Right to records

It baffles me to no end when patients who have done IVF cycles come without any records of the treatment.
All of us know that IVF is not successful 100% of the times. So any patient who has one cycle, is likely to need another one in future. Whenever we plan the first IVF cycle, the protocol chosen is an educated guess from the details like the cause of infertility, age, condition of the ovaries and the hormonal profile. What we always cannot predict accurately is how the patient will respond to the drugs, the quality of resulting eggs, number of fertilized embryos and their quality. In the second cycle, we know all these details from the previous cycle ( provided they are recorded and given to the patient by the clinic!).
I always compare the first cycle of IVF to choosing a dress of your size in a shop: you choose the closest fit: Small, medium or large and buy it. It might fit you very well, or might sag in some places. The second cycle can be tailor made exactly to your response: the dose, protocol, culture protocol all can be modified learning from the first cycle  to optimize the cycle so that it fits you like a glove.
As a doctor, it is our duty to give the details of the dose of medications, protocol, number and quality of eggs, hormonal levels during treatment, fertilization rate and embryo number and pictures to our patients. This information is priceless. God forbid if the treatment doesn't result in a pregnancy, this information can help us ( or another clinic, should they decide to switch doctors!) tailor anther ivf cycle much better.
As a patient, it is your right to receive all this information. Always ask before you start the treatment if the clinic parts with this information.
If not, maybe you are not seeing the right doctor. Know your rights to get it treatment right!