Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago
Available Resources
Genetic counseling
Acupuncture
Mental health counseling
Nutrition counseling
Administration of shots
Coordinating at-home nursing
is not offered
is not offered
Selling medication
Providing backup medication
Chicago
4920 N Central Ave
Chicago, IL 60630
(773) 794-1818
Crystal Lake
820 East Terra Cotta Ave.
Crystal Lake, IL 60014
(815) 356-1818
Gurnee
30 Tower Court
Gurnee, IL 60031
(847) 662-1818
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69 assessments
9
10
Age
30 - 31
Treated
2019 - 2020
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
9
10
Dr. Irani fully reviewed my past treatment and medical records. He felt that I didn't need to be "over-medicated" to produce a lot eggs. He ensured we understood the process. He always called with the results. My fresh transfer ended in a ectopic and he called me directly each day to see how I was doing. He also coordinated care with my OB to ensure the ectopic was properly managed.
They [Advanced Fert Ctr of Chicago] also offer financing through Lending Club, which was helpful as the rates were lower than taking out a personal loan. You can call, and if your nurse isn't there, another one will call you back. Sometimes though, it can be disappointing if that nurse doesn't know you. Their website is very detailed and has a lot of information on it, including costs of every procedure.
Age
30 - 31
Treated
2019 - 2020
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
9
10
How was your experience with Mohamad Irani at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Irani fully reviewed my past treatment and medical records. He felt that I didn't need to be "over-medicated" to produce a lot eggs. He ensured we understood the process. He always called with the results. My fresh transfer ended in a ectopic and he called me directly each day to see how I was doing. He also coordinated care with my OB to ensure the ectopic was properly managed.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Mohamad Irani at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
He talks fast and soft so if you cannot hear him, ask him to repeat.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Mohamad Irani at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Irani takes time to know his clients and other details of their lives. He allows you to email him directly with questions or concerns, and he will respond personally.
Describe the protocols Mohamad Irani used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
Dr. Irani felt that I would be a good responder. I didn't need a long protocol to produce eggs. I just stimmed for 9 days and then had retrieval. I only needed to use Follistim and low-dose HCG which was very cost effective.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Sue)
Sue was my primary nurse. She was always compassionate and was great at communication. She also took time to explain things and go over results when they came in.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
They specialize in IVF and have great statistics. They also offer financing through Lending Club, which was helpful as the rates were lower than taking out a personal loan. You can call, and if your nurse isn't there, another one will call you back. Sometimes though, it can be disappointing if that nurse doesn't know you. Their website is very detailed and has a lot of information on it, including costs of every procedure.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Mohamad Irani at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
I paid $10,000 for a retrieval. Each frozen transfer is $4,000.
Describe Mohamad Irani's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Dr. Irani allowed me to pick one or two embryos because they were not genetically tested. He recommended one, but it was my choice.
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7
8
Age
33 - 34
Treated
2019 - 2020
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
7
8
Dr. Jones has a good bedside manner and does a good job of explaining protocol and procedure. ... If you're coming in without any knowledge, I'm not sure if the level of communcation and understanding would be the same. ... As a side note, I suspect that Dr. Jones might be on the conservative end with regard to additional procedures and protocols, and cancellations and postponements of the aforementioned if the conditions aren't just right, which can be a bit frustrating at times.
As a patient [at Advanced Fert Center of Chicago], you mostly deal with your care coordinator, one of the nurses. My initial care coordinator, Diane, was phenomenal. She was consistently available to answer questions or give reassurance. She has since left the clinic, but my new care coordinator, Denise, appears to be just as attentive. It is still too early to know outcomes, as my next transfer has been delayed - like many - due to current events.
Age
33 - 34
Treated
2019 - 2020
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
7
8
How was your experience with Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Jones has a good bedside manner and does a good job of explaining protocol and procedure. I admit, however, that this is because my husband and I already had a strong foundational knowledge of fertility diagnostics and treatment. If you're coming in without any knowledge, I'm not sure if the level of communcation and understanding would be the same. Overall, the patient doesn't seem the doctor very much, you deal mostly with your nurse care coordinator. When I did have questions for the doctor or needed an additional consult, he made himself available quickly. As a side note, I suspect that Dr. Jones might be on the conservative end with regard to additional procedures and protocols, and cancellations and postponements of the aforementioned if the conditions aren't just right, which can be a bit frustrating at times.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Be as specific as possible when asking about next steps and all the possible iterations of next steps.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
As a patient, you mostly deal with your care coordinator, one of the nurses. My initial care coordinator, Diane, was phenomenal. She was consistently available to answer questions or give reassurance. She has since left the clinic, but my new care coordinator, Denise, appears to be just as attentive. It is still too early to know outcomes, as my next transfer has been delayed - like many - due to current events.
Describe the protocols Gary Jones used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
I did an antagonist protocol for stims although I'm not entirely sure of the specifics anymore. No complications and cancellations and I had a good turnout of 11 fertilized embryos. We did a freeze all due to progesterone being low and a small fibroid needing to be removed.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Strengths - very responsive, excellent care coordinators, compassionate staff on the whole, doctor available to speak quickly if you need additional consults, shared risk plans available
Weaknesses - not much access to doctors routinely, battery of tests needed before each transfer (which I'm unsure how typical this is, but hurts the billfold if you're paying out of pocket, even on the shared risk plan)
Describe the costs associated with your care under Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
We paid entirely out of pocket, save for a few procedures which were covered by our insurance. Because fertility treatment is not covered we pay for every consult, and many diagnostic services - bloodwork and imaging. Once we entered the shared risk plan we still had to pay for initial battery of testing before we entered into the program, then testing before each transfer as well as medication.
Describe Gary Jones's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
The clinic strongly recommends single embryo transfer for someone in my age bracket and diagnosis (33, unexplained,) but with our transfer we were able to do a multiple embryo transfer with a signed waiver (no more than 2 for my age bracket and diagnosis.)
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5
7
Age
39
Treated
2020
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
—
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Unexplained
5
7
Dr. Jones was a straight-shooter. We have experienced multiple unexplained miscarriages and thought IVF could be a route to take, assuming that my miscarriages have all been abnormal. Our consultation was lengthy, which I appreciated. Prior to the appointment, I emailed several years of reproductive medical records, but it didn't appear that he sifted through them as throughly as I would have liked. I'm skeptical about using a full-blown, canned protocol and inquired about a lighter and more customized protocol, but that didn't seem to be an option he was willing to explore. I can understand, since he knows what works and what doesn't.
Communicating initially over the phone wasn't as "warm" as I'd like. This is a huge step to take, so adding some compassion to the initial conversation [with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago] would be helpful. ... The ultrasound tech was very compassionate and warm. The nursing staff in general was welcoming. ... The consultation was an out of pocket cost, and the initial ultrasound was required, even thought I sent over US images from a prior RE. The ultrasound was not covered by insurance.
Age
39
Treated
2020
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Operations
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 3 Docs
Treatment
—
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Unexplained
5
7
How was your experience with Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Jones offered several potential reasons for my recurring miscarriages, some of which I hadn't heard of before with a prior RE (vaginal bacteria?!). I felt like we had a plan to test everything we could, short of in-depth reproductive immunology testing.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Your consultation conversation moves fast and potential diagnosis and risks could come up that you weren't expecting to hear. To keep yourself on track, have every one of your questions written down and make sure you interject to ask them and get answers. If you don't understand the answer, ask for rephrasing or clarification. It is a give/take conversation. Many of the options presented were "up to us", which can be frustrating because we expect the doctor to say "here is the correct/best course of action...". Do your research and have questions at the ready for each of your appointments. Also, when the appointment is over, write down or type up everything you remember for your own reference. This is a marathon, not a sprint....
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Jones was a straight-shooter. We have experienced multiple unexplained miscarriages and thought IVF could be a route to take, assuming that my miscarriages have all been abnormal. Our consultation was lengthy, which I appreciated. Prior to the appointment, I emailed several years of reproductive medical records, but it didn't appear that he sifted through them as throughly as I would have liked. I'm skeptical about using a full-blown, canned protocol and inquired about a lighter and more customized protocol, but that didn't seem to be an option he was willing to explore. I can understand, since he knows what works and what doesn't.
Describe the protocols Gary Jones used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
Dr. Jones sat with my husband and I to discuss our recurring miscarriages. We have no problem getting pregnant, but staying pregnant is the issue. I have never had any of my losses tested. Prior to moving onto to IVF, he required a HSG or HSN to review my lining, uterus, and tubes. However, I learned I was pregnant prior to my ultrasound appointment, so I was not able to complete this step.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The ultrasound tech was very compassionate and warm. The nursing staff in general was welcoming.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Communicating initially over the phone wasn't as "warm" as I'd like. This is a huge step to take, so adding some compassion to the initial conversation would be helpful. I recommend patients document each conversation they have with the nurse and doctors, as a lot of information is presented each time.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
The consultation was an out of pocket cost, and the initial ultrasound was required, even thought I sent over US images from a prior RE. The ultrasound was not covered by insurance.
Describe Gary Jones's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
I do not recall
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10
10
Age
40 - 41
Treated
2019 - 2020
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
2 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
—
10
10
Dr Irani personally called me several times with updates on fertilization results and PGTA results. He was always super responsive to emails... is the most kind, compassionate and caring doctor I have ever experienced in my life...He was patient, and gentle...changed the protocol and added Human Growth Hormone. I was stimulating for longer but the second IVF cycle ended up with more viable eggs, and 4 made it to PGTA testing and then 2 came back PGTA normal...he was the one to do my egg retrieval’s and to do the ultrasound to find a heartbeat after a positive pregnancy test
the second IVF cycle [at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago] ended up with more viable eggs, and 4 made it to PGTA testing and then 2 came back PGTA normal...the most compassionate and knowledgeable staff. This clinic is somehow able to offer very fair pricing and amazing one on one personalized care...My main nurse was Diane and she was simply amazing. She would respond to emails and calls immediately. They seem to work 24/7. Every single nurse I dealt with was the most sweetest and smartest nurse I have ever encountered. Cathy, Deanna, I cant thank all of them enough.
Age
40 - 41
Treated
2019 - 2020
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$500K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
2 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
—
10
10
How was your experience with Mohamad Irani at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr Irani is the most kind, compassionate and caring doctor I have ever experienced in my life. I feel so blessed to have found him and I truly believe he is a saint. He was patient, and gentle. It meant the world to me and built absolute trust that he was the one to do my egg retrieval’s and to do the ultrasound to find a heartbeat after a positive pregnancy test. He is world class.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Mohamad Irani at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Listen and trust him. He knows his stuff and he is always looking out for your best interest.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Mohamad Irani at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr Irani personally called me several times with updates on fertilization results and PGTA results. He was always super responsive to emails.
Describe the protocols Mohamad Irani used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
Our first IVF round was about 10 or 12 days of stimulation medicine. That retrieval led to zero quality eggs. They all arrested. Dr Irani changed the protocol and added Human Growth Hormone. I was stimulating for longer but the second IVF cycle ended up with more viable eggs, and 4 made it to PGTA testing and then 2 came back PGTA normal.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Diane )
My main nurse was Diane and she was simply amazing. She would respond to emails and calls immediately. They seem to work 24/7. Every single nurse I dealt with was the most sweetest and smartest nurse I have ever encountered. Cathy, Deanna, I cant thank all of them enough.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
This clinic is somehow able to hire the most compassionate and knowledgeable staff. This clinic is somehow able to offer very fair pricing and amazing one on one personalized care. Their SART results are stellar and I think the reason is because f their excellent care.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Mohamad Irani at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
I believe we spent $40,000 in total including drugs for 2 rounds of IVF. All was out of pocket.
Describe Mohamad Irani's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
I completely agree with Dr Irani’s and the center for choosing eSET. The health of the mother and child come first. Twins are very high risk. When you have single PGTA normal embryos- I agree 100% to implant just 1.
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10
10
Age
33
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
—
10
10
When I went in for the mock embryo transfer she [Dr. Catenacci] found cysts in my ovaries. I really appreciated the fact that she was very candid in that she didn’t think it was necessary to remove them based on their size and number but ultimately left it up to us. She said if we were more comfortable going into a transfer and retrieval without them then she could absolutely remove them. We opted not to have them removed but we really appreciated the straightforward nature of her sharing the information and also what her professional opinion of it was.
They [Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago] are great with scheduling and communicating results In a sensitive and timely manner. I never had an issue with getting in for an appt at a desired time. ... [nursing staff] So knowledgeable, Compassionate, understanding, thorough and just a really great person. I don’t think we would have had quite the positive experience we have had without her! She’s like the glue that keeps that clinic running smoothly. She seems to do everything thing and knows so much about each step and stage to help you feel reassured and that everything is going to be ok.
Age
33
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
3rd of 3 Docs
Treatment
1 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
—
10
10
How was your experience with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
When I went in for the mock embryo transfer she found cysts in my ovaries. I really appreciated the fact that she was very candid in that she didn’t think it was necessary to remove them based on their size and number but ultimately left it up to us. She said if we were more comfortable going into a transfer and retrieval without them then she could absolutely remove them. We opted not to have them removed but we really appreciated the straightforward nature of her sharing the information and also what her professional opinion of it was.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
You don’t interact with her directly a lot(at least we didn’t) so make sure to ask questions as much as you can while you see her face to face. Otherwise questions will be answered by nurses. We didn’t have any issues with this but I know some people want more contact with the doctor directly.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
She was personable and made the experience as smooth as it could be. She left certain choices up to myself and my husband which we very much appreciated. She wasn’t pushy about further testing or surgeries if they weren’t 100% necessary.
Describe the protocols Michelle Catenacci used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
We have unexplained infertility so our protocol was very straightforward and I am fortunate becausey body responds well to the hormones. I never had any cancelled cycles or anything happen thankfully. I stimmed before egg retrieval one day extra the second time.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Kathy)
AMAZING!!! So knowledgeable,
Compassionate, understanding, thorough and just a really great person. I don’t think we would have had quite the positive experience we have had without her! She’s like the glue that keeps that clinic running smoothly. She seems to do everything thing and knows so much about each step and stage to help you feel reassured and that everything is going to be ok.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
They are great with scheduling and communicating results In a sensitive and timely manner. I never had an issue with getting in for an appt at a desired time. The clinic itself has somewhat tight exam rooms which only became an issue once i had my first child and was having to tote him along with me to my appts in a stroller.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
We had fertility coverage for this round of IVF that we did. The costs that weren’t covered in our fertility coverage were the cost of embryo freezing which was $850/year and to freeze sperm to use if needed the day of the egg retrieval. That was $150.
Describe Michelle Catenacci's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Yes they are very understanding and will basically leave it up to you on transferring one or two embryos. I’m very glad we transfer two every time because we have always gotten singletons. We also do this because we don’t do the genetic testing of the embryos.
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8
8
Age
39
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Uterine Fibroids, Unexplained
8
8
Dr. Irani was patient, kind, and I felt very much at ease with his good bed side manner and demeanor. ... Strengths- patient to answering questions, non intimidating, feelings of ease and comfort. Empathized with me on the pain emotionally I was dealing with and understood my husband’s anguish and disappointment. ... Surgery for the removal of uterine adhesions Injections and clomid to stimulate and grow eggs (daily ultrasounds) Trigger shot that led to egg retrieval Two embryos transferred- no pregnancy resulted Remaining embryos did not make it to freezing.
Daily (morning) appointments are rough [at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago] if employed, especially located near Chicago. Staff is actually friendly. ... even the receptionist was wonderful. She consoled me the day I had to make the payment in full because my anxiety was out of control. ... They are very busy during the morning, but will take a quick minute to explain information. Weakness...actually retrieval and transfer are further away...long drive, wish I could rest more after procedures at the location, especially due to long drive.
Age
39
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Black or African-American
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Uterine Fibroids, Unexplained
8
8
How was your experience with Mohamad Irani at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Strengths- patient to answering questions, non intimidating, feelings of ease and comfort. Empathized with me on the pain emotionally I was dealing with and understood my husband’s anguish and disappointment. He even mentioned to take time to recover and not rush into another treatment.
Wish I can see him more, but during treatment, you deal more so with nurses.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Mohamad Irani at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
I would advise perspective patients to ask as ma y questions to Dr. Irani and the staff members. Don’t feel shy, especially when paying out of pocket like we did. ASK questions.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Mohamad Irani at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Irani was patient, kind, and I felt very much at ease with his good bed side manner and demeanor. He even placed a call after office hours after we our pregnancy test was confirmed negative to explain the process and reassure that it wasn’t my fault.
Describe the protocols Mohamad Irani used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
Surgery for the removal of uterine adhesions
Injections and clomid to stimulate and grow eggs (daily ultrasounds)
Trigger shot that led to egg retrieval
Two embryos transferred- no pregnancy resulted
Remaining embryos did not make it to freezing.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
Courteous, funny, even the receptionist was wonderful. She consoled me the day I had to make the payment in full because my anxiety was out of control.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Daily (morning) appointments are rough if employed, especially located near Chicago. Staff is actually friendly. They are very busy during the morning, but will take a quick minute to explain information.
Weakness...actually retrieval and transfer are further away...long drive, wish I could rest more after procedures at the location, especially due to long drive.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Well run and not having to walk into a waiting room of no more than 6 women tops.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Mohamad Irani at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Cost for IVF treatment ~ $11,500
Medication~ $4900
Describe Mohamad Irani's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Preferred at most two embryos transfer. Did explain risk and provide documentation regarding multiple embryo transfer.
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10
10
Age
35
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
2 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality, Tubal Blockage
10
10
Dr. Irani is very compassionate and warm. He took his time explaining everything to my husband and I. We never felt like our appointments were rushed through or that Dr. Irani had somewhere else to be. He took the time to call us from his home the morning he wanted us to come in for transfer. He also called us on a Saturday afternoon after our cycle failed to check on us and offer his support and encouraged us to get out for a date night.
