• the right doctor
  • the first visit
  • specialists
  • the patient's role
    • preparations
    • questions
  • second opinion
• basal fertility testing
• female symptoms
• additional tests for women
• female diagnosis
• male symptoms
• additional tests for men
• male diagnosis
• unexplained subfertility

the patient's role

the patient’s role

Just as you expect the utmost from your doctor and all the other health care professionals involved in your diagnosis and treatment, it is important to apply the same rules to you and your partner – the patients. How you both perform your roles as patients can make a difference to the success of diagnosis and treatment.

Infertility can make a couple feel helpless and, as a result, they can feel as if they have no control over their situation. One way of regaining control is to do exactly what you are doing now, namely gathering information and knowledge. By immersing yourself in the information from www.fertilityjourney.co.uk, you are taking an active rather than a passive role.

Another important way of taking control is to follow your doctor’s instructions closely. This does not mean that you cannot ask questions – in fact, it is important that you do ask questions and fully understand the treatment process. However, following the instructions you are given can be essential to the process.

In this section, you can find advice on what you and your partner can do to help you and your doctor in the different stages of the diagnosis and treatment of reduced fertility.