Treatments & Services
How to start fertility investigations
For many Australians, the journey to parenthood does not always happen as quickly as they expect. For others, becoming a parent might require the assistance of sperm or egg donation. Whatever your situation, we believe in providing a minimally invasive and holistic approach to your care, according to your individual needs.
There's so much information around that it can seem overwhelming, but to make it easier we have outlined how to start the process and get the right advice when you need it.
1. Chat with a patient care coordinator
Before making an appointment, you might want to book a free-of-charge fertility chat with our patient care team. This is useful for discussing topics of concern and will help us to ensure your doctor consultation runs smoothly (for example if you require any of our specialised fertility management services). Fertility chats usually run for about 15 mins and they can give you some recommendations for books to read, or where you can find more advice.
The fertility news section of our website has some great articles on how environmental factors can impact fertility, and which vitamins and supplements can help.
If you are ready to take the next step, you can book an appointment with one of our fertility doctors, or speak to our reception staff about making an appointment by calling (08) 8155 5333.
2. Choose a fertility doctor
All our doctors are experts in fertility medicine, gynaecology, or obstetrics and they have specialised areas of interest. It's common for some women to want to see a female doctor and some men a male, while other patients just want to be seen as quickly as possible. Every fertility journey is different, so do have a look at our doctors' bios to choose the best fit for you, and don't hesitate to ask more questions from our Admin team.
3. Getting a referral
To be eligible for Medicare rebates, you'll need a referral from a GP (valid for 12 months) or a specialist gynaecologist or obstetrician (valid for 3 months). If you are in a couple, please ensure the referral includes both partners’ names.
4. Your first consultation
Your first consultation with your fertility doctor usually takes around 30-45 minutes and is bulk billed, so there will be no out-of-pocket costs for patients with valid Medicare cards.
At this appointment, your fertility doctor will go through your history and review any previous investigations. You will be advised about any further tests and investigations that are required, and a review appointment is generally made 4-6 weeks later.
5. Initial investigations
For both men and women, depending on the level of testing already performed, your fertility doctor may order further pathology tests. These can include blood tests for infectious diseases (hepatitis B and C, HIV) as well as an analysis of hormones. For women, this may include an AMH test to assess ovarian reserve. For men, a semen analysis is also routinely requested.
6. Review appointments
Your review appointments provide the opportunity to discuss the results of the initial investigations and, if applicable, factors that may be contributing to your difficulty in falling pregnant. If you start IVF or other treatments, you'll be booked in for regular appointments with your fertility specialist.
