"At least it doesn't provide life and death care"

I and my partner used this service between November 2013 and summer last year. My partner wanted to get pregnant. We are a same sex couple.

When we first arrived at the centre, we were overwhelmed by literature. After waiting beyond our appointment time (a regular experience) we were taken to a room where we were introduced to a member of staff.

After asking us questions, they told my partner they would do a pelvic scan, without explaining what this was. They were ushered behind a curtain by a nurse without any more explanation while the doctor asked me about my medical history. They then drew the curtain behind them self and my partner without paying any more attention to me and did a scan we later dubbed 'dildo cam'. They were explaining to my partner what was happening, but there was no nurse with her and I didn't feel at the time I could go behind the curtain. I was later very angry at myself for not insisting on this.

They later said my partner had policystic ovaries but not the syndrome. She does actually have the full syndrome.

My partner was booked into what I consider an unnecessary X Ray test without any verbal explanation.

Throughout her time going there (she had six IUIs) doctors constantly contradicted each other on issues such as what point in the cycle to inseminate and whether or not to take folic acid.

I would advise anyone visiting this centre to be assertive with the staff and take everything they say and do with a pinch of salt if possible.

One other point as a same sex couple is that this is all the counsellor focused on in the pre treatment counselling session. They did not make many attempts to discuss our individual feelings and was preoccupied with the fact that we were lesbians and other lesbians had conceived children though insemination.

I do know someone who got pregnant here about 11 years ago and I understand there are success rates available. We were not successful and found the process more stressful than I think it needed to be because of the issues above.