IVF Questions

[eclipsechips]

Hi, apologies if I am posting in the wrong place. For a bit of background I'm 40 and DH is almost 42 - we both have high BMIs which we're successfully working on just now and we've been actively TTC since a loss in March 2019. We've done at home FSH and sperm tests and they show no issues, I seem to be ovulating fine on a 28 day cycle without an issue in my luteal phase but we are having no luck at all. We're obviously not getting any younger however we think it'll be difficult to get NHS help just now so we're think that our next step is to go private. Can anyone please advise us on how we would go about this? We don't know anyone else personally that's gone down this road so we're not sure if we need GP referrals, or what the costs would be like? We live just outside Glasgow so any recommendations would be appreciated.

Hello!
We’ve just gone down the private root but we’re in England so not sure if Scotland is different. We did have a GP referral, got all my day 3 and 21 bloods done and an ultrasound done through them first and then they did the referral. Apparently you don’t actually need one to go private though but it does mean you save money and time by getting the bloods done through your GP first. I think cost will really vary on where you are. Our initial consultation with the private doctor was £210 and then follow up ones are £130. He then recommended some other tests we need (AMH, ultrasound and HSG for me and semen analysis for OH) so in total we’ve already spent about £1000 just for initial appointments and investigations. We have our follow up on Monday so not sure what our next steps will be but looking at costs if we need to go down the IVF root it’s around £6000 a cycle plus meds but again this will completely vary on which clinic you go to and what type of treatment you need. I hope that helps you a bit. You’ll always be able to get a breakdown of potential costs before you sign up to any treatment. Our consultant sent through a list and got us to agree we were happy with everything before we even had our initial consultation.

@Banoffeepie91 thank you, we're starting to draw up a savings plan so you've given us a good picture of the numbers we need to see.

@Banoffeepie91

Hello! We’ve just gone down the private root but we’re in England so not sure if Scotland is different. We did have a GP referral, got all my day 3 and 21 bloods done and an ultrasound done through them first and then they did the referral. Apparently you don’t actually need one to go private though but it does mean you save money and time by getting the bloods done through your GP first. I think cost will really vary on where you are. Our initial consultation with the private doctor was £210 and then follow up ones are £130. He then recommended some other tests we need (AMH, ultrasound and HSG for me and semen analysis for OH) so in total we’ve already spent about £1000 just for initial appointments and investigations. We have our follow up on Monday so not sure what our next steps will be but looking at costs if we need to go down the IVF root it’s around £6000 a cycle plus meds but again this will completely vary on which clinic you go to and what type of treatment you need. I hope that helps you a bit. You’ll always be able to get a breakdown of potential costs before you sign up to any treatment. Our consultant sent through a list and got us to agree we were happy with everything before we even had our initial consultation.

@eclipsechips

I was exactly the same as banoffeepie91 - we got a GP referral to a private clinic that also does NHS. The only thing we've had to pay for so far was AMH blood test and AFC scan which was £260 altogether I think but the rest of the tests were done through the NHS. Because I turned 39 before we started any treatment, I don't get any help from the NHS for treatment and we've just been given a quote for a short protocol IVF with ICSI cycle for around £8k. Hope that helps.

Hi Eclipse,

Sorry to hear of your loss. You don't "need" a GP referral to a private clinic for tests, you can contact them direct, but worth looking at what the NHS may offer you. That said I imagine waiting lists are pretty long. I'm having treatment abroad.

I think the ladies on this thread will be able to help you www.mumsnet.com/Talk/infertility/3902236-When-can-investigations-resume-Scotland

Thank you @MF1981 I just turned 40 so I think private is the best way for us to go.

Thank you @JeNeBaguetteRien I'll have a look there.