If you went private, how long until you got your baby?

[BiscuitLover3678]

I know everyone’s different but I’m interested in timelines and what your story is.

I have secondary fertility. Over a year TTC and nhs sperm analysis and day21 test normal. Have to wait until next cycle for my follicle count scan sigh. So that’s another month. What’s after that and how long is the wait for ivf if that’s what you go for?

Hi,

I went private in July and had our first IVF cycle in August. My husband has low sperm parameters due to a varicocele. We got 6 blastocysts from the fjrst cycle, fresh transfer failed but first frozen transfer in October stuck and I'm now 12+2 :) saw the baby two days ago one scan, healthy so far :) good luck on your journey!

Oh wow that’s really quick congratulations!

did you have all the tests privately or did you know the issues before?

Thank you :) we found out about the varicocele in Feb 2021 after TTC for 9 months, we went private for the varicocele diagnosis as my husband thought he had one when we first got together ten years ago when he was 24 and I was 23 and the GP who examined him said he didn't. Clearly he had and it got worse over ten years so when we then TTC the sperm parameters were all far too low to concieve, we had it tested on NHS . 9 months wasted! We paid privately to have it embolised too but this didn't work, surgeon couldn't find the vein (happens to 10% of men) so we just went to ICSI.

We concurrently went through NHS ivf referral processes in case we needed more than one round, and I'm still waiting for funding letter in that regard! So we're glad we used our savings to go private.

The months between diagnosis of the varicocele and paying for private IVF in July were spent sorting the private embolization op and then recovery. I just missed the chance to start IVF in July with how my cycles fell but the process was so quick once we had paid and had the consultation with the clinic etc. I had scans with the clinic as well as an AMH blood test, and my husband had another semen analysis but that'd all very quick when private.

Sorry this was all in 2022 I'm not used to it being 2023 yet!

Good luck with it all! How quick were they to suggest ivf and how long does the ivf process take?

@BiscuitLover3678 after the embolization failed we knew the only option was IVF with ICSI so we went back to gp with update and he referred us to NHS, had a phone consult and the Dr agreed. We by then had pursued private so it was pretty quickly we knew we'd need IVF as we had a very solid cause for low count and nothing would help other than shutting off those varicose veins, and even then it doesn't always improve enough for natural conception. I'd had enough of disappointing months and hoping for the best, wanted to take action so IVF was such a relief once we got over the shock of needing it.

Once you have your tests at the clinic it's pretty fast, you get your protocol based on test results and spending on that you start taking meds on day 21 of a cycle if you down regulate on long protocol then start stimming on cycle day 1 , or if like me you have short protocol you start on cycle day 1 stimming with no down reg. Like I say I missed July as my meds wouldn't have arrived on time for cycle day 1 but was ready to go August :)

Depending not spending**

@BiscuitLover3678 to add you stim for around 10 days, depends on how you respond to neds and they monitor you with transvgainal ultrasounds every few days after 5 or 6 days stimming. Then when your follicles are a size likely to hold a mature egg you take a trigger shot and 36 hours later have egg collection. 5 days after you have a fresh transfer or if you're at risk of OHSS your blastocysts are frozen. My frozen transfer worked even though my first fresh was a top grade hatching blastocyst, I think because my body had had 2 months to recover from meds, one frozen cycle you only take oestrogen pills and progesterone pessaries, much easier on the body!

Any other questions for let me know, its all very fresh in my mind!

Also sorry for excessive typos, my phone is old and overheats making the keypad erratic!

I gave birth a year to the day after our initial private consultation and tests. We were very lucky to have success on our first round, although she was our only embryo so none in the freezer for a sibling. Will be starting again later this year. Good luck!

In 2020 I did 3 fresh short protocol transfers and was successful on the 3rd cycle. I had first cycle in April, 2nd in July which resulted in MC and successful cycle was in September 2020. I also prepared for a FET cycle which was cancelled as embryo didn't survive the thaw.
Good luck

We also experienced secondary infertility. After around 15 months of trying we started IVF and it has been a very quick process for us. Although, I know we were extremely lucky and I keep counting my lucky stars it worked.

Our time-line for 2022 was:

Mid Aug - Called Evewell Clinic, had initial consultation the following week
Mid Sep - Started IVF drugs for egg collection
End of Sep - Egg collection
Start of Sep - 5 Embryos frozen and PGT-A tested
End of Oct - Frozen embryo transfer
Start of Nov - Positive test -

I'm now 12 weeks.

We never were given a sole reason for our infertility, it was probably multiple things. We were fortunate it worked at every stage. I was so nervous about starting IVF, but after such a long time of trying I was completely amazed at how quickly we became pregnant (with embryos in the freezer too, if we decide to try for another.) Our clinic, consultant and the embryologists were incredible and I really think contributed to our success.

Hope that's helpful.

Was your secondary infertility unexplained? I think I’m worried that if we have that I won’t know when to go to ivf. Are all the scans painful? I guess I’m trying to prepare myself!

We have secondary infertility and it’s unexplained. Our timeline was:

2 years of trying naturally 2018-2020 no BFP
1 year of clomid 2020-2021 no BFP
First IVF cycle 2021 - BFP but miscarriage
Second IVF cycle 2022 - 17 weeks pregnant

We needed a year’s break after the miscarriage because we were emotionally exhausted. So I would factor it coping time if it doesn’t go to plan first time. Couldn’t quite believe it had worked the second time but IVF is a miracle. Good luck.