subject: 3 Things You Need To Know Before You Choose An In Vitro Fertilization [print this page] You and your husband would love to have a baby. But, for some reason, it is harder for you to conceive than it is for other parents. Another thing you understand is that as you get older, conception continues to get harder and harder. After a long talk with your husband, the both of you have decided to seek help through in vitro fertilization.
The in vitro fertilization process is reasonably straight forward as all that's involved is an in vitro fertilization doctor will extract a woman's egg and will fertilize it in a lab. The IVF doctors then places the embryo into the woman's uterus as she will go through a normal full term pregnancy. In vitro fertilizations are appropriate for women and men with various infertility problems.
When looking for good in vitro fertilization doctors, you will need to consider several characteristics that an IVF doctor should have.
Fertility Training-
There are many types of doctors who have been trained regarding in vitro fertilization. Don't simply assume that your normal gynecologist has had this training. They may know the basics and be able to do an infertility evaluation and offer some simple treatments but they won't be able to go further than that. IVF doctors who specialize in this treatment should have fellowship training as a fertility specialist. This fellowship training involves 3 years of additional training in specialized infertility after they have completed their normal 4-year residency training in gynecology and obstetrics. Types of specialists who receive this training include:
Infertility Doctors
Embryologists
Reproductive Endocrinologists
Success Rate Statistics-
A very important characteristic of good IVF doctors includes the average success rates that the fertility clinic has and the personal success rates that the IVF doctor has. You should evaluate written reports from the Center of Disease Control and Prevention as well as the Society of Assisted Reproductive Technologies regarding IVF success rates that include several factors, such as:
What the success rate is per egg retrieval IVF success rates per embryo transfer
individual success rates with people who have similar fertility problems as to you
success rates of IVF procedures that were performed last year Ensure that the reports are defined by rate category, such as initial pregnancy rate, live birth rate and ongoing pregnancy rate.
Fertility Clinic Condition and Staff Turnover-
The last characteristic you should consider is the state of the clinic and staff turnover. You'll know that you are working with a good fertility clinic based on the sterile environment, the state-of-the-art technology used, and how long the medical director has been in charge of the facility. If there are high turnovers in technicians and doctors, there may be problems with the management of the clinic.
You'll want to know how the clinic's procedures are handled as well. Does the woman have any say in the egg fertilization process regarding the number of embryos placed back inside? If you are giving control entirely to the doctor, this is a serious characteristic that you should steer clear of when choosing an in vitro fertilization doctor.
