IVF is a serious medical undertaking for patients and their families. We talked with fertility nurse Cristina Vidal, RN, about what questions she recommends you ask fertility doctors you’re considering working with. Dive deeper by reading our full guide on how to pick the right fertility clinic and what factors to consider.
Orchid offers advanced genetic testing for couples who want their child to have the best shot of a healthy life. As part of our “Pregnancy and Fertility” series, we distill down your fertility treatment options and help you navigate the complex process
Selecting the best IVF clinic for you can be a stressful decision. Here’s a compiled list of questions to ask the reproductive endocrinologist during your consultation and fertility clinic as a whole that you’re considering working with.
Questions to understand their treatment approach and expectations
- How many fertility doctors are part of your clinic?
- Will you be present at all my appointments? Will you perform the egg retrieval and embryo transfer?
- Will my labs and procedures be done in the same location?
- Which specific tests do you suggest for myself and/or my partner?
- What are our treatment options and what would you recommend?
- What clinical treatments and services does your clinic offer? What support services are available?
- How do you assess what’s the right level of treatment to start with and when to advance to a more intensive approach?
- How would you describe your approach to single vs multiple embryo transfer?
Questions to assess the fertility clinic’s quality of care and level of experience
- How many cycles does your clinic perform each year?
- What are your embryology lab’s fertilization (ICSI and conventional) and blastocyst conversion rates?
- What kind of equipment does the embryology lab use to grow embryos? Is there laboratory staff coverage 7 days a week?
- How does the billing department typically work with patients?
- What insurance do you take?
- Is there any discount for self-pay patients?
- What are the financial estimates for my treatment?
Resources
- How to pick the best IVF and fertility clinic near you
- Find a fertility doctor through FertilityIQ’s provider and clinic reviews
- American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) Patient Resources
- Society of Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART)
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)
Fertility treatment and reproductive medicine have come a long way since IVF was first introduced over 40 years ago. Today, advanced embryo testing is now available to couples who want their child to have the best shot of a healthy life. Explore how Orchid helps you conceive with confidence.
