THE EGG FREEZING EXPERIENCE
THE UNIQUE EGG FREEZING JOURNEY AT PROLOGUE
Prologue has evolved a unique patient journey for those women who are wanting to learn more about their fertility and the option of freezing their eggs. At Prologue, we value how we do things just as highly as the outcome of what we do. We are here to care for, advocate for, protect and look after you. We know that no two people are the same and are here to learn about you, what is important to you and how we can best work with you. We do not underestimate the value of clear communication, workshopping and debriefing. We understand that you are busy. We know you are capable of understanding medical processes if they are well explained. We get that you want to be informed and listen to. We understand that foreign experiences can be anxiety provoking and you will need support, so we are ready to give it. We acknowledge that you work damn hard for your money and don’t want to waste it. We get that traveling is a poor use of your time and so we have made things as streamlined as possible. We feel that printing and trying not to lose forms is a hassle for you and so we will never ask you to do this! We know that you are the best person to decide if egg freezing is right for you and so will not make that decision for you. We also know you are worthy of the best result possible.
The following is an outline of the main steps that are involved in the egg freeze patient journey at Prologue.
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You can call Prologue on (02) 95194114 to speak with one of our brilliant Client Experience Managers. They will work with you to find a time that suits for two appointments. The first of these will be via Zoom and with a Prologue Fertility Nurse. The second one will be in-person with a Prologue Fertility Specialist. You will get both email and text message confirmation of these appointments as well as options to change the appointment times if they no longer suit you. You will also register as a patient of Prologue using an electronic registration system that is friendly for all types of devices. If you have them, this process will also invite you to upload the results of tests that you already completed, as well as a GP referral.
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The purpose of this appointment is to start to investigate your baseline fertility in preparation for your upcoming appointment with the Prologue Fertility Specialist. We conduct this appointment via Zoom to make it more convenient for you and it usually takes around 15 minutes. There is no fee for this consultation.
During your time with the Prologue Fertility Nurse, they will arrange for you to have a set of basic blood tests and an ultrasound prior to your appointment with the Prologue Fertility Specialist. As they are arranging this for you, they will assess what, if any, tests have already been completed. We do not want to waste your time or money by unnecessarily repeating them. We will explain in detail how to get your tests done in the most efficient and cost effective way, as well as follow up with an email providing a written overview of everything that was discussed. All the request forms for the tests will be emailed to you and you will never have to print these out. The Prologue Fertility Nurse will also discuss the benefits of obtaining a GP referral for your Fertility Specialist appointment and provide you with an overview of what will be covered in that appointment. This is also a chance for you to ask any initial questions you may have about the process of assessing your fertility, egg freezing or anything else that is on your mind.
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The Prologue team will maintain our close contact with you as you are completing your blood tests and ultrasound. Remember, we will never ask you to repeat anything that has already been done and is sufficiently recent and of good quality. We will have every test possible bulk billed, hence minimising your out of pocket spend on these investigations. You will be informed of any out of pocket costs prior to doing any tests. Your results will always be checked by a Prologue Fertility Specialist and you will be sent an email confirming they have been received.
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This is a busy 30 minute in-person appointment with a Prologue Fertility Specialist. For those with Medicare and a valid GP referral the out of pocket cost for the result will be approximately $225 (or $300 for those with no referral or Medicare). During your time with the Prologue Fertility Specialist, you will discuss multiple topics such as:
The major determinants of female fertility and how these change with advancing age, as well as how these apply to you
Review the results of your blood tests and ultrasound and then offer you personalised advice in terms of your current fertility status
Discuss with you the options and opportunities afforded by egg freezing
Review resources related to the success rates of egg freezing and applying these to your current fertility state, as guided by the investigations you have completed
Outline the steps that are involved in the egg freezing process
Detail the costs of egg freezing specific to your circumstances, including such variables as Medicare rebates and private health insurance.
