A patient should always expect to be treated with courtesy and with respect by office staff. A patient should have access to her doctor and nurses, with all of her questions and concerns addressed in a timely and direct manner, especially after the initial consult, when new questions are likely to arise. Emotional support, and, when needed, professional mental health professionals should be available. Medical treatments should be based on science and evidence and the patients’ best interests must always be followed.

Most importantly, the patient must have confidence in her treatment. Some patients may need multiple attempts at IVF before becoming pregnant, so only reporting outcomes on a per patient basis rather than on a per cycle basis may obscure the duration of treatment and number of treatment cycles. It’s critically important to understand which number is being reported.