How To Find A Good Fertility Doctor

 

You and your significant other have been trying to get pregnant for over a year now.

You’ve tried everything you possibly can to get pregnant in the comfort of your own home.

But… It maybe time to move on in your fertility journey.

The next step is to seek the help of a fertility specialist at a knowledgeable and successful fertility clinic.

But how do you go about choosing a fertility clinic that’s right for you and your spouse?

The decision to continue your fertility journey with the help of medical science was a difficult one.

It’s absolutely vital you and your spouse choose the perfect clinic to help you achieve your dreams of having a baby.

In my own fertility journey, I learned some valuable tips on how to pick the right fertility clinic.

Through both good and bad fertility clinic experiences, here are 6 tips for how to find a good fertility doctor!

Disclosure: Bear in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you click on them to make a purchase I will earn a commission.  Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases.  The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

 

How To Find A Good Fertility Doctor

1. Start With A Google Search

Don’t just open a phone book and blindly pick a fertility clinic. Hop on to Google and search the phrase, “fertility clinics near me.”

This will give you a list of fertility clinics around your area no matter where you live.

One of the most important aspects of choosing a fertility clinic is the location.

If you live in a well populated area, then you’re in luck! Chances are you probably have a fertility clinic within a 10 mile range.

But if you’re unlucky (like me) and live in a rural area, you will need to travel a bit.

Location is important for a fertility clinic because you need to be within a decent driving range to meet for specifically timed and repeated ultrasounds, medications, inseminations, etc.

As you know by now, when it comes to making a baby, timing is everything!

You need a fertility clinic that has convenient access in order to be monitored during the first two weeks of your cycle.

If you pick a clinic that is not within close range, you risk missing crucial appointments during your cycle.

Once you’ve narrowed down fertility clinics within a convenient driving range, then research and research some more!

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2. Pour Through Each Website Thoroughly

When I say “thoroughly,” I mean every. single. webpage. Every page on each fertility clinics website will offer you an abundance of information for how to find a good fertility doctor.

Don’t be overwhelmed! Just take it one page at a time.

Every website will (of course) boast claims about how amazing their clinic is.

You have to look past the glitz and glamour of the fertility clinic website.

To help you do this, start with the fertility clinic statistics page.

Every reputable fertility clinic has one. It’s also sometimes called a “success rate” page.

This is the page that tells you everything about what treatments the clinic offers and how successful each treatment actually is.

If you cannot find a statistics page, that’s a huge red flag!

Move on to a different clinic! But ALWAYS pour over the statistic success pages of each website to compare different clinics.

Along with looking at each fertility clinics success rates for comparison, double-check their success rates with what they report to the CDC.

There are two places to find statistical success data on fertility clinics across the country: Society For Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) and the CDC ART Success Rates Data. Both of these websites allow you to take a deeper look into a fertility clinics statistical success for fertility treatment.

The statistics can be a bit confusing, but there is big factor to look for in the numbers: The percentage of fertility treatments that result in live births!

You don’t want to choose a fertility clinic that performs an abundance of IVF treatments, but has a low rate of successful full-term live births.

3. Look Over Insurance Options

This is a two-fold process. First, see what each fertility clinics website accepts for insurance coverage.

Second, and most importantly, contact your health insurance and see what they will cover.

Talking to a health insurance representative is like pulling teeth sometimes.

They never seem to give you all the information you need.

Ask your insurance to send you a list of covered and non-covered fertility treatments.

When it comes to your future fertility treatment, don’t assume your insurance will pay for everything!

I cannot stress this enough!

Spoiler Alert: Most health insurances will NOT even cover 20% of your fertility treatment. I’m sorry to tell you that, but it’s better you find out now than when you receive the bills later.

A fertility clinic should list on their website the following:

1. What insurances they accept
2. What services they perform and what each service costs
3. Financial help/support/counseling

Yes, there are fertility clinics that offer a variety of financial options and potential help.

But the only way for you to know the financial options is from their website or by talking to a representative.

