10 Tips How to Choose the Best Doctor – Reproductive Endocrinologist/Immunologist

If you cannot conceive the baby during half a year that doesn’t mean that you are infertile. If you were suggested by your doctor to go to a Fertility Clinic that also doesn’t mean that you cannot have a baby. Without Fertility Testing, you cannot be diagnosed as ‘infertile’. Stop criticizing yourself for being unable to get pregnant. Because even if the infertility was diagnosed that doesn’t mean that it is impossible to have the baby. And you shouldn’t feel numb. 

Infertility is the medical diagnosis, and it’s not something to be ashamed of or embarrassed by. It’s just part of your story. And in most cases, this ‘PART’ of your story can be changed. And these changes start with choosing an experienced reproductive specialist. The one who can be trusted. The one who is respected. The one who has dramatic positive results. Wondering how to choose your doctor?

We have collected 10 Top Tips How to Choose the Best Reproductive Endocrinologist/Immunologist for IVF. In the next article, we will show you 10 Top Signs [red flags] which strongly indicate that you are choosing the wrong person. 

1. Not all specialists who ‘GLOW’ on the clinic’s website are successful

It is Hard to Find the Respected Specialist who Will Treat You Not Just Professionally. You will be surprised, but I strongly recommend you glance not only through the ‘CLINICS’ team/medical team nd through ‘CLINICS’ reviews but also through the other resources. You must know the other patients’ opinions about the MD. If there are really many bad words, do not choose this MD.

2. Search not only for one specialist. Be realistic. Everything may happen. 

Wrong diagnosis, wrong Treatment Plan, wrong medications, even serious arguments with your doctor. And you should have at least one more Fertility Specialist to consult with in, if you are involved in a difficult situation. Caught the idea?

3. Create the ‘DOCTORS’ CV’s 

Wondering how can you do that? Note down doctor’s ‘NAME’, ‘SURNAME’, ‘JOB TITLE’, ‘CONTACTS’, ‘CLINICS’ CONTACTS’. Add ‘SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND’. 

1. Is your doctor a Member of International Research group? Or, maybe, he obtained the Membership in several Research Committees/Institutions? If ‘YES’, you should add this information. 
2. Are there any business events in which this doctor participated? Business events are conferences, congresses, seminars, hands–on training, lectures, and other events. If ‘YES’, add the name of the event. For example, ‘International Conference on Prenatal Diagnosis and Therapy’, ‘Coding for Maternal–Fetal Medicine’, etc. 
3. What about the abstracts and articles? If the doctor wrote the abstracts and articles, at least, glimpse through their titles. If the title is capturing, glance through that abstract or article, because there may be represented the information about innovative Treatment Options. If you have special questions for this doctor, include them also, and leave some space to note down the answers.

4. Young Professional shouldn’t be labeled as ‘UNEXPERIENCED’

If the doctor is young but participates in many business events [conferences, congresses, hands–on training, etc.] around the world, has the dramatic results in Infertility Treatment, and several articles concerning the issue, do not underestimate him or her. Sometimes young scientists are the best. Because they are ‘CREATING’ their Treatment methodologies and are utmost attentive to every single detail of your medical history.

5 Board–certification and medical license are utterly essential

Verify that the doctor is licensed. You may check with the state medical board to verify if the doctor is licensed. But there is still one ‘BUT.’ Having the license does not mean that the MD is board certified to practice in a medical specialty. Choose the Specialist who is also board–certified in his/her speciality. If you are the American citizen, you can verify if the doctor is board certified by visiting the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG) website (www.abog.org). Click on, “Is your Doctor Board Certified?”. Then, enter the doctor’s name and state, and then you can determine if your doctor is board certified in OB/GYN and potentially a subspecialty.

6. Create your medical team

Want more options? Not sure that one specialist will solve your issue? You may choose not only one Reproductive specialist, but also Reproductive Endocrinologist, but also Reproductive Immunologist, Reproductive Gynecologist. If you are not in ‘EMOTIONAL BONDING’ with the proposed specialist from the same clinic [for example, you have already chosen Reproductive Endocrinologist/GYN, but feel a strong antipathy to the Reproductive Immunologist (who you were suggested by your doctor), you may choose the other Reproductive Specialist from the other Fertility Clinic. Just make sure about their working hours and availability.

