Fertility Solutions NE

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Fertility Solutions: Official Blog

Coping With Infertility During the COVID-19 Crisis

Posted In General

To all of you, our parents-to-be out there, our hearts go out to you. As if you haven’t had enough waiting, wondering, and thoughts of “why me/us,” surrounding your infertility diagnosis, the coronavirus had to swoop in and do a number on the world. Even so, it can feel like a personal affront, especially if someone you know and love has been directly affected by the virus or your finances are negatively impacted by layoffs or reduced workflow.

The team here at Fertility Solutions is here to provide all of the support, information and attention you need as you cope with infertility during the COVID-19 crisis. Click Here to read specifics about the changes in our policies and procedures during this time.

First Priority: Take Care of Your Heart, Mind, & Spirit

The one thing sheltering-in-place has given us is more time during the week. No more commute, no time dedicated to going to the movies, dining out, or attending favorite public activities and events. Use some of that recaptured time to nurture your heart, mind, and spirit.
Ideas include:

  • Connecting with local yoga studios offering online classes. While there is no proven link between yoga and increased fertility, a review of multiple studies has shown potential links between women who do yoga during fertility treatments cycles, reduced stress, and improved fertility rates.
  • Spend extra time outdoors. Mother Nature is an immediate balm, so bundle up and spend extra time outdoors where social distancing is easier to support, but where you can take nice deep breaths and a view of the world-at-large as you get the moderate exercise you need.
  • Take time to prepare nourishing meals. Inflammation is a side-effect of endometriosis and PCOS to just about every other medical or reproductive issue. Focusing on a nourishing anti-inflammatory diet automatically can help keep inflammation at bay, which has inherent reproductive health benefits. Click Here for delicious dinner recipe ideas.
  • Use mindfulness apps. Mindfulness apps offer a range of ways to clear your mind and diminish stress. They can be an island of calm in a hectic day – supporting you through fertility treatments and then parenthood and beyond!
  • Keeping the romance alive! As anyone coping with infertility can tell you, it takes a toll on romance and lighthearted partnership. Use this time to rekindle romantic and intimate connections with your partner.
  • Join a fertility support group. There’s never been a better time to join a virtual infertility support group. Nobody understands what you’re going through more than others who are going through the same thing. We will all get through this together by allowing plenty of space to feel our emotions while finding healthy outlets for expressing and supporting them.

No Need to Press Pause on Family Building: Connect with Your Fertility Clinic

Don’t forget that infertility is recognized as a reproductive disease by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), The American Medical Association (AMA), and the World Health Organization (WHO). While COVID-19 is an unprecedented concern, fertility centers know how to use best-practices and medical protocol to keep our patients safe while conducting business (not quite as usual).
There’s no reason to put your fertility journey on pause, per se. Connect with your local fertility center to find out how you can continue moving forward by adhering to their new policies, all of which respect shelter-in-place protocol.
These policies include:

  • Flexible and conscientious scheduling to honor the need for social distancing
  • HIPAA-compliance telemedicine options, including video conferencing, facilitating personal connections while maintaining patient confidentiality
  • The use of fertility specialty pharmacies that safely deliver fertility medications wherever, and whenever, you need them.

New to the Infertility Journey?

Have you tried to conceive for 12 months or longer without success (6-months or longer if you’re 38)? Your OB/GYN is your first stop, and a consultation with Fertility Solutions is your second. We can use remote technology to consult with you about symptoms, medical history, records, etc. From there, we’ll work with you on a diagnosis and treatment plan that promotes fertility success while keeping you COVID-19 safe.

Are you mid-stream in your fertility treatments?

If so, you’ve already received calls and communications from our office, advising you about the next steps in your treatment cycle and with respect to your wishes. Depending on where you were in your IVF cycle, we may recommend putting further egg retrieval or embryo transfers on hold until shelter-in-place ordinances are lifted.
We know that the COVID-19 recommendations are stressful in their own right, above and beyond existing fertility struggles. Know that you’re not alone, keep connected with the resources and supports available to you, and feel free to reach out to us here at Fertility Solutions for additional reinforcement or answers to your questions.