What to think about when you are choosing a fertility clinic

Do your research

There are many factors to consider if you are choosing a fertility clinic. With so many fertility clinics and so many treatment options to choose from, deciding which clinic best meets your needs can feel a bit overwhelming. The best advice is to do your research.

You are likely to be making a large investment, both financially and emotionally, in the clinic you settle on and you want to be sure that you are happy with your choice. If you are comparing several clinics you will want to consider variables such as location, cost, success rates and customer care. Some clinics have open evenings or open days so go along to as many as you can, ask lots of questions and get a feel for the different clinics before making a decision. Some will offer a free of charge initial consultation which you should avail of, especially if you are travelling abroad for treatment. Make a list of the questions you want to ask before speaking with the clinic or paying a visit. You should ask all the clinics you are considering the same questions so that you can compare information.

The more informed you are, the easier it will be to make key decisions throughout your treatment and the more in control you’ll feel at every stage of the process.

Here are some important points to think about when considering your options

 1.Reputation and Experience

How long has the clinic been in operation? Are the staff listed on the clinic website ?

Inspection ratings
Depending on location some clinics will be subject to regular inspections by a professional regulator. For example, all UK clinics licensed by HFEA (Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority ) are inspected at least every two years against a number of important standards. These include whether the clinic has :
• the appropriate equipment and facilities to deliver safe, effective treatment,
• the correct processes in place to store patients’ eggs, sperm and embryos safely,
• suitably qualified staff,
• a fair and transparent pricing policy
• Satisfactory treatment outcomes in line with National Average
To help you to make an informed decision, HFEA publish an inspection rating which indicates how well the clinic is performing in all these areas. A five-star rating marks the clinic out as providing a high-quality service in all the areas identified.

Patient feedback & Clinic reviews
Whilst regulators can compare hard facts like costs and success rates, it’s much more difficult to get a sense of what it would really be like to be treated at a particular clinic. Everything from how caring the staff is to flexibility of appointment times and availability of emotional support can contribute to your experience. Read reviews on Clinic websites or search on independent review platforms such as Trustpilot. You can also ask the clinic if it is possible to speak to patients who have undergone treatment. Patient support groups can be a good source of independent information. Personnel experience and word of mouth recommendations are an extremely valuable way to research a clinic.

2. Eligibility criteria
Some clinics have eligibility criteria which may exclude you from some treatment options. It is
best to check this early in your treatment journey :
• Check age limits for all partners
• Are there BMI or any other health exclusions?

3. Treatment Costs

Cost of treatment is a very important factor as fertility treatment can be very expensive. The
charges vary from clinic to clinic, and it is important to think carefully about how you will finance
your treatment before you start on this route as you do not want to have funding problems mid
treatment. Some clinics offer payment plans. If you are considering a payment plan make sure
you understand the terms and conditions, is it cost-effective and whether the payments are
realistic for you. Treatment costs provided by the Clinic should be completely transparent and
include all routine consultations, blood tests and procedures.

Unfortunately costs quoted on some fertility clinic websites are often considerably lower than
the final amount. Some clinics will suggest that you should have extra tests or treatments, and
again this can cause an increase in costs. You should ask for a personalised costed treatment
plan before you start so that you can have a realistic idea of how much you are going to spend.
You want to avoid financial surprises at an already stressful time.

4. Success rates
You will want to understand the success rates for any clinic you are considering. If you are
considering treatment in the UK the HFEA website gives the success rates
for each of the individual licensed clinics in the UK. Success rates are based on past treatments
so will date back a while and can vary from year to year. You should ask for the current success
rates for specific treatments for your age and individual circumstances. Small percentage
differences in success are not always meaningful, but the important thing to check is
consistency with the national average as this shows how each individual clinic compares with
all the others.

It is also important to look at the multiple birth rates for the clinic. Although the idea of twins or
triplets may sound attractive when you are trying unsuccessfully to conceive, multiple births is
the biggest health risk from IVF treatment and can lead to miscarriage and cause serious health
issues for mother and babies. A good fertility clinic will have good success rates with low multiple
birth rates.

5. Treatment Waiting times
When researching clinics, you may find that some are more popular than others. This means
you may have to join a waiting list for treatment. Although a clinic with a waiting list may be your
first choice, it’s important to take into consideration how soon you’d like to start your treatment
– in some cases, the sooner you start treatment, the better your chance of success.
What’s the waiting time for treatment using a donor?

Waiting time for treatment with donor eggs, sperm or embryos varies from clinic to clinic. It’s a
good idea to check donor supply and availability and current wait time with each of the clinics
you’re considering as this could affect when you’re able to have treatment.

6. Counselling provision and Support
Counselling should be offered in all licensed clinics, but they don’t all have a counsellor
available on site. Find out whether counselling is included in the cost of treatment as some
clinics include it while others expect you to pay for any counselling support that you need on top
of the price of your treatment.

Do they offer holistic support?

Whilst clinical and scientific expertise are an essential part of fertility treatment there are so
many other ways to supplement your journey that have been shown to improve your chances of
having a baby and equally importantly, improve your experience.

Here are some things to look for
• Does the clinic offer nutritional support that will help you address BMI issues, develop
a fertility-friendly diet or manage a particular health issue (such as PCOS)?
• Are there any therapists attached to the clinic eg. An acupuncturist or can you bring your
own therapist to key appointments if this is important for you?
• What about mental health resources? The strain infertility can take on your emotional
wellbeing, your relationship, and day-to-day life can be quite challenging to navigate.
Having the support of a licensed professional counsellor can make a world of difference.
• Are there any other supports resources available?

7. Location and accessibility
Does the location work for me?

Once you’ve started treatment, you’re going to be making several trips to your clinic, maybe at
short notice. It is a good idea to take clinic location into consideration. Does it need to be close
to be close to home or work, so you can get there and back quickly and easily. Do you need to
take public transport, parking facilities into consideration?

8. Considering treatment overseas
Many people travel overseas for fertility treatment. It can be even more important to do your
research if you are considering treatment abroad. Your local clinic may have links with clinics
overseas and although this may cost more than finding a clinic yourself, it can be reassuring to
know that your home clinic has done all the research for you. If you are having donor treatment
overseas, remember that the rules on anonymity vary from one country to another.

When considering a clinic overseas:
• Request an introductory consultation and make sure you ask lots of questions.
• Try to find other people who have experience of treatment at the clinic.
• Check how many English-speaking staff work at the clinicand ask about
communication between appointments.
• Find out how long you will need to spend in the country and how much notice you
will have before you need to be there.
• Look into travel and accommodation, and don’t forget to include the cost of these
when you are planning your budget.
• Success rates for many overseas clinics are not provided by a regulatory body such
as the HFEA but are published by the individual clinic, so look carefully at these.
Some may publish the pregnancy rate rather than the live birth rate and you want to
be sure that you are comparing like with like.