Fertility Clinics

[PrayUntilSomethingHappens]

Hello all, I am hoping to get some advice... I am researching for a good fertility clinic with good/ excellent results . I am happy to travel within reason -
There is so much information out there with varying reviews it is mind boggling - I am looking at:

a) Nurture Fertility, Nottingham

b) London Women's Clinic - Harley Street

c) The Bridge Centre

d) IVI London

Please let me know if you have used any of these clinics and if you achieved success and what their manner was like.

Thanks in advance

ps. IF you know of a better clinic happy to get these opinions too

Please, please do not go by statistics: they are meaningless. They vary according to “types” of patients that are accepted into treatment programmes, so those with amazing statistics will only treat couples where assisted conception is likely to succeed. Some of the most impressive units have 2 programmes or companies running at once - one for “likely to conceive” couples and another for “everyone else”.

The best thing to do is to select one that is easy to get to. You spend so much time there during a round of IVF, early mornings, bloods, scans, egg collection - you literally need to make it as easy as possible.

Then go to some open evenings, get a “feel” for the place and go to where you feel comfortable.

I promise you, these are the most important things to consider - not the stats.

Echoing the above. While I was looking at clinics I thought stats were important. But really for the stats to matter you need to look at the ones for people your age with the exact same combination of infertility factors and then the sample size numbers are so small the stats are meaningless.

By luck I ended up at a clinic with something I valued more - good bedside manner. During the course of our IVF attempts I must have called with daft questions 20 times or more and the nurses were always happy to take the call or ring back promptly and didn’t make me feel bad for needing a metaphorical hand hold. Likewise when husband had a nightmare with the none functioning pay machine in the car park the receptionist sorted him out and reassured him we wouldn’t get ticketed. Those things make a massive difference when you’re in the thick of it. So I’d ask about how calls to ask questions pre/mid/post cycle are handled.

I’d also ask about new tech/research. Both what they are implementing and what they aren’t. I’d worry if they claim to do everything new (it seems unlikely to be possible) but I’d want something relatively recent to have been introduced.

Thank you GemmeFatale and ohfourfoxache for getting back to me.

I really appreciate this and shall ask clinics about their results for my age range ( over 42) and treatment that I will require. I am prepared to travel to another part of the country if required, to get the best chance of success.

Thanks

Where abouts are you (roughly)?

I am based in the North West but prepared to travel within reason thanks

Bloody hell, you’re in the NW and you’re considering London clinics?!

I promise you, traveling so far would be additional stress that you won’t need.

Have you had a look at the HFEA website for clinics in your area?

It’s so horrible having to make a decision about where to go, isn’t it? You’re having to choose somewhere to put your trust in

Hi there,
Just thought I'd drop in to basically agree with the above.
I've not got to IVF yet, but have had IUI.
With the IUI, as soon as you ovulate, or induce ovulation (after being at the clinic for a scan to say you're ready) you need to literally drop everything and run to the clinic within 24hrs.
So I strongly recommend somewhere close to home.
It's so difficult for work to understand the importance of telling them you will either be late or not in TOMORROW!
The first couple of times isn't too bad, but because it's a recurring thing, that's going on indefinitely, and you'll need to go for scans at least once every month as well, trying to travel far is going to add much more un necessary stress for you!!

I went to the London Women's Clinic in Buckhurst Hill. And Harley Street for the IUI.
Harley Street I found good.
However I've currently paid over double what they said it would cost. I'm up to almost £4000 and I've not even had the third one in my package yet.
There was lots or discrepancies that I kept being fobbed off with in regards to some results.
Long story short, what I said when I first walked through the door was ignored, and my HSG result that I demanded a copy of, has notes from the Doctor that reviewed it to confirm what I thought could be an issue. Yet it was totally ignored/overlooked and I was never told. Then sent for the IUI regardless.
Also given medications and hormone treatment that I did not need!!
So currently going through a complaints procedure.

Not trying to put you off, Harley Street were great.
I would recommend getting a copy of your own results each time and understanding what a good/normal result is, so you in a clear picture of your own body.

Good luck xx