# What does 1 cycle mean? Does that mean 1 attempt?



## Tillyfloss (Aug 9, 2013)

Hello,

I've just been for lunch with my mate who's just had IVF and now feel really positive (especially as she is pregnant after 1st attempt). But I just wanted to clarify something before I let myself get too excited.

We live in West Sussex and are eligible for 2 x IVF cycles on the NHS. I thought that this was just that 2 attempts with a 50/50 (if that) chance of success, so was still thinking that it's pretty low odds ... But she said that 1 cycle could mean several attempts depending on how many eggs they collect. So in her case she had 3 blastocysts and had one transferred (successfully   ) & has the other two frozen. All 3 eggs are included in that one cycle so if the first egg transfer was not sucessful she would have 2 more chances!!0

Am I right in understanding that on the NHS (West Sussex PCT) the same rules apply or is this just private patients. Or, could we potentially pay to have the eggs frozen just in case (I would be more than happy to) .... That's amazing if so? I feel so excited but just wanted to double check before I get my hopes up.

Thanks xx


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## moonshine170676 (Sep 16, 2012)

Hi Tilly floss,

Normally one cycle means one fresh cycle. So on your first go you might get enough embryos to freeze. If the first attempt doesn't work you get to do frozen transfers....as these were from for fresh cycle it's still included in the "first cycle" 
So for example you could end up having 1/2/3 attempts with you first cycle. 
I think that's pretty much standard with the NHS 

Good luck 

Xx


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## Dandanxx (Jan 15, 2011)

Hi,

You need to check with your PCT for what exactly is included in your funding.

For mine, we could have had x3 free goes - however if you have some to freeze from your fresh cycle and it wasn't successful, you would have to then take your next go as a frozen cycle ( which isn't as successful as fresh ) and we would have had to pay to keep them frozen. 
Hence the reason why i wasn't disappointed that we didn't have any frozen - I wanted a fresh cycle had it not been successful.

All PCT differs, always best to check.

Good luck

Danielle


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## Tillyfloss (Aug 9, 2013)

Just googled it but non the wiser .... it says the following are NOT included

• Donor insemination or egg donation. 
• Freezing of gamets or ovarian tissue. 
• Surgical sperm aspiration. 
• Patients who have had sterilization reversal. 
• Replacement of frozen embryos resulting from NHS cycles.

Does that mean that last comment mean that FET is NOT included?    ..... typical!!
Oh well. Not worth worrying about yet either way!!!!


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## jols (Mar 5, 2013)

This is what I was told; I'm in the North-West:

One cycle is egg collection and transfer, this includes FET until you get a live birth.

If you have frozen embies from an NHS cycle and have had a baby then you can pay to use them for a FET cycle but the NHS won't pay for it.  But they do pay for storage of the embies for a few years, after that you can continue to pay yourself or they will be destroyed.


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## sarahsuperdork (Mar 12, 2013)

Hi Tillyfloss, it makes it so complicated when every area is different! I'm in West Yorkshire and I have 1 funded cycle - this includes any FET that comes from this fresh cycle. If my fresh cycle is successful, I can pay for freezing of any other embryos and have private FET. If the cycle is unsuccessful, the funding covers freezing and FET until a live birth or all the embryos are used. I need donor sperm and that's actually covered too in my area.


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