What’s the difference between a fertility specialist and an obgyn?
Wondering about the difference between a fertility specialist and an obgyn? Our San Antonio fertility doctors are here to answer your questions.
You can think of your obgyn as an ally throughout your reproductive years and beyond. This doctor can provide birth control, Pap smears and pregnancy care. In contrast, a fertility specialist, or a reproductive endocrinologist (RE), is an obgyn who has additional specialized training.
Difference between a fertility specialist and an obgyn
Each of our San Antonio fertility doctors has earned a medical degree and completed the same residency training as an obgyn. However, after residency, our fertility specialists spent three more years completing a fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. During that time, they received specialized training in the diagnosis and treatment of all causes of male and female infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, and complicated pelvic surgery – including minimally invasive laparoscopic and robotic procedures.
When to see a fertility specialist and when to see an obgyn
If you are pregnant or need an annual exam, you should make an appointment with your obgyn. But if you’ve been unable to conceive after trying for more than 12 months (6 months if the woman is 35 or older), you need to visit a reproductive endocrinologist. Our San Antonio fertility doctors can diagnose the complex causes of infertility and develop an individualized treatment plan to help you have a child.
Only a fertility specialist can provide the advanced treatments to help you grow your family.
- All types of fertility medications
- Intrauterine insemination (IUI)
- In vitro fertilization (IVF)
- Preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) and diagnosis (PGD)
- Donor sperm or eggs
- Gestational carriers
When to see a fertility specialist
Infertility can get worse, so you want to seek help from a fertility specialist at the right time. You should make an appointment if you are under 35 and have been unable to conceive for a year or longer. It’s important to make this appointment after six months of trying if you are older than 35.
Now that you know the difference between a fertility specialist and an obgyn, contact us to schedule an appointment with one of our San Antonio fertility doctors. Now is the time to take the next steps to grow your family.