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COVID-19 Updates

April 3, 2023 –Signs of Illness

SRM is committed to the well-being of all of our patients and staff. If you are experiencing any signs of illness, such as those associated with COVID-19 and/or other respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms, please contact your care team for further evaluation prior to coming into the clinic for in-person visits.

February 15, 2023 – Covid Updates

As we are moving our way out of the pandemic, we are pleased to share some updates pertaining to COVID-19.

SRM now welcomes one support person in the room for most appointment types. Exceptions include blood draws, hysterosalpingograms (HSGs), and the Admitting, OR, and PACU units in Seattle Surgery Center.

SRM physicians continue to recommend Covid-19 vaccination for all patients attempting to conceive or who are currently pregnant. This recommendation includes the booster shot, when due. If you would like additional information, here are two excellent website links:

In line with the Governor’s orders, masks will continue to be required by patients and staff in the patient care areas of SRM’s clinics.

Please contact your primary care coordinator if you have signs and symptoms or test positive for COVID, even if you do not have an appointment within your quarantine/isolation window. For guidelines regarding isolation or parameters if you are exhibiting signs of sickness, please contact your clinical care team. In addition, this is a helpful tool: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/isolation.html

March 17, 2022 – Covid Support Partners Update

We continue to monitor cases of COVID-19 in Washington State and your safety remains our top priority.  We are excited to welcome back one adult support person to attend our patients to their OB Ultrasounds, Embryo Transfers, and Intrauterine Insemination appointments.  We will continue to evaluate the trends of cases in our area, as well as the flow of traffic in our clinics, and open additional appointments to support persons when safe to do so.

November 29, 2021 – Covid-19 Vaccination Recommendation and Resources

SRM physicians recommend Covid-19 vaccination for all patients attempting to conceive or who are currently pregnant. This recommendation includes the booster shot, when due.

If you would like additional information, here are two excellent website links:

If you have not been vaccinated yet, please protect yourself, your family, and your community. Our nurses and providers are happy to discuss any questions you may have after reviewing this information, including the timing of your vaccination. According to ASRM recommendations and endorsed by SRM: “Patients scheduled for elective surgery or outpatient procedures, including oocyte (egg) retrieval, embryo transfer, and intrauterine insemination, should avoid COVID-19 vaccination (or booster) at least three days prior and three days after their procedure.” This recommendation is not because being vaccinated is unsafe, but rather because known side effects of the vaccine may impact intra-operative and post-surgical monitoring. Common side effects after COVID-19 vaccination, especially after the second and subsequent doses, include fever, chills, fatigue, myalgia (muscle aches), and headaches, which typically occur and resolve within three days. Anesthesia impairs normal thermoregulatory (temperature) control and may be impacted by pre-existing fever. Additionally, these side effects would make it difficult to determine if a post-procedure fever is related to the vaccine or to a developing infection related to the procedure. Finally, many medical facilities (including SRM) may not allow patients into their facility or proceed with any elective procedure if a patient has COVID-like symptoms.”

If you have been vaccinated, please upload your covid-19 vaccination card to the SRM portal to be added to your medical record. If you choose not to be vaccinated, we will send you a waiver form that you (and partner, if applicable) will need to sign. Thanks so much and we encourage you to continue taking all precautions to stay healthy, including frequent handwashing, wearing masks in public settings, and maintaining social distancing.

November 24, 2021 – One Vax, Two Lives – from UW Medicine Department of OBGYN

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to get pregnant, getting the COVID vaccine is the best way to keep you and your baby safe and healthy.

This resource contains many very relevant and useful FAQ’s.
https://www.onevaxtwolives.com/

November 11, 2021 – Support Partners update beginning Saturday, Nov. 13th

We continue to monitor cases of Covid-19 in Washington State and your safety remains our top priority. We are excited to welcome back one support person to both OB ultrasounds and embryo transfers. We will continue to evaluate the trend of cases in our area, as well as the flow of traffic in our clinics, and open up additional appointments to a support person when safe to do so.

