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If you are starting your fertility journey, choosing the right fertility clinic for you is not a decision to make lightly. From the fertility doctor you choose to work with, how many cycles you end up using, the type of fertility treatment you are offered, and even the support you are offered throughout the treatment and after, there is so much to consider. You need to carefully choose a fertility clinic that doesn’t just match your needs in terms of location and budget but also in terms of support and potential success rates.
In this article, we will explore the world of fertility clinics and how to choose the right one for you and your fertility journey.
Understanding your reproductive health is crucial to discovering why you are finding it hard to conceive. Conditions such as gynecological cancers, PCOS, endometriosis, and many more come under the reproductive health umbrella.
Currently, WHO has stated that reproductive health is “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters relating to the reproductive system and its functions and processes. Reproductive health implies that people can have a satisfying and safe sex life, that they can reproduce, and that they have the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so.”
Under this definition, the use of fertility clinics and fertility treatments like IVF, IVM, IUI, and even using an egg or sperm donor is as much about the freedom to decide if, when, and how to conceive. But what is a fertility clinic, and when should you go to one?
A fertility clinic, as the name suggests, is a medical clinic that specializes in fertility and reproductive health. They are usually private clinics that offer a range of fertility treatments, including:
IVF: when an egg is fertilized outside the body. In this process, fertility medicine is taken to encourage the ovaries to produce more eggs than usual. Eggs are removed from the ovaries and fertilized with sperm in a laboratory. A fertilized egg (embryo) is then returned to the womb to grow and develop. Most clnics also offer the similar treatments of ICSI and PICSI.
IUI: Also known as artificial insemination, this involves inserting sperm into the womb via a thin plastic tube passed through the cervix. Sperm is first collected and washed in a fluid. The best quality specimens (the fastest moving) are selected.
IVM: This is when your eggs are removed while they’re immature and allowed to mature in the lab, meaning you don’t have to take any hormones.
Egg and sperm freezing: When a number of the female’s eggs are stimulated and collected for freezing to allow for possible use at a later date. Or when a male’s sperm sample is collected and frozen.
Egg and sperm donation: Allowing individuals to donate their eggs or sperm to people having trouble conceiving.
If you have been having issues with conceiving, you’re a same-sex couple, or if you are a single person looking to reproduce, then using a fertility clinic may be the best option for you and your reproductive health needs.
When should you go to a fertility clinic? That is a personal decision but if you are a male/female couple and have been trying to conceive for more than a year without success, it is probably worth considering some investigations. Processes vary from location to location but, in the UK, this usually means a visit to your GP (general practitioner) who will advise on the next steps, potentially do some of their own tests, and possibly refer you to a fertility doctor on the NHS (National Health Service). To go through the NHS though, there are various criteria that need to be met and unfortunately the UK has an “IVF postcode lottery” system where your entitlement to IVF depends on what is offered by your local authority. Some regions offer up to three cycles on the NHS, while some offer none.
If you have the financial means to go private, this means you will be seen more quickly and are not reliant on what is offered by your local authority. There are also less restrictions in terms of age limits and BMI. Private clinics may have their age limits in place based on potential success rate, with the rate of success dropping dramatically past the age of 45. They may also look at potential health risks to determine eligibility, including if you have PCOS, endometriosis, or any sperm issues.
Not every person who uses fertility clinics is there because of reproductive health issues though. Many choose fertility clinics because they cannot reproduce with their partners due to being a same-sex couple, or because they have chosen to reproduce on their own. Same sex couples are entitled to the same access to NHS fertility clinics as straight couples. Meanwhile, single females are entitled to IVF on the NHS if they also have an identified cause of sub-fertility/infertility.
So, what factors should you consider when choosing the right fertility clinic for you?
Before you start your journey into IVF clinics near you, it is important to know who you will work with. The process is often intense, emotional, and one of the most expensive types of treatment you can get.
When choosing the correct fertility clinic for yourself, it is important that you don’t just choose the first one on Google. Checking out the HFEA (Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority) database in the UK will give you insights into the clinics in your area, as well as success rates and even costs. If you’re using a UK clinic, always ensure it is HFEA registered. Other countries will also have their own regulatory bodies.
