# Not approved for IVF in the Netherlands



## Jelka (Nov 11, 2015)

Hi all,

Some much needed advise please! I have recently had an appointment with a fertility clinic here in Leiden in the Netherlands, where I had an internal scan, the consultant confirmed that my uterus and tubes where healthy however he could only see 4 follicles on one side, as I am 42, 43 at the end of February. Initially he said that we may be offered one course of IVF in January however after consultations with his colleagues we have now been declined as he stated that chances of getting pregnant naturally vs through IVF are the same around 15-20% in his words there would be no point putting myself through IVF as it is a difficult process. Could I please have some feedback from you guys - I am an expat living in the Netherlands with little support around me.

Thanks in advance!


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## Poppy41London (Apr 8, 2015)

Hi there, I can't give you any advice but am wondering what about your partner? Have they had their fertility investigated? If so, do they have any issues? As they are half the picture so it's not just about you and whether they can or can't find anything wrong with your fertility aside from the impact of age.


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## Jelka (Nov 11, 2015)

Thanks Poppy for the response, we are waiting on his test results so I guess the next step is to get them and take things from there


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## Poppy41London (Apr 8, 2015)

Yes I definitely think you need to get his results and see what they are. If both of you don't seem to have any issues then I guess you have a decision to make as to what to do but I don't think they can take a decision without knowing whether he has any issues, unless it is more of an age related decision they are making... Also did they test your AMH level as well?

I am about to embark on ICSI early next year privately in the UK and will be 42 then. But at 40 I was told I would not get treatment paid for on the NHS due to my age. Once you get your partners results and talk to the consultant, if they continue to say they won't treat you (I am assuming you meant paid for by the state/system) then you can consider whether you want to try privately if that's an option for you financially. We saw a private consultant who basically said you have a chance for it to happen naturally (although we had some sperm issues identified) but with age as a factor you need to think how much do you want this and do you want to gamble or do you want to try all avenues. We decided we wanted to try everything possible so we are going privately next year. I had to lose some weight and we have been getting his sperm issues treated in the meantime. 

Good luck anyway with the sperm test results and next steps. It can feel pretty overwhelming when age feels like it adds so much pressure but just take it a step at a time, that's what I try to do anyway.


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## Jelka (Nov 11, 2015)

Thanks Poppy nice to know there is someone out there in a similar position - I think we carry on trying naturally and go down the IVF route in parallel


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## DutchSasky (Nov 18, 2015)

Dear Jelka,
I am a bit late to this topic but I saw Netherlands and I had to react, being from the Netherlands...
I am sorry you have not been approved for IVF in NL. The max. age for IVF in NL is 42, so that might have played a role in the decision. But they probably told you that... 
I don't know what kind of clinic you visited but if you are looking for a private clinic, you can try Nij Geertgen: http://www.nijgeertgen.nl/
or Nij Barrahus: http://nijbarrahus.nl/.

I have never been treated via IVF in the Netherlands (I am living and Germany and have had my treatments here and in other European countries) but I know a few people that have cycled in the Netherlands and overall, my impression is that the Netherlands is not exactly a forerunner in the field of IVF. But I guess in a private clinic that may very well be different.

Good luck!!

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## Jelka (Nov 11, 2015)

Hi all,

I am beginning to research private clinincs for IVF treatment, and do not really now where to start? any advice would me much appreciated!


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## DutchSasky (Nov 18, 2015)

Hi Jelka,
Good to hear that you're going for it. I did a quick search for private clinics and found these:

http://www.zkn.nl/consumenten/aangesloten-klinieken/

Nij Geertgen has a cooperation with a clinic in Düsseldorf, which is considered a good centre in Germany.

Hope this helps. Personally I have only heard of Nij Geertgen and Nij Barrahus, but can't say anything about the quality. someone I know vaguely didn't have a good experience in Geertgen, (they lost their embryos due to a mistake made in the clinic) but meanwhile the clinic has a new management so it has probably improved.

But have a look! Good luck!

Sasky

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## Jelka (Nov 11, 2015)

Thanks Sasky, i have also been told about some clinics in Belgium, any ideas of the aproximate cost?


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## DutchSasky (Nov 18, 2015)

Hi Jelka,
Sorry, no idea about that. Am living in Germany so did everything there. If you are interested in a clinic there, try Dusseldorf, some of the people I know went there. For treatment in Germany it would be about 5.000 euro I estimate. I imagine it's a little less expensive in NL as in Germany you get anaesthetics during egg collection and I don't think that is a standard in NL. 

