Fertility Treatment Timeline

Creating a fertility treatment timeline is an important first step in every couple's fertility treatment. In fact, discussing a timeline at the onset of infertility treatment allows a couple to approach fertility treatments as a team, a commitment that can make coping with difficulty getting pregnant easier.

Whether you are undergoing male infertility treatment or female infertility treatment, setting up a timeline should be viewed as a guideline - as opposed to a fixed plan - that can change depending on the path of treatment and the basis of further evaluation by your fertility specialist.

Fertility Treatment Timeline: First Steps

Before starting infertility treatment such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intrauterine insemination (IUI), it is important to discuss the following questions with your partner:

  • what are our feelings regarding this type of fertility treatment?
  • is the treatment in line with our moral and spiritual beliefs?
  • will we be undergoing more than one type of treatment at the same time?
  • how far in the treatment process are we willing to go?
  • what type of support system is available to us?
  • what is our financial situation?

Understand that your feelings with regard to these questions can change during the course of fertility treatment; as such, it is important to revisit these questions regularly during treatment so as to maintain a healthy relationship while undergoing treatment to improve your chances of getting pregnant.

Fertility Treatment Timeline: Next Steps

The next phase of establishing a timeline for your fertility treatment is to consult with your fertility specialist. In addition to inquiring about a second medical opinion (SMO), should you feel it is necessary, the following are important questions to ask prior to undergoing treatments to improve fertility:

  • what is the recommended number of cycles for each type of treatment we are taking into consideration?
  • what is the pregnancy success rate associated with each type of treatment option?
  • what are the risks and side effects associated with treatment?
  • will there be a break between treatment cycles?
  • how does male age or female age affect our fertility treatment timeline?
  • what are the costs of the fertility treatments that we are considering?

In addition, researching your insurance plan can help you make the right decision about the best fertility treatment option for you and your partner in helping to improve your chances of getting pregnant.

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