How to Choose a Fertility Clinic - Eterna IVF and Fertility Clinic

Choosing a fertility clinic is a very important decision that should not be taken lightly and should be given much thought. It can be very overwhelming when couples are faced with trying to make a decision that will have such an important impact on their life. There is such an abundance of fertility clinics to choose from that the options can seem endless. To compete with other fertility clinics, clinics will often advertise and boast about their positive attributes and high success rates. Couples reading through clinic literature often feel bombarded by all of the material and may have a difficult time deciphering what is truth and what is fluff. Although statistical data about high success rates is important, it is not the only factor that should be looked at when choosing a fertility clinic. There are many other reasons for selecting a clinic that may be the right choice for you. There are a few easy steps that any couple can take to help them find the fertility clinic that is right for them.

Method 1 of 3: Know the Signs of a Bad Fertility Clinic

Before you can identify the steps needed to locate a good IVF treatment clinic, you need to know and watch out for the warning signs of a bad clinic.

1. Watch out for fertility clinics whose physician is only available part time. Many doctors that work at a fertility clinic also have a full time job working in a hospital performing deliveries or other types of gynecological work.

The problem with a doctor who is available only part time is that he may not be able to provide you with the time and service that is needed to ensure that you have the best care possible and to give you a higher chance of conceiving. Part time clinic doctors are most likely to be burdened with busy schedules and preoccupied with their other full time job.

Some clinics have been known to only bring in a part time embryologist once or twice per month to perform fertility procedures. These doctors will usually make all of their patients come into the office on this same day to perform fertility procedures. This method can lower your chances of conceiving because you may not produce eggs at the same rate as someone else, but you will be forced to receive your treatment only on those days when the embryologist can be there.

2. Be on the lookout for a fertility clinic that does not offer the wide range of services that better clinics offer. Especially important to watch out for is a clinic that does not include embryo freezing facilities, which are essential to a good clinic. If a clinic does not have a freezing facility, it should immediately be taken off your list of potential clinics, as many facilities like this have been known to donate your eggs to someone else without your consent.

3. Be leery of fertility clinics that refuse to show you their fertility equipment or facilities.

Some fertility clinics purchase second-hand, poor or older equipment that is out of date. These types of clinics increase your risk for infection because they cannot service their equipment properly and they often reuse fertility devices.

Method 2 of 3: It is Important to Check a Facility’s Credentials

There are several credentials and facts to check when looking into a fertility clinic.

1. Find out how long the program has been established. The level of experience that a fertility clinic has is very important. The longer a clinic has been in business, the better the facility likely is because it has been around long enough to have been proven credible.

2. Find out the clinic’s pregnancy rates. Check the published pregnancy rates for a facility. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention publish pregnancy rates for most fertility clinics.

Be careful when checking these rates. Some clinics will turn away patients who have a very poor chance of becoming pregnant just to keep their rates high. Rather than looking just at the numbers, inquire about specific clinic policies and turndown rates as well.

3. Check to see if the clinic is a member of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology or SART. SART requires all members to follow ethical guidelines in order to be considered for and maintain membership. They will also do spot checks of the clinic to ensure that all guidelines and rules are being upheld.

4. Check to make sure that all of the physicians are board certified. It is important for them to be board certified specifically in Reproductive procedures such as embryology.

Make sure that all of the physicians at the clinic work on site. You will receive better medical care if the physician is available to assist you when you need him.

Method 3 of 3: Familiarize Yourself With the Different Services That a Clinic May Offer

When you inquire about all of the services that a clinic offers, it becomes easier to see if that particular clinic offers the specific service or fertility treatment that you need or want.

1. Check to see if the clinic offers in vitro fertilization as a therapy for women with all types of fertility issues.

Some clinics will only offer this fertility treatment as a last resort, when all other fertility methods have failed. Some fertility clinics do this to boost their pregnancy rates. You want to find a clinic that offers a wide range of services to help you conceive.

2. Check to see if the clinic offers treatment for male infertility programs as well. This could be something you may need if the male in the relationship has already been tested and proven to have the fertility issue. Additionally, there are many instances in which male infertility is discovered after the woman has been receiving fertility treatments. Starting out at a clinic that offers male infertility services will prevent you from having to switch doctors if a problem is discovered later on.

3. Check the costs. Each clinic should disclose in writing the costs of treatment. It is important to pick a clinic that is affordable to you, but you should not skimp on the quality of care just because one place is more affordable than the other. Inquire about payment plans, insurance carriers that are accepted and partial payments for failed pregnancy attempts.

