Choosing an IVF clinic isn't like choosing a restaurant. You can't simply look at a five-star rating, glance at a few photographs, and make a decision. This is deeply personal. It involves your health, your hopes, your money, and sometimes years of trying to start a family.
So, how do you actually choose the right clinic?
Look beyond the advertisements.
Start With the Doctor
The doctor matters. A lot.
IVF involves several decisions, from evaluating the cause of infertility to selecting the appropriate treatment approach, monitoring the cycle, and deciding how and when embryos should be transferred. You want someone who doesn't treat every patient like a number on a file.
This is where experience becomes meaningful.
When considering a fertility centre, look at the qualifications, experience, areas of expertise, and approach of the fertility specialist. At Shivam IVF, patients can consult Dr Bhavana Mittal, who specialises in reproductive medicine and infertility management and has professional training in assisted reproduction.
But here's the thing: qualifications are only one part of the picture. Ask questions. Does the doctor explain your treatment clearly? Do they discuss alternatives? Are they willing to tell you when IVF may not be the first option?
Those conversations tell you plenty.
Look Closely at the Treatment Options
Not every couple needs exactly the same treatment.
One person may require IUI. Another may need IVF. Someone else may benefit from ICSI, fertility preservation, embryo freezing, or a surgical approach to an underlying fertility problem.
A good clinic should offer appropriate treatment choices rather than pushing everyone towards the same procedure.
Shivam IVF provides a range of assisted reproductive services, including IVF, IUI, ICSI, embryo freezing, egg freezing, blastocyst culture and transfer, and other fertility-related procedures. Having these options under one roof can make the treatment journey easier to navigate.
Don't Ignore the Embryology Laboratory
This part often gets overlooked.
People naturally focus on the doctor, but IVF is also a laboratory-driven process. Eggs are fertilised, embryos are cultured and assessed, and decisions are made about freezing or transfer. Small details in this stage matter.
So ask about the clinic's embryology facilities and laboratory practices.