Is it worth waiting for 1 cycle of IVF on the NHS?

[tinselcat]

Apparently in my area they only give you 1 cycle of IVF treatment (which doesn't sound a lot) and I get the impression that the NHS are very slow to grind into action over fertility treatment (based on reading things on PF in the past). I don't feel time is on my side (am nearly 34) so not keen on waiting a year or some crazy amount of time to get there.

Can anyone say how the NHS & alternatives compare time/price-wise?

Thanks x

 

[Gizzy Kelly]

Hi hon I am in Essex and the wait is hardly anything. I would def inquire as you may be pleasantly surprised. Xxx

 

[maybe baby]

Waiting times do vary but you can get it cheaper privately if you donate eggs, say £2000 ish.

Some private places take nhs patients too like care fertility, your gp has to apply for the funding, perhaps that's a quicker route, maybe chat to your GP?

Louise B's the expert and will tell you more.

Xx

 

[itisbabytime]

I think once u r approved for ivf the wait isn't long. But its the faffing about with the fertility clnics is what takes so long.

All in including drugs etc the cost is about 5k privately. Maybe a bit less/more depending where u live.

What else have u done/ruled out?

 

[tinselcat]

Hey itsbabytime,

Due to my OH's test results he has been referred for fertility problems and the doctor advised us we would need IVF (as opposed to ISCI or other alternatives) to ensure we got a healthy baby. (I had bloods done & they came back fine).

If you don't mind me asking, how many rounds of treatment would the 5k cover? (I guess it would cost a bit more here as I am in London where everything pricewise is inflated!)

xx

 

[itisbabytime]

5k would likely only cover one unfortunately. google some of the private hospitals in your area - most of them will have price lists as a guide. if the nhs is saying now that you need ivf and they arent going to bother with iui etc get yourself on the waiting list! paying privately doesnt mean you are not entitled to nhs ivf.

 

[JJ Mum]

I would try to get the funded one, dependent on how long in your area tho, it's expensive.

The clinc i'm hoping to start with for IVF takes nhs too , but in my area one of the nhs criteria is that you have to be 30-34 ! (such a slim range) and also that you have not had 2 private attempts at ivf already. So worth exploring a free cycle , and then go on to fund yourself to not loose it, if that makes sense.

Good luck

 

[ScotchEgg]

Check the criteria for funding in your area too. My area states that every private cycle counts as a cycle and reduces what you're entitled to. So if you had one while waiting you'd only get 2 nhs instead of 3.

I remember googling for ivf criteria and my pct (east of england) and finding a really good document which set everything out clearly. Worth a look...

 

[Drummers_wife]

get yourself on the road to sorting it out lovely - google local clinic areas and then spk to gp see what the next steps would be xx

 

[LouiseB]

The wait tends to depend on how many free cycles you get in your area... So if you only get one then I don't imagine you'll be waiting very long once you get referred

I definitely thinks it worth holding out for a free one unless you have wads of cash because a failed free cycle is bad enough but once you start paying £5k and getting a failed cycle it's really hard to justify keeping going.

A free go is really valuable and shouldn't be snubbed unless your are really pushed xx

 

[tinselcat]

Thanks everyone for your helpful advice, hopefully it won't be too slow to get the treatment once we are officially referred. Just wish we had more than 1 cycle!

xx

 

[Tinkerbell3]

Bit of a late reply but we're in London and currently going through our one and only funded cycle of ICSI, we also get 2 FETs. I was, and still am really scared that we only get one cycle funded especially as other areas in London around us get 2 or 3

We were referred in February, had our first appointment late March and could have started the next cycle as there was no waiting list at the clinic but we were going on holiday to get married so had to put it off a couple of months. Not all clinics and areas have long waiting lists so it's worth checking out before opting to go private.