Frequently Asked Questions

There’s so much to learn about fertility medicine. Here are some of the most common questions we get. We’ll be happy to answer any other questions you have when you come for your appointment.

Please fill them out and email them to forms@ivftucson.com or you can fax them to: 520-733-0771 or mail them to 4518 E. Camp Lowell Drive Tucson, 85712

We are contracted with United Health Care, Blue Cross/ Blue Shield, Cigna and United Medical Resources (UMR) and several other health plans. If you have a smaller plan, please call our office and inquire if we are contracted.

All insurance plans vary, so you will want to check your benefits package by logging into your account online or contacting your human resources department. Some plans cover nothing related to infertility treatment. Some plans will cover diagnosis of infertility, but will not cover treatment. Other plans cover both but with limitations on the treatment, and some plans will cover nearly everything. Make sure you understand what your co pays and out of pocket expenses will be. You will need to know if there are limitations on coverage for things like prior sterilization in a partner. Also, some plans make you use specific pharmacies for some fertility medications. The more you know, the easier it is for you to use your benefits. And when obtaining information from the insurance company, be sure to write down the name of the person providing you information, the date you spoke with them and what they told you. Infertility treatment in Arizona will still cost you money out of pocket even if you have the best insurance, so be sure you plan for this. This is why we’re so transparent with our fee structure, so there are no surprises.

The new patient consultation includes an hour with Dr. Hutchison. During this time he will review your history with you and discuss your diagnosis and options for conception. He may also give you things you can do to improve your chances of conception on your own. He will do a gynecological exam with cervical cultures and will look at your pelvic cavity with an ultrasound. The cost is often covered by your insurance for diagnosis of infertility. if your insurance does not cover this appointment, please call our office For the most up-to-date pricing information at (520) 352-7165.

Call the office at 520-733-0083 and we will gather your basic information, your name, birth date, address, insurance type, etc. And we will guide you to the patient information forms online, and of course, happily answer any questions you may have.

Most likely yes, we have a cancellation list for new patient appointments. Often times, people reschedule their appointments or cancel them. If you are on the list, we can typically move you up into one of these open appointments. Ask to be on the cancellation list if you want to get in as soon as possible for your infertility treatment in Arizona.

Dr. Hutchison needs time to review your history and all of your information – it’s like his homework. Once he has had a chance to review your file, he can ask you more personal and pertinent questions, which in turn will give you a better diagnosis of why you are having trouble conceiving.

Yes, you will get a lot of information during this appointment and it will be good to have your husband or partner there to help you absorb everything. Additionally, there will be information pertaining to them as well. Information about general health, diet and exercise, semen parameters, etc. will all benefit your partner or spouse.

We use many reliable sperm banks: Fairfax Cryobank, Xytex, California Cryobank, New England Cryobank and Fertility Cryobank are some of the most popular. You can find all of them all on the web. Once you have found the bank you want to use, there will be paperwork on their websites for you to complete. There will also be a form that needs to be signed by the clinic to show that you are working with a network physician. You can call our office to have our staff help you negotiate this information. Once you are established with the bank, you can order samples and have them shipped to our office. Again, our staff will help you decide when to have samples shipped for use.

The two options are tubal ligation reversal and in vitro fertilization (IVF). Since tubal ligation reversal requires abdominal surgery and is more expensive than IVF, very few people opt for this procedure. Additionally, in recent years the success rates of IVF are greater than tubal ligation reversal. Artificial insemination and intrauterine insemination (IUI) are not options for people with fallopian tubes that are not open.

You are born with all your eggs, so women don’t produce new eggs during their lives. As we age, we use up the available eggs and there are fewer for fertilization and pregnancy. Also, as we age the eggs in our bodies age too. This is part of the reason that women in their late 30s and 40s have more miscarriages. Typically, women in their 20s have about a 25 percent chance of pregnancy per cycle, women in their early 30’s have a 20 percent chance per cycle, in the late 30’s that diminishes to about 10 percent and by 40 the chance of pregnancy per cycle is around 2 to 5 percent. More about age and fertility

The HSG shows the doctor the architecture of the uterus (will show polyps, fibroids or scar tissue in the uterus) and shows whether or not the fallopian tubes are open. For more information check out: http://www.reproductivefacts.org/Hysterosalpingogram_factsheet/

Call the office with the start of your period and we will get it set up for you. We will also give you instructions on what to do to prepare, and where to go for the procedure.

A uterine polyp is a benign growth of tissue in the uterus. Sometimes polyps can cause heavy bleeding during the menstrual period. A polyp can also act like an Intra Uterine Device (IUD) making it very difficult for an embryo to implant in the uterus. Removing polyps is a very simple surgical procedure and is done as an outpatient procedure.

The antral follicle count is done with an ultrasound of the ovaries and will help indicate if the ovaries are producing eggs. We will also do some blood testing to see if you have ovarian reserve. These tests are referred to as the “Day three tests” because they are done around the third day of your menstrual cycle. They include: FSH, LH, Estradiol and Prolactin. During this test we will also check your thyroid and make sure you are immune to measles. For more information: http://www.reproductivefacts.org/Prediction_of_Fertility_Potential_Ovarian_Reserve_in_Women/

Performing transvaginal ultrasound will help to determine the correct days to induce ovulation and perform any IUI or IVF procedure. The uterine lining thickness (endometrium) is a good indicator of mature follicle development (and then mature eggs ovulated). It can also tell us how potentially successful your embryo will be in establishing a connection with the uterus (implantation). In addition, this test will help identify anything that might inhibit implantation, like uterine polyps or uterine fibroids.

Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted disease and often goes unnoticed. If not detected and treated promptly, chlamydia infections in women may lead to inflammation of the cervix. An untreated chlamydia infection may spread to the uterus or the fallopian tubes, causing salpingitis or pelvic inflammatory disease. These conditions can lead to infertility and increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy.

Yes, being overweight or obese leads to ovulation disorders which make it difficult to conceive and, as we age, it compounds the ovulation disorder. Women who are overweight are also more likely to miscarry and have gestational diabetes. For more information look up: http://www.reproductivefacts.org/Weight_and_Fertility_factsheet/

A fertility analysis of the semen looks at factors such as sperm count, motility, morphology and volume. These variables can provide valuable insight into whether male-factor infertility is playing a role. yes, having a semen analysis prior to the first appointment will help us give you a better diagnosis of why you are not conceiving. Treatment of the male partner is just as important as the female when it comes to infertility care.

A normal semen sample has around 50 million moving sperm. For more information on male fertility and optimizing fertility check out: http://www.reproductivefacts.org/Optimizing_Male_Fertility_factsheet/

Simply call our office and ask to speak with Randi Weinstein, she is our egg donor coordinator. You can also reach her by emailing her at randi@ivftucson.com.

This varies greatly, but typically patients will have between seven and 15 eggs.