Defining goals is a key feature shared by people that we describe as “successful.” It is also a practical approach for those of us that diagnose and treat fertility challenges. So what is the best way to define successful fertility treatment?
Many patients present to us with the question of “why?” They want to know why they haven’t conceived. My first goal is to redirect them to thinking of “what?” What do they want their completed family to look like? This may seem like a small shift in focus; but in reality is a huge leap towards achieving that goal.
“Why-focused thinkers” tend to focus on the past. They often want to spend a tremendous amount of time and effort in diagnosing what their obstacle has been and what could they have done differently. Once they effectively become “what-focused-thinkers,” their momentum has already shifted forward. That simple shift in thinking dynamically places them on a path forward to actually achieving that goal.
At our center, we focus on Live-Birth-Rates because we know that is the only marker that really matters to our patients. With that in mind, we work towards minimizing obstacles to efficiently reach that goal—one (or occasionally two) babies at a time. But considering the answer to the “what” question—we often have to plan for subsequent pregnancies at the same time that we plan for the first/next one. Applying this approach, we became one of the elite centers that truly have the highest reportable success rates.
Our goal for the coming year is to not only stay in this elite group. But to continue to find ways to help push those rates higher—while continuing to share what we learn along the way. So thank you for checking in. Let’s focus on the future!
With dedication and humility,
~Robert Greene, MD
On behalf of the team at Conceptions Reproductive Associates
Enhancing Fertility 