Care or Create Birmingham, any advice?

[Illdoitinabit]

Does anybody have any experience of Care and Create fertility clinics in Birmingham?
Sadly I've been refused a referral on the NHS as I'm under 30 and only been trying for 18 months so my husband and I have decided to go private.
We don't want to pick a clinic for the price alone, it doesn't matter if we spend an extra few pennies if it gives us the chance to become parents.

I went to open days for both Create and Care and ultimately went with Create.

It's a very personal decision who to go with and I would recommend going to as many open evenings as possible.

We chose Create as we specifically wanted to do mild short protocol ivf and Create just seemed a lot less clinical and more friendly than Care

We did an ICSI freeze all cycle with them in January and had one failed FET and then a second FET which ended in ectopic however I've been back at Create today to plan our next full cycle

I wouldn't choose Create. Bad experience with my first round. I found them to be very impersonal and the location far from ideal (what is basically office space on a business park). I originally choose them due to their more "natural" approach to IVF. The reality was the drug dosages were the same, if not more than, those on the NHS. I did my second round at the Priory and would really recommend them. Absolutely lovely team in a medical setting close to the centre of Brum.

Oh and financially my round at The Priory was significantly less expensive than Create despite the fact I did a long protocol.

@citybumpkin
Have you had more success with the Priory?
We decided we ll stick with Create for another round and then try somewhere different for the last one?

I think everyone's experience is slightly different as I've found Create to be amazing and had a very personal service - I conceived naturally after my failed FET but it ended in miscarriage and I had loads of support from them including prescriptions for medication to try and prevent mc and follow up calls from the nurses seeing how I was. When my ectopic was found (Heartlands refused to take seriously even though had ruptured ectopic last year) they scanned me straight away and sorted an ambulance - the Nurses were lovely and gave me lots of hugs and care

To the OP location is important - we are only 15 mins from Create even though it's on a business park - Priory and Care are edgbaston area which although shorter in miles means having to deal with the joys of city centre traffic so actually takes twice as long

@itwasalovelydreamwhileitlasted The second round at The Priory was successful and now have a 4 month old DD. As said in my previous post I found Create to be impersonal. At our first appointment with them we were even shepherded into their kitchen/meeting room as they seemed to have double booked appointments. I never saw the same person twice etc. Priory was the complete opposite with constant communication and I was even given the consultant's phone number to contact at any time. Create - you have to go through the central call centre in London.

Thanks @citybumpkin
Congratulations on your DD!
So strange how your experience was completely different - maybe they've made changes since then - I've always only seen Dr Datta and once you have signed up to start you get given the mobile number for Birmingham and you don't go through the call centre anymore - I had seen a few reviews saying something about the call centre so I think they've probably changed things in reaction to the feedback x

Thank you @itwasalovelydreamwhileitlasted! It was completely unexpected considering my "geriatric" age and MFI. Just shows that its all just chance. If its any help, on the second attempt we decided to throw more at it so opted for embryo glue. It may or may not have influenced the outcome. Good luck on the next round!

hi, just moved to birmingham and hoping to have another go at ivf but i'm out of my comfort zone in a new place. what do you ladies think? assuming you still check this thread? thanks and congratulations xxx

Sorry I never updated! I went with create in the end. It took two attempts but next month we'll be celebrating our sons 2nd birthday! I can't fault create, they were so good with us from start to finish. Good luck!

I was @itwasalovelydreamwhileitlasted and I had twins from create in the end - ended up doing a 3 cycle package natural modified IVF. 🥰 I also have 2 top grade blastocysts still frozen which debating transferring

Oh and Creates sister clinic ABC has opened a new place in Birmingham I believe - they are much cheaper but share a lot of consultants and facilities as Create do so best of both worlds

Hi I wondered if anyone has had an initial appointment with create fertility via nhs.

I had my initial consultation and had managed to get my BMI to be right down. I wondered if they weigh you everytime you go or whether they just weigh you on the initial appointment.