# Advice on practical issues travelling abroad



## incywincy (Nov 13, 2011)

Hi, 

I'm just starting to think about how to conceive. I'm a lesbian looking to use donor sperm and have two questions about international clinics. 

Firstly, do you have to spend a lot of time out there? I don't think ican get much time off work as I have fixed holidays and none of my upcoming ovulation dates seem to fall in my fixed holidays. I thought I could nip over to say, Denmark, on getting ovulation indicator, get inseminated, and fly home for work the next day, taking only 1 day off. Is this doable? 

Secondly, how is best to track ovulation? I was planning to chart bbt, but this is obviously complicated and someone on another part of the board suggested cbfm. Is this precise enough to know when to drop everything and grab a plane? I have fairly regular cycle and would plan to use the cbfm for several months prior to get a good indication of my pattern. 

My other option is known donor at home and this isn't an easy option for me either, due to lack of available men!


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## Mellie289 (Dec 9, 2011)

Hi incywincy! 

I haven't got any experience with international clinics, but I can talk about monitoring ovulation with a prediction kit. I haven't use the CBFM, but I have used other brands of OPKs. For me, I get a faint positive the day before ovulation. I've had 5 IUI cycles that were monitored carefully by ultrasound (at home in the United States) and I also used the OPK. I have a regular cycle and the LH surge and ovulation were like clockwork, but the positive I got was technically in the range of a negative according to the kit. A real, strong positive only came on ovulation day. I'm not so sure whether you can manage such a last minute trip abroad for something like an IUI (I'm not sure what you are looking to do). With my monitoring, I don't really have a lot of notice for travel if I was seeking to have my IUI's done anywhere that wasn't local (although, I know there are some pretty short flight times within Europe that it might be feasible). With my fertility clinic, I could call them the day I have the positive OPK to set an appointment next day for insemination no problem. I have seen some women complain that the kits don't work well for them either. I think some women don't have strong LH surges, especially if they are a little older.

Since I don't know your situation, your age or your fertility status, I might be way off here, but... can you try at home insemination if you want to do your own monitoring? If you haven't ever tried to conceive yet, you might be able to try from home if getting into a clinic is more the issue for time than the number of tries you can do (insemination can take months of attempts for women without fertility issues). I am on another board (Single Mothers by Choice) and there are several women who have sperm delivered to their homes for self-insemination (or delivered to a nearby clinic for pickup). That is a good way to start for some women who are still young and haven't tried yet. I started with advanced maternal age working against me, so went straight to IUI. A trip abroad to a clinic might have a better chance for success for each attempt than at home insemination, but if it is almost impossible for you to get away to try, this might be an alternative. Sorry if that is not helpful and you've already been down that road.


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## incywincy (Nov 13, 2011)

Hi Mellie, thank you for your reply!

We can't get donor sperm shipped to us in the UK, as far as I know it all has to be done through clinics.  My main problem with a known donor is not knowing many men to ask  and I don't like the idea of using a stranger from the internet to do home insemination.  I have one person I'd consider asking but my partner is not keen on the idea, she says he is too close to us and it would be weird.  I would really like to try that though, we could easily do a few months of a couple of insems around ov time.  I am not intending to start TTC immediately, so I have a little while to talk her round!  

I have started monitoring with OPKs now so I will find out how regular I am and I am using the clearblue digital sticks on highly likely days as well.  My periods are really quite regular so hopefully my OPK pattern would be, which would help predict when I'd need to fly over.  There are a couple of clinics in Northern Europe who will do a phone consultation then you can go and get IUI done when you get positive OPK.  It would only be a 2 hour flight (short distances compared to the US!), but the flights are only once a day.  It all seems very complicated, mostly because of my lack of flexibility at work.

I see you are due another round of IUI soon, I hope it goes well for you.


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## eagle738 (May 20, 2011)

Hi incy

Just saw your post and thought I'd reply even if it is late. You could check out serum clinic in Athens - there is a big thread and some useful info files in the Greece section. Penny, who runs the clinic, does phone consults and iuis and is reasonable. Only thing is, sperm donors are completely anonymous (but obviously matched to your preferences). Most of them seem to be Greek and international medical students. 
Good luck 
Eagle


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## incywincy (Nov 13, 2011)

Thanks Eagle.

I hadn't considered Greece as the flights are probably quite a bit more expensive, but I'll definitely check out the threads for advice.  I am not planning to inseminate for a few months yet but I like to plan ahead!  I am leaning towards european insemination clinics more now than a known donor, so the anonymous thing doesn't bother me too much.


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