There is nothing more powerful than a personal recommendation when it comes to selecting a care provider. The recommendations that you will receive from others — whether they are friends, relatives, or acquaintances — are likely to be laced with emotions. Learning to separate fact from fiction or emotion can be a difficult task.

When someone provides you with a recommendation about a particular practitioner, remember to ask him or her questions. You will want to know the overall feelings that they had toward the practitioners. What was the practice like? What would they do differently if given the chance? Ask the person to tell you about how the practice worked. Did they experience long waits? Did they have problems making appointments for lab work?

The answers to these questions will give you a better grasp on what the practice is like. Remember that what one person loves, you may hate, and vice versa. It's good to find out as much as you can about why someone liked or disliked a particular practitioner — it's all valuable information.

You also need to know the outcome of their therapy. Unfortunately, it is common for those who were unsuccessful in conceiving to have negative attitudes toward their fertility practice. This can lead them to give a negative referral when in fact the practice might be a great fit for you.