Monthly Archives: November 2017

Nov 23 2017

Making the right choices when planning your IVF trip abroad

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Advice prepared by Dr Caroline Phillips, Fertility Clinics Abroad

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Last year we teamed up with Fertility Network UK to look at the main drivers behind fertility tourism from the UK. You can find a link to our research here. We have some of the best health care in the world, both privately and through the NHS and yet many couples are turning their backs on the UK when it comes to having IVF.

We asked 250 couples who had undergone or were undergoing treatment to share their experiences. What they said painted a worrying picture of the state of affairs. 76% of respondents were leaving the UK because of the high cost of private fertility treatment, with three quarters saying it was twice as expensive as they were able to pay. People were generaly willing to pay between £1000 and £5000 for IVF using their own eggs, yet this treatment is often in excess of £10k in the UK when additional expenses are taken into account.

We also found many people were disappointed at the standard of care provided by some NHS funded fertility clinics. The majorty felt standards were either passable or substandard, with 44% believing it was average and 25% saying it was poor. Only 3% of respondents felt it was excellent. Most people were aggrieved that access to NHS fertility treatment was a postcode lottery, with 35% saying waiting lists were too long.

What is abundently clear from our research, is fertility tourism is a trend that is on the rise and probably here to stay – for those of you who are considering going abroad for treatment, we’ve put together some top tips to help you make the right choices before taking the plunge.

Do your homework

Like anything in life, careful preparation is key to success and this is especially the case when planning your IVF trip abroad. Always consult with your GP and/or fertility specialist in the first instance and seek out advice from recognised bodies such as Fertility Network UK when you can. Desktop research is also an easy and affordable way of gathering useful information. Check out the forums on Mums.net or Fertility Friends or ask someone you know who has been abroad for IVF. What were their experiences?

Which country?

The country you choose could be down to something as simple as personal preference or as critical as IVF age legislation. One of the more common considerations is anonymity. In the UK, the identity of egg and sperm donors is not protected by law, which can have far reaching consequences in the future. If this is a concern to you, you should look at countries where egg donations are anonymous, such as Spain, the Czech Republic and Greece.

Other considerations may include the cost of living, expense of travel or accommodation costs. Different countries also have different age limits for IVF treatment, or there may be specific laws on the number of embryos that can be transferred. These could be a deal breakers before you even step on the plane, so make sure you do your research.

Choosing the right clinic

Choosing a clinic can be a daunting prospect, so having ‘must have’ check list can be a useful tool. Jot down your must haves and use these to help you make your choice – if the clinic isn’t ticking the right boxes, then you can discount it from your list.

Some useful starting questions include:

- How long is their waiting list?

- How flexible is the clinic to your specific needs?

- Do they offer help with translation and travel?

- Are they accessible?

- Do they offer complementary therapies?

- Do they offer guarantees or shared risk plans?

What does success mean?

Success rates are often the major determining factor for people choosing a clinic, but be warned – you need to be careful when interpreting what success actually means. For example, some clinics base their success rates on transferring more than one embryo into the womb. This can not only result in multiple pregnancies, it presents a higher risk to the patient. Always ask for a clinic’s ‘success rate per embryo transferred’ to give you a more accurate picture. If in any doubt, always seek advice from a professional before setting your heart on a clinic that promises the world.

Keeping a lid on costs

Treatment costs tend to be fairly transparent but watch out for any “hidden” extras. For example, is the first consultation deductible from the final treatment cost? Is sedation included in the price for egg collection? Is sperm or embryo freezing included? Are there any guarantees e.g. pay for two cycles and get third free. We have developed a useful new calculator tool to help you determine the full cost of your treatment.

Nov 22 2017

The complete guide to buying a house – What you need to know

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Buying a house can be very exciting but also downright confusing, particularly if you’re a first-time buyer. You know you don’t want to keep throwing money away on rent, but that’s about it. Yet knowing what steps you have to take, and what order they have to be in, are all things that it pays to get right first time. As Craig and I are in the process of buying our first home, here’s our take on the steps required to successfully get on the property ladder:

How much are you going to spend?

This isn’t a matter of ambition, but of pure aptitude. You’ll need to assess carefully just how much money you are able to spend. Experts recommend that you don’t fish for housing opportunities that go beyond 3x your annual income, as it’s important not only that you can afford it, but that the purchase won’t cripple you financially. We used a broker to assess our affordability and I’d strongly recommend this as your first port of call on your own housing-buying journey.

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You’ll also need a fairly hefty deposit, and access to additional funds for fees and legal costs. There’s a wealth of resources on the internet to get you up to speed on all the hidden costs you’ll need to consider. Finally, today’s Conservative budget has actually alleviated much of the strain on first-time buyer’s purse strings, with some major changes to UK stamp duty. This may well affect you, so head to an online stamp duty calculator to see what this could mean for you.

