IVF - choosing best option

[Charlotte321]

Hi, I'm having investigations at a hospital I chose because a friend, who had am mc, said they handled it all well so I thought they might be a good option. However I've since been on an IVF hospitals site I found and their IVF success rates don't seem to be that great, below national average. Does anyone know if I can change hospitals if my treatment ends up at IVF stage and could I just bring all my results or would they insist on doing tests all over again? Should I even pay attention to success rates? Thanks, bit stressed about the whole thing, hoping clomid will work if they offer me that, Cx

Hi Charlotte. Presumably you are hoping to get ivf funded by the nhs? I'm afraid I have no experience of how portable nhs funding is, but you should certainly be at least able to use choose and book for fertility treatments. Speak to your gp about it, I guess.

But on your question about whether success rates matter, yes, they really really do. I am constantly amazed at how intelligent, informed people don't move to the better clinics. There is as much as a 20 percentage point difference in success rates between average clinics and the best ones. (Although there are also clinics who chose their patients to keep their numbers up.)

Are you in london or able to cycle here? For self payers, I would really recommend argc or the lister. Otherwise, well worth checking the stats and asking around before you do ivf.

Ok. Quick reply because I'm on holiday, but think I can help. Please excuse the bullet points!

1. your nhs funding is "your" funding. You can apply to your health authority to change sites. This will not affect your allowance (ie moving to a region that offers 3 cycles will not give you 3 if your home region dosent)

2. as far as your unit success rates. Have a think about who they take. If this is an nhs centre, they will take all comers. Ages, problems, previous failures. Private units can pick and choose who they'll accept. Infact, the more experianced unit will take even the most hopeless cases (that'd be me.. ) and so can have less than impressive figures.

Not a guareentee. It might be a failing unit. But, and in my opinion, more likely (because of the strict regulations) it will be an experianced unit taking difficult cases.

Most important, speak to your unit. Ask them why the rates are low. As for rates for your problems.

Don't panic.

(my unit has not great rates. I have been reassured)

Thanks both. I'm starting with NHS for now (although my neighbours swear by going private for IVF). It's Homerton in London I'm going to. I'll ask them why their rates are below average but was thinking of staying there for my initial PCOS scans and tube tests and hopefully clomid and then, if it does end up with IVF, transferring to a different hospital with better rates. Just not sure if I can transfer from one NHS hospital to another at that late stage without moving back the whole process? Thanks- and enjoy your hols sinky!