Working With a Fertility Specialist

Your First Visit

Deciding to see a healthcare provider for fertility concerns is an important first step.

What happens during the first visit? Generally, the Fertility Specialist will conduct an evaluation that begins with a review of your medical and personal histories. You'll probably talk about everything from family medical history, to diet and lifestyle, to your current sexual practices.

Your healthcare provider will also conduct an exam. Depending on your medical and lifestyle history, this will include some tests, beginning with the simplest and least invasive ones. At a later point, you may need to undergo further advanced evaluation.

Before you go, be sure to read through the list of Questions to Ask Your IVF Doctor or Nurse. Bring a printout to your appointment.

What happens during the female exam?

The female exam consists of a general physical exam, a breast exam, and a comprehensive pelvic exam. During the pelvic exam, the healthcare provider will determine the size, shape and position of your reproductive organs. Many healthcare providers will also complete a routine Pap test to detect any infections and rule out cervical cancer.

What happens during the male exam?

The male exam includes a general physical along with an examination of the testes, penis and scrotum. The healthcare provider will look for varicoceles in the scrotal sac, which are found in about 40% of men who are undergoing evaluation for infertility.1 The healthcare provider may also take a culture from the opening of the penis in order to rule out infection.

  • 1. American Urological Association. Available at: http://www.urologyhealth.org/search/index.cfm?topic=510&search=male%20AND%20infertility&searchtype=and. Accessed March 6, 2009.

Know Before You Go

Check into your insurance coverage before you see your healthcare provider. Your policy may determine what kind of healthcare provider you see, what kinds of fertility tests you undergo and in what sequence. To have a benefits specialist assist you, call Fertility LifeLines™ at 1-866-LETS-TRY (1-866-538-7879). All calls are free and confidential.

Need Help Paying for Treatment? Learn about payment options and savings on Gonal-f products.

FIND A FERTILITY SPECIALIST

Enter your Zip code to find a fertility treatment specialist or fertility clinic in your area:

FIND A UROLOGIST

The Society for the Study of Male Reproduction (SSMR) can help you locate a urologist in your area.

Locate a Urologist

Indication:
For women, Gonal-f® (follitropin alfa for injection), Gonal-f® RFF (follitropin alfa injection) and Gonal-f® RFF Pen (follitropin alfa injection) are indicated for 1) the induction of ovulation and pregnancy in the anovulatory infertile patient in whom the cause of infertility is functional and not due to primary ovarian failure and 2) for the development of multiple follicles in the ovulatory patient participating in an ART program.

Gonal-f® is also indicated to increase sperm production in men with a rare condition called hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.

Important Safety Information:
These products should only be prescribed by physicians specializing in fertility or reproductive health. Use of Gonal-f® or Gonal-f® RFF by women can result in multiple births. Patients should let their doctor know of any allergic reactions to recombinant FSH preparations or other product ingredients. Patients should also inform their doctor of a history of cancer of the sex organs or brain and uncontrolled thyroid or adrenal disease before starting or continuing treatment. Women with a history of abnormal bleeding from the uterus or vagina, swollen, enlarged, or painful ovaries should speak to their doctor before starting treatment. Gonal-f® and Gonal-f® RFF are potent gonadotropic substances capable of severe adverse reactions, including Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) in women, which can result in hospitalization. Women should inform their doctor if they experience severe stomach pain, vomiting, bloating, or weight gain while taking Gonal-f® or Gonal-f RFF®. The most common side effects are headache, ovarian cysts, upset stomach, and sinus infections in women taking Gonal-f® or Gonal-f® RFF. The most common side effects in men taking Gonal-f® are skin acne, breast pain and growth, and tiredness. Needle injections may cause some discomfort.

For more information, refer to the prescribing and patient information offered below and talk to your doctor.

*RFF Revised Formulation Female


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