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Infertility

Our Infertility Support forum is a space to connect with others in the same position, discuss causes, treatment and IVF, and share infertility stories of hope and success.

Fertility clinics in Northern Ireland

7 replies

RuthO86 · 30/11/2021 15:41

Hello,

Could anyone on here recommend a private fertility clinic in Belfast area/Northern Ireland?

My husband and I will need IVF and we're in a position where we will need to go private rather than via NHS.

If anyone has any experience they'd like to share, would love to hear it. We are abit unsure of where to start as want to go somewhere with a good reputation but it just isn't really talked about so it is very difficult to know.

Thanks in advance!

OP posts:
try9ng · 30/11/2021 21:24

Hi there isn't a big choice here, I think just Belfast Fertility or In-Ovo. There are a few in Dublin, we ended up going with Sims not for any particular reason. I've heard good things about in ovo, but they haven't been open long enough to have any statistics. Had read bad reviews about Belfast Fertility but no personal experience. We've just finished our first cycle with Sims, unfortunately didn't work for us so we are due to go again in a few months. We had used access Fertility to pay for two cycles upfront. I think it's best to get a consultation and get a feel for clinic. It's a really hard choice and such limited choices here. Good luck in choosing

MimiArm · 02/01/2022 08:50

@RuthO86 Hi there. We have had bad experiences at both Belfast Fertility and In-Ovo so I wouldn't recommend either of them. As the precious poster said, they are the only two clinics in NI.

We went to Waterstone Clinic in Kildare (the main clinic is in Cork but you can attend Dublin or Kildare for appointments and scans) and they were wonderful. I would highly, highly recommend

Best of luck.

Geep · 02/01/2022 21:06

Hi @MimiArm and @try9ng

Hope you don't mind me asking but what bad things you've heard / experienced with belfast fertility?

Thanks

MimiArm · 02/01/2022 21:29

@Geep

No problem. So we went to Belfast Fertility around March/April 2020. Had all the tests which showed that I wasn't ovulating, had a high AMH and that DH had good sperm count and motility but low morphology. We had a telephone consultation and the dr couldn't have been any less interested. He was just rhyming off a speel.

We said that we could try ovulation induction whilst waiting for IVF with ICSI but then when I tried to follow up (many, many, many times I was always fobbed off). I lost count of the times over months that I rang to ask to start the ovulation induction and nothing. Months later they then rang to say we were top of the list for IVF but by then, we had sourced Clomid elsewhere and wanted to try it (and it worked and we got pregnant with it - but sadly lost it).

Then we will went to In-Ovo. Rang up and were put on wait list for consultation. Weeks went by and no phone call. I called back and was told our names weren't on the wait list. Added to wait list again and eventually got our consultation. Dr Diakos was good and stated that my AMH was very suggestive that I have PCOS. He asked if Belfast Fertility had told me that and I said no. He seemed quite annoyed that they hadn't told me (as was I given this was now June 2021 and I just turned 40!).

So we left In-Ovo with a plan but were told I'd need a HyFoSy scan before we could start treatment (another £400 odd quid).

I rang In-Ovo to request scan date in July and was told I'd be called back with an appointment in two weeks. Nothing. Rang again at least twice and, to this day, we are still waiting on that call back.

In the middle of that, the NHS then called for us (after a 2 year wait) and we were told we would be starting ovulation induction treatment in the next few weeks. They had all of our private test results when they confirmed that. A week later, I had a call from them saying sorry, but due to DH's low morphology "it wouldn't work" and they couldnt help us. There is another 2 year wait for IVF and I'll be over 42 by the time I'm called for so will be disqualified due to age. They said if we got an up to date SA test done and the results were better, they might reconsider. I called Belfast Fertility to ask to redo the SA test and they said that they no longer offer standalone tests so if we wanted a new SA test done, we'd have to pay for a consultation first.

We then made decision to look in ROI and so glad we did. We paid a total of 450 euros for consultation, about 6 scans, Clomid x 3 cycles, trigger shots x 3 cycles, progesterone x 3 cycles. I'm now 11 weeks pregnant and they also gave me enough progesterone to last me until 14 weeks, plus daily Clexane injections and they've phoned me a few times to check on how I'm doing.

Worlds apart from the NI clinics!

I honestly would highly recommend them. Even if I hadnt been lucky to get pregnant first try with them, they are just so thorough, caring and they genuinely care. I thought I would never be pregnant and had lost all hope.

The two NI clinics are only interested in taking your money. Even regarding the HyFoSy scan, I've been told by two consultants since that I didn't need that!

That was a ramble, sorry! I'm quite passionate about how let down we've been by the NI clinics and NHS generally here!

Geep · 02/01/2022 22:20

Hi @MimiArm

Thanks for your response and congratulations. I'm so glad it has worked out for you, but sounds like you had a rough time getting there.
I am with belfast fertility but basically because it was the only one I knew about. Hadn't even considered looking in ROI.
With belfast fertility, sometimes I do think they don't give alot of information, but not sure if I just don't ask the right questions. But overall we have been happy with them, but then again we only have the NHS to compare with.
We have had a few appointments with the NHS and I must say I have found everything so disjointed. Ive had 2no eptopoic pregnancy (only discovered to be etopic after the second) and while it was the epu that told me it was likely eptopic and that the tubes need scanned to confirm before trying to conceive - I was never told how to get them scanned. It was only only I asked belfast fertility if they would do it that they arranged for me to get it through the nhs. Then when I found out one was blocked (very limited info given from NHS, most of the explanation came from belfast fertility when I asked them about it) i wasn't told how it would be dealt with. When I asked belfast fertility about it, they arranged for me to be put on the waiting list list to have it removed. Also feels like when I attend any NHS appointments I'm telling them what the other NHS Drs has told me during other appointments. No one seems to have details of what anyone else has said. Not sure if its because of covid. But in comparison to that belfast fertility seem good.
We are currently going through our second cycle at the moment and I think this will prob be our last whatever the outcome so won't be trying out other clinics but I do agree that fertility treatment in NI is lacking.

xoJellyBean · 03/01/2022 10:02

I'm currently with Mid Ulster Women's Clinic for all my scans and ovulation induction. They have been second to none - they don't offer ivf etc but for initial scans, diagnosis & treatment I couldn't recommend them enough Smile

oreomaple · 06/08/2022 15:48

@Geep First of all, many congratulations.

can you please share the name of the fertility clinic in ROI? Thanks.

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