MCRM Fertility (MCRM Fertility) and Dr. Peter Ahlering have been taking steps, over the past year, to help broaden awareness of infertility in Missouri and Illinois through community outreach and education. It appears these steps have helped as the state of Missouri has improved their “F” grade from 2013 to a “D” in the most recent RESOLVE State Fertility Scorecard listings. The ranking was determined by the National Infertility Association’s (RESOLVE) evaluation on statistics provided by the National Survey on Family Growth. Although the grade has improved, significant steps are still required to improve the grade to a satisfactory level. Missouri is considered a key state for action with needs in an insurance mandate, legislative support and increased awareness and local support for patients. The survey evaluated criteria such as:
- Number of peer-led RESOLVE support groups in state for people experiencing fertility issues
- Number of physicians specializing in infertility in state, at SART-accredited fertility clinics
- Number of women in state who have experienced physical difficulty in getting pregnant or carrying a pregnancy to live birth
- Insurance mandate information in each state
- Employers with fewer than 25 employees do not have to provide coverage.
- Does not require religious employers to cover infertility treatment.
- Employers who self-insure are exempt from the requirements of the law; covers up to 4 egg retrievals; lifetime max of 6 egg retrievals
- Working closely with nurse practitioners and physicians thru specific meeting events and grand rounds to discuss specific fertility topics, including fertility preservation
- Working in partnership with higher education institutions and their nurse practitioner programs to offer hands-on educational experience and education in the field of reproductive medicine
- MCRM has established specific individual divisions dedicated to specific interests related to infertility to provide more detailed, individualized care with specialists and they are:
- Institute for Fertility Preservation at MCRM (IFP)
- IFP provides specialists and knowledge that are able to assist patients, immediately, who are facing critical illnesses, such as cancer, and provide care, hope and compassion in preserving one’s fertility future
- Center for Male Infertility at MCRM (CMI)
- CMI provides advanced testing procedures and expertise to help diagnose, often-over-looked, male factor infertility
- Center for Pregnancy Loss and Mitigation at MCRM (CPL)
- CPL assists patients understand the causes of recurrent miscarriage and pregnancy loss and works with the most advanced science and technology to mitigate it from reoccurring in future pregnancies
- Institute for Fertility Preservation at MCRM (IFP)
- MCRM will be hosting a public genetic screening even, in August, to discuss the importance and need of genetic screening
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About the MCRM Fertility and Dr. Peter Ahlering: After nearly 15 years as medical director for a national infertility practice, Dr. Peter Ahlering set off to develop a new approach to reproductive medicine treatment and care for women’s health in the Midwest. The result was the newly developed MCRM Fertility (MCRM Fertility), established in 2013 in Columbia, Missouri. MCRM Fertility is dedicated to providing compassionate, individualized care for all patients. Understanding fertility hardship can sometimes lead to financial hardship, MCRM strives to provide affordable, high-quality fertility treatments and procedures through the use of advanced technology and science. Dr. Peter Ahlering is a board certified obstetrician/gynecologist with a focus in operative laparoscopy and advanced laparoscopic procedures. He is a member of the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists, the American Society of Reproductive Immunologists and the American Society of Reproductive Medicine. In November 2013, MCRM expanded to include the MCRM Women’s Health Center to offer gynecological women’s health services in the St. Louis metropolitan area through the compassionate care of women’s health nurse practitioners Susan Gaffney, WHNP-BC and Heidi Gioia, WHNP-BC. In April 2014, MCRM Fertility and Women’s Health Center moved into its current location in the Chesterfield Valley. The combined facility offers the latest advancements in reproductive medicine and a calm, caring environment for women’s healthcare. For more information regarding MCRM Fertility and Women’s Health Center visit http://www.mcrmfertililty.com About RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association: Established in 1974, RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association is a non-profit organization with the only established, nationwide network mandated to promote reproductive health and to ensure equal access to all family building options for men and women experiencing infertility or other reproductive disorders. One in eight U.S. couples of childbearing age is diagnosed with infertility. RESOLVE addresses this public health issue by providing community to these women and men, connecting them with others who can help, empowering them to find resolution and giving voice to their demands for access to all family building options. For more information, visit www.RESOLVE.org. The complete survey and report card results may be found at: http://familybuilding.resolve.org/fertility-scorecard/]]>