IVF clinics and success data in Iowa
2 clinics, 1,967 procedures in 2021.

Two clinics, near-average use

Procedures exclude egg or embryo banking cycles. Counted by the patient's state of residence. Source: CDC, State-Specific ART Surveillance, 2021 Data Brief (December 2023).

With only 2 clinics listed, Iowa's figures sit close to the national ones: 2,843 procedures per 1 million women aged 15 to 49 against 3,250, and ART babies at 2.2% of births against 2.3%. The 839 infants follow the 2021 procedures; the 823 are ART babies among the 36,835 infants born in Iowa during 2021. Iowans treated in other states are included.

Warning signs in a fertility doctor

Map to the Positive says technical competence without good communication makes for traumatic journeys. It lists these warning signs:

• 10-minute appointments.
• Don't worry, that's normal.
• Doesn't answer questions.
• Treats you as anxious.
• Pushes tests without explaining.
• Recommends IVF too early, without a workup.
• No empathy in the face of loss.

The signs of a good professional are the opposite: time in the appointment, every step explained, your opinion asked, your partner included, transparency about costs and therapeutic alternatives offered.

This is one chapter. The map has 42.

These signs come from Chapter 31 of Map to the Positive, on choosing the right doctor, in Station IV, along with the questions for a first appointment and when to seek a second opinion. The station also covers when to see a specialist, the treatment ladder and IVF step by step.