COVID-19

How we can work together to keep everyone safe 

Since April 24, Marin Fertility Center has resumed operations. We have implemented multiple precautionary measures to ensure the safety of our patients and staff members. This document describes the changes that have been put into place to help minimize the risk of exposure to SARS CoV-2 during each office encounter. This information will be updated periodically. 

We thank you in advance for your part in helping us keep everyone safe.

COVID Vaccination

As of this week of 12-14-20, the recently FDA-approved COVID vaccine manufacture by Pfizer will begin to be administered in Marin County. 1st tier recipients will be frontline healthcare workers. We anticipate continued roll outs in the next few weeks/months.  Up to date information from the CDC on the vaccine including its use before during and after pregnancy can be found HERE and from the AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE (ASRM) HERE.

COVID, Fertility and Reproduction

The following resource provides information about COVID, fertility and reproduction.

Scheduling 

When scheduling an appointment with us you will undergo a screening questionnaire by phone or text. We are relying upon you to be completely honest with your exposure history. We are currently providing all services  except hysteroscopy. New patient appointments are being split up into a video telehealth portion and then an office-based ultrasound portion. 

Physical Distancing

Prior to every appointment we will text all scheduled patients asking that they confirm that they have no symptoms of COVID-19 and that they or their family have not knowingly come in contact with some that has COVID-19 within the last 14 days. 

After arriving at our facility patients will be asked to stay in the car until the staff member has verified a normal temperature and then escorts them into the exam room. Appointments will be scheduled in order to minimize 2 patients “crossing paths”. Patients will be seen as quickly as possible and then we ask that they exit the office immediately to minimize physical exposure. Follow up after office visits can be done by phone or telehealth. We ask patients not to idle at frontdesk and anticipate the waiting room will not need to be utilized.

A limited amount of staff, those participating at the point of care, will be physically present in the office. They will be working as a small onsite team with the minimal amount of persons present.  

All staff members in office will be practicing physical distancing of 6 feet or further away from each other and patients. Staff will be working in smaller groups of teams to avoid physical congestion in the office.

We ask all patients to attend their appointments without any partners or visitors.  

Protective Personal Equipment (PPE)

All staff members will be wearing surgical masks at all times.  

N95 masks will be worn in the Operating Room. Anesthesia staff will be screened for any COVID-19 exposure during the preceding two weeks.

We are requiring that all patients wear facemasks as well. If you do not have your own face mask, MFC will provide you with one. 

It is absolutely essential that you follow proper protocol when wearing PPE. Clumsy wearing of PPE can actually give you a false sense of reassurance and heighten your risk of acquiring the virus. 

Please follow the proper use of PPE below:

• Keep the mask on at all times in the office; do not adjust your mask while you are in the office; wait to leave the office before removing the mask.  

• After you leave the office, remove the mask and immediately wash hands (or use hand sanitizer). As the virus can live on the outside of the mask, removing your mask can be one of the riskiest exposure points.

• Keep track of where your hands are and avoid moving them toward your face. 

COVID-19 Testing of Patients:

MFC is requiring that all patients who plan to undergo an egg retrieval be tested for COVID-19 via RT-PCR with a nasopharyngeal swab 3-4 days prior to the procedure. There are no exceptions to testing at this time.

MFC is not currently offering COVID-19 antibody testing.