"Unaware of a deadline"

My partner of ten years and I started fertility investigations in 2020 as we had been trying to conceive with little luck. In 2022 we were told we had unexplained infertility and were offered a laparoscopy. Having heard the risks I decided at the time not to go ahead as I didn’t want to risk anything going wrong and losing the chance to conceive. I was told at the time if I changed my mind to get back in touch.

I then called in late 2022 and was told I’d left it too late as I only had six months to change my mind (I was unaware of a deadline) so investigations would need to start again. Now in 2024, having had all of the usual tests (bloods, sperm, internal scan and dye) we’ve been told there is nothing more the NHS can do. They can only suggest self funding IVF at this stage. This time around the second dr wouldn’t offer me a laparoscopy which is why I called back in 2022.

So I am now being punished for something out of my control and being encouraged to get into debt to try IVF, when my first doctor offered me more investigations. Had I have been aware there was a deadline to call back, I would have called eight weeks earlier rather than thinking it over for so long, had the procedure and  potentially had a baby by now! Instead the cost of IVF has now increased due to my age.