A Different Way to Think About Starting IVF
For many people, thinking about IVF starts long before they ever make an appointment. There may have been months of trying, conversations with a partner, advice from friends, late-night searches online or simply a growing feeling that it might be time to find out more.
The questions are usually familiar. Do we need IVF? Should we keep trying naturally? Have we left it too late? What are our chances? And perhaps the biggest question of all: what should we do next?
At No.1 Fertility, we don’t think you need to know the answer before you walk through the door. The first step isn’t necessarily deciding to have IVF.
It is understanding your fertility and getting a clearer picture of the choices available to you.
A fertility appointment doesn’t commit you to IVF
There is sometimes an assumption that seeing a fertility specialist means treatment is inevitable. It doesn’t.
A first consultation is an opportunity to look properly at your individual circumstances. Age is part of that picture, but so are your medical and reproductive history, how long you have been trying, ovarian reserve, menstrual cycles, sperm health, previous pregnancies or treatments and anything else that may be relevant.
Once those pieces are brought together, the conversation becomes much more personal. For some people, IVF may be the most appropriate next step. For others, there may be further investigation, another treatment option or more time to continue trying naturally.
The important thing is understanding what applies to you and why.
Knowing more can change the conversation
It is easy to become overwhelmed by fertility information, particularly online. Success rates, age charts and other people’s experiences can quickly begin to feel as though they are predicting what will happen to you.
They aren’t.
Age is important in fertility and we believe patients deserve clear information about its impact. But it is only one part of a much bigger picture. Two people of the same age can have very different fertility histories, test results and circumstances.
This is where an individual assessment becomes valuable. Instead of trying to work out where you fit within an average, you can begin looking at the factors that are actually relevant to you.
Sometimes the information is reassuring. Sometimes it identifies something that deserves attention. Either way, having a clearer picture makes it easier to decide what you want to do next.
IVF isn’t the same treatment for everyone
IVF is often talked about as though it is one treatment with one pathway. In reality, the way we approach treatment can differ considerably from one person to another.
Someone in their early thirties with unexplained infertility may require a very different approach from someone in their forties. The same is true for someone with a lower ovarian reserve, male-factor infertility, previous unsuccessful treatment, recurrent miscarriage or someone hoping to become a parent on their own.
Treatment should reflect the person in front of us. That can influence medication, timing, fertilisation, embryo development, whether additional testing is appropriate and decisions around embryo transfer and future treatment.
It is also why a clinic’s overall success rate can never tell you exactly what your own experience will be.
Rather than only asking “What is my chance of success?”, another useful question is “Based on what you know about me, what are my options?”
That opens up a very different conversation.
What can you get from a first consultation?
For many people, the most valuable part of the first appointment is clarity.
You may discover that there is no reason to start treatment immediately. You might decide to have some testing and then take time to think. There may be something worth investigating further, or you may already know that you are ready to explore treatment and want to understand what that would involve.
A consultation should give you the opportunity to talk through your history, ask the questions that matter to you and understand what your next steps could be.
And if IVF is recommended, you should understand the reasons behind that recommendation. You should be able to ask about the process, likely costs, your individual circumstances, what treatment may mean for you and any alternatives before deciding how you want to proceed.
You should leave knowing more than when you arrived.
There isn’t one right time to ask about your fertility
People come to No.1 Fertility at very different stages of their lives.
Some have only recently started trying to conceive. Others have been trying for a year or longer. Some have experienced miscarriage or undergone fertility treatment before. Others aren’t currently trying to have a baby but want to understand their fertility or consider egg freezing for the future.
There isn’t a single point everyone needs to reach before speaking with a fertility specialist.
If something has been on your mind, asking the question can be worthwhile in itself. Getting advice doesn’t mean you have committed to treatment, and having information doesn’t mean you need to make an immediate decision.
It simply means you know more about where you stand.
Start with a clearer picture
If fertility has been on your mind, you don’t have to wait until you are certain you need IVF before asking for advice.
A first consultation can help you understand where you are now, whether any testing may be worthwhile and what options could be appropriate for you. For some people, that leads to treatment. For others, it may mean continuing to try naturally, considering egg freezing or simply knowing when it would be sensible to review things again.
At No.1 Fertility, we want you to understand your fertility, your choices and the reasons behind any recommendation we make.
You don’t need to come in ready to start IVF.
