QFG or Monash??

Hey

i cant believe i am actually about to say this but WOOOOHOOOO i am about to start IVF:dance: i have been waiting awhile to do this and i am sooooo excited that we can finally go for it.

ok so here is where i need your help i live in biloela and there is no ivf clinic in the town so i have to travel to see fs and i dont know which way to go?? i can either go with monash in rockhampton which is 160klms away or go with QFG in mackay which is where my cousin went and she said it was great, she has success on her 4th cycle with them and got healthy twin boys that have just turned 1?

Dp works and most of the time lives in moranbah and the QFG in mackay is only 180 klms away so if i went for them dp wouldnt have to worry about taking time off work or anything plus we wouldnt have to worry about accomodation as we would just go back to moranbah? plus my cousin has had a good experience with them as well???

or i could go for monash in rockhampton which is 160klms away from home, the only good thing that this place has going for it is that its close to home, dp would have to take time off work, plus a friend of mine said her brother went through the one in rocky and they had done 4 rounds with no success then they went to brissy and had success straight away?? plus they had said that they didnt feel very well looked after??

so i was hoping that if anyone knows anything about any of the above places, please feel free to share as i dont know which one to go for, at the moment though i am thinking i might go for the QFG in mackay? cousin having success there and dp not having to take time off work seems the way to go??

please let me know what you think??

Hey mummy2chloe!

I just joined this forum first time ever today .. I'm on my first IVF ICSI cycle,just commenced the two week wait (transferred 2 embryos Wed):pray:

Hubby and I chose QFG (Brisbane) and have found them extremely professional from a systems point of view. I can't comment on regional locations however.

I've also compared notes with a work colleague who has said that QFG sounds alot better than her chosen clinic.

I can't compare unfortunately with Monash.

Hope this helps and all the best.:)

Hi Mummy2Chloe,
Congrats on starting the journey of ivf - its a rollercoaster!! I can't personally advise you on QFG Mackay or Monash Rocky but I have been to both Monash and QFG clinics in Brisbane. I first went to Monash Brisbane and found the clinic to be quite small but the staff were all very friendly and supportive. However, I do have some questions around the quality of the labs and the care of our embryo's. Mind you, this is not based on evidence...just a feeling and the fact that our embryo results were entirely against the norm and what had been expected. After doing a cycle there, my FS actually switched ivf clinics so we naturally switched clinics too and now we are going to QFG Brisbane. I have found QFG a little less personal and a lot bigger however I believe the systems they have in place in their labs and with treatments are better and they have a wonderful support network.
One of my good friends was treated at Monash Rocky though and she thought that they were great - and she had the best result possible- she got pregnant first ivf cycle with twins!
Everyone always has different experiences with clinics and in the end, Monash and QFG are incredibly similar in what they offer. You can always try one and if you don't get the service you expect, go to the other. There is no obligation for you to stay with the same clinic if you are not happy.
Good luck!! :)

hi mummy2chloe :) As you know we went through Dr Khoo and QFG Brissie, as opposed to going with Monash in Rocky. Main reason was because we wanted to stay with Khoo as we both liked him. The travel was a bit of a pain, (live a couple of hours west) as we travelled to rocky for our scans and then to brissie for EPU and transfer, but with your DH being in Moranbah, that would be so much easier on you travel wise before, during and after the cycle. I was so tired and physically exhausted after travelling home from brissie that we split it into a 2 day trip.

Have you checked out the price differences between the two? I know that QFG have just increased (or about to increase) their fees. I think an IVF cycle is around $5800 now.
Also, when you pay your admin fee to QFG, you get membership for 12 months to the friends of QFG, who send out newsletters and also have a country contact list with there being a contact in moranbah as well, so that might come in handy while you stay in moranbah with DH.

We had our interview over the phone with the nurse, who was absolutely lovely, told me I could call and ask any questions, and if she didn't know she would find out the answer and get back to me. We did the phone interview together (DH and I) as they had requested that both of us be there for it.

I know in the thread about the cost of IVF, I replied to a lady from Moranbah who had an appointment through QFG Mackay. I don't know if she still visits Bellybelly though, i don't think she has posted since?

Goodluck with making up your mind. How exciting that you are finally getting ready to start with IVF

eta: I just found the fee increase info - there is an increase of 6% for fresh and frozen cycles only. IVF cycle is now $5830 and IVF/ICSI is $6210. FET is $1475. :)