Infertility: Setting Limits on Testing

Topic Overview

Looking for a cause of infertility can be a brief process or can become a financially, emotionally, and physically demanding succession of tests and procedures. Before you start infertility testing, take some time together to talk about how far each of you is willing to go.

Think about:

• How you feel about having invasive testing if initial sperm and blood tests find no infertility cause.
• What types of treatment you each might be willing to have.
• How much money you have to spend on testing; treatment; and pregnancy, labor, and delivery care.
• Whether you have alternate plans for parenting, such as adoption, and the time and financial resources needed to carry out your plans.

Ideally, your doctor will help you stop and assess your plan and options at each step of the way. If you feel that you are being pushed to make decisions without enough information or support from your doctor, consider finding another one.