Bay IVF

Dr. Polansky met with us in his office before taking us into the examination room. He took the time to explain to us the process and allowed us time to ask all the questions we had before proceeding...Dr. Polansky is knowledgable, compassionate, and patient...Dr. Polanskly allowed my partner to come into the meeting in person as well. It was literally the first time my partner had been allowed into a doctor's visit with me (outside of virtually) and it felt so good to finally be able to have the support I needed right next to me.

The front office staff [at Bay IVF] is amazing, especially Marjorie. She really makes you feel important and not just another patient. Between them and the IVF Coordinators, they really are a well-oiled machine, never seeming to miss a beat. They really work well to support Dr. Polansky and I can tell that Dr. Polansky treats them well. The entire staff sees everyone has humans and it really feels that way.

How was your experience with Francis Polansky at Bay IVF?

For the initial consultation, Dr. Polanskly allowed my partner to come into the meeting in person as well. It was literally the first time my partner had been allowed into a doctor's visit with me (outside of virtually) and it felt so good to finally be able to have the support I needed right next to me. Dr. Polansky is knowledgable, compassionate, and patient. Unfortunately, I received some bad news after my first exam, and was of course upset, and Dr. Polansky empathized, gave me some time, and did not rush me out of the room. When I finally got myself together, he was in the waiting room to follow up and make sure I was OK.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Francis Polansky at Bay IVF?

Ask all of your questions. Dr. Polansky is patient and won't make you feel bad for asking them.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Francis Polansky at Bay IVF?

Dr. Polansky met with us in his office before taking us into the examination room. He took the time to explain to us the process and allowed us time to ask all the questions we had before proceeding. In the examination room, instead of pushing the speculum into me without regard to my comfort, he asked me to scoot myself onto the speculum. It gave me the control I've never been given - it never even occurred to me that it could be done that way. I'm amazed more doctors don't do it this way.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Bay IVF. (Assigned nurse: Alex and Marjorie)

My first interaction with staff at Bay IVF was Marjorie. I called the clinic to get basic cost information, and Marjorie gave me the most detailed breakdown of the costs I've ever gotten. No other clinic gave me a detailed breakdown over the phone. Other clinics would ask me to schedule a consultation first to get more information, but Marjorie was able to explain every single cost to me. I was so amazed! I also had so many other questions, and she answered every single one. She didn't ask me to schedule a consultation, or tell me that she didn't have time. She was understanding and so nice, and a big reason why I felt so comfortable moving forward with them. Alex is the IVF Coordinator and has been incredibly helpful through the entire process. Alex always answers all of my questions in my emails (and not just some questions), and answers them pretty quickly, without making me feel bad for having so many questions.

Describe your experience with Bay IVF.

The front office staff is amazing, especially Marjorie. She really makes you feel important and not just another patient. Between them and the IVF Coordinators, they really are a well-oiled machine, never seeming to miss a beat. They really work well to support Dr. Polansky and I can tell that Dr. Polansky treats them well. The entire staff sees everyone has humans and it really feels that way. When I scheduled my initial consultation, Marjorie made sure to ask how to pronounce me and my husband's names. When we went in for our consultation, she pronounced it correctly, and Dr. Polansky came out to meet us and said our names perfectly before we even met. So I know that Marjorie made a note on our name pronunciation and it must be part of their patient treatment. I appreciate it so much because it makes us feel seen.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Francis Polansky at Bay IVF.

For their IVF Plus package, it includes up to 2 IVF cycles. The base cost is $19,740. Then around $1500 for prerequisites (could be lower if some tests can be done with your insurance). FET is included. If you do PGT, it's $1965 plus $250/embryo plus $250 shipping. ICSI is $1950. Medication can be up to $5000, but mine so far is about $3800. We decided not to do PGT, so assuming we end up doing both IVF cycles, our costs would be about $33,000 total for 2 cycles.

Doctor

Francis Polansky

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Bay IVF

Palo Alto

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Francis Polansky Bay IVF

2018, Successful

Age 29

1 IVF

1 Embryo Freezing

PCOS

European

Income $500K

Lawyer

2nd of 3 Docs

Neutral

Successful

Review of

Francis Polansky Bay IVF

The best part about Dr. Polansky is that he's done this a million times. He is extremely careful and conscientious...That being said, if you need hand-holding, compassion, or tailored guidance, this is not the doctor for you. When things didn't seem to progress well in my cycle and I asked if we should cancel that round, he had a very generic (and frankly cold) response about success rates and helped me evaluate my situation from a numbers basis. That was a fine approach for me; I like the data. But I can see how it would be challenging for others, and the lack of tailored advice was troubling. It also seemed that he wasn't as well prepared for variables in treatment. My body didn't respond as he expected, but my medications changed very little as a result. I've since learned that his medical approach was quite conservative, particularly given my age at the time (mid/late 20s).

