Travel Guides & Tips in this video
After struggling to arrange fertility tests through the NHS, Reanne and Ben fly to Guangzhou and walk into a private hospital without an appointment. They are seen within an hour. Ben's test involves producing a sample and finding the lab, while Reanne has blood tests, a swab and an ultrasound before being asked to return at a specific time in her cycle. Later, expecting a simple scan, Reanne is sedated for a procedure and receives a diagnosis through a translation app: both fallopian tubes are blocked. The doctor recommends keyhole surgery with a five-day hospital stay and quotes 20,000 yuan. The couple discuss fear, IVF and how to decide together, while noting the cost of the earlier tests and their plans to fly out the next morning.
Next travel video:
More about the current video:()
Seeking fertility tests in Guangzhou
Reanne and Ben did not expect to make a travel vlog about fertility. After two and a half years exploring China and five and a half years of full-time travel, they faced the question of whether they could have children. In the UK, they say they spent months waiting for NHS tests and appointments. When they tried to arrange more checks, they were told it could take weeks just to get a phone call. They decided to travel to Guangzhou and went directly to a private hospital without an appointment; they were seen within an hour.
Ben's fertility test is awkward. The sample room contains adult videos and a machine he does not recognize, and afterward he has to carry the specimen pot through the hospital because no one has told him where the lab is. He gets results in about 30 minutes, with a slightly low sperm count. Reanne's testing is more involved: she has blood tests and a swab, and during an ultrasound the clinician cannot see clearly because of a thick stomach lining. She is told to return a month later, three days after her period, for more procedures.
A diagnosis and a difficult decision
Reanne arrives later expecting a simple scan. Instead, she signs a contract, pays for a bag of medical supplies and is wheeled through the rain by a small nurse with an IV. She is sedated for a procedure that she says was not clearly explained to her. When she wakes, the doctor communicates through a translation app and writes that both of her fallopian tubes are blocked. The doctor tells her that without surgery it would be impossible for her to become pregnant. The proposed treatment is keyhole surgery and a five-day hospital stay, quoted at 20,000 yuan.
The couple discuss what the diagnosis means for them. Reanne processes the news while drowsy and alone before telling Ben. Back at their apartment, they talk about fear, their relationship and the possibility of surgery or IVF. Ben says he will not push her into either option and wants children only with her; Reanne says she is afraid of going under the knife. They are still unsure when they fly out the following morning, but say they will face the decision together.
The vlog also compares their experience with the delays they describe in the UK. In Guangzhou, they had same-day tests and could contact doctors directly through WeChat. They say Ben's test cost about £30, Reanne's more comprehensive work-up nearly £300, and the surgery quote was 20,000 yuan for five days in hospital. Their experience is personal and emotional, and the video focuses on the couple's decisions rather than offering medical guidance to other patients.
The visit also covers the couple's concerns about costs and follow-up. Ben's test is about £30, Reanne's more comprehensive work-up is nearly £300, and the operation quote is 20,000 yuan for a five-day stay. The doctors communicate through WeChat, which gives the couple a way to message them about appointments and results. They still rely on translation for medical explanations, and the diagnosis leaves them unsure what to do next. Their next travel day arrives before they have made a decision, so they focus on supporting each other rather than rushing into treatment.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: Why did you go to a hospital in China for fertility tests?
- A: The NHS had kept delaying the next steps. They were told it could take weeks just to get a phone call to book an appointment, so Reanne and Ben flew to Guangzhou and walked into a private hospital, where they were seen within an hour.
- Q: What was the male fertility test like in China?
- A: Ben found it awkward. He produced a sample in a room and then had to carry the specimen pot through the hospital himself because nobody had told him where the lab was. His results were ready in about 30 minutes.
- Q: How did you communicate with the doctors if no one spoke English?
- A: They used a translation app and WeChat. The doctor typed messages for them to translate, which was difficult during such a personal experience, but it helped them communicate and understand the information.
- Q: What were the results from the tests?
- A: Ben's result showed a slightly low sperm count. Reanne learned that both fallopian tubes were blocked; the doctor said she would need keyhole surgery to have a chance of conceiving naturally.
- Q: How much did the treatment cost in China?
- A: Ben's test cost about £30 and Reanne's tests nearly £300. The hospital later quoted 20,000 yuan for five days of surgery, with the couple saying they had to pay for care before it began.