AFCC is very organized and can always get you scheduled when needed, which is very comforting when going through fertility treatments. You always get a call back shortly after you call and never have to wait long for an appointment. ... The nurses and the ultrasound technicians at AFCC are all compassionate and friendly. Everyone there remembers you from visit to visit and you never feel like just another number.
Age
35
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Prefer not to answer
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
2 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality, Tubal Blockage
10
10
How was your experience with Mohamad Irani at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Irani is very compassionate and warm. He took his time explaining everything to my husband and I. We never felt like our appointments were rushed through or that Dr. Irani had somewhere else to be. He took the time to call us from his home the morning he wanted us to come in for transfer. He also called us on a Saturday afternoon after our cycle failed to check on us and offer his support and encouraged us to get out for a date night. He has followed up with us himself since to check in on us and to make sure we remain hopeful to try again.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Mohamad Irani at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
I would definitely recommend making an appointment with Dr. Irani. He takes his time to explain everything to you and is even available by phone and email with any further questions you have. My husband and I knew immediately after our consultation with him that we were going to switch clinics and come to AFCC to see Dr. Irani.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Mohamad Irani at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
At AFCC you talk with the nurses regularly on the phone. Dr. Irani has called us several times himself as well, even over the weekend and after our cycle failed to check on us. At my previous clinic, the nurses only messaged you online through my chart. We never heard from our doctor directly.
Describe the protocols Mohamad Irani used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
I did estrogen priming and an Agonist protocol I believe. I did Lupron with high dose Follistim (400 units). I also did Omnitrope for 8 days of stimulation. We retrieved 3 eggs and all 3 fertilized with ICSI.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Diane and Michelle)
The nurses and the ultrasound technicians at AFCC are all compassionate and friendly. Everyone there remembers you from visit to visit and you never feel like just another number. The US techs are very supportive and encouraging and always made me feel comfortable during my scans.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
AFCC is very organized and can always get you scheduled when needed, which is very comforting when going through fertility treatments. You always get a call back shortly after you call and never have to wait long for an appointment.
Describe Mohamad Irani's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Dr. Irani provided us with the percentages of success and left the decision of how many embryos to transfer up to us. We chose to transfer 2 of our 3 embryos. The 3rd did not make it to freeze and I had a negative pregnancy test from this cycle.
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7
8
Age
34
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
PCOS
7
8
I have only seen her [Dr. Catenacci] once as you do the consult and then she dictates to her staff. You only see her again if you request an appointment or if you need to change protocol. The appointment we had was informative but it didnt seem like she had reviewed my case much before the appointment. ... She used clomid because I was not ovulating.
They [Advanced Fert Ctr of Chicago] are very upfront about costs and BMI restrictions. They have always tried to work with our employment to schedule the procedures and will take me early if they are able. ... They [nursing staff] are super responsive to my calls and emails and explain things both during the procedures as well as for next steps. They genuinely care about us being successful and our failures are their failures too. They are always so optimistic.
Age
34
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
PCOS
7
8
How was your experience with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
I have only seen her once as you do the consult and then she dictates to her staff. You only see her again if you request an appointment or if you need to change protocol. The appointment we had was informative but it didnt seem like she had reviewed my case much before the appointment. It was a better meeting than my other RE meetings.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Bring all of your medical information with you and be familiar with it so you can fill in any gaps to get the best treatment plan
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
She took the time to answer my questions and considered my verbal and nonverbal in how she responded
Describe the protocols Michelle Catenacci used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
She used clomid because I was not ovulating. The clomid worked to ovulate according to blood work and I was given a trigger shot. She recommended IUI as it would be sure that we timed it right and that we would be using the best sperm for most success. Our 1st 2 rounds were not successful.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Sue but worked with many other)
They are super responsive to my calls and emails and explain things both during the procedures as well as for next steps. They genuinely care about us being successful and our failures are their failures too. They are always so optimistic.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
They are very upfront about costs and BMI restrictions. They have always tried to work with our employment to schedule the procedures and will take me early if they are able. I do sometimes wish the doctor was more visibly involved in treatment, but the nurses do a great job in communicating. If you have an FSA, you wont be able to get a receipt to be reimbursed for the services until the whole treatment cycle is complete. We have no insurance coverage and I have found their pricing to be reasonable paying out of pocket.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
A monitored IUI cycle is $1100. I also paid for clomid and a trigger shot ($120) for each round.
Describe Michelle Catenacci's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Not discussed.
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
10
Age
32
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
2 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Endometriosis, Unexplained, Other
10
10
Dr. Jones is a fantastic doctor. He is very knowledgeable and I can tell he genuinely wants to help us conceive. ... I have diminished ovarian reserve, adenomyosis and endometriosis and he is still hopeful that we can conceive with IUI. He gives me hope for our future and moving forward! ... He initially recommended that I have a laparoscopy surgery to diagnose endometriosis and I truly felt that he recommended that to me because that is what was best for me. ...
They [AFCC] have a great lab, great nursing staff who is very responsive and they have state of the art equipment and great hours. I called with a question and my personal nurse was out for the day but they quickly found another nurse for me to ask questions to. ... Very quick to respond to emails and very caring. ... My insurance covers (for now) but they have very affordable cash-only pricing options as well.
Age
32
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Prefer not to answer
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Lawyer
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Endometriosis, Unexplained, Other
10
10
How was your experience with Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Jones is a fantastic doctor. He is very knowledgeable and I can tell he genuinely wants to help us conceive. He initially recommended that I have a laparoscopy surgery to diagnose endometriosis and I truly felt that he recommended that to me because that is what was best for me. I am always leery of fertility doctors just quickly recommending IVF right away because that is the money maker but he made it clear that he wanted me to find answers I have been searching for rather than just go straight for IVF. I have diminished ovarian reserve, adenomyosis and endometriosis and he is still hopeful that we can conceive with IUI. He gives me hope for our future and moving forward!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Jones doesn't sugar coat anything but that is one thing I like about him. If you are sick of getting the runaround from other doctors and tired of not having answers, Dr. Jones is your guy -- he is straight and to the point. After dealing with infertility for over a year, this is refreshing and I prefer a doctor who is blunt and to the point.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Jones is fantastic. I am still treating with him but I wanted to provide some feedback. I went for my consult with Dr. Jones in May of 2019 and he recommended that I have a laparoscopy to formally diagnose me with endometriosis and have my regular OB perform the surgery and take pictures. I had the laparoscopy done in August of 2019 and two weeks after my surgery I came back to see Dr. Jones and even after one prior meeting with me it was clear he remembered exactly who I was and he was very thorough and didn't make me feel rushed and answered all of my questions. He recently diagnosed me with diminished ovarian reserve and I was very concerned about it and he called me in the middle of a crazy Monday and discussed the results with me and his recommendations for how we should proceed. He is fantastic and I will continue my treatment with him and update FIQ accordingly!
Describe the protocols Gary Jones used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
I have only been treating with him for about 5 months so this section is a work in progress.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Crissy H.)
Very quick to respond to emails and very caring.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
They have a great lab, great nursing staff who is very responsive and they have state of the art equipment and great hours. I called with a question and my personal nurse was out for the day but they quickly found another nurse for me to ask questions to.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
My insurance covers (for now) but they have very affordable cash-only pricing options as well.
Describe Gary Jones's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
n/a
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10
10
Age
40
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
2 IUI, 3 IVF
Diagnosis
—
10
10
I like him [Dr. Gary Jones]. He’s a straight shooter and doesn’t sugarcoat. My husband likes him too, because he feels he doesn’t bullshit us. Now, I’ve only went through retrieval so I can’t comment on success but so far, I feel very confident in my care. I 100% recommend Garry Jones...Ask questions. He’s happy to answer. He’s not pretentious at all... Dr Jones put me on low dose HCG and 550 Gonal F with less days
2 IVFs for 20k plus tax [at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago]. Meds are extra. Visits range from 250-500. I found costs easy to understand and the woman in their billing department is stellar...is a small clinic. I’m used to the large clinics where you’re often talking to an answering machine or getting instructions from an app. Though I’d admit that I don’t feel like AFC connects you to your RE more then the bigger clinics, they do give you a more personalized connect with your nurse. They easily assist in answering questions and it feels less ‘cattle farmish’ My only suggestion to people is to ask about your follicle update throughout the process because they don’t typically review these with you at each visit like the big clinics do. But that’s not a big deal. Just ask and they will let you know
Age
40
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Business Executive
Order & Number of Docs Seen
4th of 4 Docs
Treatment
2 IUI, 3 IVF
Diagnosis
—
10
10
How was your experience with Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
I like him. He’s a straight shooter and doesn’t sugarcoat. My husband likes him too, because he feels he doesn’t bullshit us. Now, I’ve only went through retrieval so I can’t comment on success but so far, I feel very confident in my care. I 100% recommend Garry Jones.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Ask questions. He’s happy to answer. He’s not pretentious at all (just saying that because I saw mention that some people found doctors at this clinic pretentious).
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
AFC is a small clinic. I’m used to the large clinics where you’re often talking to an answering machine or getting instructions from an app. Though I’d admit that I don’t feel like AFC connects you to your RE more then the bigger clinics, they do give you a more personalized connect with your nurse. They easily assist in answering questions and it feels less ‘cattle farmish’
My only suggestion to people is to ask about your follicle update throughout the process because they don’t typically review these with you at each visit like the big clinics do. But that’s not a big deal. Just ask and they will let you know
Describe the protocols Gary Jones used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
I had 2 previous cycles with LH, Gonal-F (250) and Ganerilx. Dr Jones put me on low dose HCG and 550 Gonal F with less days of
My first cycle I got 2 eggs, the second I got 6. The 3rd I got 7 (with Dr Jones). Based on my numbers, I’m told I should be getting double but I suppose I’m a grower rather then a show’er.
I paid for the 2 IVF cycles for 20k. It’s more expensive obviously but I like that it offers me a back-up. We just did our retrieval so I can’t comment on anything past that. I’m currently 39 w unexplained infertility. Been trying since 36. My husband is 36 w no issues.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Diane)
I adore Diane. Adore might be an understatement actually. Hands down one of their most valuable people. Very prompt in answering questions. Will find time to talk to patients. She’s often rushed because she’s seeing a lot of patients but she will always give you the time you deserve.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
My comments on AFC in general, the Chicago office looks right out of the 70s/80s. When I first visited, I was a bit put off but I’m glad I kept going with them. It’s weird, you have to go through a 1970s style medical building and go through a medical waiting room, to get to the waiting room of their office. When you go in, it looks a bit like an outdated walk-in clinic. I’d recommend moving offices or at least updating the place. I’d also recommend making a patient portal or an app.
But the care at AFC is 100% spot on and that’s what really matters.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
It’s all listed on line. 2 IVFs for 20k plus tax. Meds are extra. Visits range from 250-500. I found costs easy to understand and the woman in their billing department is stellar. I had some unconventional billing requests and she happily complied.
Describe Gary Jones's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Not sure yet.
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
10
Age
30 - 31
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
4 IUI, 3 IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Unexplained
10
10
He made sure we understood and were comfortable with each step of our journey. He was patient and understanding and let us express and validated all of our concerns along the way. ... Dr. Irani is very personable and truest cares for his patients. ... he took the time to sit down with us and explain all of our options again. He was thorough and companionate. He comforted us when we were upset and called to check on us after the fact.
Everyone [Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago] we had the pleasure of working with was great. The donor process was simple and so well taken care of, that I felt confident from the start. A few nurses at the Gurnee office smoked which bothered me during appointment bc it smelled but nothing else to complain about! ... Ashely [nurse] was amazing! She really takes the time to bond with the patients that work with her and was an amazing help throughout the process!
Age
30 - 31
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Other
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
4 IUI, 3 IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Unexplained
10
10
How was your experience with Mohamad Irani at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Irani is very personable and truest cares for his patients. He made sure we understood and were comfortable with each step of our journey. He was patient and understanding and let us express and validated all of our concerns along the way.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Mohamad Irani at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Give him a chance. He is new to the practice but really knows what he’s doing and cares for his patients.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Mohamad Irani at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Irani is very personable and truest cares for his patients. He made sure we understood and were comfortable with each step of our journey. He was patient and understanding and let us express and validated all of our concerns along the way.
Describe the protocols Mohamad Irani used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
I did my 3rd egg retrieval with Dr Irani in hopes it would result more positively than my previous clinic. When it didn’t, he took the time to sit down with us and explain all of our options again. He was thorough and companionate. He comforted us when we were upset and called to check on us after the fact. We proceeded with donor eggs and were successful on the first round. I am so thankful for everything he has done for us!
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Ashley in Crystal Lake )
Ashely was amazing! She really takes the time to bond with the patients that work with her and was an amazing help throughout the process!
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Everyone we had the pleasure of working with was great. The donor process was simple and so well taken care of, that I felt confident from the start. A few nurses at the Gurnee office smoked which bothered me during appointment bc it smelled but nothing else to complain about!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Mohamad Irani at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
We paid about $15k for donor expenses. My insurance covered most of the other procedures
What specific things went wrong at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
- Failed to order appropriate test
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5
7
Age
39
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
5 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
5
7
I had to ask questions for conversation [with Dr. Catenacci]. She seemed knowledge of my medical history, demonstrating good recall. She smiled a lot and was friendly. Overall I had a good experience but I wouldn't say it was above and beyond... I ended up with 15 eggs retrieved and 13 fertilized with ICSI. I transferred one fresh embryo and sent the rest for PGS testing...She gave us the option of transferring 1 or 2 fresh. She didn't provide a whole lot of insight or guide us towards a decision. I wish she would have given more support in either direction.
They [Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago] are easy to get in touch with and quick to respond. They called with monitoring results when they said they would. It was quick and easy to schedule appointments. They didnt provide as much in writing as I would have liked. They would just call with med changes and I prefer to have a completed calendar on hand...The nurses were very kind and patient. They were quick to respond and answered all my questions. They were easy to get a hold of.
Age
39
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
5 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
5
7
How was your experience with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
She seemed kind. She answered all my questions but was also yo the point and didn't expand the conversation. I had to ask questions for conversation. She seemed knowledge of my medical history, demonstrating good recall. She smiled a lot and was friendly. Overall I had a good experience but I wouldn't say it was above and beyond.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Be sure to ask questions to get all the information you seek.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
The nurses were very kind and patient. They were quick to respond and answered all my questions. They were easy to get a hold of.
Describe the protocols Michelle Catenacci used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
I printed with estrogen due to a low AFC of 7. For stims I used low dose HCG, gonal F, cetrotide, and triggered with 5,000 units HCG. I ended up with 15 eggs retrieved and 13 fertilized with ICSI. I transferred one fresh embryo and sent the rest for PGS testing. I am still waiting to find out how many made it to blast for testing, the results of testing, and results of the fresh embryo transfer.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Sue)
I mainly dealt with 2 nurses (Sue out of the main Gurnee clinic, and Ashley at the Crystal Lake clinic where I went for monitoring). They were both great. They were very responsive, kind, supportive, understanding, answered all my questions, were quick to respond.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
They are a much smaller clinic then I previously went to so they took getting used to. They are easy to get in touch with and quick to respond. They called with monitoring results when they said they would. It was quick and easy to schedule appointments. They didnt provide as much in writing as I would have liked. They would just call with med changes and I prefer to have a completed calendar on hand.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
We opted for the no refund package that includes 2 Fresh and 2 Frozen Transfers with ICSI for $20k. We spent an additional $3800 for PGS testing on up to 8 embryos.
Describe Michelle Catenacci's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
She gave us the option of transferring 1 or 2 fresh. She didn't provide a whole lot of insight or guide us towards a decision. I wish she would have given more support in either direction.
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10
10
Age
30
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
Anovulation, PCOS
10
10
Dr. Michelle was wonderful. She sat down and did not make us feel rushed. She explained IVF perfectly and not in “doctor” terms. She had me go through each cycle we have done in detail. She answered all of our questions we had and just was overall gentle to our feelings. She did not try to force IVF on since because it’s more money- she simply let us choose our route.
Strengths- they [Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago] are very thorough. They go into detail about everything and let you know what to expect. ... Weaknesses- Before I even scheduled a consult- I had reached out to them a couple times via email and they took a really long time to respond or no response at all. I highly suggest calling ... The nurses were compassionate- and during my hysteroscopy, one nurse even held my hand through the whole process- they were all wonderful
Age
30
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Other
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
Anovulation, PCOS
10
10
How was your experience with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
She is compassionate & understanding. She was not forceful with what our treatment would be should be. She simply let us choose how we wanted to move forward. She described everything in detail and she described it in a way both my husband and I could understand. She was gentle and I just knew from the second we met with her- she was going to get me pregnant
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Tell her exactly how you feel & and ask as many questions as you’d like.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Michelle was wonderful. She sat down and did not make us feel rushed. She explained IVF perfectly and not in “doctor” terms. She had me go through each cycle we have done in detail. She answered all of our questions we had and just was overall gentle to our feelings. She did not try to force IVF on since because it’s more money- she simply let us choose our route. That day, we decided we wanted to do IVF - it is the best choice & I trust Dr. Michelle.
Describe the protocols Michelle Catenacci used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
I only met with Dr. Michelle once. She performed my hysteroscopy and the met with us for a consultation. She was very specific about the results in the hysteroscopy & in the consult- let us know what to expect in our upcoming IVF cycle
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Ashley)
Everyone was gentle and welcoming from the second i called to schedule a consultation. The nurses were compassionate- and during my hysteroscopy, one nurse even held my hand through the whole process- they were all wonderful
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Strengths- they are very thorough. They go into detail about everything and let you know what to expect. They also are able to get you in pretty quickly for a consultation which is amazing and they were able to schedule a IVF to start mid March!!
Weaknesses- Before I even scheduled a consult- I had reached out to them a couple times via email and they took a really long time to respond or no response at all. I highly suggest calling
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Very reasonable
Describe Michelle Catenacci's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Dr. Michelle told us the success rates of one and two embryo transfers. She explained the risk of multiples and the likely hood of it happening.
