How to Choose an IVF Centre - A 10-Point Checklist

Introduction

Choosing where to have IVF is one of the biggest decisions a couple makes. You will spend weeks with this team. You will trust their lab with your eggs, sperm and embryos. And you will invest money, time and a lot of hope. 

Yet most couples choose on a single number: a success rate on a billboard or a price on a WhatsApp message. Neither tells you enough on its own. 

This guide walks you through the 10 things that actually matter, the questions to ask at your first visit, and the red flags to walk away from. At each step, we also show you exactly how Indira IVF measures up, so you can hold us to the same standard you hold anyone else. 

Key takeaways

• Registration first. Every IVF clinic in India must be registered under the ART (Regulation) Act, 2021. Ask to see the certificate. 
• The doctor matters more than the brand. Look for an MBBS plus MS/DGO/DNB in Obstetrics & Gynaecology, with specific training in reproductive medicine. 
• The lab is where outcomes are made. Ask about air quality, temperature alarms, closed working chambers and electronic witnessing. 
• Read success rates carefully. Ask how the rate is calculated, for which age group, and in which year. 
• Get the full cost in writing, including medicines, tests, freezing and possible add-ons. 
• Support counts. A good centre offers counselling, one doctor you can reach, and follow-up near your home. 

1. Check that the centre is legally registered

Since the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021, every ART clinic and ART bank in India must be registered with the National ART and Surrogacy Registry before it treats patients. Registration has to be renewed every five years. It is granted only to clinics with the required staff, equipment and diagnostic facilities. 

The Act also sets clear rules. ART services are for women aged 21–50 and men aged 21–55. Clinics must counsel couples on their real chances of success. Sex selection is a crime. 

What to ask: "Can I see your ART registration certificate?" A genuine clinic will show it without hesitation. 

How Indira IVF measures up: Every Indira IVF centre is registered under the ART Act. We do not offer sex selection, under any circumstances. 

2. Look at the doctor, not just the brand

Your fertility specialist plans your treatment, reads your scans and decides when to change course. Look for:

• A basic medical degree (MBBS) plus a postgraduate degree in Obstetrics & Gynaecology (MS, DGO or DNB);
• Specialised training in reproductive medicine or IVF, such as a fellowship
• Years of hands-on IVF experience, and the number of cycles they handle
• Registration with the National Medical Commission or a State Medical Council

How Indira IVF measures up:

Indira IVF has 340+ IVF doctors (As of 30th October). Each has a public profile listing their degrees, experience, languages and awards.  

For example, Dr Nikita Singh, Centre Head at Whitefield, Bengaluru, holds an MBBS, DGO, DNB and MRCOG with 12 years of experience, Reg Number (104,532). You can browse every Indira IVF doctor before you book.

3. Ask who will see you at every visit

IVF involves many visits: scans, injections, egg collection, embryo transfer and the pregnancy test. Seeing a different face each time can feel unsettling, and details get lost. 

What to ask: "Will one doctor be responsible for my case from start to finish? Who do I call after hours?"

4. Find out how the embryology lab protects your embryos

The lab is where fertilisation happens and embryos grow. It is the part of IVF you never see, and the part that most affects your result. A good IVF lab controls air quality, temperature and gas levels around the clock, and makes sample mix-ups close to impossible. 

What to ask: "How is the lab air filtered? What happens if an incubator fails at 2 am? How do you make sure my eggs are matched with my partner's sperm?" 

How Indira IVF measures up: Our labs use six safety systems, each explained on our technology page: 

5. Read success rates the right way

Success rates are the most quoted and most misunderstood number in IVF. Two clinics can both claim "70%" and mean very different things. 

What to ask about any success rate: 

1. What does it count - a positive pregnancy test, a pregnancy seen on scan, or a baby born (live birth)? 
2. Is it per embryo transfer, per cycle started, or per patient? 
3. For which age group? A rate for women under 30 says little about a woman of 40. 
4. For which year and which centres? 

Your own chances depend mainly on your age, egg reserve (AMH), sperm health and diagnosis. A good doctor will give you a personal estimate after your tests, not a headline figure. 

