One of the very first (and most important) steps in a surrogacy journey is selecting your medical clinic. Your reproductive endocrinologist (RE) is like the quarterback of your family building team. So it’s important that he/she be up to the job. Here are some tips on choosing a fertility clinic and reproductive endocrinologist.
When researching clinics, you can find information:
- On their websites
- On the Center for Disease Control’s fertility clinic statistics report page
- On the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology website (which includes outcome statistics for clinics)
- By speaking to a representative in person or over the phone
- By asking about the clinic and doctor’s reputation in Facebook groups for intended parents and people experiencing infertility
- By meeting and interviewing your doctor in person
Here are some questions to ask each RE/clinic that you consider:
Care and Treatment
- What are your criteria for accepting new patients (age limits, marital status, etc)?
- Will I see just one doctor or will it be a shared approach by all the physicians in the practice?
- Are the physicians providing my care board-certified? Are any specialists in reproductive endocrinology?
- What is your treatment approach and timeline for my case?
Success Rates and Expected Outcomes
- Does the clinic follow American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) practice guidelines?
- What is your clinic’s success rate, on the whole, for patients like me?
- If you are a same sex couple, feel free to ask what percentage of patients of that clinic identify as LGBTQ+.
- How many surrogacies have you done in the past year? In the past 5 years?
- Do you have egg/sperm/embryo donors available? If not, do you assist with arranging for donor eggs/sperm/embryos if needed?
Finances
- Do you take my insurance?
- Which costs, if any, are covered by my insurance and which are not?
- Do you have a financial counselor or other staff person to assist me with understanding how to afford my journey?
- What are your available payment options?
No team is successful without a strong quarterback. So it’s important to do your research before drafting your top pick!
If you have questions, please contact us today! Because sometimes it takes a village.
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