IVF access criteria experiences?

[198435years]

Hi just wondering what others have experienced with BMI, smoking and drinking when going for ccg funding. We are most likely going to be referred at our next appointment in 4 months. The infertility is on my side.

My other half smokes when having a drink. Will probably drink more than the national guidelines for a week (14units I think). He also has a slightly overweight BMI. So just wondering what to expect in terms of testing for these things and when/if he will need to quit smoking/drinking or just cut back. He also has a child from a previous relationship but his daughter is now over 18 and doesn't live with us. We've been through a lot and feel anxious about the waiting, getting to the next step and being told no or not meeting the criteria.

Hi. I'm sorry to hear about your struggles. Been there, it's rubbish.
It all varies from trust to trust, and if you google your city and "CCG IVF Criteria" you should find a document with the exact criteria on it.
I can't say about BMI/smoking/drinking but I know for certain in my CCG a previous child on either side, no matter the age or living situation, means you are not eligible for NHS IVF.

100% CCG will say you are not eligible due to your DH already having a daughter

HIS BMI isn't so much of an issue - smoking is though and aside from him already having a daughter most will say you need to have given up smoking (and test you to be certain!)

I'm not 100% sure about the smoking/drinking/bmi issues for males, but I think in our area they require that neither smokes and female must have a health bmi.
My DH has a child from a previous relationship who is under 18 years old, I don't have any children already, and we have qualified for NHS funded IVF so you may need to check that out to be sure.

It's incorrect to say you can't get funding if he has a child, a lot of CCGs fund if one partner has a child as long as one is childless, some CCGs don't test BMI on the male only the female, the drinking it's likely they would suggest he stays within NHS guidelines (I'm unsure how this would effect funding) the smoking I would think they would refuse funding and send you away, they can test for this and it does often have a negative affect on the sperm as does too much alcohol. I would suggest he makes changes a good 3-6 months in advance as it takes 3 months for any changes to take effect. Good luck

In my CCG you would be rejected due to his child, and him smoking.

Thank you for your replies. I really do appreciate it. It looks like a wait and see but he definitely needs to stop the social smoking. They say try and not get stressed but then even the applying/access criteria is going to cause more stress/strain. We will probably need to prepare ourselves for going private (not that we can afford that) I believe though even private you have to meet the drinking/smoking guidelines.

As others have said it all depends on your local rules but surely he could cut out the smoking and drink a bit less in any case.

They don't pluck the criteria out of thin air - these things can affect sperm quality.

Ours was private at an NHS clinic as he had a grown up daughter so we were ineligible for NHS funding. Neither should smoke and advised him to cut drinking down (tho they won't actually know). My husband is overweight and wasn't an issue.

What is the reason for the infertility?

I thought I wouldnt be approved because my husband has a child already but I was told that as I have a genetic condition it doesn't matter that my husband has a child already as it goes off solely the couple involved and whether we had any healthy living children for my particular issue, and it also isn't to do with my local trust as it's through NHS England for genetic problems. Have you spoken to someone about whether there's anything extra on top of the usual criteria for your particular situation? I'm sorry if you have already but I honestly thought the same as you but it turned out the rules were different for my issue so do check with your Dr your specific criteria if you haven't already.

My husband smokes too but he has quit. Can your partner do this and cut down drinking? It seems a small thing to sacrifice for the sake of being approved.

In my area you would be turned down immediately for him having a child (age of child and living arrangements are both irrelevant here), but my private clinic wouldn't have prevented IVF based on his weight/smoking/drinking (although they would've suggested you change those lifestyle factors)

Thank you. Yes I totally agree. He just needs to be able to do it. If we get refused because of that he'll feel terrible and it'll be another huge blow for us. He has said he will stop but still waiting and I don't want to be commenting/stressing every time he has one.

I don't want to be commenting/stressing every time he has one

I would comment OP. He needs to understand how important it is. Ask him next time he has one 'i thought you were stopping?' and see what he says. It might open up a conversation.

My fertility comes from having stenosis of the cervix because of LOOP therapy to remove precancerous cells when I was 21, I also only have one patent tube and my progesterone level is very low. On clomid to bring that up and it has.

I'll will keep you posted with what the outcome is with the access criteria. They haven't really wanted to discuss it with us until we get to that stage/appointment having to wait 4/5 months between appointments.

I will and the sooner he starts surely the easier it will be nearer the time.