Do we change clinics for 3rd round of IVF?

[Dot457]

Hello, I am aware I post on here quite a lot. I always feel like I have burning questions and this place is better than google when it comes to infertility.

Anyway, to give a bit of background, had one round on the NHS. Although we only ended up with one embryo and it ended in chemical pregnancy, I am so thankful as I feel we were able to have one practice round for free.

Second round, we opted for ABC IVF. Mainly due to them being so cheap, but equally had great reviews. Ended with 2 embryos which were both frozen due to covid ruining everything as usual! Manged to have one transferred back in July, unfortunately this did not work.

We've paid to have our second and last embryo out of the freezer, which is being transferred back this week. I like to plan ahead and be prepared for any type of scenario, although I do not yet know the outcome of this transfer, I am just wondering if we should do another round with ABC or change, if this transfer is the same as the last? ABC have been great in many ways, but I am conscious that they may not be investigating my issues as much as I'd hoped, in order to get a successful pregnancy?

I am honestly worried to go to another clinic, starting all over again, a new file, having to explain everything (I'm quite complex) but I really want our chances to be the best they can be!

Can anyone recommend a clinic they feel they had the best experience and outcome with? I know there's no right or wrong answer here, just recommendations are always helpful :)

Thanks in advance xx

I am now on my 3rd clinic and personally don’t find it difficult to transition. We are a very complicated case with male and female issues and other relevant non IvF medical history. I just request my notes and send them on to new clinic and a consult usually is needed to discuss through everything but after that it’s quite straight forward. I moved on when I felt like our case wasn’t being dealt with properly ie

1st clinic didn’t ‘believe’ in DNA frag so moved to a clinic that did and got my DH DNA frag halved with better outcome in subsequent IVF

2nd clinic said they would just do the same protocol again and I felt I hadn’t responded too well to it despite getting x2 blasts so moved to 3rd clinic where I’m mid way through Stims with twice the number of follicles compared to my other rounds by tweaking my protocol.

So I am not pregnant yet but definitely getting better outcomes each time and as the old saying goes the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

So I guess in summary don’t be put off moving as you’ll have to explain but consider what you want to get out of moving and where you feel a different clinic would help. I did x3 consults with clinics before choosing a new one and if none had offered more than my current clinic I would’ve stayed out.

Good luck. Hopefully this one works and you won’t need to move but I am like you and it’s no harm to have a contingency plan and done some research.

Sorry should say I would’ve stayed put.

Frankly, I'd stay put if I were in your situation. ABC is already one of the best in the business if you go by their success rates, and switching would make it far more hassle than it's worth, I think. Sticking with a clinic also has the advantage of them being able to adjust your dosage for future rounds to achieve a better response, knowing how you'd responded to previous cycles.

Of course, every body is different. But if you were to transfer, perhaps the most natural choice would be their sister clinic Create, which offers more from what I understand. They might just look into it more than ABC has done so far? IVF is a game of % more often than not, so I just personally wouldn't be so quick to switch after 2-3 rounds. At that level of success rate, they don't seem that different.

I have a friend who's at Lister. Another top level clinic right? Well, they've been through 5 rounds there, and still unsuccessful. So I don't think the clinic itself is the thing that needs changing. Just my two cents x

Thank you both @indigocloud & @Racinglikeapronow - It's definitely good to have opinions on both sides, it's definitely something to think about if that scenario comes about x

@Dot457 @indigocloud I think this is a common misconception about moving clinics “ Sticking with a clinic also has the advantage of them being able to adjust your dosage for future rounds to achieve a better response, knowing how you'd responded to previous cycles. ”

I find that when moving the clinics do look at my previous protocol and how they could improve it. My current clinic are doing the same protocol as my last clinic with addition of a new medication. They can see all scan and blood results and the protocol in your notes. So I would not let this be a deciding factor.

I would echo @Tillthesuncomesup, I've had treatment at more than one clinic and they did review previous rounds and responses.
As you say @Dot457 your NHS round was a trial of sorts.
Hoping you won't need to move but if you do then it's worth checking out a few clinics and seeing what they come up with.
Bear in mind too that ABC have strict criteria about who they will treat in terms of age, AMH etc. which may make their success rates look good, but also the fact you fit their criteria is in your favour in itself as you must be young enough and with a good enough starting point.

I'd personally stay - you said yourself your cycle with ABC didn't go badly and you got 2 embryos to transfer which is good.
ABC are a lot cheaper so also depends whether it can afford to pay two or three times as much for one cycle elsewhere?

Maybe contact some clinics and see what they have to say about how they would deal with your specific issues?

I vote try somewhere new. Like @Racinglikeapronow l don’t see the point of doing the same or very similar and expecting a different outcome. I would want a clinic that would properly delve into what the actual issues are. Our first clinic only very superficially looked into our issues, gave it a bog standard approach and it was a massive fail. If we ever do anything else, then we want a more thorough approach. Good luck with your transfer

I agree. I changed clinics, not because my outcome was poor but they didn't look into my history and tried to provide a one size fits all approach. They also made significant errors that wasted embryos.

My second clinic are much more thorough hence I feel more confident.

Thanks everyone for your comments. So just on the back of that, do you mind me asking what clinics you changed to and sharing the names please? I should have probably put that on my post, but I was more wondering which clinics you would recommend :) Thank you x

@cakecakecheese @LongerthanMrTicklesarms @ivfbeenbusy @Tillthesuncomesup @indigocloud @user1475505106 @Racinglikeapronow

@Dot457 I moved to Lister and I’m very happy with them but then I have low AMH and finishing ovarian reserve which is an area they specialise in.

I would recommend doing consults with a few different clinics and seeing what they recommend for your specific issues and see who you get a good feeling for.

I also did consults with Create and ARGC at the time and felt Most confident going with Lister

I changed to The Evewell. I have a complicated back story so they tailored according to that.

It was personalised and they are also consultant led. So who I see for my initial consultation performs the procedure.

I love the Oxford clinic. Have been very happy with them, feel the docs listen and it’s easy to get an appointment with them. The nurses and embryologist are wonderful and I really feel they’re in the fight with us. Just about to do transfer #6 (2 fresh cycles produced 8 embryos, 1 transferred fresh, all the rest FET. 4th BFP but miscarriage at 11 weeks, all others BFN, #5 yesterday) and have no thoughts of moving. Good luck xx

We did

We did 2 rounds locally to us in U.K.

3rd we did ivi Madrid

Better technology and higher drugs meant had eobroys to freeze for the first tome

2nd fet worked from 3rd cycle

So 5th attempt a suceess

ABroad is cheaper as well

We lost faith in our first clinic

Hi girls, when you transfer to another clinic, does the new clinic charge you to do the same tests the previous clinic did? Or are you able to obtain your entire file and give it to the new clinic? Thanks - currently with NHS but considering Lister in Shard through the Access Fertility multi-cycle option.

It depends on how old your blood tests are, especially the HFEA ones (virology etc). I think my clinic accepts them from another clinic if

Hi again girls, as some of you have used Lister, how are their appointment timings? Do they do early appointments before work or late appointments after work? Just don’t want to give explanations each time to my colleagues etc. Thanks 😊