I went to my GP in September, and my first round of ivf was the following May. Probably quicker than usual as we have MFI so not as many tests required
I would personally go private for speed. Your GP will not do egg counts etc. You can get a couples fertility MOT that will give you answers (unless it’s unexplained) within a few days and for about £400. I would do it at a clinic where they offer IVF. I got a positive pregnancy test via private ivf before I got a date for my scans via NHS. You pay for speed (and don’t shoot me) better treatment.
I totally get where you’re coming from! My husband and I initially booked with Simply Fertility, but we weren’t happy with the experience - they gave us some confusing and honestly, unhelpful information. In the end, we decided to go to The Portland Hospital, as we felt it was worth going to a reputable place with a strong track record, even though it was more of an investment. For context, it cost around £750 for both male and female assessments, plus an additional £250 for a consultation with a specialist. In hindsight, it was worth every penny for the peace of mind and clarity we gained. If time is a priority for you, going privately can make a real difference xx
Thanks everyone! Really helpful to hear people’s experiences. I did look at hertility for an online / cheaper option, but I think I’ll feel better having someone local to actually go to. The private option I’m looking at is £565 for both male and female tests and consultation so feels like that is about right cost wise.
@Filipa there are multiple companies doing fertility tests, for example Hertility, one day test - just two from the top of my head, but there are many more!
I went for the Hertility test and got a clean bill of health. I then managed to get gp appointments for the fertility referral a few weeks, maybe a month or 2 at most after that and was diagnosed with PCOS and fibroids. Now Hertility does claim to diagnose PCOS, so I cannot account for why that was not picked up in my tests. To be fair Hertility does not claim to pick up on fibroids, I am sure that has to be an ultrasound that picked up on that. FYI you also have to do the Hertility test on a certain day of your cycle, I didn't know and had to wait for a month because I narrowly missed that window. Speed of referrals can also depend on where you live. My GP got me seen relatively soon but a coworker who lives 2 towns over was waiting for several months.
Omg it’s taking a lifetime!! Tried for a year, been sent for about 5 sets of bloods, internal scans and they’re still bloody clueless! If I could afford to, I’d go private
I went to the Drs in March 24 and still waiting for IVF appointment, if you are in a position to go private then go for it ❤️, debating doing the same!
I’m literally just watching a fertility program where you can do basic testing from home - it’s a company called “enhanced fertility” and I think they are present in many countries. They sell a fertility kit that you can test at home and they send you the results, not sure how good it is!