Fertility Clinic Near Med Center and Oak Park

Fertility Evaluation & Testing

A fertility evaluation begins with a discussion of your health history, menstrual cycles when applicable, previous pregnancies or treatment, and family-building goals. Depending on your circumstances, your physician may recommend hormone bloodwork, an ultrasound with antral follicle count, ovarian reserve assessment, semen analysis, or an assessment of the uterus and fallopian tubes.

What to know: Testing helps identify possible factors affecting fertility and guide next steps; no single test can guarantee or rule out a future pregnancy.

Ovulation Support & Timed Treatment

For some patients, care may involve identifying whether ovulation is occurring regularly, tracking the menstrual cycle, or discussing medications that support ovulation. Your physician may recommend monitoring with bloodwork or ultrasound when appropriate.

What to know: The goal is to understand whether a less intensive approach could be suitable before considering more involved treatment.

Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)

IUI is a treatment in which prepared sperm is placed directly into the uterus around the time of ovulation. It may be considered for certain sperm-related concerns, use of donor sperm, or other circumstances after an evaluation. IUI may be coordinated with cycle monitoring and, in some cases, medication.

What to know: IUI does not involve retrieving eggs or creating embryos in a laboratory. Whether it is appropriate depends on factors such as age, tubal health, and sperm parameters.

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

IVF generally involves ovarian stimulation, monitoring, an egg retrieval, fertilization of eggs in an embryology laboratory, and an embryo transfer or freezing embryos for future use. Your care team can explain decisions about fertilization methods, embryo development, and whether genetic testing may be relevant.

What to know: IVF may be recommended in some situations, but it is not the starting point for every patient. Treatment protocols and timelines are individualized.

Egg & Embryo Freezing

Fertility preservation may be considered by people who want to keep future family-building options open or who face medical treatment that could affect fertility. Egg freezing preserves unfertilized eggs; embryo freezing preserves eggs after fertilization. Both generally involve stimulation and egg retrieval.

What to know: Freezing does not guarantee a future pregnancy. Age at freezing, the number and quality of eggs or embryos, and other factors influence potential outcomes.

Donor & Other Family-Building Options

Depending on your goals and medical needs, your physician may discuss donor sperm, donor eggs, donor embryos, or care involving a gestational carrier. These pathways can involve additional medical, legal, and counseling considerations, and services may be coordinated with external partners.

What to know: Your team can explain which options are relevant, what services are available at your clinic, and where outside coordination may be needed.

Share Your History

Talk through your reproductive and medical history, prior treatment and family-building priorities.

Discuss Testing

Learn which evaluations might be helpful and whether they require an in-person appointment.

Review Next Steps

Ask about results, treatment options, timing, costs and how to contact your care team.

Understand

Review your medical history, goals and any existing results with your physician.

Explore

Discuss whether further testing, fertility preservation, IUI, IVF or another approach may be appropriate.

Decide

Make a plan for follow-up, treatment or future monitoring that fits your circumstances.