# Build a short list

Lesson 1 of [Compare fertility clinics and ask the right questions](https://fertilityclinics.fyi/academy/compare-fertility-clinics.md), 12 minutes.

A short list makes answers easier to compare. A long list makes notes hard to read.

## Write down what you need

List the services you need before you search. Do not guess. The category pages on this site group clinics by what they reported to the CDC: egg freezing clinics, donor egg programs, donated embryo programs, embryo cryopreservation clinics and gestational carrier programs. Your doctor can help you decide which services apply to you.

## Start near, then widen

Start with clinics in your city or state. Widen the search if you need to. There is no fixed number of clinics to compare. A few is enough to start.

## Use the same questions for every clinic

Write one list of questions. Ask every clinic the same ones. Write each answer next to the clinic name, with the date and the name of the person who answered.

## Do not read a gap as a no

An empty services field means unknown, not none. If a service you need is not shown, call the clinic. If you need donor eggs, a gestational carrier or genetic testing of embryos, ask whether the clinic does this itself or through a partner.

## Sources

- CDC National ART Surveillance System (NASS), clinic-level datasets, https://data.cdc.gov/d/ix4g-rt8v
- FertilityClinics guide, How to compare fertility clinics, updated 2026-10-20
- FertilityClinics guide, Common questions to ask a fertility clinic, updated 2026-10-20

This course is general information, not medical, legal or financial advice.

Also on the [web page](https://fertilityclinics.fyi/academy/compare-fertility-clinics/build-a-short-list).

> Success rates are whole-clinic figures reported to the CDC; they do not show any one patient's chance of success. Talk to a doctor or other qualified clinician before you choose a treatment.