All board certified reproductive endocrinologists must first complete an OB/GYN residency in the same manner as a general obstetrician gynecologists. After achieving this goal, the specialist must enter an approved fellowship program and complete three additional years of training. The fellowship involves training under leaders in the field of reproductive medicine, clinical work and research. This training ranges from infertility evaluations to managing assisted reproductive technology cycles to advanced microscopic laser surgery. Specialists will manage thousands of IUI and IVF cycles during their fellowship training. The specialist must finally pass both written and oral board examinations to become board certified.

Infertility specialist training is similar to other sub-specialties, such as cardiology. If your general medicine physician told you that you needed a cardiac catheterization, you would consult a specialist rather than have the generalist perform the procedure. In the same manner, if you are told you are infertile, you should seek the care of an infertility specialist. This is especially true if you have been trying to conceive without success for a year or longer, or six months is you are age 35 or older.

The average OB/GYN practice is primarily devoted to obstetrics. Less than 15 percent are dedicated to infertility care. Specialists are able to spend the time necessary to stay current on fast-breaking clinical and research developments in infertility.  They study specialty journals and attend meetings and conferences with their peers. Many studies have found that specialist care results in higher pregnancy rates in shorter times.

Reproductive endocrinologists are sensitive to a woman's reproductive time clock.  They are able to offer advanced treatment options rather than continuing to repeat first-line treatments. This is especially important for older women who may have very little time left to achieve pregnancy. Fertility can decline rapidly as women age beyond 35, making time of the essence.  A specialist understands this.

Dependent upon the couples cause(s) of infertility, IUI may be considered as a first-line treatment. If pregnancy does not result, the next step is usually IVF. Stimulated IUI (using FSH to stimulate the ovaries) should only be conducted by infertility specialists. The package inserts for FSH products all carry a strong caution that physicians must be properly trained to administer the drugs. Improper use can cause very serious side effects, such as hyperstimulation syndrome, and can result in high order multiple births. Many of the multiple births (quadruplets and above) seen in the media are the result of cycles that were not managed properly. Of course side effects can occur regardless of who administers FSH; however, the incidences are much lower when the drug is managed by an infertility specialist.

Infertility specialists and their staff are attuned to the special challenges faced by infertile couples. They spend every day caring for the special needs of infertility patients and provide compassionate, individualized care. They expend extra effort to ensure that patients understand their treatment options and have all of their questions answered before beginning therapy.