The Great British IVF Robbery?
If you’re over 40, you may qualify for state-funded IVF. Or maybe not. The recently updated NICE guidelines on fertility treatment, non-legally binding and ignored by most GPs, recommend that women aged 40 to 42 have access to IVF treatment on the NHS. The bad news? Several caveats apply to the access criteria.
IVF overseas: why European clinics lead the way
IVF treatment abroad continues to make sense for many UK couples. There are two reasons why: lower cost and better care. We’ve long criticised the provision of IVF in the UK. The cost of IVF continues to rise in the UK, and it’s risen more after Brexit. If no-deal happens, expect even higher UK […]
Top 5 reasons to have donor embryos abroad
Donated embryos, or embryo adoption, is on the rise. More liberal approaches to alternative parenting in recent years have made it a real option for many couples (and singles). With good success rates, donor-embryo treatment is no longer taboo or the ‘forgotten’ fertility treatment. Read our top 5 reasons to consider it – and why […]
Pregnant and 40? Accentuate the positive.
A recent study from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has suggested early induction of older pregnant women (aged 40 or above) may reduce the risk of stillbirth. The paper’s authors recommend that pregnant women in their 40s are given the option to induce earlier. This pragmatic advice should be welcomed.
PGS testing during IVF: should you have it?
Preimplantation genetic screening, or PGS, is a viable option for certain IVF patients. Available, for an additional fee, to IVF couples anxious about the chromosomal health of their embryos, PGS takes place before your embryo transfer (and delays it until the results are back). Due to its pre-transfer timing, it has to be better than […]
How much exercise is good for IVF patients?
Friends say ‘take it easy’. Doctors say ‘don’t overdo it’. But who’s right when it comes to exercise before and during pregnancy? And should you tread more carefully when you’re having IVF?
Is full anonymity best for egg and sperm donors?
Donor anonymity is a contentious issue. Should donor-conceived children have the right to trace their donor parents? In the UK, the law says yes. The result? Many egg and sperm donors are discouraged from coming forward. Supply is still dwarfed by demand, so patients go abroad. You’ll be waiting for a donor for at […]
Top 10 reasons to have IVF in the Czech Republic
Deciding to go abroad for IVF treatment is a big step. Which country is best? Do you head for EU clinics, or venture further afield? Here’s our tip: proceed directly to the Czech Republic. Why? These are the top 10 reasons we went there…
NHS IVF Funding Refused? Why Many Couples Choose IVF Abroad
Having your IVF abroad isn’t just about better treatment and lower prices. It’s because the NHS won’t treat you. Across the country, patients are routinely being denied IVF treatment for spurious financial and medical reasons. The IVF postcode lottery puts local GP commissioning groups in charge. Often flouting NICE guidelines, most look for excuses to […]
The perfect IVF diet? Ask an avocado.
Pregnancy nutrition is a hot topic. But should IVF patients follow a different dietary path? It’s a question our own patients often ask us. Research a few years ago from the Harvard School of Public Heath suggested avocados may triple live birth rates for couples undergoing IVF.