Questions to Ask a Fertility Clinic (and Red Flags to Watch For)

Choosing a fertility clinic is a big decision, and first consultations move fast. This guide gives you a structured list of questions, explains why each one matters, and shows what the CDC’s 2022 clinic data can tell you before you walk in.^[1] Bring it to your consultation, or use it to compare clinics side by side.

Before the consultation: what you can check yourself

Every US clinic that performs IVF is expected to report its cycles to the CDC. You can look up any clinic’s figures on its FertilityList page, which shows CDC data by age group, a three-year trend and the services it reported. Things to check:

• Did the clinic report? In the latest data, 452 clinics reported outcomes. We also list 57 clinics that appear in CDC records without 2022 outcome data. That can happen for ordinary reasons, such as a recent opening or a merger, but it is worth asking about.
• How big is it? The median reporting clinic performed 514 ART cycles in 2022; the middle half of clinics ranged from 262 to 1,121 cycles.^[1] Size alone does not mean better care, but very small numbers make success rates unstable.
• Professional standards. In the CDC data, 80% of reporting clinics were SART members and 89.6% reported verified lab accreditation.^[1] See what SART membership and lab accreditation mean.
• Services. Egg freezing was offered by 99.6% of reporting clinics and gestational carrier services by 90.9%.^[1] If you need a specific service, confirm it is offered on site.

Questions about success rates

1. “What are your live-birth rates per intended egg retrieval for patients my age?” Ask for live births, not pregnancies, and per intended retrieval, not only per transfer. Here’s why.
2. “How many patients in my age group did you treat last year?” Rates based on small numbers can swing widely.
3. “How do your patients compare with the national picture?” The CDC notes that clinics treat different populations, which affects their rates.^[2] A good clinic can explain its own case mix.
4. “Do you have criteria that limit who you treat?” Some clinics accept patients with a poorer prognosis, and others do not. Both choices affect published rates.
5. “What is your rate of multiple births, and what is your policy on how many embryos to transfer?” Twins and triplets carry higher health risks. The CDC reports singleton and multiple outcomes separately.

Questions about treatment

6. “What treatment would you suggest for me, and what are the alternatives?” IVF is one of several options. Others include medication and intrauterine insemination (IUI).^[3] Ask why a particular path is proposed.
7. “Do you routinely freeze all embryos, and do you routinely use genetic testing (PGT)?” Your clinic’s FertilityList page shows how often it used frozen transfers and PGT compared with the national rate. Ask how they decide, and whether it is optional.
8. “Who will I actually see?” Ask who performs the procedures, who you contact with questions, and how quickly you can expect replies.
9. “What happens if a cycle is cancelled?” Ask about the medical and financial policy.

Questions about the lab

10. “Is your embryology lab accredited, and by whom?” The CDC records whether a clinic’s lab accreditation was verified.
11. “How long do you store embryos or eggs, and what does storage cost each year?”
12. “What happens to stored embryos if I stop treatment or the clinic changes ownership?”

Questions about cost

13. “What is included in the quoted price, and what isn’t?” Medication, anesthesia, genetic testing, embryo freezing and storage are often billed separately.
14. “Do you offer packages or refund programs, and what are the conditions?” Read eligibility rules carefully.
15. “Will you check my insurance coverage in writing before I start?”

The CDC does not collect prices, so cost questions can only be answered by the clinic. Ask for written estimates from every clinic you are considering.

Questions about support and communication

16. “What counseling or emotional support do you offer?” Fertility treatment can be stressful, and many clinics offer or refer to counselors.
17. “How will results be communicated, and who explains them?” Ask whether you will get test results, embryo reports and transfer details in writing.
18. “Can I get copies of my records if I move clinics?” Ask about the process and any fees.

Write down the answers at each clinic you visit. Comparing written answers side by side is often more revealing than comparing headline success rates. It also makes it easier to follow up later if something was unclear.

Red flags

Patient-education material from professional bodies encourages people to ask questions and get clear answers.^[4] Be cautious if a clinic:

• quotes only pregnancy rates or per-transfer rates and will not give live births per intended retrieval;
• claims “guaranteed” results, or compares itself with other clinics without citing data;
• pressures you to sign up or pay on the day of a first visit;
• cannot tell you how many patients your age it treated;
• is vague about extra fees or storage costs;
• does not appear in CDC data and cannot explain why.

None of these alone proves a problem, but each is a reason to ask more questions.

How FertilityList can help

Use state pages to shortlist clinics near you, then open each clinic page to compare age-specific rates, cycle numbers, services and standards. The FertilityList Score summarizes this data but is not a substitute for a consultation. Clinics with too little data show “Limited data” rather than a score.

This guide is general information, not medical advice.