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10
10
Age
35 - 36
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
3 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Other
10
10
She [Dr. Catenacci] is extremely knowledgeable and was right up to speed with my history with our initial appointment. She makes the room feel less stressful when she enters with her smile and contagious laughter. She is extremely knowledgeable and skilled. She noticed a c section scar defect and was able to refer me to a top surgeon right away to get it fixed.
They [Advanced Fertility] do monitoring appointments from 6-10am even on the weekends. It was never crowded. ... The website has all the costs listed. Nothing has hidden fees. ... You normally only see the MD for consult and procedures, which is fine because the nurses are on top of everything. ... They work every single day, so if your cycle falls on the weekend or holiday, they still come and do labs or procedures.
Age
35 - 36
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
3rd of 3 Docs
Treatment
3 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Other
10
10
How was your experience with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
My MD that did my initial IVF with my first TWO sets of twins retired and I was terrified to find a new MD. She is extremely knowledgeable and was right up to speed with my history with our initial appointment. She makes the room feel less stressful when she enters with her smile and contagious laughter. She is extremely knowledgeable and skilled. She noticed a c section scar defect and was able to refer me to a top surgeon right away to get it fixed. I appreciate that she knew when I needed outside care and guided me in the right direction. I’m looking forward to transferring more embryos in the future with her as my MD.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
she’s the total package. She smart, highly skilled in IVF and surgery, and has a great personality.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
She wants a baby for us just as much as we do. She laughs with us and is open and honest when it comes to making those difficult decisions.
Describe the protocols Michelle Catenacci used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
I have 2 sets of twins from IVF and FET with another MD from her group that retired.
I met Dr. Catenacci when we consulted with her for a FET of our last embryo. First, I had a hysteroscopy which found a polyp. The polyp was surgically removed by Dr. Catenacci. We did a FET that did not result in pregnancy.
I did a cycle of IVF with follistim, HCG and Ganirelex. Eggs were retrieved on day 14. 21 eggs were retrieved. 16 mature. We chose to freeze 10 eggs and fertilize 5 with ICSI (male factor). We transferred 1, 5 day blastocyst and froze 3, 5 day blastocysts. During the cycle, I had fluid in my uterus and cervix that was not going away. Dr. Catenacci reached out to Dr. Charles Miller and discussed my case. They realized I had an isthmocele (c section scar defect) that may be causing the fluid. They recommended to cancel the transfer and fix the isthmocele prior to transferring. I chose not to, and transferred one embryo. That did not result in pregnancy. I have since had a surgery with Dr. Miller and will return to Dr. Catenacci for additional FET.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Deena)
Deena is organized, is extremely knowledgeable, and very compassionate. When I got the horrible phone calls that I wasn’t pregnant, I felt a little better when it came from her. I know she wants me to have a baby just as much as I do. Whenever I have questions, she is quick to get back to me whether phone or email. She is fantastic at what she does and I know the mds depend on her in the procedure room.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
They are quick to respond to any questions by phone or email. They have a streamlined process that really works. The labs are always done in the mornings. The nurse will call you in the afternoon. You normally only see the MD for consult and procedures, which is fine because the nurses are on top of everything. They are highly skilled and knowledgeable. They work every single day, so if your cycle falls on the weekend or holiday, they still come and do labs or procedures. They are miracle workers!
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
They do monitoring appointments from 6-10am even on the weekends. It was never crowded. I never had to wait more than 15mins. It was easy and convenient before work. They have a great system in place to make it easy for everyone.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
The website has all the costs listed. Nothing has hidden fees. They double check insurance.
Describe Michelle Catenacci's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
I’ve transferred two embryos, twice with another MD and successfully had two sets of twins. They recommend transferring one embryo from this point on.
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10
10
Age
36
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
6 IUI, 1 IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
—
10
10
She [Dr. Catenacci] was the first doctor who actually listened to me, and genuinely wanted to help ease my fears and anxieties. She is patient, kind and empathetic. She takes the time to answer questions and explain things until I completely understand and I’m comfortable with the plan/procedure. Something I hadn’t experienced from the other specialist I have seen...is very thorough, confident and trustworthy. She is also very personable. When things haven’t gone as planned she calls me to talk about results, answer questions and explains upcoming procedures and expectations. My only regret is not switching to her sooner. She is the best and being under her care is helping us get closer to achieving our dream of a family.
I have done two embryo transfers with dr. Sherbahn [at Advanced Fertility Centers of Chicago]. Both resulting in miscarriages. 6 weeks and 13weeks. I wanted to transfer two dr. Sherbahn strongly suggested one, but we did it Sherbahn’s way Dr. Catenacci is ok with transferring 2 and I’m very happy about that... Once I was told by the receptionist that she was struggling to keep up because someone had left on maternity leave and I would have to be patient....probably not the most sensitive thing to say to a patient at a fertility clinic.
Age
36
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Other
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Entrepreneur
Order & Number of Docs Seen
3rd of 3 Docs
Treatment
6 IUI, 1 IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
—
10
10
How was your experience with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Catenacci is very thorough, confident and trustworthy. She is also very personable. When things haven’t gone as planned she calls me to talk about results, answer questions and explains upcoming procedures and expectations. My only regret is not switching to her sooner. She is the best and being under her care is helping us get closer to achieving our dream of a family.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions or express feelings/fears.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
She was the first doctor who actually listened to me, and genuinely wanted to help ease my fears and anxieties. She is patient, kind and empathetic. She takes the time to answer questions and explain things until I completely understand and I’m comfortable with the plan/procedure. Something I hadn’t experienced from the other specialist I have seen.
Describe the protocols Michelle Catenacci used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
I have yet to do a cycle with her. I have frozen embryos we were getting ready to prep for transfer and she found (precancerous) polyps in my uterus. Which her then removed and sent to the lab. So we are working on getting my uterus healthy before moving on to transfer
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Aminty )
She is kind and compassionate. We communicate mostly via email and she is good at responding in a timely fashion.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
The only weakness AFCC has is the front desk/receptionist. I have had to call serval times to have records faxed, leave of absence papers signed, been placed on hold for long periods of time and overall treated as if I’m a burden. Once I was told by the receptionist that she was struggling to keep up because someone had left on maternity leave and I would have to be patient....probably not the most sensitive thing to say to a patient at a fertility clinic.
Describe Michelle Catenacci's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
I have done two embryo transfers with dr. Sherbahn. Both resulting in miscarriages. 6 weeks and 13weeks. I wanted to transfer two dr. Sherbahn strongly suggested one, but we did it Sherbahn’s way Dr. Catenacci is ok with transferring 2 and I’m very happy about that.
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10
10
Age
31 - 32
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
He [Dr. Sherbahn] is very knowledgeable and knows his stuff which is exactly what we wanted when pursuing fertility treatments. We didn't choose him based on his personable skills and compassion for patients. Hes very blunt with his expectations based on individual findings and we actually appreciated that aspect of his care. I didn't want people to sugar coat out liklihood of success. I just wanted the truth, even if that information may be painful and hard to hear.
[Advanced Fertility Ctr of Chicago] a little out of date and slightly cramped in the patient rooms but the set up and flow of people and drs is great. They are very prompt with appts and flexible to scheduling needs. The exam rooms were slightly cramped which we only made note of because of having our son with us who was in a stroller. The stroller was difficult to move around and get into and out of rooms but most aren't toting a stroller along to have this be a concern.
Age
31 - 32
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Accountant
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 3 Docs
Treatment
1 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
How was your experience with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
He is very knowledgeable and knows his stuff which is exactly what we wanted when pursuing fertility treatments. We didn't choose him based on his personable skills and compassion for patients. Hes very blunt with his expectations based on individual findings and we actually appreciated that aspect of his care. I didn't want people to sugar coat out liklihood of success. I just wanted the truth, even if that information may be painful and hard to hear.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Don't take things personally that he may say. He does'nt have the best bedside manner and ability to communicate with his patients in the most caring manner. He is very research based and loves to show grids and graphs with numbers and percentages and show you where you would fall into the equation. You can tell hes very proud of his business and the clinic and that he is almost obsessed with the success rates and numbers he puts out.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Felt like a human but he is very blunt with discussing numbers and possible outcomes. He loves his numbers with research and the percentages of success that his clinic puts out.
Describe the protocols Richard Sherbahn (retired) used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
I don't remember the specific protocols. My wife responded very well and I don't think it was anything extra special as we are very healthy with unexplained infertility.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Cathy P)
She was amazing. A wonderful communicator, always able to reach her and she was very prompt with information and getting back to us if we had any extra questions that arose during the cycle. My wife had some bleeding early on in one of the pregnancies and Cathy was great calming us down and reassuring us that this was actually quite common and we shouldn't worry but that we could definitely come in for additional bloodwork and ultrasound.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
IT's a little out of date and slightly cramped in the patient rooms but the set up and flow of people and drs is great. They are very prompt with appts and flexible to scheduling needs. The exam rooms were slightly cramped which we only made note of because of having our son with us who was in a stroller. The stroller was difficult to move around and get into and out of rooms but most aren't toting a stroller along to have this be a concern.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
We had insurance coverage
Describe Richard Sherbahn (retired)'s approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
They left it up to us if we wanted to transfer one embryo or two. We always elected to do two just to increase our chances for success. this was not at all pushed by Sherbahn, this was 100% our desire. We don't use the PGS testing so we figured we have some embryos that wouldn't make it if we only transferred one. so far, out of three transfers we have had two singletons.
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
1
2
Age
29
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
3 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Other
1
2
If we wanted info from him we needed to pay for it. He said numerous times, “I think your tubes are open.I know one is, but I think the other is also.” He also treated us as we were experts on infertility and money was no object. He promised us operations that he couldn’t follow through with. ... Use higher dose of chlomid, intercourse every other day. Try for a few months and be seen again.
Awkward donation room. Not very money friendly as they did not seem to care whether you were trying to save money or not. Clinic [Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago] has two entries and can be hard to find without address really standing out. Clinic seems to favor the quick in, quick out, very knowledgeable, wealthy citizens. ... The whole staff at the gurney clinic that we came in contact with was short and unfriendly, and did not walk us through the processes well.
Age
29
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Other
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
3 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Other
1
2
How was your experience with Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
If we wanted info from him we needed to pay for it. He said numerous times, “I think your tubes are open.I know one is, but I think the other is also.” He also treated us as we were experts on infertility and money was no object. He promised us operations that he couldn’t follow through with.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Be very knowledgeable on infertility and the process of it, or you will be paying a lot to ask him the questions.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Very quick answering questions timed out time with him down to the minute to charge us for it. More questions we ask, the more we pay!
Describe the protocols Gary Jones used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
Use higher dose of chlomid, intercourse every other day. Try for a few months and be seen again.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Nurse was very blunt which we liked, but didn’t share information and was not friendly. The whole staff at the gurney clinic that we came in contact with was short and unfriendly, and did not walk us through the processes well. In fact we usually left more confused then when we got there. We have had family members go there with great results, but unfortunately for us, we have not yet had the same path.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Clinic was small, but clean. Rooms were close together, and walls very thin. Awkward donation room. Not very money friendly as they did not seem to care whether you were trying to save money or not. Clinic has two entries and can be hard to find without address really standing out. Clinic seems to favor the quick in, quick out, very knowledgeable, wealthy citizens.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
I honestly can’t remember any of the costs, but I know at one point we would have rather been less informed than sitting and being charged by the minute to talk to the doctor.
Describe Gary Jones's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Didn’t get into those in-depth conversations because he assumed we knew everything about them and their costs.
What specific things went wrong at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
- Lost paperwork
- Failed to call with results
- Failed to send your chart to another clinic
- Lost results
- Provided conflicting information
- Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
We had to play phone tag for some time to get certain blood test results, and paper work sent to and from clinics. They would not give information to me(husband) even though I was on the contact list. This out more pressure on my wife to have to deal with everything from them.
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10
10
Age
37
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
4 IVF, 5 Embryo Freezing, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality
10
10
I tried a fresh transfer for the first time [with Dr. Richard Sherbahn] it actually stuck. Even though it ended up in a miscarriage, I became pregnant for the first time...Every time we see him, he answers all our questions thoroughly, he spends a lot of time with us, I never feel like I need to call and ask him questions because of this! Even the day of retrievals and transfers, he takes his time in preparation of the procedure and he came back to talk to us for about 20-25 mins to answer questions. I never received this type of treatment before in the past!
First of all, the entire staff [at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago] is AMAZING. They always perform their jobs beyond my expectations. My main nurse is Diane Swanson. I can ALWAYS get a hold of her and if she is with a patient she calls me right back. She is smart and answers all my questions...I was always in and out of there within 5-10 minutes. I think the longest was 30 minutes, but I was scheduling appts, had questions, etc. This place is NOT a factory like most clinics are.
Age
37
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
South Asian
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Entrepreneur
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
4 IVF, 5 Embryo Freezing, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality
10
10
How was your experience with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
I mentioned this in a previous question. Dr. Sherbahn is extremely thorough when it comes to procedures, explaining every step of the process, answers all our questions, never rushes us, he is very trustworthy, knowledgeable and has great bedside manner.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Ask him all your questions, he will be patient with you. Also, another friend who used him warned me prior that he is not very pleasant, but I disagree! I think he just has a dry sense of humor and he's actually pretty hilarious. My husband and I both love him and he is an exceptional doctor.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr Sherbahn really took the time to explain my history and my current cycles. My first meeting with him, he sat with me and my husband for 3 hours explaining all my information and what his plan would be. He was very knowledgeable, was prepared with industry studies as well as his own. He was very straightforward, not overly optimistic, and he's a funny guy! Every time we see him, he answers all our questions thoroughly, he spends a lot of time with us, I never feel like I need to call and ask him questions because of this! Even the day of retrievals and transfers, he takes his time in preparation of the procedure and he came back to talk to us for about 20-25 mins to answer questions. I never received this type of treatment before in the past!
Describe the protocols Richard Sherbahn (retired) used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
I tried a fresh transfer for the first time and it actually stuck. Even though it ended up in a miscarriage, I became pregnant for the first time.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Diane Swanson and Aminty)
First of all, the entire staff is AMAZING. They always perform their jobs beyond my expectations. My main nurse is Diane Swanson. I can ALWAYS get a hold of her and if she is with a patient she calls me right back. She is smart and answers all my questions. She is the NICEST nurse you'll ever meet and I didn't mind my drive or coming in constantly for bloodwork because she is so nice. She works hard!!!! She is always there.
The entire team is great. Everyone I have met or spoke with at both locations (Gurnee and Chicago) are all very helpful and they go above and beyond.
My sister is my egg donor for my transfer later this month. It was a process to have her approved, get the legal and psych evaluations out of the way, stimulation period and retrieval....all of this was done very carefully, yet quickly. Aminty is our egg donor nurse and she is also a great nurse and very helpful in answering our questions.
Again, everyone I have met here was great! I'm so happy we switched to this Dr/clinic
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
They were very knowledgeable and answered all our questions quickly and thoughtfully. Never had an issue with scheduling or meeting with Dr. Sherbahn. It is very clean, and the entire staff is so nice, after a while they start to feel like family.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
I was always in and out of there within 5-10 minutes. I think the longest was 30 minutes, but I was scheduling appts, had questions, etc. This place is NOT a factory like most clinics are.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
IVF retrieval was covered by insurance. Things that were not included were egg donor cycles, PGS testing and embryo freezing
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10
10
Age
26 - 27
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IUI, IVF, Donor Eggs, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Other
10
10
Dr. Catenacci is very good about explaining EVERYTHING then really leaving it to the patient to decide what they want to do with their choices and odds... I am a very anxiety ridden person and she makes me feel so much better... After the third loss we decided to do a karyotype on my husband. He had a balanced translocation. We tried IUI with climid then as a couple decided we liked the odds of using donor eggs via IVF much better than trying and maybe getting our cycle canceled with my own.
AFCC has treated me with kindness, compassion and HOPE throughout my journey. I currently am almost six weeks pregnant after my first round of donor eggs AND a sperm donor...I have nothing but AMAZING things to say about the staff I worked with. I even asked my husband if he thought it would be weird if I invite them to my baby shower! They are caring and compassionate people and on top of that are always available. You wouldn’t know they work with so many other patients too because they never make you feel like it.
Age
26 - 27
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Other
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IUI, IVF, Donor Eggs, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Other
10
10
How was your experience with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Catenacci is a kind and compassionate human being. She is humble yet straight forward. She knows how hard this journey is and from the first day I met her she had an action PLAN. I am a very anxiety ridden person and she makes me feel so much better. The entire office staff is amazing as well. If I win this grant I will either donate it or use it in the future for the IVF transfer of the one frozen embryo we have.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
I would say keep the faith. In times of trouble and loss it’s hard to be positive but with Dr. Catenacci and her staff they will get you through it. They will not give up on you. They want make you feel annoying if you email 10x a day with worry or questions. They treat you like a member of their family at the Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
This has been a very hard journey for me. I come from a HUGE family (my mom is one of 11) and each person has had no fertility issues and many kids of their own. AFCC has treated me with kindness, compassion and HOPE throughout my journey. I currently am almost six weeks pregnant after my first round of donor eggs AND a sperm donor.
Describe the protocols Michelle Catenacci used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
I am 27 and diagnosed with diminished ovarian reserve/ more than one loss. After the third loss we decided to do a karyotype on my husband. He had a balanced translocation. We tried IUI with climid then as a couple decided we liked the odds of using donor eggs via IVF much better than trying and maybe getting our cycle canceled with my own. Our babies will come from donors and we are completely OK with that.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Ashley, RN and Aminty, RN and Kathy, RN (she might be an ultrasound tech))
I have nothing but AMAZING things to say about the staff I worked with. I even asked my husband if he thought it would be weird if I invite them to my baby shower! They are caring and compassionate people and on top of that are always available. You wouldn’t know they work with so many other patients too because they never make you feel like it.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Their strengths are their compassion and their knowledge. I also never felt like I was just a number being a patient there. They cry with you and smile with you. I hate to sound cliche but I have not experienced one miscommunication or misstep with this clinic so I have not one weakness to describe. The individuals I work with I would recommend to anyone.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Our insurance covers nothing so of course the price was extreme. We did require help of family members to afford our treatment.
