Reciprocal IVF Timeline

What to expect if you choose Reciprocal IVF

Step 1: Speak with the Third Party Reproduction Team Coordinator at Boston IVF.
To initiate the process, the couple must first speak with the Boston IVF Third Party Reproduction Team Coordinator over the phone. She will review the Reciprocal IVF cycle timeline and overall process. A physician consultation is not required to start this process, but is available upon request.

Step 2: Complete Questionnaires and Collect Medical Records
Both partners involved in Reciprocal IVF will need to complete questionnaires regarding their health histories. Both partners also need to collect and provide copies of all their prior medical records, including their most recent Pap smears and physical examinations.

Step 3: Administration Fee Payment
A non-refundable administration fee covers the following: 1. cost of the mandatory FDA testing for the partner providing the eggs; 2. a catastrophic insurance policy that covers the partner providing the eggs while she is undergoing hormone stimulation and the egg retrieval procedures; 3. psychosocial counseling for the couple (required for straight and same-sex couples participating in tissue donation of any kind); 4. consultation and other services provided by the Third Party Reproduction Team.

Step 4: Review of Medical Records and Paperwork (1 to 2 weeks)
Once the administration fee, all medical records and paperwork have been received, they will be reviewed by the Third Party Reproduction Nurse.

Step 5: Schedule appointments with Third Party Reproduction Team (1 to 1.5 months)
Once the medical records of both partners have been reviewed by the nurse, the couple will be contacted by the Third Party Reproduction Team Coordinator to schedule their 3.5 hour consultation with the Team (Dr. Samuel Pang, nursing, and a professional counselor). If the couple choose to have an initial physician consultation at the beginning of this process they must still attend this appointment to review the actual cycle details and to sign consent forms. * Please note: If the couple has never had prior psychosocial counseling in preparation for donor sperm insemination, an additional counseling session may be necessary to address psychosocial issues specifically related to the use of donor sperm. This counseling is also required fort straight couples.

Step 6: Acquire Donor Sperm
The couple must contact a sperm bank to acquire donor sperm if they have not already done so. Boston IVF can provide a list of sperm banks approved by the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB).

Step 7: Retainer Fee Payment
Health insurance plans do not cover Reciprocal IVF unless the partner planning to carry the pregnancy has documented infertility. Therefore, all charges for Reciprocal IVF services must be paid by the couple who are the intended parents. Payment is due in full prior to the start of the treatment cycle. Payment may be made by check, credit card, or a medical loan.

Step 8: Transport donor sperm to Boston IVF (must be done prior to start of treatment cycle)
 A Donor Acquisition Form must be submitted to inform Boston IVF laboratory personnel what donor sperm is arriving and which patient it belongs to. The sperm bank will deliver the donor sperm to Boston IVF. If the sperm bank is local, the patient can deliver the donor sperm, but delivery must be prearranged with our embryology laboratory staff.

Step 9: Start Treatment Cycle (6 to 9 weeks)
Once the retainer fee has been paid, both parties must call the Third Party Reproduction Team Nurse with the onset of their respective menstrual periods, on day 1 of menstrual bleeding. They will each be instructed to begin taking oral contraceptive pills to begin the synchronization process. The egg retrieval and embryo transfer will occur approximately 6 to 9 weeks later, depending on the length of time it takes to synchronize the cycles of both partners.

Step 10: Blood Pregnancy Test (15 days later)
Approximately 10 to 14 days after embryo transfer is performed, a blood test is done to check for pregnancy.

Step 11: Pregnancy Ultrasound (3 weeks after positive blood pregnancy test)
If the pregnancy test is positive, further blood tests will be conducted to confirm appropriate rise in the pregnancy hormone. Approximately 3 weeks later, an ultrasound is performed to confirm pregnancy. At this point a Medical Record Release form is signed to  forward a copy of the relevant Boston IVF medical records to the OB/GYN of your choice, who will look after you for the remainder of your pregnancy.

Step 12: Start Pre-natal Care (remainder of pregnancy)
After the ultrasound confirms a pregnancy, you will be referred back to your OB/GYN for pre-natal care.

Step 13: Birth of Your Baby Please remember to send us a birth announcement to inform us of the outcome of your treatment at Boston IVF.