Primary Care's Role in Infertility Workup: Early Evaluation and Referrals

Defining Infertility and When to Start Workup

• 💡 The classic definition of infertility requires actively trying to conceive for 12 months before starting a workup.
• ⚠️ This definition is considered unnecessarily strict, especially for patients under 35 without other risk factors.

Identifying Patients Needing Early Evaluation

• 🎯 Patients with underlying conditions like PCOS, endometriosis, or sexual dysfunction do not need to wait the full year for an evaluation.
• 🚀 Individuals using donor gametes or embryos also fall into a category where early referral to reproductive endocrinology may be appropriate.
• 🏳️‍🌈 Same-sex couples are explicitly mentioned as a group that will require assistance and can be referred right away.

Primary Care's Role in Initial Testing

• 💰 A key point is that primary care physicians can often order initial labs, such as STI testing, which may be more affordable and better covered by insurance than if ordered later in the fertility process.
• 🧠 This proactive approach in primary care can help patients by potentially reducing wait times, costs, and missed opportunities in their family planning journey.