Millions of people trying to conceive and facing difficulties are, well at least should be, upon detailed and thorough investigation of the reasons why they fail to achieve pregnancy and fertility treatment, sent to either public or private IVF clinics.

Apart from their very private disappointment that they need highly advanced medical help to become something, which comes naturally to most, or at least so it seems, they are faced with many questions on how to choose a clinic, which would be best for them.

There are many ways of doing that. in-fertility network is currently reviewing a checklist, which will be very helpful for most couples, whether they consider treatment abroad or at home. One of the crucial decisions though, is whether to choose a private or a public clinic. Well, at least when you are lucky enough to live in a country where there is a variety of both.

There is a set of questions or methods of choosing, however, in most cases it seems to be the bank account which decides. Good or bad? Eternal question. Is it good that there is a higher standard for those, who can afford it? Sure, if you are one of them. Is it always the case that a private clinic provides better treatment, more options and overall higher standard? Well, that also depends on many circumstances, but if you read blogs ranking higher in Google, the answer is seemingly clear. This is one example.

What is worrying for us in-fertility is the fact that whoever decides for a public clinic, is faced with very negative statements from prominent IVF figures, such as Professor Adam Balen, Chair of the British Fertility Society. When interviewed about the add ons, additional treatment, such as genetic screening tests, additional drugs, blood tests to measure the immune system and special devices to house an embryo, costing from hundreds of Euros to thousands, of course on top of the costs of IVF, which according to several experts did not appear to be effective or even justified in many cases , in order to be able to present a balanced overview of fertility practices in the UK he made the point that “If there was better NHS funding of treatments, desperate couples would not be forced into the private sector.”

Now that is not how you would wish to start your treatment of any kind, is it? Is IVF so specific that it is automatically so bad that one needs to be “desperate” to go to a private clinic? Is that only the case in the UK? Should an IVF expert and a doctor speak like that about private clinics, whereby many people pay so much more from their own purse only to try to make sure they are increasing their chances to become parents? Is there a way to explain it, change it?

in-fertility network will ask many questions and publish all answers from institutions, which are relevant for both medical treatment and fertility. Until then, let us know your experience and opinion. And watch out for our Guide in-fertility to be published soon.