OB, RE or Fertility Clinic?

short0ne22 · September 2014

After a year of trying, DH and I are starting the process of getting our workups. My DH spoke to his PCP and sent his swimmers off for SA (results don't look good but we don't have the specifics yet. He goes to the urologist in October.) My OB/GYN is sending me for lab work and an HSG (which I did yesterday - left tube appears blocked.)

I saw in the threads here that going to your OB for fertility is a waste of time and that several of you recommend going directly to a reproductive endocrinologist. I have a follow up with my OB/GYN scheduled for November, but now I'm questioning it. Should I seek out an RE to consult once we have all our work done and cancel with my OB? I also found a fertility clinic in my city - they obviously specialize in fertility treatment and even offer acupuncture and yoga on site! I'm overwhelmed by the options and not sure which direction to go in (and I certainly don't want to waste any time!)

Any advice from those who have been through it?

Cythe · September 2014

With male and female issues, I would certainly go right to the RE. Best not to mess around.

tlc35 · September 2014

The only reason to go to your OB is if you have infertility insurance coverage and they require a referral to a RE in order to cover it.
If the fertility clinic doctors are reproductive endocrinologists (REs) than that is fine. They really should be or it isn't really a fertility clinic, just hocus pocus.

catmagick · September 2014

Run to your RE. I think that once you have all your results in you should cancel with your OB and go to the RE. Your OB is there to help you during and after your pregnancy as well as regular well woman stuff. An RE specializes in GETTING you pregnant.

TheBorg7of9 · September 2014

I think you should switch to an RE before you do any more testing. My OB took 6 months to get all the testing done that my RE did in one. Your husband should see a urologist specializing in infertility. See this website. Maledoc.com

Twinkie0612 · September 2014

I did a round of clomid + IUI with my OB and in hindsight it was a waste of time and money. He did the proper monitoring (at my request), but I am convinced that he really didn't know what he was doing. He also wouldn't prescribe hcg triggers so IUI was based of OPK, which I felt was kind of iffy. I don't recommend doing more than basic testing with an OB and even then you have to be careful since they sometimes mess up the testing.

As for a RE or fertility clinic, it doesn't really make a difference. My last RE had his own practice at a local hospital where he did testing and TI or IUI cycles, but did his IVF cycles with a local fertility clinic. I recently switched REs and now see the RE that is the medical director at the clinic. For me I feel that the RE at the clinic is more progressive than my last RE and since we are also seeking treatment with a Reproductive Immunologist, I wanted someone who had more of an open mind. My recommendation is to do some research and make an appointment with a RE, if you don't like that RE then you can always find a new one. Over the course of IF treatments, I have seen or consulted with 7 different doctors (OB, 5 REs, and 1 RI). It is important that you find someone you trust.

rbtrumpet · September 2014

definitely RE! I did my HSG with my OB, and he was going to perscribe me clomid (even though one of my tubes is blocked, so it wouldn't have helped at all), I know this because he gave me all the info on it - luckily I knew better than to take it (although I never got to that point, as I got pregnant on my HSG cycle).

rbtrumpet · September 2014

*ignore bad spelling...I haven't had enough coffee yet, and my browser freaks out when I try to edit a post :-p

Twinkie0612 · September 2014

GhostMonkey said:

Twinkie0612 said:

I did a round of clomid + IUI with my OB and in hindsight it was a waste of time and money. He did the proper monitoring (at my request), but I am convinced that he really didn't know what he was doing. He also wouldn't prescribe hcg triggers so IUI was based of OPK, which I felt was kind of iffy. I don't recommend doing more than basic testing with an OB and even then you have to be careful since they sometimes mess up the testing.
As for a RE or fertility clinic, it doesn't really make a difference. My last RE had his own practice at a local hospital where he did testing and TI or IUI cycles, but did his IVF cycles with a local fertility clinic. I recently switched REs and now see the RE that is the medical director at the clinic. For me I feel that the RE at the clinic is more progressive than my last RE and since we are also seeking treatment with a Reproductive Immunologist, I wanted someone who had more of an open mind. My recommendation is to do some research and make an appointment with a RE, if you don't like that RE then you can always find a new one. Over the course of IF treatments, I have seen or consulted with 7 different doctors (OB, 5 REs, and 1 RI). It is important that you find someone you trust.

Yes, it absolutely does. Many "fertility clinics" are run by OBs with God complexes.

@ghostmonkey I guess I should have added that as long as the fertility clinic is run by a RE. In my area I don't know of any "fertility clinics" run by OBs, although we do have a slew of OBs advertising themselves as specializing in infertility, my former OB included. We do have different options for REs, some have practices affiliated with hospitals, or the clinic I go to that is a stand alone clinic not affiliated with a hospital.

OP I think it boils down to see a RE for infertility issues and an OB/GYN for pregnancy or general gynecological issues.

short0ne22 · September 2014

Thanks for all the input!!! I looked into it and the fertility clinic IS run by an RE. I really think I'd like to go in that direction since they seem to offer a more broad and inclusive approach. But I will definitely be doing my research as suggested!

AnonymousNurse · September 2014

I have nothing new to add to this thread but I'd like to reinforce even further that you should see an RE. My OB's office encouraged me to see their "fertility specialist" first and holy crap, what a waste of time.

I saw an RE this week for the first time and they diagnosed me with PCOS after talking to me for about 60 seconds (later confirmed with US and blood work). The difference is amazing. I would forgo any further testing with your OB, you will potentially just have to have it redone once you see the RE anyway. I'm seeing an RE at a fertility clinic and I just can't say enough good things about them.

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