Serum Athens

[ididntdoititwasher]

Hi, we are looking at visiting serum for a consult in summer to start our ivf journey. Does anybody have any experiences? Good or bad? Just want to feel informed.

Thanks

Hi mu experience with Serum was not a good one right from the offset, we just couldn't trust them and that is why they were taken off our list very early on. That being said, I know that some people swear by them

@AniSL what was it that you didn't trust ? I'm totally new to this so all information is welcome.

I had a great experience with them, I had a baby from donor eggs after 4 cycles in the UK, I found the prices excellent and communication was great too, we got a lovely air BnB and used a driver for getting around. Sofia was my consultant but Penny did my transfer

My DTs are Serum babies. Great experience with Penny. That was over six years ago now so don’t know what it is like now.

We sent a number of clinics in Europe as well as the rest of the world a copy of our results, we heard back from all 21 of them, 20 advised it was MFI but TESE could be our way forward. Serum told us it was me and my very poor quality eggs and my unhealthy lifestyle. Needless to say that I was infuriated by this, how could they possibly tell my egg quality and know my lifestyle - which is quite healthy btw. They kept insisting it was me and suggested a rainbow of tests. When we had our Skype consultation with Penny, she was far better but we had lost trust in them and by then had Newlife and Reprofit as our chosen clinics, who were also very dismissive of everything that Serum had said (ee redacted the clinic name from the correspondence but they still knew who they were).

Some people have very good experiences with them, ours wasn't, but ultimately its about where you feel most comfortable and relaxed and trust is a big thing here too. We are happy as we have a BFP from our first full cycle with our clinic and just keeping fingers crossed we xan keep going to full term.

I did an IVF and FET with them, both failed (one miscarriage and one BFN). My personal feeling is that the loss of Penny's husband (former head embryologist) is felt very keenly in the embryology department and he may have been largely responsible for their past successes.

They did not monitor my estrogen levels at all during stimms or after, despite 26 eggs being retrieved. I also went through a hysteroscopy with deep uterine cuts and a long course of unpleasant antibiotics, neither of which has an evidence base. Of course we do a lot of things without evidence in this game, but it's worth being aware that almost no other clinics do them. They have not been forthcoming when I've asked for odds of future success and there isn't any success rate data on their website. However, they are lovely people. They may be a great fit for some people, and I know a lot of people have donor egg success with them in particular. For own egg, I think it's a lot more chequered. Just my experience (and the consequence of having been a member of the Serum facebook groups for 18 months and following developments there).

BottomleyPotts I also queried the whole being on antibiotics for that length of time, it can be quite dangerous, my GP was very much against that when I asked him.

I forgot to mention they also said straight to donor sperm instead of trying to retrieve from DH

Hi there, I have a consultation booked with serum at the end of July, just before they close for the summer. I’ve had a natural pregnancy and miscarriage. I believe my issue is high fsh and low amh - hormone imbalance and egg quality. All will depend on how this consultation goes but we are planning to do low stim ivf with my own egg(s) (not sure how many I can produce with my low afc). Just wondering if there are any other clinics you may recommend we look into before we go ahead with serum?

@Fire48shoes are you set on going abroad as Create in the UK specialise in low AMH and mild short protocol ivf?

Thanks so much for replying. Yes I did check out create. I had an awful consultation with them last year. The doctors manner was pushy and insensitive. Apparently that doctor has since left. I called them again recently. It would be easier to do it here with work etc. Serum quoted me £4K for 2 rounds which is cheaper than create and I had a much better initial chat on the phone with them. They were very kind and reassuring which is important to me but we obviywant the best result! And now that I’m researching more, I’m concerned that it may not be the best clinic for us as we only want to try with my own eggs. Anyone had any experience with new life? I have a consultation with them next week so I’m holding off booking the flight and hotel for my serum consultation until I’ve spoken to new life. All so complicated!

Also, serum closes for aug. And it would be great if we could do our cycle in aug in terms of work and childcare (we have my step children full time).

@Fire48shoes that's such a shame we've had a really great experience with them - I think it does depend on the doctor and which clinic you go to - I've heard the Bristol and London ones aren't as good as mine

My doctor at Create actually talked me out of loads of expensive procedures another ivf clinic said we'd need to do as he said there was no clinical evidence it would work - im now very newly pregnant with my second FET with them - they were happy to go with what I wanted all the way - non medicated transfers etc and happy to do double transfers (which other clinics weren't)

Thank you. And pray all goes well with your pregnancy I really hope it goes well for you. This is such a difficult journey and it really helps to hear from others on their journey. ❤️

Are you with the Raines park Wimbledon clinic? Would you mind telling me who your doctor is there? I feel like I’d like to go back to create just. For the convenience of being so close to Rayners park.

When did you have your cycle?

Congratulations. So happy for you that you got there. Who did you go with in the end?

I'm with Create Birmingham - Dr Datta mostly and he has been wonderful. I had a failed FET transfer in March, naturally conceived miscarriage in May and then double FET In June

I had a few scans at Create St Paul's as I work nearby sometimes - the sonographer was lovely but found the clinic itself quite overwhelming

Hi, I hope you don’t mind me messaging you privately. Did you manage to see your donor by any chance and also would you say it’s safe out there to do these IVF transfers? I have heard about this clinic but just always good to know others who have been on this journey.

I have a low amh and was told to use donor eggs but I want to try IVF privately before going down that route. Any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated.

PS do you mind me asking TUI how you went about the process. Just contacted them and then they tell you how it works?

Many thanks

Priya