While most IVF cycles are straight-forward, sometimes we
come to a cross-roads when it's not always clear what the next step should be .
For example, if have poor ovarian reserve, and have grown
only 2 follicles after aggressive superovulation, should you cancel the cycle? Or
should you continue?
These decisions can be difficult to make, and it's especially
when patients find they have to make a difficult decision that they expect their
doctors to tell them what to do. After all, doctors are professional experts,
and they have the experience and the skills to decide. How can a patient decide
for herself ? She has never done this before, and is confused, and wants her
doctor to decide on her behalf.
It's
very easy for a doctor to be paternalistic and tell you what to do, but I don't
think this is a good idea . After all, even if the doctor's intention might be
honest, if he tells you to go ahead and then fails to retrieve eggs, the patient
is likely to feel cheated. She may feel that the doctor did it only to earn
more money - and may resent the doctor for subjecting her to a futile procedure.
After all, patients need to live with the consequences of the decision. We
don't want them to feel afterwards - "I wish I'd done this," or,
"I wish hadn't done that."
A respectful doctor will explain the facts to the patient ,
and try to respect the patient's personal preferences. We will empower the patient to make a decision which
is right for them.
The secret is to follow the path of least regret. Thus ,
if you choose to cancel the cycle, will you kick yourself afterwards that you
didn't give yourself the best chance of getting pregnant with your own eggs?
Then please go ahead and do the cycle - and
even if the doctor doesn't collect any eggs, you will have peace of mind that
you have followed the best process - and this is all anyone can do !
What to find an IVF clinic which respects your time and intelligence ?
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