Patient Management and Clinical Recommendations During The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic
In the current update (Update No. 5), additional clarification and information is provided regarding third-party reproduction, fertility services for health care workers, having partners present when providing care, travel restrictions, and resumption of reproductive surgery. Read the full document here
The world has been suffering a pandemic of a proportion not previously experienced in this century, with higher infectivity and mortality than previous epidemics. While acknowledging that infertility is a serious disease that requires treatment in a timely manner, in its recommendations of March 17, 2020 and in the subsequent Updates, No. 1 and No. 2, the ASRM Coronavirus/COVID-19 Task Force (the “Task Force”) recognized the need to delay any but the most urgent of reproductive care cases. This was necessary as the extent of the COVID-19 pandemic, its viral transmission rate, its impact on reproductive well-being and pregnancy, and the ability of health systems to cope were yet unknown, at least in the U.S.
Over the past several months, significant knowledge has been gained regarding the virus and its impact on patients and the medical system. However, the associated delay in care resulted in an increasing number of patients whose situation had become more urgent. In Update No. 3 (American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) Patient Management and Clinical Recommendations during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic - Update No. 3, April 24, 2020) the Task Force issued recommendations for gradually and judiciously resuming the delivery of reproductive care, which were elaborated upon further in Update No. 4.
Since then, it has become clear that we will need to be practicing in a COVID-19 environment at least until an effective and safe vaccine or broadly effective treatment become widely available. Consequently, the Task Force continues to support the measured resumption of care. In the current update (Update No. 5), additional clarification and information is provided regarding third-party reproduction, fertility services for health care workers, having partners present when providing care, travel restrictions, and resumption of reproductive surgery. The next update from the Task Force will be in four weeks (on or about July 6, 2020), unless conditions warrant greater frequency.