New and Nervous Describes Many Couples First Visit to an Infertility...

After a year of attempting unsuccessfully to conceive 's8211; six months for women over the age of 35 's8211; or after consecutive miscarriages, most couples are urged to schedule their first visit with an infertility specialist. While most experience excitement about the visit, knowing that a reproductive medicine specialist offers hope for a long-awaited pregnancy, many couples also battle the nerves associated with not knowing what to expect as infertility patients.

's8220;The field of reproductive medicine is complex, vast and always changing, and new patients often wonder where to begin and what their journey will be like,'s8221; notes Dr. Joshua Hurwitz, a reproductive endocrinologist with Reproductive Medicine Associates of CT. 's8220;What's8217;s more, most couples are already struggling with a variety of emotions because of an inability to conceive or sustain a healthy pregnancy thus far,'s8221; he adds. 's8220;Knowing what to expect at the initial visit can help put patients at ease, and give them the information they need to participate fully in their own health care,'s8221; Dr. Hurwitz explains.

Dr. Hurwitz also stresses to new patients that, while infertility itself is common 's8211; affecting about one in ten women of childbearing age, according to the Centers for Disease Control 's8211; complex and expensive procedures like IVF are not. 's8220;In vitro fertilization is an extraordinarily valuable technique that has resulted in thousands of successes, but it is only needed in about 3% of all infertility cases,'s8221; he notes. The vast majority of infertility patients can be successfully treated with simple medications or surgery.

Don's8217;t get worked up over the 's8220;workup's8221;

The first appointment often centers around the 's8220;Infertility Workup,'s8221; which, Dr. Hurwitz notes, can sound far more intimidating than it is. 's8220;The workup simply provides us with the groundwork to determine the initial direction of a treatment plan,'s8221; he explains. 's8220;Invasive techniques are rarely performed at this early stage, and the focus is squarely on exchanging information and providing a road map to a solution.'s8221; With that in mind, Dr. Hurwitz explains the following checklist for what to expect during an initial consultation and 's8220;Infertility Workup.'s8221;

Revealing the past's8230;and the present: Patients will be asked to provide their past and current medical histories, information about their lifestyle habits, and details on their attempts at conception. Dr. Hurwitz notes that most clinics strongly encourage both partners to attend this first meeting. 's8220;It's8217;s important from two standpoints: First, it reinforces their commitment to addressing the issue together, and second, it is crucial that we can evaluate how each partner's8217;s history, lifestyle and current health status might factor into the couples fertility challenges during the first appointment,'s8221; he notes.

Ready for a checkup: The specialist may want to perform a brief physical examination on the 's8220;mother-to-be,'s8221; and blood tests and ultrasounds.

Meet and Greet: The couple can also expect to meet other members of the physician's8217;s group, including nurses and support staff. A general overview of the practice, along with a review of the scope of possible treatment plans and the financial options offered, may also be provided.

Any questions: At the end of the first appointment, the specialist may be able to provide a tentative treatment plan, or may wish to wait until test results are returned before discussing the next steps in the process. Either way, the appointment should end with patients asking any questions they have, and obtaining any instructions or suggestions to be followed between appointments.

's8220;The vast majority of couples who receive an infertility diagnosis today can achieve and maintain a healthy pregnancy,'s8221; Dr. Hurwitz assures. 's8220;The first step is to overcome the natural nervousness associated with infertility and make an appointment with a reproductive medicine specialist to start working towards a solution.'s8221;

Bio

Dr. Joshua Hurwitz, MD is a specialist in reproductive medicine. After receiving his undergraduate degree at Cornell University, Dr. Hurwitz earned his medical degree at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Penn., where he also completed his residency at the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Dr. Hurwitz completed his fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility, and is currently assistant professor in the Department of OB/Gyn at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine 's8211; Montefiore Medical Center in New York. . He is a member of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. A recipient of many honors, Dr. Hurwitz was named Best Resident Laparoendoscopic Surgeon at Thomas Jefferson Hospital in 2003. He also has been awarded several teaching awards both in Philadelphia and New York City. Dr Hurwitz is currently a physician with Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut (RMA-CT) with offices in Norwalk and Danbury.

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