UK ladies - Panorama Investigating IVF clinics

[Pinkie3]

There was an interesting half hour Panorama documentary on BBC last night investigating the British Fertility Clinics. It mainly focuses on the add ons that clinics are offering to couples costing thousands of pounds when there is no scientific or medical evidence that they work and still only being investigated and researched.

It's on catch up or iplayer if anyone is interested in watching it.

 

[fififa]

thanks. That's a pity, if it's true, but I hope it isn't.

 

[messica]

I read this in the United States on Huffington Post's site.

I have to be honest and say I think most if not all of it is absolute bologna. I truly believe this is a terrible attempt by those in cahoots with your NHS to come up with a reason not to pay for these treatments, despite the fact that many couples do indeed need them.

Many they list out of the 27 are considered imperative to the testing involved with identifying cause of a couple's infertility. Saying the ovarian reserve test, antibody test, hysteroscopy are "add on's?" That surgical sperm retrieval for someone with something like azoosperma, congenital abnormality, injury etc is not necessary or essential? IMSI is bunk?? PGS/PGD is ESSENTIAL when a couple is trying to avoid passing on specific genetic diseases, or have experienced multiple losses due to genetic abnormalities. They call that optional????

Making generalized, sweeping statements calling these tests and treatments ineffective and even harmful across the board instead of acknowledging and considering individual criteria will ultimately limit the amount of money approved for a given, funded, treatment cycle. That they only interviewed one woman who conceived unassisted and not the thousands of couples these procedures have helped is at the very least incredibly misleading and unethical journalism.

It's more than a slippery slope. I seriously hope people potentially affected this in the UK challenge these "findings."

 

[Pinkie3]

I agree, the list was a little misleading and in some places incorrect. Some of the treatments are valued and proven but sadly a lot are not. Some of the basics (like you have listed) are common sense and you have to be sensible to know what is of use and what isn't. However I have seen a lot of vulnerable couples be taken advantage of and unfortunately I was one of them. I was sucked into ALOT of extras when in fact it was my egg quality but we were desperate and willing to try everything. I wish my doctor had been honest with me in the beginning to save years of heartache, false hope and paying out a small mortgage.

If anyone is looking into these extras I still think it's worth watching the program, the papers have covered a small amount of what was shown and there were groups of couples interviewed and a women who had 10 failed cycles, plus they went undercover at the fertility show. It wasn't long enough in my opinion and I wish they had spoken about what is proven and main reasons for failed cycles.

I hope there is more money invested for research into infertility as there is still so much unknown. When a couple do eventually fall pregnant we don't know if it was their time or if that 'extra' made the difference. I wouldn't wish infertility on my worse enemy so I hope more is done with these studies.

 

[messica]

I do hope these procedures aren't being recommended if they're not actually needed. That would be truly awful. And I absolutely agree more research across the board needs to be done.

It's crazy to me just how little is still known about how we all began, and what it takes to conceive and carry a child to term. Throwing hands up in the air and saying we don't know, there's nothing we can do, isn't good enough.

 

[fx4babydust]

I'm not sure what was written in the articles about the TV programme. However the Panorama programme was not considering hysteroscopy, the ovarian reserve test or sperm retrieval methods as an 'add-on'.

The treatments that they were discussing were the use of intralipid therapy, endometrial scratches, embryoscopes and immunotherapy. From analysis of the research, these do not have sufficient evidence at present to suggest that they increase pregnancy rates. You can look up the evidence yourself on the Cochrane website (a global independent network of 37,000 researchers and professionals dedicated to providing scientific, evidence based health information).

They did also mention PGS and that as a routine measure there is no evidence behind it. I completely agree however for couples with known genetic diseases this is essential (although this is actually PGD rather than PGS).

The programme did also mention that while there is not sufficient evidence for it in routine instances, there may be a role in using for couples who have experienced multiple failed IVF attempts or miscarriages. However they made it clear that couples should be told that these are as yet not scientifically proven techniques and that they should be aware of this before spending extra money which they might not be able to afford.

One final thing; it is not the NHS that is paying for these treatments. The programme was talking about self-funded Private Fertility Treatment.

Hope this clears up the differences between what was written in the article and what the programme actually showed