Fertility Care in Northern Ireland
We have collated a number of FAQs that we have gathered from patients over the last few years and we hope that these will answer any queries or concerns you may have. Our support team are always on hand to offer advice or to put your mind at ease so please do not hesitate to get in touch if there is something we have missed here.
Get in touch with the Origin Team Download Fertility Facts Booklet
Some couples get pregnant quickly and easily, others can take a lot longer. There is no set point to seek fertility help, although generally many people turn to their GP if they have not conceived after a year of trying for a baby.
At Origin we offer a range of initial investigations and fertility treatments
Yes but there are conditions. In 2006 DHSSPS abolished the three year qualifying period for couples with a medically diagnosed cause for infertility, raised the age limit for women to 40 but limited the treatment to a single cycle for publicly funded treatment (previously two cycles). Couples with children are also able to access publicly funded fertility services. NHS waiting lists can be long as public funding for infertility treatment is limited and demand is particularly high.
Yes, while you are on the waiting list for NHS funded treatment, you can avail of private treatment and you will not lose your place on the NHS list.
Waiting time can vary from a few weeks up to several years depending on how quickly or slowly you want to go through the process. There is currently no waiting list for treatment at Origin, however you may be delayed for a short time while necessary investigations are carried out – this delay is usually only a matter of weeks and usually not more than 3 months.
Origin Fertility Care is NI’s Longest Established Private Fertility Clinic. While we do not receive government funding to provide free treatment, we do refer Origin patients who fulfil the criteria to the NHS facility. However, at Origin we can offer appointments within two weeks while some NHS waiting lists have been reported as being as long as two years.
If you are ready to talk to a consultant then you can Book a consultation
Yes all UK fertility clinics are licensed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryo Authority. Origin is also regulated by the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) in Northern Ireland.
The dedicated team at Origin aims to give you the maximum chance of achieving a pregnancy. You can lean more about our success rates here which are monitored by the HFEA UK.
Protection of patient confidentiality is a priority at the Clinic and all staff are bound by an HFEA agreement to maintain patient confidentiality.
Infertility treatment costs usually start at the point of an initial consultation with one of our fertility consultants. We are currently offing a free consultation if booked before 31st December 2014. Read more about this offer here.
Yes, we welcome same-sex couples through our doors for pregnancy help, whether you need a donor egg or donor insemination.
Yes, we do infertility procedures for women up to the age of forty five. However, you need to consider the fact that live birth rates for older women in their mid-40s, who wish to use their own eggs to conceive, is generally extremely low. Dependent upon your individual case, you may need to consider using donor eggs to get pregnant.
We cannot help women with a BMI of 30 or more. If you need more information please phone our support team.
Yes, at Origin we offer an egg freezing service. By freezing eggs when a woman is younger we can put them into “suspended animation” so that they don’t age with her. A ‘young’ egg is more healthy and fertile than an older egg.
Yes multiple births can occur as a result of fertility treatment. However, the HFEA have co-ordinated national strategy to reduce the number of multiple births than occur. Origin has seen a steady decline in multiple pregnancies in past years
Infertility can cause enormous stress and emotional pain. It may result in a couple experiencing emotions such as anger, envy, depression and even fear. Most of us expect to be able to have children and when we find we are having difficulties we can lose confidence and self esteem. Expressing painful feelings can often help and counselling allows you to do this in an environment where you will never be judged. As with the NHS, Origin also provides a complimentary professional counselling service for all patients before, during and after treatment. You can come once or many times and you can see a counsellor with your partner or as an individual.
Treatment time is individual for each couple. The average time from commencement of drugs until the outcome is known is approximately 6 weeks
The largest risk of IVF treatment is a condition known as Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS). This condition occurs when there is an over- response to the stimulation drugs making the female patient ill. The condition is usually minor but in a small number of cases can be severe. To prevent this condition patients are very carefully monitored at the Clinic during stimulation phase of treatment.
Each patient registered at the Clinic is given a unique ID number on their first visit which stays with them throughout their attendance at the Clinic. All samples, gametes and embryos relating to the patient and their treatment are labelled and crosschecked with this number at every stage.
Fertility Clinics are regulated by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). The HFEA inspects each Clinic on a yearly basis and renews the treatment licence. As part of the inspection process each Clinic must submit a protocol detailing the procedure for checking patient identity and sperm, egg and embryo identity at each stage of treatment. Each procedure must be witnessed and signed by a second member of staff.
If the embryos are of satisfactory quality they will be frozen and stored for use in a future treatment cycle known as Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET). If embryo quality is not suitable for freezing then the embryos are disposed of in a sensitive manner by the laboratory staff.
As part of the 3fivetwo group our gift to you is a pregnancy pack if you successfully become pregnant with Origin. This pack will offer you information and discount off a range of services offered by the 3fivetwo group including pre-natal care, 4D scans, Nuchal scans, Medical Insurance, Dental and Cosmetech services. For more information ask at the time of your appointment
If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to speak to the doctor at your appointment
Get in touch with the Origin TeamYou can have treatment as soon as you are readyNo Waiting Lists
24/7 nurse on-call service for emergency questions or concernsEmergency Support
Using new technologies, we continually strive to improveSuccess Rates