September 1, 2021 – Update for Support Partners

Due to the surging cases of Covid-19 in Washington State, we must return to our strictest safety measures, and limit the number of people in the clinic and in exam rooms. This means that patients scheduled for all appointments, including OB ultrasound and embryo transfer, will be the only person able to physically attend, regardless of vaccination status. We welcome a support person to join these appointments via Facetime or video conferencing. We know that these are difficult times and the restrictions can feel overwhelming and disappointing. Our mission is to provide a safe environment for care and appreciate your trust and understanding.

July 5, 2021 – Support Partners, Masks and more

Currently, partners are allowed to attend OB Ultrasound appointments with their significant other.  Effective this past Monday, July 5th we are now permitting partners to accompany their significant other for Embryo Transfer appointments as well.

We will continue to evaluate when we can safely allow partners to accompany other appointment types.  Thank you for your understanding.

Please remember, masks are required in healthcare settings, please wear your mask throughout your SRM clinic visit.

April 6, 2021 – Timing of COVID-19 Vaccination

We at SRM are continually reviewing the availability, safety, and efficacy of the recently available COVID-19 vaccines. The American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) issued a joint statement on 5 February 2021 that reads- “As experts in reproductive health, we continue to recommend that the vaccine be available to pregnant individuals. We also assure patients that there is no evidence that the vaccine can lead to loss of fertility. While fertility was not specifically studied in the clinical trials of the vaccine, no loss of fertility has been reported among trial participants or among the millions who have received the vaccines since their authorization, and no signs of infertility appeared in animal studies. Loss of fertility is scientifically unlikely.”

Patients who are planning to conceive, who are currently pregnant, and who are lactating should be offered the vaccine.

According to ASRM, patients undergoing fertility treatment and pregnant patients should be encouraged to receive vaccination based on eligibility criteria. Since the vaccine is not a live virus, there is no reason to delay pregnancy attempts because of vaccine administration or to defer treatment until the second dose has been administered.

According to ASRM recommendations and endorsed by SRM: “Patients scheduled for elective surgery or outpatient procedures, including oocyte (egg) retrieval, embryo transfer, and intrauterine insemination, should avoid COVID-19 vaccination at least three days prior and three days after their procedure. This recommendation is not because being vaccinated is unsafe, but rather because known side effects of the vaccine may impact intra-operative and post-surgical monitoring. Common side effects after COVID-19 vaccination, especially after the second dose, include fever, chills, fatigue, myalgia (muscle aches), and headaches, which typically occur and resolve within three days. Anesthesia impairs normal thermoregulatory (temperature) control and may be impacted by pre-existing fever. Additionally, these side effects would make it difficult to determine if a post-procedure fever is related to the vaccine or to a developing infection related to the procedure. Finally, many medical facilities (including SRM) may not allow patients into their facility or proceed with any elective procedure if a patient has COVID-like symptoms.”

COVID-19 vaccines have not yet been adequately studied in pregnant women. Therefore, there is insufficient data on the safety and efficacy of the vaccine in pregnancy at this time. The FDA requires post-authorization observational studies in pregnancy so more information will become available. As data on the vaccine continues to emerge, counseling is expected to change.

The COVID-19 vaccines are mRNA vaccines that do not contain live virus. They do not enter the nucleus of the cell and therefore cannot alter human DNA. They are not thought to cause infertility, first or second trimester pregnancy loss, stillbirth, or congenital anomalies.

Pregnancy appears to be a risk factor for more severe disease symptoms with COVID-19.

You may discuss any questions or concerns regarding vaccination with your provider or nurse, including the timing of your vaccination. Consultation is not necessary before receiving the vaccine.

