COVID-19 Policy – Click here for Updates.

August 26: Fertility Health Checks Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions

Our FAQ are sorted into sections below; please click to be taken to the area of your choice.

Admin FAQ
We understand that sometimes, you will be away on holidays or away for work during the initial phase of treatment when you need to have scans and blood tests and the providers that Fertility Solutions uses are not accessible. As a result the nurses often get asked by patients, “Can I go to a different pathology company or have my scans outside the clinic?” The short answer to this is, "Yes, usually this can be accommodated," however, there are a few things you will need to consider.
  1. Once your cycle begins, that is day 1 of your period in IUI and FET cycles or the day you start FSH injections in an IVF cycle, the clinic is billed by the provider for your pathology testing and scans. The clinic then pays these bills out of the Medicare Rebate that it receives for your cycle.
  2. The clinic has arranged corporate rates with specific pathology companies therefore, if you chose to go to another pathology company, you need to notify Fertility Solutions first, as there may be additional charges that you have to pay for this flexibility. Once you have notified us, we can discuss any price differences that you may encounter, as you will be responsible for any differences between the corporate rate that Fertility Solutions has negotiated with our normal service providers and the provider you choose to see.
  3. The situation discussed in point 2 also applies for your scans. During a treatment cycle, scans are provided on site at either the clinic by your nurses or in the rooms with your specialist. If, for some reason, you choose not to use the clinic or your specialist for your scans, you will have to pay any difference between what the clinic charges and what the other service provider charges. Please contact Fertility Solutions and have a discussion with them about this before making any decisions.
Once you have notified the clinic that you will be using a different pathology or radiology company to that used by Fertility Solutions, we will help you make arrangements with them and pay the account on your behalf. Fertility Solutions will then invoice you for any difference between what Fertility Solutions charges or pays and that charged by the other provider.

You must contact Fertility Solutions before changing providers, so we can provide you with a quote. If you do not contact the clinic, you will be liable for any cost differences. Please note the difference in these charges can be quite significant.
Unfortunately, the short answer to this is NO. Medicare has already paid Fertility Solutions for these tests and will not pay twice on the one item when you are having fertility treatment. The best thing to do to avoid unnecessary expenses and financial surprises is to call us first so we can discuss your specific circumstance.

Infertility FAQ
Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after a year of regular unprotected intercourse, or the inability to carry pregnancies to a live birth. Learn more about infertility causes.
Fees for IVF and fertility treatments are rather complicated to explain and depend on your individual circumstances. To obtain an estimate of costs specifically tailored to your needs please come in for a free, private consultation.

To learn more about our cost - click here to review our costing guide.
ANZARD is the reporting body that collects and reports on all assisted reproductive technology cycles in Australia and New Zealand.

Success rates vary from clinic to clinic and are largely dependent upon your individual circumstances. View our success rates or read more on the factors that influence your ability to achieve a successful pregnancy.
The main reasons are:
  • Advancing age, predominantly women
  • Fallopian tubes factors (blocked or damaged tubes, missing tubes)
  • Sperm problems: Semen quality / low sperm count
  • Ovulatory problems
  • Hormonal factors
  • Weight: Being overweight or underweight
  • Smoking
  • A condition known as Polycystic Ovaries (PCOs)
  • Endometriosis
Read more about the causes of infertility.
The first day of full heavy bleeding before midday is day one of your cycle.
This is dependent upon the length of cycle. In a 28 day cycle, ovulation should occur at day 14 and "fertile time" is approximately days 12 to 15 or 12 to 14 days before the expected date of the next period.
A well balanced nutritional diet a minimum of 3-4 months prior to conception maximises your chance of conception and live birth. Folic acid taken daily reduces neural tube defects. Reducing stress improves ovulation and the chance of spontaneous conception. Recommended daily caffeine intake is 50mg per day. (Don't forget caffeine is not only found in coffee, but also chocolate, tea, and some soft drinks to name just a few). More than the daily recommended caffeine intake has been show to decrease fertility.

