# At the very begining



## jandj1608 (Jan 9, 2016)

Hello everyone,
Me and my partner have been together 6 years now, we are both 27 and would like to start a family. The first thing we need to do is save up enough money for everything. After looking at loads of posts on here and doing some reading up on different sites we have decided to eventually try IUI. We are only just getting to know about everything and its all still confusing so we have lots of questions. We have been looking at clinics and think we would like to use Care in Notts, so just wondered if anyone else has used this and what peoples experiences were. 
thanks
jandj1608 xxx


----------



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

jandj1608 said:


> Hello everyone,
> Me and my partner have been together 6 years now, we are both 27 and would like to start a family. The first thing we need to do is save up enough money for everything. After looking at loads of posts on here and doing some reading up on different sites we have decided to eventually try IUI. We are only just getting to know about everything and its all still confusing so we have lots of questions. We have been looking at clinics and think we would like to use Care in Notts, so just wondered if anyone else has used this and what peoples experiences were.
> thanks
> jandj1608 xxx


Hi
It maybe worth speaking to your gp as they maybe able/willing to arrange initial tests on nhs. That will a) save you money and b) make you more informed as to right way to progress.
Not sure of how well off you are to date, but treatment can soon mount up. Frequently women are advised to go for ivf due to higher odds and success looks better in clinic equivalent of league tables.
Iui takes up to six attempts, general advice being three non medicated followed by three medicated.
There is also the option of home insemination. Via known donors or bank still. There was an active cryos thread with many women opting for this. The advantage being you can inseminate more frequently in the same cycle for the cost of one insemination with iui. Hi obviously may be easier to get timing right if ovulate promptly or later after positive opk result.
Nottingham care, I know women who had successful double donor cycles there.

Hth


----------



## jandj1608 (Jan 9, 2016)

hi, thanks for all the advice. In terms of the GP we did want to get tests done there to save money but my partners mum works at the GP and so far we havent told anyone so we need to decide what to do for the best with that. We didnt really want to tell people until later on down the line but we will see. If you choose to do a home insemination but go through a bank would my partner still be able to be on the birth certificate without having to adopt the baby. We arent in a civil partnership.


----------



## Herts85 (Oct 10, 2014)

Hi jandj1608,

Unless you and your partner marry or enter into a civil partnership then the only way you can both be registered as parents on the birth certificate is through having treatment at a HFEA licensed clinic and signing the necessary consent forms.

I can't urge you enough to both get tested. Thankfully my gf and I went to the GP first and, through initial testing, discovered we both have various issues (endometriosis, tubal defects, pco/s) and that conceiving without assistance would be near impossible for us. Due to this we have received funding for IVF through the NHS which we are very grateful for.

If cost is an issue another option you could look into is egg sharing IVF but is has a lot of emotional aspects to consider.

Good luck!

Herts x


----------



## SillyWrong (Mar 11, 2015)

Hi jandj - we initially assumed that iui would be the best way forward, but then looking at the odds, it first appeared that getting pregnant on iui could in the long run be more expensive than ivf.  Though of course ivf isn't guaranteed to work either! We went through our first round egg sharing which cut the costs drastically, though we didn't get pregnant, so have decided to suck up the costs this time round and have a full round to ourselves. 

Friends of ours went down the iui route first (privately) and were unsuccessful, so were given finding for a round of IVF on the nhs and are now pregnant - they've probably spent more on treatment so far than we have (I can't remember how many IUI's they had).

With regards to dual parentage - the girls are right, it's either get married, or go through a clinic. 

There are loads of people here with all kinds of experience and knowledge - feel free to ask.

Oh and also, congratulations on making the decision to start a family - it's so exciting!


----------



## jandj1608 (Jan 9, 2016)

Hi everyone and thank you for all the advice, it has given us a lot to think about.I suppose the first steps for us then would be to save up and get all the tests done and consider whats best for us in terms of iui or ivf, we tend to be leaning more towards iui as its less invasive but we shall have to wait and see what all the tests say before we can decide for sure i suppose. There is so much to consider and it all seems quite complicated but we are both so excited. In terms of ovulating, when is it the best time to start working out when this happens. Should i know when i ovulate before all blood tests are done or wait until after. 
thanks everyone for your replies x


----------



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

jandj1608 said:


> Hi everyone and thank you for all the advice, it has given us a lot to think about.I suppose the first steps for us then would be to save up and get all the tests done and consider whats best for us in terms of iui or ivf, we tend to be leaning more towards iui as its less invasive but we shall have to wait and see what all the tests say before we can decide for sure i suppose. There is so much to consider and it all seems quite complicated but we are both so excited. In terms of ovulating, when is it the best time to start working out when this happens. Should i know when i ovulate before all blood tests are done or wait until after.
> thanks everyone for your replies x


Generally ovulation will vary cycle to cycle due to length etc. As a rule of thumb you will have ovulated fourteen days before your period.
You can buy cheap paper tests over the net that a lot of women use, I personally don;t like them as they rely on interpretation. ie is it darker than yesterday... I got on with the clearblue dual hormone predictors that tell you when you are getting higher fertitlity days as well as peak days when ovulation should be happening. They can be expensive, but even with my long cycles they were worth every penny! Boots often have on offer.

HTH


----------



## SillyWrong (Mar 11, 2015)

Start logging your periods if you don't already.  We started about 6 months before and it was really helpful, we were able to say exactly what our cycles are etc.  I used an app called MyCalendar


----------



## jandj1608 (Jan 9, 2016)

Thanks for all the help it will give us a lot to think about and to be getting on with xx


----------

