# Advice for private treatment between Clomid and IVF



## Jean Gray (Apr 26, 2011)

Hi ladies,

A friend of mine is looking for some advise. We live in the North East of England and she has a 4 year old already, she also has PCOS. She was given Clomid again (it worked last time) but the blood tests show she still have low levels of progesterone that suggest she isn't ovulating. 

She currently can't afford IVF and can't get it on the NHS so what I would like to know is, what treatments are available after Clomid but before IVF? I told you where we live as that might help with clinics in our area (she can travel so exact location doesn't matter). We both go to the same NHS hospital who are great at giving out Clomid but not a lot else! 

Thanks for any suggestions, even a website for her to check out would be a starting point.


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## Bubblicious (Jul 8, 2010)

Jean, what a good friend you are.

Has your friend looked into IUI? Basically it is well-timed artificial insemination and can be done naturally or more likely, with medication. It is about a quarter of the cost of IVF. I paid about £1000 each attempt in London but I did it with Clomid as I was obviously ovulating. However, I know a lot of hospitals/clinics use the same injectible drugs as you use with IVF. The advantages of it are that it is cheaper but as you are monitored throughout the process with scans and sometimes you also trigger ovualtion with an injection if you are not ovulating on your own, it is a helping hand to natural conception. Injectibles also give the doctors more control over follicle growth etc. As part of the process, sperm are washed and graded so only the best ones are used and when insemination actually happens, the sperm are inserted by catheter straight into the uterus so it is the right place at the right time.

What your friend must bear in mind is that it does not have the success rates of IVF. Also, it will not overcome issues such as egg quality and sperm's binding ability; both of which can be a factor in secondary infertility. However, I was told that IUI gave me the same odds as I had at the start of trying to conceive naturally [i.e 20%].

Unfortunately, three attempts did not work for us. Our consultant told us that three further attempts would give us the same odds but also that the money for these three future attempts might be better spent on IVF. So we saved for IVF [which became ICSI in the end; where the sperm is injected directly into the eggs] and we are now 14 weeks pregnant.

Try the HFEA website for information on clinics.

Wish your friend lots of luck. It's so hard struggling with secondary infertility and few people understand. She is lucky to have a friend like you.


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## Jean Gray (Apr 26, 2011)

Oh Bubblicious, thank you and congratulations. It took me a while to understand the pain of not being able to have a second child until I saw my friend going through it. 

I'll let her know what you've said as I think we all need support going through this difficult time.


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## Bubblicious (Jul 8, 2010)

Jean, I didn't see your signature before .... good luck to you, too.  Infertility/subfertility, be it primary or secondary is really hard to deal with so look after each other.  Best wishes!


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