Let Us Review Your Fertility Informed Consent Forms

Let Us Review Your Informed Consent Forms

Deciding to make an appointment at a fertility clinic is a big step in the journey to parenthood. No matter what procedure route you take, there’s a lot that goes into the various services surrounding treatment and care. At Midwest Fertility Law Group, we know you want to make sure you’re not only in the best hands but that you understand everything that is about to happen. That’s where Informed Consent comes into play.

What is Informed Consent?

Essentially, informed consent is the communication between a health care provider and the patient. The focus of the communication is to come to an agreement on the type of treatment a patient will be undergoing. The informing part is to make sure that all your questions have been answered and you know exactly what you are getting into. The consent is giving permission to the provider to administer these services to you.

Why is an Informed Consent form needed in regards to fertility?

What a Midwest Fertility Lawyer would want you to understand about the consent form is that it acknowledges and outlines the entire process that you will be undergoing, as a parent-to-be. The unique aspect of Informed Consent forms from a fertility clinic is that they go beyond a typical form for other medical procedures. They also tend to cover any part of a treatment that could have legal consequences. Such situations included in the forms, depending on your specific fertility treatment, are who decides the future of unused embryos.

What topics are covered in the Informed Consent form?

Assisted Reproductive Technology Attorneys would make sure that a whole range of topics are covered, depending on which fertility assistance route you’re going on. One of the responsibilities of the form is that the entire process is spelled out thoroughly. Aside from the steps a provider will take while using ART, the consent should also outline the associated risks of treatment. Not only the risks that the parent could encounter, but also for the offspring. For example, here are some topics you would expect to see on IVF forms:

• Pre-treatment recommendations
• Description of IVF treatment
• Monitoring
• Egg Retrieval
• Risks
• Insemination
• Embryo transfer
• Assisted embryo hatching
• Embryo freezing
• Risks of freezing
• Luteal phase support
• Risks to the mother
• Risks to offspring
• Infant development
• Risk of multiples
• Considerations in treatment, ethical and religious
• Psychosocial effects
• Legal consideration
• IVF alternatives

Who is covered by the Informed Consent?

While both the parents and the doctor are covered by consent forms, the answer can go deeper depending on your fertility treatment. If you have questions, please consult with the physician in charge of your care. If your questions are not fully answered before getting the consent forms, feel free to consult your Midwest ART Attorney for clarification.

Common mistakes found in forms

Due to the wide range of situations across the fertility spectrum, there are many treatment options. With consent forms, that means that there is potentially a lot of ground to cover that you could be unaware of. Taking the forms to a Midwest IVF Attorney would provide another set of eyes, but one that is experienced in the topic. They would be able to catch things that others would miss. No matter how much communication happens, it’s possible that things are accidentally left out. Here are some of the common mistakes:

• Incomplete description of the treatment
• Incomplete description of the risks associated with treatment
• Wrong forms used
• No secure witness signature
• Family configuration not properly identified

It is important that you read the Informed Consent forms thoroughly. Since consent forms or laws may not be your forte, this is a good opportunity to connect with a Midwest Fertility Attorney. An attorney that specializes in this genre of law can help navigate the structure and meaning behind each point in the forms. Their goal will be to make sure you and your partner’s rights as parents are protected. Before you sign, have an attorney review the Informed Consent forms. Having an expert go through the forms should help you avoid any future legal disputes and ensure that you are confident about moving forward.