IVF Private Clinic - any recommendations?

[CAZW19]

Hi,

We?ve recently had a failed IVF ICSI cycle at Guys Hospital. The cycle was funded through the NHS. We are now looking into private fertility clinics as the NHS only funds one cycle. Can anyone who has gone through IVF/ICSI recommend any private clinics in London? It would be useful to understand the benefits of going to these clinics versus paying privately with the NHS.

Any insights would be most appreciated.

Thank you.

[Sonners]

Sorry to hear about your failed cycle. We had a funded cycle at Kings in 2012 (and were very lucky to be successful) and then did a self-funded (unsuccessful) frozen cycle at Kings a few years later. We chose them for the self-funded cycle partly because we knew them (and our embryos were already there) but also knowing that being local helped with the appointments etc. It was a while ago now but I think that it was much cheaper than the private clinic I looked at in London Bridge when thinking about the self-funded options.

If you are going to go to a private clinic then which one is best for you may depend on what your infertility factors and other considerations might be. E.g. ARGC has an excellent reputation for over 40's (but is a very intensive and expensive option). One of my friends used The Women's Clinic and rated them highly. If you aren't on it already then the Infertility Boards on Mumsnet are great for feedback on clinics and specific infertility experiences, as well as being a great support when going through a cycle.

Also the HEFA website publishes information about each clinic, including success rates, although those obviously have to be viewed with statistical skepticism.

Good luck with the next part of your journey.

[binkylilyput]

Thanks for raising this topic CAZW19- I'm following with interest!

Kings Fertility looks similar in pricing to other clinics to me. Or perhaps even a bit more expensive......in comparison to the London Women's Clinic for example. I guess it all depends on what you are actually having done.

As Sonners said, some clinics seem to be better for different things.

Has anyone been to Kings Fertility more recently?

[lolasid]

If it helps, a friend of mine went to Belgium where the success rates are said to be excellent. It worked for her.

[EastdulwichNewbie]

Hi

I am really sorry to hear about your failed cycle. That is really tough.

We went with Zita West. We decided to go private as we knew the NHS would take a while longer and it seemed like a 'one size fits all' approach, based on our friends' experience (this may not be the case, it was just our perception at the time). With Zita West we really liked the fact they were so positive and seemed to tailor their treatment and take a holistic approach. We did look at lifestyle factors before we even got into discussions about whether IVF was right. In our case, these didn't help and we needed ICSI.

After the first failed cycle (ended in missed miscarriage), they did a thorough review and we made some changes before the next successful frozen cycle. We felt really supported throughout the whole process and that we were throwing everything at it (as a result of some tests I needed blood thinners, thyroxine and progesterone injections too). I also had the controversial intralipid infusion and acupuncture. I have no idea whether the extras helped or not but we felt positive doing them and that was important to us.

We liked the fact we were under the care of a male fertility specialist (Dr Rofena - a lovely Dr - highly recommended), and that they used the facilities/specialists at Care London and the location was handy for our places of work too. Perhaps the most important factor was the speed of being able to go through a cycle - it was so much quicker than it would have been through the NHS, but privately the NHS may be comparable. A couple of counselling sessions were included and I found this really useful, especially after the missed miscarriage and when I was an emotional wreck during our most recent frozen cycle. This may be a standard feature of fertility treatment though.

We didn't do a comparison but I imagine that ZW are at the more expensive end of things.

ZW use the facilities at Care London who also run full cycles but with less emphasis on the extras (as far as I'm aware). I'm pretty sure they offer fertility packages which may be worth looking into.

As another poster suggested, forums are a good place to start. I'd also recommend attending open evenings so you can ask questions and get a feel for their approach and prices.

Best of luck for whichever route you go for.

[KittyG]

Sorry about your failed cycle - it's very difficult. I also did my first cycle at Guys via NHS funding and it was unsuccessful. We then moved to the Lister Clinic which I cannot recommend highly enough. I did two cycles and got pregnant both times, the first was a chemical pregnancy and the second resulted in my son who is nearly two. They were very good at learning from previous cycles and adjusting meds etc. We are going back soon to see about doing another cycle.

I found "Fertility Friends" a great source of information.

Good luck

[natty01295]

Try a Friend

or a Fertility Clinic

Or your partner Not wearing underpants

Only boxers

Keeping healthy Eating well Good food Lots of veg

What to Eat to Conceive

From baby carrots to pineapple, we ask the experts to weigh in on which foods boost fertility?during every phase of your cycle.

