Advanced Fertility & Reproductive Endocrinology Institute

The front desk staff of the clinic were not as friendly as the nurses. They made it seem like it was just a job for them. The finance coordinator was not compassionate with working with. She just did the minimum to get us through. I did not feel comfortable with her at all.

I felt like she treated us like a human. She was very friendly and honest with us. We appreciated her for that. She also talked about her own family with us which made the whole situation even more personal and relaxing.

Everyone in the nursing staff that we came in contact with were very friendly and caring.

She was very friendly and honest the whole way through the part of the process we were in. She did not give us any false hopes but worked with us as much as she could. She told us that we needed to do IVF but we were not financially ready for that process. So she let us try the IUI and worked with us throughout that process. Even though she didn't recommend it, she was never negative towards it. She talked about being spiritual and that made us feel even more comfortable because we also believe in the power of God.

I would let them know to go to her with their true feelings about what they are going through.

Like mentioned before, she recommended that we do IVF but out finances would not let us go that step. So she was in agreement to try the IUI cycles a few more time and told us to have faith that it will happen.

We were approved through the Department of Veterans Affairs for payments. The VA was paying 100% of the bill. But for some reason, we still had to pay $1600 before IVF could be done.

The Dr.'s are readily available if needed. The front/checkout staff has always been warm and welcoming. Appointments have been on time about 80% of the time. They do have a comfortable waiting room with WIFI that works the majority of the time. The facility is equipped to do the majority of test/procedures. I've had labs, HSG, ultrasounds, and consultations in one building. I would like the staff doing your procedures at least introduce themselves. I don't need a life story just a name and who you are would be nice. I don't want to ask you a question that is out of your scope of practice. I should add this has not been all staff just a couple people who have done this. It's such an emotional thing dealing with infertility and having a warm introduction can really ease the nerves.

DR Whitman has always been professional and very informative. She has been straight forward with providing me with adequate information and details. She has always taken the time to sit, listen, and address my concerns.

From the beginning, I was concerned some of the staff would come in to do a mid-cycle ultrasound and they wouldn't introduce themselves. I wasn't sure if I was talking to a Medical Assitant or an actual Registered Nurse. I was in a very vulnerable position both emotionally and physically. (the mid-cycle are internal ultrasounds, legs up in the stirrups, light cover covering your bottom half). I would at least like to know your name. I was not sure who I could ask specific questions to. I was able to communicate with a Registered Nurse and did get clarification. I had issues with getting medication refills. I had multiple incidents where the wrong medication was sent to the pharmacy, the wrong dose, the wrong quantity. I eventually did call and speak with the manager and get my issue resolved. I have not had any further issues since that time.

Like I addressed earlier, Dr. Whitman has always been compassionate and hopeful during this process. She has been positive and always been very informative about the treatment process and plan of care.

Write down your concerns and ask Dr. Whitman directly. If you have questions or concerns you can always call and ask to speak to a RN.

During our first consultation, we developed a plan of care. She reviewed my previous records from my other Dr. She ordered an HSG to make sure my tubes were clear, a semen analysis to verify my husband's sperm was good. She started me on Femara and increased it to 10mg per cycle when I did not ovulate on lower doses. Dr. Whitman kept me on the 10mg dose for a couple of cycles with a trigger shot. She also found my thyroid to be on the lower end of normal and put me on Synthroid. She explained how important it was to have a good thyroid level when trying to conceive. After a few months break from treatment for personal reasons I went back and described my symptoms and rechecked my labs and adjust meds per results. She has been thorough and I'm hopeful she will help up expand our family.

I have had two different insurances during my treatments. I have not had any problems with billing.

No comments at this time. We have not discussed this option yet.

The clinic was very clean and organized. The staff always greeted me with a smile and were very helpful. As a new patient, I would make sure your medical records were received prior to the first initial appointment. My records were requested but not sent to Dr. Whitman's office by the day of my appointment. Do not wait until the appointment to see if they have received them. She usually will not see you if your records have not been received.

