# Why abroad and how did you choose a clinic?



## Bluebelle Star (Feb 5, 2008)

Hi ladies

I'm now in my final research year and will start my tests in September (!!!) to see how things are fertility wise! Of course I've started looking @ various options - due to  my PCOS and other reasons, I am looking at both abroad (and possible embryo donation) and UK treatments. 

One thing I'd love to understand better is why singles go abroad? 

And how do you choose which clinic abroad, since you can't visit them all I don't know how one would choose? 

Also with the travel, are the costs still significantly cheaper re IVF?

Sorry to ask so many questions, I've been informed by one helpful lady here that some of the abroad clinics have a 8 ish month rent, so need to get my name down once my tests are completed in September!


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## dottiep (Nov 20, 2007)

Hi Bluebell

I originally started looking at clinics abroad due to waitlists for donor eggs although later decided to have one more go with my own eggs and decided to stay with Reprofit as it was approx £3K less than treatment in london.  Just been back for FET which was 150 Euros!! However Reprofit are now quoting approx 8 months for fresh donor egg cycle.  If you go the donated embryo route then the waiting time is much less - as long as he can match you.
I also looked in to clinics in Spain as their wait lists are practically non-existent but the cost was approx 10,000 Euros for fresh donor cycle!!
Other place I've looked in to is Greece which doesn't seem to have long waits and cheaper than spain.  Not progressed anything yet though as just been back for frosties.
There are threads under the International board on here for all the abroadies - check it out.
Hope that helps..

Dottie
x


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## ♥JJ1♥ (Feb 11, 2006)

I took some advice from my gyane/IVF consultant over here and he recommended IVI clinics (any of the chain as they have high standards) or Shady Grove in Washington for USA as they have the largest DE bank. I also had a telephone consultation with Dr Sher in SIRM, Las Vegas. I also wanted a country where English was spoken widely.

I didn't want Russia or Eastern Europe eg: Poland etc clinic really.  He also said that he no longer recommended IM  Barcelona and won't share care there and said that some clinics are not as thorough in selecting donors or import donors from Eastern Europe.

I wanted a clinic near to UK for us, as there are 3 (me , my donor and his partner) of us that have to go (and co-ordinate NHS nursing off duites!!) when we need to go. USA a bit far although pound to dollar nowadays makes USA more in reach for people.

I also thought I'd be more likely to get a donor who looked like me in Spain (we both have have dark hair and eyes).  I did look at the refund programme but an excluded from them as I have lining problems. Maria Christina (on the pregnancy loss thread is in Washington on the 6 cycle refund programme!! and has done the IM Barcelona one).

It is hard and really the unknown.

Good Luck
L x


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## Damelottie (Jul 26, 2005)

Cost and ease of it all. A few 'e' mails and I'm sorted. Compared to all the messing around over here with forms, money, appointments, etc etc

Fantastic communication and help. Have really felt like a paying customer - never have over here. I'm still waiting for 2 'e' mails back from LWC    . Its been about 7 months I think   

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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## suitcase of dreams (Oct 7, 2007)

Hi Bluebelle,

If I end up going abroad it will be for 2 reasons: cost and shorter waiting time than UK for donor eggs. To be completely honest I haven't done any in depth research on different clinics although I do already have a slot booked (April 2009) for donor eggs at Reprofit in Czech Republic

I'm hoping not to need it and that this cycle will work but I wanted to be on a list somewhere for donor eggs because I didn't want to get to the end of this year with no success and then be told I would have to wait 9-18 months for donor eggs. 

If this cycle is not successful I will seriously consider Reprofit for 3rd cycle with own eggs - several of the single girls have been there now and speak very highly of it. And if you fly Easyjet, then flights/accommodation etc are very reasonable - and the overall cost is much less than IVF in the UK. The one drawback for me personally is the fact that donors are anonymous there so the child would not be able to find out any information when it turned 18. But I have to say whilst that was a really important factor for me when I started this journey, it's becoming less and less so.....

Good luck with your research!
Laura
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## Bluebelle Star (Feb 5, 2008)

Thanks so much ladies, this has been very helpful! 

Dottie - thanks so much for the info on Reprofit, I hate to bring finances into it, but the reality is it does play a factor. I'm amazed at 150 euros for a FET, compared to what I've been quoted here!

JJ1 - I hadn't even thought of USA, I get what you mean about speaking english as that was a concern of mine originally, especially since my PCOS does leave me with some side effects that I would want good consultation with the Dr doing the transfer about. I've never heard of a refund program?  I had assumed USA would be very expensive as I know two British friends of mine who live there now, basically spend $65 and $94 K respectively.  