Describe Michelle Catenacci's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Dr. Catenacci is very good about explaining EVERYTHING then really leaving it to the patient to decide what they want to do with their choices and odds.
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
6
6
Age
36
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
3 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
6
6
In my first IVF failure recap with Dr. Sherbhan, he did not recall a ton of info about my case, so I do feel like I would have preferred more custom attention at that stage...He is blunt and down to business, but I am ok with that...The change from failed cylcle 1 to 2 was not drastic. Still high same stims but this time with testosterone priming...he gave me my diagnosis of DOR and talked about my chances of success.
I generally had a primary nurse for communication though throughout the cycle had different nurses for monitoring or calls [at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago]. Deena and Ashley both were great as were all the nurses...We did a $20k package deal that included 2 retrievals/fresh transfers and 2 frozen. Did not qualify for refund program due to DOR. Never got more than 1 egg during the retrievals so was unable to use my 2 frozen transfers.
Age
36
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Sales Representative
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
3 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
6
6
How was your experience with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
We are out of town patients for Dr. Sherbahn. First of all, he gave me my diagnosis of DOR and talked about my chances of success. My prior RE said things looked fine enough and took me down the standard IUI path. He is blunt and down to business, but I am ok with that. I just had my second failed cycle and soon will have my recap meeting with him, so will be able to comment more then on his creativity to go outside the box. The change from failed cylcle 1 to 2 was not drastic. Still high same stims but this time with testosterone priming.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Be ready for a candid approach.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
The staff seemed to genuinely care about my well-being and success. In my first IVF failure recap with Dr. Sherbhan, he did not recall a ton of info about my case, so I do feel like I would have preferred more custom attention at that stage.
Describe the protocols Richard Sherbahn (retired) used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
1st IVF - no priming or BC. High dose follistim, HGH/Omnitrope, low does HCG, Ganirelex, triggered with HCG. 2nd IVF - testosterone/androgel priming, estrogen to suppress, slightly higher dose (550) follistim, no HGH, low does HCG, Ganirelex, triggered with HCG. Both cycles had 8-12 follicles, 5 eggs retrieved each time and only 1 mature egg each time. Still not clear what the egg maturity issue is due to. Both eggs fertilized and made it to day 3 transfers. IVF 1 = early chemical pregnancy. IVF 2 = BFN.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Deena, Ashley)
I generally had a primary nurse for communication though throughout the cycle had different nurses for monitoring or calls. Deena and Ashley both were great as were all the nurses.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Dr. Sherbahn never did a retrieval or transfer for me. Depends on what doctor is on when. However, I had confidence in the other doctors as well. Seems they have high success rates, though for me, not sure if they are as motivated to deal with my DOR issues and try new approaches. They donated some meds to me one cycle, which was really nice.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
We did a $20k package deal that included 2 retrievals/fresh transfers and 2 frozen. Did not qualify for refund program due to DOR. Never got more than 1 egg during the retrievals so was unable to use my 2 frozen transfers.
Describe Richard Sherbahn (retired)'s approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
NA - didn't ever have more than 1
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9
10
Age
40
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Endometriosis
9
10
Dr Jones did clarify what my best option was and that was IVF. But we chose IUI because it was affordable... was very compassionate to mine and my husbands needs. When we couldn't afford medication since our insurance didn't cover it, he donated it. That was a true blessing to us...He is a great listener and only wants to help others have a family...We took follistim injections for about a week every night at 6 pm, I got monitored every 3 days, then triggered when my follicles were of good size and came back in for IUI.
I didn't really see my primary nurse [at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago] too much. I mainly talked to her on the phone when I had questions and she was very educated with all the questions I had. The team of nurses were great. My only issue was the struggle getting my uterus open when it was time for the IUI...They are very informative. The weakness is when a patient, such as I, call alot with questions and you can start to hear and feel a slight aggravation in their tone or response.
Age
40
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Latino
Income
$0 - $49K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Endometriosis
9
10
How was your experience with Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr Gary Jones was very compassionate to mine and my husbands needs. When we couldn't afford medication since our insurance didn't cover it, he donated it. That was a true blessing to us. Dr Jones made it clear that IVF was our best option but for my husband and I, it was very financially stressful. We'd love to do IVF now and would most certainly continue with Dr Jones if it became affordable.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Ask all the questions you have and don't be afraid. He is a great listener and only wants to help others have a family. ♥️
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Like a number because it was in and out and when I had questions I felt scared to ask cause I felt like I was bugging the nurses.
Like a human cause Dr Jones did clarify what my best option was and that was IVF. But we chose IUI because it was affordable.
Describe the protocols Gary Jones used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
We took follistim injections for about a week every night at 6 pm, I got monitored every 3 days, then triggered when my follicles were of good size and came back in for IUI. During my IUI it was painful and the nurses had a hard time opening my uterus since it is retroverted. But they managed after several attempts both times.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Chrissy)
I didn't really see my primary nurse too much. I mainly talked to her on the phone when I had questions and she was very educated with all the questions I had.
The team of nurses were great. My only issue was the struggle getting my uterus open when it was time for the IUI.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Their strength is the knowledge they all posses. They are very informative. The weakness is when a patient, such as I, call alot with questions and you can start to hear and feel a slight aggravation in their tone or response. I know dealing with woman trying to get pregnant can be stressful cause it is for the woman trying, but we are fragile and sensitive during this time and only want answers. Just keep in mind that everyone is trying to help during the process and don't give up. Have patience. ♥️🙏😊
Describe the costs associated with your care under Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Our IUIs were covered by our insurance but we did have 20% out of pocket costs and we had to pay for the medications as well.
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8
10
Age
32 - 33
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
2 IVF
Diagnosis
Anovulation, Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Male Factor
8
10
He is not the most compassionate doctor I have been to but I do believe he does care about his patients and their success. The best interaction I had with Dr Sherbahn was the phone consultation I had with him after my failed IVF cycle. He spent 40 minutes with me and answered all of my long page of questions. He also had a specific plan for going forward that did end up working...very smart and always has a plan. He is also very open to questions and hearing your thoughts and opinions. That being said, he can be very business-like and blunt at times.
It [Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago] is a smaller clinic that allows for more personalized care. You won’t see the doctor every time but you get to know the nurses and other staff well. Email communication is returned promptly, sometimes it is harder to reach someone on the phone...All of the nurses and staff I worked with were amazing! Sue was my primary nurse and was so helpful and compassionate. I also worked with nurse Cathy several times and she was also very helpful, knowledgeable, and caring.
Age
32 - 33
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 IVF
Diagnosis
Anovulation, Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Male Factor
8
10
How was your experience with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr Sherbahn is very smart and always has a plan. He is also very open to questions and hearing your thoughts and opinions. That being said, he can be very business-like and blunt at times. He is not the most compassionate doctor I have been to but I do believe he does care about his patients and their success. The best interaction I had with Dr Sherbahn was the phone consultation I had with him after my failed IVF cycle. He spent 40 minutes with me and answered all of my long page of questions. He also had a specific plan for going forward that did end up working.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Do your own research and be prepared to ask a lot of questions to get the most out of your appointments. He can be blunt but knows what he is doing and will answer questions thoughtfully.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr Sherbahn is a busy man but he always knew the particulars of our case and had a plan for how to proceed. The nurses and clinic staff were amazing and always remembered my name and were very personable.
Describe the protocols Richard Sherbahn (retired) used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
My first IVF cycle was antagonist protocol with gonal-f, low dose HCG, ganirelix, and human growth hormone. I also did three weeks of birth control prior to starting. The results were not good at all for such an aggressive cycle, 2 eggs retrieved, both transferred on day 3 but were poor quality with only 4 cells each on day 3. Negative pregnancy test.
For my second IVF that resulted in success, I primed with testosterone and estrogen the month prior to the cycle. Then I was on micro dose lupron, gonal-f, and low dose HCG. Much better results, 6 eggs retrieved, 1 day 5 blast transferred and resulting in our baby boy, 4 blasts frozen for future use.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Sue)
All of the nurses and staff I worked with were amazing! Sue was my primary nurse and was so helpful and compassionate. I also worked with nurse Cathy several times and she was also very helpful, knowledgeable, and caring.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Their lab is great, just look at the success rates on SART and their donor egg program success rates. It is a smaller clinic that allows for more personalized care. You won’t see the doctor every time but you get to know the nurses and other staff well. Email communication is returned promptly, sometimes it is harder to reach someone on the phone.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
I never waited for longer than 15 minutes for monitoring. There was a window of when to come but the nurses would ask you for a specific time so they could plan for the expected volume. It always seemed efficient to me and never ruined my day.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
I was lucky to have fertility insurance. My insurance was billed $50k for my two IVF cycles. We paid $9-10k out of pocket between insurance deductibles and medication not covered by insurance.
Describe Richard Sherbahn (retired)'s approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Dr Sherbahn educates on the risks of multiple embryo transfers but does not seem to mind doing them if that is what the patient wants. He recommended transferring two embryos on my first cycle but I only had two embryos and they were poor quality on day 3 and resulted in a negative. On my second cycle, when I had multiple blastocysts, I was given the option to transfer one or two. I chose to transfer only one but would have been supported in my decision either way.
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8
10
Age
31 - 32
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
—
8
10
He [Dr. Sherbahn] will tell it to you straight, exactly how it is. He doesn’t beat around the bush with things and will bluntly be honest about what he sees and finds. He did not communicate the best with us, but his nurses were wonderful...The thing he lacks is feeling any compassion as to the reason that brought you to a fertility clinic. He’s obsessed with showing his data and his numbers. He answers questions relative to all his data, not necessarily you as a patient.
The building interior [at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago] is a bit dated. They don’t spend money on updates...The waiting room for procedures was very small and crammed. On a few occasions we had to stand and wait for a bit because they were so busy...Cathy [nurse] was amazing. I think she pretty much runs the place and responds to all emails on behalf of sherbahn. She was always very timely in responding to questions or messages I had left her. She had so much compassion and understanding for how emotional this journey is.
Age
31 - 32
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
1 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
—
8
10
How was your experience with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
He definitely knows what he is doing and I firmly believe he will give his patients the best chance at conceiving. He will tell it to you straight, exactly how it is. He doesn’t beat around the bush with things and will bluntly be honest about what he sees and finds. He did not communicate the best with us, but his nurses were wonderful.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Don’t go in expecting to get a warm fuzzy feeling from him. He is very knowledgeable and he will analyze your collected data and tell you your chances straight up.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
He was very blunt in our consultation, which I actually didn’t mind. The thing he lacks is feeling any compassion as to the reason that brought you to a fertility clinic. He’s obsessed with showing his data and his numbers. He answers questions relative to all his data, not necessarily you as a patient.
Describe the protocols Richard Sherbahn (retired) used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
We did a standard schedule for IVF. He recommended we do a fresh transfer first and frozen after if we were unsuccessful and had any embryos to freeze. Our first transfer we transferred two day 5 embryos as a fresh transfer. This resulted in a miscarriage. The second round was using the one frozen embryo we had left. He prescribed estrogen patches and progesterone injections in oil. To prep for both transfers.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Cathy )
Cathy was amazing. I think she pretty much runs the place and responds to all emails on behalf of sherbahn. She was always very timely in responding to questions or messages I had left her. She had so much compassion and understanding for how emotional this journey is.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
The building interior is a bit dated. They don’t spend money on updates and making it look like a flashy expensive place. This was more than fine with me! However, I found it interesting that my husband said the room he had to leave his sperm sample was VERY dated with no technology for porn or other images to help a man leave a sample. I was very surprised by this, luckily I think today most men carry a smart phone. The rooms are pretty small and nothing fancy either. Overall, I didn’t care about this because the updates and decor of the facility are the least of my concerns. The waiting room for procedures was very small and crammed. On a few occasions we had to stand and wait for a bit because they were so busy.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
We had fertility insurance coverage, but with our coverage I believe our first round with egg retrieval and fresh transfer was $17,500 total.
Describe Richard Sherbahn (retired)'s approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
He was open to transferring two embryos because of it increasing the chances for success. We did two embryos for the first transfer and only one for the second because that’s all we had left. If we had more, we would have transferred two again.
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4
7
Age
28 - 29
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
PCOS
4
7
I never saw Dr. Catenacci besides our very firs consultation appointment. She had me under go 3 rounds of IUI and each one came back negative. After my 3rd failed IUI, she then had the nurse call me (per usual) and tell me that the doctor thinks we should check to see if my tubes are open if we want to move forward with another IUI. I feel, that should have been done my very FIRST appointment, because if they are blocked.. I just wasted a lot of time and a lot of our hard earned money.
the nursing staff [at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago-Gurnee] is great! They all seem very knowledgeable, always answer any questions you may have to the best of there ability, and all made me feel very comfortable during each ultrasound, and iui procedure. if you're going with Dr.C don't plan on seeing her or communicating with her at all.... I was on Femara/Clomid each cycle.. 3 pills for 5 days. Ultrasound to check follicles, trigger point shot when ovulating, husband would collect sperm and the IUI would be done an hour later.
Age
28 - 29
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Other
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
PCOS
4
7
How was your experience with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
I never saw Dr. Catenacci besides our very firs consultation appointment. She had me under go 3 rounds of IUI and each one came back negative. After my 3rd failed IUI, she then had the nurse call me (per usual) and tell me that the doctor thinks we should check to see if my tubes are open if we want to move forward with another IUI. I feel, that should have been done my very FIRST appointment, because if they are blocked.. I just wasted a lot of time and a lot of our hard earned money. That's when I left and got a 2nd opinion.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Make sure you are knowledgeable about treatments and what needs to be done before hand.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Our first initial appointment with Dr. C was good. She explained everything thoroughly, answered all of our questions, and gave us a step by step of what procedures we would be doing and how long we would try them. That was the ONLY time I've ever seen her. Everything IUI procedure was done by a different nurse, the nurses would be the ones to contact me and tell me my next steps. She didn't exceed in the patient care in my eyes.
Describe the protocols Michelle Catenacci used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
I was on Femara/Clomid each cycle.. 3 pills for 5 days. Ultrasound to check follicles, trigger point shot when ovulating, husband would collect sperm and the IUI would be done an hour later.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
the nursing staff is awesome. Each nurse I had was very knowledgeable and showed compassion each and every time.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
the nursing staff is great! They all seem very knowledgeable, always answer any questions you may have to the best of there ability, and all made me feel very comfortable during each ultrasound, and iui procedure.
if you're going with Dr.C don't plan on seeing her or communicating with her at all.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Each IUI cost me about 1600
Describe Michelle Catenacci's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
n/a
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10
10
Age
30 - 34
Treated
2014 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
2 IUI, 5 IVF, 1 Egg Freezing, Surrogacy
Diagnosis
Male Factor, PCOS, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
10
10
Dr. Catenacci is very knowledgeable and truly cares for her patients and wants the best for them. I was never afraid to contact her directly and she always got back to me in a timely manner. If my husband and I saw something different or intriguing in treatment on the Internet, she was always open to listening and suggesting her thoughts and new ways to see what would work....Each cycle was pretty much the same. We did five egg retrievals and all of them were about the same dosage of Follistem/Gonal F (300iu-450iu).
Ashley in the Crystal Lake office was incredible. She answered any and all questions or concerns we had via phone or email almost instantly. The nursing staff in general at AFCC are extremely compassionate and I'm forever thankful for how I was treated by them....Our surrogacy coordinator didn't show a ton of compassion and could be rude at times...I was actually happy with them doing their monitoring appointments in the early mornings. It meant that we would have results sooner.
Age
30 - 34
Treated
2014 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Other
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Sales Representative
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 IUI, 5 IVF, 1 Egg Freezing, Surrogacy
Diagnosis
Male Factor, PCOS, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
10
10
How was your experience with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Catenacci is very knowledgeable and truly cares for her patients and wants the best for them. I was never afraid to contact her directly and she always got back to me in a timely manner. If my husband and I saw something different or intriguing in treatment on the Internet, she was always open to listening and suggesting her thoughts and new ways to see what would work.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
I wouldn't say this with just Dr. Catenacci, but to RE's in general, I wish they would better accept the fact that sometimes there are immune issues that are working against the patient to carry a pregnancy. I would always say you need to be your own advocate. You know your body more than anyone.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Catenacci was always there for me through EVERYTHING we have been through. When we had a miscarriage, she would call me personally to check on me. If we ever had any questions or concerns, she genuinely took the time with us to answer them.
Describe the protocols Michelle Catenacci used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
Each cycle was pretty much the same. We did five egg retrievals and all of them were about the same dosage of Follistem/Gonal F (300iu-450iu). I'd stim for about 10-11 days with retrieval on days 12 or 13. She paid close attention to my estrogen levels and was very careful to avoid OHSS - which I greatly appreciated. The clinic uses the patients weight when prescribing PIO so I was usually on 2.4cc of PIO. I was on 2-3 pills a day of Estradiol and also baby aspirin.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Ashley)
Ashley in the Crystal Lake office was incredible. She answered any and all questions or concerns we had via phone or email almost instantly. The nursing staff in general at AFCC are extremely compassionate and I'm forever thankful for how I was treated by them. Def as a patient and not a number.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
AFCC def has a lot of strengths and I think their success rates prove that. I'm thrilled that over 98% of their staff truly show compassion and care towards the patient and truly want the end result - a child - for everyone. Our surrogacy coordinator didn't show a ton of compassion and could be rude at times, but overall, I love AFCC.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
I was actually happy with them doing their monitoring appointments in the early mornings. It meant that we would have results sooner. The only frustrating thing was that monitoring was done in their Gurnee office, which was a lot farther for me on the weekends.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
I had insurance coverage for 85% of our treatments, so it is hard to say. But for our surrogate cycle, we paid $4000 for our frozen transfer and $800 for each time we froze embryos.
