A fertility clinic helps people who wish to be parents but are struggling to conceive. Any field of medicine has its specialists, and infertility is best treated by the doctors and staff at a fertility clinic.
These experts in reproductive medicine offer treatment and alternatives. The many fertility clinics in the United States differ in scope of practice, as well as their experience, effectiveness, and reputation. Learning more about what happens at one, will help you pick the right clinic to help you on your journey.
Diagnosis at a fertility clinic
Physicians at a fertility clinic will first do a complete work-up to diagnose any physical problems that may result in infertility.
Diagnosis includes:
- Interviews that cover health and reproductive history
- Tests of the uterus
- Tests of the Fallopian tubes
- Tests of the ovaries
- Test of the cervix
- Semen analysis
Once a full assessment is completed, physicians will discuss with you the infertility treatments that can best increase your chances of conceiving.
Treatment options
Fertility clinics use many treatments. The best option will depend on a person’s individual situation, history, and desired outcome.
Oral Medications or Injectable Medication
These medications increase fertility by stimulating ovulation through the release of gonadotropins from the pituitary gland. They often accompany other treatment.
IUI (Intra Uterine Insemination)
A type of treatment in which sperm is washed and introduced directly into the uterus around the time of ovulation.
IVF (In Vitro Fertilization)
This treatment uses assisted reproductive technology to fertilize a woman’s eggs outside her body.
Male Factor Treatments
These fertility treatments address any cause of infertility because of a male’s low sperm count or function.
Egg Preservation
Preservation allows a woman’s viable eggs to be used later. This is often done when cancer treatment or other factors are likely to cause future fertility problems.
Egg and/or Sperm Donation
Egg and sperm donations allow an embryo to be created with either male or female factor infertility or both.
Once a full assessment is completed, fertility clinic staff will discuss with you the treatment that can best increase your chances of conceiving.
Comparing fertility clinics
Fertility clinics in the United States are required by the CDC to report their in vitro fertilization success rates, and this is a common way that people compare clinics.
However, the organization that collects these statistics — the Society of Assisted Reproductive Technology — cautions that “patient characteristics vary among programs; therefore, these data should not be used for comparing clinics.”
Oregon Reproductive Medicine is a fertility clinic founded in 1989. Based in Portland, we are very proud of our consistently high live-birth success rates. But we know statistics don’t reveal what is really extraordinary about our practice — the personalized and thoughtful care we provide to each patient.
Stats are important, but you also should choose a fertility clinic that you feel comfortable with and confident in.
Learn more about choosing a fertility clinic
Aside from the infertility treatments themselves, we urge you to consider your timeline, comprehensive financial and insurance information, success rate statistics, and in-person visits when choosing what fertility clinic to entrust with your future.
You can find out more at a free informational seminar, where doctors from Oregon Reproductive Medicine answer all your questions and discuss the promising infertility treatment now available.
