FAQs

Essential Fertility offers a selection of affordable fertility and preservation treatments. Developed by leading fertility specialists Manchester Fertility, Essential Fertility provides a compassionate approach to patient care, overall experience, cutting-edge technology, and a specialist team. We offer comprehensive low-cost packages without compromising patient care.

Currently, Essential Fertility offers Essential IVF, Essential ICSI and Essential Egg Freezing. Our Essential IVF & ICSI treatment is available with donor sperm.  

• Essential IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation): 

IVF (In-Vitro Fertilisation) is a treatment for fertility problems. The technique occurs outside the body, where eggs are collected from a woman's ovaries and fertilised with sperm in an embryology laboratory to create embryos. The fertilised eggs (embryos) will develop in our specialised incubators for up to five days. The strongest embryo is selected to be transferred back to a woman's uterus to develop.

• Essential ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection):

For couples where male factor infertility is present, Essential IVF with ICSI will be performed. ICSI is a fertilisation technique used in IVF which involves injecting a single healthy sperm into each mature egg to maximise the chance of fertilisation in couples. ICSI is the most common treatment for male fertility problems as the sperm directly fertilises the eggs. Therefore, issues with sperm motility (movement), sperm morphology (shape), or number (low sperm count) can be overcome, giving men with sperm problems a chance to become fathers. 

• Essential Egg Freezing: 

Our all-inclusive package for egg freezing is a perfect way for women to protect their future fertility by freezing eggs at a more affordable cost. For women who want to have a baby but are unable to try for one at this time, Essential Egg Freezing allows them to freeze their eggs while they are younger when their ovarian reserve is higher and egg quality is better. It involves cryopreserving eggs using vitrification (fast freezing).

Essential Fertility gives our patients access to quality, fertility treatments that otherwise may not be affordable. Our treatments are available for heterosexual couples, same-sex female couples, and single women who meet our criteria. 

To qualify for our Essential IVF & ICSI, we ask that the female patient undergoing treatment is: -

• 37 years old or under
• Has a BMI between 18-32
• Has an AMH between 10 - 35
• Has regular menstrual cycles
• Has no underlying health condition

To qualify for Essential Egg Freezing, we ask the patient is: -

• Under 35 years old
• Has a BMI between 18-32
• Has an AMH of 10-35
• Has regular menstrual cycles
• Has no underlying health condition

Patients who meet our eligibility criteria for each treatment type will qualify for Essential. However, in today's economic climate, it may be especially appealing for those not eligible for, cannot access, or have been waiting a long time for IVF treatment on the NHS.

If you do not meet the criteria for Essential Fertility treatments our fertility experts will explain all the options available and recommend the best treatment pathway for you.

Here at Essential Fertility, we are proud to have one of the most experienced fertility teams in the UK. Rest assured, your treatment will be carried out by experienced and senior fertility nurses and doctors who will display compassion and understanding throughout your journey.

During your fertility journey, you will have support and expertise from many other specialists throughout our clinic. From patient advisors, nurses, and consultants to embryologists, counsellors, sonographers, and midwives – you will have an expert team behind you through every step of your journey. 

To ensure we provide the best possible experience for our patients, we have state-of-the-art facilities in South Manchester, accessible by car, train, and plane, a stone’s throw away from Manchester Airport. At our clinic, everything from the reception areas to our consulting and treatment rooms on our dedicated ward offers comfort and relaxation during your treatment visits.

Your treatment will happen in one place; you will not be asked to visit multiple sites for treatment.

There are fertility tests you may need to have to see if you qualify for Essential Fertility treatments and tests that you may need before treatment begins these can be conducted at one of our local testing locations. They include: -

• AMH test - we will need this to see if you qualify for Essential Fertility treatments. If you have recently had the test elsewhere we can review them before treatment.
• Semen analysis (where required). If you have recently had the tests we can review them for treatment.
• Pelvic Ultrasound Scan - we perform a transvaginal ultrasound scan of your womb and ovaries to check for anything that could affect conception and embryo implantation.
• Screening tests (depending on treatment) including: 
  • Hepatitis B/SAg/Core
  • Hepatitis C Abs
  • HIV 1&2 / P24 Antigen
  • Full Blood Count
  • Rubella
  • Syphilis IgG/IgM
  • Chlamydia

If you require fertility tests to see if you qualify for Essential Fertility treatment, payment will be due within a week of booking these tests.  Treatment costs are required following your fertility nurse consultation.

