Going for tests privately

[Babaganoush123]

Hi everyone, I'm 27 TTC for nearly 6 months. I am fully aware that it take up to a year in a normal healthy couple to conceive. However I am keen and happy to pay for some tests privately just to check things are generally in working order I.e. sperm analysis (DH has a varicocele which worries me) and I would like to have an ultrasound scan. Does anyone whether this would affect our chances of the NHS referring us to a fertility centre down the line if we have already sought some tests privately - will they hold it against us? Many thanks!

Hey- I don’t think it should.
Given your husbands varicocele, recommend you get a sperm dna defragmentation test we well as normal semen analysis which is unfortunately expensive but dna damage is a common result of a varicocele. Not sure I’m spelling that right! Several of us have gone to Dr Jonathon Ramsay who is a top urologist and you can go for a consult with him, get the normal semen analysis done and results same day, and get the sample sent away to check for dna damage. If you love near London or Windsor would really recommend him.

I paid for an ultrasound scan and amh test privately before my nhs investigation. I didn’t think the consultant (the bridge centre) was very good and it wasn’t much help tbh but my ultrasound on nhs was good and identified that I had adenomyosis and suspected endo. The nhs doctor was Dr Borase on nhs and id really recommend him, I think he’s available privately too, london/Watford region.

Good luck x

Hi Cola,

Sadly I live in deepest darkest Cornwall although I would be willing to travel to London - especially if they are recommended. I've had a look at Dr Ramsays website and he recommends starting investigations after 6 months TTC so makes me feel a little better that I am not being too impatient!
Thanks for your response and help :) x

I think it's possibly worth checking the guidelines for your area to be on the safe side. We're in London and I know that had we had treatment privately then we would not have been able to have treatment on the nhs but whether this extended as far as tests I don't know. It would feel pretty harsh if just having tests ruled you out though.

We went to the Lister in London when ttc#2 - they were excellent. Good luck.

Out of interest... how would anyone know if you had tests done privately anyway? Does it go on some sort of record? Would a private practice share details with NHS? Very curious to follow this thread as I'm in a similar boat to you @babaganoush123 having started trying in the summer with no success... considering tests if no bfp this cycle (so by the new year). Good luck to you!

Hi surreygirl. I don't think a private provider would pass on the details but if something were found during the tests then you'd want to be able to mention these when accessing treatment through the nhs so these could be born in mind when agreeing treatment plans. From my experience the tests I've had done privately are far more extensive than those I had ahead of my ivf on the nhs. It's been through the private testing that the unexplained has become explained. I mention this as you couldn't assume that any issues picked up privately would be picked up by the nhs as well.

Not knocking the treatment on the nhs - we had amazing care - I just feel that going private finally gave us some answers.