Understanding your IVF and Fertility Treatment
Whether you have been referred to us for IVF treatment by your GP or consultant or are self-referred, our first task is to assess your individual circumstances via an initial consultation. One of our experienced consultants will discuss your history and perform a number of tests, including an ultrasound, to gain a fuller picture of your personal situation.
We usually ask for a sperm test prior to the first consultation so that we are armed with all the information needed to speed up appropriate fertility treatment. We will then be able to work with you to decide the best course of action and treatment.
IVF & Fertility Treatment - Next steps
Once you have had your initial consultation, you may be keen to start IVF treatment as soon as possible or you may want to think things through for a while. We are happy for you to take much time as you need in order to reach a decision and are just a phone call away if you have any queries or concerns.
It is important to have all the necessary health screening tests done in the month before you wish to start your treatment. It is also essential for us to have current blood results on file before booking your set up appointment.
So you’re ready for your IVF treatment to begin…
Depending upon your personal circumstances, there may be a range of IVF and fertility treatment options available to you. At your set up appointment, we will go through your treatment in detail and ensure you are confident with the way forward.
Our Consultants, Embryologists and Nurses are available to you throughout your treatment to provide expert advice.
We provide you with a home pregnancy test kit for you to discover in the privacy of your own home whether you are pregnant. We have excellent pregnancy success rates that are updated regularly on this site. If successful, we will follow up with a pregnancy scan 2 -3 weeks after your positive pregnancy test.
If your treatment has not been successful, our team of consultants will review your case and discuss with you the best route forward at a follow up appointment.
A detailed list of our treatments and pricing is available on our fertility treatment pricing page.
Donor information is available on our Sperm and Egg Donor Clinic and Bank page
Our fertility treatments
At Wessex Fertility Clinic we offer you state-of-the-art treatments for a wide range of fertility issues. Our current range of treatments is detailed opposite. Please click on them to see more in depth information.
Egg Freezing
We are able to provide egg freezing for patients who need to undergo cancer treatment (surgery or chemo/radiotherapy)
In-vitro Fertilisation (IVF)
This involves the fertilisation of eggs with sperm in an incubator in the laboratory. IVF treatment requires more eggs than in a natural cycle so the ovaries are stimulated to increase the number of mature eggs available for fertilisation. The eggs are collected from the ovaries using ultrasound guidance. The sperm from the partner or a donor are specially prepared and mixed with the eggs in the laboratory to allow fertilisation to occur.
After two or three days in the incubator two, or occasionally three, of the resulting embryos are transferred to the woman's uterus through the cervix and hopefully they will then develop as they would in a normal pregnancy. This is particularly applicable to women whose fallopian tubes are absent or damaged. IVF is also appropriate for other fertility problems such as endometriosis, unexplained infertility and male infertility, as well as the egg donation programme.
ICSI
In conventional IVF at least 100,000 sperm must be placed with each egg to have a realistic chance of achieving fertilisation. ICSI involves the injection of a single sperm directly into each egg. The treatment leading up to and after ICSI is identical to the conventional IVF cycle.
As only a small number of sperm are required for ICSI, this technique is appropriate for couples where the man has low numbers of normal, motile sperm and would be unsuitable for treatment with IVF unless donor sperm is used. In addition, because the sperm does not have to penetrate the egg membrane itself, it is also suitable for couples who have had unexplained failure of fertilisation in previous IVF treatment.
Sperm Aspiration/Extraction
| The various forms are: | MESA (Micro-epididymal sperm aspiration) PESA (Percutaneous-epididymal sperm aspiration) TESA (Testicular sperm extraction) Sperm Recovery (aspiration) Congenital absence of the vas deferens after CAVD |
Sperm can be collected surgically for use in IVF-ICSI treatment from the testes or the epididymis. At Wessex Fertility percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration PESA is performed under local anaesthetic. This technique will successfully obtain sperm from 90% of men who have had a vasectomy,CAVD or blockage of the outflow ducts from the testes. For men who have a non-obstructive cause for the absence of sperm or if PESA is unsuccessful, a biopsy of the testis (TESA) may be required and this can also be arranged at Wessex Fertility.
