# LWC, 50+, first visit



## noctis (Jul 26, 2009)

Hello, Just looking for any information on the experience people have had going to London Women's Clinic (London) needing two donors.  I realise they are more expensive than going abroad, and although money is tight, I'm reluctant to leave my children with friends in order to travel outside UK, and don't want to take them with. I'm wondering what kind of costs to expect, and can't make out from the prices sheet what will apply.  Thanks belatedly to those who suggested clinics overseas, I might have to go back to that option, depending on how it goes.  Info and advice welcome, and warm regards to any others out there trying!


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## suitcase of dreams (Oct 7, 2007)

Hi,

I recently did a double donor cycle at LWC - sadly unsuccessful. Think in total including all the drugs, scans, donor spem and eggs etc, it probably cost me in the region of £7-8000. I can check more detailed costs but you're better off looking at LWC's price list as I know prices went up recently (I got in just before the price rise)

Basic price for DE cycle is £5650, plus you'll need to add £995 for ICSI as they tend to do that as standard with donor sperm. And £500 for blastocyst (5 day) transfer if you get to that. Donor sperm is £850. HFEA fee £105
So assuming you have ICSI and 5 day transfer, total would be £8,100 (think I've added that up right)

I waited about 6 months for an egg donor but of course it depends on your matching criteria etc .

CRM are about the same price and have a similar waiting list. If I was to have tx in the UK again, I think I would go there. LWC are OK but personally I wasn't super impressed, whereas I have heard very good things about CRM (mind you I'd probably feel differently about LWC if the cycle had worked...plus I was very unlucky and had a cancelled cycle before that one where the donor did not produce enough eggs...left me with a bit of a bad feeling I guess....)

I'm going to Reprofit now, partly for cost reasons, partly because you get all the eggs from a young donor (vs egg share in the UK where you get half the eggs from a donor who tends to be a bit older)
However, you do need to consider the UK vs abroad thing in terms of anonymity - if you want an ID release donor that the child can trace when they grow up, then you will prob need to stick to the UK

Good luck!
Suitcase
x


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## noctis (Jul 26, 2009)

Hi Suitcase!

Thanks for the response.  I am so very sorry you had an unsuccessful try.  I have heard that ICSI increases the chances of abnormalities - has anyone else got reservations because of that?  Otherwise the price sounds fairly typical, though I know it is cheaper overseas. 

I'm not so happy about egg donors having artificially stimulated cycles, and would prefer a donor having a natural cycle, this is out of concern for her wellbeing and the risks of complications. But I will probably go and see LWC.  What is the other clinic's full name? Do they treat women over 50? I would be interested to check them out. 

Wrt donor anonymity, I have conflicted feelings. My eldest is, or was, in touch with her donor now she is over 18 but it definitely did not go well and didn't help her. She feels it is better not to know. My younger two are teens and so not yet old enough to find out, and they are curious, but also have taken notice of their older sister's experience.  I think the probabilities of donor contact not working out may well be about the same as the chances of an offspring feeling frustrated at not being able to know, I don't think there is enough research done yet to judge on this. 

Every good wish for your next try.


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## suitcase of dreams (Oct 7, 2007)

Hi Noctis,

Gosh, very interesting that you have children old enough to already have experienced tracing their donor. As you say, there is very little research done on this topic and very little evidence one way or another. So much of the perceived wisdom on this topic seems to come from research into adopted children, which feels to me like a very different situation. 
I was initially very sure that I wanted an ID release donor because I thought it was in the child's best interests to be able to find out more/make contact when they grew up. However, the more I read and think about this, the more I realise that it's just not that simple and you really just can't know what is the best thing to do, ir indeed if there is even a 'best thing' at all...
I intend to tell the child from the very start so that there are no false expectations - they will know that they'll never be able to find out any more and that's just the way it is. I hope that they will not grow up feeling that they've missed out on something, that's a risk I'll have to take. I guess in the same way that you take a risk with an ID release donor that contact may not go well as happened with your eldest. 
Mind you, I have to actually get pregnant first, which feels like a big enough hurdle in itself right now 

CRM can be found here:
http://www.ivfcliniclondon.com/

Not sure if they treat over 50s, you'd need to call and check, but they have a good reputation, a relatively short waiting list for egg donors at about 6 months, and the cost is very similar to LWC.

When you say you'd prefer a donor to have a natural cycle, I'm not sure you can do that with IVF, surely they would need to be stmulated in order to produce sufficient eggs? Or have I misunderstood what you meant? I guess the difference in the UK is that the egg donor would herself be having IVF and have chosen to take this route to have a baby. Whereas abroad the donors are young women who are potentially more likely to be doing it for the money....
But I think in either case they would have to be artificially stimulated as otherwise there would be only 1 or max 2 eggs which would not be sufficient for IVF

re ICSI - you can choose not to have this of course, at LWC the embryologist makes a recommendation but you do not have to take it if you are concerned. I've not heard of there being an increase in abnormalities as a result of ICSI, so I have always had ICSI if it has been recommended to me

Good luck with next steps,
Suitcase
x

/links


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## ♥JJ1♥ (Feb 11, 2006)

Noctis- Good luck with your search.  i have tried DE in Spain and now at CRM on their waiting list (since August), like Suity said all DE in the UK are having treatment themselves. I have heard of people using their own eggs having them collected on natural cycles (I think IVI Valencia but I might be wrong!) but not for DE's as they would want enought for both of you.  

The ICSI and abnormalities debate is long and research swings both ways, some clinics routinely ICSI abroad here you are advised, we have low sperm count so need to ICSI so it isn't an option.
Good Luck
L x


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## noctis (Jul 26, 2009)

Thanks for the replies. I'm just filling in forms for LWC, which I understand is the only clinic in the UK accepting (single) women over 50?  I am reluctant to go abroad, though I realise it would be so much cheaper.  LWC have asked for a referral letter from my GP which I don't think will be a problem but will see next week. Do the clinics overseas which will treat women over 50 require referral letters? For those of you trying, I pray your dreams come true! :0)


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## Rose39 (Dec 9, 2007)

Noctis - I was at LWC for own egg IVF (was in my thirties when I started) and they didn't require a referral letter... I just turned up for a consultation. I'm not sure if the process is different for ladies over 50. Each clinic tends to do its own thing in terms of requirements. Good luck!

Rose xx


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## ♥JJ1♥ (Feb 11, 2006)

I have never been asked for a referral letter from any my GP for any of the clinics I have been to- CRM stil do welfare of the child form for male and female partners with GP details.
L x


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