Preparing for your first fertility consultation

Documents and medical records to bring

• Previous semen analysis reports — bring all of them regardless of date, so parameter stability over time can be assessed
• Pelvic ultrasound scans — baseline transvaginal scans, antral follicle count, or reports noting fibroids or endometriomas
• Serum AMH and hormonal laboratory results — thyroid (TSH), prolactin, HbA1c, and any Day 2/3 FSH and LH values
• Tubal patency reports — HSG images or diagnostic laparoscopy summaries
• Prior treatment records — ovulation induction sheets, IUI discharge summaries, or previous IVF stimulation and embryology records

Questions worth asking your specialist

• Based on our ages and how long we have been trying, is IVF strictly necessary now, or should we consider lower-intervention options first?
• What does our ovarian reserve — AMH and antral follicle count — tell us about the medication dosage you would use?
• Will the semen sample be evaluated using CASA and DNA fragmentation testing?
• Does the clinic culture embryos to the Day 5 blastocyst stage before transfer?
• Can you give us an itemised written estimate of all procedure and laboratory costs before we commit to starting?

Practical tips for the day

• Attend together if you can. Fertility is a shared matter, and having both partners present avoids things being relayed second-hand.
• Know your cycle dates — the first day of your last menstrual period, and your average cycle length.
• If a semen analysis is planned for the same visit, maintain two to five days of abstinence beforehand.
• Write your questions down. It is very common to forget them once the consultation begins.