| a couple is facing an infertility diagnosis and | | | | A high success rate may indicate that the clinic is not |
| treatment, choosing the right clinic is an important | | | | willing to work with high risk cases – not a |
| element in making the process as easy and painless | | | | good choice for a couple who happens to fall into |
| as possible. Since most couples are not prepared for | | | | that category. It may also mean that the clinic is |
| the emotional and physical toll that infertility can take, | | | | very aggressive in its treatment to ensure patients |
| they may not realize that there are choices in | | | | achieve success at all costs. This is also something to |
| treatment, doctors and clinics. By taking the time to | | | | consider, since the risk of multiple births from |
| take control of this very important decision, a couple | | | | aggressive treatment can prove to be riskier for |
| can increase their odds of successfully surviving the | | | | mother and babies alike. |
| process. | | | | Who has Control? |
| Fertility clinics are available across the country, so | | | | Infertility treatments can produce a few ethical |
| most couple will be able to find at least a couple in | | | | dilemmas, so it is important to ask question about |
| their area to consider. It is a good idea to read a | | | | the practices of fertility clinics that might interfere |
| book or two before beginning the interview process | | | | with a couple's own values. For example, if the |
| with clinics, since a little background information will go | | | | doctors at the clinic make all the choices in terms of |
| a long way in ensuring a couple gets the type of | | | | how far to go with treatment or how many |
| care they are hoping for. This will also provide the | | | | embryos to implant to increase the odds of |
| opportunity for a couple to discuss the process | | | | conception, a couple may be forced out of their |
| together before getting a doctor involved. That way, | | | | comfort zone. Couples who do not feel comfortable |
| they will know exactly how far they are willing to go | | | | with procedures like selective reduction or the risks |
| with the process and they will have a good idea of | | | | involved with multiple births need to make those |
| certain procedures or philosophies they may want to | | | | preferences known to every doctor they interview. |
| steer away from. | | | | This will ensure that couples find the fertility clinics |
| Looking at Statistics | | | | that most closely mirror their own values and |
| One of the first things worth checking out with | | | | preferences. |
| fertility clinics is their statistics for success. Listings like | | | | Searching through the multitude of fertility clinics may |
| these can be found at websites like the Center for | | | | seem like a lot of work, but it is worth the effort to |
| Disease Control and Prevention, where the numbers | | | | find a medical team that a couple is comfortable |
| are updated periodically. However, it is never a good | | | | working with over the long term. Choosing the right |
| idea to simply select the clinic with the highest | | | | fertility clinic will make the entire process a bit easier |
| success rate. Before choosing a clinic, ask about why | | | | to bear and hopefully increase the odds of a healthy |
| the numbers might be where they are. | | | | baby at the end. |