Private fertility testing

[MsSquiz]

DH and I have been actively TTC for 6 months (by actively, I mean using OPKs, etc)
But in total have been trying (not using contraception) since September 2017 (we are both 32)

DH's siblings have both gone through IVF:
BIL1 (DH's brother) and SIL1 eventually conceived after 3 failed rounds
SIL2 (DH's sister) and BIL2 have had 2 failed rounds and are considering another.

DH and I have discussed possibly going private for fertility testing so I was wondering if anyone had done it?

Will they test if you've been TTC for under 2 year?
What were the tests like?

For a healthy couple it can take upto a year to conceive a baby when actively trying..

I think me and my partner are a fairly fertile couple and it took us 6 months to fall pregnant with our third..

It may depend on your CCGs policy. You can find it by googling. I'm going for my first bloods next cycle - GP simply asked if we'd been trying regularly for a year and told me to make the appts...

I have read that GPs won't refer you until you have been trying for 2 years, but I was wondering if anyone knows about going for private testing before the 2 year mark, then at least we would know what we are working with, either way x

There are lots of fertility clinics that will do a fertility check without a drs referral. I have been looking at a few as I wanted to get checked out as I am pretty old! Just google fertility mot and make sure they are a registered clinic.

Hi OP - yes, generally you can refer yourself. But it's probably worth going to see the GP...mine literally made no fuss. It was a five min appt tops.

(We've been trying for just over a year, and that's the policy in Leeds)

@Daisypod thanks, that's exactly what we are after, an MOT!

@flyingplum I'm not against seeing my GP, I'm just too impatient so I like to know all the options before I start.

Hopefully, this cycle will have the outcome we want, and none of the testing will be necessary, but I'm very much a planner

Most clinics offer a fertility MOT for private patients, usually around £500 and is likely to include ultrasound scan with antral follicle count, AMH blood test and semen analysis

Fair enough. I was really surprised how quickly we could get started - but I don't know what the waiting list will be like if we get referred to the fertility clinic, so I'm prepared to go private at that point if we need to. Been saving for a good while...

If anything comes back in an MOT such as male factor issues, low AMH or endometrial cysts for eg it can often reduce the amount of time you have to be trying to access assisted conception, so for a CCG that says 2 years for a het couple it's often reduced to 6/12 months if there's known fertility issues

@Lauren83 thanks, that's good to know about the amount of time possibly being reduced if there are issues.

The last thing we want is to try for 2 years before finding out there was an issue and then working out alternative options (if possible(