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New App Helps Track IVF Appointments And Injections In One Place

No more jotting down details in a pamphlet.
IVF can be an emotionally trying time. This app helps to remove a little of the stress.
Getty Images/iStockphoto
IVF can be an emotionally trying time. This app helps to remove a little of the stress.

If ever you've been through IVF you'll know the scenario all too well. You have a myriad of injections to administer to yourself, everyday, at specific times. That's on top of the frequent (sometimes daily) doctor's appointments, tests and scans.

It's a lot to remember, especially at such an emotionally exhausting time, so it's little wonder that jotting notes down on the pamphlet provided by the nurses might mean something could slip through the cracks.

That's why a new tracking app, MiFertility Plan, has been created and can be used by any woman or couple undergoing IVF in Australia, irrespective of the clinic they are attending.

"Undergoing fertility treatment can be complicated as it may involve learning to inject or administer a number of medicines at specific times during and after a cycle," Hardus van Vuuren, General Manager for Ferring Australia, the company who created the app, told HuffPost Australia.

"Beyond the schedule for administering or injecting IVF medicines, a patient's journey also involves a number of clinic visits, frequently involving procedures, scans and blood tests, and at very specific time points to maximise the chance of success."

No more Post-It notes or flyers stuck on the fridge.
Getty Images/iStockphoto
No more Post-It notes or flyers stuck on the fridge.

"While a number of apps already exist in Australia for tracking fertility and the menstrual cycle, there has been a significant gap in meeting the needs of patients to manage the complexity of the IVF treatment journey," van Vuuren said.

The aim of the app is to allow patients to enter their specific treatment information, often provided by their clinic on paper, quickly and easily to their smartphone or tablet. The app also has the ability to remind patients of crucial events such as timely injections that can't be missed. Users also have the ability to jot down how they are feeling at each stage.

"The app, which is free to download from the App Store or Google Play, can be used for any type of fertility protocol and with any combination of IVF, or even non-IVF medicines. This makes the app accessible to women across Australia, irrespective of the clinic they are attending," van Vuuren said.

"In addition, the app syncs with a smartphone or computer calendar and enables a woman's fertility cycle plan to be shared with her clinic to confirm accuracy before starting treatment."

"The role of a partner can be crucial for support during IVF treatment and the app allows for sharing all appointments at the touch of a button, as well as producing a PDF record to keep for future reference," van Vuuren said.

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