Like I said, I don't have experience but what I have heard from other Dutch girls is that they are not exactly following the latest trends in NL, but I am not sure about the private clinics of course.


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## miamiamo (Aug 9, 2015)

Hi Jelka, visit the international boards on this forum, if consider private ivf abroad. Good sources on ivf clinics abroad are (my personal opinion)- fertilityclinicsabroad com and eggdonationfriends com (include wide range of stats, success rates, prices, stars and comments, sometimes discounted offers) Sites will give insight in variuos top rated feritlity clinics in Poland, Czech Rep, Ukraine & Georgia, Slovakia, Cyprus, Spain & Portugal, Greece, India, Russia, Latvia, Estonia as well as South Africa. Hope it would be helpful. Good luck

This post contains an unconfirmed link/information and readers are reminded that FertilityFriends.co.uk or its owners are not responsible for the content of external internet sites


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## AmsterdamT (Jun 12, 2013)

I thought approval depended on the insurance company. I was bring treated (iui) at hospital in amsterdam but had problems with my sperm donor so it was taking too long. Hospital refused to fast track me to ivf as there was no clinical reason why I wasn't getting pregnant. GP said he felt my age (38 at the time) was a clinic reason so he agreed to refer me to an overseas clinic. I went to serum in Greece who were great. My insurance paid €1.5k per cycle. The clinic cost €3k per cycle or €4k for 2 cycles (I had 2 so insurance paid €3k so I only had to pay €1k) but I had to pay for flights, accommodation and some medication (dr agreed to prescribe some medication that Serum prescribed). I don't know what they charge now. It wasn't the cheapest option but totally worth it to me.


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## morganna (Sep 16, 2008)

i went to dogus clinic in north cyprus (they offer PGD)
serum in greece are great too
good luck
m. xx


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## JoyinAmsterdam (Mar 3, 2016)

Hi Jelka,

Sorry I'm late to the conversation, but I just stumbled upon this post and joined FF just to respond. I'm currently in the long process of undergoing fertility treatments in the Netherlands myself, and I feel like I've learned a lot about the Dutch system of treating patients. It sounds like your age was the primary factor in the doctor deciding not to approve you for treatment, since (as other commenters said), the Dutch system does not allow for women over 42 to be treated and covered by insurance. The cutoff is because the Dutch system does a cost-benefit analysis on the provision of treatment, and women over 42 do tend to have lower success rates on average (I think around 11% or 12% compared to closer to 25-50%, on average, for women in younger age groups). Iit doesn't sound to me like the doc did a full research process with you (and perhaps with your partner) and is only basing his decision on two factors -- your age, and the possibility that you have unexplained infertility (since your initial tests were normal), which can be harder and take longer ($$$) to treat.

_My story, for example_: 
I am 34 and was diagnosed with unexplained infertility after months of testing on both myself and my husband. This diagnosis basically means we're both seemingly healthy, and they simply have no clue why we can't make a baby naturally. They collected all kinds of information from me -- data -- about my med history, habits, tons of test results, age, etc., fed them into a set algorithm that I believe all docs in the NL use for determining fertility treatment eligibility, and came up with my own percentage chance of success naturally versus with treatments. Since I was deemed to have a higher chance *with* treatment, I was approved. BUT I've had 6 crushing failures with medicated IUI at a local hospital here in Amsterdam and am now on my first IVF cycle.

All of that being said, _I can recommend our current private clinic_, which we switched to after deciding the treatment at the hospital was substandard in important ways. Best part -- it's in Leiden! Where you are! It's called *Medische Centrum Kinderwens*, and we've been really happy with the care there so far. Now, I believe they also shy away from treating women over 42 (Dutch system -- aaargh! ), but they might be worth talking to.

Another option: *BELGIUM*. So many Dutch women go to Belgium for treatment, there are academic articles written about the phenomenon. Seriously. Now, if you can't get treated here in Holland, you'll likely have to pay out of pocket in Belgium with no reimbursements. As far as I know, costs can vary there depending on the tests needed, meds, etc., but I read that a full round of IVF was estimated around 5,000 euro. But they do seem to treat women over 42 fairly regularly.

I know I've written a book here already, but if you ever want to chat about this stuff or ask me any questions, _please feel free to email me privately_.

Best of luck to you. xo
Joy


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