What To Expect When Visiting A Fertility Clinic

Infertility can be one of the hardest things for a couple to experience. When they reach that point when they are ready to expand their family and then learn there may be some biological impediments, it can be hard to cope. Soon, one or both of them may start laying blame or deciding it was “their fault,” which only makes things worse. The truth, though, is that there are hundreds of fertility clinics across the United States, so the problem may be more common than you think – and you should never look at it as someone’s “fault.”

Still, visiting a fertility clinic for the first time can be a pretty daunting endeavor if you don’t know what to expect. Your emotions and stress levels are probably running high as it is, when you throw in an unknown variable like a visit to a fertility clinic, it just adds on even more.

It’s hard to say: “Just don’t let it stress you out” because if you could just say something and make it happen, the world would be stress free. But in this case, you should really work hard not to let it stress you out. Yes, you are about to find out some important things about your ability to have children, but there’s nothing mysterious or scary about the process, and your doctors will do everything possible to answer your questions and guide you through this experience.

What Is Going To Happen?

Before you show up at the clinic, you should take some time to prepare yourself. Most clinics will want you to fill out a number of forms and bring in some of your past medical records. If you have this all prepared before you go, you can get a lot of these formalities out-of-the-way and move on to the serious stuff.

Even if you suspect you know what the problem is (from a previous diagnoses with another doctor), it is still a good idea to bring your partner in for the first meeting. In truth, either person could be the source of the issue, or it could be a combination of two otherwise small problems. Remember, infertility is no one’s fault. It’s something that the two of you may be able to overcome together.

Most first visits to a fertility clinic are just going to involve talking and consultations, although in some cases it is possible that a physical examination might be necessary. In general, though, these first visits will be a chance to find out your medical history, develop a plan for testing and treatment, and even work with someone to figure out your insurance and financing. Once the doctors have all the information they need, you can work together to discover the right treatment for your circumstances.

You don’t have to be scared to make an appointment to go to a fertility clinic, if you live in the area, but you shouldn’t have overblown expectations either. Remember, you’re not going to solve everything this first visit, and the doctor won’t be able to magically tell you that all you need is this one super vitamin and all will be well (and if they do, you should just walk away). This initial visit is just the first step toward finding a real and lasting treatment.