Northern Region Fertility Service (NRFS)

Public Service

COVID-19 response

Please be advised that:

• All clinics are operating with safety precautions as the priority.
• Some appointments may be disrupted. Expect to liaise with your clinic about any changes.
• The situation will continue to be monitored for any further changes.

The COVID-19 response period has meant many changes across health services and general life in New Zealand. All Northern Region Fertility Service (NRFS) clinics have implemented safety protocols and continue to work together to ensure consistency and safe practice. Adjustments have been made to ensure that clinics and treatments are safe for patients and staff.

These adjustments include:

• Continuing to provide consultations virtually (phone or video) as much as possible
• Screening of patients by asking health questions prior to patients entering the clinic premises
• Reducing the number of face to face contacts to a minimum, including for laboratory visits and scans
• Reducing the number of people entering the clinic (including partners or support people)
• Spreading out individual patient visits to reduce crossover of patients. (This may mean that your appointment is at an unusual time as the clinic hours may be extended to accommodate this).
• Additional hygiene measures in relation to cleaning and sanitising
• Staff use of protective personal equipment (PPE) such as masks, gloves and gowns in accordance with agreed clinical protocols.

For information about COVID-19 protocols in place at each of the publicly funded fertility services in the Northern region, go to:

Fertility Plus

Repromed

Fertility Associates

As COVID-19 is a new illness, it is not known what impacts this infection may have on unborn children. The following advice has been prepared for patients undergoing fertility treatment to consider and includes links to clinical advice that is updated as the understanding of this disease develops. Please see the patient information in the link or in the downloads section below.

Current advice regarding COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant and breastfeeding women is available at The Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC) and The Royal Australian and New Zealand Collge of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG).

For those for whom the delay caused by COVID-19 will impact their eligibility criteria related to age, a grace period will be extended to accommodate the COVID-19 delay. This is intended to prevent any person’s eligibility from being adversely affected by the COVID-19 restrictions. Your fertility clinic will be in touch to confirm the next steps for your treatment.

About the NRFS

The NRFS provides coordination of referrals for publicly funded fertility services for the Northern region (Auckland, Waitematā, Counties Manukau and Northland region).

The NRFS has an Advisory Group. The purpose of the NRFS Advisory Group is to:

• monitor, review and oversee regional fertility services
• provide a forum for addressing questions and issues related to the regional provision of fertility services
• ensure there is a coordinated approach to public fertility services
• review and monitor referral pathways
• review, improve and monitor consumer feedback.

Publicly funded fertility services

In the Northern region there are three providers of publicly funded fertility services. They are:

Fertility Plus

Repromed

Fertility Associates

The three fertility clinics provide a range of specialist Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) assessment and treatment services. People may need this service if they are:

• experiencing infertility
• experiencing familial genetic disorders
• experiencing biological infertility
• requiring fertility preservation for patients whose fertility may be permanently impaired by treatment, such as cancer treatment
• requiring advice and information on services and best practice guidelines on fertility issues.

Counselling services

Social work and counselling should be available to all patients to address the social and psychological effects of undergoing infertility treatment, fertility preservation, as well as other options such as adoption or living without children.

The needs of Māori people or those of other cultures may include involvement of whānau in counselling sessions.

Treatment

There are a range of investigations and treatments that may be offered to you depending on the clinical reasons for the infertility. Ensure these are fully discussed with you and your whanau as appropriate. Informed consent is important before any treatment is commenced.

Patient information

The Human Fertility and Embryology Authority (HFEA) website from the United Kingdom provides valuable information for patients considering fertility treatment. 

We recommend visiting the HFEA website. In particular the pages about fertility treatments and treatment add-ons are informative.

Registers of sperm, egg and embryo donations

Details of sperm, egg and embryo donors and children conceived from donations are kept on the Human Assisted Reproductive Technology (HART) Register. 

The information on this page has been provided by healthpoint.co.nz, helping people better understand and use New Zealand health services.