IVF in Canada - Help!!
 

hi, I've not been on BE for a long time, so shame on me. I found everyone's help and support during the dark days of immigration amazing. We have been in BC now for nearly 2 years, we have our PR, but have unfortunately now hit our next big bump and stress in the road.

Ironically we moved to Canada to raise a family, but after a year plus of trying and one laparoscopy last week, my wife and I were told yesterday that we have no chance of having a natural birth. We are both devastated and I'm still not quite sure how and what to do or think. I have been looking into IVF here in Canada (we actually won't know if even IVF will work until we get some more test results back on 16th Dec), as I need to proactively do SOMETHING other than cry.

Anyway in BC, IVF is not covered, nor is it covered by my extended health. The cost per cycle can be anywhere between $10K - $20K each, with many people needing 3 or more cycles. I've been Googling like mad and have found that apparently in Ontario they will offer up to 3 cycles of IVF to anyone who is of PR status and has Ontario Health Insurance (OHIP), which i believe is the same as Medicare in BC. The emotional stress aside, we can't afford even one cycle, not to mention 3, so I am seriously looking at leaving BC and heading East to Ontario where they offer IVF to women with both fallopian tubes blocked (like us).

I really wanted to reach out to the BE community to find out if anyone has had IVF in Ontario via their OHIP, or if they have even moved to Ontario from BC to get it. I don't want to seem like a health tourist, but we live in Canada and pay Canadian taxes (and a lot of them), but by living on the West Coast we could potentially be $60K worse off, and by living here we may also give up the chance of even trying to make our dreams of having a child come true.

Hopefully these are not the ramblings of a madman, but I'm clutching at straws. Any help or advise welcome :unsure::fingerscrossed:

Re: IVF in Canada - Help!!
 

I've not but I just wanted to wish you and your wife good luck in whatever you decide to try.

Re: IVF in Canada - Help!!
 

Hey dieseltank - so sorry to hear that. Can't offer any advise, but good luck -hope it all works out for you.

Re: IVF in Canada - Help!!
 

Is adoption not a prospect for you?

Re: IVF in Canada - Help!!
 

Thanks for all the support guys. I suppose adoption is something we would look at further down the road once all other options have been truly exhausted. As we are in the early stages of looking into IVF then our focus remains on have our own biological child at this point, and we'll go down fighting.

Re: IVF in Canada - Help!!
 

Just thought, has the possibility of unblocking the fallopian tubes been discussed? This is possible in some cases and is a radiology procedure. Similar to an HSG but a very thin catheter is advanced along the tube and can unblock them.

Ask them about this.

Re: IVF in Canada - Help!!
 

We are combining a whole list of questions for them for the 16th. Basically after the initial procedure last week the doctor told us both that everything was fine and it was a great success. We were stupid enough to even celebrate the fact that there was nothing wrong! Then my wife when back yesterday to see the doctor, for which we believed was a quick meeting to check her wounds were healing correctly, and I went to work as normal. At this meeting he turned everything on it's head an said that her tubes are irreversible blocked and pretty much screwed, he couldn't get any die through them nor could he open them. My wife was in total shock and stumbled out of there in a daze. We now have some time before the 16th to get our heads around it and be armed with some serious questions.

Re: IVF in Canada - Help!!
 

Bloody awful. Was is the same doctor who told you everything was fine, and then later that it wasnt? Or was it the radiologist and then the ob/gyn??

Best of luck with this.

Re: IVF in Canada - Help!!
 

It was the same doctor/surgeon who told us it was all fine, and then crashed us into despair a week later.:thumbdown:

Re: IVF in Canada - Help!!
 

FWIW I have friends who got IVF treatments on OHIP in Toronto a considerable while ago.

After several cycles the lady got pregnant, with triplets.

The gentleman was thrown into a depression as a result and they are now long divorced.

Be careful what you wish for.

Re: IVF in Canada - Help!!
 

We were told (by a fertility clinic) that OHIP will cover fertility treatment up to the point where it's decided you need IVF and that it will not cover IVF itself - whether this is because we already have one naturally conceived child I'm not sure....

I'd investigate this very carefully before making rash decisions about moving to the other side of the country!

Re: IVF in Canada - Help!!
 

Ah. Perhaps I was wrong that it was covered by OHIP. Perhaps I just assumed that it was.

This was all a long time ago, the triplets are about 23 now.

Sorry if I mislead anyone.

Re: IVF in Canada - Help!!
 

Some info on OHIP IVF here, seems it's not as clear cut as yes or no....

http://www.ivfcanada.com/services/fe...e_schedule.cfm

Sounds like if you have blocked tubes then you might be covered to a certain extent.

Hope that helps :)

EDIT: Just re-read your first post and guessing you've already deduced this much.....

Re: IVF in Canada - Help!!
 

