't be happier (or more terrified). The very best of luck to you.

beginnings thank you so much for taking the time to reply, I really appreciate it and massive congratulations on your very nearly here baby!!!! I totally understand the over the moon but terrified feeling!

I have heard other good things about the lister so it's good to know they are supportive of those of us who are AMH challenged and i'll look jnto it this week. My only slight concern is how easy it would be for me to get to for scans etc - did you have to go very regularly?

Many thanks again x x

No problem chickenfordinner. You do need to be there quite regularly during treatment. I think I had three or four scans prior to collection and then had three scans (one of which was by choice) prior to discharge. You need an understanding boss!!

I'd also look into Zita West. I've only ever had a phone chat with one of their managers, but I was massively massively impressed by their overall attitude. They look at everything (not just the science/drugs) and have great success rates.

Hello Chicken i also have low Amh (0.07) and after much trawling around I am with Dr Venkat at Harley street fertility clinic (www.hsfc.org.uk/). I had to go egg donor route but the process was very smooth (and quick) and first round I got my BFP, sadly I mc at 7 weeks but we are going again in may with one of our frosties. The lister has a good reputation too and anyone at ARGC just raves about them. I always suggest that anyone should phone round a few and see who you get a good feeling from. HSFC is a small and personal clinic where everyone knows your name. And you always get offered a cuppa I never managed to get through to argc. You will spend lot of time (and money) with these guys so it needs to feel right.

On a slightly separate note, I've decided to have acupuncture for my next round - my acupuncturist said that she had known of someone with an Amh as low as mine, conceive naturally. Just thought that might be worth a mention...

Good luck and hope you get that BFP. Come join us on the assisted conception thread if you need any other advice.

Hi Chicken, a friend of mine has low amh and tried a cycle at Guys but they didn't seem that set up to help her ... They told her that her only chance was egg donation.

So she went to the Lister and is now pg with twins after one cycle (using her own eggs). Not sure what they did differently as I had ivf too but had different problems (overactive ovaries!) but she said they seemed much more experienced in terms of the type of stim drugs, dosages and monitoring.

HTH and very very best of luck with it all,

PS I second the recommendations of Zita West help. I listened to her CD throughout my ivf treatment ... I am not sure that our bfp was entirely down to her but the CD really helped me dial down the crazy chill out!

Another one to add to your list is Create. Thats who I am with (although I don't have low amy, but rather because they take a 'lowest med possible' approach, which I prefer. They have clinic in Surrey and London.

Elsathelion if I was expecting twins I'd wonder if you knew me as I had exactly the same experience with Guy's. The NHS is just not as good as the private sector at hormonal issues yet.

A third vote for Zita West. I like the holistic approach and they do give good advice on clinics although I don't know if that will have changed now that they do ivf themselves. I had hypnotherapy there which I found amazing at helping me to relax.

Some of the most successful clinics disregard AMH entirely and instead prefer fsh/lh ratio as it gives a more accurate snapshot of where you are just before your treatment cycle. Have a look at the success rates on the HFEA website - ARGC/Lister/UCH all have amazing results.

As for that snake oil peddling charlatan, flogging her meritless unproven pills and potions to desperate couples at their lowest ebb, that bloody woman should be ashamed. There is not a SHRED of reputable replicable evidence in what she offers and her finest talent is marketing. Hateful. Utterly hateful. And they don't do Ivf themselves - they've subcontracted it.

If you can't get through to ARGC, email them, they respond v quickly. Their results are great even in women with awful histories/problems. You won't get a cup of tea, but you're buying the best stats of getting pregnant, not TLC! Good luck.

Bagofholly was that last comment about zita west? Am really surprised to hear that (but happy to be corrected since I've never had actual treatment from them). I was impressed since they gave me advice post chemo which disagreed with my actual fertility doctor (I called for a second opinion since what he told me seemed ridiculous) but which was later confirmed by my oncologist as correct. So I've therefore had a very positive opinion of them. Is there a reason you think otherwise?

Should prob add that I called about amh-related issues.

Yes it was. It's some of the unmitigated bollocks they spout about vitamins and supplements, all of which are utterly unproven. That's right, unproven. But my particular hatred was the inference that their acupuncture increases the success rates of IVF, despite the wholly inappropriate way in which the data is collated, and the lack of reference to the fact that her clinic sits smack bang between the two most successful clinics in Europe - who are able to produce replicable robust success rates without any difference being made by Zw. Once you even casually glance at the spurious claims, even a gentle scratch at the surface demonstrates the holes in their claims, knotted around a tiny tiny seed of "science." Disgraceful.

And whilst I'm ranting, the clinic she subcontracts the IVF bit to, has success rates which are lower than the national average. But that's not on her website, of course...

Interesting... I asked my fertility doctor about acupuncture helping and he said it had now been proven not to help..

Indeed. Or rather any clinical trials were unable to demonstrate a benefit - you can't prove a negative [pedant]. Even on their website there is this standard disclaimer:
"Though there is a growing body of scientific research into its uses, there is, however, little data that conforms to the usual Western medical standards of large scale, double-blind, randomised controlled trials on the human population and, as a result, its efficacy must still be considered to be largely unproven."

I am DYING for Ben Goldacre to get stuck in with her.

AMH is a very controversial marker and
much is still unknown about it. There is an excellent article that cites studies and clinical research about low AMH and fertility written by Julia Indichova, the author of The Fertile Female.

www.fertileheart.com/does-a-low-amh-level-indicate-infertility/

Agreed clickit. I was told I had undetectable AMH levels by my fertility doctor (this was 3m after chemo). My oncologist told me that this was basically a load of rubbish and that my levels would have been screwed by chemo, and that I would return to normal again with regards to my fertility and time until menopause (he knew this because of experience with previous women having my treatment over the last 20 years). This totally flies in the face of the 'experts' who claim that AMH levels are unaffected by drugs/the Pill/pregnancy etc and is one of many reasons I think AMH levels are often a red herring at best, and total scaremongering at worst.