How do I move my records to a new provider?
The short answer
Your records are yours. Under HIPAA you can request them and generally must receive them within 30 days, without giving a reason.
What to know
- Request the complete record, not a summary — including imaging and embryology notes.
- Ask for it in a portable format, and keep your own copy.
- You can request a correction if something in your chart is wrong.
- Start the request before you need it; 30 days is longer than it sounds mid-treatment.
- You don't have to tell your current clinic why you're asking.
Read the full explanation
It's a routine process, and you have the right to your records.
What to request
All test results (bloodwork, ultrasound reports, HSG or saline sonogram images and reports, semen analyses), cycle summaries for any treatment, embryology reports (egg numbers, fertilization, embryo grades, PGT-A results), pathology from any loss, and clinic notes. Ask for everything; you can't predict what the next doctor will want.
How
Most offices have a records release form; sign it and specify where the records should go. Many new clinics will request records directly if you give them the current office's details. Ask for a copy for yourself as well, ideally digital.
Embryos and samples
Frozen embryos, eggs, or sperm can be transported between clinics by specialized courier. It requires consent forms from both clinics, a fee, and some lead time. Ask both clinics about the process early if you may transfer.
Timing
Offices are generally required to provide records within a set period (often 30 days), but ask for them as soon as you decide, since a second-opinion appointment is much more useful with everything in hand.
What the guidance says
Not rated, deliberately. This is an administrative subject, not a clinical one, so there is no research to grade. Rules vary by plan and place — confirm what applies to you.
Questions for your doctor
Edit any of these before you add it — they're yours. Your list stays in this browser, and you can print a one-page sheet from it.
- Can I get my complete record, including images and embryology notes?
- How long will it take, and is there a form I need to sign?