How to choose the correct fertility centre

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Treatment of infertility can be a frustrating and emotionally challenging experience. While trying to get pregnant, you may have received many advices from your gynaecologist, had x-ray for patency of your tubes, your husband has had his semen sample checked by a urologist, blood tests for hormones and even laparoscopy and hysteroscopy, etc..

Diagnosing what the problem may be and suggested solutions, you may wish there was a single expert doctor you both could see. This is the fertility specialist, providing big-picture advice. Fertility specialists are trained to administer more complex therapies such as ovulation induction with hormones or treatments like IVF.

It is clearly acknowledged that time is the enemy especially for women as many of the causes of infertility are directly related to the age of the patient. If you are over 35 years of age, with blocked tubes, faced with severely poor semen analysis, have moderate or severe endometriosis, had numerous miscarriages or if other methods of treatment have been unsuccessful, probably superior technologies like IVF / ICSI will help you. These technologies can involve some drugs or hormones, cost many thousands of dollars and can be emotionally demanding. Knowing your limits will keep you from being talked into some unnecessary new procedure that you really don’t want and can’t afford.

There are thousands of fertility clinics available worldwide and choosing a fertility clinic is a very important decision that should be given much thought. Numbers can give you a place to start. Also, ask a lot of questions to every fertility clinic you’re considering.

Some examples of questions to ask of about the Centre;

How many cycles per year do they do and how long? 

Remember that experience plays a great role in infertility treatment and the longer a clinic has been in business, the better the facility is likely to be because it has been around long enough to have been proven credible. Many experts recommend evaluating experienced centres at least 5 years old and with at least 50 cycles per month and over, to compare and make your selection.

Which procedures do they provide, and how often?

Be sure the clinic has a wide range of infertility treatment options available and is familiar with the latest technology, such as blastocyst transfer, IMSI or other special sperm selection methods, freezing with vitrification, preimplantation genetic diagnosis etc.

How long has the fertility clinic’s medical director, physicians and technicians been there?

High staff turnover can be a sign of bad management and can contribute to mistakes.

Are the doctors and staff always available and accessible?

It is important that you have access to your doctor in order to have your questions answered and needs addressed. Evaluate whether or not the availability and accessibility of the doctor is an easy process or a difficult one when making decisions as to where to seek care. The friendliness and helpfulness of the staff will also give you a feel for the character of the practice.

Who decides about the number of embryos in transfer; the doctor or patient?

We recommend steering away from a clinic that gives complete control to the doctor. This is important because the more eggs planted, the greater the chance for multiplets. You should be aware of the risk of multiple pregnancies.

What about the testimonials of that Clinic?

To ensure effective and efficient infertility treatment, it is non-negotiable to select the prestigious clinic and the correct specialist. Scroll down to read carefully the story of the couples treated in that Clinic.

What does their treatment cost?

As you are probably aware, IVF treatments are expensive. This is due to the fact that both a specialised team and very sophisticated technology are required. If you look at IVF prices in developed countries, it ranges between $10,000- $15,000 in the US and 4000-5000 GBP in the UK per cycle for example. Besides, these prices generally do not cover the drug expenses and most centres charge the techniques like ICSI, AHA, IMSI, blastocyst culture etc. additionally. While you don’t want to choose strictly on price, it’s good to know costs ahead of time so you know what you’re getting into.

Success certainly comes first, but the financial burden on the patient is generally so great that many couples feel that they can only afford one cycle and therefore face the added stress of trying to maximise their one and only chance to conceive in first cycle. Beware of clinics that offer a money-back guarantee if you don’t get pregnant or three cycle trial etc. The doctors may have a financial incentive to treat you more aggressively than it should be.

Searching Abroad…

Another reasonable option is trying your IVF treatment outside your homeland. This may create great savings. Countries like Turkey have affordable prices with high success rates. Expenses can be minimised to almost one-third of the high costs mentioned above and combining your medical treatment with a vacation in these countries is quite possible.

This is because even though we use exactly the same equipment and have exactly the same success rate as US or European clinics, doctors in Turkey charge much less than what US doctors do. It’s why IVF treatment at Medicana Infertility Clinic costs a fraction of what comparable IVF clinics charge in the US and Europe. It’s also why a large number of patients from abroad come to Medicana for IVF/ICSI treatment.