Advice Needed: Choosing Between Beaconsfield Lister Clinic and Create Fertility

[SocialPR]

Hi everyone, I’m looking for some advice and would really appreciate honest feedback from those who have been through similar experiences. I know everyone’s journey is different, but I’m trying to decide between having ICSI treatment at the Beaconsfield Lister Clinic or Create Fertility.
I’m turning 40 soon and have low AMH. After two failed NHS cycles, I’m feeling quite overwhelmed. Both clinics have different specialisms, and I’d love to hear from anyone who has had success or experience with either clinic.
Starting a family means everything to me, and as I don’t have unlimited funds, I want to make sure I choose the right clinic for this next step. Thank you so much in advance for sharing your experiences!

Hello @SocialPR I have been with ABC IVF (sister Clinic to Create Fertility) and I am currently with the Lister in Chelsea. I was very lucky to get pregnant on my first transfer with ABC (we had male factor infertility), I then had 2 failed transfers. I am now with the Lister as it is covered by my insurance. I had good experiences with both clinics. What I would say with the Lister is that you have more access to your consultant, I have had several consultations with mine and she is always happy to answer questions via email. At Create / ABC it was more Nurse led care. I also found Lister tailored the approach a bit more according to my needs and suggested further testing and protocols after my failed transfers. It ends up costing more but they want to do all the necessary checks to ensure you get the best results. Nevertheless, both clinics are very good and I'm sure you will be happy with either. I hope it helps x

Hi @SAbs86 -Thank you so much for your post. It’s honestly very helpful. With so much information available online and a limited budget, it’s crucial for us to choose the right clinic. The medications are important, of course, but the monitoring and testing are equally vital. At Create, did they recommend natural or modified IVF for you? I’ve read a lot about people receiving excellent care at Create, but with varying success rates. How are things going for you at Lister? If you don’t mind me asking, who is your consultant there? Out of interest do you have low AMH?

At Create they recommended a medicated FET. I'm not sure why actually since I have regular periods and ovulate. Lister recommended a natural modified FET. I'm quite happy with the Lister, I feel the care is more consultant led than nurse led. They are very quick to respond to any questions. And they are open 7 days a week which is not the case for other clinics. My consultant is Jaya Parikh she is very good. No my AMH is normal, I am unexplained x

I have very low AMH and was with Create (not ABC) and it was consultant lead which I think is one of the differences between the two. Also I did natural modified IVF (following 2 failed rounds of short protocol at a different clinic). It was successful and I now have a child. Equally I have heard good things about Lister and know someone who had a successful cycle there.

@SocialPR I have been with Create due to low AMH and being 37/38 during egg collections, was previously with another clinic that didn not go well and had a consultation with Care fertility but decided on Create as they appeared more tailored in approach. Never considered Lister so cannot advise on that. I had 2 cycles of natural modified IVF and a 3rd mild IVF, so a 3 cycle package. Currently 34 weeks pregnant after a 3rd natural FET (embryos were untested so perhaps it was trial and error, with my age they tend to say 1 in 4 are normal and I had 4 embryos transferred over the 3 FETs). I have some embryos frozen too (they are untested so unsure if they would lead to the same result but probably our best shot of trying for a sibling as I'll be in my 40s but that point-if that doesnt happen we're just happy and grateful with our lot). Would highly recommend Create from a clinical side, admin side is a bit hit and miss but as long as you don't mind chasing and keeping a track of things (I'm over the top with that stuff anyway) then it doesn't cause too much bother.

@SAbs86 Thank you so much for all the information - it's incredibly helpful. I'm naturally a worrier, so knowing there’s someone dedicated to talking things through at Lister is amazing. How are you managing everything now? It’s so hard to navigate all the conflicting information online. I didn’t have the best experience with NHS funded IVF; it felt very one-size-fits-all. They kept increasing the stimulation medications despite my body not responding well, and it just felt like a "pump and hope for the best" approach. I’ve heard that private clinics, like Lister/Create, tend to offer more personalised care, with additional checks and a more tailored approach, which I need especially with my low AMH.
I know costs vary depending on individual treatment plans, but are they very high at Lister or Create?

@Sunflower360 Reading your message brought a tear to my eye. The biggest challenge I’ve faced is not being able to find many success stories about Create, and with money being limited, we really only have one shot at this. I’ve been considering the 3-cycle package, which I assume involves high stimulation for three rounds. I’m approaching 40 and feel I desperately need a more tailored approach with consistent checks and blood tests - something the NHS simply doesn’t seem equipped to offer. Which Create clinic did you go to? I’ve come across some mixed reviews for a few of their locations, so I’d love to hear your experience. Thank you again for your message - it’s been so helpful, and I’m absolutely over the moon for your wonderful news!