She was very personable and made me feel comfortable discussing my medical history. She was very blunt and was easy to understand when explaining my diagnosis and further treatments options. I would highly recommend Dr. Whitman for anyone seeking fertility related issues.

The nursing staff were very proffessional and genuinely caring.

I had a tubal reversal in May 2016 and went to my first visit at a fertility clinic in 2017 after a year of not conceiving. On the very first visit the doctor suggested IVF and sent me straight to their financial counselor's office to discuss payment options. I was very displeased by this at the fact no treatment options other than IVF were discussed after the very first examination which was very vague. So, I scheduled an appointment with Dr. Gail Whitman-Elias for a second opinion after having a bad experience with the other fertility clinic/doctor. I was pleasantly surprised after my first visit with Dr. Whitman and she gave me a better outlook on my options for conceiving a child. She made me feel very optimistic about my chances of conceiving and told me for my age my egg count was really good, so time wasn't a huge factor at the moment. She gave me a list of things I needed to do for her to decide on the best possible treatment plan for me and my partner. I had blood work performed , took an HSG test and my partner had a sperm analysis. After she reviewed the results, I set up an other appointment to discuss further treatment options. Her ability to carefully explain complex medical terms and conditions to me in a way that was easy for me understand and comprehend was astounding. Honestly, I didn't leave the appointment with any unanswered questions or concerns. I don't have anything negative to say about Dr. Whitman. She is awesome!

I would tell the patient to discuss anything you feel is important with Dr. Whitman even if you feel like it is irrelevant. Ask lots of questions! This could be the one vital bit of information she may need to better understand your situation and needs. If she knows your concerns and history it will make it easier for her to figure out the best possible treatment along with her diagnosis and plans.

Dr. Whitman-Elia performed an trans-vaginal ultrasound on my first visit along with a physical examination. We discussed prior treatments and procedures as well as my medical history. She gave me a sheet with the list of procedures my partner and I needed to complete in order for her to determine what may be causing the infertility issues and best possible treatment plans. After reviewing my blood work I had a vitamin D deficiency and I started taking vitamin D supplements with my prenatal vitamin daily. My partner's sperm analysis revealed 2% morphology, so he has since cut out smokeless tobacco use and alcohol consumption to see if it helps improve his morphology issues. I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2003 which Dr. Whitman-Elia confirmed, so she prescribed 1000mg of Metformin daily. She suggested IUI or Simply IVF for the next treatment process. So, I decided to try IUI and I am currently waiting for my next cycle so I can start fertility medicine to prepare for my first IUI treatment.

Second Opinion - Initial Appointment $0 (Free) Blood work $280 Day 3 Labs $600 Sperm Analysis $125 Consultation $90

Very friendly staff. Clinic is very welcoming and clean. It may take them a few days to call you back and several weeks to email you back due to the amount of patients. However, I would recommend this clinic. I feel the strengths out way the weakness.

She was very friendly yet informative. Her bedside manner is great. However, she told me I would be easy to get pregnant with IVF and that hasn't been the case. I have had 5 failed Ivfs ( 10 embryos).

All the nurses were excellent. The IVF coordinator did not have the greatest personality. She did not give you the bad news very well.

She is very compassionate, friendly and educated. During the procedure she is very calm and says encouraging words. She doesn't talk down to you. However, she can sometimes give you unrealistic expectations. Example: telling me I would most likely get pregnant with my first IVF. Also, after several failed cycles was reluctant to change protocol.

It usually takes more cycles to have a baby then she tells you. Be patient ( very HARD).

3 iui's with dikey protocol 1 Fresh IVF with antagonist protocol with : Gonal-f, ldhcg, doxycycline at luteal day 1-7, Medrol @ luteal day 1-7, Progesterone oil 50mg luteal day 2-until 2 FETS similar protocol 1 Embryo retrieval ( can't remember protocol) 1 ERA biopsy 1 PGD 2 FETS little different meds, also added blood thinner shots and acupuncture.

Around 5,000 for FET Around 10,000-12,000 for IVF Around 250 for consult Around 350 plus meds for iui's $250 for ultrasound

My doctor did not want to put in more than 2 due to my age.

