# Newbie IVF info needed!



## CitrusPeanut (Jan 4, 2011)

Hi all!
Found this site tonight and it looks great!!!  
Wondering if there is anyone out there that could send some knowledge my way regarding IVF treatment on NHS when in a civil partnership??

My wife and I would love another child and AI with a known donor does not appeal to us anymore, we have searched for info regarding IVF treatment, costs and options for lesbian couples but are finding it a HUGE grey area! 
We are in Norfolk if that helps..

xx


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## Pinktink (Dec 17, 2008)

Hey,

Welcome to FF   

We looked briefly at NHS funding and it was clearly never going to happen for us and we didn't want to wait months/years for them to say no! 

From your post I'm guessing you already have a child(ren) at which point I think you would struggle to qualify for any funded treatment, as far as I know no couple whether gay or straight can have funded treatment if either of them has any existing children from this or any previous relationship...

anyway hope I'm wrong! 

Lynnxx


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## CitrusPeanut (Jan 4, 2011)

Hi Pinktink,

Thanks for reply..

Yes I think you are correct on the NHS not funding treatment if you already have a child! We had our 1st child through a known donor nearly 6 years ago but know as the law has changed regarding birth certificates and anonaminity we would like to do it through a clinic.
We also think IVF would be the most successful route as my wife has no fertility problems (she had our 1st).

I have emailed LWC for more information rearding IVF and egg sharing as it looks like we will be going along that path 
xx


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## Pinktink (Dec 17, 2008)

It all seems so unfair the way the funding works.

We also went straight for IVF as we started after the law changes and we also didn't want the involvement of a known donor. 

We did egg sharing at the LWC twice and although our time with them didn't go so well there are a lot of success stories from them on here. 

good luck, look forward to chatting.

xx


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## nismat (Mar 7, 2005)

I agree that you are very unlikely to get any NHS funded fertility treatment, and that you will need to go down the private clinic route if you aren't wanting to use a known donor this time. 
On a practical note, I would suggest researching some local clinics as well as LWC; during an IVF cycle you need to have frequent scans (and often blood tests too), and travelling up to London on a daily or every-other-day basis won't be very practical (I live in Colchester, and that was bad enough!). Also, while LWC is very well known for its egg-sharing programme, and for recruiting lesbians on to it, local clinics also need egg donors and are very likely to offer an egg sharing programme too. We switched from LWC to a local clinic when we tried to TTC#2, and found the service a lot more personal. Find your nearest clinics on the HFEA website (there's a locator by postcode on their home page http://www.hfea.gov.uk/).
Oh, and just in case you didn't realise, your wife will need to be 35 or under in order to egg share, and will need to have various hormone tests to check her fertility before she can be accepted as an egg donor.
Good luck!

/links


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## kedmo1 (Aug 18, 2010)

We were told that we had to go private too. Went with Lwc due to lesbian marketing but have to say after 2 iui cycles we decided to move closer to home. Doing egg share with a clinic close to home now and the staff are much friendly and although being same sex meant we had to be reviewed before treatment was approved,this wasn't done in a negAtive way,just there policy. The staff are so nice and I feel like a person now not a number. Look closer to home and you'll be surprised how gay friendly places are. 
Good luck

Kerry and Wend


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