Out-of-State Patients

We welcome a great deal of out-of-state and international patients. If you are not local to Los Angeles and are considering Santa Monica Fertility Specialists, you can feel confident that we will address your specific needs and coordinate all aspects of your treatment in a manner that keeps travel to a minimum. Please see our Travel and Accommodations page for lists of airports, accommodations, car rental agencies, transportation services, and visitor information.

We offer telephone consultations during which time we can discuss your options and possible treatment plans. Should you decide to start treatment, you can schedule an appointment at a time when travel is convenient. Some initial lab work and/or cycle monitoring may be performed ahead of time at an office near your home. We work with fertility specialists and other physicians worldwide and are able to coordinate with them in order to insure that treatment proceeds smoothly. Because each patient is individually considered, details vary. The following may be used as a general guideline.

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

Following consultation over the phone or in our office, we will design a stimulation regimen. In most circumstances, to minimize the time spent in Los Angeles, the patient may start the program while out of town, with monitoring performed by a local physician. The results can be communicated to our office, and if any modifications need to be made, we will convey that information to the doctor. The patient should arrange to be in Los Angeles by cycle day 9, at which time the treatment can be completed by SMFS. Typically, one week in Los Angeles is required.

Egg Donation

Following the initial consultation, the recipient is scheduled for a practice cycle including a practice embryo transfer. All of the paperwork associated with the cycle is also completed at this time.

Egg donation requires synchronization of both the recipient's and the donor's cycles. However, once the cycle begins, almost all of the recipient's management can be handled long-distance while the donor is monitored in our office. While we do not require a sperm specimen on the day of egg retrieval, most couples do choose to arrive for the egg retrieval and stay through the embryo transfer. Where time is a concern, the male partner can arrive for the sperm specimen, leave, and then return with the recipient for the embryo transfer.

Gestational Surrogacy

With gestational surrogacy, coordination becomes a bit more complicated, however, the medical process itself resembles that of egg donation. If the intended mother is providing the oocytes, a long-distance surrogate cycle will be similar to a long-distance IVF cycle. If an egg donor is involved, we coordinate as for long-distance egg donation as described above. We have a great deal of experience in the complexities of gestational surrogacy. If you would like to discuss the logistics with us, please contact our office.