# Treatment abroad?



## mrsww (Sep 1, 2013)

Has anyone personal experience with treatment abroad specifically ivf.

After a tough year with five months hopeful treatment that includes two missed ovulation, two natural IUIs and one medicated we feel it's time to move onto ivf. 

I have an appointment this Friday with our clinic here but on looking at the price list today we think it might be best to look abroad. One cycle will come out at about £3500 plus drugs and sperm and if we went for the three cycle package it would be £8500 plus drugs and sperm for each cycle. The fine print says a cycle is completed once pregnancy reaches 20 weeks which seems a huge risk if we do get pregnant on first go and then lose baby after 20 weeks.  I've a low AMH and low AFC.

Treatment abroad would be cheaper I'm sure but ideally we would like a country that same sex couples are legally able to receive treatment and that has open donor sperm. Also where they speak good English as my wife is a teacher and it's likely I would go myself for treatment as she can't get time off work.

Any advice greatly appreciated.


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## bundles (Jul 16, 2011)

Hi Hun,
Why not have a chat with Ruth Pellow, who is a fertility nurse who arranges IVF abroad & deals with a number of clinics in various countries. I went through her the first time (although DEIVF) and was successful in Procreatec, Madrid. Despite her living in Athens, she has a UK landline you can ring. Her website is www.ivftreatmentabroad.com
I do have to say though, that £8.5k sounds reasonable for 3 cycles - not sure how much drugs & sperm come to. (I got all my meds from my fab GP !) And I would have thought that a loss after 20wks would be very unlikely.
Good luck  
xx

/links


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## Jam&amp;Cream (Jan 27, 2013)

*Mrsww*, we too will look at treatment abroad if neither of the next 2 cycles work. 
I think the 3 cycle deal your speaking about though is very good value, you can get your drugs from anywhere which can reduce the cost considerably, asda sell for cost with infertility drugs. We got ours from there for our fet and it was nearly two thirds cheaper. 
If you did miscarry but is quite unlikely at that stage you've still got the other 2. We looked at it but decided to wait for NHS treatment. All is saying is that's one cycle gone. Hopefully you'd never be in that position but if you were they don't take the other 2 away because the first worked. 
Best of luck to you both. Xx


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## mrsww (Sep 1, 2013)

Thanks bundles and jam&cream.

Think I'll contact the website you gave bundles just to keep options open.

We are not eligible for nhs treatment as our CCG stops funding at 35 and I'm already 36. The private clinic we are at considers the three package treatment fulfilled once reached 20 weeks and so if we were to get a positive on try one and then lost baby at 20 weeks one day then the other two tries can't be used.  It seems a huge risk. I guess different clinics have different rules but mine makes it very clear that once a pregnancy gets to 20 weeks their full three cycles are fulfilled. I also need to confirm with clinic that we can buy drugs from other sources as they definetely are expensive for the medicated Iui we just bought from them as they don't seem to have a process in place to do it otherwise. I also want to know if a fet is included in the three cycle package.  So many questions. 

I also think the clinic will limit me to one embryo and at my age and AMH I think more would give a greater chance, I will ask this on Friday.

Just want to keep all options open and start having a list of abroad clinics that are sympathetic to same sex couples.


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## mrsww (Sep 1, 2013)

So worked out the total cost of the three cycle package including sperm and drugs and it comes to £22000, the three cycles need to be taken within a year. Not sure we can even afford it as I won't be able to work during treatment. Would love some recommendations for overseas clinics to see if they do work out cheaper.  Just feels so impossible now to try ivf.


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## cookson17 (Oct 24, 2013)

Hi,

We are going with IVF Spain who are based in Alicante.

They are cheaper than the uk form IVF and very good communication.

I know some of the Czech clinics are also very good as well


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## Jam&amp;Cream (Jan 27, 2013)

Was that getting the drugs from the clinic? £13.5k for drugs and sperm sounds a ridiculous amount. My drugs on my last icsi and I ended up stimmimg for a extra week was only £1400. I think I'd question how they've come to such a large amount. If it's right though you probably would be better of going abroad. 
Are you not entitled to any treatment on the nhs? Xx


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## mrsww (Sep 1, 2013)

Thanks Cookson will check out ivf Spain however will need to check if they treat same sex couples. Have also being looking at the Czech clinics but need to double check about same sex treatment there as well.

Jam&Cream - my figure is the very top one that includes the sperm for the three cycles at £850 a pop plus possible ICSI at £1200 and blastocyst and storage fees. The clinic has quoted minimum of £1200 for meds and I will look elsewhere but I can't see the price dropping a lot. And no, we aren't entitled to any treatment on the nhs. Our CCG cuts of treatment at 35 and I'm 36 and my wife is 40, so hard the post code lottery. Even looking abroad it's hard as I'm quite worried about same sex treatment at the clinics and would rather go to a clinic where I've heard positive stories. More researching is needed. I'm half way thinking just doing one cycle at the clinic here to see how I respond and then look abroad but I really wanted a traceable donor which most eu countries have anonymous but I guess I want a baby more.


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## Jam&amp;Cream (Jan 27, 2013)

I see, they don't tell you all this when your first looking at it. It soon adds up, a lot!
I'm sure Greece treat same sex couples, I seem to remember them mentioning it on that documentary they did about the quads.
Best of luck to you both, whatever you decide. Xx


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## ♥JJ1♥ (Feb 11, 2006)

I am single but have had treatment in spain  and Greece- many of the single women on that thread have had treatment and babies from Czech and Greee.  I would recommend Serum in Athens that would be Penny on the tv - pm Agate one of the moderators shes done a huge reference piece about it


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## Blondie71 (Oct 26, 2011)

Serum are only using anon donors and I ended up going there as I felt it was the clinic for me, not sure if Dogus in North Cyprus treat same sex couples   I would imagine they do as I'm single and they treated me on my 1st cycle, they def allow you to import open id sperm from cryos/xytex etc, and their prices are good too 3000 euro per cycle (sperm I paid 1000 euro for from Cryos Denmark) and meds out there costs much less than UK.

Btw Serum have a 2 cycle package for 4000 euro and you can still use the 2nd cyle within a year of first childs birth if you fancied a sibling


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## bundles (Jul 16, 2011)

Hi,
I had to contact the Anali, the English speaking Co-ordinator at Procreatec in Madrid,  so I thought I would ask her for you. This is what she said:

" Spain allows treatment for women in same-sex relationships. Both women will have to sign the consent form and obviously use an anonymous sperm donor. Anonymous by our standards means only basic physical characteristics, blood group and race. No baby photos or audios allowed (some patients buy the donor sperm from other banks and ship it to us so we're very strict about that)."

As I recall, a DE cycle for us (using OH sperm though) was just over 5000Euro so around £4000 with the great exchange rate at the moment. Not sure about the cost for OE but surely it would be cheaper. If you want to email, her address is [email protected] Do mention me, as she knows I'm on here & will look after you. It is a small clinic but with all the latest technology. I really liked the personal touch & as you can see, I still keep in touch with them  

/links


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## Blondie71 (Oct 26, 2011)

Just so you don't waste your time browsing czech clinics they def don't treat same sex couples or single women any longer and are tightening up further with a request for the male partners passport for tx to proceed.


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## mierran (Apr 24, 2009)

Dogus in northern cyprus do treat both same sex couples and single women. I have twins from a tandem cycle with them , but had communication issues during my fet in 2013 . So I looked elsewhere for my next cycle. 

re iakentro in athens

I don't know if you are allowed in greece to import open id sperm. I know you can use sperm from cryos etc, or they have their own bank of anon sperm, same as serum.

Drugs and sperm cost would obviously be the same if you use cryos etc tho a lot cheaper for clinics own bank of sperm but that is anon

I think it is about 2500€ for oe ivf at iakentro. This includes icsi as standard and blast transfer. It may also include freezing of extra embryos but you would need to check with ruth on that and cost ( I did de ) 

ruth is on [email protected]

further fets are 1300€ plus drugs if you get any icebabies

any more questions just ask

good luck


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## mrsww (Sep 1, 2013)

Thanks all.  Lots of research. We are doing one cycle at UK clinic but will have to look abroad if it's a BFN as we can't afford £8000 per cycle. If I could win the lottery it would be much easier......


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## Blondie71 (Oct 26, 2011)

Let's hope for twins on your UK cycle so you don't have to go anywhere x


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## daisyg (Jan 7, 2004)

Hi mrsww,

I do hope your UK cycle is successful so you don't have to make further plans.  I just wanted to say that the Donor Conception Network can help you with support and information about staying in the UK in order to have an identifiable donor for your child.  There are lots of other Lesbian couples in the Network who have had treatment in the UK who may be a good source of information and support while you are in the thinking stages.  The National Gamete Donation trust may also be helpful about information about donor sperm and the HFEA is a good resource for finding clinics.

Best of luck,

D xxx


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