There are many reasons to choose Essential Fertility over another low-cost IVF clinic. First and foremost, you will receive the most compassionate patient care from a highly experienced team of fertility specialists.  Other reasons include:

• Experienced & Trusted Clinic: Essential Fertility offers affordable treatments by leading UK clinic, Manchester Fertility. 

• Affordable, Quality Fertility Treatments: Essential Fertility offers high-quality fertility and preservation treatments at affordable prices. 

• No Hidden Extras: Clinics display treatment costs differently, which can be confusing when comparing fertility treatment prices. Essential Fertility is transparent and honest.

• Inclusive Treatment Packages: Treatment 'add-ons' can dramatically increase the overall cost of fertility treatment. Our Essential IVF treatments include many additional aspects that may contribute to your success free of charge.

• Excellent Patient Care: Essential Fertility treatments are backed up with award-winning excellent patient care. 

• Alternative to NHS IVF:  If you are waiting for NHS-funded IVF to begin, Essential IVF may be an option for you to explore if the NHS waiting time is prolonged.

• Excellent Success Rates: We have excellent success rates helping patients' realise their dream of having a family. 

• Regulated by HFEA:  Essential Fertility by Manchester Fertility is regulated by the Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority (HFEA). 

• State-of-the-Art Clinic: We have a state-of-the-art clinic in South Manchester, accessible by car, train, and plane, a stone's throw away from Manchester Airport. 

Your Essential Fertility journey can start with just five simple steps.

1. Your Essential journey starts by checking your eligibility via our website.
2. You will then speak to one of our friendly, knowledgeable New Patient Coordinators, who can answer any initial questions, outline the costs of treatment, and discuss the available treatments with you.
3. Our team will arrange your initial appointments at a convenient time for you. These will include fertility tests to check if you are eligible for treatment. The tests can be carried out at any of our centres across the UK.
4. You will then attend a consultation with one of our experienced senior fertility nurses to discuss your test results and plan your treatment.
5. With the completion of your treatment paperwork you're ready to begin treatment and you'll meet your dedicated patient advisor.

You can bring test results from another laboratory, but these must be recent and from a UKAS-accredited laboratory.  Advice if you can use your test results will be given by our New Patient Co-ordinators or Senior Fertility Nurses.

As an award-winning clinic known for our patient care, we will offer you support in many ways throughout your journey; we know it’s vital that you feel fully informed and supported at an emotional and anxious time.

First and foremost, our excellent, compassionate and experienced team will support you from the moment you contact Essential Fertility. We are lucky to have the best specialists, including patient advisors, fertility nurses, consultants, embryologists, and counsellors.   

We also have a patient app that acts as a personalised calendar displaying all your appointments, medication regime and treatment schedule. The app will also remind you about upcoming appointments, to take medications, ovulation tests and pregnancy tests. Further benefits include an instant messaging function that makes communications easy, quick and discreet and two-way document sharing, such as investigation results and consultation letters.

We also have lots of patient support via our Manchester Fertility Facebook Support Group, which many patients find invaluable during their experience. The private group allows you to connect with other patients experiencing a similar journey. It also provides online support, reassurance and advice and lets you ask questions and share tips with other Manchester Fertility patients. It is a safe space to talk to other patients.
 

Your Essential treatment plan will be arranged with you by a Senior Fertility Nurse, who will advise you on the best date to start your treatment, taking into account your personal and medical history. We will always arrange for your treatment to begin as soon as it is convenient and medically safe.

There are lots of factors to consider when choosing a fertility clinic, such as location, cost, success rates and treatments. But things like compassionate staff, transparent pricing, and emotional support matter just as much, according to the HFEA. It is important to take the time to visit a few different clinics to ensure you find a fertility clinic where you are treated like an individual, listened to and made to feel comfortable, right from the start. 
 

Visit our locations page to find out where to start your Essential Fertility journey with initial bloods and scans.