# Proving your infertility for PCT support



## KT1980 (Jan 27, 2013)

Hey all! Been lurking for a while and have tons of questions so ill filter them in over next few days if I can't find the answers!   
Many PCTs state that you need too prove infertility prior to qualifying for support. Does anyone know how infertility is proven if you do not have a male partner? Is it a certain number of I.U.I s ? Also I worry that if you have taken the private route then later the nhs won't support you. Some clarification would be very much appreciated!   thanks all x


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## Me Myself and I (Dec 30, 2012)

KT1980 said:


> Hey all! Been lurking for a while and have tons of questions so ill filter them in over next few days if I can't find the answers!
> Many PCTs state that you need too prove infertility prior to qualifying for support. Does anyone know how infertility is proven if you do not have a male partner? Is it a certain number of I.U.I s ? Also I worry that if you have taken the private route then later the nhs won't support you. Some clarification would be very much appreciated!  thanks all x


Hi
I am not much of an expert.Indeed almost a 'virgin'!
My GP says you have to prove it by your medical history, treatment and drugs used.
So for example, if you have been treated by a gynae for condition(s) likely to cause fertility issues this could be used. Even then, my GP said it may get turned down.
Sorry I can' help more than that - hopefully someone on here can inform us both!
As I understand it, each PCT sets a number of IUIs and possibly IVF.
Re NHS and private - yes I believe (again someone maybe able to clarify further) that once you have gone down the provate route you cannot get any treatment on NHS for fertility reasons.

Sorry this sounds so wooly, but I am only just starting out on my own journey.

MMI


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## KT1980 (Jan 27, 2013)

Virgin lol  .......thanks for replying I'm completely confused also. The problem I see is that to prove infertility you have to try to conceive which for me and DP would be private but if you take the private route it may impact on the ability to be funded by the nhs...brick and hard place! What options do you think you are going to take?
The more I look into this and the more I want it t.he more I'm surrounded by babies! Driving me loopy!  
Xx


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## welshginge (Jul 12, 2009)

My PCT (leicester) says you can have 1 free IVF if 6 IUI's (paid for by you) fail. However, for us it was cheaper to fund 1 IVF than 6 IUI's so after 3 failed IUI's we thought f**k it & paid for an IVF at a private clinic (not the local hospital we were using) - which worked!


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## Candy76 (Feb 19, 2011)

Hi KT, sounds like you want to get hold of your PCT's funding paper. Some will be very specific with regards if single women / lesbian couples are allowed fertility treatment and when someone is classed as infertile. But some will be a bit more vague. Sometimes you are officially infertile after you have done home insemination with a donor for a year or two. But it depends if this is an option you want to consider.
If you consider getting NHS funding you might want to check on the local board here to find out what the waiting list is like in your area. Some are short, but others are up to a year or two. And this is after you have prooven to be infertile...
Generally they will restrict the number of IVFs you can have privately prior to receiving NHS funded treatment. But I have not come across a restriction on IUIs.
Depending on your age you could also look into egg sharing, where you get IVF in return for donating half your eggs to another woman (unknown). The recipient will bare most of the costs.

Good luck!


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## Lisa139 (Sep 11, 2011)

Treatment that will be available to you on the NHS will depend on your PCT.  As I’m sure you’ve gathered there’s huge variation on what people get on the NHS and it all comes down to your postcode. 

We’re very lucky in that our PCT follows the NICE guidelines and funds 3 IUIs and 3 IVFs.  Before we started our NHS treatment we had 10 IUIs in Denmark and this didn’t affect our funding at all.  We could have had 6 IUIs NHS funded (I’d get my partner’s 3 goes) but they would only fund 3 because of already having 10 failed attempts.  This was a clinical decision not funding.  If we decide to have a private round of IVF treatment we still would be able to have a NHS funded goes. 

Most PCTs have the same criteria that may make you ineligible for NHS treatment. So, you will need to be 39 and under, neither of you have children together or from previous relationships, if you’ve had NHS funded treatment from another PCT could mean that you’ve used all of your goes or that you have more.  Again that would depend on what the PCT you come under now funds.  Also children from previous relationships can vary from PCT to PCT.

Our biggest battle was to get our GP to refer us. She made us wait until after we had 6 failed attempts but at least she got things into gear once we got to that point.  Her other concern was that we wouldn’t be funded because we’re a same sex couple.  It took us 7 weeks to see the consultant and the wait was 7 months for our first IVF but in the meantime we were able to do our IUIs.  We were shocked that the wait time was that short considering all you hear about is 3 year waits and no funding at all.

Have a read through your PCT’s IVF guidelines.  Your GP should be able to give this to you.  Our GP had it wrong and we could have been funded from the get go so that’s why I’d suggest reading the guidelines. I’m pretty sure that it is now illegal for you to be denied funding based solely on the fact you’re a same sex couple.  I’d say it’s worth looking into NHS treatment because you never know you may be one of the lucky ones to get funded treatment and not have to wait too long to get it.

Good luck!


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## Beebo (Oct 21, 2012)

When I first went to see my GP I was worried about telling him I was in a same-sex couple so I kept it simple and said that I had trying to conceive for a year with no success (this was true - I had been trying with AI at home wi known donor). He made the referral with few questions.

When I went to the fertility clinic I explained the full circumstances and we were immediately entitled to 6 IUIs and 3 IVFs. No waiting list for the former and only 6 months for the IVF.

I don't know if we would have been entitled to treatment without having tried at home for a year first as this never came up.


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## KT1980 (Jan 27, 2013)

That's fantastic Beebo! Unfortunately from looking at my pct guidelines they seem stricter than some, you need to be trying for 3 years !! However, your story is so positive in definitely might be worth us talking to our gp.


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