When a couple first receives a diagnosis of infertility, the choices for treatment can be confusing and daunting. Often, they rely primarily on the information given by their doctor, hearsay, or their own research as to how best to understand various Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) procedures. It is at this point that the services of an infertility consultant may be most beneficial.
This writer had an opportunity to discuss the advantages of working with an infertility consultant with Mindy Berkson, founder of Lotus Blossom Consulting, LLC. Mindy started her firm in 2005 with over a decade of experience both personal and professional in the infertility field. Lotus Blossom Consulting provides services to national and international clients seeking infertility treatments in the United States.
Mindy’s mission as an infertility consultant is to be an advocate for her clients in every aspect—using her knowledge and experience to identify the treatments that would be most effective and how to finance them.
For the couple considering professional advice for their individual situation, an infertility consultant may provide several advantages.
Identifying the most effective treatment
An infertility consultant will have expertise in how various diagnoses impede the achievement of live birth. Along with this, they can advise on which treatments are most appropriate in achieving pregnancy and birth and assist in identifying the most competent fertility centers that provide this treatment. Mindy suggests interviewing at least two physicians, legal representatives or other professionals for each service you utilize in your treatments. She points out that “sometimes the best provider may not be in your backyard, but you may need to be willing to travel for treatment.” Mindy also urges that women or couples seek a full diagnostic treatment upfront to ensure that all causes for infertility are identified. She notes that women over the age of 35 may need to limit the treatment received at the obstetrician’s (OB) office before seeking a reproductive endocrinologist (RE), as REs will have more expertise and equipment available to accurately treat and diagnose.
Maximizing insurance benefits
When developing a plan with an infertility consultant, he or she will examine what insurance benefits you have that cover fertility and advise on how to best utilize these benefits when seeking treatment. Depending on the provisions of the insurance plan, it may require that the couple be treated at an OB’s office initially before moving on to an RE. Mindy offers to use an “educated decision to weigh whether to try lesser treatments [first] or put benefits towards higher forms of treatment.” She points out that many insurance plans with any fertility coverage will usually limit the amount of dollars spent to around $10,000—which will usually only cover one in-vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle.
Figuring out the finances
So, you know which treatment you need, you have found the best doctor to administer the treatment—now comes figuring out how to pay for it all. This can be the most daunting portion of infertility treatments and perhaps the area an infertility consultant can help the most. Although some states mandate that insurances have some sort of fertility coverage, many do not; couples in need of ART procedures could be looking at footing the entire bill on their own. With an infertility consultant, he or she can assist you in creating a financial plan or even locating grants that assist in this.
Mindy’s firm Lotus Blossom Consulting has a non-profit arm that provides the Jude Andrew Adams Charitble Fund—it was established in 2008 to help financially needy couples receive a free treatment cycle. She hopes to be able to fund 4 cycles in 2012.
Conclusion
On top of these benefits, hiring an infertility consultant may also help you use your funds and treatments to not only achieve one pregnancy, but to prepare for further building your family by providing siblings. Mindy realizes that couples enduring infertility are often only able to look towards the next cycle, and she offers a practical, objective perspective to reasonably provide for not only their current efforts, but future hopes to add to their family.
Although the additional cost of hiring a consultant may seem like one more financial hurdle, she urges that the initial cost will more than pay off in the long-run as she can help couples reach a successful cycle more quickly while using the process to put embryos in cryopreservation for their next pregnancy. Mindy hopes to help clients develop a complete and effective action plan that will “maximize their treatment cycle and minimize the financial expenditure over time.”
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