Fertility Nurse Matters: How Fertility Nurses at Embryo Connections Pave the Way to Pregnancy and Parenthood
Starting or growing a family through embryo donation is intertwined with big short-term clinical considerations (can I get pregnant?) and long-term medical considerations (will my child be healthy?).
That’s why Embryo Connections has a team of experienced Fertility Nurses to support informed, confident decision making for patients and providers alike. Let’s talk about how our Fertility Nurses at Embryo Connections collaborate with our Client Services team, you, and the fertility team at your clinic to empower you with information and ease your journey.
Why is a Fertility Nurse important on your embryo receiving journey?
A fertility nurse brings holistic patient-centered care, clinical fertility expertise, and connection with the clinical staff at your assisted reproductive provider to streamline your journey and improve your embryo donation live birth outcomes. We recognize that you are undergoing a complex and highly sensitive journey. Our fertility nurse supports you and your clinic through the medical aspects of the fertility journey. The safety and well-being of our families and the donor-conceived child(ren) through embryo donation is our priority.
Donor embryos are created through in vitro fertilization (IVF) by individuals or couples with their own genetics or with donated gametes (egg/ sperm donors) and who have completed their fertility treatments and choose to donate their remaining embryos to help others. These donors contributed genetic material that become the foundation of donor conceived children. While the mystery of nature vs. nurture may remain forever unsolved, we know that genetics (influenced by epigenetics!) do play a role in physical traits and health conditions, and that knowledge of one’s family health history may support informed healthcare and lifestyle choices. We also appreciate that intertwined factors, such as grading, age of the egg contributor, clinic lab quality, historical fertility outcomes, and recipient uterine cavity health can impact the likelihood of live birth.
How does the Embryo Connections Fertility Nurse Make a Difference?
From evaluating embryo viability to matching to clinic acceptance, our Nurses collaborate on your unique journey, so that you’ll have a trusted guide through every decision, and support to ensure that the receiving clinic is prepared for the transfer of your precious embryos.
For Intended Parents: EC Fertility Nurses guide intended parents through clinical questions/needs throughout the journey, and engage the receiving fertility clinic team to ensure donated embryo acceptance. Our nurses act as an extension of the intended parent’s own fertility team. providing a holistic, clinical cross-collaborative and expert medical care to help intended parents achieve a healthy pregnancy!
Guide each intended parent individually to develop unique and realistic criteria for potential embryo donor matches.
For those not established at a clinic, help find and establish as a patient at a local fertility clinic that accepts donated embryos
Guide the Intended Parent through the embryo donor’s clinical profile to fully understand embryology and medical considerations before moving forward with a donation. They may also recommend genetic counseling to explore a potential embryo donor(s) inheritable health risks.
Gain approval for the embryo donation at an intended parent’s clinic, even if they’ve NEVER accepted embryos before. We’ll always give it a try, and we’re often able to achieve approval! EC has a 92%+ clinic approval rate on first attempt!
What can I expect from the Initial Intended Parent EC Nurse Consultation?
After an initial consultation with an EC Client Services Manager, a Fertility Nurse will reach out to discuss any initial questions, including embryo criteria, clinic selection, and/or uterine evaluation. This is an optional consult. We encourage it so that you can have more informed conversations with your third-party nurse navigator at your clinic. The Nurse will also ask at that time if we can connect with your third-party nurse to liaise on your unique case, supporting a smooth journey and a cohesive embryo donation treatment plan.
For Donors: EC Fertility Nurses evaluate embryo quality, medical and genetic history, and cryopreservation protocols with expertise to really understand embryo viability. They also navigate regulatory hurdles and facilitate acceptance at receiving clinics.
Review available embryos based on clinical factors associated with pregnancy and live birth
Review and clarify medical and genetic health histories to provide a health information legacy for recipients and any offspring
Execute FDA screening to qualify donors as human tissue donors, from facilitating forms and lab draws to final documentation. EC is registered with the FDA to complete this step!
Compile and create a comprehensive Embryo Suitability and Eligibility Packet™ for receiving clinic approval.
Does a donor need to meet with the EC Nurse? What can a donor expect?
As a donor onboards, an EC Clinical Assistant reaches out to navigate obtaining fertility medical records, to confirm embryos in storage, and to get a donor started on FDA screening. The Fertility Nurse reviews records and FDA screening and compiles our Embryo Suitability & Eligibility Packet™ in preparation for receiving clinic approval. The Clinical Assistant and Fertility Nurse may also coordinate a genetic family history assessment and/or genetic carrier screening as needed to support an informed donation for the patient and receiving provider to make educated choices.
EC’s team of Fertility Nurses set you up for success, to bring your family planning goals to life!