When I was in the ObGyn residence, one of my great teachers in medicine told me: ” Demian, when you have to decide whether to operate or not an incoming patient, take all the time you need . It’s a big decision and requires that you evaluate it well. But once you’ve made the decision to go to surgery, any delay is wasted time. Once you know what to do, there is no reason to delay the implementation of the plan.”

In fertility treatment, this concept is essential. It is important that those patients with doubts about making or not an appointment or starting or not a treatment, can take the time to think. It is time well spent (no one wants to rush to make an important decision). But once the decision is made, it is essential that the professional performs all diagnostic tests in the shortest possible time (usually 1-2 months at most ) to begin as quickly as possible with the treatments.

As we know, success rates declines with age, so do the treatments before the increases the success rates.

What studies are usually carried out before starting assisted reproduction treatment?

Woman

• Basal hormones (FSH, LH, E2, PRL, TSH, AMH)
• Hysterosalpingography
• Basal transvaginal ultrasound
• Chlamydia and GC endocervical culture
• Blood work: CBC, Liver enzymes, creatinine, fasting glycemia, vitamin D level, blood group and Rh factor, coagulation tests. HIV, HBsAg (hepatitis B), HCV (hepatitis C), RPR. Rubella IgG.

Man

• Semen analysis with Kruger morphology evaluation
• Blood work: blood group and Rh factor. HIV, HBsAg (hepatitis B), HCV (hepatitis C), RPR.

This same concept should be applied to treatments. If you have a negative result, taking time to think about the last cycle is important, but it is not good to have a great delay until you start thinning about the following one.