Do fertility doctors ever tell couples to adopt?

Yes but...: Adoption can be a wonderfully fulfilling option for couples seeking to raise a child. When nature has dealt an unfavorable reproductive hand to a couple despite our best technology, this is a reasonable course. It is one of the options available and should be included in the discussion though it does not directly promote the fertility doctor's business.

Yes: With modern fertility treatments, most couples can succeed. The limiting factor may be that a treatment choice is not acceptable ethically or financially for a couple - a woman 45 + is generally better off with egg donation, embryo donation or adoption than trying with her eggs. Men with ultra severe sperm issues may not want donor sperm. Adoption - traditional or donor embryo - is a good choice.