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10
10
Age
29
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
Dr. Irani made me feel welcomed and understood from the moment I sat down in his office. ... He set everything straight for me and not only laid out a treatment plan for me ... I am 29 and my husband is 32. ... My husbands semen analysis came back with a barely low count ... Every test came back normal for me. ... We are moving right back in to another round of IUI and plan to attempt 3 rounds before considering IVF. ...
Since my initial meeting, every question I have had has been promptly and thoroughly handled ... As a self pay patient, one of my main concerns was cost so he [doctor] even tailored a plan to exhaust the most affordable options first ... Ashley [nurse] is beyond amazing! She is the only nurse in the Crystal Lake [Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago] location so she is sometimes away from her desk, but she will call you back IMMEDIATELY after she gets back to see the message. ... She is so compassionate and wonderful at "breaking the bad news" to you in a way that doesn't feel like the scripted responses you get from other clinics.
Age
29
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
How was your experience with Mohamad Irani at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Irani made me feel welcomed and understood from the moment I sat down in his office. He even went over our scheduled time together and answered every single question I threw his way. After being severely misinformed by my original RE, I had a giant list of clarifications that I was desperate for answers about. He listened attentively to each concern that I had without judgment or ridicule. I never felt demeaned or belittled like I was asking a "stupid" or unnecessary question. He provided me with not only an answer to each concern, but scientific backing to each answer. He didn't just tell me what I wanted to hear, he told me what I needed to hear. I was tired of long winded half answers, and he made sure to articulate everything in laments terms as well as provided risks and rewards for each option I had. He set everything straight for me and not only laid out a treatment plan for me, but told me he was confident he would get me pregnant without issue. As a self pay patient, one of my main concerns was cost so he even tailored a plan to exhaust the most affordable options first. Although I am still early in my journey with him, I feel at home and am confident that I will find success under Dr. Irani's thoughtful and straightforward care.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Mohamad Irani at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Come prepared with questions! Do not be shy or fearful that you will be bothering him. He is incredibly thorough and provides plenty for you on his own, but he is patient and kindhearted and will make sure that you are just as comfortable with the entire process as he is.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Mohamad Irani at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
After a year long battle with my original fertility clinic to even SEE a doctor, I was extremely tentative about seeing another doctor, fearful of the same thing happening again. Dr. Irani made me feel welcomed and understood from the moment I sat down in his office. He even went over our scheduled time together and answered every single question I threw his way.
Describe the protocols Mohamad Irani used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
I am 29 and my husband is 32. We have been trying to conceive for almost 3 years now. My husbands semen analysis came back with a barely low count, just a point below "average" but nothing that Dr. Irani was concerned about due to all other aspects being normal with high volume.
Every test came back normal for me. My cycles are spot on 27-28 days long. I ovulate late in CD 10 or early CD 11 every month without fail. My follicle count, estrogen, AMH, progesterone... everything came back within normal or above normal range at the right time in my cycle. My saline infusion came back normal with no reported tube blockages.
Dr. Irani said that he was absolutely confident that he would be successful with IVF due to my age and regularity. Since we are self pay, we also had the option to skip IUI and move directly to IVF if we wanted (since we did not have insurance requirements to start with the smaller treatment). Since our diagnosis was generally unexplained with the only thing coming up as a barely low count from my husband, Dr. Irani was also confident that we were excellent candidates to achieve a success with IUI if we wanted to start with the most cost effective option. I stared Clomid on my first cycle (CD 3-7) and went in for my first monitoring appointment on CD 10. I measured with 2 mature follicles and my LH had already naturally risen, so we immediately did the trigger shot and scheduled my IUI for the next day. I returned on CD 18 for my progesterone test that came back at 29. I returned on CD 26 for my beta which came back negative and started my period the next day. We are moving right back in to another round of IUI and plan to attempt 3 rounds before considering IVF.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Ashley)
Ashley is beyond amazing! She is the only nurse in the Crystal Lake location so she is sometimes away from her desk, but she will call you back IMMEDIATELY after she gets back to see the message. She is patient with me no matter how many questions I ask about process or next steps. She is so compassionate and wonderful at "breaking the bad news" to you in a way that doesn't feel like the scripted responses you get from other clinics. When she told me about my negative beta result, I could feel her heartache for me from miles away. Then she proceeded to talk me through potential next steps and advise me on my options. I couldn't ask for a better nurse!
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Since my initial meeting, every question I have had has been promptly and thoroughly handled by Dr. Irani and the Crystal Lake staff. The office is small, but their success rates speak for themselves. I have had to work with members of the Gurnee and Chicago office staff as well and they have always been kind, attentive and punctual with all requests that I have submitted.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Mohamad Irani at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
I do not recall how much the initial consult and preliminary diagnostic tests cost, however they offer an IUI package that includes all monitoring for $1,100.
Describe Mohamad Irani's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
We have not fully discussed IVF/embryo transfer options yet.
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10
10
Age
39 - 40
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
4 IUI, 4 IVF
Diagnosis
Anovulation, Male Factor, PCOS, Poor Egg Quality, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Unexplained
10
10
Dr Catenacci has a great personality, she is fun to talk to and she will give it to you straight. She is my second doctor and what a difference she is compared to my first doctor! She told me things that I was diagnosed with that the other clinic had me guessing, never told me outright, so then she set up a plan for us and we’re working on it. She has great bedside manner and makes you feel comfortable even when there are times you wouldn’t. I don’t know what else to say, except that she’s amazing!... She helps with your specific needs and strategizes accordingly. She is very helpful and makes sure you are at your best health before proceeding.
Any of Dr Catenacci’s staff [at Advanced Fertility] that I have dealt with are always super nice and very helpful and very compassionate...Very easy to work with especially with schedules and appointments. Always have someone ready to treat you or check you when you come in, never wait long. They are always on top of calling you in the afternoon with results from that day. Only one time did I have to call myself, but that was the lab that failed to get back to me....She and her staff are super into you and your needs they don’t schedule so many people at one time so you feel like a person and not a number.
Age
39 - 40
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Other
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
4 IUI, 4 IVF
Diagnosis
Anovulation, Male Factor, PCOS, Poor Egg Quality, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Unexplained
10
10
How was your experience with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr Catenacci has a great personality, she is fun to talk to and she will give it to you straight. She is my second doctor and what a difference she is compared to my first doctor! She told me things that I was diagnosed with that the other clinic had me guessing, never told me outright, so then she set up a plan for us and we’re working on it. She has great bedside manner and makes you feel comfortable even when there are times you wouldn’t. I don’t know what else to say, except that she’s amazing!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Ask all questions. She will have answers for you.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
She and her staff are super into you and your needs they don’t schedule so many people at one time so you feel like a person and not a number. Previous clinic I did feel like a number and it was disheartening.
Describe the protocols Michelle Catenacci used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
I don’t remember super specifics, but the strategies and protocols are right in line with what I hear from others. She helps with your specific needs and strategizes accordingly. She is very helpful and makes sure you are at your best health before proceeding.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Deena)
Any of Dr Catenacci’s staff that I have dealt with are always super nice and very helpful and very compassionate.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Very easy to work with especially with schedules and appointments. Always have someone ready to treat you or check you when you come in, never wait long. They are always on top of calling you in the afternoon with results from that day. Only one time did I have to call myself, but that was the lab that failed to get back to me.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
It’s hard to tell because I have insurance and deductibles to meet for procedures and meds.
Describe Michelle Catenacci's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
All approaches from my doctor have been on point.
What specific things went wrong at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
- Scheduled the wrong procedure
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8
10
Age
28
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Male Factor, PCOS
8
10
[With Dr. Richard Sherbahn] We did a month of BC, then for the stims we did gonal-f and low dose HCG. We used the Lupron for trigger because of my PCOS leading to a high risk of OHSS (which I had with my prior doctor for my IUI's). I had so much less pain/hyperstimulation when we did the Lupron trigger, which was an extremely pleasant surprise. I thought IVF would be worse than IUI, and it wasn't - at least for this aspect!
Sue [a nurse at AFC-Chicago] was wonderful. I live about 3 hours from the clinic so I was concerned about coordinating the bloodwork/monitoring. This did make things a little more difficult, and we had a few mix-ups when other nurses were sending my orders in, but nothing major. I had a few extra ultrasounds/bloodwork due to mix ups, but my insurance covered everything (as I already hit my out of pocket), so it wasn't a big deal. Sue called very promptly once my beta results were in, and also called very quickly with my updates on number of fertilized eggs, embryos, etc. and genuinely seemed happy when all my results were positive!
Age
28
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Other
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Accountant
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Male Factor, PCOS
8
10
How was your experience with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
He was very helpful and informative at our initial consult. You do need to bring the questions you have, because that will lead the conversation. A large portion of the beginning consult is him discussing success rates, risk of multiples, etc. I am 28 years old with high AMH, so I do think he knew we would be an "easier" case.... but either way, I came out of our first meeting feeling very positive that we would have a good chance to get pregnant. He also gave us personally calculated success rates based on my age, AMH, antra-follicle count, etc. which I thought was a nice touch.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Come to your first meeting with all of the questions you have! I saw him at the initial consult, and the next time I saw him was at the egg transfer (a different doctor did our retrieval), so make sure you are prepared.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
I was assigned a single nurse, Sue. She was my main contact point and was very easy to reach via e-mail and to answer all my questions. The only complaint I had at all was with a different nurse who was angry with and scolded me because my lab results did not come in one time at one occurrence, and told me I would need to start traveling to their own clinic (which is 3 hours from me) for simple blood tests. There was a mix-up in my lab and I got the results over as quickly as possible, but her demeanor was upsetting to me.
Describe the protocols Richard Sherbahn (retired) used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
We did a month of BC, then for the stims we did gonal-f and low dose HCG. We used the Lupron for trigger because of my PCOS leading to a high risk of OHSS (which I had with my prior doctor for my IUI's). I had so much less pain/hyperstimulation when we did the Lupron trigger, which was an extremely pleasant surprise. I thought IVF would be worse than IUI, and it wasn't - at least for this aspect!
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Sue)
Sue was wonderful. I live about 3 hours from the clinic so I was concerned about coordinating the bloodwork/monitoring. This did make things a little more difficult, and we had a few mix-ups when other nurses were sending my orders in, but nothing major. I had a few extra ultrasounds/bloodwork due to mix ups, but my insurance covered everything (as I already hit my out of pocket), so it wasn't a big deal. Sue called very promptly once my beta results were in, and also called very quickly with my updates on number of fertilized eggs, embryos, etc. and genuinely seemed happy when all my results were positive!
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Strengths - receptionist was always kind, my nurse coordinator was awesome. My meds always arrived on time. I honestly don't have any weaknesses aside from the one nurse blaming me for lab results not getting there on time.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
My costs were mostly covered under insurance. He does provide discounted plans for cash payers, which I felt were very reasonable. I know my insurance billing was high, but it didn't directly affect me. Also, monitoring and meds are not covered under his plans, and I know those can add up!
Describe Richard Sherbahn (retired)'s approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
He was very persuasive in us doing a single transfer. He said that there was such a high risk of multiples. I had every intention of transferring 2 embryos when we went to our first meeting with him, and wasn't even sure once we got to transfer day what we were going to do, but we decided on the single transfer as he continued to explain the high risk while I was laying on the table. I am so happy we only did one!
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6
8
Age
35 - 36
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality
6
8
My first round of IVF [with Dr. Michelle Catenacci] was a typical IVF however it didn't produce enough eggs so it was converted. After that, we became very aggressive and did the Microdose Lupron flare. This produced 11 eggs but only two were retrieved. Additionally, I took Coq10 and DHEA on a daily basis...I appreciated that she personally called me when my eggs did not make it to Day 2; however that was my only interaction with her. All other interactions was with her nurse which was frustrating. I would have liked her to at least check in with me during the cycles
The clinic [Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago] has multiple locations, is clean and all of the staff (even technicians) are super friendly and inviting. The doctors are extremely knowledgeable. The weakness is lack of direct communication with the doctors...Cathy [nurse] was absolutely amazing. She was beyond supportive and would spend as much time with me as I needed. There is literally nothing negative I could say about her. I would recommend her to anyone!
Age
35 - 36
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Latino
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Lawyer
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality
6
8
How was your experience with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Catenacci is great to meet in person; however, the only time I spoke with her was our initial consultation, another consultation that I specifically requested and when she called to tell me that my embryos did not make it. It is very disappointing that she never calls me to discuss next steps or even to check-in as this is a very expensive, stressful process. I honestly thought about leaving her office after my first failed IVF but I stayed because of her nurses. It is disheartening that everything is run by the staff and not Dr. Catenacci.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Don't expect to hear from Dr. Catenacci except for initial meeting and failed IVF embryos.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
I appreciated that she personally called me when my eggs did not make it to Day 2; however that was my only interaction with her. All other interactions was with her nurse which was frustrating. I would have liked her to at least check in with me during the cycles
Describe the protocols Michelle Catenacci used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
My first round of IVF was a typical IVF however it didn't produce enough eggs so it was converted. After that, we became very aggressive and did the Microdose Lupron flare. This produced 11 eggs but only two were retrieved. Additionally, I took Coq10 and DHEA on a daily basis.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Cathy)
Cathy was absolutely amazing. She was beyond supportive and would spend as much time with me as I needed. There is literally nothing negative I could say about her. I would recommend her to anyone!
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
The clinic has multiple locations, is clean and all of the staff (even technicians) are super friendly and inviting. The doctors are extremely knowledgeable. The weakness is lack of direct communication with the doctors (it is my understanding that all of the doctors are like this).
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
My insurance covered a lot of the expenses - we ended up paying out of pocket around $15,000
Describe Michelle Catenacci's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
For my case, she recommended that I transfer 2 embryos (assuming there were 2 embryos) due to my low quality
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9
10
Age
31
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Unexplained
9
10
He [Dr. Sherbahn] was great. Very professional and doesn’t sugar coat things but gave me a very clear idea of what could happen. I was hoping to hear IVF would 100% work but he gave us our odds. Our first round did end up working...He will give you the option to put in two embryos which a lot of places won’t do so that’s nice....
The clinic [Advanced Fert - Gurnee] works around your work schedule so I would often go in before work, they also do weekends...They made me feel so comfortable. Everyone was great. It was clean and easy to get to. They were usually on time. The ultrasound techs were great and they try to keep you with the same few people so you get to know them. One person sucked at getting blood but other then that they were really good about it, as they should be bc man you give a ton of blood going through IVF.
Age
31
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Other
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Entrepreneur
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
1 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Unexplained
9
10
How was your experience with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
He was great. Very professional and doesn’t sugar coat things but gave me a very clear idea of what could happen. I was hoping to hear IVF would 100% work but he gave us our odds. Our first round did end up working. The clinic works around your work schedule so I would often go in before work, they also do weekends.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
He will give you real stats, I wanted him to tell me 100% it would work and he won’t do that. He will give you the option to put in two embryos which a lot of places won’t do so that’s nice.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
He gave it to me straight which I wanted and he doesn’t mess around. Met him in February and was pregnant by May.
Describe the protocols Richard Sherbahn (retired) used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
I had ultrasounds during second day of my cycle. That night I started stims which included low dose HCG and something that started with a ganarilox or something like that. I then went in for more ultrasounds once it was close to egg dropping time I started another med to keep me from ovulating. I went for egg retrieval and they got 17 eggs. My husband provided his sample while I was out getting my eggs taken. He also provided a back up sample a few weeks prior. 13 embryos fertilized so we did a 5 day transfer of one. They do not update you bc they don’t mess with the embryos until transfer day. They gave me a pic and plopped the little guy in. 9 days later I went in for a blood test. It was positive- I had three blood tests and then an ultrasound at 6w6d. I was not on birth control for the cycle. We have two more frozen embryos at his clinic. I started progesterone IM injections the day after transfer and stayed on them till 9 weeks. I was on low dose aspirin until my ultrasound at 6w6d.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Crissy Dowell )
She always called when she said she would and even left messages with my results so I could read them at work.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
They made me feel so comfortable. Everyone was great. It was clean and easy to get to. They were usually on time. The ultrasound techs were great and they try to keep you with the same few people so you get to know them. One person sucked at getting blood but other then that they were really good about it, as they should be bc man you give a ton of blood going through IVF. I would tell anyone I know to skip other clinics and go straight to dr. Sherbahn for fertility issues. I got pulled along for so long trying different things and wasted an entire year before finding them.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
We paid roughly 5,000 out of pocket.
Describe Richard Sherbahn (retired)'s approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
He suggested we transfer one bc of my age and because I had one previous successful pregnancy that gave me my 9 year old son but left the decision up to us. He would have let me transfer two. We did not pgs test any of our embryos.
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8
9
Age
39
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
4 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Unexplained
8
9
After my first retrieval, I was diagnosed with endometriosis. Dr. Sherbhan quickly reconfigured my treatment and we started again... He did debrief us after my retrieval and we spoke to him after my negative pregnancy test to discuss next steps. It would be nice to feel more comfortable reaching out to him in-between or during cycles...Go in for the facts, not for a shoulder to cry on.
I have my main nurse contact [at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago] , Diane, who is responsive and they have worked very hard to get me my medications quickly when running low/need to start a cycle right away...it would be nice to feel more comfortable being able to contact the doctor with questions during my cycle...The Chicago office is closed on the weekends so if you have weekend monitoring you need to drive to the Gurnee office, about 50 minutes away.
