Downtown Spokane: 201 W. North River Dr. Suite 100 Spokane, Wa 99201

To schedule an appointment, call us at (509)-462-7070 or click here.

To schedule an appointment, call us or click here.

The Mann-Grandstaff Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center and the Center for Reproductive Health (CRH) in Spokane are announcing a new partnership to provide Veterans injured in combat with the opportunity for fertility treatments, including In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) for Veterans enrolled in the VA health care system.

Last September, Congress passed legislation allowing the VA to fund medically-appropriate IVF services to Veterans wounded in combat and no longer able to naturally conceive.

Now, contracts are in place between Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center and the Center for Reproductive Health and the University of Washington for eligible Veterans. Spokane’s Center for Reproductive Health fertility clinic has served the Inland Northwest for nearly 20 years and helped thousands of families conceive and birth healthy babies.

“The science and technology behind IVF continues to advance and make it possible for more people to start families, even those who have suffered traumatic injuries,” CRH’s Medical Director, Dr. Edwin Robins, explained. “As a Navy Veteran, this opportunity is particularly close to my heart. I am honored to have the opportunity to work with Veteran families and help them build a family.”

IVF is complex and can be costly, depending on one’s medical insurance. The VA hopes to relieve some stress and financial burden on local families by covering the treatment costs.

“We are so excited for our Veterans,” said Julie Liss, RN, BSN, (U.S. Navy Ret.) Women Veterans Health Program manager, at the Mann-Grandstaff VA in Northwest Spokane. “This partnership allows us to continue meeting the needs of our Veteran population throughout Eastern and North Central Washington, and Northern Idaho by providing young families with the care they need to start a family.”

The legislation passed by Congress secures funding through September 2018. Reimbursement of adoption expenses may also be available to eligible Veterans.

Veterans seeking access to fertility treatment and have a documented reproductive injury can contact the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center in Spokane at (509) 434-7009 to make an appointment.

In times of stress or uncertainty, it’s common to find ourselves tossing and turning, instead of sleeping through the night.

There is not enough sufficient evidence to prove that sleep habits directly impact fertility, but we do know that lack of sleep can negatively affect your physical health and overall happiness. Sufficient sleep allows our busy bodies to repair cells and regulate our hormones. Lack of sleep can sometimes disrupt menstrual cycles and compromise the production of leptin, a crucial hormone for weight control and energy.

How much sleep are you getting each night? If your answer is less than 4 hours, you’ll want to consider some lifestyle changes and aim for 7-9 hours each night.

Here are some of our most successful sleep tips from CRH clients: 

Start a sleep diary.

“I was already tracking my basal temperature and period, so I was reluctant to track my sleep, but when I looked back at the notes, I saw themes from nights I slept best; like showering at night, and I made it part of my routine.” 
Set an alarm to go to bed. 
“Life gets so busy and sometimes I don’t notice how late it is. An alarm going off an hour or so before bedtime reminds me to slow down and start relaxing.”
Quit Napping. 
“Powering through a Sunday afternoon without a nap helps me sleep better at night and starts my week off with a fresh morning.” 

Other ways to improve sleep include exercising regularly, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, setting your bedroom temperature to 68-70 degrees, and talking with your doctor about any medications your taking that could interfere with sleep.

At Center for Reproductive Health, we look at your whole-body health to help you achieve a healthy pregnancy as soon as possible. We hope some of these tips can help you find the rest you need to recharge! If you have questions about fertility health or want to make an appointment for a free nurse consultation, call (509) 462-7070.