Considerations before embarking upon treatment

Your first consultation, examination and assessment of your infertility problem generally lasts for one hour.

There are so many aspects of treatment that you should be aware of and need to understand. You will be given a great deal of information at your consultations, both verbally and in writing.

The Code of Practice of the HFEA lists the following points of information, which should be given to people seeking assisted conception treatments:

• The possible disruption to your domestic life which treatment will cause, and the length of time you will have to wait for treatment.
• Any other infertility treatments which are available, including those for which a licence is not necessary.
• The limitations and possible outcomes of the treatment proposed and how effectiveness can vary over time.
• The ACU's statutory duty to take account of the welfare any child resulting from treatment and the affect on other existing children; and where relevant, the advantages and disadvantages of continued treatment after a certain number of attempts.
• The possible side effects and risks of the treatment to you and any resulting child, including where relevant, the risks associated with ovarian stimulation and the risks associated with ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome (OHSS).
• The availability of embryo freezing facilities, including the likelihood of success of embryo freezing, thawing and transfer and the implications of storage; including where relevant, the possible deterioration of any stored sperm or embryos.
• Impact a multiple birth can have upon the family unit; The risks to you and any resulting child (or children) associated with a multiple pregnancy as well as the practical, financial and emotional.
• The techniques involved in treatment, and the possible pain and discomfort that you might experience.
• The cost to you of the treatment proposed and of any alternative treatments, and the fees relating to donation or storage.
• That counselling is available.
• The importance of telling us about any resulting birth.
• The genetic tests and other screening tests that donors undergo at our centre as well as the sensitivity/accuracy of those tests and the likelihood that a screened donor will be a carrier.
• The availability of genetic testing for you, especially if a particular donor has not been screened for cystic fibrosis.
• Who will be the child's parent or parents under the HFE Act.
• Patients who are nationals or residents of other countries, or who have been treated with eggs or sperm obtained from a foreign donor, should understand that the law in other countries may be different from that of the United Kingdom.
• The information which the ACU must collect and register with the HFEA and the extent to which that information may be disclosed to people born as a result of IVF, sperm, egg or embryo donation.
• A child's potential need to know about his or her origins.
• The child's right to seek information about his or her origins on reaching the age of 18 years, or at 16 years if contemplating earlier marriage.

(Please don't be alarmed by this rather formidable list! You will obviously not need to discuss all this information at your first consultation and indeed, it may not even be appropriate to do so.)