Fertility services

Assisted Conception Unit – Christmas closure dates

During the festive season, please note that the laboratory will be closed for its annual maintenance. This means that if you are:

• starting a long cycle of IVF/ICSI, you will not be able to commence treatment with any period starting from Friday 30 October until Saturday 28 November 2020
• starting a short cycle of IVF/ICSI you will not be able to start treatment with any periods from Monday 30 November until Monday 28 December 2020
• having an IUI, FET Natural, FET tablets only, last period to start will be Sunday 29 November until Tuesday 29 December 2020. (For natural FET surge by Monday 14 December 2020).

For a medicated frozen cycle you will not be able to start treatment with any period starting from Monday 30 October until Monday 28 December 2020.

Please do not hesitate to speak to our team if you have any questions.

Coronavirus update

While we continue to increase the number of patients we are able to provide treatment for, our main priority remains the safety of patients and staff. There are a number of ways we are  keeping you safe including measures put in place to maintain social distancing and to reduce the number of patients in the clinic through the use of telephone or video consultations and by increasing the time between appointments.

We have introduced screens at reception areas and increased the frequency of cleaning in the clinic. When you are in the clinic, you will be asked to wear a face covering. Partners are being asked not to attend the clinic unless required during treatment and we are not able to accommodate children in the department at this time either. Please check visiting patients page before you come on site. Please understand these measures are to keep you and our staff safe by reducing the risk of spreading infection.

Before attending the clinic, we will take you through a short health questionnaire. We will also send you a detailed information leaflet entitled ‘changes to your fertility treatment in ACU and COVID-19’, and a form that you will need to sign before we can start your treatment. If you have had any COVID-19 symptoms in the past 14 days, or have been in contact with someone who has symptoms or has tested positive for COVID-19, please do not attend your appointment and contact us to rearrange.

We continue to work hard to increase our cycle numbers as safely as possible and are currently in the process of contacting patients in order to start treatment. Subject to any further potential interruptions to our service, we hope that all patients currently waiting for treatment (those that have a treatment plan and have signed consent as of 1 August 2020) will be able to commence their treatment by the end of this year.

We will be in touch as soon as we are able to arrange the start of your treatment. Please do bear with us. We understand the wait will have been very difficult and are committed to seeing each of our patients as soon as we possibly can. If you have any queries, you can contact us by emailing ACUPersonalisedCare@gstt.nhs.uk  or calling 020 7188 2300.

Since 1991, the Assisted Conception Unit (ACU) at Guy’s and St Thomas’ has helped hundreds of people with fertility problems to conceive and we are known worldwide as an innovator in fertility treatments. We will look after and care for you throughout your time with us.

Our Assisted Conception Unit always puts you first, from the moment you walk in to our state-of-the-art unit on the 11th floor of Guy’s Hospital and start your fertility journey.

You’ll feel instantly at ease in the unit’s relaxing, inviting and contemporary environment. Our dedicated labs, fully equipped theatres and well-designed procedure rooms create a fertility clinic unlike any other within an NHS or private London hospital.

You can be sure of the best possible medical advice and support from our world-renowned clinicians and our experienced and expert teams, who are passionate about helping fulfil your desire for a baby.

Our pioneering treatments have featured on the BBC and other TV channels, because we are constantly researching and innovating the field of fertility, especially IVF.

We are also the largest, most successful clinic in the UK for specialised preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) treatment, and we’re licensed to carry out stem cell research.

Whatever your treatment, we’ll guide and help you every step of the way, giving you the highest standards of care and attention.

If you’d like to read more about the options available to you, simply download a copy of the ACU brochure.