I can't believe how much life has been turned upside down.
I can't believe how much the situation changes daily.
But most of all, I can't believe how supportive our infertility community has been. From the messages I've personally received to what I've witnessed our staff give our patients, I've never seen such fighters for our cause. πͺ
I know that some of you are receiving devastating news of postponed fertility cycles or cancelled plans. πNot only has your daily life been disrupted, but your bigger, family-building dreams have been adjusted. You're probably thinking, "WTF UNIVERSE?!?!" but, like, x10. Something that was already challenging and seemingly out-of-your-hands was pushed even further away.
πI'm here for you. The whole RMA of Connecticut staff is here for you. π
With the new policies set in motion by the providers at RMA of CT (see the next section), all the virtual events we've added to the schedule, and personal messages from our staff to you, our goals have only been reinforced through this process. We want you to feel supported, safe, and healthy.Keep reading for ways in which we're trying to implement that...
And before you head back to social-distancing realness, go ahead and bookmark this page. This page is your #1 RMA of CT guide for all things COVID-19. We are updating this before we do anything else, so you'll want to check back if you ever have any questions.
To put it simply, RMA of Connecticut is continuing all active IVF, IUI, or embryo transfer cycles through Tuesday, March 24th. Anything beyond that, we will need to reevaluate. (Basically, this means if you start your cycle before the end of the day Tuesday, March 24th, you're good... unless the COVID-19 climate changes, of course.) This is based on CDC updates, federal and local government mandates, and the American College of Gynecology recommendations.
As you may have heard, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine is suggesting clinics end all treatment. However, after the inner-consultation of our genius doctors and patient-focused medical staff (for real, they're all brilliant), taking into the highest consideration all the governing organizations' recommendations, suggestions, and data, we've decided to continue treatment procedures through next Tuesday, March 24th.
We know what ending an active cycle would do to your spirit, our staff's heart, and our community at large. We just can't do that to you. π
Obviously, the elephant-sized caveat here is that we need to see how the COVID-19 situation progresses. If something major happens tomorrow or the next day or the next day (and so on), we will need to adjust our policies accordingly. We hope you understand and know that we won't do anything that puts you in danger.
If you want to read our policy guidelines in full, with all the nitty gritty explained, check out this letter from our Medical Director, Dr. Mark Leondires. Here it is in Spanish.
π₯οΈ Our Resources for You π»
Whether you are in the middle of your cycle now, your cycle has been postponed, or you are just in the early conversations/testing phase, we have loads of resources for you...
...all that you can access from your couch in stretchy pants.
Fertile Yoga is now being offered virtually. Itβs free, open to the public, and held online while we are all otherwise isolated. π₯οΈβ
We also have a couple new blogs out that you might enjoy reading during a time like this:
We Are With You | A message from our Director of Mental Health Services
The 5-5-7 Breathing Technique | Monica Moore guides us through a legit breathing exercise for when you're feeling stressed. Don't worry, we all look silly doing it.
Have an idea of how we can connect that's not listed above? Shoot me a reply to this email, and let's chat!
Everyone's journey through infertility is different, but during a time like this, we all must come together in our shared experience.
You know, come together virtually, of course.
If you need to talk to someone, don't hesitate to reach out to your Fertility Care Team here at RMA of CT or simply reply to this email. I always respond and am always here to help.