# Beginning our journey with fertility support



## mechelleclaire (Apr 26, 2011)

Okay, so I'm new here to the site my name is Mechelle and I have been married to my amazing other half for nearly two years (come July). We have talked for a few years about starting a family and have found a donor who is willing to help us. He is an amazing guy, actually he's a doctor who is also in a same-sex marriage. We haven't started trying yet because I have been having some problems with ovulation and menstruation. I had some issues about painful periods as a teenager when I was younger and was put on the pill to help, but came off two and a half years ago when we first discussed having a baby. In those two and a half years I haven't had a period at all (I was always really regular before I started the pill), so went to the doctor and after some tests, was told I had PCOS. I was disheartened because I want to carry our child. When we told the doctor that we wanted to start trying for a baby with our donor, she said the best thing to do was to refer us to a fertility specialist before we try insemination. 
The first appointment is next week and I'm excited, but worried about it at the same time. You just hear so many stories about the NHS refusing treatment to same-sex couples and it's so expensive to go private. We have also been talking about maybe having her eggs inseminated then implanted into me. Can anyone give me some tips about this? Also, a really stupid question, but if we were to do this, ie, her eggs and me carrying, who's name would be on the birth certificate? We thought this would be a nice idea for us because of my problems and because it's the closest we would actually get to the baby being a part of both of us. 
All replies about your experiences would be great 

Thanks
Mechelle


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## snagglepat (Sep 13, 2004)

Hi there,

I just wrote you a long post and lost it. Gah!

We were in a similar situation to you and we got treatment on the NHS to get me ovulating because I had a diagnosed fertility problem - PCOS. Because we had our own donor and inseminated at home this was all we needed and it worked for us, twice.  I was given metformin to help my body start to ovulate by itself and although the side effects weren't nice initially they faded after a while and my body started to have normal cycles again within 3-6 months of starting to take it. I was given regular scans to check on this. We then inseminated and got lucky within a few cycles each time (although this was after several years of trying unsuccessfully with my partner and then with me pre-treatment).

You may also be offered clomid which is a more potent treatment. It would have been our next step if the metformin alone hadn't worked and we'd also have been entitled to this on the NHS. Beyond that - having inseminations at the hospital or going for IVF (with mine or anyone else's eggs) would have meant we'd have to pay the going rate. We got lucky though and have two wonderful kids. The only financial costs to conceive were prescription charges. It's after that it gets _really_ expensive... 

I hope this has helped. Good luck to you all!

Gina.


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## mechelleclaire (Apr 26, 2011)

Thank you so much for your reply, it is just the kind of encouragement and inspiration we need right now. Hopefully some medication can just help us get on the right track, we just can't wait to start our family  

Mechelle


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