What to Ask Your Fertility Doctor: How to Evaluate Clinics for Egg and Embryo Freezing

Choosing a fertility clinic or doctor for egg or embryo freezing is one of the most consequential healthcare decisions many people make. Yet most clinics look similar on the surface—polished websites, reassuring success rates, and vague promises of “personalized care.”

To truly assess quality, transparency, and fit, patients need to ask the right questions—and know what good answers actually sound like.

This guide breaks down the most important questions, metrics, and signals to help you evaluate fertility clinics and doctors with confidence.

1. Questions About Your Doctor’s Experience & Philosophy

“How many egg or embryo freezing cycles do you personally oversee each year?”

Why it matters:High-volume experience often correlates with better judgment in stimulation protocols, retrieval timing, and complication management.

Strong answer sounds like:Specific numbers, clarity on personal involvement (not just the clinic’s volume).

Red flag:Vague answers or deflection to “the team” without accountability.

“How do you individualize protocols for patients like me?”

Ask based on:

• Age

• AMH / ovarian reserve

• Prior cycles (if any)

• Medical history

Why it matters:Cookie-cutter protocols can lead to under- or overstimulation and suboptimal outcomes.

Strong answer:Mentions hormone dosing, trigger timing, and monitoring adjustments tailored to your profile.

2. Questions About Outcomes (Not Just Marketing Stats)

“What are your age-specific outcomes for egg and embryo freezing?”

Ask for:

• Eggs retrieved → mature eggs → fertilized embryos → blastocysts

• By age bands (e.g., under 35, 35–37, 38–40)

Why it matters:Raw egg counts mean little without downstream outcomes.

Strong answer:Clear explanation of attrition rates and realistic expectations.

Red flag:Only quoting national averages or SART marketing stats without clinic-specific context.

“How many eggs do you typically recommend freezing for my age to achieve one live birth?”

Why it matters:This reveals whether the clinic is honest about probabilities.

Strong answer:Ranges (e.g., “At 35, ~12–15 mature eggs per desired child”) and acknowledgment of uncertainty.

3. Questions About the Lab (Critical but Often Overlooked)

“Is your embryology lab in-house or outsourced?”

Why it matters:Lab quality is one of the biggest drivers of embryo survival and success.

“What vitrification and thaw survival rates does your lab achieve?”

Strong answer:

90–95% survival for eggs and embryos (age-dependent).

Red flag:Inability or unwillingness to share lab metrics.

“How many embryologists handle my eggs or embryos?”

Why it matters:Consistency and experience matter. Too many handoffs increase risk.

4. Questions About Monitoring & Day-to-Day Care

“How often will I be monitored, and who reviews my results?”

Ask specifically:

• Ultrasound + bloodwork frequency

• Whether the doctor reviews results personally

Why it matters:Frequent, attentive monitoring reduces risk of OHSS and mistimed retrievals.

“Who do I contact if I have questions during stimulation?”

Strong answer:Named nurse or care coordinator, clear response times.

Red flag:Generic portals with slow or inconsistent replies.

5. Questions About Medications & Protocol Decisions

“How do you decide medication dosing and changes during the cycle?”

Why it matters:Dynamic adjustment based on response is key.

“How do you minimize the risk of OHSS?”

Look for:

• Trigger choices (Lupron vs hCG)

• Monitoring estrogen levels

• Conservative dosing when appropriate

6. Questions About Embryo Creation (If Applicable)

“How do you decide whether to recommend embryo freezing over egg freezing?”

Why it matters:This reveals whether the clinic prioritizes patient goals vs. lab success rates.

“What fertilization method do you use (ICSI vs conventional), and why?”

Strong answer:Explains rationale based on sperm quality, not default lab preference.

7. Questions About Costs, Transparency & Billing

“Can you provide fully itemized pricing?”

Ask for separation of:

• Monitoring

• Retrieval

• Lab fees

• Medications

• Storage

Why it matters:Itemization affects insurance, FSA/HSA reimbursement, and cost comparison.

“What costs are not included in your quoted package?”

Red flag:Surprise fees for anesthesia, lab work, or medications.

8. Questions About Storage & Long-Term Planning

“Where are eggs/embryos stored, and what are the annual fees?”

Ask:

• On-site vs third-party storage

• Transfer fees if moving clinics later

“What happens if the clinic closes or I move?”

A well-run clinic has a clear continuity plan.

9. Questions About Ethics, Pressure & Patient Autonomy

“How do you handle patients who want to pause or stop after one cycle?”

Why it matters:Some clinics subtly push multiple cycles to optimize stats or revenue.

Strong answer:Respects patient autonomy and financial boundaries.

“Do you receive incentives tied to cycle volume or outcomes?”

Few will answer directly—but how they respond matters.

10. How the Clinic Makes You Feel (Often the Most Telling Signal)

After consultations, ask yourself:

• Did I feel rushed or heard?

• Were risks explained clearly—or minimized?

• Was uncertainty acknowledged honestly?

Clinics that over-promise, oversimplify, or dismiss questions are often the ones patients regret choosing.

Final Takeaway

The “best” fertility clinic is not the one with the flashiest website or highest headline success rate—it’s the one that offers:

• Transparent, age-specific outcomes

• Strong lab performance

• Thoughtful, individualized protocols

• Clear communication and ethical care

Asking these questions helps you move from being a passive patient to an informed decision-maker—exactly where you should be when preserving your fertility.

Optional Disclaimer

This article is for informational purposes only and does not replace medical advice. Patients should consult licensed fertility specialists to determine what is appropriate for their individual situation.