Written by: Dr. Lauren Ehrhart, a board certified reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist at CCRM Fertility of Colorado
You’ve scheduled your first appointment with a fertility specialist and now you might be wondering what will happen during that meeting. While the first appointment will look a little bit different for everyone, there are certain things you can expect with your first visit and ways you can prepare.
Since this meeting is also an opportunity for you to ask all the questions you want, we’ve provided some questions at the end to get you thinking about your own treatment plan and fertility journey.
What to expect at the first appointment with a fertility doctor
For your first fertility appointment, you’ll meet with your specialist, either in person or through a telehealth visit. There will be a review of you and your partner’s medical history, including any previous fertility testing or treatments and what the outcomes were.
This review is to help the care team personalize a treatment plan for you. Your provider will go over your medical history in detail and yes, you’ll be asked some personal questions, such as how often you’re having intercourse, or if you’ve ever had a sexually transmitted infection. Even if it feels embarrassing, it’s important to answer these honestly and accurately because it could be important to your treatment plan.
After this review, your fertility specialist will go over what the next steps could look like for your fertility workup.
Then, you’ll have a chance to meet your nurse. Your nurse will go over any testing your doctor has ordered and will make sure you have a good understanding of what happens next. You will be provided a checklist of the details of your plan going forward. This is a great time to ask more questions if you have any.
How can I prepare for my visit?
You might have a lot of questions, or you may feel overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. One of the best ways to prepare for your appointment is to write down all the questions you have before you actually sit down with your specialist. You can also bring something to take notes on while you’re in your consultation or make sure you have someone else there that can help you remember everything.
While not always possible, if you’re able to get your medical records before your appointment, it can allow your provider to review your information in advance.
Finally, take a deep breath and try not to stress. Your first appointment can feel like a big step toward growing your family and that can cause a lot of added anxiety. Keep in touch with your care team and arm yourself with as much information as you can during your visit.
Questions to ask your fertility specialist
You may be just starting out with fertility testing, or you might be switching clinics and have done treatments in the past. Both of these scenarios will involve a different set of questions. Here are some to get you started and you can fill in your own as needed.
- What tests and/or procedures do I need before I start my treatment?
- How does my age affect my treatment and chances of success?
- Who will I be communicating with regarding treatment questions or medical evaluations?
- What is the best way to get my test results?
- What options are available and how successful do you think each of these could be for me?
- How long should we try those options before we talk about something different?
Ready to schedule your first appointment? Contact us today to make an appointment with a CCRM Fertility specialist.
