Tips for Traveling During Fertility Treatment

The holidays are coming up, which usually leads to an upcoming vacation or trips to see the family! This might seem like a daunting task if you are in the middle of a fertility treatment. However, with proper planning and preparation traveling does not have to be stressful at all during this time.

The amount of time that you will need to spend planning will depend on what fertility treatment that you are going through.

IVF Travelers

For those going through in vitro fertilization (IVF), you will have to consider the time periods of which you will need to come into the office for daily monitoring. Depending on which point of your IVF cycle that you are at, these appointments may be every day to once or twice a week. It is important to keep in mind that your daily in-office monitoring appointments are there to help you achieve the best possible result from your IVF. You will want to take the time to make sure that your travel plans do not interfere with any of these appointments.

Your fertility clinic should provide you with a calendar of expected appointments for the beginning of each cycle or stage of IVF. If the calendar does not align with your travel plans, you can ask your doctor what they believe to be the best course of action for you.

Less- Intensive Fertility Treatments

If you are undergoing a less-intensive treatment plan than IVF, you may be able to take a trip without much planning beforehand. If you have any concerns regarding your medication while traveling or would like for your doctor to provide you with paperwork explaining why needles may be necessary for your carry on, you can always speak with your healthcare provider before you leave for vacation.

Helpful Tips for Traveling

Whether you are traveling during an IVF treatment or during a less-intensive fertility treatment it is important to plan ahead and be fully prepared. The following tips will help to make your trip more enjoyable and less stressful.

Carry all medications with you. It is important to keep all of your medications with you at all times. Before you leave, ask your doctor for a note to verify your reasoning to travel with medications. You can put a copy of this note in a bag with the medication and keep one in another safe area. Try and bring your medication in their original packaging to avoid any confusion. Make sure to check with your airline’s guidelines and TSA guidelines regarding traveling with needles and syringes and/or medications. When you are going through security screenings, let the agents know that you are carrying these medications with you.It is always good to travel with more medication than you will need. This will help in case of a flight delay or some unforeseen occurrence.
Don’t forget to pack medical supplies. It is important to store your fertility medications at the appropriate temperature. This may been that you need to bring a good quality cooler and some ice packs to keep your medication cool. Make sure to test the cooler beforehand to make sure that it holds the correction temperature throughout your travel time. Make sure to bring supplies such as alcohol wipes, gauze, ice packs, hand sanitizer, a mini cooler, and a sharps container to dispose of your needles.
Be informed about the area you are traveling to. Check the Center for Disease Control,CDC, website for areas reporting a Zika virus outbreak. This is especially important to avoid for anyone trying to become pregnant. The Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, parts of Texas, and parts of Florida are among the areas that are not considered safe to travel.
Bring all contact information. Make sure to get all of the contact information for your fertility clinic together so that it is in one place. This way if you have any questions or concerns during your trip you can call them right away. Ask your doctor to refer you to a trusted fertility specialist near your destination if possible. If you need to continue any routine monitoring or get medication refilled while you are gone.
Stay on schedule. It is important to make sure that you bring a schedule of your medication to stay on track during vacation. Make sure to consider possible time changes that may occur while you are away. Try to take your medication within one hour on each end of your chosen time. You may even consider putting reminders or alerts on your phone to help keep you aware of the time.

Talk to Your Doctor

It is always best to check in with your fertility specialist before traveling during a treatment. While you are traveling, make sure to always stay hydrated and to not over exert yourself. If you are already pregnant during your travels, make sure to avoid being overheated and extreme temperatures.