Preconception Care and Counseling
What is Fertility Care with a Midwife?
Midwife-led preconception appointments with Bay Fertility Care are designed to help you approach your fertility journey with clarity, confidence, and support. Our time together will be tailored to your specific needs, questions, and circumstances. Common areas we may cover include:
Personalized Fertility Planning
We’ll create a plan to support your overall health and fertility, including guidance around nutrition, supplements, movement practices, stress reduction, and improving sleep quality.
Cycle Tracking and Ovulation Awareness
We’ll review cycle-tracking strategies in detail so you feel confident identifying your body’s signs of ovulation. This may include tracking luteinizing hormone (LH) levels, assessing cervical fluid, interpreting basal body temperature, and understanding the role of ultrasound monitoring.
Fertility Labs and Testing Options
We’ll discuss which lab tests may be helpful for your specific circumstances, including tests for hormone levels and other relevant health markers. I’m happy to review recent labs from another provider, or we can discuss ordering new tests. This conversation will also include an overview of genetic carrier screening options and specific testing considerations for donor insemination.
Known Donor Considerations
For those using a known sperm donor, we’ll review recommendations around legal contracts and discuss relational and logistical considerations related to donor agreements.
How to Navigate the Sperm Banking System
If you’re planning to use a sperm bank, we can talk through choosing a bank, donor selection, and the logistics of sperm storage and shipping.
Optimizing Male Fertility
For those trying to conceive with a male partner or spouse, we can discuss strategies to support male fertility and order a semen analysis if indicated.
Understanding Fertility Medications
While we do not prescribe fertility medications, we can help you understand when medications such as ovulation induction agents are commonly used, how they work, and what questions to ask your prescribing provider. We can also discuss how medication protocols may fit into a home IUI cycle, and collaborate thoughtfully with your medical provider to support a coordinated approach to your care.
All your Fertility and IUI Questions Answered
There will be ample space to address all of your questions about conception with intrauterine insemination (IUI), at a pace that feels supportive and thorough.
A preconception appointment is the best first step in preparing for an IUI cycle. Ideally, it is optimal to schedule an appointment 3-6 months prior to beginning IUIs, as that gives you enough time to integrate any changes we discuss in a timeline that will be meaningfully useful in future cycles.
Logistics
Appointment legth 60-90 minutes
Follow-up appointments 30-60 minutes
Appointments are available virtually or in-home
Includes 4 months of unlimited phone and email support
Includes access to educational handouts, additional resources, and referrals.
Cost
Initial consultation $250
Follow-up Appointments $150