Age
39
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Marketer or PR
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
4 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Unexplained
8
9
How was your experience with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
I went to Dr. Sherbahn because he is seen as a no-nonsense doctor who gets good results. After my first retrieval, I was diagnosed with endometriosis. Dr. Sherbhan quickly reconfigured my treatment and we started again. From the research I have done, I think Dr. Sherbhan is well educated in the current best practices in fertility, which is what you want. He did debrief us after my retrieval and we spoke to him after my negative pregnancy test to discuss next steps. It would be nice to feel more comfortable reaching out to him in-between or during cycles. It was noticed by my nurse that I do have fluid in my uterus during cycle day 10 and on. This is not something I would have known unless my nurse told me and it doesn't seem to be a concern of Dr. Sherbhan's, but it is a concern to me and I've gone for acupuncture treatment. I would like to talk to the doctor about the fluid and how it may be contributing to my fertility issues.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
He's on top of the fertility game, so trust his judgment. Go in for the facts, not for a shoulder to cry on.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Sherbhan's staff is very responsive. They don't act like you're asking silly questions. I have my main nurse contact, Diane, who is responsive and they have worked very hard to get me my medications quickly when running low/need to start a cycle right away. Even with all of this, it would be nice to feel more comfortable being able to contact the doctor with questions during my cycle.
Describe the protocols Richard Sherbahn (retired) used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
IUI: I chose to use injectables for two IUI cycle.
IVF: Prepared for IVF twice, one cycle was canceled and we did IUI instead. For the first IVF cycle I took CoQ10, DHEA, baby aspirin, omnitrope, Follistim (up to 550 units), Ganirelix, dexamethasone, and probably a few other things I can't remember.
IVF 2: Same as above, but started by month in-between by taking estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. This cycle was canceled and the nurse asked if we wanted to do IUI and we said yes.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Diane Swanson)
Diane was very on top of communication. She worked tirelessly to get my medications when they were needed at the last minute - working with Braun Pharmacy in Chicago (also a great pharmacy). She was very timely with communications as well. She often seems rushed, but it's mostly b/c she's doing a lot at once. She's not making you feel like she doesn't have the time, so just has a lot on her plate.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Everyone is very communicative and appointments are easy to get. Usually get you in quickly, though sometimes it can be backed up depending on the morning. Though this is rare. The Chicago office is closed on the weekends so if you have weekend monitoring you need to drive to the Gurnee office, about 50 minutes away. This can be a pain, but the staff is very nice.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Our fertility treatment was covered by insurance after a deductible. The omnitrope and testosterone were not covered by insurance.
Describe Richard Sherbahn (retired)'s approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
At AFC, if you do genetic testing, they will only transfer one embryo, b/c they have a 65% success rate. B/c we only got two eggs, and both fertilized, it was suggested that we transfer on day 3 b/c it would be our best chance, rather than waiting for day 5. we have decided that b/c we only got two eggs we were not going to do genetic testing.
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10
10
Age
27 - 29
Treated
2015 - 2017
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Tubal Blockage
10
10
Dr. Sherbahn knows his stuff. I was won over by his confidence, intelligence and no-nonsense attitude. I trusted all of his decisions and believe in his plan for us....Dr. Sherbahn and his staff always knew the details of my case and customized my protocol based on my labs and needs....He takes the time to answer all of your questions during the consult and this is the most face to face time you will have with him so take advantage of it!...He was unable to do my retrieval due to a schedule issue.
The clinic [Advanced Fert - Chicago] seems to be pretty organized....The nurses here are truly the fuel of the clinic. My nurse, Sue was so caring and compassionate. Every nurse that we came in contact with was excellent....I asked my nurse to place an order for some numbing cream and had to ask a few times before it was done. The numbing cream is something extra I wanted to try - not a part of my actual protocol...We had insurance that we enrolled in specifically for the purpose of being able to cover fertility treatments at AFCC.
Age
27 - 29
Treated
2015 - 2017
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Black or African-American
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Marketer or PR
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Tubal Blockage
10
10
How was your experience with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Sherbahn knows his stuff. I was won over by his confidence, intelligence and no-nonsense attitude. I trusted all of his decisions and believe in his plan for us. Dr. Sherbahn did my mock embryo transfer and will soon be doing my FET. He was unable to do my retrieval due to a schedule issue.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Do your research and ask questions. He takes the time to answer all of your questions during the consult and this is the most face to face time you will have with him so take advantage of it!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Sherbahn and his staff always knew the details of my case and customized my protocol based on my labs and needs.
Describe the protocols Richard Sherbahn (retired) used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
For stimulation I was on BC and follistim. Triggered with Lupron and HCG.
For FET: BC and estrogen patches followed by PIO injections.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Sue)
The nurses here are truly the fuel of the clinic. My nurse, Sue was so caring and compassionate. Every nurse that we came in contact with was excellent.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
The clinic seems to be pretty organized. We were shocked at the decline of our eggs from day to day after retrieval and that's a sign of the clinic. But I'm unsure how much of that is an egg / sperm quality issue.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
We had insurance that we enrolled in specifically for the purpose of being able to cover fertility treatments at AFCC. So we were responsible for our annual out of pocket max (6000) plus any other fees that were not covered by insurance (PGS 4500, remaining balances, etc) I would estimate we've spent about 12k so far.
Describe Richard Sherbahn (retired)'s approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
We are waiting to discuss further- I believe he bases it on age and prognosis of patient. Since we elected to do PGS testing- we were told that he may not allow us to transfer more than one PGS normal blast.
What specific things went wrong at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
I asked my nurse to place an order for some numbing cream and had to ask a few times before it was done. The numbing cream is something extra I wanted to try - not a part of my actual protocol.
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
10
Age
25 - 26
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
4 IUI
Diagnosis
Anovulation, PCOS
10
10
Dr. Catenacci was fantastic. She presented us with all our options and let us drive our treatment considering her recommendations. She presented all the information and then let us decide, which we greatly appreciated. After our miscarriage, she was reassuring and encouraging. She made sure we had all our bases covered before trying again....First, we had a consultation that showed PCOS. I was referred to have a glucose test to confirm and then start metformin to help with insulin resistance. We started with ovulation induction with clomid and a trigger with timed intercourse. My lining was too thin after 2 rounds and I had a slow response, so we moved on to letrozole and trigger with timed intercourse
Every person [at Advanced Fert] has nurse assigned to their personal case, and it my situation it was Ashley. She was wonderful and knew everything about my situation. She answered all my questions with compassion...I enjoyed the small feel of the clinic. I always recognized nurses and they take time to get to know you. It was always easy to get appointments and the staff is wonderful. I felt we were really able to make our own decisions about how agressive our care was, so make sure to ask questions to understand your options....Each IUI cost us 550 out of pocket. Ultrasounds were 300
Age
25 - 26
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European, Latino
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Consultant
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
4 IUI
Diagnosis
Anovulation, PCOS
10
10
How was your experience with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Catenacci was fantastic. She presented us with all our options and let us drive our treatment considering her recommendations. She presented all the information and then let us decide, which we greatly appreciated. After our miscarriage, she was reassuring and encouraging. She made sure we had all our bases covered before trying again.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Catenacci is wonderful. She will talk you through everything, but make sure to have questions so you understand all your options as you will drive your treatment plan.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
I personally enjoyed the level of personal care under Dr. Catennacci. Especially the care provided by the nurses. Every person has nurse assigned to their personal case, and it my situation it was Ashley. She was wonderful and knew everything about my situation. She answered all my questions with compassion and I felt Ashley wanted our pregnancy as much as we did. Dr. Catennacci has a great bedside manner. I appreciate her giving all the information and answering my questions directly, but still with compassion. After our miscarriage, both Dr. Catennacci and Ashley were immensely supportive.
Describe the protocols Michelle Catenacci used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
First, we had a consultation that showed PCOS. I was referred to have a glucose test to confirm and then start metformin to help with insulin resistance. We started with ovulation induction with clomid and a trigger with timed intercourse. My lining was too thin after 2 rounds and I had a slow response, so we moved on to letrozole and trigger with timed intercourse. We started with the highest dose of letrozole since it took me a dose of 150 with clomid to ovulate. After 5 unsuccessful rounds of ovulation induction with timed intercourse, we moved on to IUI. Our IUI cycles used the highest dose of letrozole and a trigger shot. We had 2 successful IUIs. The first resulting in a miscarriage and the second in a live birth.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Ashley)
Ashley was amazing. Absolutely amazing. This journey is so hard. Having someone like Ashley there for support and guidance was invaluable. She answered all my questions, no matter how silly, and was always patient and compassionate. Even if I hadn't liked Dr. Catenacci, I would have stayed at the clinic for Ashley.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
I enjoyed the small feel of the clinic. I always recognized nurses and they take time to get to know you. It was always easy to get appointments and the staff is wonderful. I felt we were really able to make our own decisions about how agressive our care was, so make sure to ask questions to understand your options.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Each IUI cost us 550 out of pocket. Ultrasounds were 300 but covered by insurance.
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10
10
Age
34
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Anovulation, PCOS
10
10
He [Dr. Jones] gave me the facts in a straightforward manner and let me make all decisions. My care was personalized specifically for my husband and I....brought a sense of humor that I appreciated as well...communicated well with me. He was around to ask questions if need be. I loved his honesty and up front approach. He didn’t pressure me into any decisions and made me feel comfortable with my choices.
For my IVF cycle [at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago] we used injectables and a lupron trigger to avoid OHSS from me having PCOS. I was closely monitored, coming in for blood and ultrasounds daily and adjusting the doses as needed...Deena [nurse] talked to me on a nearly daily basis. If she wasn’t available there were a few other nurses I saw regularly as well. They were all understanding and compassionate.
Age
34
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European, Latino
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Anovulation, PCOS
10
10
How was your experience with Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Jones communicated well with me. He was around to ask questions if need be. I loved his honesty and up front approach. He didn’t pressure me into any decisions and made me feel comfortable with my choices.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Be prepared to make your own informed decisions. This is your journey.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
He gave me the facts in a straightforward manner and let me make all decisions. My care was personalized specifically for my husband and I. Dr. Jones brought a sense of humor that I appreciated as well.
Describe the protocols Gary Jones used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
For my IVF cycle we used injectables and a lupron trigger to avoid OHSS from me having PCOS. I was closely monitored, coming in for blood and ultrasounds daily and adjusting the doses as needed.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Deena)
Deena talked to me on a nearly daily basis. If she wasn’t available there were a few other nurses I saw regularly as well. They were all understanding and compassionate.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
AFCC has excellent success ratings and they are open seven days a week. This was amazing to have the clinic and procedures available when my body was ready for it instead of hoping for the best as most clinics don’t have weekend hours.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
My monitoring appointments went smoothly. I very rarely had to wait, and if I did it was less than 15 minutes.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Gary Jones at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
My insurance covered a portion, I paid a copay at each visit. Anything above that they would let me know so I was prepared to pay.
Describe Gary Jones's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
I chose to transfer two embryos and had to sign a waiver the day of the transfer. I was informed of the risk for multiples.
What specific things went wrong at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
- Failed to call with results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
One time I did not receive a call with results. I was able to call the next morning to get them.
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5
5
Age
29
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
3 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
5
5
Dr. Catenacci was always nice, but I didn't interact with her that much...Dr. Catenachi is personable, friendly and easy to talk to... I decided to change clinics after my first cycle was cancelled and my second one only resulted in 1 embryo. I do have lower reserve, but i was given a 40% chance of success based on my AFC during the initial consult. I decided to change doctors because I didn't feel she was that invested in achieving success for me.
AFCC uses their nursing staff to do all the communication, even for big decisions like cancelling a cycle or calling with a negative pregnancy test result. While the nurses were kind, I would have appreciate more communication from the doctor directly...Nurses were all friendly and usually pretty prompt in responding to calls and emails. They do seem to have a high caseload and be extremely busy.
Age
29
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Accountant
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 3 Docs
Treatment
3 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
5
5
How was your experience with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Catenacci was always nice, but I didn't interact with her that much. I decided to change clinics after my first cycle was cancelled and my second one only resulted in 1 embryo. I do have lower reserve, but i was given a 40% chance of success based on my AFC during the initial consult. I decided to change doctors because I didn't feel she was that invested in achieving success for me.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Expect the communication to be only through the nurses unless she is the doctor performing procedures the day of your procedures or if you schedule a meeting with her.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Catenachi is personable, friendly and easy to talk to. However AFCC uses their nursing staff to do all the communication, even for big decisions like cancelling a cycle or calling with a negative pregnancy test result. While the nurses were kind, I would have appreciate more communication from the doctor directly. I believe they see alot of patients, so the communication style did make me feel like a number.
Describe the protocols Michelle Catenacci used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
While my AMH and AFC are somewhat lower for my age, they never expected for the cycles to go as badly as they did. My first cycle was birth control and then antagonist. It was cancelled due to poor response and converted to IUI. Given my lower reserve, I don't think we should have ever tried birth control suppression. The second cycle we did estrogen priming with microdose lupron and HGH. Results were somewhat better, but we only retrieved 2 eggs and got 1 embryo. I know the doctors can't be blamed for poor response, but on my third IVF (at a different clinic), I was able to get 12 eggs (8 mature) from an estrogen priming and antagonist protocol with max stims. So the protocol and the administration of the cycle (doses, triggering, etc) can make all the difference.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Donna)
Nurses were all friendly and usually pretty prompt in responding to calls and emails. They do seem to have a high caseload and be extremely busy.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
I was drawn to AFCC due to their transparency in pricing and success rates on their website. I also found their success rates to be very good. As previously mentioned, I didn't like the communication style of all communication through nurses, even for important decisions like cancelling cycles and negative pregnancy test results.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
I have some insurance up to a lifetime max, so things were covered once we hit deductible and OOP max.
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
10
Age
40
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
3 IUI, IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality
10
10
After a disastrous year with another RE it was just over three months from our initial consultation to our positive beta. We went to Dr. Sherbahn with a clear goal, knowing that we were going to use donor eggs. This made our treatment path clear from the start. Regardless, Dr. Sherbahn took the time to explain the process (though we had been through it before) and help us decide between using fresh or frozen donor eggs (the latter not being an option at our previous clinic). He was considerate, confident and had a great sense of humor. This put me at ease for our embryo transfer at which I was comfortable and relaxed.
The clinic [Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago] is quite busy and not overly fancy or roomy. I often waited anxiously for lab results or return phone calls which didn't come until sometimes late in the afternoon. Regardless it is comfortable and sufficient...We paid 27,000 for shared risk which would have given us up to six transfers to have a live birth. We got pregnant on the first transfer. Lab and ultrasounds would have been included in this but because I did these off site they were additional. These however were mostly covered by our insurance under the diagnostic benefit (as was my hysteroscopy and husbands semen analysis--though we had to pay $150 oop for sperm cryopreservation)
Age
40
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
3 IUI, IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality
10
10
How was your experience with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Sherbahn is a genius! After a disastrous year with another RE it was just over three months from our initial consultation to our positive beta. We went to Dr. Sherbahn with a clear goal, knowing that we were going to use donor eggs. This made our treatment path clear from the start. Regardless, Dr. Sherbahn took the time to explain the process (though we had been through it before) and help us decide between using fresh or frozen donor eggs (the latter not being an option at our previous clinic). He was considerate, confident and had a great sense of humor. This put me at ease for our embryo transfer at which I was comfortable and relaxed.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Go with an open mind. Dr. Sherbahn's success rates speak for themselves. When he reviews his statistics, his confidence could be interpreted by some as arrogance. I however, did not get that impression. I went in with a positive attitude. I just "knew" we would be successful!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Because I did my monitoring at a clinic closer to home I only actually saw Dr. Sherbahn for our initial consultation, hysteroscopy and embryo transfer. Because of this, and the fact that we achieved success so quickly I did not particularly establish a repoire with the doctor or any particular staff member. Regardless, the few times we did see Dr. Sherbahn we felt we had his full attention and that he was truly invested in our success.
Describe the protocols Richard Sherbahn (retired) used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
Having had a failed donor cycle at a previous clinic (we never even got to transfer) we knew our plan before we even went to see Dr. Sherbahn. This made out treatment plan easy and it went smoothly from start to finish. Our only decision was whether to use fresh or frozen donor eggs. Because we are from out of town logistically it made more sense to use frozen donor eggs, even though their use is fairly new and success rates are slightly lower. We were given a username and password to access the donor profiles and photos and once we selected our donor I was suppressed with bcp then Lupron. I started taking low dose aspirin daily. I then started estrogen and then IM progesterone starting the day before thaw and fertilization. Husband had been to the clinic previously and had his sperm cryopreserved so we didn't have to travel to the clinic until transfer. My monitoring was done at a clinic closer to home. I was also on medrol for several days prior to transfer.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Aminty)
Because I did remote monitoring my interaction with the nursing staff at this clinic was fairly limited but when I did talk to them on the phone, or via email they were always friendly and accommodating.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
The clinic is quite busy and not overly fancy or roomy. I often waited anxiously for lab results or return phone calls which didn't come until sometimes late in the afternoon. Regardless it is comfortable and sufficient.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
We paid 27,000 for shared risk which would have given us up to six transfers to have a live birth. We got pregnant on the first transfer. Lab and ultrasounds would have been included in this but because I did these off site they were additional. These however were mostly covered by our insurance under the diagnostic benefit (as was my hysteroscopy and husbands semen analysis--though we had to pay $150 oop for sperm cryopreservation)
Describe Richard Sherbahn (retired)'s approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
We were given the option of transferring one or two embryos. We discussed this with Dr. Sherbahn prior to transfer. He gave us likely percentages of success with either option (if we transferred two we had about a 60% chance of a singleton and 20% chance of twins). We transferred two and I am currently 21 weeks pregnant with a singleton.
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10
10
Age
29 - 30
Treated
2015 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Tubal Blockage
10
10
Our first meeting he [Dr. Sherbahn] laid out all of the facts, all of the options, all of the data and made our situation very clear and easy to understand. Whenever we met with him we never felt rushed or talked down to how some doctors can make you feel. We never left feeling confused. I have no bad experiences to speak of in regards to Dr. Sherbahn...
They [Advanced Fer - Chicago] open early (I believe 6) and are able to get you in before work to monitor you. The clinics are very clean, decorated nicely and appealing. They are very up to date on technology, procedures with a quality lab and technicians...I did not feel like a number here, the clinic seems very patient driven. The care felt very personal. They have a few locations which make it easily accessible for those who are not very close to the city...
