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How to Choose a Colombian Fertility Clinic

đź“– 9 min read đź“… Updated January 2025

Choosing the right clinic is the most important decision you'll make in your fertility journey. A great clinic can mean the difference between success and heartbreak. This guide gives you a framework for evaluation — the questions to ask, the credentials to look for, and the red flags to avoid.

Accreditations That Matter

Not all accreditations are equal. Here are the ones that actually indicate quality:

Top-Tier Accreditations

AAAASFI (American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities International) — The gold standard for international medical facilities. Rigorous inspection and ongoing compliance requirements.

RedLara (Latin American Network of Assisted Reproduction) — Regional registry that tracks outcomes and sets quality standards for Latin American fertility clinics.

GHA (Global Healthcare Accreditation) — Specifically focused on medical tourism facilities, ensuring they meet the needs of international patients.

If a clinic has AAAASFI accreditation, they've passed inspection by an organization that doesn't hand out certificates easily. This is a strong quality signal.

Questions to Ask Before Choosing

Essential Questions Checklist

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What are your success rates by age group? — Ask for live birth rates, not just pregnancy rates. A reputable clinic will share this data openly.
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How many IVF cycles do you perform annually? — Higher volume clinics (500+ cycles/year) typically have more consistent outcomes.
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What's included in your quoted price? — Get itemized details. Are medications, ICSI, anesthesia, and monitoring included or extra?
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Do you have English-speaking staff? — Not just a coordinator, but doctors and nurses who can communicate clearly.
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What happens if the first cycle fails? — Ask about frozen embryo transfer costs and any refund policies.
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Can I speak with former patients? — Reputable clinics should be able to connect you with past international patients.
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What's your lab equipment and when was it last updated? — Modern incubators, cryopreservation equipment, and genetic testing capabilities matter.
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Who will be my primary doctor? — Will you see the same doctor throughout, or rotate between different physicians?

Red Flags to Watch For

⚠️ Warning Signs

Evaluating Success Rates

Success rates can be misleading if you don't understand how they're calculated. Here's what to look for:

Live Birth Rate vs Pregnancy Rate

Live birth rate is what matters — it's the percentage of cycles that result in a baby. Pregnancy rate (or "clinical pregnancy rate") counts pregnancies that are later lost to miscarriage. Always ask for live birth rates.

Per Transfer vs Per Cycle

"Per transfer" rates only count cycles where embryos were actually transferred. "Per cycle" includes cycles where no transfer occurred (due to poor response, no fertilization, etc.). Per cycle rates are more honest but will be lower.

Age Breakdown

A clinic with "60% success rate" might have great outcomes for patients under 35 and poor outcomes for patients over 40. Always ask for rates broken down by age group.

What Good Communication Looks Like

The way a clinic communicates before you become a patient tells you a lot:

Doctor Credentials

Look for doctors who are:

Comparing Multiple Clinics

We recommend getting quotes from 2-3 clinics. When comparing:

  1. Create an apples-to-apples comparison — List exactly what each quote includes
  2. Consider the full cost — Including medications, testing, potential FET cycles
  3. Weight communication quality — A slightly higher-priced clinic with excellent communication may be worth it
  4. Check location convenience — Is the clinic easy to reach from your accommodation?
  5. Read reviews carefully — Look for patterns, not just individual complaints

Get Matched with Pre-Vetted Clinics

We've done the research so you don't have to. Tell us about your situation and we'll connect you with 2-3 clinics that meet our quality standards.

Get Free Consultation

Trust Your Instincts

Beyond all the checklists and credentials, pay attention to how you feel after speaking with a clinic. Do you feel heard? Respected? Confident in their expertise? Your comfort level matters — you're trusting them with something incredibly important.

A great clinic will make you feel like a partner in your care, not just a number.

Read more: IVF Cost Guide | IVF in Medellín | IVF in Bogotá

Red Flags When Evaluating Clinics

While searching for the right clinic, watch for warning signs that might indicate problems. Be cautious of clinics that guarantee success, pressure you to make quick decisions, are reluctant to share their success rates or explain their methodology, have poor communication or difficulty scheduling appointments, dismiss your questions or concerns, recommend expensive add-ons without explaining the evidence, or have significantly lower prices that seem too good to be true without transparent explanations. The best clinics welcome questions, explain their approach clearly, provide realistic expectations, and make you feel heard and respected throughout the process. Your instincts matter—if something feels off during your initial interactions, it may be worth exploring other options.

Evaluating Technology and Lab Quality

The embryology laboratory is where critical development happens, making it one of the most important factors in clinic selection. Ask about the labs certifications and accreditations. Inquire about their culture media, incubator systems, and whether they use time-lapse imaging. Find out their blastocyst development rates and whether they have experience with advanced techniques like ICSI, assisted hatching, and PGT-A. A state-of-the-art lab with experienced embryologists can make a meaningful difference in outcomes, particularly for patients with challenging cases.

The experience of the medical team also matters significantly. How many cycles has your doctor performed? What is their experience with cases similar to yours? Do they specialize in particular conditions like PCOS, endometriosis, or male factor infertility? A doctor who has successfully treated many patients in your situation will have insights that a less experienced physician might lack.

The Importance of Communication

Throughout IVF, youll have many questions and moments of uncertainty. A clinic with excellent communication protocols—responsive nurses, clear instructions, timely updates on embryo development—can significantly reduce stress. During your consultation, note how questions are answered. Do staff seem rushed or attentive? Is there a patient portal for results? How quickly do they typically return calls? These operational details affect your day-to-day experience and emotional wellbeing throughout treatment.

Questions to Ask During Your Consultation

Prepare a list of questions to ask during your initial consultation. Important topics include the doctors experience with cases like yours, the clinics success rates for your age group and diagnosis, what their typical protocol looks like and why, what monitoring involves, how communication works during your cycle, and total costs including all potential add-ons. Ask about their approach to challenging situations—what happens if you respond poorly to stimulation, if embryos dont develop as expected, or if transfer fails? A clinics handling of these scenarios reveals much about their care philosophy.

Pay attention to how your questions are received. Good clinics welcome thorough questions and provide detailed, patient answers. If you feel rushed, dismissed, or pressured during the consultation, consider whether this is the right environment for your care. You deserve a team that treats you as a partner in your treatment, not just another patient to process. Trust your instincts about whether you feel comfortable and confident with the clinic and provider.