NHS IVF Timeframe

My local ICB says that we qualify for IVF funding if we have a diagnosed issue (in our case male factor) and have been trying for over a year. However, my GP says we have to wait 2 years, even though my partner has done 2 tests that we both very low. Am I losing my mind or reading this wrong? Also, if we pay for private IVF are we then no longer edible for NHS IVF? Thanks so much. My mind is frazzled with all of this. For reference this is in Surrey, UK.

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I would say the doctor is wrong. As you have a diagnosis then the wait is 1 year to get funded. I would go back to them. Or maybe get an appointment with a different GP at the clinic. I would need to see the wording on the private vs NHS. I believe some allow you to do private and get nhs funded. But if you have a baby you would no longer be eligible. A lot of regions only allow funded ivf for couples with no children (including adopted or previous relationships)

Ivf via nhs is a postcode lottery regarding criteria to meet and wait times. I got a positive pregnancy test from my privately funded round following collection and fresh transfer before I even got an appointment via NHS. If you have the money go private. I had 1 collection, 1 fresh transfer and 1 frozen (i have 2 ivf kids) and all in at a top London clinic for the above it cost us £25k if that. Yes we were lucky statistically but we had male issues (I was perfectly fine) and we had ICSI so sounds similar to you

I had to wait 3 years in Woking. I’m pretty sure when I was exploring private after I was told that, they said we would still be eligible for NHS if private was unsuccessful.

@Natalie did you guys have a diagnosed reason? My partner has male factor infertility so accoridng to the Surrey Heartlands ICB criteria we should be allowed to have funding after 1 year. They say 3 years if there is no known reason. I just find GP’s so uncompassionate to an already emotional journey. Well my GP anyway.

Surely your partners sperm tests mean you’re eligible after a year. I would go back

Ah yeah we were unexplained! I totally agree. I would just advise to keep pushing pushing pushing.

We are grateful for having one nhs funded cycle (which resulted in 2 miscarriages sadly so we had to go private) but in hindsight we really wished we went private from day 1. The nhs cycle was really so stressful with waits and more waits even when we had frozen embryos with them! It’s really a lottery! So if you have the money just go private!

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