You will have to find a clinic in your area that suits you. They advertise Internet, also the HFEA is a good place to start (though the government are threatening to cut it)
www.hfea.gov.uk
Consider somewhere convenient to get to, as you will be going there a fair bit.
Many women choose to use private clinics because, when they have made the decision to try for a baby alone, time is often not on their side. The National Health also offers an assisted fertility service but it is slow and each hospital is governed by their council. Restrictions usually relate to your age or the amount of treatments you will be allowed.
It is a good idea to get some tests done before you start fertility treatment.
It’s important to know exactly where you stand when you set out on this journey.
You could waste time and money, not to mention the stress, if you try to get pregnant when things are ‘not as they should be’.
Often problems can be rectified once diagnosed.
Many fertility clinics will automatically provide this service (though some may not), which may involve a couple blood tests during one cycle to test hormones, a test to see if your fallopian tubes are clear and an ultra sound test to check the condition of your womb.
They may want to check your egg reserves as well, but remember it only takes 1 egg to make a baby.
Personally I underwent 3 failed IVF cycles before someone thought to ask me if I’d had a laparoscopy (small op to check the reproductive area for things such as endometriosis)
www.infertility.about.com
or a hysteroscopy (procedure to check the womb)
www.netplaces.com
I had this done and promptly fell pregnant.
I don’t know if it’s related, but I am not the 1st person diagnosed with ‘unexplained infertility’ to get pregnant directly after a hysteroscopy.
In short, IUI is more ‘natural’, much less invasive and much cheaper but has a lower success rate, IVF is much more invasive, more expensive and has higher success rates.
Many women start out with IUI and, if unsuccessful, move to IVF.
Discuss it with your doctor as your personal circumstances will dictate your decision.
There are a few ways to go about this.
a) If you decide to ask someone you know, really consider how you want to play it and whether you think the rules are tenable. Do you want that person to play a role in the baby’s life, if not will they be able to commit to that, or visa versa maybe they will want involvement when it’s not welcome?
b) There are a few websites dedicated to putting men and women together for the sole purpose of making babies, this is one but you should do your own searches.
www.co-parents.net
c) Find a sperm donor through a sperm bank, you can find lots on the internet, or your clinic may well have a bank they are associated with and like to use.
In the UK, due to our current strict laws, you get to know very little about your donor.
They will tell you his ethnicity and a few things about his looks and his interests but not much.
If you want to shop further a field some countries in Europe and the US will give you much more information, but you will need to chose a sperm bank that is authorised to ship sperm to the UK (they are few and far between), here are a couple, but you should do your own searches.
www.europeanspermbank.com
www.xytex.com