Smoking increases the incidence of infertility by 3 times and reduces the response to fertility drugs. Smoking also increases the risk of ectopic pregnancy and the miscarriage rate and has been associated with an increase in congenital abnormalities. There is no better reason to change your lifestyle - start today!

Visit "How To Judge IVF Success Rates" for more information.
Yes, absolutely! Ovulation can become infrequent or stop and periods can become irregular and/or heavy. Natural conception is reduced when you are overweight. Therapies to help ovulation are not as successful. There may be a higher chance of miscarriage. You may find our Fertility Diet Tips helpful.
This is a very common question that we are often asked. To help you make a decision, refer to our page on on Fertility Doctors.
Queensland is now able to legally offer altruistic surrogacy. Read more information about the Queensland Surrogacy Act 2010.

Surrogacy arrangements are very complex and as such Fertility Solutions has decided not to currently offer this treatment. There are clinics in Australia who do have extensive experience in surrogacy. If you think this is what you need, talk to your doctor for more information.
Fertility Solutions provides embryo storage for 10 years with the option to renew consent for a further 5 years equating to a maximum of 15 years storage. Please speak directly with our clinic if you have questions.
Fertility Solutions provides gamete (egg and sperm) storage for 10 years with the option to renew consent for a further 5 years equating to a maximum of 15 years storage. Please speak directly with our clinic if you have questions.

Sperm Donation FAQ
Approximately one in eight couples with fertility issues requires donor sperm to assist them in becoming parents. For them to realise their dream of having a baby, the only option is often to access donated sperm. Sperm donors are urgently needed for the following reasons:
  • Donor sperm is currently in extremely short supply in Queensland. Adoption in Australia is difficult due to very few children being available for adoption. Some couples, of course, choose to remain childless.
  • Did you know that male infertility is responsible for about 30% of couples not being able to conceive? There are some males who do not produce any sperm and are not able to achieve a pregnancy with their partner. Male infertility has many causes including genetic, infections and trauma damage.
  • To assist patients who have already conceived children using donor sperm and are wishing to extend their family and provide their child with sibling/s.
We all have something to give to our community, our time, our blood, our talents and for some men… the gift of life. Sperm donation can be one of the greatest gifts of all. Giving couples the chance of becoming a parent… an opportunity they may not have otherwise had.Many sperm donors already have children of their own and enjoy helping others experience the joys of parenthood. Other sperm donors have seen their friends or family members endure the frustration of fertility problems and want to be able to help.

We understand that you may not be ready or want a family of your own, but by entering a sperm donor program you can help make someone else’s dreams of parenthood become a reality.
Men of all ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds can become sperm donors. This includes men of different heights, shapes and sizes, as long as you meet the few criteria below:
  • You are over 21 and under 41 years of age.
  • You are in good health and prepared to have regular blood tests
  • You have a low risk for sexually transmitted diseases such as Hepatitis, HIV/AIDS
  • You can provide a family medical history.
  • You are prepared to go through counselling (along with your partner if applicable)
  • You are ideally currently not going through fertility treatment yourself
Some people in the community may not be able to donate because their lifestyle puts them at risk of contracting diseases that could infect the women receiving the donor sperm and any children conceived. As part of being accepted as a donor, a lifestyle declaration must be signed.
There are many reasons why men consider donating sperm, some of these reasons might include:
  1. To find out your own fertility status
  2. To help assist another couple realise their dream of becoming parents
While it is illegal in Australia to buy and sell human sperm (under the Human Tissue Act 1982), many fertility clinics are able to compensate the donor by way of a lump sum for any expenses you incur.

Please be assured that all services are provided in a completely discreet and confidential environment.

Thank you for reading this information and taking the time to consider becoming a sperm donor. You may not know it, but there are a lot of people that will be very grateful to you for just considering becoming a donor. Many individuals and couples would not be able to create a family without your help - so thank you. If you feel you have what it takes to be a sperm donor, we encourage you to contact us.

