Infertility: Questions to Ask About Medicine or Hormone Treatment

Overview

When thinking about medicine or hormone treatment for infertility, ask your doctor these questions.

• Are there are any long-term risks related to the treatment?
• Do I need to change my sexual activities during treatment? Your doctor may have suggestions for timing sex to increase the chance of getting pregnant.
• How long will it take to know if the treatment will work? Continuing treatment when you are unlikely to conceive means that you wait longer to consider other options such as adoption. You can set limits on how long you want to try it. And you can change your mind.
• Does my age affect the treatment options? Depending on your age, a doctor may switch treatments sooner to provide the best chance of getting pregnant.
• What's the success rate of the treatment? Medicine or hormone treatment works very well for some causes of infertility, such as failure to ovulate. But it doesn't work as well for other causes.
• How much monitoring is needed for the treatment? Some treatments require that you be checked every day at your doctor's office. You must decide if you can work around the monitoring schedule.
• What is your experience with medicine or hormone treatment for infertility? This type of infertility treatment requires careful diagnosis, dosage, and monitoring. Your doctor should have specific training and experience in this area.