# Sperm shortage and cost increases



## lotty1 (Oct 9, 2007)

Hi all just wondered if anyone has experienced the knock on effects of lack of sperm in the UK? We started the D/I process about 1 1/2 years ago with a break in between and was faced with looking outside Leeds due to waiting lists. Finally found a clinic in Manchester where we now are patients. However due to the lack of sperm in the UK  and now the price and demand environment the price has risen from the originally £600 plus to then £800 ish and again in the same year to now £1100 per go .Has anyone else experienced this?


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## mintyfaglady (Aug 25, 2007)

Hi Lottie - sounds like we're using the same clinic. And you're right, the price hike definitely seems "sperm-related" as IUI with husband or partner sperm did not go up nearly as much. The price rise on DIUI was about 30% I think (if i've done my maths right). 

We're really hoping that this try, which we managed to get in just before the prive rise, will work, because at the new price we're quickly going to run out of money. What's really annoying about it is that this particular clinic were at pains to tell us that they had NO sperm shortage, so the price rise is presumably just taking advantage of their strong position in the market.


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## lotty1 (Oct 9, 2007)

Hi yeah it seems we maybe at the very same clinic MFS totally agree i think they are taking advantage of the market situation really sad that it should come down to finance. We were lucky also as like yourself managed to have another treatment prior to price raise so fingers crossed for both of us. At this rate the money that was budgeted is going to get eaten up plus it just adds stress to the whole process! I am really glad to have had your response as i have been churning this over in my head and venting out at my friends whom are understanding but still cannot comprehend that our weekly restaurants are on hold!!! plus i dont know about you but finally got my head around the first price raise then another soon followed to say i was shocked was a understatment!


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## rosypie (Feb 1, 2007)

At our clinic they quoted 2 prices for each treatment. It was £600 more if you had no sperm. So for IUI that meant £600 excluding sperm, £1200 (double) including sperm. Apparently sperm banks are having to 'spend more on donor recruitment' since the law change and this is being passed on through clinics to us...or some such rubbish...


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## mintyfaglady (Aug 25, 2007)

It is indeed rubbish, Rosypie!

And Lottie - I hear you on the utter frustration of it! It's the first price rise for us (so even worse for you if it's your second), but we came to the clinic after 8 tries with a known donor, so we've gone from having to find petrol money, to feeling like we may have to remortgage our home!! One mate is so horrified at the price she suggested I pick up a bloke in a bar instead, and I think she was only half joking!

I'm even more teed off that I've hit an Sunday ovulation twice out of the 4 months we've been there. We went through with the first one (insem on the Monday) because we were so desperate, but cancelled the second time it happened, only to find we'll be penalised £100 for this, should it happen in future! £100 fine for ovulating on the wrong day!!

It does feel better to have a moan though!


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## ♥JJ1♥ (Feb 11, 2006)

I can empathise with your frustration. I used my known donor via a clinic route and this was an additonal 2K on using husband/permanent partner price for IVF - as the sperm must be frozen, tested and qwuarantined and additional tests at the end of 6 months when released (HFEA's rules not mine) I asked why it was so much more expensive and they said that the anonymous donors have all the same tests but the cost is shared by all the women using it, whereas I have to pay but they said I have the priviellge of the sperm jsut for my use - so I do think some of it is just cashing in on single/gay women's situations.

L x


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## lotty1 (Oct 9, 2007)

Hi all
Yeah have to agree do think the price raise is rubbish! re spending on donor recruitment they are certainly not paying the donors anymore as i asked at the clinic yes i know  i do sound a little annoyed but asked out of curiosity!!! honest! so i assume the campaign for that price raise must have gone to Pr guru Max Clifford  ... and his expenses! On a serious note thanks for all the comments its good to share my feelings and does help me.


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## lotty1 (Oct 9, 2007)

Hi Mintyfaglady
Sorry to hear that you have fallen twice on a Sunday that really is frustrating and the forthcoming cost will add to your worry. Re your friends comment .. i have had the same comments as all my friends are disgusted and in utter disbelief! We have discussed other options but have no suitable donor so in a catch 22 at the mo. Finance is hard i dont know about you but i am tired of having to explain on numerous occasions that i cannot afford to do something i am starting to sound like a broken boring record. Its ok with friends who know but other people they always say you are both working full time so whats the problem!!!!!!!  But on a positive note it will be worth it in the end!!!!


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## nickster (Jul 6, 2007)

> I used my known donor via a clinic route and this was an additonal 2K on using husband/permanent partner price for IVF


That's interesting *JJ* - I've been quoted £1550 to 'work up' our 'known donor', which I'd thought was fairly outrageous. Maybe I've actually got a bargain?! 

Nicky


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## ♥JJ1♥ (Feb 11, 2006)

Nickster which clinic are you going to? we went to the Bridge - he had a consultation appt and then a sperm analysis and then we had initial bloods done elsewhere at a private clinic as it was more convenient for him but they don't subtract that from the total. 

I also asked him to deposit on different days/months so I had a selection to choose from and of different counts to choose from, if you are going to the Bridge make sure that you deal with Jenny in the cryo lab as my donor had 2 wasted trips one where they threw his blood out and didn't do the full range of tests intially and then another time when it was sperm release time and they didn't do the chlamydia urine test so he had to go back again so that we could use it.

Good Luck and hope it goes well and so pleased that you got things sorted out with your friend
L xx


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## nickster (Jul 6, 2007)

Thanks for the info *JJ*. We're no longer based in London, so it looks as though it'll be the Wessex in Southampton for us. I hope they're a bit more organised (if we have to go down that route, that is) - we can't afford to have wasted trips when we're flying him in specially. Nx


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## Veela (Sep 30, 2007)

I went for my insemination today.  Didn't receive the bill beforehand (postal strikes, I think) and was told over the phone to pay on the day.  Arrived this morning to find it was £170 more than I was expecting to pay!  What if I hadn't had the money?  It really limits the amount of tries we can have.  I wouldn't even have objected as much if the whole experience today hadn't been so awful.  I cried afterwards.


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## lotty1 (Oct 9, 2007)

Hi Veela Sorry to hear that you were upset keep in there! I was so upset when i heard the price rise but could not imagine if i had learnt that info on the day. After all us gals are supposed to relax during the whole process. Easier said than done plus add this stress on top not surprised you had a awful time.


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## ampfni (Dec 4, 2007)

how come they get it for free and they charge 800 pounds? sounds like a suspicious situation


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