There are lots of reasons why a particular fertility clinic might be a good choice or otherwise for you. It’s beyond just the cost and services available.
If for instance, you’re having trouble getting pregnant, and so far, your gynecologist has given you advice and ran some basic tests, they may have run a blood test for hormones or asked you to record your basal body temperature for a couple of months to check your ovulation. They have also performed an ultrasound and an hysterosalpingogram (HSG) or sonohysterography.
At the same time, your husband may have been checked out by a urologist. When it comes the time to diagnose the problem and suggest solutions, you may prefer to see a single doctor. This is where the infertility specialist comes in.
A specialist can provide big-picture advice so it is crucial to be certain that there are specialists at the clinic that you select. Choosing the right fertility clinic is one of the most important steps of your infertility journey, so you should do all that you can to choose the right one for your needs.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions and endeavour to carry out appropriate research before making a decision.
To find the best fertility clinic for you, take time to research. Don’t just choose the first place that returns your call because pursuing fertility testing and treatment is a big step and can also involve big money and lots of time.
You want to choose only the best. Choosing a fertility clinic is personal and subjective. The best clinic for your friend may not be the best for you. Ask your friends, doctor for recommendations, but be sure to investigate any clinic you consider yourself.
When researching clinics, you can find information from several sources. First of all, where is the clinic? Not everyone is lucky enough to live next to the clinic they need. Travel time is an important factor to consider, especially if you’re doing IVF, as you may need to be at the clinic almost every day for part of your cycle. If you need to travel, remember you’ll need lodging and time off from work.
You’ll likely be working with the clinic for months, and possibly years, so find out if they offer any special services beyond basic fertility treatment.
When choosing a clinic, find out if the staff are polite and professional. Do they take time to answer your questions? If they aren’t willing to meet with you before you choose them, then they may not have time for you when you’re a patient. Not being willing to answer your questions up front isn’t a good sign.
Get informed about their training, whether they training for what they claim to be doing and how long have they been working with infertility patients.
Be mindful that a fertility clinic is only as good as its doctors and other medical staff. Depending on how the clinic operates, you may be assigned one particular doctor, or you may see a few different doctors on a rotating basis.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both setups, but usually, you want one doctor as your main contact and case manager.
It may feel odd to be considering price when looking at clinics, but considering the fee is practically important.
What procedures are possible at this clinic? The range of services they offer is important. What procedures are they recommending for your particular case?
Another important factor to consider is the clinic’s success rate. Having the highest success rate doesn’t necessarily mean the clinic is the best. Some clinics avoid taking on hard cases or refuse treatment to women above age 40 with their own eggs. This can obviously skew the statistics.
What you should be looking for is whether the clinic’s success rates are greater than the national average? This will soon be possible in Nigeria as the Fertility Association has started collecting data for IVF clinics.
If you’re not doing IVF, ask about the live birth success rates particular to your situation and particular to the treatments being suggested. Your doctor should have the experience to help
you decide if the treatments are worth the financial and emotional investment.
If a clinic promises you success, especially success in just one cycle, be wary. There’s no such thing as a 100 percent guarantee with IVF, no matter what the reason for your infertility is.
One very important parameter to consider is if the clinic has counselling service or a support group that can give you some level of emotional support.
The bottom line is this: If the next step in your journey to get pregnant is to look for a fertility clinic, it pays to do a little homework first.
Abayomi Ajayi
MD/CEO Nordica Fertility
