The outbreak of the corona virus (covid-19) has affected a majority of couples who had the dream of starting a family through IVF. While several patients are concerned that the delays in the treatment may have an effect of their chances of conceiving, the others are not sure if this is the right time to continue with their treatment. Scientists have shown that a time period of 180 days between the initial diagnosis and starting an assisted reproductive treatment cycle will not lead to a negative outcome (Romanski et al., 2020). Patients who already underwent multiple cycles or who want to start a cycle as early as possible due to medical conditions have a negative effect on their psychological and emotional health. The IVF Access team understands this and follows treatment strategies with the guidance of the ICMR to provide our patients with the best medical care in the safest way. All our patients are asked to promptly answer a risk management triage questionnaire which includes questions regarding

• Their current health status
• Medical conditions like Respiratory or heart Diseases, diabetes, etc
• Recent travel history and if they were in contact with a Covid positive patient
• If they are medical professionals

IVF Access has modified its clinic and staff work schedules to ensure its safety & hygiene protocols. Furthermore, our staggered scheduling ensures that there are limited staff and patient numbers in the waiting areas and the OPD to ensure physical distancing among other patients. Our staff mandatory wear protective shields and all common use areas are sanitized periodically. We also offer teleconsultation on request. For patients with ongoing treatments, couples are tested via RT-PCR before starting the treatment and just before the ovum pick up. IVF Access commences stimulation for the couple only if they test negative. If patients do test positive, the cycle is postponed. And if the patients, develop symptoms post the egg retrieval, the embryos will be frozen and transferred after recovery. The nursing and embryology teams ensure that the pre-operative area, the OT and the laboratory are sanitized regularly and thoroughly. While studies have shown that the virus is not present in the seminal plasma or the follicular fluid, our embryologists follow good laboratory practices and take extra care while handling the biological fluids and dispose them safely. The lab team minimise handling and sharing of stationery, equipment and pipettes to maintain sterility and clean all the instruments after each use. It is our endeavour at this time to provide a safe and stress-free service to patients.