12 Questions to Ask Before Starting IVF
fertility
The decision to start IVF is significant — emotionally, physically, and practically. Most couples arrive at the IVF consultation with hope and anxiety in roughly equal measure, and leave having absorbed a great deal of information in a short time. The questions that should have been asked often surface on the drive home.
This is the list. Twelve questions that every couple should ask before committing to an IVF cycle.
Dr. Shachi Singh, consultant gynaecologist and fertility specialist at Prakash Hospital, Sector 33, Noida, compiled this guide to help you go into your IVF journey informed.
1. What Is My Realistic Success Rate — Specifically for Me?
General IVF success rate statistics (35 to 40% per cycle for women under 35) are population averages. Your success rate depends on your specific factors: your age, your AMH and antral follicle count, your partner's semen analysis, your diagnosis, and whether there are any identified implantation factors. Ask for a personalised estimate based on your actual test results — not the clinic's general advertising figures.
2. How Many Cycles Should I Realistically Expect to Need?
A single IVF cycle is not always sufficient. For some couples, cumulative success rates across 2 to 3 cycles are significantly higher than after just one. Understanding this expectation from the beginning prevents the devastating surprise of a first negative result feeling like a final verdict.
3. What Does the Protocol Include — and What Is Extra?
IVF pricing in India is often quoted as a base figure. Understand exactly what is included: the cost of stimulation medications (which can be substantial), anaesthesia for egg retrieval, embryo freezing, embryo storage per year, PGT-A (genetic testing of embryos) if recommended, and the frozen embryo transfer. Ask for a complete itemised estimate.
4. Who Will Be Performing My Egg Retrieval — and My Embryo Transfer?
In larger fertility centres, egg retrieval may be performed by a junior colleague rather than the consultant you have been consulting. Embryo transfer technique is also clinician-dependent. Clarify who will be performing these procedures.
5. What Happens to My Embryos If I Have More Than I Need?
Supernumerary embryos are typically frozen (vitrified). Ask: what is the embryo freezing policy, what are the annual storage costs, what happens to frozen embryos if you do not want to use them (donation, research, or disposal options), and what the clinic's policy is regarding your embryos if you are unable to continue fertility treatment.
6. Do You Recommend PGT-A (Preimplantation Genetic Testing) for Me — and Why?
PGT-A (testing embryos for chromosomal abnormalities before transfer) is increasingly offered, particularly for women over 35, those with recurrent miscarriage, or after failed cycles. It has genuine benefits in selecting the most viable embryo — but it also has costs and risks (some normal embryos may be incorrectly classified as abnormal). Ask specifically whether it is recommended for your situation and why.
7. Fresh or Frozen Embryo Transfer — Which Do You Recommend and Why?
Frozen embryo transfer (FET) has become increasingly preferred over fresh transfer in many scenarios — because the endometrium is not exposed to the high oestrogen of a stimulated cycle. Ask which approach is planned for your protocol and the clinical reasoning.
8. What Is Your Laboratory's Fertilisation Rate and Blastocyst Rate?
These are quality metrics of the IVF laboratory — not just the clinical team. Fertilisation rate (percentage of eggs that fertilise) and blastocyst rate (percentage of fertilised eggs that reach the blastocyst stage by Day 5) reflect laboratory quality. Industry benchmarks: fertilisation rate above 65 to 70%, blastocyst rate above 40 to 50% of fertilised eggs.
9. What Support Is Available If a Cycle Fails?
A failed IVF cycle is emotionally devastating. Ask what support the clinic offers — whether there is a counsellor, when you would have a debrief consultation to discuss what happened and what to do differently, and what the waiting period is before attempting another cycle.
10. What Lifestyle Changes Should I Make Before Starting?
Folic acid (prescribed before and during). Stopping smoking and alcohol (both partners). Weight optimisation. Exercise. Specific supplements. Some clinics recommend a 3-month preparation window. Ask specifically what is recommended for your situation.
11. What Are the Risks — Specifically OHSS for Me?
Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome is the most significant IVF-related complication — ranging from mild (bloating, discomfort) to severe (hospitalisation, thrombosis). Women with PCOS and high AMH are at highest risk. Ask about your specific OHSS risk and what protocol modifications are planned to reduce it.
12. When Should I Call Between Appointments — and Who Do I Contact?
IVF involves frequent monitoring appointments and injections at home. There will be questions between appointments — about a medication dose, a side effect, an ultrasound result. Know who to call, when the clinic's helpline is available, and what constitutes a situation requiring urgent contact.
Fertility Care in Noida and Greater Noida
Dr. Shachi Singh at Prakash Hospital, Sector 33, Noida, provides comprehensive fertility counselling, workup, and IVF coordination for couples across Noida and Greater Noida.
To book a consultation with Dr. Shachi Singh, call: +91 97023 46853
Clinic Hours: Monday to Saturday, 9 AM – 6 PM | Sunday, 10 AM – 2 PM
Clinic Address: D-12A, 12B, Sector-33, G.B. Nagar, Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201301
This blog is for educational purposes only.
