Anyone gone private in London?

Gwenneh · 09-11-2009, 05:45 PM

Hey all,

It looks like we're moving back to London early next year. When I lived in the UK, I had similar experiences with the NHS (being told to lose weight and given no help with PCOS) which is why we moved back to the US - where I was put on Metformin and am currently undergoing cycles of IUI.

When we do go back, we were thinking of going to a private clinic. Has anyone had a more positive experience with a private clinic? Do they harp on weight quite as much? I'm just trying to suss out whether or not this is going to be an issue for me and if we should plan to remain in the US for a few extra months if need be, even though the health insurance bill is killing us.

carro · 09-15-2009, 01:05 PM

I have posted several threads. Im private with a wonderful clinic in London. Im with Professor Farid and Dalene Rottier (dietician) at the London Endocrine Clinic. You can google it or pm me for info. best of luck

MishaD. · 09-17-2009, 09:27 AM

Hello,

I think we have a lot in common. I am American but have been living in London for 2 years and was diagnosed with PCOS earlier this year under the NHS. Since my husband and I don't have any children and we've been ttc for 1 1/2 years, we are eligible for a free IVF with ICSI cycle through our NHS trust. However, there is a wait until Dec 09 / Jan 2010 at least and we are thinking about going private since the NHS clinics have much lower success rates than private. The cost of IVF at a private clinic is cheaper in the UK than in the U.S. and I've heard good things. London is the best city in the UK for treatment. You can research live birth rates (which for me, is the only success rate statistic that means anything) if you google the following "human fertilisation and embryology authority" in the UK. I'm not allowed to post any website links yet :-(

We are thinking about the ARGC or Lister Hospital in London. Their live birth rates are about 50% and 40% respectively. Compare this to about 22-25% under the NHS.

Many clinics in London also have egg sharing programmes which means you get everything for free (except the ICSI cost if you need it).

Best of luck to you and keep in touch.

Tulips_in_London · 10-04-2009, 02:33 PM

Hello,
I am also an American living in London with PCOS.

I am asked my GP about my PCOS, but she said she will not doing anything until I have trouble TTC. I am engaged and want to know if I should change my plans as to when I will TTC as well as if there is anything I should be doing now.

I have private insurance, what do you suggest I do? Just ask for a referral so I can go private?

Thanks for your help!

MishaD. · 10-15-2009, 11:44 AM

In the UK, you have to first see your GP who will not refer to you an assisted conception until under the NHS until you have TTC for at least 1 year. You will then have blood tests done, an ultrasound, and your partner will have a sperm test, you then have to wait months to see a doctor, then months to be referred for the IVF wait list. I went to my GP in January 2009 and was finally referred for IVF in Sept 2009 and we are told there is a chance we can get our one free cycle in Dec 09 / Jan 2010. The process and wait is very long on the NHS. If we had known this earlier, we would have immediately gone private. However, private insurance does usually not cover infertility treatments, but they might cover any medically necessary treatments to deal with PCOS symptoms not related to infertility. Good luck.

NYbird · 11-22-2009, 07:08 PM

I'm an American in the UK too. We went private to the Bridge Centre for both our children. Our first took about three years after working our way through clomid, iui and then ultimately ivf. Our second was our first fresh cycle after a failed frozen. I would definitely recommend going private, if not for the wait then definitely for the better success rates. Good luck!