Freezing of Embryos
If excess embryos are available these may be suitable for freezing for future use. It is standard practice that only the higher grade embryos are frozen as these are more likely to survive the freeze/thaw process.
Many of our couples have a first baby from the 'fresh' cycle and a second baby a few years later from the frozen cycle.
Frozen Embryo Cycle (GEEP)
GEEP represents the initials for the drugs used to prepare the lining of the womb prior to the transfer of frozen embryos. It is a treatment cycle necessary for those wishing to use their previously stored embryos. Natural cycles are also available. This offers an alternative to hormone preparation for replacing frozen embryos.
Use of Donor eggs
For women who have undergone an early menopause, or had their ovaries removed or had previous IVF cycles with low egg numbers or poor embryo quality, egg donation can allow them to have a baby themselves. Egg donation programmes are also applicable to women who carry certain genetic conditions such as muscular dystrophy or haemophilia. Young healthy volunteers and egg sharers donate the eggs. Essential counselling is provided for the donors and the recipients. Your partner's sperm is used to fertilise the donor eggs. The embryos formed will then be transferred into your womb. We also have a link with two clinics in Spain for donor eggs.
Egg Donation (Gamete Donation)
We are always in need of egg and sperm donations to assist with some IVF fertility treatments. Many couples rely on donors to come forward to assist them in achieving their dream of becoming parents.
Please read our section on the website called "becoming a donor" and if you would like to become a donor, please make contact.
To help you decide, why not read some of the stories under What do patients think and see how you could really make a difference.
Egg Sharing
Available for couples who are under 35 and require IVF for a tubal or sperm problem and are willing to share their eggs with a couple who require egg donation. See section on 'becoming a donor'. Other pre-requisites for being an egg share donor are:
- BMI < 30
- Non-smoker
- FSH < 8
Embryo Donation
You may consider this if you have frozen embryos in storage that you do not wish to use. All prospective donors and their partners need to undergo specific counselling.
Some couples, who are unable to go through IVF using their own sperm and eggs, may want to consider the possibility of embryo donation. The embryo donated would be transferred into the female partner's womb following a GEEP cycle.
Surrogacy
A complex issue, both physically and emotionally, as it involves finding a woman who will carry a child on behalf of another couple. Consultation and counselling will be required together with consideration of legal and ethical issues.
Assisted Hatching
The technique aims to help couples who have been consistently unsuccessful with IVF. The procedure, which encourages the hatching and implantation of embryos, involves an artificial opening being made in the 'shell' of the embryo prior to its transfer.
Sperm Storage
Sperm is frozen for your future use if sperm aspiration or extraction is required. Back-up storage is also available in a few specific cases (after discussion with the Embryologist)
DI / IUI-D
Donor insemination is carried out when sperm are completely absent or if they carry a genetic disorder. Donors are carefully screened and matched to the physical characteristics of you both. A discussion regarding the implications of donor insemination will be required with the Counsellor to ensure you are both comfortable with the use of a donor.
Semen is prepared and concentrated prior to placement in the uterus using a fine catheter (intra-uterine insemination). For success, the fallopian tubes must be open. We ensure the female partner is ready to ovulate by scanning the ovaries. We then time the insemination for when the egg is predicted to have been released into the fallopian tube.
AIH / IUI-H
Artificial insemination by partner requires a fresh sample of the partner's sperm on the day. The semen is prepared and concentrated prior to placement in the uterus using a fine catheter (intra-uterine insemination). For success, the fallopian tubes must be open. We ensure the female partner is ready to ovulate by scanning the ovaries. We then time the insemination for when the egg is predicted to have been released into the fallopian tube.
Donor sperm bank
A limited amount of sperm is available from our sperm donor clinic. This is for use by our own patients.
