How to Handle Fertility Treatments amid Coronavirus Pandemic — Expert Breaks Down What to Expect

The good news is the fact that "the field of fertility medicine has advanced so much over the years that success in general [is more common] than it has ever been before," Dr. Williams says, marveling at "how far the field has come" in the 40-plus years since the first baby was born after being conceived via IVF.

He also emphasizes the importance of educating one's self on their respective process, saying that "knowledge is very helpful" and driving home the point that "a delay of a few months will not make a meaningful impact" for most.

In the meantime, Dr. Williams encourages patients to keep in contact with their clinics, and insists that many practices (including his) are doing their best to work with more time-conscious patients on the steps they can take right now to get them in and back to their regularly scheduled treatments as soon — and safely — as possible.

"[We] put together a very careful and responsible approach to allow those patients for whom time is so critical to be able to start while still protecting patients, staff, providers and the healthcare system," he tells PEOPLE. "There's a lot of measures that we've taken to mitigate the situation and make it as safe as possible for everyone involved, to be able to safely [administer] fertility treatments when time if of the essence and delays can be very detrimental."

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