NHS midlands IVF. How long did you have to/have you been waiting?

[TinyDancer91]

If you have been referred for IVF (ICSI in particular) in the midlands, NHS funded, how long did it take between your referral, first appointment and starting treatment?

For background, we were referred in early April 2023. First appointment was due to be mid Aug, however it was cancelled last minute and rebooked for mid Sept. I was found to have polycystic ovaries and OH has low count and low motility. We were essentially told ICSI was the way we would have to go.

Follow up appointments booked for late Nov for OH and early Dec for me (via phone). We were told at the Nov app that OH is a carrier for the cystic fibrosis gene so I had bloods taken for genetic testing last week of Nov. OH was also sent for ultrasound of his bits which came through for the week before Xmas.

Our next appointments with the consultants have been booked for March for me (again via phone) and May for OH.

Is this a 'normal' amount of time for us to be waiting? It feels like we've been waiting around for a long time with very little progress.

Just to add, I contacted the clinic to see if our results from Nov/Dec were in. They are BUT they won't give them to us.... been told we've got to wait for next appointments with the consultants

Hey @TinyDancer91 I am with Coventry doing ICSI - not sure if you’re with the same one but we were referred there from a different area of the mids so a chance you were sent there too?

So we are MFI, meaning my DH had all his tests at a Birmingham hospital prior to referral to Coventry. From the referral to our first consultation was around 6 months, then 6 months after that was his OP, then a further 4 months for my first consultation, then 2 months after that for me to go in for all of my tests - no complications with me so we were then allowed to start the following month.

so about 18 months from referral to starting stims, but obviously we were referred with a diagnosis already and once they had his sperm we were all good to go as I didn’t require any treatment. But from first referral from the doctors to actually starting treatment it was around 2.5 years.

I really hope it is quicker for you and once you are in the clinic things do seem to move quicker and it’s easier to ask for timeframes etc but unfortunately it is common to have to wait a while :(
Out funded round failed so we are now with the same clinic but classed as ‘private’ and do find that it is much quicker to get appointments etc so I do think private patients are prioritised over nhs ones unfortunately.

We are also with Coventry as above but haven't started IVF yet - we contacted our GP in December 2022 and had our first consultation at the clinic in May 2023 where I was diagnosed with endometriosis and hydrosalpinx. I have been waiting on a laparoscopy for 8 months to treat this before being able to start IVF.

Wishing you lots of luck 💕

@xPlatform975 I really hope they get it sorted soon so you can start the process 🤞🏼

@HopefulHead thanks so much, me too! I hope you're next round is a success 🤞❤️

Hi @HopefulHead & @xPlatform975

We are also currently with Coventry! Although depending on the results of my blood test, we may get referred to b'ham.

It's helpful knowing that it's a slow process for other people too. I've seen threads on here from other parts of the UK where it only seems to take a few months from referral to starting treatment so was starting to worry!

@TinyDancer91 The waiting time is so incredibly hard with the process and I also struggled with all the unexpected set backs, but then all of a sudden you get going and everything just sort of happens really quickly 🫣
I know it is easier said than done but just try and enjoy the wait time and see it as your last few months without the restrictions for eating / drinking / going out around injection times etc and just get your mind and body nice and calm ready for when it does all start 🙌🏼