I have a friend who has had IVF twice (Ottawa) think it cost them $5000 each try, (whether a viable pregnancy or not) that was 9 years ago tho'. Their Insurance company funded the relevant drugs, but OHIP didn't cover the cost of the IVF itself - may have changed in 9 years but I didn't think so. Anyway, after two children conceived via IVF (having been told they would never conceive naturally) they went on to have a further two children "unaided" .

Good luck and fingers crossed for you:fingerscrossed:

Re: IVF in Canada - Help!!
 

Ontario (OHIP) does not, I believe, fund IVF treatments. This was a topic of media discussion/controversy some 3-4 months ago. The OP mentioned 3 treatments but I believe this was the maximum number of treatments to be allowed if Ontario allowed the procedures.

http://www.familyhelper.net/iy/news/...litypanel.html

Re: IVF in Canada - Help!!
 

When I did my initial online search. I came across a document published by the Ontario Health Advisory Committee (OHTAC), dated October 2006. In this it states

"Currently, in Ontario OHIP covers 3 cycles of IVF only in cases of bilateral tubal obstruction, which comprises less than a third of all patients undergoing IVF treatment."

I would obviously not race across the country until I know the facts for sure, and I expect there will we a number of hoops to jump through, not to mention the waiting the list. I was just hoping if anyone knew any more details before I call the OHIP about this.

Re: IVF in Canada - Help!!
 

A word of warning for when you call OHIP a) they're notoriously "difficult" b) they often don't even seem to be sure of their own rules!

Might be worth giving a fertility clinic a call to see if they'll offer advice on the matter ....

Re: IVF in Canada - Help!!
 

Another option for you to ask about is IUI, which is normally offered before you get to the IVF stage (in the UK any how. Not investigated that over here yet!) Not sure if it will be any cheaper than IVF or covered by any plans, but another option.

Also a word of advice from someone who has been through 2 years of fertility treatment, is to think about it very carefully. It is a very draining process and I am in two minds about whether to put myself through it again here (was not successful in the UK) It can take over your whole life very easily and the stress of "will this month be the month" is very emotionally draining.
I would think very carefully before relocating for something with no guarentee of success.

Good luck whatever you decide to do :wub:

Re: IVF in Canada - Help!!
 

Whats the wait time like though? If it's anything like the NHS here you have to wait years hence why people end up going private.

Just a thought.:)

Re: IVF in Canada - Help!!
 

Just a thought.............................

Have you had IVF? Do you personally know anyone who has?

Re: IVF in Canada - Help!!
 

Yes, I know several people that have had IVF. Some success stories some not successful.

My cousin has been trying to concieve for 3 years as she had blocked tubes but they only just found this out. She had an op and luckily fell pregnant naturally in the end. I hope this will be the case for the OP as I know what a difficult time it is having seen my friends go through it.

I thought I would ask how long the waiting time was as this can be an issue for some people depending on their age/circumstance. I figured it may be something to consider anyway.

Re: IVF in Canada - Help!!
 

I imagine the IVF clinic won't return our calls and emails, and we'll end up waiting for the results in a brown envelope which takes nearly 4 years to arrive... just like dealing with the London HC all over again:)

Re: IVF in Canada - Help!!
 

Here are a couple of links for decent info:

Frequent Aked Questions

Forum thread on insurance cover


The forum is apprently quite good.

We had IVF in Ontario in January and now have 2 babies, we started looking into it the previous January but it took until May to get the first appointment.

In Ontario you can get help for blocked tubes but it has to be both tubes.

We would have been covered for some drug costs had we insured earlier, but after consultation it was too late.

For the treatment and drugs it came to just under $10K.

Re: IVF in Canada - Help!!
 

I just can imagine how devastated you are by such news... I am really sad at reading something like that...

We litterally just arrived in Canada (2 weeks only) I can just wish you the best of luck in finding a solution to conceiving in your case, I hope that the results you will get next week will open other options maybe?

Have you thought of maybe going abroad to have the treatments necessary? USA any better? Back to Europe - assuming it is where you came from like us?
I just so understand how desperate you must be and willing to do almost anything to get the best chances (moving, etc...)

Good Luck, Good Luck and Courage and perseverance... take your time and study every possibility fully if you can (LoL) on your way of becoming parents which has already started!

:fingerscrossed::fingerscrossed::fingerscrossed:

Re: IVF in Canada - Help!!
 

thanks again to everyone who has offered support and advice, it really means a lot. When I started this tread I had just been hit with an unseen right hook and had one knee down on the canvas and my OP was a reaction to sheer panic. Although the pain doesn't go away, we have picked ourselves up and are ready to fight on to what ever conclusion this path may take us.

To have such support from strangers is astonishing, and testament to this forum.:thumbup:

Re: IVF in Canada - Help!!
 

Change your ob/gyn then. Either he saw spill at the HSG or he didn't, if he didn't see any then how can he tell you it was ok. If he did see some then why is he now saying there was none.

PLus, when he says he didn't get through, does he mean he tried recanalisation or does he mean that the contrast media wouldn't push through?

Either way you don't want someone who makes such mistakes - IMO.