You Made An Appointment With A Fertility Doctor — Now What?

August is nearly over, and the dog days of summer are almost behind us. Soon, it’s back to school, back to reality, and back to that to-do list you may have been putting off.

As part of crossing things off your list, you finally decided to make an appointment with a fertility doctor, but might be feeling a little unsure about what to expect.

Not sure what to bring, how long it will take or what will happen? Here’s what you can expect at your first consultation with a reproductive endocrinologist at Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey (RMANJ), the state’s biggest infertility clinic with ten convenient locations.

Before the visit

Before you visit a fertility specialist, make sure to bring your insurance documents, any relevant test results or medical history documents, and your partner, if possible. Budget about an hour, give or take 15 minutes, for your initial fertility consult.

At the visit – the discussion

Once you show up, you will be checked in and asked some information about your referring OB/GYN. Depending on where you go, you may make some form of payment at this stage.

Next, you’ll meet a clinical assistant who will take your vitals – height, weight and the date of your last period. Next, you’ll meet with your reproductive endocrinologist, who will ask you about your history and your partner’s history and learn how long you’ve been trying. The doctor will then review your gynecological and pregnancy history, as well as your medical history to see if you have any preexisting medical conditions which could affect your ability to get pregnant or maintain a healthy pregnancy.

Then, the doctor will go over any surgeries you’ve had and ask whether you are on any medications, have allergies, or regularly smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol or use drugs. Next comes a discussion about family history and genetic disorders.

At the visit – the exams

The doctor will perform a pelvic exam and vaginal ultrasound to take a look at the shape of your uterus and ovaries. The doctor will let you know what was found during the exam, review your history and answer any questions you may have.

Finally, the doctor will tell you about testing you may need to do during a follow-up visit to begin the treatment right for you.

The next visit – fertility testing

First, there’s blood work to test your egg reserve, as well as for any sexually transmitted infections and thyroid function. Second, there is a procedure called a hysterosalpingogram (HSG) which will evaluate if your fallopian tubes are normal and open and also check to see if the cavity of your uterus is normal. Third, there is a test for your partner called a semen analysis to look at sperm count, movement and whether the sperm appear normal. Lastly, there is genetic testing.

If you decide to pursue fertility testing, you should have all your testing done within four weeks of your first visit, at which point you will meet with your doctor again to design a plan to help you get what you came for: a healthy baby.

So now that you know, go!

Find out more about your options at Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey.

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