IVF - Going private...

We have been TTC for 2 years, done several rounds of Clomid, had HSG, am ovulating with Clomid, all results each month are within a good range but still no positive result. We conceived #1 easily but this is proving difficult. I am carrying extra weight and to get funding would need to lose weight but at the same time I dont want to wait any longer. Wondering peoples experiences who have gone private? Costs, how it works etc? Thanks :-)

Hi mumma2be,

I have done two rounds of private IVf at FA in Auckland. Our first in December 11 was a full round starting with Gonal F injections, no Clomid. It was ultimately unsuccessful for us, and cost us $12k.

Given that my AMH is very low and I was 38 at the time we were that panicked about the result that didn't even find out if we qualified for funded treatment and felt a privately funded round was the only option for us.

In June of 2012 we decided to try again, but this time were offered a different option with testosterone patches used about five days before AF and then Clomid for days 1 - 5. After that I was scanned and given the option to continue to EC or wait and try the next month. We chose to continue, again privately funded with a cost of around $8k.

Thankfully that round was successful, as you can see by my ticker.

If I had to choose an option again, I would go with the patches and pills, not only because it was cheaper and I had the option to decide before incurring the big costs from the injections, but also because I found the first treatment very hard, I was on edge all of the time and felt terrible, but the pills and patches with a few Gonal F injections and the Ovidrel was a breeze. I felt totally normal for the whole treatment.

Good luck with your IVF journey!



Edited by Minny - 13 January 2013 at 6:50am

Hi Mumma2be, at this stage, apart from very low AMH levels there is no particular fertility issue. Although, to be honest, nothing else was ever really investigated.

I went to my doctor after 18 months TTC and got referred to FA. My doctor had earlier done blood tests and confirmed that I was ovulating and everything seemed fine. The bloods for the AMH test were done at our first FA appointment so by the time we had the second appointment we were told about the level. DP had his tests and there are no issues with him. The doctor at FA really did give us a scare when he told us about the low levels, almost like it was now or never. He even talked about donor eggs. I burst into tears as soon as we left there. i felt so helpless and scared that I would never have a baby. so we went into that first round of IVF in a big panic and completely clueless about any other options, like IUI or Clomid, we literally jumped straight in. Within a week of our second appointment at FA we were back in signing all the forms and picking up injections. It was a real whirlwind and really not ideal, looking back at it now.

That whole time was very stressful, and I was so full of anxiety that its really no wonder it didn't work. I guess on the whole I was really under informed about fertility issues.

My DP had an accident in early Jan 2012 which put our TTC journey on hold for a while but during that time I used OPK's more for my own assurance that I was still ovulating than actively TTC. Only at our second appointment was the patches and Clomid suggested, at that time we were also told that its a harder way to conceive as you may produce eggs one month and not the next. I produced the same amount (4) as when I was on the Gonal F injections, but only end up with one that fertilises. Turns out I only needed one!

I have learnt alot about natural fertility from this site. I do lurk in the infertility and planning pregnancy sections. I am truly in awe of what some of these ladies go through and never give up!

We will not wait too long after this one before TTC #2 and will try naturally for a while and if unsuccessful will go back to the patches and pills. Mainly because its cheaper than injections, and there's less injections, but also because it worked for us this time around!

Sorry for the novel (again) but hope I have been of some help to you.

Mumma2be - Hi, I am looking to do an IUI round with clomid next month and we are going private because my BMI is too high for public funding and we don't want to wait any longer. Thanks to the others that have shared on here, always good to hear other peoples journies

Hi there,
Bit of an old story, but we had 3 years of TTC with me being diagnosed with PCOS. Tried natural therapies, Clomiphene then straight to IVF as we didn't want to wait any longer. Would have been covered with Public but couldnt face the waiting list.
Went ahead with a private cycle at the cost of about $12k eventually, with jabs. Had 12 eggs at retrieval, with 5 embryos fertilising, eventually left with 4 and put one back in. Ended up with our beautiful daughter, now 4, after the first round so very lucky :)

No different in protocol from a Public cycle, except the expense, and we went through FA in Auckland and they were fantastic.

Just about to move into FET with the remaining 3 embryos, so fingers crossed!