IVF abroad

[Viletta]

Hi all,

There was a lovely thread for all ladies trying IVF abroad. Anyone has any plans yet?
We are planning to go to Reprofit in Czech in April. Actually going there this March for some tests. DH was prescribed DNA fragmentation test by Mr Ramsey, can you imagine flights to Czech, hotel for 3 nights, parking in London for 4 days and DNA fragmentation test turns out cheaper than doing this test here in the UK on its own. I think it's good for us to see the clinic before we start too. Anyone is planning their cycle abroad? How do you find it?

Hi @Viletta,
We are also thinking of IVF in the Czech Republic. Have read some really positive testimonials and it is much cheaper than the UK. We would like to start a cycle in April but haven't yet decided on a clinic. Brno is slightly trickier to get to than Prague which is what is swaying me towards one of the Prague clinics.
Going abroad has been a difficult decision, but I am feeling more positive about it now. I am going part time at the end of April so this will help with the stress of it.

@WillHappenSoon
I think it's worth it!
I had an online consultation with the doctor in Reprofit, they seem to have better technology (some fancy incubators) that what we were offered in the UK. Ryanair flies from Stansted to Brno cheaply or its 2h train journey from Prague. I'll let you know my thoughts when I get there. Good luck with your cycle, let me know how you get on.

Hi @Viletta
We spoke to Brno but didn't really gel with them. We decided on IVF Spain in Alicante and are going over for our first consultation on Tuesday next week. Very excited! This is our second round of IVF and we'll be using donor eggs due to low ovarian reserve.
What's your situation?

Good luck ladies. I'm also going to IVI Jemima, had consultation a while ago and just waiting for the right timing to get started.
Have had one IVF in the UK cancelled before egg collection, and one IVF which was unsuccessful, nothing to freeze. Also have low ovarian reserve and planning on using donor eggs with DH's sperm.

Hi we went to Reprofit at the end of last year and found it brilliant. The Czech people are very helpful and friendly and clinic is very clean and has good success rates. All the six ladies who I was in contact with at the same time as I went got BFP's. Including me. Due in August.

We had ICSI as DH only has 20 sperm in each sample (individual not millions) but we had 13 eggs fertilised and 3 frosties.

We also went to Dr Ramsey who was fab and achieved those 20 sperm when previously there were none! But it was cheaper to go to Rerofit than to have to have MTESE and then IVF here. We spent around 5k in total but had to go three times (to freeze sperm ahead, for egg retrival which was freeze only due to OHSS and then finally for FET )

Good luck.

Another one here who is going to Reprofit in the next couple of months and has been to see Dr Ramsey too!!

@Viletta - I haven't had a consultation with a doctor at Reprofit, just been dealing with the coordinator. How do you get a consultation?

I forgot to mention DH saw Dr Ramsay too following a DNA fragmentation test, DH was already taking Condensyl which Dr Ramsay was happy for him to continue.

I've been out to reprofit twice. One fresh ICSI and one FET. Both chemicals/early miscarriages. But they got me pregnant twice in two transfers whereas we had one pregnancy from four in the UK.

Those of you looking at reprofit-have you found the Facebook group yet? It's called Team Reprofit and Future Life' and is a mine of information and helpful ladies.

I've just started bleeding with tests having gone from positive to negative and HCG beta confirming this pregnancy has failed and looking to start meds tomorrow for next FET.

Happy to answer any questions anyone has.

@JeNeBaguetteRien well maybe we might be going through our cycles at a similar time then! We also seem to have had very similar experiences and similar situations. Do you have much support in RL? We haven't really told anyone what's happening. In some ways it's tough but in other ways I'm glad people don't know.
I hope to know more about our timeline following our consultation next week but when I spoke to the co-ordinator she seemed to think we could crack on pretty quickly.
We had a telephone/Skype consultation with Reprofit, but we just felt that we preferred IVF Spain more. Plus, Alicante is easier for us to get to, and also our clinic recommended them.

Congratulations BlueGoon

Sorry for your losses Katniss 💐

Yes Jemima will keep in touch.
Alicante is also easier for us to get to from a regional airport, and I know a beautiful baby made there!
I will just say we're going there on holiday when the time comes. In real life only DH and some lovely friends I met here know about our IVF, I feel less pressure that way, although it's not for everyone.

