Hesitation is normal. Most couples are anxious before en-tering a fertility clinic. Reading and. knowing about fertility treatments may not be enough and there tends to a lot of questions around what it would be like inside a fertility clinic. Will there be too many tests? Will they recommend IVF immediately? What if something is actually wrong? What will others say? But here’s the reality: infertility is a medical condition-not a measure of your worth. Just like you visit doc tors for any other health issue, seeing a fertility specialist for your reproduc-tive health is no different.
At a fertility clinic, your journey doesn’t begin with scans or needles. It starts with a con-versation. First Step: Listening, Not Testing: On day one, you aren’t just immediately put through medical tests. You’re heard your lifestyle, stress, medical history, diet, even emotional readiness are all understood carefully. The goal? To know your story, not just your symptoms. There is also an initial registration, which is just to make a safe patient record. Simple Initial Tests, No Panic: Once an initial understanding is gained, doctors would suggest the most basic of the tests and they aren’t hectic at all.
For women: hormone test, thy-roid test, and an ultrasound. For men: semen analysis. IVF Isn’t the Only Solution: Most people think that fertil-ity clinics instantly suggest IVF, which is not the case. Good fertility clinics personalise your care, which might only need emotional or lifestyle-based intervention at times. Financial Clarity, Always: After your initial consultation with the fertility specialist, you should get a clear breakdown of all involved costs and the best fertility clinics are transparent and have financial plans to help you make informed choices.
Dr Kalpana Jain, Fertility Specialist, Birla Fertility & IVF, Guwahati