4. Check to see if the clinic offers psychological counseling. Fertility treatments can be extremely stressful for couples. It can be very helpful if a clinic has on site psychological counseling to help you find some good stress coping techniques during this difficult time.

Is Surrogacy for you? Eterna IVF and Fertility Clinic

Only a very caring and unselfish person would even consider becoming a surrogate mother. The rewards of giving such an incredible gift are great, but, so are the stresses and the sacrifices. Being a surrogate is not easy and it is not for everyone. So, how do you know if it is for you? The best advice we can give is to think hard about the many ways being a surrogate will affect your life and do a little soul searching.

Below, we have listed several important issues you should take into account when you are trying to decide if becoming a surrogate is for you. If, after considering everything in this article, you are still interested in becoming a surrogate and you think you would be a good candidate, we wish you the best of luck in making your lucky couple's dreams come true!

Your Physical Health

• How is your health in general?
• Do you have any long-term illnesses that might prevent you from successfully carrying a pregnancy to term?
• Do you have a good reproductive history?
• Did you conceive easily?
• Were your pregnancies and deliveries reasonably easy and without complications?

Your Support System

• If you are married, does your husband support your decision to be a surrogate?
• If you are not married, do you have someone who you can talk to for support during the surrogacy?
• If your children are old enough to understand surrogacy, are they comfortable with the idea of you becoming a surrogate?
• How will it make you feel if/when you are confronted by others who may disapprove of your being a surrogate?
• How will it make you feel if/when your children are confronted by others who may disapprove of your being a surrogate?

Emotional Issues

• Can you be reasonably sure that you are capable of giving up a child that you will carry for 9 months?
• In traditional surrogacy, you will be the child's genetic mother. Will it be difficult for you to let go of a child that you have a genetic link to?
• Will becoming a surrogate cause problems within your marriage?
• Will becoming a surrogate cause a great amount of stress in your relationships with those closest to you (family, friends, coworkers, etc.)?
• As with any pregnancy, there is always a possiblity of complications which could result in fertility problems for you down the road. How would it make you feel to no longer be able to have children as a result of the surrogacy? How would it affect your marriage?

Medical Issues

• If you will be a gestational surrogate, are you prepared for the medical protocol, which will require daily injections?
• The chances of a multiple pregnancy are increased in gestational surrogacy. How do you feel about carrying multiples?
• How would you feel if your doctor requires you to drastically reduce your activity or go on bedrest in the event of a high-risk or multiple pregnancy?

Decision Making

• If it was discovered that the child you are carrying has a physical defect, how will you feel about terminating the pregnancy? (Note: If you would not be comfortable terminating the pregnancy, it does not mean that you will not make a good surrogate. It only means that you need to find a couple who agrees with your point of view.)

For more information about surrogacy click here

IVF: Risks May Outweigh Benefits, Say Experts

The first baby was born using in vitro fertilization in 1981. From then until 2003, more than 1 million babies were born using the treatment, and this increased to 10 million by 2015. Now, a new analysis published in the BMJ suggests that in vitro fertilization may be overused, and the risks of the treatment could possibly outweigh the benefits.

In vitro fertilization (IVF) was first created as a treatment option for women who had fallopian tube disorders and men who were severely infertile.

But the team of experts who conducted the analysis, led by Dr. Esme I. Kamphuis of the Centre for Reproductive Medicine at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, states that in recent years, IVF has been used for other conditions that affect fertility, and it has even been used to treat unexplained fertility problems.

For example, they say between 2000 and 2010, the number of annual IVF cycles in the US increased from 90,000 to 150,000. However, the proportion of IVF cycles for tubal problems reduced from 25% to 16% during this period.

The experts point out that unexplained fertility accounts for around 25-30% of couples undergoing IVF treatment. But they note that when not treated with IVF straight away, most of these couples are able to conceive naturally before treatment.

Extended IVF use 'harmful'

The experts argue that extended IVF use increases the risk of harm to both the mother and offspring.

"Multiple pregnancies are associated with maternal and perinatal complications such as gestational diabetes, fetal growth restriction, and preeclampsia as well as premature birth. And even singletons born through IVF have been shown to have worse outcomes than those conceived naturally," they write.

Furthermore, the authors say there are also concerns surrounding the long-term health of children born through IVF. They note that these children may have higher blood pressure, adiposity, glucose levels and more generalized vascular abnormalities, compared with children who are conceived naturally.

"These effects seem to be related to the IVF procedure itself rather than to underlying subfertility," the experts add.

IVF has 'evolved as a profit-generating industry'

The experts say that the progression of IVF is being prevented by "a lack of will to question its perceived success."

They add that at present, bodies who fund the treatment are not interested in funding studies that investigate the long-term safety of IVF.