IVF timescales

[kayjayel]

Hi anyone who knows/has been through IVF, can you help? If you went privately, what were the timescales from referral to initial consult, to counsellor, to tests, then to starting the IVF? I thought private would be quicker, but doesn't seem so? TIA

Private can be much quicker but, like so many other things, it does depend on what the problem is and what can be done about it.

I've found that getting to see a consultant is a much quicker process if you are going privately than waiting for referral letters etc on the NHS. And again, if the consultant thinks you need more tests, these are generally quicker if you are going privately.

Having said that, some tests need doing at certain times of the month, so nothing will speed that process up, and then once the tests have been done, you have to see the consultant again....more waiting time

For me, both times I've self-referred and ended up at a private clinic I've seen the consultant within 2 weeks but have had to wait 3 months to start treatment, once because I'd had an op and needed 3 clear cycles before IVF could start, and the next time was because I'd had a mmc and again, needed 3 cycles before I could start IVF.

And, I was concurrently going private and waiting for the NHS funding to come through for some odd reason, and the NHS funding came through when I was 20 weeks pregnant after private IVF. So very glad I didn't have to wait.

I love your name! Thanks for the info. Ours seems to be going slower but should be no obvious physical reason for extra waiting (unexplained infertility) so just the usual tests, once we get through the counsellor. Congratulations on the successful IVF!

What tests are they doing? Are they doing the tests in an efficient manner eg by doing a fully monitored cycle? Are they repeating tests that you've already had done? Is it a centre with only one consultant, and therefore things slow down around their holidays? Most clinics reduce their workload over Christmas, so perhaps part of the hold-up is that. I wouldn't expect anything to be held up for the counsellor to be honest unless you are looking at donor issues. I would expect that you would still have appts for either tests or treatment regardless.

It could be the Xmas thing - I didn't realise they'd do that. And there is a donor issue, but its good to hear they can do tests while they sort that though. The tests seem to be the standard ones, but they haven't gone through all that yet. There are other consultants, but I think they all specialise in different bits and I think we fall between two, so will probably end up seeing both, another delay.

Oh yes, Christmas slows everything down. I've just started another cycle and was in the hospital on Thursday, and the lovely fertility nurse was saying that they'd virtually stopped dead for a month over Christmas, and were just starting up now again. Once everyone is cycling again the consultants have to be around every day for egg collections and embryo transfers, so it makes sense they take holiday around Christmas when no-one is cycling.

And have you seen a consultant yet? Did they give you any ideas of timing and what the potential timing issues were?

Then I think Xmas does explain it - saw the consultant sometime in November, but no timescale - just said it would be up to counsellor to refer on, but we had to chase up the appt, which is now in Jan. He's a bit vague , I think I need to go in with a notepad and remember to ask specific questions!

Is there someone else you can call at the clinic, some sort of coordinator who you can talk to on the phone and say you are concerned about timing and what is happening next and when? Both clinics I've used have someone in this role and they can be incredibly helpful sometimes.

I'll try and find out - I think the counsellor sounds like she's going to be very helpful, and seems to have a bit of an organisational role too?