Below, we have set out further factors you should look at when researching fertility clinics to help you make the best choice for you.
Depending on you and your needs, researching the types of treatments offered and if they require you to go on specific fertility medications is important. Currently, for IVF, there are three main ones offered by fertility clinics: natural cycle IVF, which requires no fertility drugs and uses your natural cycle to retrieve the egg; mild stimulation IVF, which requires you to take a dose of fertility drugs for a short period of time before the removal of the eggs, and IVM where you don’t have to take hormones but they remove the eggs when they are immature. Other treatments you may be offered are artificial insemination (IUI) and egg or sperm freezing/donation, surrogacy, and more.
As you start choosing a fertility clinic, you may find they have some health checks they need you to do to ensure you are eligible. This can include factors like your age, health, location, sexuality, and how long you have been trying to get pregnant. They may also ask you if you have tried other IVF treatments and, if so, where and when. This is because these factors can determine the potential success of your current fertility treatment. HFEA now also requires clinics to carry out a ‘Welfare of the Child’ assessment before starting any treatment. This assessment looks at factors likely to cause serious physical, psychological, or medical harm, either to the child to be born or to any existing child of the family.
Currently, fertility treatment costs can range from around £7,000-£10,000, including tests, consultations, egg and sperm storage, and transfer, depending on the type of treatment, the number of cycles, and whether you need to supply your own sperm or egg donation. When choosing a fertility clinic, ensure it has no hidden costs. Even if it offers easy payment plans, this is a great way to ensure you can easily afford your fertility treatment.
When choosing your fertility clinic, keep in mind that you’ll need to make multiple trips to it, sometimes at short notice. So, choosing one that is easy to get to is essential. It also allows you to budget for travel.
Talk to friends and support systems and read reviews about the clinic’s pricing and success rates. Are the staff compassionate and supportive? Do they ensure their onboarding process is straightforward?
It almost goes without saying that it is worth checking out the clinic’s success rates to get a good feel for how their treatment works.
When choosing a fertility clinic, ensuring they can also provide compassionate support throughout this intense period is important.
It is worth visiting any clinics you’re considering before making a decision. The people working at the clinic will play a big part in your life for a while, so a lot of your decision could depend on gut instinct. Do you like the doctors and nurses? Do they treat you with compassion and respect? Do you feel able to ask questions?
Before you decide to go for IVF treatment, it is essential to note that it is one of the most expensive and invasive procedures around. So, it is important to find a clinic that feels right for you.
If you decide to go through the fertility clinic route, take your time to look at the price, types of treatment offered, location, success rate, eligibility criteria, and the clinic’s culture/ethos. All of this will help you choose the best fertility clinic for you.
References:
Cottingham, J., Kismödi, E., & Hussein, J. (2019). Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters – What’s in Nameme?. Sexual and reproductive health matters, 27(1), 1–3. doi.org/10.1080/09688080.2019.1574427
Edwards, R. G. (2007). IVF, IVM, natural cycle IVF, minimal stimulation IVF–time for a rethink. Reproductive biomedicine online, 15(1), 106-119.
Ellenbogen, A., Shavit, T., & Shalom-Paz, E. (2014). IVM results are comparable and may have advantages over standard IVF. Facts, views & vision in ObGyn, 6(2), 77–80.
HFEA. Choose a Fertility Clinic. Human Fertilisation and Embryo Authority. hfea.gov.uk/choose-a-clinic/
NIEHS. Reproductive Health. National Institute of Environmental Studies. niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/conditions/repro-health
Pyper C. (1997). Reproductive health awareness: an important dimension to be integrated into existing sexual and reproductive health programs. Advances in contraception: the official journal of the Society for the Advancement of Contraception, 13(2-3), 331–338. doi.org/10.1023/a:1006588929396
WHO. Reproductive Health in the Western Pacific. World Health Organziation. who.int/westernpacific/health-topics/reproductive-health
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