IVF Cost and Success (NHS mistake)

[Serioussteve]

DD was born 16 years ago, my DW was ill during the pregnancy due to her T1 diabetes (from birth). She was steralised at age 20 and the whole thing was rushed through. We found out recently that nobody under 25 should even be considered (NICE guidelines) unless life threatening as patients not emotionally able to make a sensible considered decision.

We were strong talked into it by the obgyn consultant, and looking back it wasn't right.

Of course, NHS won't do a thing about it, so what's the cost of IVF and success rate? We're both disabled and can't work ( yeh, flame me I'm ready, but I have started an OU degree in case I get better), so finances are v. tight.

If finances are v tight is it a good idea to take on the extra expense of another child at this particular time?

The cost of IVF can vary but I think about £5000 per cycle. Success rate depends on a few factors like age but is generally 20-30%.

Im sorry that your wife had such a difficult time and that she's now regretting her decision to be sterilised at such a young age.

I'm not sure where the idea of an 'NHS mistake' has come from - the current nice guidelines advise caution in anyone under 30 but do not prohibit anything under the age of 25. I'm not sure what the guidance was 16 years ago but I would be surprised if it was so black and white.

Why do you think someone made a mistake?

And competence to consent for something is a complicated area but it is never based on an arbitrary age cut off.

You would have to self fund the ivf and it is about 5k per cycle success rates depend on individual factors a clinic would be able to tell you in your case, would an op to reverse the sterilisation not be needed first? They say not to embark on ivf without a realistic understanding that it could take three cycles so £15k minimum.
If you are both too disabled to work can you cope with the stress of ivf and looking after a baby? Possibly twins? Can you afford it?
Tough questions I know, but you have a wonderful daughter already ivf is such a heartache think carefully before going down that road

Your looking at 5k a cycle minimum. And most couples need either 2 or 3 cycles for it to work. Unless you can afford a few cycles I wouldn't even bother.

Further to that, it's great your doing OU but can you afford a baby? When you do IVF you have to fill in some very nosey paperwork questions for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Agency. They and the doctors will need to take into consideration your disabilities and your ability to provide for a child - emotionally, financially and physically before signing off the authorisation to have treatment.

Honestly? At least 5k per cycle. PLan for 2 or 3 cycles. You will be very lucky to get pregnant after the first cycle.
Add to that other costs (Most women I know who have done an IVF have been so focused on that and so desperate for it to work that they have done a lot of other things, acupuncture is one of them, herbs and supplements - such as macca, CoQ10 etcetc) it all adds up!

Of course, it depends a lot of how are things (ie is the only issue the fact that her tubes are tied or is there other issues as well from her side and your side). Very well worth looking at if you are both unable to work because of bad health/disability issue as there is a strong chance it will reduce your chances of conceiving even more.
What about the issues your DW had during her first pregnancy (and will have again if this is due only to her diabetes)?

Also depending on what sort of issues you have, you need to take into accoount the emotional effect of doing an IVF. It's hard even at the best of time. How will you/your DW cope if it's negative? (remember that chances of it working will more or less always be below 50%).

In effect do your homework first to see what would be your chances to get a positive pg test. This will be evry variable from one couple to the next. See what would be the emotional cost of the treatment as well as the financial cost of it.

:(:( that your DW was so srongly pushed into been sterilised so young.

Thanks for the messages.

The guidance was "caution under 25", not within XX time of birth and proper education. We weren't given this.

My disability is predominantly mental in origin, but manifests physically, and given therapy and GP support they are very confident of an improvement if not a full recovery, hence doing OU to position myself in the best possible manner for a work return.

We've considered the stress of a baby and are confident we could step up. The diabetes would be easier due to her now being on an insulin pump. As far as we're aware an operation to reverse sterilisation wouldn't be needed, in fact we were quoted £3k for that some 18 months ago - her tubes are simply clipped - there would be no reason for IVF as probably a stronger chance of re-conceiving naturally.

You've definitely given lots of food for thought and for that I do thank and appreciate it. I'd be lying if I didn't say we weren't upset at the thought of not being able to have another child based on a decision so long ago - it's tough going against a HCP when you're young too. Feels unfair. Not that we don't adore our daughter (and son/stepson although he is off on his own now) obviously.