During early 2021, at the age of 40, I travelled with my husband, Russ to Prague for IVF. We\u2019d been trying to naturally conceive a second child for two and a half years with no success. My existing condition \u2013 uterine adhesions had been rectified via private treatment during 2020. Due to our ages (40 and 44) and the fact that we\u2019d already endured a long fertility struggle, we felt that it was important to not waste any more time and to get on with things. We researched our IVF options both in the UK and abroad. We opted to go abroad for IVF. Why? Well, I explain that below plus crucially I share the 7 vital things I learnt along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I wouldn\u2019t describe myself as a particularly decisive person. If I\u2019m presented with endless options, I often feel overwhelmed. This was how I felt when my husband and I first started researching IVF abroad. Fortunately for us, we decided early-on to get help from Your IVF Abroad \u2013 an agency where you can pay to be matched to a safe European IVF clinic according to your needs and who supported us practically and emotionally through our treatment. Whilst this route felt right for us (we needed the expert guidance, to know things were safe and \u2018right\u2019 for us and the decision-making support and guidance through treatment), I appreciate that many people may wish to do their own research. My key advice here is to take time at the start to really consider what YOU (and your partner) need and to ensure you find a clinic that is regulated and safe and that can meet your needs. Often the decision to look into IVF abroad follows a gruelling fertility journey which may have included great disappointment and loss along the way. Sometimes people are already in a state of grief and perhaps don\u2019t realise it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This possibly sounds obvious but research is key. For us, much of the research was done by the agency we paid to support us. I personally found it really overwhelming to do the research and was not sure how to narrow down the pool of clinics I found when looking online. Overseas clinics (particularly in Europe) are generally well set-up to communicate with foreign patients. There are also many great sources of advice:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Undertaking IVF abroad can feel overwhelming. As our early decision-making stages fell during the Covid pandemic, I recall feeling anxious that I couldn\u2019t just get in the car and go and see the clinics we were considering for myself. I felt a natural need to see the clinics with my own eyes \u2013 to see the levels of cleanliness, to see the clinic staff I\u2019d been talking to, to meet in-person the doctors who would be overseeing my IVF cycle. My own way of managing this was to talk in depth with the UK-based agency who were supporting us. They had vetted the clinics themselves and were able to talk me through what to expect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We managed to narrow our search down to two clinics in Prague, Czech Republic. It might sound irrelevant to a medical-based decision but Prague was somewhere my husband and I had always wanted to visit so it was a bonus to spend 10 days (our length of treatment abroad) in a City we\u2019d always dreamed of exploring. There were of course other important factors (for example no waiting list) that influenced our decision too. When it came to deciding between the two clinics, we chose Gennet simply because it felt right. Looking back, this was largely down to the clinic\u2019s clear and transparent communication. Whilst much of the communication was via email, the language was consistently clear. I never felt uneasy that I didn\u2019t understand what the clinic staff were asking us to do. This is particularly important as it\u2019s normal with IVF abroad that the early testing stages (blood tests, sperm analysis etc) are done in the UK prior to travelling abroad for the IVF treatment and we had support to do this from Your IVF abroad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Again, this might seem obvious but I can\u2019t stress enough how important it is to know your costs upfront. These costs are not just medical (testing, treatment, medications) but also include accommodation and travel costs. Something I learnt re: accommodation \u2013 make it easy on yourself and book a hotel very local to your clinic. You\u2019ll be frequently back and forth for scans, blood tests etc and proximity is key. Be aware that many clinics abroad have discount deals available with local hotels \u2013 always ask about these as they can make a difference financially. I also learnt something essential re: travel \u2013 if you can, build in flexibility for your flight dates. Sometimes dates alter either at the start, during or end of your IVF cycle. If you have the flexibility to change your flights last-minute it can reduce stress at vital points in your treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Please don\u2019t underestimate the amount of paperwork involved in doing IVF abroad. The majority of clinics will make the paperwork process as straightforward as possible. Afterall, the admin staff do this day in, day out with overseas patients. However, my advice is not to rush paperwork \u2013 whether it\u2019s online forms or mailing of documentation – it\u2019s all vitally important to your treatment. My advice is to take your time to complete everything thoroughly. It\u2019s time well invested as it\u2019ll help you feel more in control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n