Next Steps
Two days after receiving my test results by phone, I got a follow-up email from the fertility clinic. This email outlined my test results in writing, and also summarized my next steps.
Get it in Writing
I have to admit, I’m so grateful for these follow-up emails. There is so much information coming at you on the phone and at appointments, and since I’m attending on my own, without a partner’s second set of ears, I’m sometimes afraid I’ll miss an important detail. Generation Fertility eases that worry by providing all the information you need in straightforward written communications, and their nursing team is always quick to respond to questions.
Step 1 – Meet with a Fertility Counselor
Fertility treatment can often feel overwhelming, isolating, and stressful. Meeting with a trained therapist can provide patients with the support and tools they need for emotional well-being. In Ontario, fertility counseling is a pre-requisite for some treatments, such as IVF. A fertility counsellor can help prepare you for the upcoming process, and help you:
Address individual and relationship concerns
Manage expectations about fertility treatment
Process emotions, thoughts, and feelings
Identify life stressors and support
Discuss areas of emotional vulnerability
Learn coping tools and strategies
Mentally prepare for procedures
Receive ongoing education and support throughout your fertility journey
Estimated cost for one session with fertility counselor is $265/hr (eligible for reimbursement through my employee benefits program).
Step 2 – Select my genetic material (eggs and sperm)
Early on in my research I read about the option of donor embryos. In some cases, parents who have successfully gone through the IVF process and finished building their family, choose to donate any remaining embryos that they don’t intend to use. Initially, I thought this option would be the path for me, since I knew my own eggs were too old to use.
But after doing more research about embryo donation, I came to find that there are very few agencies that facilitate embryo donation. And furthermore, it is a long and complicated legal process that requires the biological donors to choose the parent(s) that can adopt their embryo. Because I am a big, old, indie Mom-to-be, I felt that the chances of a family choosing me to adopt their embryo might be lower than if I was average-sized, younger, partnered, and experiencing medical fertility issues.
Instead, I decided to investigate separate egg and sperm donors. With this option you review online catalogs of donors and select both an egg and sperm donor independently. I usually love shopping, but this is a little different, and something that I have to dip my toe into slowly to get comfortable. There are many sources out there for genetic material, it’s hard to know where to start. My fertility clinic recommended the names of some reputable sources for me to consider:
For eggs:
For sperm:
Step 3 – Clinic to review genetic compatibility
All donor eggs and sperm are genetically tested for potential genetic risks and diseases. The genetic test results for each donor is available online, as part of their donor profile.
It is critically important for your own fertility clinic to review the genetic compatibility of both the egg and sperm you’ve chosen. They will assess to determine if there are any potential risks or incompatibilities between the egg and sperm. It’s as easy as emailing the two separate genetic test results to your clinic and wait for the green light before purchasing anything! Unfortunately you can’t return sperm or eggs if your clinic finds a genetic incompatibility after purchase.
Step 4 – Purchase genetic material
Once I get the green light from my fertility clinic, I can proceed with purchasing my eggs and sperm directly through the egg/sperm banks.
If you are planning for one child, six eggs are recommended plus one vial of sperm.
Estimated cost for six eggs is $20,000 CAD plus $1,000 CAD for one vial of sperm. Unfortunately, these costs are not eligible for reimbursement through my employee benefits program.
That’s the Plan!
I’m a girl who loves a good plan, and now I have one! Next up - booking my appointment with a fertility counselor and searching for my eggs and sperm.
