Making difficult decisions - a guide for IVF couples

While most IVF cycles are straight-forward, sometimes we come to a cross-roads when it's not always clear what the next step should be .For example, if have poor ovarian reserve, and have grown only 2 follicles after aggressive superovulation, should you cancel the cycle? Or should you continue?These decisions can be difficult to make, and it's especially when patients find they have to make a difficult decision that they expect their doctors to tell them what to do. After all, doctors are professional experts, and they have the experience and the skills to decide. How can a patient decide for herself ? She has never done this before, and is confused, and wants her doctor to decide on her behalf.                               It's very easy for a doctor to be paternalistic and tell you what to do, but I don't think this is a good idea . After all, even if the doctor's intention might be honest, if he tells you to go ahead and then fails to retrieve eggs, the patient is likely to feel cheated. She may feel that the doctor did it only to earn more money - and may resent the doctor for subjecting her to a futile procedure. After all, patients need to live with the consequences of the decision. We don't want them to feel afterwards - "I wish I'd done this," or, "I wish hadn't done that."A respectful doctor will explain the...
Source: Dr.Malpani's Blog - Category: Reproduction Medicine Source Type: blogs