There's a bit of nurse roulette here [at Bay IVF]. Some are warm and kind and more willing to offer personalized advice; others respond to any question at all with, "It depends." The front desk staff is lovely and incredibly on-the-ball...Total cost was about $24,000. If I remember correctly, I believe we chose a plan that allowed for up to three transfers for one locked-in clinic price (perhaps $17K?). The rest was meds and bloodwork cost. The only frustrating cost item was that initial bloodwork and ultrasound work after a confirmed pregnancy from a fresh transfer was included in that original number, but because we ended up doing a frozen transfer, none of the post-pregnancy ultrasounds or bloodwork were included, even though they were the exact same procedures.

How was your experience with Francis Polansky at Bay IVF?

The best part about Dr. Polansky is that he's done this a million times. He is extremely careful and conscientious. I would recommend him because his output and success ratio (live birth!) is amazing. That being said, if you need hand-holding, compassion, or tailored guidance, this is not the doctor for you. When things didn't seem to progress well in my cycle and I asked if we should cancel that round, he had a very generic (and frankly cold) response about success rates and helped me evaluate my situation from a numbers basis. That was a fine approach for me; I like the data. But I can see how it would be challenging for others, and the lack of tailored advice was troubling. It also seemed that he wasn't as well prepared for variables in treatment. My body didn't respond as he expected, but my medications changed very little as a result. I've since learned that his medical approach was quite conservative, particularly given my age at the time (mid/late 20s).

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Francis Polansky at Bay IVF?

Don't expect hugs, but do expect top-notch risk analysis and expectation-setting. You may never have answers about your particular fertility concerns, but you will also never leave with questions about Dr. Polansky's next steps.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Francis Polansky at Bay IVF?

It seemed to be a challenge for Dr. Polansky to provide me with personalized guidance and advice during my egg maturation and retrieval. He relied on numbers to diagnose me with PCOS (which it turned out I did not have, at all), and when the cycle was progressing poorly with limited ovarian response, he couldn't provide any hypothesis as to why. We received very generic, canned responses about 3 potential reasons why this could be the case but nothing substantive. That was tough for me, as I am a highly involved patient who wanted to have more details about my cycle. It felt both from his treatment and most of his staff that I was just another patient in line.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Bay IVF.

There's a bit of nurse roulette here. Some are warm and kind and more willing to offer personalized advice; others respond to any question at all with, "It depends." The front desk staff is lovely and incredibly on-the-ball.

Describe your experience with Bay IVF.

The clinic overall has excellent organization and clear communications. It's clear that the lab is one of the best available. Approach was overall conservative but extremely data-driven. Feedback was blunt and not necessarily personalized, but their methods are definitely effective!

Describe the costs associated with your care under Francis Polansky at Bay IVF.

Total cost was about $24,000. If I remember correctly, I believe we chose a plan that allowed for up to three transfers for one locked-in clinic price (perhaps $17K?). The rest was meds and bloodwork cost. The only frustrating cost item was that initial bloodwork and ultrasound work after a confirmed pregnancy from a fresh transfer was included in that original number, but because we ended up doing a frozen transfer, none of the post-pregnancy ultrasounds or bloodwork were included, even though they were the exact same procedures.

Describe Francis Polansky's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Bay IVF.

Excellent communication regarding percentage chance of implantation based on multiple embryo transfer.

Doctor

Francis Polansky

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Bay IVF

Palo Alto

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Francis Polansky Bay IVF

2020, Unknown Success

Age 35

1 IVF

PCOS

East Asian

Income $200K - $499K

Doctor

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Francis Polansky Bay IVF

Dr. Polansky had a great bedside manner and I felt completely comfortable under his care. I felt fully supported and like I could fully trust him...I really appreciated the science and data he presented to me...Dr. Polansky does all the ultrasounds and procedures himself...I followed Dr. Polansky's advice to try the fresh transfer...

