INFERTILITY TREATMENT

Fertility treatment funded by the NHS varies across the UK. Waiting lists for treatment can be very long in some areas. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) make recommendations about fertility guidelines and who could have access to IVF treatment on the NHS in England and Wales, however the individual NHS Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) (who replaced the Clinical Commissioning Groups) have the final decision about who can have NHS-funded IVF in their local area, and their criteria may be stricter than those recommended by NICE. 

Firstly make an appointment to see your GP, they will be able to advise  about your eligibility for treatment, if the NHS will fund your IVF in your local area or your GP will be able to refer you to a specialist, or contact  your local Integrated Care Board. If your GP refers you to a specialist for further tests, the NHS will pay for this. All patients have the right to be referred to a NHS clinic for an initial investigation. 

Going Privately

If you have an infertility problem, you may want to consider private treatment. This can be a viable and easy option as you have no waiting times and many private clinics have some of the latest and most advanced fertility treatments although as with all clinics, there’s no guarantee of success. It’s important to choose a private clinic carefully. 

Ask for a personalised, fully costed treatment plan that explains exactly what’s included, such as fees, scans and any necessary medication and also ask clinics for their live birth rate not just success rate. 

Choosing a Clinic

If you decide to go private, you can ask your GP for advice. Make sure you choose a clinic licensed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. The HFEA is a government organisation that regulates and inspects all UK clinics that provide fertility treatment, including the storage of eggs, sperm or embryos.  

Treatment Options

Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)

IUI or artificial insemination is commonly used by people who are using donated sperm in their treatment, including single women and female couples, but can also be  used by some heterosexual couples. 

In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF)

IVF is suitable for people with a wide range of fertility issues and is the one of the most commonly used and successful treatments available for many people. 

Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)

For around half of couples who are having problems conceiving the cause of infertility is sperm related. ICSI is the most common and successful treatment for male infertility. 

Fertility Drugs

Some people with polycystic ovary syndrome or fertility problems caused by hormone imbalances may be able to have fertility drug treatment without needing to have a more invasive treatment like IVF or IUI. 

IVF Options

It’s possible to have IVF with either less medication, or no medication at all. These treatments include natural IVF, mild stimulation IVF and in vitro maturation (IVM) and may be suitable for people who are unable to take fertility drugs due to an existing medical condition. 

Surgical Sperm Extraction

If you have no, or extremely low numbers of sperm in your semen, you may be able to have sperm collected surgically. 

Surgery

Some conditions that affect your  fertility may be treatable with  surgery. This includes women with blocked fallopian tubes, endometriosis and fibroids and men who have had a vasectomy which they want to have reversed. 

Using a Donor

If you can’t use your own eggs and/ or sperm or you’re in a same sex couple or you’re a single woman, you’ll need to use donated eggs, sperm or embryos. Find out more about using sperm, eggs or embryo from a donor. 

Surrogacy

Surrogacy is the main treatment for same sex male couples who’d like to have a family. It can also be used by women who have a medical condition that makes it difficult or impossible to get pregnant and couples who have had repeated miscarriages or failed treatment cycles.