First Steps
Before you begin treatment with IVF Sunshine Coast or IVF Caboolture there are a number of important steps to take. Speak to your doctor about your fertility problem - there may be some simple solution which he or she can address. You may contact the Nursing Co-ordinators at IVF Sunshine Coast or IVF Caboolture for further information. An initial interview with one of our nurses is free and places you under no obligation to embark on a treatment. However, if treatment is required, you will need a referral to a Sunshine Coast or Caboolture Clinician from your GP, for both you and your partner. Your doctor or specialist may recommend some preliminary tests before starting any treatment.
Once you have a referral you will need to see the Specialist. Expect to be asked a lot of personal questions e.g. your general health and history of illnesses; frequency of intercourse; sexual history; type of work etc. The woman may have an internal examination. This appointment will probably take about an hour. The specialist will organise for the male partner to have a semen analysis performed. Once you have met with one of our IVF Fertility Specialists, you usually have a follow-up interview with a Nurse Coordinator to explain your treatment program, discuss the IVF program as a whole, sign all relevant consent forms, and answer any questions you might have. If you wish to proceed, you are required to register with the program and pay a registration fee before you start your chosen treatment. Some couples may need to learn self-administration of injections. If this is the case, an appointment can be made with your IVF Nurse for further instruction.
Support Systems
We advise couples on how to join the local support organisation, Friends of Queensland Fertility Group (QFG), as well as the national infertility support body, ACCESS.
Blood Tests
Both partners are required to have blood tests for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV, Syphilis, Chromosomes and Cystic fibrosis. In addition, the female partner will have testing for Rubella, blood group and some hormone tests. Your fertility specialist or IVF nurse will write a request slip for you both to have these tests done.
Some of the above tests are to screen for infectious diseases, which may pose a hazard to laboratory staff. Chromosome tests sometimes pick up unexpected problems, which are the cause of sub-fertility. Cystic fibrosis screening is offered to prevent the birth of a baby affected by cystic fibrosis, for couples undergoing ART. The hormone tests for the female partner will give some indication as to the number of eggs in the ovaries and will help determine the dose of medication that she may need in the course of treatment. The infectious disease and Rubella screening tests are usually repeated on a yearly basis, for couples having ongoing treatment.
Getting Started
You decide on a month suitable to begin treatment. Many factors may alter this date but your IVF Nurse will make every effort to accommodate your desired treatment date. Immediately prior to the start of a treatment cycle, your Fertility Specialist will discuss with you the treatment most appropriate for you as a couple. He or she will outline what this involves, the various stages in the treatment cycle and the possible side effects of any drugs used. The expected success rates will also be discussed, as will any questions or concerns that you may have. At this appointment, a transvaginal scan may also be performed as a baseline to ensure that there are no ovarian cysts and the uterus is normal.
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