IVF on the NHS

[Londoner123]

This is an information post on my experience doing IVF through the NHS in Wandsworth, London. A bit long but this was something I would have liked to read before it all started.

I am 30 and was entitled to one round of funded IVF. This was my second cycle and was actually unsuccessful but I thought the info on timelines would be helpful to others.

I'm lucky enough to have private health insurance so after a year of TTC but not having a period (and my skin and hair going crazy) I went to a gynaecologist. Several scans and blood tests later, I was diagnosed with PCO. At the same time, through the NHS and on the advice of my gynaecologist, my husband did a semen analysis test and found that he has a very low sperm count (

This is really helpful! Especially for someone who thought it would just 'start' once referred.

Could I just ask - we are having to wait until it is 2 years since starting to try as this is one of the requirements for the Bristol area. The only thing I thought though that might get us on to be referred quicker may be that my husband has had semen results showing very low count and motility. We got these tests done privately so his Dr hasn't seen them, and we decided ourselves to get healthy and do another test in 3 months. We are at the 3 month point now and I think he should go to his GP now to get another test. I'm not sure whether you know, but if these results come out as low again, do you think they will refer quicker? Not needing to wait until January?

No worries if you don't know, I just saw from your timeline above that you had a similar situation.

Thanks :)

Hi Serena

Just to give you an indication of how long we have had to wait....

Went to the doctors January of this year and had our first appointment at the fertility centre last week. My DH has less than favourable sperm health therefore they have referred us for ICSI. Although it seems like a long time from initial appointment to now, we have almost ben fast tracked as they can pinpoint our issue to my DH, and therefore they said it is not worthwhile doing further tests on me.

With all of that said, I completely agree with OH in that waiting times need to be doubled in between appointments, as our last appointment at the Gyno department was the end of June. So pretty much waited all summer for our actual fertility appointment.

Either way, it's a waiting game. But keep in mind this is just my experience and we have been comfortable with the waiting as we are actually remaining quite calm as we go into this process.

I hope this helps Serena

It really does - thank you. I think all of the advice I have received just today has given me (and him once I tell him) a kick up the bum to get on with it!!

Thank you

This was really useful londoner
Thank you.
We have had our first private consultation and I expect we'll have to do iui or ivf, not that we can afford it

It took me a year just to be referred to a gaeno before she diagnosed pcos. Gaeno now has me on metformin and clomid and if no pregnancy after 6 months I will need ivf. I've had to take all my blood tests three times over, and also had to have an ultrasound/transvag & hsg prior to gaeno referral. Was told the clinic would want to do all these tests again.

I'm 36.

Londoner123 did you end up getting a successful round in the end? Just been referred by GP for tests at Guys (Jan'19), no idea when I can expect to start but setting my hopes on Sep'19.

Just wanted to say thanks Londoner123 for setting out your experience. That was probably the most helpful and informative post i've read about the realities of the IVF referral process.