Story I

Lizzie

We first visited the CRP clinic in October 2022 after experiencing three miscarriages within the previous year. After feeling underwhelmed by the support available on the NHS, we considered other options. We heard many stories about people waiting for NHS testing only to be told they had “unexplained infertility.” So, we decided to invest in private care.

We first heard of Dr. Simons on a podcast, and he seemed to make so much sense! It was the first time someone spoke so clearly about issues that sounded similar to ours. He also seemed able to offer a solution. Despite living in the north of England, we quickly contacted the clinic. An initial appointment was arranged for us just a couple of weeks later.

Receiving a Diagnosis and Treatment Plan

Three weeks after our first appointment, we returned to the clinic for further assessment. We learned that I had overactive NK cells and too many of them. Dr. Simons presented a clear treatment plan for us to follow. He also outlined a schedule of appointments for when we fell pregnant.

That same day, I received my first intralipid drip to help with conception. We aimed to conceive when I ovulated during that cycle. Miraculously, I ovulated just a couple of days later. Two weeks after that, we saw a positive pregnancy test!

Throughout our pregnancy, we felt listened to and cared for and knew we were in the best possible hands. Although the clinic was a long journey, every appointment felt completely worthwhile. It was so important to help us feel reassured and reduce our anxiety as much as possible after so many previous losses.

We were discharged from the clinic at 20 weeks, and our beautiful baby boy was born on 17th July 2023 at 39 weeks via a planned c-section. Dr Simons, Ms Anne Westbridge and Dr Ali were all amazing, and we can’t thank you enough for finally starting our family.

Story II

Kristina

My husband and I thank everyone at CRP for their care and support in making our dreams come true.

Meeting Professor Davies in May 2023, following our 5th miscarriage the month prior, gave us a new sense of hope. After being told by the NHS there was no more they could do for us (we had also tried IVF), hearing there were other avenues to explore, other tests and treatment options we could try was refreshing. I knew we needed to try something different, and I am so glad we did!

Although for us, the results of the tests didn’t flag anything significant, they did show slightly raised cytokines, and Professor Davies felt we would benefit from a treatment plan as a result of this because 5 miscarriages were not going to have been just bad luck. I was keen to try something, feeling we couldn’t keep doing the same thing repeatedly, hoping for a different outcome.

A Successful Pregnancy Journey

After some pre-conception treatment, we fell pregnant again in July 2023. Following our treatment plan, and after 9 months of anticipation, we welcomed a perfect baby girl into the world in April 2024.

Everyone we encountered while with CRP was wonderful, attentive and professional. At the start of our journey, we had the time to discuss our plan, ask questions and have the research behind it explained to us. We felt there was complete transparency about the costs of different aspects of treatment as well as the expectations of receiving treatment with CRP, i.e. regular scans when pregnant. This allowed us to plan financially and practically as we travelled from Wales.

Communication was excellent. We were so appreciative of the times we were accommodated with last-minute scan appointments in early pregnancy when we were experiencing concerning symptoms. The reassurance this provided was invaluable. Ms Waldorf, in particular, stood out for us with her care and compassionate manner during scans, putting us at ease during what was anxiety-provoking times. We soon started to look forward to scans especially when we knew they were with her.

Access to Additional Services

We also found it beneficial to be able to access additional services via CRP. Such as the harmony test and fetal medicine scans, to provide additional reassurance and a more in-depth look at how our little girl was doing. There is a stark difference in how much you get from the scans at CRP compared to those offered via the NHS.

Overall, we felt supported and listened to by CRP throughout the different parts of our journey. Our final appointment was a very bittersweet moment.

So, we want to say once again a big thank you for helping us make our dreams a reality.

Story III

Elena

After 4 early pregnancy losses under the NHS and the words “it’s just bad luck, try again” continually said to us, we decided to take matters into our own hands. We believed something else was affecting our pregnancies, and after finding Prof. Edgard and reading his articles and webinars, I knew I needed to see him.

We did have another 2 losses under his care but found out that these were chromosome abnormalities. To rule this out, we went down the IVF route doing PGT-A testing – via their partnering with Daniels Foundation Fertility. This time round, lucky number 7, we had our beautiful baby boy.

Gratitude for CRP’s Exceptional Care

We couldn’t have gotten to where we are without every single person. At CRP, believe in us. The care you get through your journey is amazing, and I was sad to leave their care and go back under the NHS.

Immunoassay interference is rare, with a quoted incidence of 0.05% to 2%, but is probably underestimated. In one large prospective study of over 5,000 patients, the incidence of interference in a thyroid-stimulating hormone immunoassay with potentially adverse clinical effects was 0.4%. Although the clinical chemistry literature has described the interference of CRP immunoassays by both polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies, this phenomenon needs to be more appreciated in the general medical community. Interference with immunoassays has previously led to extensive and sometimes invasive investigations of patients.

In our patient, at least eight definitive diagnoses were considered over two years in the outpatient department. She underwent numerous tests, including endoscopy and multiple radiological investigations. Consider interference for patients with persistently elevated CRP levels or other markers outside of the clinical context. Paraproteins or other endogenous antibodies may cause this, especially when levels are measured by immunoassay.