Are you going to your first appointment with an infertility doctor and don’t know what to expect? This article is for you. We help you prepare the things you need during your first appointment and what you should expect during your first visit to an infertility doctor. Schedule an appointment at Doral Health and Wellness – Women’s Health Center.

 

What to expect during your first visit?

During your first visit to the infertility clinic, the infertility doctor meets you either in person or through a telehealth visit. The infertility specialist will review you and your partner’s medical history including any previous fertility testing or treatments and the outcomes. This review helps the care team figure out what might be the cause of your fertility struggles and personalize a treatment plan for you.

 

If patients are in relationships, they should visit the infertility specialist together. When the provider goes through your medical history, they may ask questions about your sex life (like how often you have intercourse, or if you’ve ever had a sexually transmitted infection). Make sure you tell the answer honestly and accurately because it helps the doctor to create your treatment plan. Your infertility specialist may conduct a physical examination and order some blood and urine samples to be tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). These tests may be performed on the first appointment or scheduled for a later date. Your test results will be discussed with you later on. Your provider will give you a checklist of your treatment plan. And you can ask questions if you have any during the first appointment or at the time of test results.

 

How to prepare

Before your appointment, there are several things you should prepare that will help your discussion go smoothly and the infertility doctor can make the best treatment plan for you. It includes:

  1. Collect your medical records:

Before the visit, make sure you collect a copy of your medical files, especially if you have undergone fertility testing or treatment with another doctor. This is necessary because it helps the doctor to understand your problem and saves your time and money from being wasted on the repetition of medical procedures. Make sure you plan this out when you consider scheduling your initial consultation.

 

  1. Summarize your fertility journey and medical history:

Even if you have records, it’s better if you summarize your infertility experience and problems for the medical team. To do that, you can write down some key dates and outcomes for testing and treatment, if applicable, any milestones you achieved whether good or bad. This helps the infertility provider to understand what medication you take and how it affects you or if you have any significant medical problems, like sexually transmitted diseases.

 

  1. Check your insurance coverage:

Make sure you check the insurance coverage before booking your appointment because you need to know how much your insurance covers and how much you’d need to pay out-of-pocket. Generally, infertility clinics have financial and insurance coordinators that help you go through the process and let you know what part or treatment you need to pay for like office visits, testing, fertility medications, surgery, or reproductive techniques; and to know what your financial responsibilities will be such as deductibles, co-payments, and coinsurance percentages.

 

  1. Bring your spouse or partner:

Infertility is a couple’s problem, so ideally both partners should attend the first appointment together. For practical reasons as well, your male partner needs to be there to ensure his medical history and testing. You also need a significant other to provide you with emotional support, so that you can act as a team with one of you listening silently and the other one asking questions while the other takes notes. Parenthood happens in partnership and should start when you try to conceive. If your partner is not available or you don’t have a partner, you may need a trusted friend or family member with you for consultation.

 

  1. Prepare questions:

You should prepare a list of questions to ask your doctor. While you get many opportunities to consult for all your queries answered throughout treatment, you should ask them in your first appointment to satisfy your concerns and feel trusted to start your treatment.

 

  1. Have clear expectations:

At the end of your appointment with your infertility doctor, make sure you consult all about the next steps you need to take including testing and treatment options.

 

Questions to ask your infertility specialist

Here are some questions that you should ask your infertility specialist to help you navigate through your testing and treatment plan. It includes:

  • What tests or procedures should I have before starting your treatment?
  • How does this affect the treatment plan and chances of success?
  • Who should I communicate with about treatment questions or medical evaluations?
  • How many options are available and success rate for me?
  • How long should we keep trying those options before we talk about something different?

 

Preparing for your first visit to an infertility doctor can be challenging and can also make you and your partner nervous as well. Make sure you prepare your medical history, check your insurance coverage, prepare questions, and set realistic expectations for your treatment plan and chances of successful conceiving.

 

Need help with fertility, visit our gynecology clinic in Brooklyn to get professional medical help. Call us to book your appointment now!!!

At Doral Health and Wellness – Women’s Health Center, we have the best GYN doctor in Brooklyn, and we provide women with quality health care services. To schedule an appointment, you can visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11212 or call us on 1-347-384-5690. You can also visit our website at http://www.gynecologistbrooklyn.com/.