Here is a list of the common questions you may want to ask your doctor/fertility specialist:
- What kind of treatment do you recommend for our situation?
- What are the success rates of the treatment you recommended?
- Why is this the best treatment option for us?
- What are the known risks of this treatment? What are the risks to my spouse or partner? What are the risks for any child born as a result?
- Are there alternative treatments? If so, what are they and why are they less suitable options for us? Are there alternative treatment options that respect our cultural and/or spiritual beliefs?
- What medication will I have to take and what are the side effects? What medication will my partner have to take and what are the side effects? When will I have to take these medications? Are there alternatives to the medications you have recommended? Will there be someone available to speak to (by phone, email, etc.) if I have questions while I am taking medication and/or during any treatment cycle?
- What is the full cost of this procedure? Are there any other costs that might arise? Is any part of this procedure covered by my provincial health care plan, my employee benefits or my private insurance?
- Taking into consideration my situation (age, diagnosis, treatment plan), what are our chances of becoming pregnant? Do our chances increase or decrease with each try?
- What is the success rate of pregnancy at your clinic?
- What are the costs of egg, sperm, and embryo storage (freezing for future use)?
- Are there any lifestyle choices we can make to increase our chances of getting pregnant?
- If this procedure or treatment does not work, what are the next steps?
- What is the recovery time, if any, after the treatments or procedures discussed?
