Infertility Second Opinion Program
Medically reviewed by Norbert Gleicher, MD, FACOG, FACS - Written by CHR Staff - Updated on Aug 24, 2020
Not Sure About Your Next Steps? Get a Second Opinion Online.
Fertility struggles are full of confusion, uncertainty and frustration, whether you are at the beginning of your journey or have already had multiple failed IVF cycles. Patients often feel alone, as though they have nowhere to turn for clarity and personal attention at multiple points throughout the journey - especially when they feel that their reproductive endocrinologists have little time for questions and their IVF centers push them into an one-size-fits-all approach. This is why CHR’s fertility experts offer an online second opinion program.
The success of our patients, and our center’s reputation, are rooted in our philosophy of identifying all the underlying causes of each patient’s fertility struggles as well as thoroughly personalizing the treatment strategies to each patient. With the convenience and reach of this online program, patients all over the world can benefit from our center’s individualized approach. For many years, our program has helped hundreds of patients to:
- Better understand their individual situation;
- Evaluate fertility treatment options;
- Have a better-informed discussion with their treating physician; and
- Eventually have healthy, happy babies to go home with, even when they cannot meet us physically in our New York City office.
About CHR's Online Second Opinion Program
Dr. Gleicher explains how our program works, and why you should seek a second opinion online.
Why Get a Second Opinion Before My Next IVF Cycle?
Like any other second opinion in medicine, a second opinion on your fertility diagnosis and treatment plan can give you additional insights about your case from a different angle. Our online program is also a chance for patients worldwide to gain access to the special expertise of our physicians (in ovarian reserve, reproductive immunology and hypoandrogenic PCOS, among others), which may not be available locally. :
Many of the patients who have used our second opinion program have told us that they gained much-needed clarity on their cases, and felt that they had a better idea of what to do next. Here are what our program can do for you:
- Clarify the cause(s) of your fertility challenges
- Point out any areas that need additional investigation to refine the fertility treatment
- Help you understand your ovarian reserve and its implications
- Lay out treatment options and what you can realistically expect from each approach
- Give you the terminology and framework to have a better-informed discussion with your current physician
- Evaluate your current fertility treatment plan
- Outline an alternative treatment plan (if enough information is already available)
After a second opinion consultation, you may decide to pursue a different path in your journey, make modifications to your current plans, or undergo suggested testing and consult our physician again for a follow-up. Or you may be reassured that your current treatment path is the best one available for your specific situation. It is always good to be fully informed and confident about your fertility treatment decisions, and we are here to help you reach this point via a second opinion consultation with our fertility experts.
Meet Your Doctors
Norbert Gleicher, MD, is the founder and Medical Director of CHR. With hundreds of peer-reviewed medical journal articles, abstracts and book chapters under his name, Dr. Gleicher has been the driving force behind CHR’s success in offering innovative, research-fueled fertility treatments to women with difficult cases of infertility.
David H Barad, MD, MS, is the Director of Clinical ART at CHR. While providing compassionate fertility care to each of our patients, Dr. Barad also leads many of our clinical studies that have pushed the boundaries of what’s possible in the IVF field.
START YOUR SECOND OPINION ONLINE
Limitations of an Online Second Opinion
With all that said, we should be clear: There are limitations to what an online second opinion can accomplish, versus an in-person consultation wherein you’d meet with one of our physicians to have a back-and-forth dialogue. If your aim is for our physicians to devise an alternative treatment plan for you, additional testing and a follow-up consultation may be required. However, you can maximize the benefits of your second opinion consultation by providing us with as much information as possible, both on the consultation form and with the medical records you provide us with. You’ll also have the option of scheduling a follow-up consultation with the physician to clarify any questions that may arise.
How Does CHR’s Infertility Second Opinion Program Work?
First, you’ll complete the consultation form online. The consultation form asks a wide range of questions, and is intended to cover as many bases as possible:
- General medical history for you and your partner (if applicable).
- History of fertility struggles and any prior diagnoses.
- Details of previous fertility treatments.
You’ll have an opportunity to upload previous test results, treatment records, embryology lab reports and more. This step is optional, but we highly recommend completing it so that our physicians can have a complete picture of your treatments so far.
You’ll be asked to make the payment. The cost of a written second opinion report is $350.
A CHR representative will contact you for confirmation within 2 business days once we receive your second opinion form and payment.
One of CHR’s expert fertility physicians will review your case.
You will receive a second opinion report within 2 weeks through CHR’s secure patient portal.
If you’d like to have a back-and-forth conversation about the findings, you’ll have an opportunity to set up a follow-up consultation. This follow-up consultation costs $250.
