NHS IVF with private miscarriage care

[Belkinsboo]

Hi all,

We have been accepted for nhs ivf (so grateful) and we’re being fast tracked due to my age (38). Trouble is, I also suffer from recurrent miscarriage and have been seeing Mr Shehata privately for the last year and following his miscarriage protocol regarding high NK Cells.

For context, I’ve had 18 different fertility cycles (iui, Clomid, Letrozole) and I’ve had 9 early miscarriages.

The NHS dr has said I need to be discharged from Mr Shehata’s care before starting the NHS IVF as you can’t combine private with NHS. I don’t understand why I can’t continue with Mr Shehata’s miscarriage protocol as it has nothing to do with IVF/getting me pregnant.

Has anyone had any experience of this? I’d really appreciate some help as I’m so so scared of having another miscarriage.

Thank you in advance x

I'm not sure if you can be refused treatment on the NHS on the grounds that you're paying for treatment elsewhere and told to cancel that first.

Given that whatever doctor you have on the NHS is unlikely to have the level of expertise that dr Shehata does, I'd just carry on with the private treatment. But definitely check with the doctor the interactions of different medications to make sure that the IVF and the other meds don't get in each other's way.

Thanks JoJoSM2, I’m so tempted to do just as you say and continue! However the NHS dr told me she would be investigated and possibly struck off if she allowed me to continue with a private consultant

I’ve booked a consultation with Mr Shehata tomorrow in the hope he can find a loop hole/explain it to more clearly as right now it makes no sense to me - I know I will most likely miscarry so I don’t want to waste NHS money and go through an expensive IVF cycle without a ‘belt & braces’ approach to try to keep the baby safe if the IVF works!

I wonder if you'd be able to see Mr Shehata via the NHS then and the two would just cooperate?

But, she sounds a little full of c* to be honest. If you meet the local IVF eligibility criteria, then how could you be refused? Or maybe she misunderstood sth? It wasn't about her prescribing you meds recommended privately or st along those lines?

The NHS won’t treat you whilst you a receiving private treatment, this is because they need access to your medical records and knowledge of any medication or treatment. You either go fully private or fully NHS and the NHS can refuse treatment whilst under a private consultant.

Hope all goes well with the IVF

Thank you Auspiciouspanda. My confusion is because Mr Shehata is dealing with my recurrent miscarriage, not getting me pregnant so the two are connected but not the same. But from what you’re saying, I can’t be having any private treatment regardless of what it’s for - could be for a knee operation etc - as the NHS need access to my full medical records and can’t risk not having up to date data? That now makes sense.

I’ll still see Mr Shehata today and ask for his advice and get him to officially discharge me if that’s what needs to happen - JoJo that’s a really good point about asking to see Mr Shehata as part of the NHS, I’ll also ask that question, thank you.

I don't know how NHS trusts are organised with funding and cooperation and where you're at but I'm pretty sure that he works in St Helier Hospital.