7. Schedule not only one consultation

Wondering what is wrong with you? Don’t have the exact diagnosis? If you would like to be accurately diagnosed, never schedule only one consultation with only one Fertility Specialist. Listen at least to three opinions. And then decide, who will be your doctor or your doctors. It is better to create your medical team than to try doctor after doctor. And for the medical team creation, you should have at least three consultations to understand is that doctor yours or not? Will he/she treat you not only in professional manner but also in a cordial manner? Can he/she transparently and inclusively explain all possible Treatment Options and represent you the most effective ones? Can he/she perfectly explain every step of the testing/Treatment Plan with no pressure to choose a flexible Treatment Protocol? Can he/she answer all your questions and follow–up questions patiently and informatively?

8. Don’t forget to take your ‘QUESTION LIST’

Every time you have the thought of something that needs the doctor’s answer, write it down. Create your ‘QUESTION LIST’. All questions that you have. All of them. Without the distinguishing line: ‘For the first consultation’, ‘For the second one’, ‘Questions I should ask in one month’. No, don’t do that. List everything you are wondering about. List everything you are embarrassed about. List everything you are nervous about. List even those you would never ask because of the ethics, or because you are ashamed to pronounce them. You need the answers. Think only about the answers.

I strongly recommend you include these challenging questions that would never ask at the start of your journey. These questions will show you the doctor’s experience. They are vital to be asked. 

1. What data exists to back up what you are recommending?
2. What tests are not necessary but just recommended?
3. What flexible Treatment Plans can you propose me?
4. What can be changed in my Treatment Plan?
5. What side effects these medications have?
6. What will be if I refuse to do that? Do you have the alternatives for this test?
7. What is different now to lead you to believe the procedure will work this time?
8. What tests have we not considered even if they don’t seem to be obvious ones?
9. What will we do differently next time should the procedure fail?
10. What are you not telling me?

Print at least ten copies of your question list. Take your question list every time you have the consultation with the doctor. You will be amazed how this question list ‘DOES ITS JOB’. Keep it as your secret. Anytime you want to compare different versions of answers from different specialists, different Treatment Plans, different Treatment Protocols, even your tests with different results, just scan them through. Caught the idea?

9. Ask are there any Treatment Plans ? And can you have a flexible Treatment Plan

Can your doctor propose you your individual tests and screening? Can he/she propose you several Treatment Plans? What is included in those Treatment packages? Can you create your own individual flexible Treatment Plan? Is there something unnecessary to do? What is essential to complete and what should be avoided? Discuss all these questions and ask your doctor to give you the printed version of your Treatment Plan with all explanations you need.

10. If you feel confusion, embarrassment, or suffer from nerves, choose the other doctor

If you feel nervous tension while discussing your situation and after that, the doctor’s recommendations cause even more nervous tension, it is better to glance through the other candidates. If the doctor behaves in an unethical way, screams or shouts at you, you should cross his/her name one time and forever. Don’t act under the psychological pressure. If you feel that the doctor is ‘NOT YOURS’ and he/she forces you to SIGN the Treatment Plan, you have the right to leave his/her office. Sometimes your heart whispers the right words, and it is better to choose another one. Because you have the choice. And there surely are many perfect doctors. They will hold your hand in pain, hug you in times of sadness and despair, and show their utmost delight in times of your great happiness. The only thing you should do – is to choose. 

CONCLUSION

Infertility causes dramatic nervous tension. So many questions without answers whirl in your mind. And you need someone who can not only answer them but help you. You need the infertility specialist. These 10 Tips How to Choose the Perfect Reproductive Specialist are not secret ones. They just show you more integrative criteria to include while searching. If you accurately choose really perfect and respected Doctor, your Treatment will be successful. The only question is how to choose the MD who is experienced, and who won’t treat you only in a business way. Who is empathetic, caring and supportive. Who won’t make you feel like you are an ‘Object’ or a ‘Two–legged Wallet’. We do hope, that you will listen to all the tips and find your Doctor, or, maybe create your trusted and cordial relationship with not only one MD.