IVF Cost

So at last, things were starting to happen. We had our first appointment regarding our IVF at the Kaali Inst. IVF Centre for the 26th October 2009 and had received a list of tests that needed doing before we attended.

The list of tests is:

Test required for IVF-ICSI treatment:
 FSH, LH, estradiol, PRL, TSH hormone levels day 2-4 of menstrual cycle
 Papanicolau smear (from within 1 year accepted)
 Rubella screening
 Cervical culture for Chlamydia
 Complete blood count, liver function tests, sodium, potassium, Creatinine, Electrocardiogram
 HIV, hepatitis B and C screen (for both partners)
 Semen analysis
 Uterine cavity evaluation (HSG, saline sonohysterogram, hysteroscopy)

We live in the UK and we went to our own GP not knowing whether or not we would have to pay for the tests. Our GP was great, and in fact we ended up getting all of the tests done with no cost. At one point it did look as though I was going to have to pay for a smear as the last one I had done was over 12 months ago but less than the 3 years that they will test for at no cost on the NHS. However, trying to keep the IVF cost down, I asked Dr. Peter Kovacs if they could do the test in Hungary and he said that if my smear test was normal in 2007 and according to local regulations it does not need to be repeated till 2010 then I will not need a fresh test.

I must admit that I do not really understand what all the tests are, but what we needed to do / part with in order to get all the results required was the following:

MYSELF: In one appointment with the nurse she took 4 tubes of blood and did and electrocardiogram (ECG) which involved putting pads on various parts of my body and wiring me up to a machine – I think it just tests that the heart is functioning properly and is totally painless. I also had to give a cervical culture for Chlamydia – just a scrap from the wall, nowhere near as bad as a smear!

DEAR HUBBY: Poor, poor hubby, he absolutely hates needles and he had to give 2 tubes of blood – he survived though! On top of this he also had to take a semen sample to our local hospital.

The only thing that I don’t think this covered was the final test, uterine cavity evaluation (HSG, saline sonohysterogram, hysteroscopy). I had many tests done about three years ago and my GP said that this would be covered in the notes from them. Some of the tests that I had done back then were not very nice, but I don’t know what they were called I’m afraid! It’s the one where they put a dye through you that was really a little unpleasant, all the rest were quite bearable.

At this point the IVF cost is zero – what a bargain!

So, a week later we had the results in hand and were all prepared for our first appointment. Nervous? Definitely!

IVF Cost so far £0