How good is your IVF doctor ?

One of the biggest fears that any IVF couple has is that they may end up taking treatment at an IVF clinic where the doctor isn’t technically competent, or maybe they don’t have a skilled embryologist or their equipment may be ill-maintained and they may not be following the required quality standards. Some IVF doctors travel a lot and they are hardly ever at the clinic, and inexperienced juniors and assistants handle the work; which is another concern patients have.

These worries and concerns are normal, because most clinics wear cloaks of secrecy. You will find that most of their websites are very similar-looking; but patients should keep in view the fact that the success rates of the good clinics are far better than those at sub-standard ones. This is primarily why infertile patients don’t make hasty decisions when they are zeroing-in on an IVF clinic.

Make the Right Choice

Patients are aware that there are a number of variables in play and that the outcome of the IVF cycle isn’t something they have too much control over, but the one thing they can control is choosing the best possible IVF doctor. And so, while a patient can’t reverse the clock, she knows that by choosing a clinic that has good success rates, she will dramatically increase her chances of success, compared to another clinic that provides less expensive treatment; but has a lower success rate.

Making the wrong choice can be a gross waste of time and money, and it reduces the chances of the patient getting pregnant. So, how then do you judge the quality of your clinic? This can be a very difficult question. Just as doctors come in different shapes and sizes, every patient too is different from the next. They will have different needs and personalities and every patient has to find a doctor who is in-sync with her needs.

Things to Consider

The different aspects that you will want to consider are:

• Do you need a high-tech clinic that does a lot of cutting edge research?
• Do you want one that specializes in treating celebrities?
• Are you looking for one that has a high-touch, personalized approach?
• Do you want one which is the cheapest?

The one thing that isn’t negotiable is that your clinic should be willing to provide you photographs of your embryos. Regardless of how famous your IVF doctor is and how reputed his clinic, and despite how charming he is or how impressive his website; and no matter how many patients vouch for his competency, this is the one sine qua non of a good IVF clinic.

Why are Embryo Photos Important?

Essentially, the only thing that any IVF clinic does is create embryos in the lab. The quality of the embryos that the doctor can create for you is the determining factor in IVF success. Once the doctor transfers your embryos into your uterus, he has zero control over whether they will implant or not; since it’s an in vivo biological process.

But the fact also is that the better the quality of your embryos, the greater the chance of them implanting. The one stumbling block is that if an IVF cycle fails, it can be very difficult to determine the reason for the failure. When the clinic routinely provides you the photos of your embryos, it’s an indication that the doctor is confident about his skills. In addition, you have documentation in case your cycle fails and you require a second opinion.

The Hallmark of a Good Clinic

Typically, a clinic should give you photos of your embryo before the transfer; and if they don’t, you should be wary of them. Some patients worry that their doctor will get upset if they insist on the photos. But think about it this way- why would a good doctor be upset about something that is supposed to standard protocol? Only the bad clinics will get upset; but then those are the ones you should be staying miles away from, isn’t it?

Need more information? Please send me your medical details by filling in the form at www.drmalpani.com/free-second-opinion so that I can guide you!