Overall clean and friendly, they really care about your Fertility issues. Appointments are quickly. Weakness, Not as prompt, You might have to stay up on thim with info or concerns you might have. Dont leave if you have any questions, ask while your there.

Dr Whitman has a humble sweet personality that made my husband and i feel comfortable. I felt like a human because it snowed how deeply she cared

Outstanding staff, great communication, excellent on getting to no there patient. The only weakness is somethings you have to reach out to thim for more information

Gail Whitman-Elia strength was her communication, her will to try different medication to help us conceive. Gail Whitman weaknesses is i felt i was giving only two opinions iui or ivf , i felt i needed to be more examined to why iui is not working.

Gail Whitman is a great caring Doctor, i Would recommend that the patient walking in knows what they want and all the options they might have, because you might not have all options told to you

In 2 cycles of iui i use levathyroxy, clomid, 250 ovidrel The 3rd cycle of Ovulate on all 3 cycles and failed to conceive all 3

400 iui costs

Sometimes I have too wait longer than expected because the clinic is crowded. Overall the clinic is fine with great staff members, clean atmosphere, and a warm welcome. The doctors, nurses, and the people who take your blood is very professional.

Dr. Whitman spoke carefully to my husband and I. She also used examples to make sure we understood everything. Dr. Whitman has great bedside manners.

Heather and Emily was thoughtful and kind. They also explained each step to me.

Dr. Whitman is always honest and I believe she wants to ensure all her patients are able to conceive. My husband and I had a good experience with Dr. Whitman, she suggested we use donor eggs. Now we are considering her advice.

She is a fair individual and honest.

Regarding my 3 IUI’s I was prescribed pills and a trigger shot.

The price was expensive, our insurance didn’t cover anything. We are currently debating an egg donor suggested by Dr. Whitman. However the cost is $16,000 and we desperately want a baby but I have student loans which may stop us from getting a loan.

Amazing staff at Preg in West Columbia. I never felt like a number and the nurses and other staff memebers knew me by name which made me feel right at home and comfortable. Each staff member i met with during appointments would thoroughly explain what we they had to do.

Dr Whitman Elia is an amazing physician. From the very first appointment she made me feel comfortable and stress free. She took her time to explain what was and wasn’t an good idea for care. She told me she would find the underline problem and she did. After 6 iuis with no success Dr Whitman got me pregnant. Even though the pregnancy called for emergency surgery, Dr Whitman was there for me throughout the whole process. She made sure i always get the care i need.

Dr Whitman Gail is a physician that goes above her means to ensure her patients receive the treatments and care they need. She allows allotted time to be sure she can explain every detail of each appointment.

Be ready to meet the angel doctor of West Columbia SC.

Dr Whitman put me on a vitamin and supplement enrichment diet/regimen, that no doctor before her ever offered. And with that my body healed from the inside out and resulted in a successful iui.

The cost for care has been fairly reasonable.

This is very clean and organized place. I have been to doctors visits as well as seminars. Everyone is friendly and there to help. The finical staff even meet my husband Ana I on a Saturday morning to discuss our options.

They were all very nice Ana accommodating.

Our questions were answered and a plan set in action. We were pleased with her and the office. Dr Whitman was referred to us by friend. My friend is now going to her as well. She explained all the different treatments Ana where we should begin.

Be paintent. Some methods work and some don’t.

We started with iui because we had done the pills already with no success. She explained how to adminerster the shots. I went back in to make sure there were eggs. She told me to take the trigger shot and then I went back in on that Monday. 2 weeks later I went back in for a test and it was negative. My husband and I took a break. We started back again last year. We are still saving money at this point to move forward with IVF.

It was around $2000.

The financial counselor did not under how the VA payments worked. That was very stressful for us. We had such a hard time explaining the processto her. The VA couldnt get her to understand the process. So that put our treatments on hold. She made us feel astjough she didnt want to dealwith VA payments.

She was caring and very comfortable to talk with.

Very caring and compassionate.

She is an awesome provider. She does an excellent job. She was compassionate and very truthful about our situation. Never is she doubtful aboutmy getting pregnant. She givesus hope. When medication problems arised, she was quick to respond and fix the issue.

