Your Treatment Plan

It’s human nature to want to know why something is happening. But discovering what’s causing infertility can take time — certain tests and exams that are part of the fertility workup have to be performed at specific times during your cycle. But there is a light at the end of this lengthy tunnel: your treatment plan.

To put together your treatment plan, your doctor is going to look closely at your test results. He or she will also probably consider how long you’ve been trying to get pregnant, how old you and your partner are, and how healthy you and your partner are. Then you come in: Your doctor should also consider your preference when developing your treatment plan.

Treatment Plan Options

Depending on your diagnosis, many options are available. Doctors often treat infertility in men with medication or behavioral therapy for impotence or premature ejaculation, surgery to correct low sperm count, or antibiotics to clear up infections affecting sperm count. Doctors often treat infertility in women with fertility medications for ovulation problems, or surgery for problems with ovaries, fallopian tubes, or the uterus.

Other options include intrauterine insemination (IUI, where a woman is injected with sperm that has been carefully prepared from her husband, partner, or donor) and assisted reproductive technology (ART), such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), or assisted hatching.

Your Role in Your Treatment Plan

Your doctor’s role in your treatment plan is critical, but so is yours. That’s because lifestyle changes — such as timing intercourse right, dialing down stress, losing weight, exercising moderately, changing your diet, quitting vices (smoking, caffeine, drugs, or alcohol), limiting medications, and reducing the temperature around the testes — can help to alleviate infertility and influence your treatment as well.

As you discuss your treatment plan with your doctor, don’t hesitate to ask questions, such as the following:

• Are there any pre-cycle screening tests or exams needed for these procedures?
• How much will the procedures cost?
• Will you submit the bills to my insurance company?
• What are the chances of success for these procedures?
• Will any of these procedures require me to miss work?
• Will a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist be involved in my care?
• Are there counseling services available?
• Is a doctor available 24/7 for questions and emergencies?
• At what point would you recommend we change or end treatment?