Commencing a journey where most couples know very little, it’s to start with understanding IVF. IVF treatment has become quite common these days due to the advancement of science in providing various assisted reproductive techniques. IVF is mostly practiced by doctors in helping childless couples to achieve fertility.
 
IVF is going a long way in helping a large segment of the population in India as well as the world. If you are planning to give IVF treatment a try, then you have to consider certain things before going for IVF procedure in India. The IVF clinics in India provide advanced medical treatment including assisted reproductive techniques and they also offer world-class infrastructure to provide ultimate satisfaction to their patients. 

So here are a few tips which might help you in finding the best IVF center in India:

1. How is the IVF Center?

Just choosing a clinic because it is on your doorstep might not be the right thing to do, but spending hours commuting, especially when trying to balance the rest of your life and work, is perhaps not the best choice either.

The foremost thing that you should consider is that the IVF center in India should be government recognized and must have an ISO 9001 certification. Check the certification on their website or ask them to show.

After that, check the qualification and experience of the IVF doctor, it shall include the endoscopic gynecology, expertise in IVF and fertility consultant. Besides, you can select the IVF center according to their size and working methodologies. Some have a greater leaning to genetic testing others to implantation issues. It is often useful to have a clinic that matches your situation.

2. What are the Success Rates of the IVF Center?

The success rates of IVF center might depend on different factors including the experience of the doctor, the availability of the advanced equipment, and the number of IVF cycles performed.

In general, the average success rate of any IVF center is around 40% for women under 40 years, but this figure can vary according to the type of infertility, age and the circumstances of previous pregnancy. People prefer to take success rate as the main criteria, but there are others like well-equipped with cutting-edge technology, skilled lab technicians and well qualified & experienced IVF doctor.

The different specialties of clinics and their different acceptance criteria mean like for like comparison of published results may be difficult to interpret.

3. What are the Standards of Lab?

The IVF Center should be strict in following laboratory standards and guidelines as per the Indian Council of Medical Research. According to them, the centers must have the highest possible criteria in the storage and handling of gametes and embryos. The same should be followed for their security and regarding their recording and identification. Furthermore, the following protective measures should be followed to ensure the aseptic conditions for gametes and embryos.

4. What is the Hidden Cost?

Beware of the clinic that only offers expensive or more lucrative tests. Most clinics will list a price for IVF but what that cost includes varies. It might or might not include some or all blood tests and scans. Drug costs can vary considerably depending on your dosage.

Also, some clinics do far more comprehensive testing from the outset. The only hidden cost that is correlated with the IVF treatment is the cost of health complexities that can be caused by multiple pregnancies. If the patient has not undergone the ICSI, the chances of having multiple pregnancies are high. In such a case, the woman needs to take extra care and extra medical attention including regular ultrasounds, blood tests and in constant supervision of a gynecologist. In these circumstances, they have to spend an extra amount for the multiple pregnancies.

5. Are Your Reports and Information Confidential?

The IVF clinics should precisely handle the identification of patients and also their gametes and embryos. They should follow strict standards when it comes to providing a non-disclosure agreement to their patients, which means keeping the information disclosed regarding the reports of the patients, their source of gametes, the process of embryos and other important information should remain confidential as well.

This is genuinely important and only a good reputable IVF center will take care of your privacy and reports. Money minded clinics working in the suburb of various cities will only use your information in attracting more customers.

6. Advanced Reproductive Training and Technology

The IVF center must be well-equipped with the latest technology and advanced reproductive techniques. The top IVF centers in India offer the most advanced reproductive techniques including intrauterine insemination, Intracytoplasmic sperm injection, pre-implantation genetic disorder, testicular sperm aspiration, egg freezing, frozen embryo transfer, tube reversal, zygote intrafallopian transfer, Gamete intrafallopian transfer, surrogacy, gestational carriers, and many others. 

IVF is so popular now, but going through IVF can be an emotionally challenging experience. Some clinics will be more supportive than others in this respect. Smaller units may offer more personal care and continuous contact with one consultant.

There will be people around who can give you good info – friends, friends of friends, colleagues, etc. All over the world, one in six couples is having fertility treatment so there are chances that you might know someone.

Always remember, the most important thing is to get all the right tests done and ascertain whether IVF is the right treatment for your problem or not. To figure out what’s right or not right for you, the internet can also provide a useful source. Support groups and forums provide the largest exchange of useful information around.