If you’ve decided to seek in vitro fertilization (IVF) to get pregnant, you may wonder how to choose an IVF clinic. Here are some questions to consider:
1. What are the IVF clinic’s statistics?
The IVF clinic’s annual statistics will change from year to year, depending on the number of cycles that are performed. If an IVF clinic carries out a large number of cycles, the rates shouldn’t vary that much.
IVF clinics that carry out smaller numbers of cycles have a greater margin of error and more variability in success rates from year to year.
2. What affects the success rates at IVF clinics?
Success rates at any IVF clinic are affected by different factors including:
- The quality of eggs (largely related to the woman’s age).
- The quality of sperm (including motility and ability to penetrate the egg).
- The skill and competence of the IVF clinic team.
- The general health of the woman.
- Genetic factors.
3. How do the IVF clinic’s statistics compare with IVF clinics nationwide?
A full assessment of IVF clinics is compiled by the Society For Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART). These vital statistics provide success rates.
The goal of SART’s report is to help potential ART users to make informed decisions. You can read the latest SART reports online.
4. What’s the take-home baby rate of the IVF clinic?
The most important statistic of any IVF clinic is the end result. But while this “take home baby rate” may be a legitimate reporting value, it may be related to the couple’s age and health than to the quality of the ART program at the IVF clinic.
5. What’s the implantation rate of the IVF clinic?
A very important statistic from the IVF clinic is the implantation rate. Implantation rate is calculated as clinical pregnancy rate divided by the number of embryos transferred. These statistics remove the bias of IVF clinics that transfer large numbers of embryos.
6. What are your chances of getting pregnant?
When thinking of how to choose an IVF clinic, you need to think in terms of “what are my personal chances of a pregnancy” as opposed to the IVF clinic’s reported success rate.
7. Can you ask friends for IVF clinic referrals?
Some women select the right IVF clinic by getting referrals from friends who have used the IVF clinic. Other women depend on referrals from their primary care physicians or OB/GYNS.
8. Is the IVF clinic conveniently located?
Location and convenience are important factors in how to choose an IVF clinic. Also, consider the IVF clinic’s available services and the staffs’ “personality,” or how well they interact with patients.
9. Do you have preferences about the RE at the IFV clinic?
Should the Reproductive Endocrinologist at the IVF clinic be older than you, the same age, or younger? Do you feel more comfortable with a man or woman? These are important questions to consider before you sign a contract.
10. Do they take your insurance provider at the IVF clinic?
In this age of managed care, you need to check the list of IVF clinics who will accept your insurance provider.
Of course, these questions are not foolproof in finding a qualified IVF clinic. Still, they may help you narrow down what you need as you move beyond infertility and have a baby.
Sources: CDC: “Assisted Reproductive Technology: Home” http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/drh/arts/index.htm. Anderson JE, Farr SL, Jamieson DJ, Warner L, and Macaluso M. Infertility services reported by men in the United States: national survey data. Fertility and Sterility 2008. Resolve: About Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Programs (#1)By Diane Clapp, BSN, RN http://www.resolve.org/site/DocServer/qa01ArtPrograms.pdf?docID=323. Bruce, D, Thatcher, S. Making a Baby. New York: Random House, 2010.
