CARE Fertility Bulletin Board

Heff · 13 May 2012

Hi all, my wife and I live in Scotland and are seriously looking at getting on to the waiting list to be donor egg recipients at either CARE Manchester or Northampton.

We've done our research and find both places to have good reputations from people who have undergone treatment at each.

Coming from Scotland, travel times (and the releated stress and cost) play a big factor in our decision, so we are trying to decide which option is best for us.

Barring any unexpected issues, we've been told that being a donor egg recipient at Northampton would require a total of 3 visits total from one or both of us but that Manchester would be 4-5.

Northampton is a longer journey (EasyJet to Luton then 1hr drive in a rental car vs 4hours on the train to Manchester) but with less visits (and a shorter waiting list) Northampton would seem to be a better fit.

For anyone that has been a donor egg recipient at either Manchester or Northampton, do those visit numbers sound right?

Cheers!
Mike

pray and hope · 18 Feb 2012

Hi mike.
We are donor egg recipients at Northampton and we had to go in Initially for a chat with the donor nurse, which required us both to be there. Then I went in on my own for a blood test that my doctor didn't do. Then after we paid to be on the waiting list, we both had to go in for my husband to have a sperm test, then we had an appointment with the counsellor, then a chat with the consultant.
So that's 3 visits before our treatment starts. I havnt got much further than that yet, so hopefully someone else can fill in the blanks. All the very best to you and your wife.

AuntyMand · 22 Mar 2010

Hi Mike,

I'm Scottish, but live near Northampton, so it was the natural choice for me!

Realistically, the number of visits should be about the same, and will also depend on how you respond. If you do decide to come to Northampton, though then you have a choice of airports to fly to from either Edinburgh or Glasow. Depending on convenience and cost, you could fly into East Midlands, Luton or Birmingham. All are about 45 mins to an hour away.

Your visits to the clinic will be roughly as follows:

- Initial appointment. If you explain that you're travelling a distance, they should do as much as possible in this appointment. You'll most probably see the donor nurse, the counsellor and the consultant, as well as any blood tests you need, plus a sperm sample.
- Your wife will then have an initial scan before starting treatment
- Once having treatment, she'll then need to be scanned roughly two or three times before transfer
- You'll need to visit to produce your "sample" on the day of the donor's egg collection.
- A few days after that will be embryo transfer. As these appointments are close together, you could consider just staying in Northampton in between.

You may also be able to discuss with Care if it would be possible for your wife to have her scans at another clinic closer to home for you.

Hope that helps and best of luck!

Amanda

Heff · 13 May 2012

Hi all, thanks for the good advice.

We've decided to go for Northampton, on gut feeling as well as other factors.

Let us know of there are any can't-miss restaurants in Northampton
Mike

pray and hope · 18 Feb 2012

You won't be disappointment, the staff are fantastic. As for restaurants, we have only eaten at one and that was a weatherspoons in town. Cheap and cheerful.
Town is only a 10 min walk from the hospital so easy to get to.

fidyro · 11 Sep 2011

I was a donor egg recipient at Manchester and I was only there twice. First visit for initial consult and then for embryo transfer.

I had all other scans locally and they faxed the results to Manchester, obviously the scans had to be paid for at the local clinic but this was cheaper and less stressful than travelling to Manchester.

We were successful and also had the 7 week scan locally.