Before Proceeding With Treatment You Should Know ALL Your Options

Published: 12/14/2015

The Importance of Full Evaluation

This is at the very heart of the Arizona Center for Fertility Studies philosophy for the evaluation and treatment of infertility. Make sure that you are given the option to do the entire work-up, even controversial testing.

Up to 35% of couples have more than one reason for why they are not conceiving. One of the biggest mistakes that are made, is once a problem is identified, the rest of the work-up is not completed, many times overlooking a less likely but equally important problem; thus, preventing treatment of the initial problem to be successful.

As an example, many clinics do not test for antiphospholipid antibodies unless you have a history of repeated pregnancy loss, in which case, you may test positive for these antibodies. The argument is that fertile women can also test positive for APA and yet have no problems with conception or carrying a pregnancy to term. This is true, although, almost all programs will not do the test until after you have 2 or more pregnancy losses. Why wait until you have 2 documented pregnancy losses before doing the test? Arizona Center for Fertility Studies believes it is better to be proactive than reactive; not to mention the emotional and physical trauma of losing 2 or more pregnancies that possibly could have been prevented. The other mistake that is made way too often is, just because a woman is young, she is not taken as seriously, a complete workup is not done and only conservative, not aggressive treatments are discussed, let alone offered. Arizona Center for Fertility Studies believes that a complete work-up should be discussed with every patient, regardless of their age or circumstances, and that they should be given the option of whether or not they want to do the entire work-up or only parts of it. It should always be the couple's choice; and by not choosing to do the complete work-up, they are aware of the possible risks of overlooking something that may interfere with their treatment being successful.

Get All Treatment Options

Once the work-up is completed, make sure that the clinic gives you all your treatment options, from conservative to aggressive and it is done unbiasedly. You should be told the pros and cons, logistics, finances, and success rates of all available choices and it should be done unbiasedly.

Once you are clear on the pros and cons of each one of your choices then you should choose the option that is best for you, not the clinic. Even if you are young, it is your choice to be conservative or aggressive. You need to feel that you are being taken seriously, no matter what your age is. A woman in her 20's has the same feelings and desires as a woman in her 40's, the only difference is that the woman in her 20's has a bit more time. With a woman in her late 30's to early 40's, although conservative treatment could work, it should be her choice as to whether or not she wants to be aggressive.

Arizona Center for Fertility Studies feels strongly that a woman's choice should be listened to and honored.