| The decision to undertake IVF Fertility | | | | care providers when the guidelines indicate. |
| treatment is not one which anyone would | | | | |
| undertake lightly. But there is no standard | | | | Most of the IVF program providers give very |
| way of deciding whether this is the right | | | | good care, but you would be wise to make sure |
| treatment for you. There are general issues | | | | that the IVF clinic you select belongs to the |
| which are of concern to all prospective IVT | | | | Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology |
| patients. The most obvious being that the | | | | (SART). This will ensure that you are |
| treatment may not be successful. It could | | | | comfortable with the quality of lab work and |
| also be that in vitro fertilization could be | | | | medical care. |
| considered an unaffordable option. Another | | | | |
| possible stumbling block is that the | | | | Probably during your first visit, you will be |
| techniques used may be incompatible with a | | | | asked to complete an in depth medical |
| couple's moral or religious beliefs. All of | | | | evaluation. You should also check out |
| these concerns are highly valid, and | | | | alternative treatments other than IVF from |
| completely understandable. | | | | this clinic, to ensure you fully explore all |
| | | | your options. Once this stage is complete, |
| Coming to the decision of opting for IVF | | | | decide upon a plan of action, and some kind |
| treatment can be daunting. Reliable | | | | of timescale. Figure out your fiscal |
| information can be difficult to find and | | | | options, and put plans into place. You will |
| sometimes difficult to understand. Perhaps | | | | also need to consider how your present |
| it would be helpful for people trying to make | | | | lifestyle will need to adapt to incorporate |
| this decision to first consider ethical, | | | | your chosen way of creating or starting, a |
| moral and religious value systems. By its | | | | family. |
| very nature, IVF can raise some complicated | | | | |
| and unusual issues. Emerging views and | | | | While trawling the web for information, you |
| opinions must then be fully discussed with | | | | will come across many people offering advice. |
| your life partner, as it is crucial that you | | | | Several suggest analytical ways of deciding |
| both agree on how best to enlarge or create | | | | whether IVF is for you, or not. One actually |
| your family. Try to ensure that neither you | | | | suggests that the costs be analyzed in |
| nor your partner ever feels under pressure to | | | | detail. While this certainly is a major |
| conform to a certain treatment. | | | | consideration for most couples, and |
| | | | definitely an issue which must be addressed |
| When you have reached this point, next arises | | | | as soon as IVF is decided upon. Surely it |
| the issue of getting quality infertility | | | | must be extremely difficult to step back from |
| treatment, if that is your wish. The | | | | such a highly emotive issue and analyze it? |
| management of infertility can be an extremely | | | | It is surely not possible to quantify the |
| complicated and lengthy process. The | | | | anguish a childless couple feels at not being |
| American Society for Reproductive Medicine | | | | able to produce a child through regular |
| has set guidelines for providers of | | | | methods, or the longing such a loss creates. |
| infertility services, with three levels of | | | | But to some degree, it is prudent to put |
| care. Some patients may decide to have | | | | aside the emotional side of IVF and try to |
| diagnostic tests and some treatment by | | | | apply logic. And although this sounds |
| providers with only basic capabilities. | | | | impossible, it may be highly productive for |
| There is nothing wrong with this, assuming | | | | you, long term. |
| that you are referred to more experienced | | | | |