The clinic [Bay IVF] is very well run and efficient. They try to minimize the time you have to spend there which I really appreciated with my full time job! Because it's small, you quickly get to know the whole team and they also know you well...Safina my primary nurse was so responsive and organized and made the whole IVF process a breeze from me

How was your experience with Francis Polansky at Bay IVF?

Dr. Polansky had a great bedside manner and I felt completely comfortable under his care. I felt fully supported and like I could fully trust him. At the same time, he had a wealth of knowledge (in fact I believe he was one of the pioneers of RE and IVF in our area!) and as a physician myself, I really appreciated the science and data he presented to me. His website as well as our initial consultation really made what initially was a new and confusing process into something that finally made sense to me.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Francis Polansky at Bay IVF?

Do read Bay IVF's website before your initial consultation. It really gives you a good sense of Dr. Polansky's approach. It has a lot of lifestyle and dietary recommendations as well. I also believe he wrote a whole book on his approach to infertility that is available for free as a pdf on the website. It was from reading his website and really agreeing with his approach, and also all of his great reviews, that I decided to go with him and his clinic. Finally a lot of the prices for treatment are listed which can be helpful.

Describe the protocols Francis Polansky used in your cycles at Bay IVF and their degree of success.

I believe I was prescribed a standard antagonist protocol after BC suppression. Unfortunately my follicles grew too fast and we did not get as many as a result. I did in the end up with 6 eggs and 4 blastocysts. I'm so glad I followed Dr. Polansky's advice to try the fresh transfer as so far it seems to have taken and I'm currently in my first trimester. I also wish I had followed his advice not to do PGT testing as in the end all my remaining 3 embryos came back aneuploid and I was not able to freeze anything. Doing more research afterward, I believe a small but significant number of abnormally tested embryos in fact could have lead to healthy live births, which he had mentioned.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Bay IVF. (Assigned nurse: Safina)

I absolutely love the entire team at Bay Area! From my initial patient coordinator Julie to all my IVF nurses, in particular Safina and Alex. Safina my primary nurse was so responsive and organized and made the whole IVF process a breeze from me. And even though I didn't get to interact with them, I should mention that Bay IVF's embryologists, in particular Eve, are probably one of the area's best. One of the most important factors in one's success with IVF is probably the quality of the lab.

Describe your experience with Bay IVF.

The clinic is very well run and efficient. They try to minimize the time you have to spend there which I really appreciated with my full time job! Because it's small, you quickly get to know the whole team and they also know you well. And Dr. Polansky does all the ultrasounds and procedures himself. If I have to repeat more IVF cycles, I would definitely go back to Bay IVF.

Describe Francis Polansky's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Bay IVF.

I believe he favors eSET over multiple embryo transfer if possible to reduce risk.

Doctor

Francis Polansky

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Bay IVF

Palo Alto

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Francis Polansky Bay IVF

2019, Successful

Age 38

2 IVF

East Asian

Income $200K - $499K

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Francis Polansky Bay IVF

Immediately from the first consultation, it was clear that Dr. Polansky is a straight shooter -- which we really appreciated. He was very direct and clear about our probability for a successful birth. There was no overpromising or misleading regarding our odds at any point. He performed each procedure with utmost efficiency and carefulness. There were no complications at any point, and we were blessed with the best possible outcome...We appreciated that Dr. Polansky leveled with us the entire way. He is experienced and very knowledgeable, without ever overpromising at any point. If that is a fit with your expectations and personality, this clinic may be a good match for you. If you need something else emotionally, then maybe not.

They [nurses at Bay IVF] were warm, respectful, and very responsive via email and phone whenever we had questions. We felt a bond stronger than we have with other service providers. The day we heard the heartbeat, the nurses were genuinely happy for us, even getting tearful as they congratulated us...Strengths: seasoned and close knit staff, and their ability to work for decades alongside one another speaks to the quality of their relationships with each other and their patients; facilities are clean and comfortable; skilled at managing the emotional demands for such a stressful process

How was your experience with Francis Polansky at Bay IVF?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Francis Polansky at Bay IVF?

IVF is as demanding as any type of experience -- in mind, body, and soul. It is neither a miraculous nor magic bullet, and the chances of success are not 100%. We appreciated that Dr. Polansky leveled with us the entire way. He is experienced and very knowledgeable, without ever overpromising at any point. If that is a fit with your expectations and personality, this clinic may be a good match for you. If you need something else emotionally, then maybe not.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Francis Polansky at Bay IVF?

Dr. Polansky and his team treated us with great care and respect throughout the process. They demonstrated a keen awareness of the emotional, physical, and financial demands of trying to have a baby.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Bay IVF.

