# Varying cost of clinics



## LemonSponge (Jan 22, 2013)

Hi everyone,

I'm new here. 34, single and have been deliberating between DI or adoption. I will allow myself this year to save money and research the two options.

Does anyone know why Kings ACU is a lot cheaper than private clinics such as LWC? I will be self funded and Kings DI from their sperm bank is £400 then £350, where as LWC is double that.

Thanks for any advice.


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## Rose39 (Dec 9, 2007)

Hi LemonSponge (great name!) - I'm afraid I'm not familiar with King's ACU for IUI ... does it give a breakdown of what the £400 and then £350 actually covers? Does it include the treatment and the donor sperm or just the treatment? Do you know what the wait time is for their donor sperm (I was looking at their website and it said you had to go onto a waitlist?). Do you know what their success rates are for natural and stimulated IUI by age? 

I'd personally be choosing a clinic based on a combination of cost, success rates and convenience (i.e. minimal waiting for sperm, clinic open at weekends so you don't have to skip a cycle if you ovulate on a weekend). The cost difference may be down to it being an NHS led hospital (not sure though) but I'd want to be sure that I wasn't compromising my chances of success by going down the cheaper route.

Other private clinics such as Create also do IUI and I believe that they may be slightly cheaper - Lulumead (one of the single ladies) was successful at Create. Other ladies have gone abroad for IUI, e.g. to Denmark, where the costs are significantly cheaper than the UK.

Hope this helps.

Rose xx


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## LemonSponge (Jan 22, 2013)

Thanks Rose, i need to look into the terms of Kings more. I know they charge £200 for initial consultation and tests and i thought the £400 was for the sperm, but perhaps that doesn't include the treatment part, as it does seem to cheap. I will check further. I think most of their patients are NHS IVF referrals, so perhaps not the best place to go if you are self-funded.

Thanks for the tip about weekends too, that's important. So much to take in, but i'm sure i will find all the answers & help here. No doubt i will be back   x


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## LemonSponge (Jan 22, 2013)

Just had a look at LWC success rates for IUI with doner sperm;

35-40 : 18.6% natural / 17.7% stimulated.

Having just started my research, i have to say that seems very low to be spending so much money. Does anyone know what a resonable amount of cycles to expect to pay for? I will need to save a lot of money this year in order to have a go next year and i know it's all subjective in terms of who can afford what, but is there an average number of cycles tried for most people?


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## daisyg (Jan 7, 2004)

Just to bear in mind that an average chance of pregnancy with a twenty-something couple with normal fertility would be about 25%, it doesn't seem so bad.  Bear in mind also, that 35 - 40 is getting pretty old in fertility terms so results will be lower.

It is so hard to give stats. and figures for IUI as to some degree it depends a lot on you as an individual. e.g. your age, hormone profile, whether you have patent fallopian tubes, other issues which would affect you getting pregnant.

Best of luck,
Daisy


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## LemonSponge (Jan 22, 2013)

Thanks Daisy, those figures make it seem more reasonable now! I'm new to this and it's so hard to come to terms with the financial cost but have found this site a great help.


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## daisyg (Jan 7, 2004)

LemonSponge,

I totally understand your concerns and confusion.  What I would say is that while you are preparing for a cycle (if that's what you want to do), I would try and have as many free GP tests for things that may influence your fetility as possible.  This would include checking thyroid healthy (TSH between 1 and 2).  Checking no blood clotting issues, karyotyping to check all genetically ok and also an autoimmune panel.  If you have a sympathetic GP, you may find they will do all of this and save you money at a clinic.  Also I would never embark on a cycle of IUI without an HSG just to check your tubes aren't blocked etc.

I know you will have lots of info. bombarding you, but preparing your body for treatment in advance is a good idea.  At your age, I would say most clincs would allow a max. of 3 cycles.  Also, I would strongly advise you to have stimulated (i.e. hormone injection) IUIs in order to give you the greatest chance.  At your age, you need to stimulate your ovaries to produce more follicles to give you best chance and biggest bang for your buck.
Best of luck,
D x


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## LemonSponge (Jan 22, 2013)

Thanks again Daisy, you've been a big help. Will speak to my GP about these tests. x


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## ♥JJ1♥ (Feb 11, 2006)

Sometimes clinics that are NHS as their main work and do some private work as well are cheaper, LWC, the Bridge, Lister, ARGC are all totally private. Check out the what is included eg blood tests, scans, drugs as these are often extra and can raise costs considerably. Good Luck


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## lulumead (May 29, 2008)

Hello just popping to share info!

I was successful at create twice at the age of 38, first was a miscarriage...then my LO...you can see from my signature that I actually got pregnant on natural IUI even though I had done IVF and produced good embryos, I personally feel like my eggs were affected by any drugs so natural was best for me!!

Create charge £700 for IUI, and this includes 2/3 scans. You have to pay for sperm separately and any blood tests or drugs you use. Even though it took me a few goes I really liked them as a clinic.  We are pushed onto IVF quite quickly in this country whereas other countries do more IUIs before switching. I think its a good idea to get tubes checked and all your hormones and then if all ok, IUI is definitely worth a try.  This fertility business is more art than science so you  just never know what's going to work for you!!!

Good luck.
Xxxxx


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

Hi Lulu

Sorry to ask what may seem like such an obvious question! Like you I am considering using Create - was quite impressed tbh. I have been advised that IUI is def a worthwhile option   I will need to buy in sperm. Can I ask where you bought it from and the cost? 
From my research, it seems to be cheaper/a prerequisite to buy a number of vials/straws of sperm. DO you get charged to 'store' these at Create for each cycle?
Also, if you wish to imporve your chances, would it be £700 to have a second insemination within a cycle or is this not of any worth? 

Thank you and congrats on your lil bundle of joy!


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## lulumead (May 29, 2008)

Hello...

I imported my sperm from the European Sperm bank. I had to pay a pregnancy slot for £1000 ish, this is because only 10 families in UK are allowed to use the same donor.  I think sperm is around £300 a vial.  I imported a few at a time...so as to save shipping costs. If all is ok I reckon 6 IUIs is worth a go so you could import 6 goes, but entirely up to you.  I don't think double insemination is worth it...not sure if they charge you more, or if it's just the cost of the sperm...research is not entirely conclusive as to whether it's better or not than one well timed IUI.
Create don't charge to store sperm whilst you are actively trying but say you got pregnant and then wanted to store the sperm with them for a second one, then you'd need to pay storage, although might be worth checking with them. I have never had to pay storage as my last vial of sperm produced my little one.

I think you get a good IUI experience at Create, they scan quite regularly and will give the HCG trigger both of which are reassuring in terms of getting timing right. GOod luck.

Xx


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

Wow £1800 for sperm! OMG literally worth more than gold/diamonds lol! 

Thank you for all that you shared - it certainly makes me feel more confident about the prospect!


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## lulumead (May 29, 2008)

You only pay the pregnancy slot once!! Thankfully...I do refer to it as liquid gold!!! ;-)
Xx


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

Sorry to be really dim, do you have to pay this pregnancy slot money to all of the banks or only certain one?

Is there no way around paying this? Or does it make the vials cheaper to buy in the longer run?


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## lulumead (May 29, 2008)

This is just a European Sperm bank thing I think....you can import from other places, no idea what their costs are but I am sure someone will pop on and tell you 
xx


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