Encountering fertility problems when you are trying to conceive a baby can make life very stressful – and the last thing you need is further anxiety over which fertility treatment provider you should choose. Here are five considerations to help you in your decision.
1. What are their qualifications?
Knowing that you are in the care of someone with specialist fertility training and a history of success in helping couples to conceive will give you confidence. Miss Amanda Tozer, a consultant gynaecologist at St Bart’s since 2004, is accredited by the RCOG in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine and Minimal Access Surgery.
2. Are they regulated?
Check your clinic is licensed by the HFEA (Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority), the government body in charge of administering and regulating UK fertility clinics.
3. Are there hidden costs?
Financial concerns inevitably make a situation even more stressful so knowing just what the costs are is imperative. At London female gynaecologist Amanda Tozer’s clinic, you will be provided with a fully costed fertility treatment plan, including any necessary medical reports and tests, consultations and counselling.
4. What kind of care will I receive?
Large clinics can often feel impersonal, especially when you see a different doctor at each appointment. At Miss Amanda Tozer’s London fertility clinic you are guaranteed one-to-one care. Miss Tozer creates individualized treatment plans, seeing couples prior to treatment to discuss options, and she personally performs the various procedures along the way: the scans, the egg collection and embryo transfer, and the early pregnancy scan. She provides her patients with her personal telephone number and encourages them to contact her with any queries, no matter how small.
5. Was I made to feel comfortable?
Finally, a good test of a fertility clinic is how you felt during your consultation. Were you made to feel safe, reassured and less mystified about the journey ahead?