Age
29 - 30
Treated
2015 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Other
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Operations
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Tubal Blockage
10
10
How was your experience with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Sherbahn is extremely knowledgeable in his field. Before choosing him I saw an OBGYN who "specialized in infertility" but I did not feel confident in her ability re: infertility, or trust her plan she laid out for me. Then, we had a consult with a reproductive endocrinologist and knew immediately she did not have our best interest in mind. Finally, we had our consult with Dr. Sherbahn we knew immediately he was the doctor for us. Our first meeting he laid out all of the facts, all of the options, all of the data and made our situation very clear and easy to understand. Whenever we met with him we never felt rushed or talked down to how some doctors can make you feel. We never left feeling confused. I have no bad experiences to speak of in regards to Dr. Sherbahn.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
He is very honest. I read another review that said "He isn't the warmest fuzziest doctor but I do think he cares a lot". This is true that he may not seem very "warm and fuzzy" but if you have a consult with him, try not to let that immediately affect your decision of him. He is extremely intelligent and talented in his field. My husband and I were seeking successful treatment by a knowledgeable doctor, not to make best friends with the doctor.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
The care and attention I received was personal. The plan he created was fit for me and my situation/diagnosis. The staff remembers your name, they are always friendly and responsive. We were never talked down to and we were explained everything in a way we could easily understand. We never felt like our care or time was rushed.
Describe the protocols Richard Sherbahn (retired) used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
No suppression, fresh transfer.
High doses of FSH, Human Growth Hormone (HGH), Low-dose HCG and Ganirelix.
I had a low follicle count, fairly low AMH and higher FSH. The HGH and HCG are to help with the egg quality as it develops.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Diane)
Diane is amazing. She is good and knowledgeable at what she does, on top of things, very organized, quick to respond if you call or email and made sure everything was taken care of. She is truly a valuable asset to their team.
The whole AFCC staff is wonderful. I do not have anything negative to say about any of the team. They are all very friendly, helpful and good at what they do.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
I did not feel like a number here, the clinic seems very patient driven. The care felt very personal.
They have a few locations which make it easily accessible for those who are not very close to the city. They open early (I believe 6) and are able to get you in before work to monitor you.
The clinics are very clean, decorated nicely and appealing.
They are very up to date on technology, procedures with a quality lab and technicians.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
My IVF cycle was covered by insurance.
What specific things went wrong at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
- Lost paperwork
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
For my very first appointment, I sent over my new patient paperwork and it was not entered into their system. I almost had to take the time to fill them out all over again, but they were able to locate it in Sue's email.
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5
6
Age
35
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
5
6
While he [Dr. Sherbahn] was very blunt and matter of fact, relying and touting his success rates, he did seem to genuinely want to help us get pregnant and wanted us to know our chances...Come prepared to ask questions. He turns it over to you, basically, to steer the conversation and ask the questions. You may also have to ateee him back to your specific situation. He told a lot of stories illustrating successes but they weeenr necessarily women in my situation...
They are so busy, you do sometimes feel like they're just rotating you in [at Advanced Fert - Chicago]. I like that they are matter of fact about your chances, just wish they were more genuine in person-to-person patient care...She [the nurse] was informative, typically responsive (via email was the usual method), thorough when confirming procedures and medications). I had to ask forbid my results, though; otherwise they never told me...
Age
35
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Marketer or PR
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
5
6
How was your experience with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
I like the nurses; it's clear they do this a lot and are happy to answer questions so you feel informed. The compassion is slightly lacking compared to the other clinic I went to. I also get a feeling that money talks. They want to help but they also really want your money.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Come prepared to ask questions. He turns it over to you, basically, to steer the conversation and ask the questions. You may also have to ateee him back to your specific situation. He told a lot of stories illustrating successes but they weeenr necessarily women in my situation.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
While he was very blunt and matter of fact, relying and touting his success rates, he did seem to genuinely want to help us get pregnant and wanted us to know our chances.
Describe the protocols Richard Sherbahn (retired) used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
He thought t was ludicrous that my previous doctor put me on BCP before an IVF cycle given I have a low antrall follicle count and lower AMH. But then my lead follicle developed way faster and we had to cancel that cycle. Next cycle we did do BCP and I developed more, went to transfer but still only got 3 follicles out of the 7 they predicted. I was on 450iu follistim/gonal f, 1/2ml of omnitrope, 10iu low dose HCG and a pill (methyl-?) that was supposed to improve things.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Crissy)
She was informative, typically responsive (via email was the usual method), thorough when confirming procedures and medications). I had to ask forbid my results, though; otherwise they never told me.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
They are so busy, you do sometimes feel like they're just rotating you in.
I like that they are matter of fact about your chances, just wish they were more genuine in person-to-person patient care.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Expensive. $10,500 for single cycle plus cost for any blood work ($75 each test), plus cost of any ultrasounds. We are now looking at donor egg IVF and a frozen cycle is $15,500 + med + local monitoring + $150 to freeze sperm + cost if we would need to freeze any embryos.
What specific things went wrong at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
- Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Again they just didn't provide me with test results unless I specifically asked.
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10
10
Age
40
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
4 IUI, IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Poor Egg Quality, Unexplained
10
10
He [Dr. Sherbahn] is very straightforward in his discussions, very honest about your situation and what he thinks he can do. He is honest and open about his clinic's strengths and weaknesses. He is flexible in his treatment and approach. At least three different times he bent rules listed on his website for the program we were using (a prepaid multicycle IVF program with guaranteed money back if no live birth)...
The clinic [Advanced Fert - Gurnee] has high success rates which is why we came to them. They are very rigorous and are constantly updating protocols to be more efficient. I heard with the donors they use they require them to come to the clinic to ensure they're taking their meds properly. This is beyond what other clinics normally do...The nursing staff overall were amazing! Super compassionate and emotive which I love. Very friendly and never seemed frustrated even if I did frustrating things...
Age
40
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European, Ashkenazi Jewish
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Professor
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
4 IUI, IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Poor Egg Quality, Unexplained
10
10
How was your experience with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
He is very straightforward in his discussions, very honest about your situation and what he thinks he can do. He is honest and open about his clinic's strengths and weaknesses. He is flexible in his treatment and approach. At least three different times he bent rules listed on his website for the program we were using (a prepaid multicycle IVF program with guaranteed money back if no live birth). We had faith we would either have a successful pregnancy with his clinic or feel we had done everything possible to get pregnant and could move on, that's how much we trusted their abilities. Sherbahn always asked if we had questions and never seemed frustrated by anything we asked even though I'm sure he's answered the same questions a million times. We got the sense it was personally important to him to serve his patients as best he could. I also like that he was informed about new procedures and was updating clinic protocols even over the few months we were there. That shows me a willingness to adapt for greatest chance of success.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Don't be afraid to ask questions. He isn't the warmest fuzziest doctor but I do think he cares a lot.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Sherbahn was interested in us as people and every time we met with him or talked on the phone, he seemed unhurried and asked questions about our lives. He remembered details about us and often joked with us in appropriate ways that made us feel we were on the same team. The nurses were overwhelmingly caring and responsive.
Describe the protocols Richard Sherbahn (retired) used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
Frozen egg donor cycles: suppression of own ovulation with bcp, later just with estrogen, then HCG trigger and progesterone injections 5-6 days before transfer. Progesterone continues if successful pregnancy through week 13.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Tina)
The nursing staff overall were amazing! Super compassionate and emotive which I love. Very friendly and never seemed frustrated even if I did frustrating things. Tina was great, on the whole. But I do think she was slightly less expressive of compassion than the other nurses. She was more businesslike. But she got the job done.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
The clinic has high success rates which is why we came to them. They are very rigorous and are constantly updating protocols to be more efficient. I heard with the donors they use they require them to come to the clinic to ensure they're taking their meds properly. This is beyond what other clinics normally do.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
We got a multicycle guarantee plan which entailed a single payment up front and all care and visits were covered under that payment.
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8
9
Age
39
Treated
2015
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IUI, 3 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor
8
9
He [Dr. Sherbahn] is direct and strong in his opinion. ... He personalized my treatment plan. ... He can be a little blunt in the way he presents things but is a good doctor. ... I wanted to transfer 3 untested embryos. He was not willing to transfer more than 2. ... We did IVF antagonist protocol (FSH started at 150) with lupron trigger. We did chromosome testing and a freeze all cycle with subsequent frozen transfer of two normal embryos. Resulted in birth of my son.
I didn’t like the frequency with which they required a hysterscopy, but I that may of changed since our last cycle. Overall I would recommend the clinic [Advanced Fertility] ... I wanted to transfer 3 untested embryos. He was not willing to transfer more than 2. He agreed to transfer 2 normal embryos if we did genetic testing. I was 39 years old at the time.
Age
39
Treated
2015
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European, Middle Eastern
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 3 Docs
Treatment
1 IUI, 3 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor
8
9
How was your experience with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
This was the only clinic where we had success. He has a lot of experience and does everything to ensure the best chance of success. He is direct and strong in his opinion. I did not like that a hysterscopy test was required every 3 months. That seemed excessive to me, especially for male factor infertility. I appreciated instructions were given in verbal and written form. He personalized my treatment plan.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Listen to him. Ask questions about your options and what he recommends. He can be a little blunt in the way he presents things but is a good doctor. Ultimately a Clinic with a good lab and success rate is the most important thing to consider.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
The nurse sent me a kind message. They are very responsive to phone calls and provide a personalized treatment approach.
Describe the protocols Richard Sherbahn (retired) used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
We did IVF antagonist protocol (FSH started at 150) with lupron trigger. We did chromosome testing and a freeze all cycle with subsequent frozen transfer of two normal embryos. Resulted in birth of my son.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
She was very organized and provided phone messages and also written instructions. Helped me with scheduling and followed up on questions
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Operates like a well organized machine. Good success rates and prices are reasonable compared to other clinics. I didn’t like the frequency with which they required a hysterscopy, but I that may of changed since our last cycle. Overall I would recommend the clinic. It’s the only place we had success.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
We did a plan that included two cycles and one frozen transfer for one price. If the first cycle was successful there was no refund but if not you received a second cycle. I believe it cost around $20,000
Describe Richard Sherbahn (retired)'s approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
I wanted to transfer 3 untested embryos. He was not willing to transfer more than 2. He agreed to transfer 2 normal embryos if we did genetic testing. I was 39 years old at the time.
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10
10
Age
36 - 38
Treated
2013 - 2015
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF, 3 Embryo Freezing
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Unexplained
10
10
He [Dr RIchard Sherbahn] runs the clinic and processes in a very rigorous way which is good at producing results. He is based on data, evidence and shows you graphs/charts to explain risks, benefits, etc. He is frank and kind, thoughtful. He can perhaps be blunt at times, but the truth was what needed to be discussed. I appreciate that with good communication between us he was able to tailor treatments and plans to what I wanted and what was best for me/my family.
The value of an IVF clinic is heavily in the lab quality, technicians and protocols. Dr. Sherbahn's clinic [Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago] has this down. The clinic is not aesthetically amazing but has the top of the line technology (3D USG for all procedures, volumetrics of growing follicles) and gets the job done. They are open at 6 am and get you in/out quickly for monitoring. Also in a pinch during stim cycle they would just give you extra medicine they had lying around (extra ganerelix, etc).
Age
36 - 38
Treated
2013 - 2015
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Doctor
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF, 3 Embryo Freezing
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Unexplained
10
10
How was your experience with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
He runs the clinic and processes in a very rigorous way which is good at producing results. He is based on data, evidence and shows you graphs/charts to explain risks, benefits, etc. He is frank and kind, thoughtful. He can perhaps be blunt at times, but the truth was what needed to be discussed. I appreciate that with good communication between us he was able to tailor treatments and plans to what I wanted and what was best for me/my family.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Listen to him, and don't be afraid to question or discuss things/plans.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
He tailored the process to my opinions, wishes and expectations. He was very honest with me (which some patients may not like). He is not the warmest and fuzziest but he is honest, thoughtful and gets the job done.
Describe the protocols Richard Sherbahn (retired) used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
Lupron trigger for each.
Nightly injections only.
Follistim, ganerelix, steroids, low-dose estrogen.
Every cycle I produced about 10-14 eggs.
He does use IM progesterone for first 10 weeks of pregnancy in most IVF cases
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Sue)
Fantastic staff, Sue, Cathy, Tina, Dina among others. They would communicate by phone or email and get back to me SO quickly with very detailed instructions or answers to my questions. I remember after my 1st consultation I sent Sue an email with 20 questions (LITERALLY) and she answered each one patiently, correctly. They have 24/7 coverage too.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
The value of an IVF clinic is heavily in the lab quality, technicians and protocols. Dr. Sherbahn's clinic has this down. The clinic is not aesthetically amazing but has the top of the line technology (3D USG for all procedures, volumetrics of growing follicles) and gets the job done. They are open at 6 am and get you in/out quickly for monitoring. Also in a pinch during stim cycle they would just give you extra medicine they had lying around (extra ganerelix, etc).
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Very efficient. Starts very early. Gets you in/out quickly. First come first serve but that was never a problem and I"m a busy MD trying to get out of there. Most visits were 15 mins total including USG and blood draw. Privacy always preserved.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Insurance coverage was good. I paid about 1/3 of the total amount.
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
4
1
Age
35
Treated
2015
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
1 IUI, IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality
4
1
Dr. Sherbahn is a smart man who doesn't mince words. I was a but of a myserty as a healthy "younger" woman and he seems almost angry that I didn't achieve success. I had twonIVFs and my second had 8 great looking embryos that all arrested on day 4. He offered zero information on what could have happened, if it was related to protocol, anything. I told him I had more IVFs covered by insurance, so I wanted to know more info he said "If you got open heart surgery for free, would you do it?"... We did the same protocol each time.
After the IVF was cancelled due to eggs "not looking so good" I never heard from them. I didn't get a call they died, or to talk with doc as is standard. I simply faded away... Diane [my nurse] was a true angel. She cared. She tried to temper Dr S [Sherbahn] whenever she could. She was responsive, and sweet and made you feel like you were in good hands.
Age
35
Treated
2015
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Consultant
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
1 IUI, IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality
4
1
How was your experience with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Sherbahn is a smart man who doesn't mince words. I was a but of a myserty as a healthy "younger" woman and he seems almost angry that I didn't achieve success. I had twonIVFs and my second had 8 great looking embryos that all arrested on day 4. He offered zero information on what could have happened, if it was related to protocol, anything. I told him I had more IVFs covered by insurance, so I wanted to know more info he said "If you got open heart surgery for free, would you do it?".
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Be prepared for brutal honesty. And defensiveness if his protocol doesn't work. He doesn't seem to enjoy when his numbers are harmed.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Sherbahn seemed to care about the process and the result very much. I think he knows his stuff. He doesn't seem to care as much about the person behind the "science puzzle". He is honest which I do appreciate but bordering on cokd. His nurses were great though
Describe the protocols Richard Sherbahn (retired) used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
We did the same protocol each time. Human growth hormone, DHEA, co-q10, vit D plus the follistim, HCG. I was on 550 of follistim for 10 days. IVF 1 I got 10 eggs, 8 mature, 5 fertilized with isci. Did 3 day transfer. Second IVF, 9 eggs, 8 mature, 8 fertilize with isci. None to transfer on day 5
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Diane. She was an angel)
Diane was a true angel. She cared. She tried to temper Dr S whenever she could. She was responsive, and sweet and made you feel like you were in good hands.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Solid clinci with good success rates
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Great! Tiffany was an insurance wizard!
What specific things went wrong at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
- Failed to call with results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
After the IVF was cancelled due to eggs "not looking so good" I never heard from them. I didn't get a call they died, or to talk with doc as is standard. I simply faded away
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10
10
Age
24 - 25
Treated
2014 - 2015
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
2 IVF
Diagnosis
Anovulation, PCOS
10
10
Doctor Sherbahn doesn't have the warmest bedside manner, but I completely trusted his opinion and recommended course of treatment. He analyzed my file from previous cycles/clinics and discussed options with me. He helped me become fully informed before starting my cycle and gave me realistic expectations prior to beginning. During my IVF cycle, he adjusted my medications as needed and was careful to make sure my body was responding appropriately. He also preformed all procedures himself.
This clinic is on the smaller side and I felt that allowed for more individualized care instead of big clinics with hundreds of patients. I saw a nurse during each monitoring appointment instead of a phlebotomist and ultrasound tech. They also offered a 6:30 AM monitoring appointment which made it easy to get to work on time.
Age
24 - 25
Treated
2014 - 2015
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
3rd of 3 Docs
Treatment
2 IVF
Diagnosis
Anovulation, PCOS
10
10
How was your experience with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Doctor Sherbahn doesn't have the warmest bedside manner, but I completely trusted his opinion and recommended course of treatment. He analyzed my file from previous cycles/clinics and discussed options with me. He helped me become fully informed before starting my cycle and gave me realistic expectations prior to beginning. During my IVF cycle, he adjusted my medications as needed and was careful to make sure my body was responding appropriately. He also preformed all procedures himself.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Ask questions and take notes! Doctor Sherbahn is very smart and stays up to date on recent studies to give you the best treatment possible.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Doctor Sherbahn handled my care directly and did not pass off medical decisions to a nurse or another doctor on staff. He seemed genuinely excited for my husband and I when we had success.