Tags: Fertility Nutrition, Most Popular

By Amy Paturel, M.S., M.P.H.

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You?re already loading up on organic fruits and veggies, staying away from processed foods and making sure you get enough whole grains, lean protein and dairy into your diet, as well as taking a prenatal vitamin for insurance. But can eating certain foods during different phases of your cycle enhance your fertility? Some experts say yes!

?Different phases of the cycle require a woman?s body to produce different hormones and go through separate processes,? says Jill Blakeway, M.S., L.A.c., clinic director at The YinOva Center in New York and co-author of Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility. ?So if a woman wants to maximize her chances of conceiving, it is possible to eat foods that are advantageous to each phase.?

But since many pre-conception eating recommendations are nothing more than wild Internet rumors, we asked the experts to weigh in on what to eat during each of the four reproductive phases. Want the scoop? Read on.

Menstruation

When your period starts to flow, you may feel crampy, bloated, fatigued and moody. You may also be depleting your iron stores. In fact, the average woman loses 30-40 milliliters of blood over the course of three to seven days. ?Iron is attached to the red blood cells, so the way you lose it is by bleeding,? says Elizabeth Ward, M.S., R.D., a Boston-area nutrition consultant and author of Expect the Best: Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During and After Pregnancy (Wiley 2009).

Menstruation is a good time to remember to focus on foods rich in iron, which the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 names as a nutrient of real concern among women in their childbearing years. Just don?t view your period as an excuse to load up on double cheeseburgers. ?It?s understandable for women who have a failed cycle to indulge?just don?t linger in that place,? says Hillary M. Wright, MEd, RD, LDN, director of nutrition counseling for the Domar Center for Mind/Body Health at Boston IVF and author of The PCOS Diet Plan: A Natural Approach to Health for Women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. ?Have an episode, then try to regroup and get back to setting the stage for a successful pregnancy.?

fuel up on:

Meat, beans, fish, leafy green vegetables and seeds. Most of these foods are rich in iron, protein or both, which is especially important if you have endometriosis or bleed heavily. And some (like fish, seeds and leafy greens) have anti-inflammatory properties, which can help mitigate cramps by encouraging healthy blood flow. Another tip: eat plenty of bell peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, kiwi, citrus and other food sources that are high in vitamin C. ?Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron from beans, whole grains and fortified cereals,? says Ward.

steer clear of:

Cold foods (if your periods are clotted and painful) and alcohol, caffeine and spicy foods, which can make bleeding even heavier.

on your plate:

Steak fajitas with black beans, bell peppers, onions and tomato salsa.

Follicular Phase

During the follicular phase, your body is working hard to develop a dominant follicle and estrogen levels are on the rise. Unfortunately, women who are struggling with fibroids and endometriosis often have too much estrogen (a condition called estrogen dominance). ?Cruciferous veggies like broccoli, kale, cabbage and cauliflower contain a phytonutrient called di-indolylmethane (DIM), which can help women metabolize estrogen better,? says Blakeway. In fact, DIM binds to environmental estrogens like pesticides and hormones in meat and dairy products, helping rid the body of excess estrogen. Just don?t forget to have some olive oil, avocado, nuts and seeds with those leafy greens. These foods are loaded with vitamin E, which is found in the fluid of the follicle that?s housing your egg.

fuel up on:

Foods that support follicle development like nuts, seeds, green vegetables, legumes, eggs and fish.

steer clear of:

Alcohol?it affects hormonal balance. It?s also dehydrating and the loss of water in the body may make cervical mucus too thick, says Blakeway.

on your plate:

Chicken and broccoli stir fry with cashews and brown rice.

Ovulation

As you near ovulation, the body needs plenty of B vitamins and other nutrients to support the release of the egg and promote implantation. ?Zinc can help with cell division and progesterone production and vitamin C is found in high quantities in the follicle after the egg is released and may play a role in progesterone production as well,? says Blakeway.

Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are also crucial during this phase. The best source: omega-3s from fish and fish oil supplements. These EFAs are best known for promoting blood flow to the uterus and supporting the opening of the follicle to release the egg, but guess what? They also open up the tiny blood vessels in your nether regions, which can ensure you?re primed and ready for action. ?Fish oil thins out your blood and increases circulation to your body parts,? says Wright. Plus, fish oil boosts the testosterone in your body?yes, women have this hormone too?so you may become aroused more quickly. And who among us couldn?t use a little of that when entering the O-zone?

fuel up on:

leafy greens, whole grains, eggs, legumes, meat, fish (or fish oil supplements) and water?lots and lots of water. Water plays a key role in transporting hormone and developing follicles. It also helps thin out cervical mucus, which may make it a little easier for your partner?s swimmers to get to their goal.

steer clear of:

Acidic foods like coffee, alcohol, meat and processed foods, which may make your cervical mucus hostile to sperm. Baby carrots are often touted for maximizing your body?s baby making juices because they?re alkaline (the opposite of acidic). But according to Blakeway, any alkaline foods will do, particularly green vegetables, sprouts and wheatgrass.

on your plate:

Cajun salmon and brown rice with a side of spinach saut?ed in garlic and olive oil?and a bowl of strawberries and a dark chocolate truffle for dessert. ?Chocolate is an aphrodisiac because it can mimic feelings of falling in love,? says Ward.

Luteal Phase

Now is the time to load up on nutrients that encourage cell growth. Beta-carotene, which is commonly found in leafy greens as well as yellow and orange foods (e.g., carrots, cantaloupe and sweet potatoes), helps keep your hormones in check and prevents early miscarriage. In fact, the corpus luteum, which helps produce the progesterone necessary to sustain a pregnancy, is loaded with the powerful nutrient.

One food that gets a lot of attention during this phase is pineapple. In addition to beta-carotene, pineapple contains a substance called bromelain, which has been shown to mildly support implantation through its anti-inflammatory properties. ?There?s not a lot of research out there for the benefits of eating pineapple during the time of conception, but if you want to hedge your bets, you may benefit,? says Wright. ?After all, pineapple is a healthy food with no downside.? Experts discourage taking bromelain as a supplement though because the dose may be too high, and anything that dramatically moves blood during this time could be counter-productive.

fuel up on:

Warming foods like soups and stews. The luteal phase is all about creating higher temperatures to help hold a pregnancy.

steer clear of:

Cold or raw foods, especially ice cream and frozen yogurt. The luteal phase is a time when you want to promote growth and expansion; cold constricts.

on your plate:

A hot and spicy bowl of chili made with lean ground beef and a slice of crusty bread. For dessert: pineapple sorbet.

Think you may be pregnant already? Check out our early signs of pregnancy.

[Mrs D]

https://www.hfea.gov.uk/choose-a-clinic/

This may be helpful.

[mrsmelodyhall]

Hi

A very close friend of mine has been undergoing IVF treatment at a clinic in Valencia by the name of IVI after having no success in the UK, link to the clinic is https://ivi-fertility.com/?_ga=2.168504033.1561286428.1517832551-1491514453.1517832551

[Bernard]

Hi - we had 4 failed attempts at IVF at the Lister and then went to ARGC and got pregnant first time. They are the most expensive clinic in London and their methods are controversial (in the UK - but not compared to US treatment - as I was given the same treatment in the US and also got pregnant). I cannot recommend them highly enough. At ARGC IVF is like a full time occupation though and you will be seen twice a day for scans and blood tests and have your drugs considered and probably altered on a daily basis. Good luck. Infertility is an awful thing to go through.

[ludoscotts]

My friend had 2 successful rounds of ivf at the lister clinic.

[BJA]

We used CRGH and a have baby! I was 44. Also try acupuncture. I can recommend Giles Davis. He is on a Barry Road.

The consultant we saw at CRGH, Ben Abramov, has moved to https://www.city-fertility.com/our-team

[Jellybeanz]

We had fertility treatment at Kings years ago, luckily it worked and I can't advise on the actual place (would recommend Kings generally but not all the staff were that great - a few fed up nurses / admin staff didn't make for an entirely stress free process).

I would, however, highly recommend you try acupuncture before and during IVF treatment. Few people know but it can boost your success rate hugely and I cannot stress that enough, tho the medics often pooh pooh anything "alternative" even when this is effectively Chinese medicine dating back thousands of years.

I had acupuncture before and found it very relaxing. I also had treatment after the implantation. I had been for a scan and the nurse let me down gently that she did not think it had been successful (embryos were too small and various sizes). I was disappointed obviously but nonetheless went for acupuncture the following day and then back for another scan on Monday. The nurse was visibly astonished - the embryos had all grown in size considerably and were more evenly sized, meaning the medics had 3 to choose from. I cried with joy, which for me is rare.

There is a huge amount of research and stats showing acupuncture is effective - whether it be because of its stress relieving effects or the stimulation of the relevant areas.

