Clinic Options

I have never put a lot of thought into the importance of clinic choice until recently.  I am shocked at how much variation is out there in clinic protocol.  I have worked with clinics all over the country and yet to see a real consensus between them.  There are major differences in who they will work with or deem eligible, the medications used and the dosage and duration, the way the embryos are created and grown, when and how they are transferred, how much they charge, etc.  For some IPs these factors are not important to them, they just want a great clinic with a good track record.  The details of how, what, where and when are a non issue.  For most IPs, the clinic choice is a really important detail, they want to pick the right clinic.  I am often a part of this choice and responsible for providing information needed to help IPs choose the right clinic for them.  I would say that cost, location and success rates are often the most important factors for IPs when choosing a clinic.  I think it is important for clinics to be accommodating in their scheduling, especially when we are working with so many active people in the process.  It can very complex and challenging to schedule and manage the intended parent(s), their surrogate, and possibly and egg donor and/or sperm donor (all of them most likely located in different locations).  I have come to have wonderful working relationships with many nurse coordinators and think that has had a very positive outcome on many of our journeys.