Describe the protocols Richard Sherbahn (retired) used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
I have PCOS and overstimming is possible, I was started on a conservative dose of stims and I was immediately increased when the desired response was not seen. Ganiralex was started on day 7 and I was triggered on day 12 of my cycle. On the day of my trigger shot, Doctor Sherbahn had me do another boost of stims to make sure the follicles were the appropriate size. I also triggered with Lupron in addition to HCG to make sure I didn't overstimulate and could proceed to a fresh transfer. Doctor Sherbah's lab is outstanding and of the 18 mature eggs retrieved, 17 fertilized,-and 12 made it to blast. These results were outstanding compared to the cycle I had done previously with another clinic. I transferred two day 5 embryos and both took. My twins are 6 months old currently.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Kathy)
Kathy was outstanding and was very prompt in responding to my emails and phone calls. No question was "too crazy" and she checked in on my when I was in office for monitoring appointments. She always made sure I had all my medications and that I clearly understood instructions.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
This clinic is on the smaller side and I felt that allowed for more individualized care instead of big clinics with hundreds of patients. I saw a nurse during each monitoring appointment instead of a phlebotomist and ultrasound tech. They also offered a 6:30 AM monitoring appointment which made it easy to get to work on time.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
My insurance covered my appointments and procedures. I paid a $30 copay for each visit as they were billed as specialist visits (even for monitoring). I also paid a copay for medications depending on the medication.
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10
10
Age
28 - 34
Treated
2008 - 2014
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
Anovulation, Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality, Uterine Fibroids
10
10
He [Dr. Richard Sherbahn] was very full of himself and his successes, however, I felt he had good reason to be...He was very talkative, willing to answer all questions, and really never rushed through anything. He always gave great explanations...I used fresh donor eggs for my first cycle, with estrogen & progesterone therapy. My first cycle resulted in a single birth with no viable frozen embryos. My second cycle used a new-to-me donor, but a donor with high success rates. We followed the same drug protocol and had twins (transferred two embryos).
It was bittersweet to leave their [Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago] care...a very informative website (more than any other clinic I’ve seen). They call when they say they’ll call, they make themselves available to you when you need them, and they are a wealth of knowledge in the field...It is a very clean, modern/ updated, caring, compassionate, knowledgeable, empathetic, and kind clinic.
Age
28 - 34
Treated
2008 - 2014
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
Anovulation, Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality, Uterine Fibroids
10
10
How was your experience with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
He was very full of himself and his successes, however, I felt he had good reason to be. His success rates speak for themselves. I always felt I was in the best care there, and really trusted his expertise.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Go in not being afraid to ask hard questions.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
He was very talkative, willing to answer all questions, and really never rushed through anything. He always gave great explanations.
Describe the protocols Richard Sherbahn (retired) used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
I used fresh donor eggs for my first cycle, with estrogen & progesterone therapy. My first cycle resulted in a single birth with no viable frozen embryos. My second cycle used a new-to-me donor, but a donor with high success rates. We followed the same drug protocol and had twins (transferred two embryos). We had 17 frozen embryos. My third cycled used a single frozen embryo and followed the same drug protocol. We had a single birth.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Aminty Arthur)
I really got to know the staff quite well over the course of three cycles/ pregnancies. They were all amazing. The only issue I ever had was with Aminty being disorganized and dropping the ball on my final transfer. It was very unlike the first two experiences I had with her so I’m not sure what was going on with her. Everything worked out in the end, though, and all our cycles were successful.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
It is a very clean, modern/ updated, caring, compassionate, knowledgeable, empathetic, and kind clinic. It was bittersweet to leave their care. They have the best success rates in my region and a very informative website (more than any other clinic I’ve seen). They call when they say they’ll call, they make themselves available to you when you need them, and they are a wealth of knowledge in the field.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Our first cycle was 80% refundable if not successful. It was near $40,000. The second cycle we paid a regular fee of around $8,000. Our frozen embryo cycle was around $4,000.
Describe Richard Sherbahn (retired)'s approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
We were well educated on both options. We did not feel pressured to make a choice one way or the other.
What specific things went wrong at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
- Lost appointments
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
During my third cycle, the head nurse in charge of my case, got me scheduled for all appointments with a specific transfer date in mind. I was told she’d be in touch with drug protocol and went days a little too close to the start date without hearing a word. When I contacted her to find out what was going on, I was told my doctor actually wasn’t available for the date we had preselected. The nurse never called to tell me this. I found out on my own when I called to find out why I hadn’t gotten updates. After moving around dates and expressing my frustration, we were able to make it work out. For this specific cycle, I felt forgotten about. I had not had that experience with my previous two cycles.
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10
10
Age
41 - 42
Treated
2011 - 2012
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
2 IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Unexplained
10
10
Because of the sperm we went straight to IVF with ICSI [with Dr. Sherbahn]. I used injections for stimulation and it was very successful. After a fresh transfer with miscarriage, a frozen transfer with miscarriage and two spontaneous pregnancies with miscarriages, we consulted with Dr Sherbahn and my husband and I decided to pursue donor eggs... We had a successful 5 day transfer of two embryos, which resulted in healthy twins being born 9 mos later. We still have 4 embryos frozen with Dr Sherbahn (and one embryo with my egg).
The only drawback [at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago] when we started was the location (far north suburbs) and the sometimes how long it took to get into see Dr Sherbahn - how far in advance you had to make the appointment. But he has added locations and more doctors since, he even asked our advice about locations since we drove from so far to see him. I love that he does everything in house and has control of the whole process from start to finish, it really put my mind at ease.
Age
41 - 42
Treated
2011 - 2012
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
2 IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Unexplained
10
10
How was your experience with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
He definitely does not have the warmest bedside manner and is a bit arrogant, but it is because he knows his stuff and is very good at what he does. He is a control freak and does everything in house, which is great, he does absolutely everything he can to ensure success. He may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I loved him and am thrilled he is the doctor we chose. We have also referred people to him and they have been happy with him, as well.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Don’t be put off by his straight to the point talk and arrogance, he is so good at what he does he has earned that arrogance.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Each time I went in I was greeted by name, the nurses all knew my story and were very warm. There were never a large group in the waiting room all there to be cycled through the same procedures. Even though they did batch retrievals and transfers, it still all felt warm and personalized. The staff and doctor did a great job getting to know the patients.
Describe the protocols Richard Sherbahn (retired) used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
My blood tests all showed that I should have had no issues with my eggs, our perceived problem was my husband’s sperm. Because of the sperm we went straight to IVF with ICSI. I used injections for stimulation and it was very successful. After a fresh transfer with miscarriage, a frozen transfer with miscarriage and two spontaneous pregnancies with miscarriages, we consulted with Dr Sherbahn and my husband and I decided to pursue donor eggs. They had an excellent pool of donors to choose from and were very helpful in understanding the process and keeping all identities of all involved anonymous. We had a successful 5 day transfer of two embryos, which resulted in healthy twins being born 9 mos later. We still have 4 embryos frozen with Dr Sherbahn (and one embryo with my egg). We are considering another FET.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Aminty )
The nursing staff were amazing! Very helpful, very warm, very compassionate. They made me feel comfortable with every procedure and visit. I can’t say enough good things about them, especially Aminty.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
The only drawback when we started was the location (far north suburbs) and the sometimes how long it took to get into see Dr Sherbahn - how far in advance you had to make the appointment. But he has added locations and more doctors since, he even asked our advice about locations since we drove from so far to see him. I love that he does everything in house and has control of the whole process from start to finish, it really put my mind at ease. (Our first clinic used a research facility to do the ICSI and handle the embryos, I do not trust that they had our best interests at heart and I do not trust that they actually made all of our embryos available to us). Dr Sherbahn, his staff and his lab are all top notch and I would not hesitate recommending anyone to them.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
It was surprisingly at the lower end of the spectrum considering his success rates and compared to other clinics.
Describe Richard Sherbahn (retired)'s approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
No thoughts
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10
10
Age
31 - 33
Treated
2017 - 2019
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
PCOS
10
10
She [Dr. Catenacci] had me start least invasive with clomid and IUI. The next step was injections and the final step would be IVF. I have not been able to continue treatment because I don’t have medical insurance that covers these treatments. In the meantime she also encourage me to try and lose weight as that should help with pcos...I feel like She really cared about my needs and what was/is best for me. When I called with questions or concerns they were quick to respond back.
I love Dina [nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago]! She is very compassionate and would answer any questions I had. She never seemed irritated or annoyed with me. I have spoke primarily to her so I feel like she truly cares about patients...Love that they open early but wish they were open later in the day. I love that they are open on Saturdays. Staff truly cares for their patients and takes the time to call me back. They are great at answering questions in a timely manner.
Age
31 - 33
Treated
2017 - 2019
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Other
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
PCOS
10
10
How was your experience with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Michelle took time to sit down with me and explain different treatments and a plan of action. I felt like she really cared about my concerns and needs. She was honest about best treatment for my Pcos and was very honest about possible risks.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Explain your wants, needs, concerns.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
I feel like She really cared about my needs and what was/is best for me. When I called with questions or concerns they were quick to respond back.
Describe the protocols Michelle Catenacci used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
She had me start least invasive with clomid and IUI. The next step was injections and the final step would be IVF. I have not been able to continue treatment because I don’t have medical insurance that covers these treatments. In the meantime she also encourage me to try and lose weight as that should help with pcos.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Dina)
I love Dina! She is very compassionate and would answer any questions I had. She never seemed irritated or annoyed with me. I have spoke primarily to her so I feel like she truly cares about patients.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Love that they open early but wish they were open later in the day. I love that they are open on Saturdays. Staff truly cares for their patients and takes the time to call me back. They are great at answering questions in a timely manner.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
$2,000
Describe Michelle Catenacci's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
She did not discuss this with me yet as we didn’t process with IVF yet for financial reasons.
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8
10
Age
36
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
1 IUI, IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
—
8
10
He [Dr. Irani] is straight forward but warm. He remembers details of my life (I have a son, my husband is military, etc)...He explained the fet procedure fully. I was confident with his skills. He also spent time with us earlier discussing our remaining embryos and whether we should pgs test them. He was extremely knowledgeable...Ask anything, he is really welcoming of questions...I was just doing an FET (we had 8 embryos from a previous donor egg cycle). My protocol was pill, then stopped pill and started estrogen patches and baby aspirin and prenatal, monitored via ultra sound in the 3 weeks prior to fet date. My lining was fine but estrogen a bit low so needed to add vaginal estrogen. The pio started 6 days prior to fet at night and antibiotics and medrol.
They [Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago] are great with out of town patients though I wish you got a discount on your cycles since I have to pay for monitoring out of pocket elsewhere. If I was local, that would all be covered in the cost of the cycle...the nursing staff was amazing! I always knew exactly what was going on, they were completely responsive. It was great!...FET 4000 + medications and for me I had additional of our town monitoring costs
Age
36
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
1 IUI, IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
—
8
10
How was your experience with Mohamad Irani at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
He explained the fet procedure fully. I was confident with his skills. He also spent time with us earlier discussing our remaining embryos and whether we should pgs test them. He was extremely knowledgeable.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Mohamad Irani at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Ask anything, he is really welcoming of questions.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Mohamad Irani at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
He is straight forward but warm. He remembers details of my life (I have a son, my husband is military, etc)
Describe the protocols Mohamad Irani used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
I was just doing an FET (we had 8 embryos from a previous donor egg cycle). My protocol was pill, then stopped pill and started estrogen patches and baby aspirin and prenatal, monitored via ultra sound in the 3 weeks prior to fet date. My lining was fine but estrogen a bit low so needed to add vaginal estrogen. The pio started 6 days prior to fet at night and antibiotics and medrol.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Aminty)
I was an out of town patient and the nursing staff was amazing! I always knew exactly what was going on, they were completely responsive. It was great!
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
They are great with out of town patients though I wish you got a discount on your cycles since I have to pay for monitoring out of pocket elsewhere. If I was local, that would all be covered in the cost of the cycle.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Mohamad Irani at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
FET 4000 + medications and for me I had additional of our town monitoring costs
Describe Mohamad Irani's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Clinic uses algorithm for ET and recommends 1 unless you fall into the exception
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9
10
Age
37
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
3 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
9
10
Dr. Catenacci was very warm and informational. She asked for all the tests and results from previous IVF. ... One thing I wish would be different is to see her and consult with her during the whole process. Instead we saw her only once on the first visit and second time on the egg retrieval day. She not even schedule to do our transfer. For this much money and such a stressful process, you for sure would wish for your doctor to take care of you from the beginning till the very end
Great service. I for sure learned that Tiffany from the front desk [Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago] most of the times is a nice person but when something will go wrong because of the bad communication on their end, she is not the one to apologize or act sorry. Other than that appts are very quick, you are in and out with no time and the rest of the personnel is always very nice.
Age
37
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
3 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
9
10
How was your experience with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Please see previous explanation. Like I said before I like everything about the doctor besides not being able to see her and consult with her more often. Other thank that I would recommend her to my friends, for sure.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Don’t expect to see her or talk to her often. You will be consulting everything with nurses.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michelle Catenacci at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Catenacci was very warm and informational. She asked for all the tests and results from previous IVF. She took us under her wing with professionalisms. One thing I wish would be different is to see her and consult with her during the whole process. Instead we saw her only once on the first visit and second time on the egg retrieval day. She not even schedule to do our transfer. For this much money and such a stressful process, you for sure would wish for your doctor to take care of you from the beginning till the very end.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Deena)
Deena is an excellent nurse and communicator. She always stands on the top of everything, is VERY helpful, informational and has a great eye to details.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Great service. I for sure learned that Tiffany from the front desk most of the times is a nice person but when something will go wrong because of the bad communication on their end, she is not the one to apologize or act sorry. Other than that appts are very quick, you are in and out with no time and the rest of the personnel is always very nice. One thing they could do is to update their bathrooms (for one, hand dryer is very old and extra noisy).
What specific things went wrong at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
- Failed to convey critical information
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10
10
Age
35 - 37
Treated
2015 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
IVF
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Poor Egg Quality
10
10
Dr. Sherban is a very knowledgeable doctor who delivers results. He managed my care very closely and exchibitd compassion and care. For example, he was reviewing my monitoring results while on vacation and making necessary adjustments. He was easy to talked to and very personable during procedures. He also spent over an hour with us during our initiale consultation and reviews my files very closely. Thanks to his high standard, he discovers two health conditions contributing to infertility, missed previously by another clinic.
While nurses [at Advanced Fertility] were highly efficient they lacked simpathy and often rushed thru the process trying to avoid questions about labs...Staff is really efficient and gets their job done well. The only complaint I have is that they wait until 4 pm to call you back, making you worry all day long...Great clinic. Very professional... the only weakness is that they call you in the afternoon around 3-4 pm, making it a very long day, especially if you are waiting for hcg results.
Age
35 - 37
Treated
2015 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Accountant
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
IVF
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Poor Egg Quality
10
10
How was your experience with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Sherban is a very knowledgeable doctor who delivers results. He managed my care very closely and exchibitd compassion and care. For example, he was reviewing my monitoring results while on vacation and making necessary adjustments. He was easy to talked to and very personable during procedures. He also spent over an hour with us during our initiale consultation and reviews my files very closely. Thanks to his high standard, he discovers two health conditions contributing to infertility, missed previously by another clinic.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Trust your doctor
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
While nurses were highly efficient they lacked simpathy and often rushed thru the process trying to avoid questions about labs
Describe the protocols Richard Sherbahn (retired) used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
He did a a regular protocol with birthcontrol, adjusted the fsh dose based on my labs. Very close monitoring
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (Assigned nurse: Diane Swanson)
Staff is really efficient and gets their job done well. The only complaint I have is that they wait until 4 pm to call you back, making you worry all day long. They also are not very willing to share lab results
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Great clinic. Very professional. Like i mentioned before is the only weakness is that they call you in the afternoon around 3-4 pm, making it a very long day, especially if you are waiting for hcg results.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Sherbahn (retired) at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Ivf about 10,000 plus screening labs and early pregnancy care costs
Frozen 4,000 plus prescreening labs and early pregnancy monitoring costs
Describe Richard Sherbahn (retired)'s approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
I had decreased quality embryos and the doctor recommend two embryos instead of one. I also had a failed Ivf before this cycle
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9
9
Age
35
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Tubal Blockage
9
9
Dr. Jain was fine. I'm an introvert so I was never overly emotional and wouldn't expect nor need much emotion from my doctor; however, he did celebrate my victories with me. He explained things clearly and was willing to repeat as necessary and without bias, allowing me to make my own decisions. The day of the surgery I decided to change our course of action. He explained the implications without forcing me to do anything.... I never felt rush while with Dr. Jain.
The clinic [Advanced Fertility] didn't offer specific about the insurance coverage. They would say "your insurance covers it" but I found out that meant only 60% two days before my surgery....The NP was a bit disingenuous. I would rather she not try to smile and be overly nice than to allow her façade to crack, which she did a number of times. The nursing stuff was always rushed though no one else was waiting. I felt like more of a number to them than the doctor.
Age
35
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Black or African-American
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Marketer or PR
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Tubal Blockage
9
9
How was your experience with Tarun Jain at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Jain was fine. I'm an introvert so I was never overly emotional and wouldn't expect nor need much emotion from my doctor; however, he did celebrate my victories with me. He explained things clearly and was willing to repeat as necessary and without bias, allowing me to make my own decisions. The day of the surgery I decided to change our course of action. He explained the implications without forcing me to do anything.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Tarun Jain at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Don't expect to be best friends.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Tarun Jain at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
I was typically the only patient in the office. I never felt rush while with Dr. Jain.
Describe the protocols Tarun Jain used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
After the hysterosalpingogram showed blocked tubes we scheduled a laproscopy and a hysteroscopy. If the tubes were hydrosalpinx he would clamp them to better the chances for a successful IVF.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
The NP was a bit disingenuous. I would rather she not try to smile and be overly nice than to allow her façade to crack, which she did a number of times. The nursing stuff was always rushed though no one else was waiting. I felt like more of a number to them than the doctor.
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
It's difficult to compare because I've only been to this one. However, I am going to look at others and this clinic will be the mid bar. Also, the clinics are really far from Chicago.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Tarun Jain at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Insurance covered 60%
What specific things went wrong at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
- Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
The clinic didn't offer specific about the insurance coverage. They would say "your insurance covers it" but I found out that meant only 60% two days before my surgery.
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