They were warm, respectful, and very responsive via email and phone whenever we had questions. We felt a bond stronger than we have with other service providers. The day we heard the heartbeat, the nurses were genuinely happy for us, even getting tearful as they congratulated us.

Describe your experience with Bay IVF.

Strengths: seasoned and close knit staff, and their ability to work for decades alongside one another speaks to the quality of their relationships with each other and their patients; facilities are clean and comfortable; skilled at managing the emotional demands for such a stressful process

Describe Francis Polansky's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Bay IVF.

We had 1 fresh embryo after the second retrieval, so we just transplanted that; 4 were frozen.

Doctor

Francis Polansky

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Bay IVF

Palo Alto

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Francis Polansky Bay IVF

2019, Successful

Age 38

1 IVF

Endometriosis

Male Factor

Uterine Fibroids

Income $100K - $199K

Engineer

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Francis Polansky Bay IVF

Dr. Polansky reviewed our medical record before our first visit. He explained the whole process and answered all the questions we had. Also, he gave a expectation based on our situation, - a personalized communication...Dr Polansky is very professional, and is very kind to answer all our questions. He is also very experienced...

The nurse and the nurse team [at Bay IVF Center] is amazing! The best service I have ever seen! Very nice, very polite, very professional...The clinic is clean. The atmosphere there is very good. Weakness: The instrument don't looks fancy, but this doesn't matter... The communication is always very efficient.

How was your experience with Francis Polansky at Bay IVF?

Dr Polansky is very professional, and is very kind to answer all our questions. He is also very experienced. I love the the booklet he gave me for the guideline of meals. The communication is always very efficient.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Francis Polansky at Bay IVF?

Please ask if you have any quesstions. Dr. Polansky will answer all your questions.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Francis Polansky at Bay IVF?

Describe your experience with your nurse at Bay IVF.

The nurse and the nurse team is amazing! The best service I have ever seen! Very nice, very polite, very professional.

Describe your experience with Bay IVF.

Strength: a clinic with a long history. Dr. Polansky is an experienced expert on the field. Everyone here works very professional, very polite. The clinic is clean. The atmosphere there is very good. Weakness: The instrument don't looks fancy, but this doesn't matter.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Francis Polansky at Bay IVF.

IVF with transfer: $14,000

Doctor

Francis Polansky

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Bay IVF

Palo Alto

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Francis Polansky Bay IVF

2014, Successful

IVF

1 Egg Freezing

Male Factor

PCOS

Ashkenazi Jewish

Income $50K - $99K

2nd of 2 Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Francis Polansky Bay IVF

He [Dr. Polansky] is very matter of fact and I've heard he will urge women to consider donor eggs of their own are low quality. I personally believe this to be a positive thing...

Every person working for Dr Polansky [at Bay IVF] knew my name, where I was in my cycle, and were incredibly supportive during the whole process.

How was your experience with Francis Polansky at Bay IVF?

His bedside manner was frank and compassionate without being condescending or over-promising. His confidence never seemed like arrogance and his overall lifestyle/diet/supplement suggestions were in line with my own.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Francis Polansky at Bay IVF?

Don't expect too much hand holding. He is very matter of fact and I've heard he will urge women to consider donor eggs of their own are low quality. I personally believe this to be a positive thing since he understands the high costs associated with ART and the desire for the patient to have a positive outcome.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Francis Polansky at Bay IVF?

Every person working for Dr Polansky knew my name, where I was in my cycle, and were incredibly supportive during the whole process.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Bay IVF.

They knew me by name and without being too intrusive, and we're just as relieved and overjoyed by my outcome. They called me a year later to ask how my daughter was doing.

Doctor

Francis Polansky

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Bay IVF

Palo Alto

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Educational Resources

Review of

Francis Polansky Bay IVF

2019 - 2020, Unknown Success

Age 38 - 39

1 IVF

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

Prefer not to answer

Income $100K - $199K

Nurse or HC Services

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Francis Polansky Bay IVF

He [Dr. Francis Polansky] explains everything until you’re understanding...He is direct, yet warm about it. He knows stats but reframes it for your case...He is truly so knowledgeable and experienced and you can tell this from your visits with him...he has a certain sensitivity, quiet warmth and empathy and direct sensibility and so much knowledge and experience ..

