When vacation time finally rolls around, you may feel apprehensive about traveling with your fertility medications. However, it isn’t as challenging as you may think, and it surely does not have to be stressful or complicated. Here’s what you need to do to be prepared:
Check Your Schedule
Depending on your fertility treatment or procedures you are involved with, you may be required to follow a strict schedule in terms of monitoring appointments and egg retrieval dates. IVF requires many in-house sessions to ensure healthy follicle stimulation and egg development. Special consideration is necessary when calculating exact ovulation times to increase the chances of a successful extraction. Before making any arrangements, double-check your schedule and communicate with your fertility specialist.
Get Doctor’s Note
Ask your fertility specialist for a doctor’s note that can be shared with the airline or other travel service. It is also a good idea to get in contact with the airline you will be using, as different airlines have different requirements for traveling with medications and medical supplies.
Medication Storage
All of your medications have specific instructions regarding storage. Some injectable medications must be stored in a chilled environment, while other medications may need to remain at room temperature. If you will be traveling with IVF medications, pack an insulated bag that has room for an ice pack to keep them chilled. For other less demanding medications, use a different bag that can be easily accessed. You can also use a third bag for supplies like gauze pads, syringes, alcohol wipes, and a sharps container for disposal.
Keep Medications in Carry-On
Always keep your medications in your carry-on bag. Keeping them in a checked bag increases the chances of a mishap; damage, misplacement, theft, etc. Make sure to let TSA know that you are carrying medications in your purse or carryon before going through airport screenings or customs.
NCCRM
The North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine/Talbert Fertility Institute is the premiere center for reproductive health in North Carolina and the East Coast. Our team specializes in fertility testing, diagnosis, and treatment of infertility conditions. We’re experts in IVF, Tubal Ligation Reversal, Male Infertility, Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), Gestation Surrogacy, Family Balancing, and more. Contact us today.
