IVF clinic recommendations North West please

[Blue2014]

Ive just received my letter to choose a local clinic for IVF. I've no idea where to start, I had wanted CARE in manchester but that's not on the list.

So:

1. Which clinic would you recommend in Manchester and North manchester? (Feel free to send me a private message if you want to)
2. Have you had experience of getting the commissioners to fund a clinic other than the one they offer on choose and book?
3. Is there an easy way to compare clinics/success rates?

Thanks

Bump please

I'm also v interested in this one! Bump x

Hi there, I'm not from your area but have had to choose from an option of clinics so thought I'd let you know how we did it.

We got to choose from a list of about half a dozen (nhs funded) narrowed the options down firstly by distance- some were at least 3 hours drive away- not something we wanted to deal with as well as the stress of ivf! That only left us with 2 options- we just looked at their website, looked at their stats, there was not much between them for that. And then it was back to geography- both same distance away but one was easier to get to so we went there (was a care clinic and they were great).

Good luck finding your own clinic. Some do open evenings so might be worth trying to attend and see what the place is like, speak to the consultants/nurses/etc and meet others in the same situation.

Hope that helps

Hi blue. I've head awful things about St Mary's so just totally forget that one if its on ur list.
IVe not heard much about the others in the area though.
Hfea website has success rates for each ivf hospital based per age and per embryo and per cycyle (as sometimes 2 are put back)

Best of luck!

Thank you so much for the replies. St Mary's is on the list and I've also heard not amazing things. Salford also seems to have lower than average birth rates. The others aren't on the hfea website

With regards to distance they are all exactly the same just in different directions!

I'm at Care, I was at St Mary's. I doubt you could go to an unlisted one but check with your CCG. Are MFS on there? My standard of care at St Mary's was good but it's a very overstretched unit with big waits between appts and admin is sometimes all over the place. Great nurses and consultants though and good if you need any surgery or extra investigations plus the mat unit there is great too I hear

Hi Lauren
I really want care, it's not on the list though although care say they do offer it to patients in my area.

Is care much better than St Mary's?

I would call your CCG and check, my standard of care was the same at both and my endo surgeon at St Mary's who did all my surgeries is head of the ivf unit there and he is amazing, St Mary's also started doing scratch and glue as routine free for all patients now, I had it at Care but had to pay extra think it was approx £400. Some ccgs don't let you pay to top up your nhs funded cycle so some ladies are oddly banned from buying extras at private clinics, I have several friends who it happened to so when you speak to your CCG ask as you might be getting scratch and glue free at SMH to increase chances but cycle elsewhere and either have to pay for it but worse not be allowed it. St Mary's is just stressful as they have an unusual system when you ring and request each month to see if they can fit you in on a cycle, it's usual to get knocked back several times first so you are kinda left in limbo, think that's what causes a lot of ranting online about them but like I said I have no complaints with them

Blue my acupunture lady seems to have had ladies who have had issues with St Mary's with regards to treatment. But obviously lauren has exp of both so prob best answer u could get!

I've just started my journey at care, they are letting me add things on and seem good so far but have been told the stockport ccg don't let u add things on there-if that's ur ccg?

The sites down at the minute but when it's back if you aren't already sign up to Fertility Friends, there's big clinic boards on all the northwest clinics, I'm a staff member on there and actually run the northwest clinic boards. Its worth reading back through the threads and you will get a really good insight into patient experiences at all of them

I had egg share IVF with ICSI at MFS, they used to be just of Mancunian Way down princess street but have since moved to Cheadle I think. We have an embryo in storage with them so will be using them again at some point, maybe this summer

This board has been amazing ladies thanks OP for starting it off its exactly what I needed I'm started my investigation journey at smh now!!! X

Thanks everyone, that's so helpful.

Lauren I've been trying to get into the forum and am eagerly awaiting the website being fixed

It's back on today! Bob over, my user names Lilly83 if you get stuck I will show you where to post, there's a big St Mary's and Care thread and a quieter MFS one but its worth looking through them all

I'm on it Lauren and it's brilliantly helpful. Thank you

Great! Just ask away, so post on St Mary's asking peoples experiences. There's a lot worse reviews online going back years they are a lot better now so it's good to get recent opinions rather than just googling x

Hi Blue, I had IVF treatment at St Mary's between 2012 to 2014. Unlike Lauren I had what I consider v poor treatment. It took me 2 and a half years to complete 2 fresh cycles of IVF (I never had any frozen) The only reason for such a long delay was due to the unit being so over stretched, I didn't require any treatment and had undiagnosed infertility. I couldn't complain about the nurses as they were fantastic but I found some of the doctors unsympathetic.

I managed to get my 3rd nhs cycle transferred to care after appealing to my CCG (I live in an area that didn't have a contract with care). It took 4 months from referral to finishing treatment at Care so the waiting was minimal. My 3rd cycle worked and I'm pregnant now. In terms of staff I don't think Care seems that much better than St Mary's in how you get treated. That said the difference in how the IVF (ICSI) went for me was massive. At St Mary's we had poor fertilisation and had day 2 transfers. At Care we had 100% fertilisation and actually got to blastocyst. I know it may just be luck but care do claim they have much better embryologist.

Lauren I recognise you from FF as we cycled at similar times and I used to post on the St Mary's board! I hope things are going well for you. I know when I was having my treatment at St Mary's that some people where happy with the treatment they received. We seemed really unlucky as had to wait the maximum time for treatment and consultant appointments. I had to wait 7 months for a consultant appointment after the first IVF which they insisted I have!!

Fwiw I have also heard v good things about MFS. I wish you all the best Blue whatever you decide and would definitely recommend the FF regional board.

Thanks so much for that cupcakes, it's really helpful. Your username also reflects my life at the moment!

Hi OP (and Lauren and Cups). Care for me but I'm 26 weeks so am bound to give it a thumbs up.

My username used to be CupcakesAndCocktails. I changed it to reflect my boring life during IVF!

Have you decided where to go? If you have anymore questions let me know. I know from personal experience that it is possible to go to most private clinics if you appeal to your CCG.

Waves to Res can't believe your 26 weeks already

Congrats res!

It took me a while but I figured this step is actually just for initial tests (annoying as I already know DH sperm count is very low so would rather just get on with treatment) but at the next point I'll ask GP to refer us to care (I've actually worked with some St Mary's staff and wouldn't really want for them to know my personal issues so hope that will go on my side)

Cupcakes - well done on the strength to resist both cupcakes and cocktails. Trying my best, not always succeeding!

Fingers crossed!