Should I go private to see a gynaecologist?

[GingerbreadBabyPlease]

Hi everyone, my DH and I have been ttc baby no.2 for 12 months. I have had day 21 tests which confirmed I am ovulating and we are just waiting on DHs SA results. My GP has referred me to see a gynaecologist to have further testing done, but the waiting list is 6 months before I can get an appointment. My DM has very kindly offered to pay for me to go and see a private gynaecologist, so I am just after some insight into how this will work and what the appointment will be like. Do I need to go through my GP to get an appointment? Does anyone have a rough idea how much it will cost? And will I get any scans/tests done at the initial appointment, or will it just be a Q and A type thing, and then have to pay more and have separate appointments for any tests? Thanks for any feedback.

Hi Ginger, how lovely of your DM to offer to pay. I think you can either ask your GP for details of private gynaecologists in your area or just google them, then ring or email them directly to make an appointment. Some will give you a price list on their website.

The trouble with private appts is that everything is charged separately so the bill can rise quickly! An initial consultation as far as I know will just be that, a chat about your history and treatment options. Any tests or procedures will be extra.

Hope that helps! x

Ah thanks for the reply Metal! I guess the only way to know really is to go to my GP and see what she says. I just don't know if it's going to be a waste of £200 just to go for a chat, only to be told I either have to go on the NHS waiting list for further tests/scans, or it's going to cost thousands to have them done privately! I suppose it would avoid the 6 month waiting list. I will let you know anyway how it all goes!

It's tricky, isn't it? I've had a look at some websites and it looks like scans etc are usually around £200, with blood tests ranging from £30-150 per test. Also follow-up consultations are about £100 each time. That's in the Southeast mind, so it could be cheaper depending on where you are, but I think you could quite easily rack up a bill of £1000 just for initial assessments! Good luck whatever you decide.