Things to Consider When Selecting a Fertility Clinic
When you are choosing a fertility clinic to partner with you on your family planning, what should you even consider? What questions should you ask? We have gathered the most common considerations to help guide you on your search!
Experience Matters.
Every IVF Clinic has their own history, it is good to know how long they have been practicing medicine. It is also very important to have the history, education and training of the actual physician in the practice that you will be working with. Are they well versed in the area of IVF you will need to help you grow your family.
Their Specialties
Each doctor can do IVF, some specialize in endometriosis, recurrent miscarriage and even third party reproduction – which is the process of growing your family with the help of a donor or surrogate. Some physicians and their offices are better prepared to assist third party cases as it does take a bit more coordination, testing and planning. If you need an egg donor or surrogate to grow your family, it is best to understand how deep the clinic’s knowledge is in the field.
Clinic Size and Success Rates
Large vs Small Clinic
- Larger clinics typically have more resources and availability for patients.
- Larger clinics often have on-site labs that do more cycles and thus have more data available.
- Do they have Monitoring Centers or Satellite offices
- Do you have direct access to the care team/physician?
The Laboratory
A strong laboratory can greatly increase IVF success. But how do you determine if a clinic has a strong lab?
The IVF Lab fertilization rate should be above 70% with a blastocyst conversion rate of 40 – 50% by Day 5 to help you determine if a clinic’s lab has what it takes to keep your family building journey on track. It is also important to consider lab size and location; is it on the property or are samples sent out? Can it handle a large level of patients or is it run by only a few people? You also want to inquire about the experience of the embryologists as well as the lab conditions they keep. What kind of incubators do they use, and how often are they upgraded or replaced? Ask as many questions as you can, see if you can view the lab from a window or cameras to understand how it looks, who is in there. Etc. The more they can share with you about the lab, the better you can feel about their transparency.
Go over all the costs
This one is one of the most important things to understand- and the clinic should be able to provide transparent pricing and cost for your treatment plan. On average IVF patients spend $40,000+ on various fertility treatments. It is important for a clinic to have a solid Billing department that is available to update you accordingly, knows how to properly lobby insurance on your behalf, and continually looks for ways to save you money. To be certain, an excellent billing department may not change your result, but it will partially dictate your perception of the experience and help you avoid any expensive surprises that should be covered at the inception of your relationship with them.
You are not alone!
Amplify is here to assist you in asking all the hard questions, get you a clear and concise overview of what this process looks like, how much it will cost and how long it can take. We have worked with some of the best clinics in the industry and we want to advocate for you and find you the best clinic that can help you grow your family. Not every clinic is for every person, and we are here to make sure you feel safe, confident, and informed every step of the way.
We are here to advocate for you and help you bring your dream of a family to life! Set up a time for your complimentary one on one consultation and we will review your options and how to get you started on this journey of a lifetime!