March 19, 2021 – Support Person Update, Effective March 22nd

Here at SRM, the safety of our patients and staff is our top priority.  As we see stabilization and a downward trend in COVID-19 cases in our community, and because more individuals are getting vaccinated, we will now permit one support person to accompany a patient to their OB Ultrasound appointment. This support person must attest to having no symptoms consistent with COVID-19, no positive test, and no contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 within the previous 14 days.  These individuals must follow all rules, including masking at all times and not eating or drinking while in the facility.  As the number of COVID-19 cases in the community increases or decreases, we will review our operations to make additional changes as needed.

June 1, 2020 – Update – All Fertility Services are Now Available

Starting this month, we are seeing patients for all types of fertility services.  We no longer have restrictions on treatment cycles due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All SRM locations are also now open regular hours. While we are very excited about these updates, we remain very much committed to the safety of our patients and staff, and are actively following steps to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Please remember that we require all patients to wear their own cloth masks to appointments. Appointments are also limited to the patient only, which understandably can be difficult, but does reduce the number of people in the clinic, and allows for appropriate social distancing. Please review the other steps we are taking to provide a safe environment in the May 4th update below.

We continue to offer telemedicine video or phone visits for all new patient and follow-up appointments. Please call our main line at 206.301.5000 to schedule a New Patient Consultation with any of our Reproductive Endocrinologists.

May 14, 2020 – Update – Telemedicine New Patient Consultations

Optimizing your Telemedicine Consult – Dr. Nichole Barker has created an informative blog post with quick tips and a FAQ. It’s been about 2 months since we, at SRM, have had to pivot and go virtual with all of our consultations due to the coronavirus.  This has helped tremendously at decreasing foot traffic in the clinic, so we can adhere to social distancing and decreasing risk to our patients and staff.

Telemedicine BLOG POST – link here

May 4, 2020 – Update

We are happy to report that we have begun to reintroduce most patient services, especially for patients whose treatment is time-sensitive or has been delayed.

We continue to offer telemedicine video or phone visits – We are able to safely consult with patients to discuss their specific history and make recommendations for a personalized care plan from the comfort of their home.

All in-person appointments – These are scheduled to maintain appropriate distancing, patients and staff wear cloth face coverings or masks, and all persons entering the clinic must complete and pass screening. All patients receive counseling regarding COVID and pregnancy and engage in shared decision-making about their treatment plan.

The safety of our patients and staff is our foremost concern. Therefore, we have taken the following steps in response:

  • Advanced symptom screening is sent via the portal prior to appointments and patients are screened again in person before entering the clinic.
  • Staff is screened daily before entering the clinic and many work remotely to allow for social distancing. All staff are wearing masks in clinic areas and in their interactions with patients.
  • Appointments are limited to the patient only, which understandably can be difficult, but does reduce the number of people in the clinic.
  • We require all patients wear their own cloth masks to appointments.
  • We are regularly sanitizing our common areas, equipment, and patient rooms.
  • We are minimizing the number of patients in waiting areas and limit wait times. Signs have been placed on the floor to indicate where to wait at a healthy distance to check-in at the front desk. SRM staff will encourage moving patients to a different area of the clinic should the waiting area get too full.

APRIL 27, 2020 – Update – Kirkland and Everett locations

As of April 27th, all six SRM locations are open, Kirkland and Everett locations are now currently seeing patients. All locations are operating at limited capacity. The health and safety of our patients and staff is our priority, spreading out appointment times allows us to achieve the best results for social distancing within the clinic space.

We are now accepting new patients through telemedicine or phone consultation. We know this is a stressful time and infertility is time sensitive, we are committed to continuing to provide you with the valuable expertise you deserve.

Schedule a telemedicine appointment to talk with one of our expert physicians about your reproductive goals and put a plan in place.

Call our main line at 206.301.5000 to schedule.

MARCH 25, 2020 – Update – Telemedicine appointments available

The health and safety of our patients, community and staff is our priority. Due to the COVID-19 “Stay home, Stay healthy” order, we are now accepting new patients through telemedicine or phone consultation. We know this is a stressful time and infertility is time sensitive, we are committed to continuing to provide you with the valuable expertise you deserve.

