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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.

NHS Wait Times

6 replies

tryingtoholdittogether1 · 17/10/2024 13:38

Hi everyone,

Myself and partner are looking to start fertility treatment through the NHS. We’re unsure if we will need ovulation induction or IVF.

I just wanted to get an idea of the process and the wait times other people have gone through please as I know it can take months to years depending on where you live.

Thank you!

OP posts:
Autumn245 · 17/10/2024 15:33

From my initial phone call to seek help to my first embryo transfer it was 13 months. We'd already been trying for close too 18 months naturally at this point. Here's a breakdown of my journey.

March 2021 phoned docs to seek help, they did phone/video calls to get some info from me and got me in for blood work to check i was ovulating, then did referral to fertility clinic.

August 2021 had hycosy to check tubes (all clear). Husband had sperm analysis (all good there too)
We were classed as unexplained Infertility so had to wait for 2 year mark before they would add us to wait list for ivf, which would be October. This may have changed now or be different for other areas. I'm Aberdeen.

October 2021 added to wait list, was told 4-5 month wait time.

December 2021 call to say we were at top of list.

January 2022 had video appointment with nurses and did online consent forms.

March 2022 started on norethisterone to time the start of my next cycle.

April 2022 went in on cycle day1 (4th april) for baseline scan, started injections, had a few scans, then did trigger on 13th April, egg collection 15th, and embryo transfer on 20th.

Thankfully worked 1st time and my daughter is now 22 months old. We are starting progress again next month to try for a sibling.

Purpleflowers17 · 17/10/2024 20:03

Hey @tryingtoholdittogether1
Have you been to the GP?
We went to GP end of May. Then had all the blood tests required and DH had his SA. We then got referred and our first appointment at fertility clinic was start of August.

Just had egg collection today so it’s been fairly quick and smooth. We are located in Staffordshire.

Anonneom · 17/10/2024 20:44

Your definitely right, it’s a postcode lottery with the nhs and the ivf wait times and policies.
for me I first visited the doctors 12th January. They referred me straight away as I had previously had a private fertility blood test when we started ttc and luckily enough the gp accepted these results.
I had my first app at the fertility clinic on 29th feb. They took my bloods for amh and internal scan for follicle count etc.
results were mid April. Went on to have a hycosy in June (could have been May but was on holiday) results were clear. Dr referred us for ivf on 13th July and we had our first ivf appointment mid-august.
they were happy for us to start that cycle but again, we had a holiday booked so now I start on norethisterone next week.
so for us it’s been quite quick and could have been quicker if not for hols.

Reyttc · 17/10/2024 21:13

We went to the doctors in August, 14 months of trying after a missed miscarriage.

GP ran bloods on me in September (Would have been August but needed to be cycle day 21), other half had his test at the fertility clinic this month (October). And I’m on a six month waiting list for my tests at the fertility clinic.

Like others have said though it depends on the area you live in for how long you will wait.

BreakfastOats · 17/10/2024 22:30

Hello! Where I live, the waiting time for your first appointment in the fertility clinic is 12 months. We went private for tests including a hycosy and ovulation induction. We are seriously considering IVF next but we’d have to go private again. Good luck!

tryingtoholdittogether1 · 18/10/2024 20:31

Thanks so much everyone! It’s horrible that something so important as the speed in which you get to start fertility treatment is based on your postcode!

We have a GP appointment next week so will get the ball rolling but might also book a scan privately so speed things up.

Hope you all get your little babies x

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