Now that you know a little bit about fertility
treatments, it’s time to make a plan --with your TFC team…and as a
couple.
Think about where you are now and what the future looks like. Start
by acknowledging that you both want to be parents. Then ask
yourselves what you are willing to do to make this happen.
You and your partner should discuss:
Medical therapy and testing
Family building objectives
Your financial position, currently and in the future
Be truthful with each other. As individuals, you will have different
comfort levels to each point above. Working out your differences now
to form a plan will help you better handle treatment and decrease
stress.
We recommend that, as a couple, you address these questions:
What are we both willing to sacrifice to become parents?
Are we willing to modify our life to focus on infertility
treatments?
Is our main goal to be biological parents, or is it to have
a child join our family?
Pick Your TFC Doctor
Finding a doctor is a very important step toward achieving your
goal. The Texas Fertility Center has five great doctors, all with
similar experience, training and success rates for pregnancy.
Our doctors are board certified in both Obstetrics and Gynecology
AND Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, training at
prestigious American universities. The About Us tab features
detailed credentials for each doctor.
Tip: With all things equal, your choice of physician comes down
to practice style and personality. Infertility is a rocky road and
feeling connected to your physician is vital to the success of your
treatment.
How to determine the right TFC doctor for you
Decide what type of doctor you are most comfortable with for
your therapy. What personality traits are you looking for in
your physician? One who gives you the data and lets you decide
the course? Or one who chooses the best option for you? Do you
want your physician to be male or female? Does it matter?
Talk to your referring physician about the practice style of
the doctors at TFC. Most referring doctors know the TFC doctors
from professional associations and meetings and can share a
little about their personalities.
Review the TFC website. Each doctor’s educational background
is available in the About Us tab. You can also watch educational
videos from each doctor to ascertain individual communication
styles.
When you call for your first appointment, talk to the intake
nurse about what you are looking for in a physician. Let them
know what style of doctor you work best with and any scheduling
constraints you may have.
Schedule a consultation with your doctor to discuss your
medical history and what you are looking for in a doctor. Bring
a list of prepared questions.
Bring your partner with you. Two opinions are better than
one.
Start Therapy: You’re On Your Way!
We think fertility therapy is not strictly science. It’s ART. It’s
rare to uncover the problem with one test and fix it with one
treatment. Infertility can have multiple hidden causes that require
creative solutions, trial, and error.
Uncertainty can increase a couple’s anxiety and feelings of
helplessness. To alleviate stress, you and your spouse should sit
down and discuss the steps to diagnosis and treatment.
Next, you’ll want to communicate your decisions about therapy and
testing to your doctor. Be assertive in stating what you want and
what you don’t.
You have the right to make your own decisions about treatment.
As your treatment plan changes, be open to new ideas and therapies.
Discuss the pros and cons of each change with your doctor. After
each appointment: Talk to your partner about whether you are willing
to change or modify your treatment plan. Reach this conclusion
together.
Having a plan for the testing and treatment that you are open to
will help you better communicate with each other and your medical
team.
Questions to consider:
What tests do you want to have?
What treatments will you explore?
How many times will you repeat them before moving to the
next step?
Financial problems are difficult for most couples to face, so
fertility treatment probably will increase this stress. It’s
important to be realistic about the expenses you may incur and to
map out a plan for funding your treatment. Schedule a time to sit
down as a couple to determine:
How much will your insurance cover?
Know ahead of time what your insurance company will and will not
cover. Having this information will avert any confusion and
frustration with the financial process. Our insurance benefit
questionnaire will assist you in obtaining the necessary answers
regarding your infertility coverage.
What exactly is included in your treatment cost?
Our billing department can provide you with the costs associated
with any treatment cycle.
How much money will you spend?
Communicate with your partner regarding the costs associated
with an infertility treatment cycle and establish a plan of
action for any future cycles.
Have your financing in line prior to beginning treatment.
What are your sources for covering out-of-pocket expenses
(i.e. savings, home
equity loan, friends or family)
Keep all your paperwork, (i.e. receipts, insurance
explanation of benefits, and cost sheets) together and
accessible. Binders are available at our office to help keep
everything organized.
Our financial office staff is available to answer your questions
and to offer counsel. We may be able to suggest organizations that
offer grants and loans to couples in need. Our team can give you an
estimate of costs you can expect during your course of treatment,
including consultations, tests, medications, and procedures.
Also, keep in mind that while the state of Texas does require
that certain insurance agencies that offer pregnancy services offer
IVF, there is no law requiring insurers to provide the coverage --
or for employers to include IVF in health plans. (source:
http://www.asrm.org/insurance.aspx)
Facing the reality of the financial impact early on will help
lessen anxiety throughout this process. We will do everything we can
so that you avoid surprises on your statement. We encourage you to
start the dialog early -- between office-patient, insurer-insured
and husband-wife.
Devise a Backup Plan
The majority of our couples do become pregnant, but there may be
a time when you redefine what it looks like to be a parent. You may
want to decide now what your limits are, and how long and how much
you will commit to infertility treatment.
Other questions to consider:
Would you consider donor sperm and/or eggs (gametes)?
Are you going to focus on conception exclusively, or will
you also pursue family- building through adoption?
Your answer may change as the journey continues, but always keep
this mantra in mind: There will be a resolution to this problem, and
it will result in a child. Whether that is a biological baby with
your own egg and sperm (gametes), a baby created with the use of
donor gametes, or an adopted infant or child remains to be seen.
It’s important to remember that you and your partner are in
control. Your physician can advise you and offer statistical
realities, but you have the power to determine the extent and
duration of your treatment course. In other words, you decide when
to say when.