Schedule a telemedicine appointment to talk with one of our expert physicians about your reproductive goals and put a plan in place.

Call our main line at 206.301.5000 to schedule.

MARCH 18, 2020 – Update

On March 17, the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) issued recommendations for fertility centers regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the global community, we believe it is our ethical responsibility to help slow and limit the spread of this disease.  We will therefore temporarily postpone the initiation of new treatment cycles, including ovulation induction, intrauterine insemination (IUI), and in vitro fertilization.

We are offering telemedicine consultations for new and established patients so that you may resume evaluation and treatment as soon as possible. We will continue to offer urgent services for our patients with medical and obstetrical concerns related to fertility treatments.

We are committed to resume full services as soon as it is prudent according to the guidance of our public health officials and in our best judgement.  We are evaluating the situation daily and will post changes to this website as new information becomes available.

The SRM Team

MARCH 13, 2020 – Update

The health and well-being of our patients and staff is SRM’s highest priority.  The physician and leadership team is working diligently to stay informed on the emerging scientific developments and evolving guidance from our local and national leaders in public health regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pregnancy and COVID-19—what we know and don’t know:

Risk to mother: Because COVID-19 is so new, there is limited information available about the risks to the mother and fetus if contracted during pregnancy.  In general, pregnant women are more susceptible to viral respiratory infections, such as influenza, and may be at risk for more severe illness.  Initial published data are reassuring for the severity of illness for pregnant women with COVID-19, but these data are very limited.

Risk to fetus: There is even less information available about risks to the fetus when the virus is contracted during the first or second trimester. Data from other similar illnesses are reassuring, suggesting no increased risk of miscarriage or birth defects.  However, with other viral illnesses (such as SARS), if the infection is severe, increased risks including miscarriage and preterm birth have been observed.

Things to consider:

We intend to remain open and are committed to providing ongoing care with your safety in mind. Should you choose to postpone your treatment, please contact your care team.

If you have a fever of 100.4 F or greater, especially if associated with respiratory symptoms, notify your care team and do not come into the clinic.  It will be necessary to interrupt ongoing treatment if you may be infectious. This should be a consideration as you decide whether to postpone your fertility treatment.

Strict personal hygiene (especially hand-washing) and avoiding potential exposures are the most important measures you can take to protect yourself, your family and your community.

What we are doing:

We are committed to help control the spread of COVID-19 by complying with guidance to maximize social distancing.

For patients who prefer not to come to an in-person visit, we will be offering phone appointments.  If you would like to change an existing appointment to phone, please contact us.

We have directed our nurses and financial counselors to shift primarily to phone and online communication.

You have the option to wait for your provider in adjacent spaces in the building to minimize crowding in the reception area.

To help us with these efforts, we must ask that you continue to observe our policy that children are not to accompany you to the clinic.

We have implemented additional measures for disinfecting common areas and have reinforced infection control procedures with all our staff.

We understand this situation may add worry to an already stressful time.  Our counselors are available should you need any additional support.   As always, if you have any questions regarding your treatment plan and timeline, please reach out to discuss your individual situation with a member of your care team.

The SRM Physician and Leadership Team

MARCH 3, 2020 – Update

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person and it has now been confirmed within our region.  This is an emerging epidemic and we are monitoring and following the most up-to-date recommendations from the Department of Health (DOH) and Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  SRM cares deeply about the health and well-being of our patients, our staff, and our community.

The same good health habits that prevent other viruses like the flu, also prevent the spread of Covid-19.  Common signs of infection include fever and respiratory symptoms, including cough and shortness of breath.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, please contact your care team and do not come into the clinic. 

For the most current information about COVID-19 and recommendations for keeping yourself and your family healthy, we recommend these resources:

Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
Seattle & King County Public Health

If you have questions, please call the Washington State Department of Health at 1(800) 525-0127.

If you have overseas travel plans, we encourage you to visit the CDC travel site.