Traveling During Family Building Treatment

Embarking on a family-building journey can be emotionally and logistically challenging, especially when combined with the complexities of travel. Whether it's holiday trips, business obligations, or the desire for a change of scenery, many individuals undergoing fertility treatments find themselves navigating the tricky balance between pursuing care and fulfilling travel plans. Boston IVF, led by experts like Shelby Sparby, RN, BSN, MSc, understands these concerns and aims to provide clear guidance on how to minimize stress while ensuring that treatment continues smoothly.

Can You Travel During Fertility Treatment?
The short answer? It depends. While travel might be unavoidable at times, Boston IVF generally advises against traveling during treatment. Fertility treatment often requires multiple appointments on short notice, and there's always the risk that complications could arise, especially in early pregnancy. Furthermore, traveling could lead to additional costs if you're forced to seek out-of-network care or visit facilities unfamiliar with early assisted reproductive technology (ART) pregnancies.

If you know that travel is in your near future, it's crucial to inform your doctor of record team as early as possible. This allows them to help coordinate your care and evaluate whether travel will impact your treatment plan.

When Can You Travel?
While Boston IVF doesn't restrict travel before certain procedures, such as egg retrievals, embryo transfers, or intrauterine inseminations (IUI), you must ensure that your medication schedule and monitoring appointments remain uninterrupted. For those who need monitoring or lab work during their travels, finding an appropriate local facility that can meet Boston IVF's stringent reporting requirements is essential.

Additionally, after undergoing any procedure involving anesthesia, including egg retrieval, it is recommended that patients wait at least 24 hours before traveling. This waiting period helps ensure that any post-operative complications, such as adverse reactions to anesthesia, can be addressed promptly.

Travel Restrictions After Procedures
The most important travel restrictions come into play after certain procedures and a positive pregnancy test. Following an egg retrieval or surgical procedure involving anesthesia, Boston IVF recommends that patients avoid traveling for 24 hours. This window allows for post-operative complications to be monitored.

After a positive pregnancy test, Boston IVF advises avoiding travel until after your first OB ultrasound to confirm the viability of the pregnancy, usually around two to three weeks after the test. This early ultrasound is crucial to ensuring the pregnancy is progressing as expected.

Risks During Pregnancy
It's also important to consider the potential risks of travel during pregnancy, especially the increased risk of blood clots. While blood clots are rare, prolonged sitting and inactivity during travel can raise the likelihood. To mitigate these risks, patients should stay active, drink plenty of water, and wear compression socks if traveling long distances.

Key Travel Tips During Treatment
If traveling during treatment is unavoidable, planning ahead is essential. Here are some critical steps to ensure a smooth experience:

1. Inform Your Care Team: Always notify your doctor of record team about upcoming travel to receive personalized recommendations.
2. Coordinate Medication Management: Traveling with fertility medications requires careful planning. Contact your pharmacy to understand the storage needs of your medications, and pack extra in case of delays. It's recommended to keep all medications in your carry-on luggage with a high-quality insulated bag and cold packs if refrigeration is needed. Also, keep them in their original packaging with the prescription label visible, and ensure you have your insurance card with you.
3. Understand TSA Guidelines: The TSA typically allows passengers to bring medically necessary liquids, including fertility medications, in quantities exceeding the 3.4-ounce limit. However, it's a good idea to notify TSA agents at security checkpoints and, if needed, obtain a doctor's note in advance. For further clarity, the TSA has a dedicated helpline and offers a video explaining how to fly with medications.
4. Be Time-Zone Aware: When changing time zones, plan medication schedules accordingly and ensure proper storage of medications upon arrival. Double-check that refrigerators are set to the correct temperature if refrigeration is necessary.
5. Stay Active During Pregnancy: If you're pregnant and traveling, prioritize your health by moving frequently, staying hydrated, and wearing compression socks to reduce the risk of blood clots.

Conclusion
While the holiday season or other travel plans may coincide with your fertility treatment, careful planning and communication with your Boston IVF care team can help you manage both. Every family-building journey is unique, so it's important to rely on your care team for personalized guidance. By staying informed, prepared, and proactive, you can minimize travel-related stress and focus on what truly matters: your health and well-being during this exciting chapter of life.