Decide what’s truly important in terms of house features

Is having an en-suite a crucial feature or just a whim? How about a garden? You need to realistically figure out what your must-have features are, and keep them to a minimum. This way, you can stick to the essentials when house hunting and won’t get sidetracked by other flashy features. Remember - the art to buying any house is compromise, no matter how generous your budget is.

Getting a mortgage

Applying for, and securing a mortgage is the next step. First up, you need to figure out what kind of mortgage works best for you. There are multiple types, and they differ in terms of how you make your payments. You can choose a fixed rate for interest that doesn’t change, or you could gamble with a fluctuating rate that changes based on the market. Either way, it is advised that the monthly payments do not exceed 28% of your monthly income. That number has the potential to go even lower if you have sizeable monthly outgoings, or are self-employed with an inconsistent month-to-month salary.

If you need help, I’d recommend another chat with your broker, or to consult with a mortgage advisor. Many of these offer professional advice for free as they take their commission from your eventual lender, not you.

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House hunting and offers

Now for the fun bit - it’s time to go house hunting. Using the house profile you’ve built in the previous step, it’s time to find an affordable house that suits your needs and fits the bill. Try not to be swayed by decor and mod cons as these can be introduced to any property once you’re in. More importantly, pay close attention to room sizes, and check out the scope for extending. Consider how long you envisage the space will last you before the need to trade up in size too - ideally you will be able to introduce a /another child to the space to ensure its longevity.

Don’t be afraid to go back for second or third viewings too. Try to make these appointments at different times of the day to your initial visit so you can better gauge how noisy nearby roads are, and which rooms get the most light throughout the day.

Once you find the ideal home and are completely sure it’s the one for you, you’ll need to put in an offer. In the event your offer is accepted, it will then be time to appoint a solicitor to handle the legal side of things and guide you through to completion. There are many onerous things that can crop up before you exchange contracts, so get a good solicitor like those at Woodgrange Solicitors so you can keep things moving.

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There you have it. The process of getting a house is not that complicated but there are bound to be a few road bumps on the way. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve cried throughout this process, and how many costly mistakes I’ve made. However, in the end it will be totally worth it.

Nov 22 2017

Drive safely this Christmas

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For many of us, driving is necessary frustration over Christmas. Given my family is dotted all over the UK, I have many childhood memories of Christmas car sickness, and bickering between my parents over who would be having a glass of wine with their Christmas dinner. Now I’m the grown-up, the only thing that’s changed is that it’s my son looking decidedly green in his car seat as we travel up and down the country over the Christmas period.

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Although we haven’t seen a truly white Christmas since 2010, there’s no denying Christmas is cold and often wet. Add to this all the distraction from excitable children in the back seat, and driving conditions are far from ideal.

So just how can you best prepare your car for Christmas travelling? As with everything preparation is key, so follow these very simple tips before you strap your family in for a drive this festive season.

Stay on top of your car servicing

It often amazes me how infrequently people will book their vehicle in for servicing. As my partner drives for a living I’m well used to him ferrying our vehicles back and forth from the garage every time they clock up 10,000 miles. The upshot of this however, is that our cars are always in optimum condition for long journeys.

A standard service will ensure your car engine is lubricated, check your brakes, and replace the oil, air and fuel filters if required. Not only does this help identify any costly issues before they arise, it also prolongs the life of the vehicle. For car servicing in Dewsbury or nearby areas, you can try servicing stations like Ossett Tyre House for quick & easy car services.

Check your tyres

Keep treads within the legal limits (1.6mm), and you’re in the best possible position to undertake cold winter journeys safely. A quick visual check should tell you if you are within the limits, but if you are ever unsure your local tyre retailer will confirm this.

To prolong the tread on your tyres you’ll need to regularly check the tyre pressure, as over or under inflated tyres will wear unevenly. Uneven tyre wear will ultimately affect a car’s tracking and will result in you having to replace your tyres more frequently.

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Keep kids entertained

Christmas journeys are all the more bothersome when your kids are bored or quarrelsome. One sure-fire way to get them into the car without a fuss, is to hold back a few mini gifts from their stocking and save them for the car. Try to select toys and games without small pieces, and that can be enjoyed silently - books or handheld games consoles for example.

If this isn’t possible, the Christmas Tree Game is a good bet. Tell them to keep their eyes peeled and count all the Christmas trees out of their window. Only the trees on their side of the road count, so if you have more than one child, they can compete against one another.

Ensure your mobile phone is charged AND locked in your glove box

I can’t imagine a worse time for you to breakdown, than on Christmas Day. To avoid making the situation infinitely worse, ensure you have your breakdown and emergency insurance documents to hand, plenty of blankets for all the family, and a fully charged mobile.

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There you have it, all the practical things you can do to get your family from A to B safely this Christmas. Follow these tips and ensure all your Christmas dramas take place around the dinner table, rather than the roadside.

 

 

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