Questions to consider about assisted reproductive technology for infertility

When considering an assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedure, ask your doctor:

• For a step-by-step description of the procedure you're considering, including any fertility medications, daily blood testing, and egg harvesting. ART treatment is physically and emotionally demanding, especially of the female partner.
• About his or her level of expertise. ART procedures to correct infertility in both men and women require specialized training and experience.
• How likely it is that you and your partner will conceive after treatment with ART. This depends on the specific type of problem being treated and other fertility factors such as a woman's age. You must feel comfortable that the risks of ART are worth the likelihood of becoming pregnant.
• About the clinic's treatment success rates, and what types of problems the clinic typically treats. See the complete Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) listing of U.S. infertility clinics online in the latest Assisted Reproductive Technology Success Rates report at http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/ART02/index.htm.