Maybe you and your partner have been trying to conceive but haven’t had “good news” for over a year? If you’re 35 or over, you may be more anxious than ever to start a family. Some couples may have experienced more than one miscarriage, and are still hoping for a pregnancy to reach full term. If that’s you, then you may need to move on to the next step of your journey which is to talk to a specialist in reproductive medicine and look for an infertility clinic to figure out what could possibly be delaying conception and pregnancy.
With infertility clinics sprouting all over the city, which clinic to choose can seem like an arduous task especially with countless centers all making similar claims. It’s important to understand what to look for and do some thorough research as to which one is best suited for your needs before you pick the IVF clinic of your choice.
Is IVF treatment necessary?
IVF or in vitro fertilization is a procedure where the woman is first stimulated to ovulate using medications to produce more than one egg. These eggs are then retrieved, combined with the washed sperm in a lab setting and the resulting embryo is then introduced back into the woman’s uterus for implantation in order to achieve a pregnancy. Laser-assisted hatching is a procedure where a slight gap in the outer shell of the embryo is created to make it easier for the embryo to implant. Any leftover eggs or embryos could be frozen or cryopreserved for future use.
Keep in mind that not everyone who goes to an infertility clinic will need IVF treatment. The doctors will first perform a few fertility tests and then determine the course of treatment that you need. At Xenith, we do not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. Each couple’s case is unique and we customize fertility treatment based on the results of your fertility tests. We begin with the first line of treatment and recommend couples to go through the IVF when indicated. With that said, couples looking for an infertility clinic should begin with ….
Research, research, research!
∙ Find out what kind of tests or procedures you may need to undergo for IVF. What should you look for in the doctor’s qualifications?
∙ Give some thought to how far you are willing to go with this process. Is there a time limit or the number of times you are willing to try the procedure?
∙ Infertility treatments can be expensive, because they may have to be done multiple times before the desired result is achieved. How can you plan finances?
∙ Medications and hormones that are used for treatment might cause some side effects, as well as the stress of going through this, could affect on your emotions. Knowing more about this upfront can help you be more prepared to ask the right questions.
Once you know what you are looking for, then you can begin to search for a clinic that’s best suited for you.
What to look for in an infertility clinic?
Success rates can be dependent on various factors some of which include age, the reason for infertility, genetics, and lifestyle. The success rate can be found on the clinic websites but it’s important to discuss this in person with the specialist. Having the highest success rate doesn’t necessarily mean that the clinic is the best. Some clinics may refuse to take on difficult cases for women over 40 and this can make the statistics look better. Success rates may not consider the number of miscarriages and just show the total number of conceptions. It is prudent to ask specific questions like how many gave birth successfully for your particular age group.
Experience of doctors and clinical staff. A good clinic should have a team of highly experienced professionals with specialization in infertility treatments. A personal visit can help you get a feel for the clinic’s atmosphere. Look for a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist. Find out how long they have been working and where they were trained. Ask how many staff they have and the doctors associated with the clinic such as urologists, reproductive surgeons, nurses specifically trained in reproductive medicine, embryologist, sonographers, lab technicians, nutritionists, counselors, financial advisors, and others.
First impressions count! Do the staff seem pleasant or are they in a hurry to have time for you? Are you able to have a good rapport with the doctor? Is the doctor able to take the time to answer all your questions in a way that you can understand and make you feel that you are in confident hands? Is there an emergency number? Would you be able to contact a qualified person when you need to?
Cost. What is the pricing for the various tests and treatments and what does this price include like medications, any extra procedures or monitoring, and embryo storage? Will the cost be covered by your insurance? How much does embryo freezing and storage cost? Is counseling included in the cost? Costs may appear different at different places at times, but the quality management at an IVF clinic is a most important criteria which can vary between clinics. Pricing and value is not always the same thing.
Procedures and equipment. An infertility clinic that uses cutting-edge technology can provide you with every possible advantage for achieving success. Find out where the procedures and tests are carried out. An in-house lab can save you the inconvenience of having to make appointments in other diagnostic centers but they should be accredited and registered with the Appropriate Authority.
Customer ratings and reviews or testimonials. Speak to current or former patients or read about other patients’ experiences with that particular clinic. In the age of social media and digital era this can be a pointer, however it is important that you get your own feel about the doctor and the centre by visiting in person.
Meeting a fertility specialist for the first time may be an intimidating experience and it might be awkward to talk about your personal details especially if you are already anxious and depressed about the idea of infertility. At times it may be difficult to process the information given to you. Take time to digest all the information, discuss it with your partner, and feel free to ask the same question again if you didn’t understand. After looking at all the various options, make an informed choice about which IVF clinic works best for your unique circumstances. Picking the right fertility clinic in Pune can help increase your chances of a successful conception and also make the whole journey a lot easier. If you are looking for a clinic with extremely qualified fertility specialists and friendly staff wanting to make sure you are as comfortable as possible, feel free to schedule a consult at Xenith Advanced Fertility Centre, the top fertility specialists in Pune.