Which brings us to number 4…

4. Talk To A Fertility Clinic Representative

Many fertility clinics have a phone number to call in order for you to get every question answered.

I know we live in the age of texting, instead of calling… But call the clinic! This is how you narrow down your potential list of clinics.

Calling a clinic representative will help you understand:

-Treatment options and services they provide
-How busy or how long their booked out for
-What insurances they accept
-Other financial options they offer
-Counseling services they may offer

These are all great topics to cover in your phone session with a fertility clinic representative.

Remember to write down a list of questions you have for each clinic and write down the answers they provide to compare different fertility clinics.

5. Ask Yourself If The Representative Was Caring And Empathetic

By talking to a fertility clinic representative, you can get a feel for how friendly, caring and compassionate a fertility clinic is. This is extremely important!

If you talk to a representative that seems unknowledgeable and uncaring. Eliminate that fertility clinic from your list!

You need a fertility clinic that is empathetic. Empathy is very different from sympathy.

Empathy is the ability to understand someone’s specific problem and feel like it’s their own issue as well.

It’s not just saying sorry to someone.

Not being able to conceive on your own and making the decision to seek fertility treatment is a heartbreaking and difficult decision.

You need a clinic that supports your fertility decisions and is excited for your family’s future.

Yes, excited! A fertility clinic representative should be happy to answer every question you have, while being excited about the possibility of you becoming a mother.

Your fertility clinic and the specialists working there are going to be your personal cheerleading squad.

If you have a successful cycle that results in pregnancy, they will be ecstatic for you! If a cycle was unsuccessful, then the fertility clinic will be there to offer empathetic words and positive next steps to move forward with treatment after defeat.

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6. Pick A Fertility Clinic And Schedule A Consultation Appointment

Once you went through each of these steps, look over all your notes for every clinic and narrow your search to just one clinic.

I know it’s a big scary decision. But, have your spouse help you decide carefully.

Don’t just pick between two or three clinics by picking one out of a hat. Pick only the best fertility clinic for you!

Next, call the fertility clinic of your choice and schedule a consultation appointment.

And lastly, get excited! The decision to move forward with fertility treatment is terrifying. But, take heart!

This is just another step forward in making your dreams of having a baby come true!

Final Thoughts On How To Find A Good Fertility Doctor

It’s easy to become stressed and terrified of choosing just one fertility clinic. The decision to pursue fertility treatment is so difficult.

That’s why you need to know how to find a good fertility doctor that is above all, empathetic and understanding.

You need a fertility clinic and staff that provides a positive environment.

Every staff member there should be excited to get you pregnant!

It’s not about the money, but about the happiness they get from helping others achieve their dreams of a family.

I know, it’s easy to feel discouraged about having to receive fertility treatment.

But, you need to maintain a positive attitude and get excited about fertility treatment.

Instead of wondering every month what went wrong that cycle and why you didn’t get pregnant…

You will know the answer!

No. It might not be the answer you want to hear or it might not be a quick fix, but it’s better than not knowing and always wondering “What went wrong?”

Choosing a fertility clinic is just another step in your unique fertility journey. Not everyone conceives a baby the same way.

While one woman has a drunken night that results in pregnancy, another woman is being inseminated in a clinic.

It doesn’t mean any woman is more or less deserving of a baby because of how she conceived.

So start getting excited for your consultation appointment with your fertility clinic.

You’ll finally have the answers and the solutions to why you’re having troubles conceiving.

When choosing a fertility clinic, always remember to look for the following:

-Location, location, location!
-Pour through each website carefully
-Contact a fertility clinics representative
-Always check your insurance coverage
-Find out if the staff is empathetic and positive
-Narrow down and pick the perfect fertility clinic for you!

I know… It’s just that easy! Actually it’s not. But with these helpful tips you’ll be able to find a clinic close to you that will be able to make your baby dreams come true.

What are you waiting for?  Get to researching how to find a good fertility doctor for you!

Sending tons of baby dust your way!

 

Works Cited

5 Things You Should Know When Choosing A Fertility Specialist