Starting IUI process- Looking for lesbian parents close by??

[whatwillbex]

Gloucestershire x

 

[Rachk011]

That isnt to far from us- only an hour! I went for a job interview in a school there with the idea of commuting- too far for a commute but not too far for a future play day! or picnic afternoon? Lol at the idea of asking random woman, I'm the same- sure there must be more same sex families just don't know any and have struggled to find any Cardiff groups! x

 

[whatwillbex]

I thought there would be loads of groups in Cardiff. Really like Cardiff. Do you know Porthcawl?

Maybe I will start a group?? lol or maybe not, not that great at organising thinking about it. Would be nice for all families to come together for the day bit like a pride? x

 

[lins9383]

Hi there, we are from Scotland but currently living in USA due to my partners job we will be here for the next two years and have decided to try at home using frozen sperm. We are going to have our first try in Oct and are so excited. Its great to know that there are options available on NHS as this is going to be an expensive route over here. Luckily my partners work is paying my medical bills which I am so thankful for. All being well that is. We are not in a civil partnership as it is not recognised in Ohio and are currently trying to find out where we stand legally as my partner needs to be a legal parent also.

Such an exciting time though

 

[Nelly101]

Hey lins9383 I currently stay in Colorado and you can both be recognized as parents both be on birth certificate here as well!!but its a lot of work.

 

[ashley2501]

Lins9383-
My wife and I are in the Cincinnati area as well! You are right, it is a very expensive process here! We get to start trying in Oct as well and are so excited. I will be carrying because she has two of her own already. She has a DD and DS. She conceived the DS with a frozen donor and I am going to use the same one. Welcome to Ohio, sorry its going to cost you so much more here! I am also on my wifes insurance luckily and her job has pretty great insurance. We are blessed with that at least. Good luck!

 

[lisaT1986]

Hi everyone..
I was reading this and felt compelled to sign up so I could reply - I live in Scotland (the highlands) and after reading this thread I have realised just how lucky we have been!

We decided we wanted to have a baby about 2 years ago.. we went to the GP and were referred to the fertility clinic, took about 2 months for the first appointment and compulsory counselling session then we were put on a waiting list for 6 months.. after that we started our attempts at IUI, because of inconvenient timing of ovulation and the clinic not being open at weekend it has taken 12 months for us to have 6 tries, but on the 6th I am pregnant! currently 7 weeks so still very early but we are totally over the moon!

I had no idea that you had to pay anywhere in the UK.. I thought everywhere offered free NHS IUI and IVF. we were told we can have 8 IUI and 2 IVF.

Anyway - im sorry I just realise these seems like im rubbing it in - that's not my intention but I would definitely say its worth moving for if you are in one of these places that don't accommodate you. We found the process easy and relatively stress free (apart from my monthly blood tests and fear of needles - as well as the concern at it taking so many tries!)

I am very keen to speak to other Lesbian parents as like you I have looked locally and cant seem to find any groups !

 

[Mafi419]

Hello. I'm so confused right now. I went to my GP in September for a blood test (because of my iron levels, usually low ). My wife accompanied me and we asked the GP what our options were regarding getting pregnant and using the NHS...she told us that we had none, that she wasn't sure that the UK offered any kind of treatment for same-sex couples to conceive. We are not from the UK, we came to the UK almost a year ago from Portugal (we're both studying and working here). The main reason we had to come to the UK, was the fact that in Portugal we don't have the legal right to use a fertility clinic while in a same-sex marriage, and we can't have both our names in our baby's birth certificate, and also because it is just easier to raise a baby here being a same-sex couple. We just assumed we had to go to a private clinic, like the london women's clinic. We were saving money to go there in July or August (it will be about 2000-2500 pounds for one IUI try). And now I'm reading this and I'm really confused. What should we do?

 

[day_dreamer]

Mafi - you are totally entitled to go to a private clinic!! As long as you can pay you can get all the treatments you want.

Your GP is correct in that the NHS don't routinely offer fertility treatment to same sex couples. If one of you has a diagnosed fertility issue then you may be able to get some treatment but it depends where you live. My friends get 3 IVF attempts free whereas I would have to pay for 6 IUI cycles privately before they will consider free IVF.

Good luck!

 

[Mafi419]

Oh, I see. We were thinking about trying insemination at home first (in May/June), with sperm from a Danish sperm bank. It is expensive, but not as expensive as using a private clinic. I just feel anxious about this because we are going to spend a small fortune and the odds aren't exactly on our side (I mean, from what I read, that is a 20% chance of getting pregnant, at my age - 27 -, inseminating on the right time, while ovulating...that means that if we are going to try once by ourselves and once in a clinic, we still only have a 40% chance of getting pregnant). But we've heard horror stories from people that used known donors, and that made us decide on the sperm shipping :/ Is there anyway we could meet other couples in this situation? Maybe that would make things less stressful thank you so much for your kind attention

 

[day_dreamer]

I'm not sure you're allowed to ship sperm to the UK. When I looked in to it I think they will only ship to a clinic for official treatment. I found it would've been cheaper to fly to Denmark, stay in a hotel and collect the sperm in person.

Known donors are a popular option and the route I'm going. I think if you trust your instincts and get references it's fairly safe,.. The good stories far outnumber the bad.

There's a thread here
babyandbump.momtastic.com/assisted-conception/165424-considering-home-insemination-donor-sperm-965.html#post31624221

I don't know if you've already found it...join us

 

[Mafi419]

Hi day dreamer!

They do ship it to the UK:

"Do you deliver to private costumers?
Yes, we deliver to private customers.

There are many issues which must be considered regarding assisted insemination; e.g. medical examination, diagnosis, scanning, timing, and hormonal stimulation or other types of medication. On the basis of this we recommend that you are always under the care of a physician or other health professional, e.g. a midwife, nurse, laboratory technician or similar.

If you are treated by a doctor or other healthcare professionals your chances of getting pregnant is three to four times higher per cycle than by home insemination, as a doctor or healthcare professional can offer you IUI or IVF treatment.

If you do not want, or have access to treatment by a doctor or healthcare professional please read more about home insemination."

and also

"All donors or specimens that meet "SPERM BANK NAME"' UK-Standard are selected, screened and comply with all regulation in force in United Kingdom.

As United Kingdom is a part of EU, all donors and specimens released to UK-Standard will also meet the requirements according to the EU-Tissue directives. I.e. that all donations that meets Cryos' UK-Standard are donated after April 7th 2007."

We really don't feel comfortable with a known donor, specially my wife. Unless something changes, we will "use" the anonymous donor. But I will read the thread, thank you

It is very expensive though. Each try will be at least 600 pounds (shipping included)

 

[day_dreamer]

Hope to see you over there - lots of success stories from all different methods of insemination and different kinds of donors

 

[dutiful23]

We have to pay for 10 iui cycles before the nhs will help us there is no way we can afford that we are in somerset

 

[Wenders30]

Hi
I have just been to Cardiff for fertility...need to lose another 3 stone before I can start it but they are happy to put me on the list after 3 months having already lost 3 stone!
Just wanted to know what happens from there on...Do you pay anything with the NHS?
Thanks

 

[Baby_blue]

Hiya

Could you private mail me if you can
? Wanted to chat to you more about your situation kind if in same boat as you.

Thanks