April 17th Update on COVID-19
Dear Patients,
April 17, 2020
We are pleased to share that the COVID-19 situation appears stable within Orange County, personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies are more accessible, and safety policies are in place allowing us to resume additional services that we feel are vital and time pressing for our patients who are struggling with infertility.
Orange County Fertility has been and will continue to serve patients remotely (telehealth) whenever feasible to protect you, our staff, as well as families and loved ones (info@ocfertility.com ; 949-706-BABY/2229). In addition, we can’t wait to connect by video or phone while we band together to overcome COVID-19, #growingfamiliessafely2020!
Assuming no new risks arise and the situation remains stable, in May 2020 we will proceed with a limited number of IVF treatments. Specifically, we will begin treatment cycles for IVF egg retrievals to bank/freeze eggs and/or embryos for patients with the following characteristics or history:
Maternal age older than 35 years
Anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) less than 1.0 ng/mL
Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) higher than 10.0 IU/L
ANY prior failed IVF treatment (e.g., no eggs retrieved, no embryo development, no PGT correct embryos, negative pregnancy test, miscarriage)
Cancer diagnosis needing fertility preservation prior to cancer treatment
At this time, we will NOT be proceeding with IVF egg retrievals for other scenarios, third party (i.e., egg donor, surrogacy, etc) or embryo transfers. We hope to expand treatments in June 2020. This decision was made in the context of very limited information regarding COVID-19 effects in the first trimester of pregnancy and limited access to rapid and reliable testing.
We too have been as frustrated as you to delay reaching your family goals, but we want to ensure that we proceed in the safest and most responsible way, in order to give you the best care under the circumstances. The following measures will be enforced for everyone’s protection:
Completion of patient questionnaire before your appointment
Temperature taken upon arrival and before rooming at your appointment
Spacing of patient appointments and staggering of Physicians and staff teams to enforce physical distancing
Attending appointments alone
Wearing a face covering (i.e., mask, scarf, bandana, etc) at all times
COVID-19 / SARS testing for ALL patients undergoing treatment: before starting and repeated during treatment
Continue telehealth interactions whenever possible instead of in-person contact
Please refer to our prior COVID-19 topics available on our website
OC Fertility’s COVID-19 policy
FAQ
OC Fertility’s advice to those who are already pregnant or those wishing to conceive
What can each of us do?
For More Information: In addition to OC Fertility and your primary care physician
❖ COVID Informational Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnpHx6zhXPw&feature=youtu.be
❖ CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
❖ CDC Symptoms & Testing: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/index.html
❖ California Dept Public Health: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/ncov2019.aspx
❖ Johns Hopkins: https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/
❖ ACOG: https://www.acog.org/patient-resources/faqs/womens-health/coronavirus-and-womens-health-care
We are here to help you safely navigate this challenging time and to get you back to growing your family ASAP!
Stay Safe and Be Well,
The OC Fertility Team
Growing Families, Together.
#growingfamiliessafely2020!
