SHARED MOTHERHOOD

Your journey starts by speaking to one of our fertility specialists. We’ll discuss your health, medical history, and options for IVF treatment.

If you’re ready, we’ll book you in for your first consultation. We’ll also book you in for your fertility tests, if you need them. This will help us personalise your treatment plan.

Our goal is to gather as much information as possible to create a tailored treatment plan that gives you the best chance of success. 

Before starting treatment you’ll most likely need some fertility and health tests, these tests help us to get a full picture of your health and reproductive health – this gives us the very best chance at creating a treatment plan that works for you.   

The fertility tests will determine your ovarian reserve.You will also have some basic health checks such as your Body Mass Index (BMI) and blood pressure.   

If you have experienced recurrent miscarriage, or you’ve had unsuccessful fertility treatment before, then you might need more in-depth tests. Our fertility specialists will guide you based on your medical history and concerns and ensure that you get the right tests.   

When your test results have come back, you will have a consultation with one of our fertility doctors. They will go through your results with you, and let you know the best treatment route. Your treatment plan will be personalised to you, to give you the very best chance at success. Remember, this is also your opportunity to ask any questions you may have – it's completely normal to have questions!  

After your consultation, we’ll share with your treatment plan and a cost estimation with you via our treatment companion app, Salve, so that you can make an informed decision on what to do next.  

You will also have access to your own Patient Portal, where you can find all the necessary information and resources. Our patient services team will be in touch to answer any questions and provide any additional information you might need – so don’t worry if you didn’t ask everything at your consultation. We’re here to ensure you feel prepared and confident as you begin your treatment journey.  

The next step is to find your perfect donor.  You may choose a donor from a partner sperm bank or use Care Fertility's own sperm bank. The choice is yours, and we can help you with this. 

We can arrange the shipment of your donor from a sperm bank to any Care Fertility clinic for treatment. We ensure all donors have been very carefully selected, and that each is fully screened and registered with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). 

All sperm donors are assessed on their health and medical history to help identify and screen out donors whose sperm could pose a health risk to you or your future child. We check that all donors: 

• Have good sperm counts.
• Are aged between 18 to 45 years.
• Are in good health.
• Have no personal or family history of genetically inherited conditions.
• Have no sexually transmitted infections (STIs). 

Donors are asked to provide a personal description which can be helpful when selecting your donor. You’ll be able to read their pen portrait, a goodwill message, and other non-identifying information they’ve provided.  

Once you’ve told us what you’re looking for, we’ll match you with someone who fits your profile as closely as possible. 

When you’re ready to begin treatment, you’ll take a course of fertility drugs to stimulate your ovaries and produce mature eggs. Your drug regime will be specifically tailored for you.  

Ovarian stimulation is a crucial phase in the IVF process. The goal of ovarian stimulation is to encourage your ovaries to produce multiple eggs, which increases the chances of successful fertilisation. We use a range of fertility drugs, carefully selected and dosed based on your individual needs.  

You will be closely monitored during this stage, with regular ultrasounds and in treatment blood tests if required to track your response to the medication. This allows us to adjust dosages if necessary and ensure your body is responding well.

Our nursing team is always available to provide guidance, answer questions, and offer support throughout this process.  

Monitoring during ovarian stimulation is essential to determine the best time for egg collection. The process typically involves several ultrasound scans and blood tests in treatment if required over a period of 3-7 days. These tests help us assess the growth and development of the follicles, which contain the eggs.  

Once your follicles have reached the appropriate size, you’ll be ready to take a trigger injection. This injection is carefully timed to induce the final maturation of the eggs and prepare them for retrieval. The timing of this injection is really important, as it directly impacts the success of the egg collection procedure.  

Once ovulation is triggered, your eggs will be retrieved at our clinic. 

This straightforward procedure takes about 30 minutes and is performed with sedation and pain relief.   

Using ultrasound guidance, a needle is inserted through the vaginal wall to reach the ovaries and collect the eggs from the follicles. Most patients find this procedure to be comfortable and relatively quick.  

After the egg collection, you’ll be advised to rest for a short period before going home. It’s normal to experience some cramping or spotting, but these symptoms usually subside within a day or two.  

Once the eggs are retrieved, they are placed in a special culture medium and kept in an incubator to create the perfect environment for fertilisation. The prepared sperm sample is then added to the eggs, and we monitor them closely for signs of fertilisation.  

Over the next few days, the fertilised eggs, now embryos, are carefully observed as they develop. The embryos are grown in a controlled environment, with regular assessments to ensure they are developing normally. Our embryologists are highly skilled and use the latest technology to monitor and support embryo development.  

When the embryos are ready, the birth partner will come into the clinic for the transfer. This simple procedure takes about 15 minutes and usually doesn’t require sedation.  

Embryo transfer is a straightforward process. Using a speculum to gently open the cervix, a fine, soft catheter is used to transfer the selected embryo into the uterus. The procedure is quick and typically painless, though some patients may experience mild cramping.  

After the transfer, you’ll be advised to rest briefly before going home. You can resume normal activities, but we recommend avoiding strenuous exercise or heavy lifting. It’s important to take care of yourself and follow any specific instructions provided by your specialist.  

After embryo transfer, you’ll wait around 12-14 days to find out if your treatment was successful.   

During the two-week wait, it’s important to take progesterone, a hormone that helps prepare the uterine lining for implantation.

This period can be emotionally challenging, as you await the outcome of your treatment. Remember, we’re here to support you.   

Read our blog about the two-week wait

Take an at-home pregnancy test around two weeks after embryo transfer. If the test is positive, you’ll come to the clinic for an ultrasound scan to check for a heartbeat. We support you every step of the way.  

If your pregnancy test is negative or if the scan does not show an ongoing pregnancy, we understand that this can be very upsetting. Support is always available to you, and speaking with a specialist fertility counsellor can help you process your emotions and decide on your next steps.

When you’re ready, we’ll book a follow-up appointment with your consultant to plan your next steps.