Your Journey Begins Here

You only need a new referral if it has been longer than two years since you have been seen by one of our doctors.  If it has been less than two years, please call your fertility doctor's office and they will help you book an appointment.

We endeavour to schedule appointment with the doctor within 6 to 8 weeks. We know how important time is when trying to conceiving, so we will start preparing for your visit right away.   Our nurse will contact you to set up some pretesting so that by the time you do see the specialist, we will have some preliminary result available so you can have a more meaningful discussion.

Medically urgent cases, such as for those diagnosed with cancer, will be prioritized and are usually seen within 48 hours, depending on the urgency.

Yes, please have your referring doctor write their name directly on the referral. If the wait time is longer than you would like, we can also book you with a doctor that has a shorter wait list.

If you have a partner, we recommend that they join you for the first appointment. This way, we can complete testing for both partners and limit any potential delays in treatment.

We can review your records and ensure we are not unnecessarily duplicating any tests and that they are still relevant. Generally, we prefer to have testing completed at Markham Fertility Centre, as we are familiar with the reporting and methods used by our team.

Yes.  Investigations and physician appointments are covered by the provincial health insurance plan (OHIP) when a referral is received by your family doctor or other physician.

Fertility consultations and investigations are covered by OHIP.  However, we often order an Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) blood test, which is not covered by OHIP. The test is processed at an external lab and costs $85 when drawn at Markham Fertility Centre.  The results of an AMH test provide insight into your ovarian reserve.

We would like you to complete ultrasounds (Sonohysterogram and Baseline Pelvic Exam), as well as a semen analysis test (if relevant), at Markham Fertility Centre.  Our ultrasound group (CARE Imaging) specializes in reproductive imaging so we have a high degree of confidence and familiarity with their reporting.  Likewise, we have in house expertise in semen analysis, which we think is beneficial for patients.

On the other hand, you can have your bloodwork done at a location near you.  We will send requisitions though our patient portal to make it convenient for you to do close to home.

Entering our immune program is a medical directive and is made in collaboration with one of our fertility doctors after consultation. Our doctors are experts in this field and will consider your unique situation, previous IVF attempts, and additional blood tests.

We can add you to the wait list once you have met with the doctor and have determined that IVF is indicated in your case.  You can learn more about OFP funding eligibility on our website's fees page.

The current wait time for a funded IVF cycle is approximately 12-18 months.  While we are fortunate to have government funding in Ontario for IVF, the budget is limited each year, so we can only treat a limited number of people.  It is a good idea to stay connected with our funding coordinator so you can stay informed about the wait time.

There are many factors to consider, however, if a private IVF cycle is part of your plan of care, it is reasonable to have an IVF cycle within 1-3 months of your initial appointment.