Choosing a fertility clinic

Choosing a fertility clinic can be quite a daunting task. There are so many questions to be asked, so many things to consider that it can be difficult to know where to start.  Ultimately, your choice will be down to how you feel about a clinic when you visit for the first time. But it is helpful to consider some of the information you will need before making short list. The table below highlights things you need to consider when choosing a clinic.

 

When you have short listed the clinics you would like to visit, it is a good idea to prepare a more detailed set of questions. You may find it useful to look at our own Q&A of Frequently Asked Questions from visitors to our clinic.

Further information on questions to ask when choosing a clinic is available from  HFEA at www.hfea.gov.uk/en/1080.html.

  • Location – it is likely that you will need to visit your chosen clinic regularly. Finding one close to home will reduce travel time and costs, helping to ease the pressure slightly in anxious times.
  • Wessex Fertility is based in Southampton and treats many patients from across Hampshire and the south of England. We recognise that being treated close to home is important to our patients, which is why we have established satellite clinics initially in Bournemouth and Basingstoke, to reduce waiting times.
  • Range of treatments – The range of treatments on offer will vary from clinic to clinic, but typical treatments available include:
    • In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF)
    • Intra-cytoplasmic Sperm Insemination (ICSI)
    • Embryo freezing
    • Donor Insemination (DI)
    • Egg donation
    • Egg sharing
    • Surrogacy
    It is also worth finding out what storage facilities the clinic has if you decide to freeze eggs or embryos and if it has access to donor sperm, eggs or embryos.
  • Wessex Fertility offers all of these treatments, and we have a link with three clinics in Spain for provision of donor eggs. We are also one of the few clinics in the UK with our own successful in-house donor program and sperm bank.
  • Success rates – clearly if you are planning to undergo fertility treatment, you want to know that the clinic you have chosen has a good track record of success. A good rate is around 30%, BUT a note of caution: clinics to not always apply the same criteria when measuring success rates. Some clinics accept only younger patients with a better chance of success, so it is important that you ask more about how they measure success. You should also ask specifically about success rates for the treatments you are considering.
  • We have an inclusive policy at Wessex Fertility and accept couples with a lower chance of success, provided there is no medical risk [for IVF treatment we accept women up to age 45]. Our success rates are broken down by treatment and are updated regularly.
  • Price – This is often one of the deciding factors for many couples. Every clinic must give you clear information on its current charges, including the cost of any 'extras' such as drugs or surgery. Each cycle of IVF - taking the drugs, collecting the eggs and implanting the embryos - can cost between £3,500 and £4,000. On average, most women become pregnant after three cycles of IVF, a total cost of nearly £12,000. But prices will vary from clinic to clinic.
  • A detailed breakdown of our prices is available on our treatments page.
  • Size/facilities – it is important that the clinic you choose has all of the facilities you are looking for so that you don’t have to travel between different sites for treatments. Larger clinics may have shorter waiting lists, but you may prefer a more personal approach with a smaller clinic where you can get to know everyone on the team.
  • Wessex Fertility clinic is located at the Freya Centre, a modern, purpose-built centre with the latest facilities. These include private consulting rooms, a theatre, laboratories and recovery areas.
  • Staff – knowing a bit about the staff at your chosen centre will help you build a picture of their expertise and experience.
  • The clinic has a permanent staff of 24, including three consultant gynaecologists and obstetricians, four embryologists and six nursing staff.
  • Reputation – obviously it is important that your clinic has a sound track record and good reputation. In the absence of a personal recommendation for a clinic, ask to see testimonials from previous patients
  • We regularly receive testimonials and letters of thanks and support from our patients, many of whom return for further treatment with us.
  • Counselling and support – This is an essential part of your treatment and you must feel confident and comfortable with the level of support offered by the clinic. The HFEA requires that registered clinics provide counselling to patients, but you may wish to look at other aspects of service and support, such as whether they provide 24 hour cover, do they offer named contacts, will you be treated by the same nursing staff etc.
  • Wessex Fertility provide 24 hour on call support in addition to counselling and named contacts.