I would tell them to be truthful and honest about their situation so that the doctor can truly help them concieve.

Well, I have unexplained infertility. She told me that I would benefit from IVF but at the time we could not afford that treatment plan. She worked to make IUI for our needs. But was truthful in saying shedding recommend going that route.

Our payments were made via Veterans Affairs.

I can't say anything other than they are the best . This clinic really cares for the patients. Holly explains everything in detail always. Shalonda is great at the front desk and the girl that takes the blood is great

She was the best. I can't say anything bad about her. She talked me through everything. She helped us have our little miracle. I love her for that.

Every one was so caring to us always I never felt like a number there it was like home.

She has the best heart. She is committed to her patients in all aspects no matter what. I cried she always made sure I was ok before I left the clinic. She called and checked or answered all my questions.

She is the best and she really cares. She is there with her heart not just for money

I can't remember

The clinics is state of the art! Everything from labs to procedures can be done under one roof.

When my husband and I met with her she laid it all out for us. She gave us hope and encouraged us to get started with treatments sooner than later because of my age.

Tiffany Rn was awesome! We communicated via phone and email! She answered my questions and kept me informed.

We were comfortable talking to her and asking questions.she is Very knowledgeable and she gave us hope! She explained things to us and kept US pretty much informed.The day before our retrieval she told us to pray for grade A eggs.

Ask questions until you have clarity.

I'm sorry I don't remember the exact price! My insurance paid some and so did we!

Because of my age of 38 Dr Elia recommended multiple embryo transfer but we didn't make it to the transfer part

I have known and heard of several friend who went through her clinic with very successful results. Personally I feel our personalities were just on two different levels but I know of many who have had positive interactions with her.

She addressed us personally. I felt though that the urgency was not there and I left with a lot of questions.

They are very friendly and welcoming.

I felt like she came across with no sense of urgency. I was left with a lot of questions but I’m not sure if this was because I didn’t understand everything being my first time visiting a doctor like this or her approach. I also feel like she saw my age and said it wasn’t me, she checked my tubes but got no other information from me, before getting one specimen from my husband and then saying it was him.

Do some research on everything and have questions ready.

She stated the problem was my husband with a low sperm count and put him on a bunch of multi vitamins.

It was not expensive I think to have my tubes tested it was about $80 and $20 for my husbands specimen sample. Other than that we only saw her for a free consultation.

Offer more Doctors on staff. Be available on weekends. Very clean facility, nurses, and office staff were great. Blood work techs did a wonderful job. They really went above and beyond. They really did the best to make me feel taken care of.

Didn't get to see her too often during IUI treatments. It was usually the nurses.

Nurses were great, but it would have been nice to see the same one for treatments to build a since of knowledge of my situation.

I would have like to have her been more involved in the treatments. There wasn't a lot of involvement with her after the initial interview. She was nice and knowledgeable in the interview, and answered questions I had.

I had to pay out of pocket for most of the treatment. My health insurance would only give a discount. I had to pay about 200 per shot.

Very informative and helpful.. very knowledgeable about all the treatments.. billing department is also great and understanding . Very friendly and nice environment. Very compassionate and understanding

She explained everything to let us know where the issue was.. bad great suggestions on what I next time should be. But it was more of a money issue with the ivy treatment

Nursing staff was very friendly

Very informative with the information and explained everything throughly.. madecgreat suggestion and what else needed to be done. Asked if we had any questions or thoughts. Told us what our next treatment should be.

Ask alotbof questions and get a second option if needed

Clinic and several iui . Treatments was successful

Not sure

I can not think of any things the care team could have done differently during our treatment course. They were always very up front and open. They were always very willing to answer all of our questions, no matter how crazy they may have been.

They showed that they really cared about you and helping you have a successful pregnancy.

The doctor was very through and explained every step of each procedure. She was always asking if I was comfortable during the procedures. She made sure we were very aware of the risks involved and took the time to answer all of our questions

Run as fast as you can to Dr. Whitman-Elia!

I honestly don't remember.