Let's hope for some good outcomes for us all!

@BlueGoon hi, thank you for sharing these amazing news! Congratulations! I'm so happy to hear it worked well for so many. Good luck with everything, I'm so happy it worked for you 

@KatnissMellark its great that you have frosties, good luck for your next FET, holding everything for you!

@jemimafuddleduck @JeNeBaguetteRien (I love your nickname!)
I've heard lots of great things about IVI in Spain, we had a call with them, but we are driven by price at the moment and Reprofit was much cheaper. Also easier, they don't need us to travel for a consultation beforehand. Good luck with your cycles! Let me know how you guys are doing?

@twinkledag I just ask our coordinator if I can give them a call as I had lots of questions. She arranged a call with the doctor straight away no questions asked. I needed to fill out their form and had a chat with the doctor on skype with just audio, this was very helpful. I think you can just ask it.

We have very low sperm count, 400 000 in the while sample. Dr Ramsey prescribed nutritionist Mel Brown, who was great. DH gave up alcohol after Christmas, taking Condensyl and other supplement, we also try to eat healthy and organic, avoid plastic as much as possible. The only thing is that DH still smokes :/ hope this won't spoil the results too much. We had one IVF in the UK, they collected less eggs than expected, bfn and nothing to freeze.

Good luck to all of us going abroad for the treatments. Even though I am on a higher level (joking) with my surrogacy!
Fingers crossed for our success!
xx

Currently sitting in IVF Spain as I type!! We are having our initial consultation today. And as I'm sitting here, my best friend has just messaged me to tell me that she's pregnant.
We haven't told anyone that we're going through this so it's not her being insensitive, but still I'm like 😭😭😭😭

I had PGD at Iakentro in Greece using Ruth Pellows (amazing international IVF nurse) as an intermediary. This followed 6 UK IVF cycles which resulted in 5 miscarriages.

First cycle failed, currently 38w with second cycle.

I was initially reluctant to go overseas but in all honesty the process wasn’t much more complex than the UK especially as we had a direct (and human) contact/coordinator.

The only downside was being trapped in Thessoniliki after we knew the first cycle failed and I desperately wanted to come home, booking an earlier flight was extortionate and only a day or two early.

We used Airbnb for EC and treated ourselves to a boutique hotel with a rooftop terrace for ET!

Hello ladies

I hope you don't mind my joining this thread. I'm currently in the very early stages of considering IVF abroad.

I'm 38 with low AMH. In the UK we've had to have ICSI. I've had max stims but have only ever been able to produce two eggs for collection so FET has never been an option for us. We've also never had a BFP.

I've some questions if you might be able to offer your thoughts and advice?

• Does not being able to have a FET make it harder to consider IVF abroad, e.g. increased travel?
• Do you buy all the drugs needed in the UK?
• How does a cycle abroad work with all the scans? How much time needs to be taken off from work for any scans, the collection and transfer?
• Any advice on the best/easiest way to pay? E.g. Per cycle each time?

I'm really confused at the moment as of course we both desperately would like a child but emotionally, and practically (work, finances and age/AMH), i'm unsure if to keep trying with IVF is feasible.

I've asked our IVF doctors for their advice given our failed cycles but it has all been rather vague. Hence my confusion and uncertainty. I don't want to have to walk away from it all but realise I need to also try to be realistic despite how much never being able to produce a child of our own hurts

Wishing you all luck. A good friend of mine is about to have her second boy, both via donor egg IVF in Spain after countless unsuccessful cycles in the U.K. I would absolutely go abroad for it if I needed to, I hope it works out for you all.

@Viletta is your DH having sperm checked again after some time on Condensyl? I can't remember the figures but DH's sperm had improved after 3 months, we will have the DNA fragmentation re tested to see if that is any better, but IVI have said they will use ICSI in any case.

@jemimafuddleduck how exciting! Hope it has gone well. The doctor we saw was called Veronica and the coordinator was Marta, in case it's the same people. Hope you have a tasty lunch in Alicante!

@Elvia33P is your surrogate travelling abroad? Or already based abroad? Has it been complicated to arrange?