When Is the Right Time to Get a Second Opinion on My Fertility?
A second opinion can be beneficial almost at any time during your fertility journey. If you need clarity, an expert’s eye focused closely on your unique case can help give you direction for your next steps.
- At the beginning of your fertility journey: Some patients proactively use the second opinion program to review their fertility test results, and ensure that their current direction of treatment is the right one. Starting your fertility treatment the right way can save a lot of time and stress later on.
- If your diagnosis is unclear or “unexplained:” An online second opinion is popular among patients whose physicians haven’t been able to give them a clear diagnosis. These patients, often with the questionable label of “unexplained infertility,” usually receive recommendations for additional testing from our physicians and eventually arrive at the exact causes of their infertility. This significantly improves their treatment outcomes.
- If you’ve gone through multiple unsuccessful rounds of IUI and/or IVF: The majority of our second opinion patients come to us when they’re at this stage. They turn to our program to figure out what they--and more importantly, their physicians--need to do differently in order to have a successful cycle.
- If you’ve been told egg donation is your only option: An online second opinion can help verify that this is really the case before making this important decision.
- If you feel your doctor’s plan is not right for you: If you feel that your treatment plan is not tailored to you specifically, or if you are told to repeat the same thing over and over with the hope that it’ll somehow turn out differently this time, it may be a good time to see whether CHR’s accumulated expertise can point you in the right direction--and give you the courage and framework to speak up next time you discuss your treatment with your current doctor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the second opinion program covered by insurance?
We do not accept insurance assignments for the second opinion consultation. However, many insurance companies encourage second opinions, and reimburse costs for second opinions. We will, free of charge, fill out claim forms for insurance if they are sent to our administrative office at 21 E. 69th Street, New York, NY 10021, within 14 days of the initial consultation.
How much does a second opinion cost?
You have two options. One is to receive a written second opinion report, which is $350. The other option is to receive a written second opinion report, followed by a consultation with the physician who wrote the second opinion. This option lets you have a back-and-forth conversation to clarify any questions that might arise, and costs $600.
Can I send you my medical records to review?
Yes! In fact, this is one of the best things you can do to maximize the benefit of the second opinion program. You’ll have an opportunity to upload your medical records at the end of the second opinion questionnaire.
How long does it take to receive my second opinion report?
You can expect to receive your second opinion report within 2 weeks after you complete the questionnaire and make the payment.
Will I be able to apply the cost of the second opinion program to other services at CHR?
Yes! If you sign up for a second opinion and request additional services from CHR within one month, we will discount the new services by the cost of the second opinion.
Who are the physicians giving the second opinion?
CHR’s infertility specialists will provide the analysis and recommendations contained in the second opinion in written format. Both Dr. Gleicher and Dr. Barad have decades of experience successfully treating patients with difficult, complex cases of infertility. They are internationally recognized as both clinicians and researchers in reproductive endocrinology and infertility, with hundreds of scientific papers in peer-reviewed medical journals.
Our Second Opinion Policy
CHR believes it is important for you to understand the commitment we will make to provide you with a sound second opinion. The following provides an outline of our responsibility as an infertility second opinion expert:
- We will carefully review your medical history.
- If we find any piece of information missing, we will contact you.
- You can expect to receive a second opinion within 2 weeks. If for some reason we are delayed, we will contact you with an updated timeline.
- Our second opinion is exclusively based on the information we received from you.
Disclaimer
Our second opinion is based exclusively on the information transmitted to us electronically. The second opinion, therefore, cannot be equated to a full medical consultation which relies on a face-to-face encounter between a physician and a patient, and, where indicated, physical examinations and tests can be performed.
Our second opinion is also fully dependent on the representations made by the patients submitting the information. Submitted materials are, according to medical standards, evaluated by a physician, licensed to practice medicine in the State of New York (where CHR is located), with special expertise in infertility. The evaluation of submitted materials takes place in New York State, and is considered a medical opinion offered in New York State, subject to New York laws.
Final medical recommendations can only be made in combining knowledge about the patient's detailed medical history with a careful evaluation of physical findings and examination of laboratory tests.
Patients submitting a request for a second opinion to CHR should, therefore, act upon the opinion only after having a personal consultation with a physician.
Norbert Gleicher, MD, FACOG, FACS
Norbert Gleicher, MD, leads CHR’s clinical and research efforts as Medical Director and Chief Scientist. A world-renowned specialist in reproductive endocrinology, Dr. Gleicher has published hundreds of peer-reviewed papers and lectured globally while keeping an active clinical career focused on ovarian aging, immunological issues and other difficult cases of infertility.