6. Make sure the centre can treat your specific problem

Not every couple needs IVF. Some need IUI, surgery or a male-factor treatment first. A good centre tests both partners and offers the full range, so the advice you get is not shaped by what the clinic happens to offer. 

Look for: 

• Testing for both partners : infertility workup,semen analysis,sonography,sperm DNA fragmentation (DFI) 
• Simpler treatments : IUI,hysteroscopy,laparoscopy 
• IVF and its add-ons : IVF,ICSI,blastocyst culture,laser assisted hatching,PGT-A 
• Complex cases : Micro-TESE for zero sperm count,donor eggs,embryo donation and  freezing 

How Indira IVF measures up: 

All of the above are offered across the Indira IVF network.  

7. Get the full cost in writing

IVF cost in India varies widely, and the first quote is often not the final bill. Medicines, extra tests, embryo freezing, storage and add-ons can add a lot. 

What to ask: "Can you give me a written estimate that lists what is included, what is optional, and what a second cycle would cost?" 

How Indira IVF measures up: 

Our IVF cost guide and city cost pages list package prices openly. Zero-interest EMI plans are available through partner finance companies (subject to their conditions).  

8. Ask about counselling and emotional support

IVF is emotionally hard. Waiting for results, a failed cycle or a miscarriage can be overwhelming. Under the ART Act, clinics must offer professional counselling about what treatment involves and its chances of success. 

What to ask: "Is there a counsellor at this centre? Will I get support if a cycle does not work?" 

9. Think about distance and follow-up

One IVF cycle needs several visits in a short window — scans during stimulation, egg collection and embryo transfer — often at short notice. A centre several hours away adds travel, cost and stress. 

How Indira IVF measures up: 

Indira IVF has 200+ centres in more than 20 states, including many Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities (As of 30th Oct 2026) Most couples can be treated close to home, by teams following the same protocols.Find your nearest centre. 

10. Check the track record and the research

Experience shows. A centre that has treated many couples has seen more complex cases and refined its protocols. Published research shows a centre is willing to put its data in front of other doctors. 

How Indira IVF measures up: 

• A study of AMH levels in 1,71,595 Indian women across 101 Indira IVF centres, published in the Journal of IVF-Worldwide (2023). Read the summary 
• "Best IVF/Fertility Chain of the Year – National", IVF Excellence Awards by Voice of Healthcare, 2024 

IVF centre comparison checklist

Use this table to compare any two or three centres side by side. Print it, take it to each consultation, and tick off what you are shown, not what you are told. 

12 questions to ask at your first consultation

1. Are you registered under the ART (Regulation) Act, 2021?
2. Who will be my doctor, and will I see the same doctor at every visit?
3. What tests do we both need before you recommend a treatment?
4. Based on my age and reports, what are my realistic chances?
5. How is your success rate calculated, and for which age group?
6. Do you recommend IUI, IVF or ICSI for us, and why?
7. How does your lab prevent sample mix-ups?
8. How many embryos will you transfer, and what happens to the rest?
9. What is included in the price, and what could cost extra?
10. What would a second cycle cost if the first does not work?
11. Is there a counsellor I can talk to, before and after treatment?
12. Who do I call if I have pain or bleeding at night?

Red flags: when to walk away

• Guaranteed success. No honest doctor can promise a baby. 
• IVF advised before basic tests of both partners. 
• Pressure to pay or start today, or "offer ends this week" pricing. 
• Add-ons pushed without a reason linked to your reports. 
• Any offer to choose the baby's sex. This is illegal in India. 
• No written estimate, or a price that keeps changing. 
• You never meet the doctor, only a sales executive.

Find your nearest Indira IVF centre

Indira IVF has 200+ centres across more than 20 states. Each city page lists the centre address, the doctors who practise there and local package prices. See all Indira IVF centres. 

Not sure which centre is right for you? Book a consultation or call 1800 309 2323. 

Sources 

• Lab technologies: indiraivf.com/infertility-technology 
• ART Act 2021 registration, age limits, renewal:PRS India, SCC Online, LiveLaw