Emma - I'm so glad to hear about your experience with Reprofit, sounds like you're being treated how you should be treated. I did have a good experience with LWC so far (I did hear back from them after a while, as they apparently had a major problem with emails going missing, perhaps yours did? They were very apologetic and sent me info, prices and their magazine). I'm really keen to hear how you find Reprofit in Aug when you go. 

Laura - I didn't know you could book so far in advance. You are right the annonymous factor is something to consider. 

Okay, sorry I have 3 more questions:

1. Laura you mentioned egg donation, does that mean you'd "bring your own sperm" why would a single choose egg donation instead of embryo donation? Sorry I'm just so new to all this!

2. Does anyone know a ballpark figure of the cost of an embryo donation with I assume IVF @ Reprofit? 

3. To book an appointment @ Reprofit, what do you need to do? Do you need a referral from a Dr here? 

Thanks so much ladies, you are always so helpful!


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## suitcase of dreams (Oct 7, 2007)

Hi Bluebelle,

Egg donation is basically the 'fresh' version of embryo donation. It has higher success rate - although is more expensive of course...since I am single I would also need donor sperm from Reprofit - so also known as double donation....

I would not rule out embryo donation but I'm wondering if I would get a good match that way or not.They are basically allocating whatever frozen embryos they have so would depend whether they have one which matches me - I'd want the female donor to have at least some of my characteristics in terms of hair/eye colour (red/blue), and the male donor to be fair/blue eyed - not sure if this would be easy to match or not over there. I haven't looked into it yet. I'm really hoping this IVF cycle works with own eggs to be honest and would go for at least one more with own eggs before I move to the donor egg option (the only reason I've already booked it in is the long wait list...)

Think embryo donation is about €1000 but Em or Roo can confirm that

No need for referral to Reprofit - just email them and you go from there - there are a couple of forms to fill in and send through and that's it...

Good luck
Laura
x


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## dottiep (Nov 20, 2007)

Bluebelle - just to add to what Laura has said....Reprofit quote approx 65% success rate with fresh cycle and approx 30% success rate with frozen donated embryos.

Dx


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## Bluebelle Star (Feb 5, 2008)

Laura and Dottie
Thanks for the clarification, that helps a lot. I'll contact Reprofit tomorrow and let you know what they say. 

Reading all the other threads I have no clue how you all know so much about hormones, drugs, follicles, sizes....anything you could recommend I read to learn? 

Laura - I too have red hair in my family and was a red head until I was 2.5, then went very blond followed by dirty blond/very light brown. However, most of my family has dark hair, so I was a surprise red head/blondie as a kid!


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## suitcase of dreams (Oct 7, 2007)

I'm not sure how we get to know so much about it Bluebelle - I think it comes from spending far too much time reading the threads on here!

Plus Dottie is queen of Google and is always looking things up  

The only book I've really read (apart from the ones about becoming a single mother - which don't really focus on the 'technical' side of it) is the Zita West one (Zita West's Guide to getting pregnant) - which has a chapter or two on IVF/assisted conception. But I'm pretty sure most of it I've picked up on here....

My red hair comes from my Welsh grandfather - my mum and one of her 2 sisters are red heads, and of the 3 of us, me and one sister are red heads, the other sister is blonde, but with lots of red in it....and we're all fair skinned with blue eyes. So even though I know I could have met/had children with someone really dark in colour and shaken things up a bit, since I'm going it alone I want my child to fit in well with the rest of the family - which means I need fair donors with light hair and blue eyes....amazing how difficult that has been to date - even with the largest donor bank in the UK, I've only ever had 1 or max 2 options for sperm donors at LWC....

Laura
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## dottiep (Nov 20, 2007)

Laura's right....I spend far too many hours on google!  Happy reading

Dx


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## ♥JJ1♥ (Feb 11, 2006)

Bluebelle is you look at the shady grove website for DE's you can get 6 cycles of DE for $24,000 so 12,000 pounds now on the exchange rates and also you get a 100% refund if you are not pregnancy, also known donor eggs http://www.shadygrovefertility.com/shared_theplan.cfm

IM Barcelona also do a 3 cycle package for 30,000 Euro- you need a competent uterus to be taken on though. LWC also do a 3 cycle IVF package for under 40's.

IVI Barcelona also quote a 65% success rate of DE's. a cycle there is approx 10,000 Euros.

It is a maze choosing a clinic
L x

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