Nursing FAQ
No, it is important that you do not miss an FSH injection. Please administer the injection as soon as you remember and contact your clinic nurse. FSH injections should not vary more than 2 hours outside of the normal time you administer your injections. It is a good idea to set an alarm.
Spotting can be common in the first 5 days of your injection phase, especially if you have been on oral contraceptive pill and it usually settles within a couple of days. Your routine scans will assess both your follicular and endometrial (uterus lining) development.
Administer your dose as soon as you remember. In most cycle types we are topping up your natural levels so timing of dosage is not critical. However, if you are on a Frozen embryo transfer cycle and are taking progynova or zumenon (oestrogen) tablets then your progesterone support is vital as you are not producing any progesterone naturally. Contact a nurse if you have missed more than one dose for further advice.
You can hold off on your midday dose of oripro, utrogestan or crinone (progesterone) until after your transfer occurs.
If it within a couple of hours of your trigger time administer your trigger immediately and advise the nursing team between 8-9am the following morning for further instructions. If your egg collection time cannot be moved your cycle may need to be cancelled.

The trigger injection is precisely timed so that it gives your eggs a specific length of time for final maturation and controls the timing of ovulation in direct relationship with the time of your egg collection.
Yes, we recommend that you empty your bladder an hour prior to your appointment time and then drink 500mls of waters. Please let us know on arrival if you are uncomfortably full.
Day 1 of your cycle is classified as normal menstrual flow occurring before midday. If you are just spotting in the morning and normal menstrual flow occurs in the afternoon or evening then the next day is classified as Day 1 of your cycle.

For Day 1 blood test
  • IVF/ICSI cycles – for same day results in most areas it is important to have your blood test as soon as possible in the morning. Please call the clinic in the morning to advise that your period has started and you have had your blood test. Please then call back between 3 -4pm for your results and updated instructions. If it is a weekend, please notify the nurse on-call that you have had your test and call back between 4-5pm for your results and updated instructions.
  • Frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycle – natural or ovulation induction using Letrozole or Clomid - Same as IVF/ICSI cycles except if it is a weekend have your blood test and contact the clinic on Monday morning for further instructions. If you don’t have a QML collection center open near you on a Sunday you can have your test on the Monday morning.
  • Frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycle – programmed/hormone replacement using Progynova or Zumenon – you don’t need a blood test, please just do a home pregnancy test and let us know on the same business day or if it is the weekend on Monday morning.
  • Intrauterine insemination cycle (IUI) – Same as IVF/ICSI cycles except if it is a weekend have your blood test and contact the clinic on Monday morning for further instructions. If you don’t have a QML collection center open near you on a Sunday you can have your test on the Monday morning.
Yes, we don’t want you to cease medications based off a urinary test as they can occasionally be inaccurate and we are required by our regulatory body to report on cycle outcomes from a serum BhCG test (pregnancy blood test).
A partner or support person is welcome to attend all appointments. Ideally children need to be supervised. However, if we are experiencing COVID restrictions a partner/support person can only attend the clinic for your embryo transfer or to provide a semen sample.
No, unfortunately your partner cannot be with you during the egg collection procedure. If your egg collection is in the clinic, you partner can be with you as soon as your procedure is over and you are in recovery. For hospital egg collections you partner or support person cannot stay with you during your admission and recovery.
Maroochydore QML on the corner of Horton Parade and Aerodrome Road (opposite Hungry Jacks).
Saturday 8am – 12pm and Sunday 8am – 11am. There are several other QML clinics open on the Sunshine Coast or Brisbane region Saturday morning, please check the QML website, under locations for further options.

Nambour – Ann Street from 8am – 12md
Gympie – Channon Street from 6.30 – 11.30am
Bundaberg – Hinkler Place Shopping Centre from 8am – 10.15am
Hervey Bay – Liuzzi Street, from 8.30am – 11.30am

Please double check the QML website for updated information as these times may be subject to change.
The clinic will book you in for a test on a public holiday if necessary and will advise you of a time and location.
Please contact your specialists’ rooms to request this. The certificate will not state anything about fertility treatment.