Do dreary winter days have you longing for a tropical getaway? An extended retreat with your sweetheart might be just what the doctor ordered, especially if you are in the midst of fertility treatments.
With proper planning and preparation, traveling during fertility treatment – for business or pleasure – doesn’t have to be too stressful or complicated. A few tips:
Good communication is key
Check in with your fertility team before making travel arrangements, if possible. Treatments such as IVF may require you to curtail travel during certain periods of your treatment. Your doctor and fertility team can help you review your treatment plan and identify when travel is a go or a no-go.
Medication preparation
If traveling by air, check in with your airline for medication guidelines so you can avoid any surprises at the airport. Make sure medications are packed within TSA guidelines (https://www.tsa.gov/travel/special-procedures) so you can have smooth sailing through security checks. Allow yourself extra time to get through special screenings, too.
Never check your medications with other bags. Always keep them with you.
Get a note from your doctor that verifies your need for these medications. Place copies of the note in your purse or carryon bag, as well as the container with the medications.
Prepare to pack medications appropriately. If medication needs to be refrigerated, invest in a good quality cooler and ice packs. Test it beforehand to be sure it will hold the correct temperature for as long as you need it, plus a little more in case of travel delays. Don’t forget alcohol swabs, hand sanitizer, gauze and a sharps disposal container.
Be sure to stay on schedule with medications. Write out your medication schedule, and don’t forget to consider time changes. Put reminders in your phone, and carry a printed schedule, too.
Get to know the locals
Ask your doctor to recommend a local doctor you can check in with if you experience symptoms or side effects while traveling, or need an emergency prescription refill.
Check the CDC website to see if the area where you are traveling has warnings posted for Zika virus or other infectious diseases. Current guidelines still recommend avoidance of all non-essential travel to areas associated with Zika virus transmission, but let us know if you have travel that is unavoidable, and we can review appropriate precautions to take before, during and after your trip to help minimize disruption to your fertility treatments.
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/zika-travel-information
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