Dear InVia Patients,
As the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spreads both around the world and in our community, you may have questions about how this may affect your care. Please know that your health and safety is our highest priority. The staff at InVia are taking every precaution to ensure your health and well-being now as always.
At present, very little is known about the impact of COVID-19 on reproduction and pregnancy. There are reports of women who have tested positive for COVID-19 delivering babies free of the disease. This data is reassuring but must be interpreted with caution given the small numbers. While it would be wise for individuals with confirmed or presumed COVID-19 infection to avoid pregnancy, there appears to be no cause for alarm for those already pregnant.
Due to the limited knowledge about the effects of COVID-19 during pregnancy, we will continue to follow the recommendations from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the CDC and the FDA. Patients who have a high likelihood of having COVID-19 (fever and/or cough, shortness of breath, and either exposure within 6 feet of a confirmed COVID-19 patient and within 14 days of onset of symptoms, or a positive COVID-19 test result), including those planning to use oocyte donors, sperm donors, or gestational carriers, should avoid a pregnancy.
In these cases, we are recommending freezing all oocytes or embryos and avoid an embryo transfer until patients are disease-free. Please note this recommendation does not necessarily apply when there solely is a suspicion of COVID-19, because symptoms of COVID-19 are very similar to other more common forms of respiratory illnesses.
If you are feeling unwell (and particularly if you have a cough, fever, and/or shortness of breath) please consult your primary care doctor before scheduling an appointment at InVia.
As the situation is rapidly evolving, we recommend that you check the following websites frequently to stay abreast of the latest guidelines and updates by the CDC and FDA. These can be found at:
In the meantime, please follow these guidelines to minimize your risk of exposure:
- Wash your hands often, with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds. This is especially important after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
- If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick
- Put distance between yourself and other people
- Stay at home if you feel sick
As always, do not hesitate to contact us should you have any questions or concerns.
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