IVF Package vs. Single Round

[Hoping43]

Hi All

we are looking at doing IVF after TTC our third for 18 months (no issues conceiving the first two naturally).

I am stuck between going straight in for a three cycle package or paying for a single round.

we’ve never done IVF before so part of me thinks what if we hate it, can’t handle it and decide this isn’t for us after we’ve paid for a package. On the other hand, if we need more than one round I know it could save us money.

does anyone have any advice please?

Depends on your age really?

@toooldtodate 35

Have you had any infertility investigations?

It’s so individual, I found IVF gruelling but not everyone does. I’d be inclined to try one cycle before committing to more.

You have to do what feels like the best choice and come to terms with the fact there are going to be pros and cons either way. Don’t let the cons get to you if/when they raise their head.

@GodspeedJune yes we’ve had everything tested and it’s all unexplained. I’ve tried letrozole to try and regulate my slightly irregular cycles (26-34 days), but I haven’t responded to it particularly well. AMH is good, tubes aren’t blocked, no uterine issues, OH all good x

At 35 I'd try one round and see how you get on?

As this isn't for a first child don't underestimate the impact multiple rounds has on your older children, you and family life etc

Presumably money is not an issue since you are self funding?

@toooldtodate well it’s definitely money we could do without spending and that we would prefer to spend on our older children of course but I don’t want to look back later in life and wish we had tried it because I can’t make the desperation for wanting a third go away

We did a two-cycle package, hoping that the second round would be “spare” and not needed. Sort of trying to pre-empt a ‘sod’s law’ situation, if you will. In reality, I didn’t react very well to the standard dose of meds and only got 2 embryos, one which didn’t take and one which ended in miscarriage. So I was grateful we had paid for the second round - more tailoring of doses/medications meant that I got 5 good embryos. The first one of which has resulted in a successful pregnancy. I was glad I had paid for that second round, but wouldn’t have paid for more rounds than that as I’m not sure I would have put myself through more rounds. So I guess it depends on your financial status and what you would want to do if the first cycle failed.

@Hoping43 I also have unexplained infertility and am around the same age as you. I went through abc ivf that does cheap cycles for people who are eligible, you sound like you would be if your bmi is under 30. The communication isn't great as it's difficult to get hold of anyone but the treatment itself is good. I would look at something like that as it's much cheaper than the standard clinics. It's also a shorter cycle than most, I only had injections for about 9 days I think.

@Longbin thank you. Howcome they offer it cheaper? Has it been successful for you? X

I went for a 3 cycle package. I assume you are referring to the ones where you get a percentage back if unsuccessful? I looked at it that I was prepared to pay that amount if it was successful, but if not we had the bonus of getting some back which made the whole thing cheaper. Its a gamble, you pay over the odds if you are successful first time but less money wasted if not successful at all.

@Hoping43 it's not tailored for people who have known issues, so the only thing they really change is the dose I think. Also they do not offer genetic testing of the embryos, which is expensive to add on usually anyway. It worked for me, I have a daughter from the first round but I miscarried the second. It's part of create fertility which is quite expensive. All the egg collections etc are done at create.

@Longbin ah I see. Sorry to hear about your miscarriage. I guess the only unknown for me is whether my tubes are functioning as I had a c section for my second baby and although they’re not blocked, they said I am at higher risk for tubal damage which they can’t test for. So it may turn out I do have an issue that they can’t detect. Who knows. The whole thing is just depressing and mind blowing x

@Brunilde yes the one I mean is where you get the 50% back. I am worried I won’t respond well to the drugs as I have struggled even with letrozole x

Thanks @WooWooWinnie i have wondered about paying for one round and see how we go and then maybe going for a two cycle package rather than doing the three cycle from the beginning. I’m just not really sure what to do for the best

@Hoping43 thank you. If they are damaged IVF will help you. I did both rounds before having a hycosy or anything to test tubes anyway.

If they are damaged IVF won't actually help. I l ultimately lost both tubes to ectopics post my first c section caused by c section adhesions/scarring. The second was an IVF transfer - ivf actually increases the chance of an ectopic rather than decreases it

@toooldtodate I know it increases the chances of an ectopic and sorry to hear this happened to you. It does bypass the need for the egg to go down the tube so surely that would help in cases where the tubes are causing infertility? I was told that if there is damage it's best to do IVF, which is why I didn't have my tubes tested at the time as the result would have been IVF either way

@toooldtodate how did you know about the scarring and adhesions? I have had an HSG and I know they’re not blocked but the consultant said they can’t say if they are functioning correctly

@Hoping43

I suspected as much as ovulation within months of my c section was incredibly painful - to the point I could barely walk and often had to take a day off work. I then had an ectopic and the surgeon said there was a lot of scarring and adhesions when she removed the left tube after it ruptured - she removed all the adhesions during that surgery. They said at the time my right tube looked healthy But I went on to have another ruptured ectopic in my right tube after an IVF transfer

@Longbin

It does and it doesn't - maybe I was just really unlucky - but the clinic did say that if the tube just doesn't work when they do a transfer as they are effectively inserting the egg from the wrong end if you like causes negative pressure and then the egg gets sucked back up the tube. For most women this is fine because the tube just does what it's supposed to and moves the egg back to the uterus but if the tube doesn't work then it can't do that

@toooldtodate i have heard that too. Don’t think they’re sure of why the egg goes back up and not sure if it always does but that is why there is an increased ectopic and risk. I don’t have any signs of anything being wrong from my section. It was planned, easy recovery, everything has been fine since. Just don’t know why I have two and can’t have another x

We were faced with the same decision this time last year - whether to buy a package or just pay as we go. We deliberated a lot and We decided to take a punt and paid for one round with ABC. They're cheaper than most clinics anyway and We thought it would at least give us an idea about how I react to the meds and how good or bad our results were. We had conceived our son naturally, so we felt we had a decent chance of the process going well. The risk paid of for us and we now have a 2 month old baby girl and 3 frozen embryos. I know we were incredibly lucky for it to work first time but it does happen, so might be worth seeing how you react after one round and then taking a decision about how to proceed. Wishing you lots of luck!

@loulou2021 thanks, you are the second person on this thread to mention them. How are they so much cheaper? Are the drugs different to standard IVF clinics? Which ABC clinic were you with?

May I ask how old you are and the cause of infertility? X

Have you considered going for a one-off round abroad? The cost saving could perhaps be better than the package.
Having had 4 rounds of IVF myself, I think that I wouldn’t try more than one if I already had two kids. For the second child you are still motivated as you want to give your child a sibling, but I personally wouldn’t be as motivated for the third — of course, your feelings may be very different to mine.