Things You'll Need:
- Referral for fertility specialist
- Strong desire to become a parent
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Step 1
Look at how long you have been trying to conceive a baby. Most fertility specialists will not begin fertility treatments until the couple has been actively trying to conceive a baby for at least a year. (For couples who are over 35 years old, the period is six months.)
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Step 2
Examine your health insurance coverage. Fertility treatments can be very expensive, and many health insurance policies exclude certain types of fertility treatments.
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Step 3
Ask for referrals. If you know anyone who has undergone fertility treatments, ask for a referral. Be sure that the referrals are covered under your health insurance policy.
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Step 4
Schedule a meeting with the fertility specialist. Be sure to bring along any records that you have kept, such as the dates that your period started during the time that you have been trying to conceive.
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Step 5
Bring your spouse to the meeting with the fertility specialist. Many husbands feel shy about talking with a fertility specialist. Few men feel comfortable talking about their sperm production with another person. Having your spouse at the meeting is very helpful in making decisions about what types of fertility treatments to try.
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Step 6
Start with the least invasive fertility testing first. Before the fertility specialist will begin fertility treatments, he will want to do a physical examination on both you and your spouse. The woman’s initial testing generally involves a physical exam and blood work while the man’s initial testing involves a physical exam and a sperm count.
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Step 7
Follow your fertility specialist’s advice. After your physical exams, your fertility specialist might recommend further testing, such as a laparoscopy for a woman or an ultrasound for a man. However, if a problem was found in the initial exams, your fertility specialist might recommend beginning a particular form of fertility treatment.