@LASH38 so sorry to read of all your losses. Congratulations on this pregnancy, hope you meet your baby soon!

@BahamaLlama I also have low AMH and didn't produce many eggs.

Whatever clinic you contact they will benefit from seeing your notes from your previous IVF so do obtain those. There might even be notes written that will be things you weren't aware of at the time.

• Does not being able to have a FET make it harder to consider IVF abroad, e.g. increased travel? For me if I were to use my own eggs then I'd stay out there from EC to ET, but with donor eggs would consider going out there after EC. Then may have subsequent FET(s).
• Do you buy all the drugs needed in the UK? I don't know yet, probably wherever is cheaper!
• How does a cycle abroad work with all the scans? How much time needs to be taken off from work for any scans, the collection and transfer?

You can have private scans in the UK and email to the clinic. They may have a partner clinic in the UK.

• Any advice on the best/easiest way to pay? E.g. Per cycle each time?

That really depends on your finances, some clinics offer payment plans but for me the best option is a 0% interest on purchases credit card (preferably with rewards).

@SinkGirl you sound like a good friend 💐

My friend went to Cyprus. She was over the age for IVF in UK, but in Cyprus they are more relaxed in terms of age limit. Now a mum of twin boys ;-)

I had treatment at Reprofit in Brno last year, I was 37 with low AMH. I'm typing this with my five week old Reprofit baby in my lap.

They got me pregnant first try, with my own eggs. I have two embryos on ice with them. I was very impressed with the clinic and the staff. I'm happy to answer any questions that anyone has about the clinic or the procedure.

I hope everyone starting treatment has as good an outcome as I did.

• Does not being able to have a FET make it harder to consider IVF abroad, e.g. increased travel?

I had FET, I believe that’s standard with PGD. We stayed a week for each cycle and 3 days for ET. Cycle was timed using the pill and built around travel etc. Eg, flights booked then cycle worked backwards.

• Do you buy all the drugs needed in the UK?

Yes. My coordinator Ruth Pellows, ivfabroad.com would send a prescription through to pharmacy for delivery or collection.

• How does a cycle abroad work with all the scans? How much time needs to be taken off from work for any scans, the collection and transfer?

Scans - I live and work on London, scans were at a babyscan place (I know, I know). I had 8am appointments 10min wall from work. I find that when you are paying for services the wait time is minimal...

• Any advice on the best/easiest way to pay? E.g. Per cycle each time?

We paid per cycle using 0% credit cards.

I’m 38 btw and have been trying since 30.
Best of wishes to all of you.

Oh, own eggs and sperm, although I didn’t produce (eggs/embryos) as well last year as I have done in the past. No where near.

It’s possible that my AMH has reduced with age. It may have been tested but I got to the stage where I wasn’t fully engaging with every test and result to be honest.

Thank you @JeNeBaguetteRien and @S1ver

Your replies have helped to give me a little hope and its great to know that even abroad the cycle can be planned for around work and booking accommodation and flights etc.

Wishing everyone the very best of luck and huge congrats to those who have got their BFPs!! It's not an easy journey for anyone at any stage xx

@Lash38 thank you for your reply.

I'm so sorry to hear you've been on this journey for as long as you have.

Because we are the same age and you've also been trying for a long time also with low AMH it really helps to give me hope as well as inspiration. There are many times when I'm unsure if I'll be able to continue.

I have everything crossed for you on this cycle. Stay strong and good luck!!

Actually, in your experience have you found that anything really helps/makes a difference? Diet? QX10? Acupuncture? etc

@bahamalama

I’m 38weeks pregnant from the last cycle abroad, when I respond to these threads I try to footnote/downplay my current status with more emphasis on the journey itself!

I hope I give you hope. I don’t know how I/we continued to be honest, it’s been a painful journey and Ive found pregnancy emotionally scary and difficult at times, but I don’t think exploring that is appropriate here.

I haven’t taken any supplements or any extras the last few cycles, by year 5/6 I was so exhausted, drained and in such despair that I had to manage how much engagement I put into IVF. I did have a lot of counselling as the grief was just too enormous for me to handle and that’s with an amazing/supportive/engaged husband.

I am more than happy to answer questions btw!