Unexplained infertility/IVF Czech Rep - any info appreciated

[Leamar]

Hi all, have only joined today as I feel I need people who actually understand. I'm 39 in July and have no children already. We have been trying to get pregnant for a year now and no joy. (I also tried for a year in a previous relationship 5 years ago and nothing there either).

Anyways had my laparoscopy/hysteroscopy/dye test and Endometrial biopsy. Went in for results with the Gynaecologist on Monday and was told that my right tube is blocked by I am still producing eggs. My partners sperm is also ok.

We come under 'unexplained infertility' He is going to refer us for IVF but as my partner has 2 children already it is not likely we will be accepted on the NHS. But even if we do .. it could be the best part of a year before it gets started.

I will get a letter in 3 months letting me know. Then there is a 4-7 month waitlist. I really don't want to wait around anymore as it is killing me slowly. Am looking into private options. Czech Rep looks like an affordable option. Do I need to have any other tests done prior to this? Any info about starting the ball rolling would be really appreciated as I have been burying my head in the sand, not wanting to focus on the negative!! Thanks.

Hi Leamar - sorry you're going through this, it's miserable. I don't quite understand why your diagnosis is "unexplained" if you have a blocked tube...is it because the other tube is clear?

I'm having treatment in the Czech Republic at the moment. Donor eggs in my case, after two failed fresh cycles and one frozen cycle in the UK last year with my own eggs. I'm at Arleta IVF and I'm really happy. We had a failed cycle earlier this year, but we've felt really well looked after and we've got three frosties from this cycle. I'll be going back in a month or so for the next transfer.

I was perfectly content with my clinic in the UK, but we went to CZ because we'd come to the end of the road with my eggs and the wait for DE was 12-18 months. When we had our first consultation there though, we were blown away by how much higher tech it was. They do ultrasound-guided embryo transfers (I know some UK clinics do this, but ours didn't) and the doctor did a detailed ultrasound at the first consultation, including measuring the depth of my uterus and mapping the healthiest tissue (I have some fibroids) so that he could transfer the embryos to the best possible location.

We went for the all-inclusive package, which includes hotels and transfers as well as all the meds (but not flights, they have an all-inclusive plus package which has flights included as well) - and this worked out about the same price as an own-egg cycle in the UK. We were really well looked after by the clinic coordinator, who collected us personally from the airport and drove us around. I'd be happy to recommend them.

Good luck.

Just one thought - since it's your first cycle, there may be a slightly higher risk with going overseas, because there's no way of knowing how you will respond to the stims. When I did OE IVF in the UK, I had scans every other day in the run up to egg collection, and that happened two days earlier than planned in the first cycle. They adjusted my protocol after that and everything happened exactly when scheduled, but the first cycle is a bit experimental. I don't know how many cycles you've budgeted for (or if you're just taking this one cycle at a time) but knowing what I do now, I think I'd want to do one cycle in the UK and then transfer overseas if it didn't work out.

Hi Lemar I am also off for own egg ivf in czech on Friday! We are using a clinic called Reprofit in Brno. We have found them excellent so far and communication has been very good. It's my first time at ivf and I have arranged scans at my local clinic in the UK but if you wanted to you could go out to czech earlier and have them all done there, I am just trying to save on time.

You will need to get all you blood tests done to go ahead so fsh, LH, prolactin, thyroid, estradiol and amh. Also partners sperm analysis. That was about all I needed and I was then sent my protocol. We have saved lots of money doing it this way and no regrets so far just hoping for a bfp now!

Hi Purplemeggie, thanks for your reply. Sounds like you have had your fair share of heartache. I really hope this time is your time. Best of luck with everything!!

Hi also Lucieloos. I see now from other posts on this that quite a few of you are using Reprofit. I wish you all the luck in the world for Friday!!

As for my situation, yes, one tube is fine so they don't see any reason why it couldn't happen naturally but as it hasn't as yet, he called it unexplained. My thoughts so far on going abroad is to try and get it done ASAP before it gets to a point where I need donor eggs. It wouldn't be possible financially to do more than one cycle at a time. I'm trying to get info to make this option as attractive as poss for my partner. He seems to like the term 'be patient' :)

Can all the tests needed be done by your GP or only at a special clinic? How long do you need to be over in Czech Rep for if you already have tests done?

How long does the process take from getting tests done to your going to Czech Rep?

I don't suppose you know: if we did manage somehow to get on the NHS funding ... would going private first jeopardise this?

Sorry for so many questions.

Thank you for your kind words .

I was never in the running for NHS funding as we have a ds (now aged 7), so I don't have first hand experience but I'm sure I've read about people going private whilst waiting for NHS treatment, but still getting their funded go. All PCTs have slightly different policies, but ask for a copy and go through it.

For me, it was two separate steps, because I had all the tests done for IVF in the UK and then just took my notes with me when we transferred. But I was able to get all the tests done in the UK in about a month, and when it came to going to CZ, we first contacted them on 1 December and had our first consultation on 21 January, so even with the Christmas delay it was quite quick.

Do you have any health insurance with work? I was able to get all my preliminary tests done (up to and including a lap and dye) on insurance, because although my policy didn't cover fertility treatment, it did cover investigations. Worth checking if that might help you.

Most of the tests I needed done for Reprofit were done by my gp, these were fsh, LH, prolactin and thyroid. You also need amh blood test for ovarian reserve which my gp didn't do I had it done at a private clinic for £80 but I know some gps will do it so all depends I guess. You will also need sperm analysis.

We are flying over today for 8 nights which is probably around the minimum unless you go home between collection and transfer for a few days and fly back out. I arranged to have my scans done at a local clinic and passed the details onto czech but if you are happy to spend longer out in Czech (around 2 weeks) you could have these done there also.

There is no waiting list at Reprofit for own eggs so once you have your results you can start on your next period if you want to.

In most health trusts you can have two private goes without it affecting your free goes on the nhs but this does vary so you would have to check. The good thing with having treatment abroad however is that it is not recorded on your medical record so unless you told the nhs they wouldn't know anyway. Good luck x

Oh yes, good point Lucie - I had a number of my tests done by my GP too - and I wasn't entitled to IVF on the NHS at all, so definitely have as much done free as you can.

And good point about the treatment overseas not being "visible" too.

Thanks a million ladies. Ye have been a great help!! Doesn't seem as daunting as it did a couple of days ago. Next step is getting my hands on the results of the tests I have had done and organising the other ones. Really can't thank ye enough.
Lucieloos - good luck again for this week!!
Hope to hear some updates from ye soon.
xx

hello....
just a quicky to say I'm just back from BRNO (Reprofit). I'm 5 days past transfer with donor egg. Cant fault their care....fingers crossed.

Hi there, thanks for the email. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you too. Glad to hear you were happy with the service. Do you get any aftercare with them? I'm going about getting my tests at the moment and hope to get started asap.