Discuss the potential side effects of the medication used in egg freezing and any general or specific risks associated with the process
Workshop a personalised treatment plan for you to undergo an egg freeze cycle. This does NOT mean you have to use this plan and progress to freezing your eggs. Rather, it means you leave the consultation armed with the option of doing so in the near or far future, if you wish. There is no cost to you by having this plan in place, nor will anyone be coercing you to use it.
Immediately after your consultation, the Prologue Fertility Specialist will be send you a follow up email summarising the main points of the consult, attaching copies of references that you reviewed together so you can reflect on them in your own time, as well again outlining the options you have in moving forward to freezing your eggs.
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All women will be given time and space to contemplate all that was covered in their session with the Prologue Fertility Specialist. For those who are keen to progress to freezing their eggs, an education session with the Prologue Fertility Nurse will be arranged. During this session, the logistics of an egg freeze cycle are explained in more detail and the process of preparing you for treatment is commenced.
Starting right now, the Prologue team offers a commitment of being available and contactable by you. We will be by your side during all of the above steps and well beyond. You will always be clear how to access us and we will make sure you are feeling clear, confident and supported in everything we do together.
If you are wanting to have a better understanding of your fertility and what eg freezing could offer you, give us a call and it would be our pleasure to help you.
At Prologue, we love to encourage a level of mutual understanding and openness between our team and the patients we care for. We have learned that this fosters a level of trust that in turn has a very real and positive impact on both your experience and outcome. Getting to know you, your values and priorities also improves our job satisfaction and helps us in our goal of keeping well clear of conveyor-belt style care. It is very important to the entire Prologue team, that you feel comfortable sharing your feelings, fears, concerns and desires with us. We can also reassure you, that you will not be judged by us but rather listened to. Let us share some information on each one of us here at Prologue and how we are here to care for you.
MEET THE PROLOGUE TEAM
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When you become a patient of Prologue, you are stepping into a world of my creation. My constant reference point as I constructed and now continue to evolve the service we offer you, is making sure we are always providing the type of care that I would want my sister to receive. A place where you can reliably access an environment and team that will honestly nurture, advocate, protect and care for in every way possible.
I grew up in the outer suburbs of Melbourne and went on to complete a science degree at The University of Melbourne. I hadn’t always intended on being a doctor and certainly wasn’t pushed by my non-medical parents. I then moved to Sydney and completed my medical degree at The University of Sydney. Following this, I returned to Melbourne where I started to specialise in Emergency Medicine but then realised Obstetrics and Gynaecology was the perfect specialty for me. I undertook most of my specialty training at Monash Medical Centre and then moved back to Sydney to do a fellowship in Obstetrics at The Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. During this time I completed a Masters in Reproductive Medicine and soon after that started an affiliation with Monash IVF.
In early 2018 I opened my private practice….now known as Prologue….and I love it! Both Obstetrics and Fertility are among the few remaining specialties where there is still an element of creativity involved. They are also areas of medicine where possessing good clinical skills, common sense and emotional intelligence makes a very real difference to outcomes. I love that I have the opportunity to curate an exceptional team to be available to you and create a space and opportunities to enhance your journey. At Prologue, we pay attention to every detail and will never settle for anything but the best, as that is what you deserve!
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Andrea is an incredibly talented Fertility Nurse and adds a depth and level of experience that is a major asset to the Prologue fertility team. They say that common sense is not that common but Andrea has it in bucket loads - she really "gets it". There is not a single issue or hurdle she can not help you navigate and will be an unwavering support during your journey with us.
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Known and constantly reviewed for her smile and welcoming presence, Vivi is the Practice Lead of Prologue. She oversees the running of the practice as a whole. Another big part of Vivi’s contribution to Prologue is ensuring consistency and clarity in the service we provide so we can offer a dependable, mindful, flexible and unrivalled experience for you. At Prologue, we take your privacy seriously. In her role, Vivi focuses on making sure all of Prologue’s systems are up to date and protected, meaning your records and data are safe and secure.
EXPLORE EGG FREEZING WITH PROLOGUE
