UK Ladies - how did you choose your clinic?

[mrsmonkey10]

Hi Ladies,
ive not been on this part of the site very often, but i think i will be coming here lots over the next few months! I hope i can make some friends and get to know more about whats going to happen to me and the hubby...
We have just been referred to an infertility clinic, i have endo and hubby has lazy swimmers. My problem now is how do i choose where to go? They have given me a huge list:
Royal Oldham
St Marys Manchester
North Manchester General
Tameside
Rochdale
Salford Royal
Trafford Central
Stepping Hill

Do i assume that the clinic with the longest waiting list is the best? Has anyone had treatment at any of the clinics?

I really am at a loss so any advice is very welcome!

Thanks xx

 

[tansey]

You should read reviews on each clinic to get opinions from couples who have used them and look at their waiting list and live birth rate.
www.fertilityfriends.com has lots of info if you can't find any on here for your specific clinics.

 

[Leila Fae]

We were given a choice of 3 clinics, one of which is nice and close to us. That is also the clinic DH had his latest SA, so we chose that one. Didn't do any research (naughty I know!). Turns out that the consultant we saw at the hospital also works there and so he's ended up referring us to himself! Have since found out that a friend of mine has been to that clinic and has good things to say. Phew! I'll be able to for my own opinion in two weeks today at our first appointment!

Good luck with your selection x

 

[Mrs G]

Hi

Obviously live birth rates are important but I would also say you need to think about how close the clinic is to you. There are lots of appointments and the travelling can be stressful, especially if you have to get time off.
Another thing is the consultant, you have to have faith in them and their staff. Clinics should have open evenings, go along and get a "feel" I'd say.

Lots of luck

 

[mich1]

I would say that there are 3 key things to look for: 1) Wait times. One of the hospitals I could have gone to had a 3 month wait time whereas where I ended up choosing had no wait time! It's stressful enough as it is without having to wait around for ages just for the first appointment. 2) Statistics. I just assumed that those places with the longer wait times had the better statistics but how wrong I was! Actually sometimes the longer wait times is simply because they have a bigger catchment area so to speak. Definitely get all of their statistics and try and compare that way. 3) Distance. I can't over-emphasise this bit. I travelled 1 hour 15 mins each way to my clinic by car. That was about the limit really. Any further would have been really difficult given the amount of extra scans etc I had to have which I hadn't expected. One of the places I could have gone to I would have only have been able to get to by train and having been through EC now there is no way I would have wanted to have got on public transport after that! Good luck!