I used Tracey Goulding who is absolutely wonderful. She is the utmost professional, calm, very patient and caring. Just amazing really.

http://traceygoulding.com/

Happy to chat more if you would like to PM me. I know it can be incredibly stressful going through the process, with all the injections and clinical side of things.

[Jellybeanz]

I'd agree most people are emotional wrecks whilst going through fertility treatment - understandable I'd say as still such a taboo - quite bizarre really when you think about how many people suffer!

EastdulwichNewbie Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hi

>

> I am really sorry to hear about your failed cycle.

> That is really tough.

>

> We went with Zita West. We decided to go private

> as we knew the NHS would take a while longer and

> it seemed like a 'one size fits all' approach,

> based on our friends' experience (this may not be

> the case, it was just our perception at the time).

> With Zita West we really liked the fact they were

> so positive and seemed to tailor their treatment

> and take a holistic approach. We did look at

> lifestyle factors before we even got into

> discussions about whether IVF was right. In our

> case, these didn't help and we needed ICSI.

>

> After the first failed cycle (ended in missed

> miscarriage), they did a thorough review and we

> made some changes before the next successful

> frozen cycle. We felt really supported throughout

> the whole process and that we were throwing

> everything at it (as a result of some tests I

> needed blood thinners, thyroxine and progesterone

> injections too). I also had the controversial

> intralipid infusion and acupuncture. I have no

> idea whether the extras helped or not but we felt

> positive doing them and that was important to us.

>

>

> We liked the fact we were under the care of a male

> fertility specialist (Dr Rofena - a lovely Dr -

> highly recommended), and that they used the

> facilities/specialists at Care London and the

> location was handy for our places of work too.

> Perhaps the most important factor was the speed of

> being able to go through a cycle - it was so much

> quicker than it would have been through the NHS,

> but privately the NHS may be comparable. A couple

> of counselling sessions were included and I found

> this really useful, especially after the missed

> miscarriage and when I was an emotional wreck

> during our most recent frozen cycle. This may be a

> standard feature of fertility treatment though.

>

> We didn't do a comparison but I imagine that ZW

> are at the more expensive end of things.

>

> ZW use the facilities at Care London who also run

> full cycles but with less emphasis on the extras

> (as far as I'm aware). I'm pretty sure they offer

> fertility packages which may be worth looking

> into.

>

> As another poster suggested, forums are a good

> place to start. I'd also recommend attending open

> evenings so you can ask questions and get a feel

> for their approach and prices.

>

> Best of luck for whichever route you go for.

[Bagpipes]

Somewhat off topic but this book really helped some friends who went through a few cycles of IVF. Good luck to you with the next cycle, very much hope it's successful.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Get-Life-Hers-Survival-Guide/dp/1409155013

[natty01295]

NEW MEETUP GROUP Ivf Support

https://www.meetup.com/London-IVF-Support-Meetup/profile/?joinFrom=group

[CAZW19]

All, thank you so much for your invaluable help. I really appreciate that you?ve shared your experiences with me. We?ve finally chosen a clinic and will be tarting treatment in a few weeks. Thanks again :-)

[yvetteg1]

I know it's too late to post anything, but I visited many clinics, eventually turned abroad and then they helped me https://vittoriavita.com/

[camberwellconvert]

After an first assessment at Kings where they determined that I wasn't eligible for NHS funded cycles, we threw the kitchen sink at it and went to ARGC. It's full on but the intensity of the treatment and the constant monitoring and adjusting of treatment through the cycle gave me every confidence that it was worth every penny. I had two cycles in quick succession, the first was unsuccessful but the follow up consultation after the failed cycle was excellent and they had clearly learnt a lot in the course of my first cycle. My second cycle was horrendous - I was very ill throughout most of it and nobody was more surprised than me when it resulted in a pregnancy .... albeit one that didn't last the distance. In the end I have ended up having 2 children without further intervention .... my first was conceived 2 months after my second failed cycle, 3 months before I turned 40 and she is now a healthy 5 year old .... our second just arrived, I found myself pregnant with very little effort 14 months after the birth of my first at 42.

We tried for several years before seeking help... we had all the advice "just don't think about it", "learn to relax", "your job is very stressful" and I ate and exercised well and I lost the weight that was deemed to make the different and gave up the booze for years ... all the time everyone around us seemed to just have a good night out and hey presto! Infertility is miserable. It tests you and your relationship in every way. With the beauty of hindsight, I am quite convinced that while the ARGC treatment didn't result in a pregnancy, it certainly laid the groundwork to wake my body up so that it could carry a baby. Every best wish to you!