Our first appointment with our doctor is wonderful. She spends more than an hour with us, talking through a protocol that she feels will work for us, quoting research studies, and explaining every detail. Because of my age, she recommends minimal-stimulation IVF (known as mini-IVF), which involves treatment with a lower dose of stimulating drugs. That’s because she says some research shows that older women do not produce more follicles with higher doses of medication. I’m the perfect example of this and I’m thrilled to see we’re using a completely different approach. She also says based on our history that we may not get a healthy embryo with one more cycle, and we’ll need to go into this planning to do multiple cycles. I’m instantly afraid, knowing we won’t be able to afford multiple cycles. But luckily this clinic offers payment packages for multiple cycles. The first visit, we also meet with a nurse to establish all of the initial testing we’ll need, and meet with a financial adviser to talk about the costs. My husband and I leave the first appointment at the new clinic feeling hopeful.