@Xmastree5Thank you for sharing your experience. My AMH is around 2.8, which I know is low. I went through NHS-funded short protocol, but it just didn’t work for me - my body didn’t respond well at all. I’m so happy to hear about your positive experience with Create and your wonderful news! Which clinic did you go to for your treatment? I’m currently considering Wimbledon.

@SocialPR can completely understand the emotions, it's such a rollercoaster. I was at Birmingham clinic. I think each experience is individual, you will get a mixed bag of experiences from each and every clinic I think, a lot is finding a clinic that you best connect with and that are on the same page as you-go loaded with questions, I always did with each consultation/review meeting.

The highest dose that Create tend to go, if I recall is 225, whereas my NHS round (different clinic) ended up being 450 with no results...so difference is large- I'm quite an advocate for the slow and steady approach, I responded better to it. Cost wise for 3 cycles (with 1 transfer) was around £17-18k natural modified and around £19-20k for mild if I recall correctly.

There has been other success stories with Create, you may find this group useful. Perhaps post on there to ask for different experiences as I think some are also some still on their journeys

Create Fertility - Experiences (Part 3) - www.mumsnet.com/talk/infertility/5023979-create-fertility-experiences-part-3

I was mostly at St Paul's but I did attend Wimbledon for scans on a few occasions

@Sunflower360 Thank you so much for letting me know about your clinic experience and helpful support - I truly can’t thank you enough. When you know this is your last hope and that the next funded step is absolutely crucial, it means the world to have some clarity. I felt exactly the same and with the NHS – maxed out on treatment, and my body took ages to respond. This might sound strange, but do you happen to know if NHS-funded treatment at Create is the same as private treatment? I’m asking because, from my experience, the NHS tends to kinda cut corners: no blood tests during IVF beyond the initial ones, limited scans, and the medications tend to differ compared to private treatment, which is usually more personalised. The cost breakdown you provided is super helpful as a guide, so we have a better idea of what to expect. Thank you again for sharing your experience with Create, it’s been so valuable, and I’ll make a post on the channel you have shared. Honestly, I can’t thank you enough – we only have one chance at this, and your help means everything!

@Xmastree5 Thanks for this. Did you have to go in regular/every day thought-out your treatment? I'm considering Wimbledon so really thank you for sharing your first hand experience.

@SocialPR no problem. We did private funded with Create. But there may be some restrictions with NHS that I would think the clinic are bound by as per guidance in funding. For instance we had miscarriage tests done after only 1 miscarriage where I found out I had thyroid antibodies and would perhaps need a low dose steroid at transfer which I did have. With NHS I think they normally do that after 2 or 3 miscarriages, but we paid £500 to get them done-so private does expedite things a bit more in terms of decision making

@Sunflower360 Thank you for being so open and honest. I haven’t even reached the implantation stage yet, so reading about everything you’ve been through truly highlights how strong you are. It’s incredible how much of a difference these small tests can make. I really appreciate your help and there’s so much on my mind right now, and your honest input is so helpful! It’s so annoying as hitting 40 really isn’t old and it’s picking the right clinic that has literally got to be the right one.

@SocialPR I was with Create Wimbledon this summer so thought I would jump in!
We are dealing with low AMH (5.4 and I am 34) and MFI. I was there every other day for scans during stimulation and never had any issues with the team (aside from maybe my patient coordinator being very slow to come back on anything - you don't have a direct contact for anyone throughout your treatment, just a general email)
I was initially on a 225 dose, but due to my low response was increased to 275 for my final few days. we managed to get 4 eggs and 2 high grade embryos. Sadly my fresh transfer failed and I had a chemical from my medicated FET.
We only paid for one round with Create and looking back, i wish we'd just gone for the 3 cycle package as we've ended paying close to that with the additional transfer and freezing costs from one round anyway.

I'm currently doing a round in prague - we got 7 eggs, 5 mature and 3 fertilised, so not as good as create. Makes me wonder if this is down to the lab at Create being very good!

Overall I would recommend Create Wimbledon due to the fertilisation and quality of what they did manage to retrieve. Only thing i will say is that after my final HCG test to confirm my pregnancy had passed, I never heard from anyone again. Felt a little cut throat!

@Ru19 Wow, and now you’ve gone abroad - there really are so many options, and even choosing a clinic abroad feels like such a tough decision. I really appreciate you going into detail about the care and medication.
To be honest, my two rounds with the NHS probably shouldn’t have gone ahead given how I was responding to the stims, which is why I’m so cautious about choosing the next clinic. Hearing honest, first-hand experiences like yours means so much more than just relying on online reviews.
It seems many of these clinics operate in a similar way, after my last failed round, I never even heard back from Kings.
How are you getting on now? It’s really helpful to know about the lower-dose medication - thanks again