Pregnancy is the beginning of an incredible and fulfilling journey for a woman and her family. All that is required to get pregnant is a healthy egg and a sperm. For this, couple should stay healthy by eating nutritious food and need to exercise to keep themselves fit. They should also avoid smoking and alcohol. Some couple may have medical, reproductive organ problems or hormonal issues in getting pregnant. The problem may be with the woman or the man or both.
Those who have difficulty in getting pregnant should consider booking an early appointment with a fertility clinic.
What are Fertility Clinics and When to Go There?
Fertility clinics are managed by doctors, nurses, nursing aids, and other vital staff members in the laboratory, who are specialists in various aspects of fertility issues. Couples should visit the clinic together to get expert help from the fertility specialists.
A visit to a fertility clinic is recommended if you have one of the following:
- Have not achieved a successful pregnancy after trying for six months to one year.
- Women above 35 years of age should see the doctor earlier than younger age women.
- Women with menstrual issues, medical and hormonal problems.
- Men with medical issues, problems in semen analysis, erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation.
- Women with a history of recurrent miscarriages.
What You Need to Bring on Your First Visit?
Your fertility clinic or doctor may ask for certain documents and information in order to have an overview of you and your partner’s overall health. They may ask you to submit these before your appointment or instruct you to bring them on the day of your visit.
- Medical records of your previous tests, operations and treatments that you have undergone.
- Medical records of previous fertility assessments or treatments.
- List of medications, vitamins or herbal supplements taken by the couple.
- List of vital medical information, including pre-existing medical conditions of the couple (e.g. high blood pressure, diabetes, infection etc).
- Complete details on the woman’s menstrual history. These include age of first menstruation, regularity or irregularity of cycle, length of an average menstrual cycle, light or heavy flow, and history of painful periods (dysmenorrhea), inter menstrual bleeding or bleeding after sex.
Important Questions to Ask the Fertility Specialist
The first appointment with a fertility clinic may take a longer time of up 60 – 90 minutes. This includes history taking, clinical examinations and the necessary tests. Medical reports may take some time to be reviewed. For some tests you may have to come back at a specific time and the doctor will advise you on that.
Here are some important questions to ask the fertility specialist during the first visit:
Questions on Fertility Evaluation
- What are the specific tests that will be done to determine the cause of infertility?
- How much do these tests cost?
- How long will it take to get the results of the fertility evaluation tests?
Questions on Treatment
- What are the available treatment options based on the results of the fertility evaluation?
- What will be the success rate for that particular procedure or treatment?
- What are the risks and side effects of the treatments?
- Are there available payment plans that can be availed to make the treatments less of a financial burden?
Questions About the Fertility Clinic
- Clinic operating hours.
- Contact information in case of emergencies.
- Where will the tests and treatments take place? Will the procedures be done in this clinic or in another location?
- Do they provide mental and emotional care to their patients through counselling or couple support groups?
Let these guidelines help make the first visit to a fertility clinic an informative and less stressful one.
