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Visiting the Reproductive Endocrinologist

What to Expect the First Time You See the R.E.

By Lisa Hurt Kozarovich

It's also a good idea for couples to talk to their relatives about a family history of infertility, Dr. Doherty explains. (Did your mother or mother-in-law have miscarriages? Did your mother or sisters have a history of fibroids or endometriosis? Does your brother-in-law have a history of infertility?) Remember, she says, the man's family history is just as important as the woman's is.

That said, every couple's first visit to a fertility specialist will be different, depending on what kind of tests their primary doctor has already performed, Dr. Doherty points out. During the first visit, women can typically expect to answer a health and family history questionnaire, discuss their monthly cycle and have a physical exam, possibly with a pelvic ultrasound.

"That first visit is primarily an information-gathering session," Dr. Richard-Davis says. "Still, by the end of the visit, we come up with some kind of management plan – whether it's setting up tests or, if we know the reason for infertility, a plan for treatment. That doesn't mean they're going to leave with all the answers. The first point is to diagnose the problem and that can often take three or four tests." She adds that a routine evaluation shouldn't take more than a month or two and that by the third cycle, a treatment plan should be in place.

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