Where to Start with Finding an Infertility Doctor or Clinic:

• Oct. 28, 2009 Creating a Family radio show was on How to Choose a Fertility Specialist. Our guests were Dr. David Adamson, past president of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, and Ken Mosesian, Executive Director of The American Fertility Association.

• A Creating a Family video on How to Choose an Infertility Clinic
• Top Ten Tips for Choosing an Infertility Clinic or Doctor
• Top Ten Tips for Avoiding Mistakes and Errors with Infertility Treatment  (Includes information to ask when choosing a clinic.)

Highlights from the Oct. 28, 2009 Creating a Family show on How to Choose a Fertility Specialist

• When should you move from your Ob/Gyn to a fertility specialist?
• How important is it to use a board certified reproductive endocrinologist?
• What are the most important statistics on infertility clinic success maintained by the CDC for selecting a clinic?
• What factor can be used to intentionally or unintentionally affect these statistics?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a large or small infertility clinic?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of using an infertility clinic associated with a hospital or university?
• How can you make sure that the embryology laboratory is good at the infertility clinic you are considering?
• What questions should you ask the fertility doctor when deciding what clinic to use?

• Ob/Gyn's can treat infertility, but in my opinion, if you have been trying for a year (under 35), six months (35-40), or three to four months (over 40), I would recommend at least getting a second opinion from a board certified reproductive endocrinologist. The best source for finding one is at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) website, find a doctor page.

• Ask your Ob/Gyn and primary care doctor for recommendations for a reproductive endocrinologist.  Ask family and friends. You'll be surprised how many people have been down this road before you. If that feels too public for you right now, then go online and ask for recommendations.  We list some great online support groups.
• Top Ten Tips for Choosing an Infertility Clinic or Doctor
• Creating a Family Radio has done a number of shows that include a discussion of how to find a good doctor that is knowledgeable about infertility issues. Listen to a few, such as April 2, 2008 (coping with infertility), Nov. 28, 2007 (psychological issues with infertility), and July 15, 2009 (parenting after infertility).

How to Find a Therapist that Specializes in Infertility

• Creating a Family Radio has done a number of shows that include a discussion of how to find a good therapist that is knowledgeable about infertility issues. Listen to a few, such as Nov. 18, 2009 (How to Survive Infertility without Losing your Mind, Your Marriage, or Your Friends), April 2, 2008 (coping with infertility), Nov. 28, 2007 (psychological issues with infertility), and July 15, 2009 (parenting after infertility).
  

• Ask your infertility clinic if they have mental health professionals on staff or can recommend one.

• The American Society of Reproductive Medicine lists members that are mental health professionals.

• Resolve lists mental health resources that are knowledgeable about infertility.
• Fertilitycounseling.com provides information and resources for taking the first step to seek help from a mental health professional.

Other Resources for Choosing a Fertility Specialist for IVF or ART:

• Networks for fertility clinics primarily provide business benefits to the clinics, but may also provide some benefits to patients, especially if you need financial options such as shared risk and payment plans. To find doctors who belong to these networks, go to their websites.
  1. Advanced Reproductive Care
  2. IntegraMed
• The American Fertility Association has a fact sheet titled Important Questions for Your Doctor
• The InterNational Council on Infertility Information Dissemination (INCIID – pronounced "inside") has a good section on Criteria for Selecting an Infertility or IVF Clinic .
• How to Choose an Infertility Clinic by WebMd