What Is An Infertility Specialist?

When most couples decide it is time to start a family they expect that within a few months they will be pregnant, but that is not always the case. Most doctors recommended that couples under the age of 35 try for at least a year before visiting with a medical professional and those over 35 try for six months.

When couples do begin the process of seeing a doctor most will start with their own family physician or the woman's gynecologist before seeking help from a fertility clinic.
Most gynecologists and family doctors can run some base line tests that can tell a lot about what is happening during the monthly cycle.

This can involve something as simple as blood tests and screening tests to see if a woman is ovulating. A physician may recommend using an over the counter ovulation predictor kit or basal thermometer to determine if a woman is ovulating. The male can be seen by an urologist for some simple evaluations including a physical and a sample will be needed to evaluate the sperm's mobility and count.

All of these tests can be done before seeking the advice of an infertility specialist. But, some patients find that they will in the end need to see a doctor with more training in order to continue in their pursuit of having a baby.

What an Infertility Specialist Can Do

An infertility specialist is someone that has had additional medical training in infertility. A reproductive endocrinologist is a doctor that has passed their boards and done extra training in the field of gynecology. These infertility specialists can treat both men and women and are familiar with the field of infertility. This type of infertility specialist may be the right doctor to see for couples who have already gone through basic testing and treatment and are still not pregnant.

Not all doctors who work in the field of infertility are necessarily an infertility specialist in training. Many physicians who are working with infertile patients did not specialize in that field, but come to it through the field of gynecology. This doesn't mean they don't know what they are doing, and it is important as a patient to ask what training a doctor has and how many years they have been working with infertile couples.

Patients need to be proactive about their infertility care and aware of the experience that a doctor has in the world of infertility. If a physician isn't a reproductive endocrinologist, but has been working with infertile patients and has a high success rate with pregnancy they may still be the best choice for a couple. Be sure to interview all potential physicians and check into their credentials before choosing an infertility specialist.