A fertility doctor is a reproductive endocrinologist — a physician who practices a subspecialty of obstetrics and gynecology called reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI). REI is an area of medicine that addresses hormonal functioning as it pertains to reproduction and infertility in both women and men.
U.S. fertility doctors complete four years of medical school and four years of OB/GYN residency training before they undergo a three-year infertility fellowship.
When you select HRC Fertility as your fertility clinic, one of our fertility specialists will do an infertility work-up, which includes a patient history and physical examination. A typical infertility evaluation includes evaluating the sperm, fallopian tubes, uterus, and ovaries. It may include hormonal testing, including evaluation of the ovarian reserve (size of the egg pool).
The uterus and fallopian tubes are evaluated through hysterosonography or hysterosalpingogram. These tests facilitate the diagnosis of fibroids, polyps or blocked fallopian tubes.
Once the fertility specialist has gleaned as much information as he or she can from the infertility work-up, fertility treatment recommendations will be made.
A fertility doctor (reproductive endocrinologist) should be consulted early in the course of infertility treatment. According to standards set by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), women less than 35 years of age who have unsuccessfully been trying to conceive for one year are considered infertile. The infertility evaluation should begin after six months of unprotected intercourse in women aged 35 and older.
Infertility specialists complete residency training in obstetrics and gynecology. After this training, they are required to complete an accredited Fellowship program in reproductive endocrinology and infertility to become a Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE). The Fellowship is usually completed within three years and includes extensive research and clinical experience in diagnosing and designing appropriate treatment for infertility, administering in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles, and performing hysteroscopic and laparoscopic surgery, among many other areas. Fertility doctors also undergo advanced training in performing delicate microsurgical procedures.
The infertility specialists at HRC fertility focus on the evaluation and treatment of infertility. Our physicians always recommend the therapy most likely to result in pregnancy while considering other factors, such as cost. Our staff page links to the biographies and qualifications of each of our fertility doctors. To speak to an infertility specialist, contact HRC Fertility to schedule a consultation.
