How to Choose a Fertility Doctor or Clinic

Finding the right fertility specialist for your family may not be an easy process, and there are many factors to take into consideration. It is important to do as much research into the topic as possible so that when you are ready to interview doctors, you are well informed about infertility and about the procedures available to treat it.
 
Fertility doctors, also called infertility specialists or reproductive endocrinologists, generally have two to three years of additional formal training beyond that of an OB/GYN. Be sure to research your prospective infertility specialist's education, training, and state medical license before deciding on the clinic and doctor that is right for you.

How an Infertility Specialist Can Help

Fertility Testing

Fertility testing can usually identify the causes of infertility and indicate a course of treatment to achieve conception. Fertility tests range from simple semen or blood chemistry analysis to surgical procedures.

Infertility Treatment

There are a variety of fertility treatments specialists can recommend, such as IVF, IUI, ICSI, and ZIFT. An experienced reproductive endocrinologist can also determine whether you would benefit from taking fertility medication.

IVF

All infertility clinics offer in vitro fertilization. IVF was one of the first methods of achieving conception used by fertility specialists, and it is still the most recognized form of fertility treatment. During IVF, sperm is used to fertilize an egg in a test tube in a fertility clinic, and the resulting embryo is placed in the mother's uterus. IVF can be used when one partner is infertile, and the couple requires sperm or an egg from a donor. IVF can also be recommended by a reproductive health clinic if the male partner has a low sperm count, making conception by normal means difficult.

Other Fertility Procedures

Although reproductive health clinics tend to be most readily associated with in vitro fertilization, fertility doctors and specialists offer a wide range of solutions to combat reproductive disorders. Fertility doctors offer procedures like IUI, intrauterine insemination, which involves the injection of washed semen into the uterus; ICSI, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, which involves the injection of a single sperm into an egg; ZIFT, zygote intrafallopian transfer, which involves the introduction of a zygote into the fallopian tubes; and fertility medication, which may be used alone or in conjunction with other methods.

Find an Infertility Specialist in Your Area

Finding an infertility specialist is easy for those using DocShop's online directory of fertility doctors who practice throughout the United States. Search for an infertility specialist in your area.