Reproductive medical clinics are sprouting up all over the nation to help infertile couples attain their dream of having their own children. Infertility is a heart-wrenching situation in which couples cannot create a viable pregnancy on their own and must turn to fertility clinics for help.
Reproductive medicine is practiced in a few types of facilities, including OB-GYN clinics and fertility centers. Whether you practice general gynecological medicine and help infertile couples as they present themselves, or are a reproductive endocrinologist specializing in primary infertility, you must have the proper supplies and equipment to treat your patients. You can give them back the hope they have lost through their struggle with infertility.
1. Obtain all necessary fertility drugs for stimulating and/or suppressing a woman's hormones.
2. Stock up on disposables like IUI catheters to keep your patients protected every time.
3. Set up any equipment needed for performing your procedures.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Keep your reproductive health clinics stocked with a variety of fertility medications
Facilities offering reproductive medicine services should always stock fertility drugs. From clomiphene citrate to heavier drugs like Gonal-f, every patient will most likely need something to stimulate and control their ovulation. Women undergoing IVF will need take-home packages that include injectable drugs they must give themselves.
I recommend: Prevent premature ovulation by giving your female patients injections of Lupron Depot from
TAP Pharmaceutical Products. Order self-injectables like Follistim AQ from
MDR Pharmaceutical Care; they have a convenient feature that ships the drugs straight to your patients' homes.
Obtain reproductive health care supplies
In any branch of medicine, it's imperative to maintain sanitary conditions. This goes for fertility clinics as well. To make accurate diagnoses and do sterile procedures, you must have the proper disposable supplies.
I recommend: Use disposable counting chambers from
Conception Technologies when doing a semen analysis. Find IUI catheters and cannulas at
Zavos Diagnostic Laboratories.
Set up the necessary machines and equipment to provide reproductive health services
A wide array of machines can be used depending on couples' specific situations. Some sperm need a little help through IVF with ICSI while some sperm only need to be "washed" before proceeding with an IUI. Every female patient undergoing egg stimulation should be monitored using ultrasound technology as this will help prevent hyperstimulation of the ovaries.
I recommend: Check follicle size using an ultrasound machine from
Absolute Medical Equipment. Perform ICSI with the TransferMan NK 2 micromanipulator from
Eppendorf AG.
Find a list of reproductive medicine clinics in the US
There are several reputable reproductive health clinics; find them online.
I recommend: Facility Centers of Illinois is one of the world's leading
infertility treatment clinics. The
NYU Fertility Center is also highly recommended. Read Child Magazine's list of the
10 Best Fertility Centers.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Reproductive medicine clinics should stay at the forefront of new technology. Devoting yourself to helping infertile couples means giving them the best treatment they can afford. If it means that you have to buy new equipment for the latest breakthrough procedures, do it despite the cost and think of all the couples you'll be helping.
The official source of Reproductive Medicine Clinics is
the Reproductive Medicine Clinics page at Business.com