Tutorial: Drafting a Compassionate Message After a Failed Cycle

Of all the writing tasks in IVF, this one is the hardest. A message to a patient after a failed cycle must hold grief, honesty, clinical accuracy, and human warmth — all in a few hundred words.

This tutorial walks you through using an AI tool to produce a draft for this kind of message. We will go step by step. We will look at what the AI produces, what works, and what needs to change.

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Before You Begin

You will need:

• A computer or tablet with a web browser
• A free account at claude.ai or chat.openai.com

This tutorial does not require any technical knowledge. If you can send an email, you can do this.

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The Scenario

A patient — let us call her "the patient" throughout — is 36 years old. She has just had a negative pregnancy test after her second embryo transfer. She has been in treatment for two years. You want to send her a message before your review appointment next week.

You are tired. You have four more clinic letters to write. The blank page is not helping.

Let us use AI to get something on the page.

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Step 1: Open the Tool

Go to claude.ai. Log in. Click "New conversation." You will see a blank text box.

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Step 2: Write Your Prompt

Type the following — adapting as needed for your situation. Notice that we include no patient name or any identifying information:

"Help me draft a short, compassionate follow-up message for a patient aged 36 who has just had a negative pregnancy test after her second embryo transfer. She has been through two years of fertility treatment. The tone should be warm, honest, and grief-acknowledging — not falsely optimistic. The message should: open by acknowledging the difficulty of this news; note that her feelings are completely valid; mention that a review appointment is available when she is ready; close warmly. Do not suggest any clinical next steps — I will add those after review. Around 200 words. Write as a letter beginning with 'Dear [Name]'."

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Step 3: Read the AI's Response

Here is an example of what Claude might produce:

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Dear [Name],

I am so sorry. Receiving this news — especially after everything you have already been through — is deeply painful, and I want you to know that whatever you are feeling right now is completely valid.

Two years is a long time to hold hope, and a result like this can feel like it takes the ground from under you. There are no words that make that better, and I am not going to try to find them today.

I wanted to reach out now simply to say that you are not alone in this, and that your feelings — grief, anger, exhaustion, numbness, or whatever comes — are understood here.

When you are ready, I would very much like to meet with you for a review appointment to talk through everything. There is no pressure on timing — whenever feels right for you. Please just reach out to the clinic when you want to make that arrangement.

Take whatever time you need.

With warmth, [Your name]

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That is a strong draft. Read it carefully.

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Step 4: What Works — and What to Check

Read the draft asking:

What works?

• The opening is direct and does not use a platitude
• "There are no words that make that better" is honest and avoids hollow reassurance
• The close gives the patient agency — "whenever feels right for you"

What might need changing for your patient?

• The second paragraph may feel too long if this patient is more private
• Your clinic may have a specific way of referring to the review appointment
• You may want to sign off differently
• If this patient has children at home, or is in a particularly fragile situation, the tone may need adjustment

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Step 5: Refine with a Follow-Up Message

In the same conversation, type:

"The second paragraph feels slightly long. Shorten it to two sentences while keeping the emotional honesty. Also change 'With warmth' to 'With kind regards' — it suits my style better."

The AI will revise just those parts. You do not need to rewrite the whole thing.

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Step 6: What to Do if the Draft Feels Wrong

Sometimes the AI produces something that just does not fit. It might be too formal, or too casual, or miss the emotional register entirely.

Do not try to fix a bad draft with more prompting. Start again with a new prompt. This time, be more specific about what felt wrong. For example:

"The previous draft felt too literary for this patient. She is practical and private. Write something shorter — around 120 words — that acknowledges the loss simply and directly, without extended emotional language."

Different prompts produce very different results. If one approach is not working, change the brief.

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Step 7: Make It Yours

Copy the final AI draft into your word processor. Now:

• Add the patient's name (which was never in the AI tool)
• Add your name and clinic details
• Read the full letter one final time, aloud if it helps
• Change any word or phrase that does not sound like you

This last step is important. Patients know your voice. A letter that sounds like it was written by a machine — even a competent one — will feel different to a patient who has spoken with you through years of treatment.

You are not signing off on the AI's work. You are sending your letter.

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Step 8: A Note on Emotional Labour

This tutorial describes a practical process, but the emotional weight of this task is real. AI can make the writing easier. It cannot make the situation easier.

Some clinicians find that the act of describing the situation to an AI — putting it into words before prompting — is itself useful. It is a small piece of processing before you write.

Others find that writing these letters entirely themselves is important to them. That is valid too. AI is a tool, not an obligation.

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Summary

You have seen how to: write a specific prompt for a sensitive task, read and evaluate an AI draft, ask for targeted revisions, and make the final letter your own.

The same process applies to any patient communication that requires emotional sensitivity.

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Privacy reminder: The patient's name, date of birth, clinic number, and any other identifying details should never appear in what you type into an AI tool. Add them yourself, in your own system, at the end.

Remember: AI is a helpful assistant, not a clinician. You make the call.