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Top 10 Questions Our Fertility Nurses Answer

woman asking questions of fertility nurseFertility treatment can be stressful on your emotions, your schedule and your finances. Fortunately, you have someone in your corner the entire way: your fertility nurse!

Your fertility nurse is here to help guide you through the process and make your journey a little bit easier. Here are the ten most common questions patients tend to ask their fertility nurse.

  1. Does my fertility workup need to be completed before starting a treatment cycle?

    Yes. This helps your physician determine what course of treatment is best for you. Some insurance companies require workup to be completed before they approve the prescribed fertility treatment. For example having a semen analysis will help your physician decide if you need intrauterine inseminations (IUI) or IVF with ICSI.

  2. What is my first step in the fertility workup process?

    The first instruction you will receive from your nurse is to call with your day 1 full flow period. We don’t consider spotting a day 1 full flow. Typically we would consider day 1 the day you need to use a sanitary pad or tampon. You will not come in to the office on day 1 but this is the day we make any appointments you may need.

    These appointments may include blood, ultrasound, hysterosalpinogram (HSG), or hysterosonogram (HSN). We will schedule blood and ultrasound on day 2, 3, or 4 and your HSG or HSN between days 5 through 12, when you are not ovulating. If you do not get periods on a regular basis or your appointment day happens to fall on day 2, 3, or 4 you may have special instructions.

  3. How do I contact the fertility nursing staff?

    Contacting the nursing staff can be as easy as sending a message on your fertility clinic's online portal or leaving a voicemail on the nursing voicemail. Your fertility clinic should get back to you quickly; at InVia, typically most calls are answered before 2pm. If they come in after 2pm they may be answered the next business day.

  4. When do I schedule my "nurse teach"?

    Once you have completed a workup and have financial clearance, it's time to schedule a nurse consult or "nurse teach." Again, many fertility clinics use an online portal to let you know it's time; at InVia, our patients can find their financial clearance on the portal under the "Letters" tab.

  5. What is the "nurse teach" for?

    At the "nurse teach" you will get an introduction to your fertility plan. The nurse will explain the protocol and attempt to give you dates (timeline) if possible. At this visit the nurse will sign consent forms ("consents") with you.

    At InVia, our consents can be found on our website. We will also order your prescribed medications that day to prepare for your cycle.

  6. What is the difference between the terms PGD and PGS?

    PGD (preimplantation genetic diagnosis) is used for single gene disorders (e.g. Beta Thalassemia). This is only used if there is a known family history of the disease, or if the genetic carrier panel of the patient comes back as affected.

    PGS (preimplantation genetic screening) is used to screen the embryos for chromosomal errors (e.g. Trisomy 21 (Down's syndrome)) and the sex chromosomes.

  7. When attempting pregnancy do I need to change my diet?

    It’s always good to eat a healthy well balanced diet, while trying to get pregnant but there are no specific recommendations while trying to get pregnant. If you need to lose weight, the Ideal Protein Diet is helpful.

    However, once you are pregnant, recommendations change, and your fertility clinic should provide you with information and helpful handouts. At InVia, we give patients an early pregnancy handout that covers dietary recommendations at their first pregnancy ultrasound.

  8. What fertility vitamins do we recommend?

    Female: Prenatal vitamins and Coenzyme Q10 tablet 200mg twice a day. Vegetarian prenatal vitamins are available.

    Male: Daily multivitamin, Vitamin C (ester-c) 500mg a day, Coenzyme Q10 tablet 200mg twice a day

  9. When should I page the nurse or physician on call?

    • Fever over 1010 F.
    • Soaking a pad an hour.
    • Pain not relieved by pain reliever.
    • When you do not have medications needed for that day.
    • Shortness of breath.
  10. Will my insurance pay for my treatment?

    The billing department at your fertility clinic will answer this question. At InVia Fertility Specialists, we make every effort to make our patients aware of any out-of-pocket costs before starting treatment.

    Our billing department contacts the patient's insurance and sends the patient details about their financial obligations through our online portal. Nurses generally do not deal with financial questions.

To work with a fertility nurse who will answer all of your fertility treatment questions, make an appointment at one of InVia’s four Chicago area fertility clinics.

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Kim Saaby

Kim Saaby

Kimberly E. Saaby, has a BA in Health Care Administration, is a certified ultrasonographer, and a medical assistant. Joining the Invia team in 2001 when she began as a receptionist at the front desk where she realized the importance of spending time with patients and their needs. Her background medical experience as a patient care tech/phlebotomist at Central DuPage Hospital sparked an interest in the nursing end of the spectrum. From there she received her certification in ultrasound from Technical School and Medicine and finished her BA in Health Care Administration from University of Phoenix. She is responsible for coordinating IUI and IVF cycles, while providing patients with the education and support they need. Her knowledge extends to insurance and many other nursing activities in the clinic. When away from the clinic Kimberly enjoys the company of family and spending time outdoors with her husband, Mike.

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