[staff of Bay IVF are] caring and organized...you never feel alone, you always know what to expect next, and they become an extension of your family as you go through the process...We did an IVF Plus package which covers pretty much everything except medications from pharmacy which amounts to about 4-5k for us. Of note, there is also a lower IVF Package that’s about 12k+...

How was your experience with Francis Polansky at Bay IVF?

Dr Polansky is just the greatest. He is direct, yet warm about it. He knows stats but reframes it for your case. He explains everything until you’re understanding it. He is truly so knowledgeable and experienced and you can tell this from your visits with him. We have such a tender spot for him. I would tell any family member or friend to use his services!

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Francis Polansky at Bay IVF?

His care is so organized which lets you know he’s been doing this for awhile. I’m how warm and fuzzy other doctors are. Dr P’s style is not quite like that but he has a certain sensitivity, quiet warmth and empathy and direct sensibility and so much knowledge and experience to back it all up. We haven’t been successful yet but still, my husband and I truly appreciated him.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Francis Polansky at Bay IVF?

He treats each one like a human! With a direct sensibility that maybe not everyone is used to, he may use numbers to give stats but he reframes it for your case. We are always impressed with how he can never make us feel dumb for our questions and takes so much time to explain things.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Bay IVF. (Assigned nurse: Alex)

Guys, this is the best well-oiled machine of a nursing team and office personnel. They match Dr P’s caring and organized method and you never feel alone, you always know what to expect next, and they become an extension of your family as you go through the process.

Describe your experience with Bay IVF.

This clinic is so organized, care is smooth where you’ll never be frustrated with anything. They are caring and become such allies with your goal. The office is soothing, quiet, sort of an oasis in Palo Alto, not like a clinic or a medical building which I love. They also have an extensive history of good outcomes. The front desk ladies Erica and Julie are knowledgeable with billing and they do everything to accommodate you with appointments. I love all of them and am so grateful for each of them. No weaknesses I can think of.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Francis Polansky at Bay IVF.

Their pricing is very transparent and everything is on the website so you can see and know what you’re getting yourself into even before you decide. We did an IVF Plus package which covers pretty much everything except medications from pharmacy which amounts to about 4-5k for us. Of note, there is also a lower IVF Package that’s about 12k+. Everything was out of pocket for us because of my insurance.

Doctor

Francis Polansky

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Bay IVF

Palo Alto

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Francis Polansky Bay IVF

2020, Successful

Age 33

5 IUI

1 IVF

Unexplained

South Asian

Income $50K - $99K

2nd of 2 Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Francis Polansky Bay IVF

[the Bay IVF nurse] was very helpful throughout the procedures. She promptly responded to our questions and emails...[approx cost] $15000 - $20000...We had a wonderful experience at BayIVF. Dr. Polansky and his team made us feel so comfortable every time we were in their office. From the first consultation, to the many (many, many, many) blood draws, to the egg retrieval, to the embryo transfer - We always knew we were in the best of hands.

How was your experience with Francis Polansky at Bay IVF?

Dr. Polansky and his team were amazing! Our journey started with a consult to understand what's ahead of us and ask any questions to check the prerequisites needed for an IVF treatment. The entire team was extremely knowledgeable and made us feel comfortable through the entire process. If you just judge by the results, you cannot get better than what we experienced. We were blessed with a perfect twins! And all thanks to Dr. Polansky and his team. You cannot put a price tag on how they contributed to our lives.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Francis Polansky at Bay IVF?

1000% recommend BAY IVF to anyone who dreams and longs for a child. It's never guaranteed, but this last hope could be your best hope like it was for me!!! I am so forever grateful for Dr Polansky and his amazing team! It is worth everything I went through!

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Francis Polansky at Bay IVF?

Mr. Polansky is such a wonderful doctor. Throughout the cycle he was very honest and blunt.

Describe the protocols Francis Polansky used in your cycles at Bay IVF and their degree of success.

standard IVF medications and procedures.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Bay IVF. (Assigned nurse: Minerva )

Minerva was very helpful throughout the procedures. She promptly responded to our questions and emails.

Describe your experience with Bay IVF.

We had a wonderful experience at BayIVF. Dr. Polansky and his team made us feel so comfortable every time we were in their office. From the first consultation, to the many (many, many, many) blood draws, to the egg retrieval, to the embryo transfer - We always knew we were in the best of hands.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Francis Polansky at Bay IVF.

$15000 - $20000

Describe Francis Polansky's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Bay IVF.

patient choice

Doctor

Francis Polansky

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks