# Oxfordshire PCT considering changing criteria



## *Bev* (Dec 20, 2005)

Did anyone hear this yesterday - its disgusting... to end the postcode lottery, what on earth are they talking about this is only adding to it... I understand the need for criteria but this is just too narrow a timeline - as we all know the 'right' age to start a family it different for everyone and not everyone knows they have issues when the begin trying... SO you start trying at 30, by the time you've 'tried' naturally for 'long enough' and then been referred you've no hope of getting NHS funded treatment.... 


http://www.foxfm.co.uk/Article.asp?id=1197089


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## Heluerto (Aug 5, 2008)

Horrifying thought!  I'm 33 later this month been TTC for the past 8 years - panicing now that I only have one year left for help?  I'm also well of the current BMI of 30 - heeeeelllllp!!!!!!


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## vickym1984 (Jan 29, 2009)

Thats pants, I think you should petition them to accept the new NICE guidelines, as the east of enlgand PCTs have, which include IVF ages 23-39 (not definte cut of at 40, but case by case)


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## Heluerto (Aug 5, 2008)

you see I think 23 is too young - unless there are exeptional circumstances (such as someone who has a short time to have children because of impending hystorectomy or similar.


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## swhattie (Feb 9, 2009)

Heluerto said:


> you see I think 23 is too young - unless there are exeptional circumstances (such as someone who has a short time to have children because of impending hystorectomy or similar.


Thats slightly unfair IMO - I was 22 when I initially went for tests and 23 when I was referred - my husband had ONE visible sperm in his sample on the second SA so we had virtually NO chance of concieving naturally, why should I at an age when naturally it is the best time to conceive have to be made to wait whilst people who are older than me and who may have joined the list after get their treatment before me??

Why should I have had to wait to get IVF whilst people over a certain age dont? Thats hardly fair and thats just being just as ageist as what Oxfordshire PCT are being.

The fact is, there needs to be NO restrictions on this treatment age wise - anything up from 21 -45, its needs to be like that in EVERY PCT, we all need to get exactly the same number of treatments in every PCT - this would then truly end the postcode lottery - not punishing young women just because they have a longer time to remain infertile than someone who is 35.


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## Heluerto (Aug 5, 2008)

But then again Mannysbird - I feel you fall into the 'exceptional circumstances' category - there is an obvious reason for you to *need* assistance. My concern is that people who have unexplained or slightly reduced chances would not give time a chance and just jump on the IVF bandwagon preventing those who have given it a chance from receiving treatment. I too started trying at 22, but now at almost 33 and still excluded from IVF because of an ongoing weight problem which is exacerbated by my PCOS.


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## vickym1984 (Jan 29, 2009)

But giving it time isn't a factor for most people needing IVF. People with unexplained infertility usually have to wait 2-3 years before inital investigations anyway.

The new guidelines don't just say refer anyone this age for IVF, they have guidelines on how to long spend on other treatments too


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## Heluerto (Aug 5, 2008)

And you are probably right.  My opinion is formed based on my own personal circumstances – after 8 years of trying and not receiving help until my eighth year - I get easily wound up by people who are complaining of infertility after only a few months of trying.


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## swhattie (Feb 9, 2009)

I think we all get wound up by those who complain that its taken them, what, four months to get pregnant, but i think in the majority of cases they wont get referred anyway if thats all they have been trying I know in my case that after a year and a half of trying at 20 years old the doctor still told us to 'keep trying' and only when I got to 22 did he bother to send us for tests - we'd already been trying foor 2 years then! Unexplained IF is a difficult subject because I think in many cases there IS an explanation but that it just hasnt been found so they label them as Unexplained.....

I think Doncaster PCT (who I come under) will offer one cycle of IVF to couples between 23-39 years of age but they turned me down because I was 4lb overweight - she actually told me that a 4lb weight loss may take me 6 months so they wouldnt put me on the waiting list!! hey offered to send me to a nutritionist to help me to lose my massive 4lb - that would have been a waste of money in itself because by the time an appt came up I would have lost it anyway!

We only have to look in town centres to see that pregnant women come in all shapes and sizes fat or skinny, old or young and these women will have conceived naturally in the majority of cases but most PCT's like to make citeria with a 'one size fits all' agenda and this isnt fair..... We as IF patients all know how heartbreaking iit is and it isnt any easier however old you are, we all need to pull together and the campaigning needs to be done together or else we're just fitting ourselves into the criteria that we have made ourselves.


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## Betty M (Dec 6, 2005)

The daft thing is that they should really check sperm as soon as you go to the GP with a problem conceiving. Its really cheap and non invasive to test sperm and they can then legitimately decide on the basis of the evidence whether to tell you to go away and try for 6 months and come back if you are younger than the norm for "problems" ie 30s generally.

Betty


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## JandS (Jan 21, 2008)

Hi Ladies,

It's a difficult one but these new proposals seem less restrictive than the present ones which are 35-38 years of age and no previous self-funded cycles. At least this covers more years of age and would allow people to self-fund 2 private cycles and still be eligible.

The NHS are running a survey on-line http://www.smart-survey.co.uk/v.asp?i=9812zjqej which I have completed to make my views known!

Jo


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## Heluerto (Aug 5, 2008)

The new proposals are barely less restrictive if they currently are 35 to 38 and they change them to 30-34 this gives 1 more year to the range, and for those who've been waiting to the 35 age, it will be too late.


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