Pharmacist, consultant encourage proactive education, understanding of fertility health

Pharmacist, consultant encourage proactive education, understanding of fertility health

Experts seek to alert the public about National Infertility Awareness Week Oct. 19 to 25

WALTHAM, Mass. – Experts at Village Fertility Pharmacy (www.villagefertilitypharmacy.com), a specialty pharmacy focused exclusively on medications for infertility treatments, and its partnering companies are encouraging men and women to be proactive about their fertility health as part of National Infertility Awareness Week from Oct. 19 to 25.

Regardless of whether or not individuals would like to have a baby in the near future or in five years, 20-year fertility pharmacist and Village Fertility Pharmacy President Stuart Levine said preemptive fertility testing and education can increase success rates by accelerating the start of treatment, reducing stress, and preparing infertility patients for the costs and procedures involved with infertility treatments.

“If a person knows that they want to pursue these treatments, they will do their homework and learn that they can be upwards of $15,000 per cycle, determine how much their insurance will pay, or start saving. I’ve seen people change jobs or move to different states to get more coverage. Assisted reproductive treatments (ART) can be quite costly, so planning ahead can help speed the process along and reduce sticker shock.”

Both Levine and Angie Best-Boss, fertility author and president of My Fertility Plan, an infertility consulting firm, said many people try to conceive for years and tend to wait too long to investigate their infertility. This delay then results in a reactive decision to undergo infertility treatments, which incites unnecessary stress and can cause patients to be undereducated about the process.

“If you have diminished fertility due to age, health or lifestyle factors, knowing so before you’re ready to begin baby-making allows you to make the most informed decisions possible,” said Best-Boss.

Levine recommends starting with over-the-counter fertility tests, and both he and Best-Boss said men and women should have regular medical checkups to ensure that chronic diseases and untreated or undiagnosed sexually transmitted infections don’t lead to infertility.

“To be proactive is to be prepared. Infertility, its treatments and medications can be a lot to grasp,” said Levine. “By educating yourself and understanding your fertility health well before you are ready to have children, you will undoubtedly increase your chance for success.”

For information about Village Fertility Pharmacy, visit www.villagefertilitypharmacy.com or call (877) 334-1610. For information about My Fertility Plan, email myfertilityplan@gmail.com or call (877) 509-PLAN.