Ratings of 1 indicate that a clinic was poorly operated.
Ratings of 10 indicate that a clinic operated very well.
Scheduling
8.4
8.4
Scheduling
Ratings of 1 mean it was difficult to schedule appointments with this clinic.
Ratings of 10 mean it was easy to schedule appointments.
Billing Department
7.8
7.8
Billing Department
Ratings of 1 indicate an unsatisfactory billing department.
Ratings of 10 indicate an excellent billing department.
Nursing Team
8.4
8.4
Nursing Team
Ratings of 1 indicate an unsatisfactory nursing team.
Ratings of 10 indicate an excellent nursing team.
LGBTQ+ Care
10
10
LGBTQ+ Care
Ratings of 1 indicate an unsatisfactory LGBTQ+ care.
Ratings of 10 indicate an excellent LGBTQ+ care.
Attention to Detail
7.7
7.7
Attention to Detail
Attention to detail is on a 1 - 10 scale, and is scored based on the rate, and severity, of errors committed by the clinic according to the patients.
For example, a severe error might be failing to inform a patient of critical information, while a small error might be failing to call a patient with results.
CDC Success Rates
This is the most recent data from the CDC. The CDC cautions that it should not be used to compare doctors and clinics. This data represents the outcomes of IVF cycles when using a person's own eggs.
For more information please see our FAQs.
Where you see a “?” on the chart, a clinic has done fewer than 20 cycles in this category and age range, so the CDC says showing percentages from this small data set would be misleading and unreliable.
She’s [Dr. Thornton is] a good listener and answered questions in detail and has a kind demeanor. She also took interest in my life outside treatment so I didn’t feel like just a number. It was important for me to have a black female doctor and I felt I could more easily talk about racial concerns...She recommended COQ10 in addition to the prenatal vitamin I was already taking...
It’s almost impossible to get someone to answer a call directly [at Boston IVF]. It tends to go to voicemail with a long message about their callback policy that you can’t skip. During the treatment cycle they were very responsive and and warm. Missing a call created anxiety especially before I started a treatment cycle, because I’d have to leave a message again...Communications had sort of a factory feel. Before scheduling my initial consult I wished someone could have laid out potential future appointments and blood/ultrasound monitoring during egg retrieval...
How was your experience with Kim L. Thornton at Boston IVF?
She’s a good listener and answered questions in detail and has a kind demeanor. She also took interest in my life outside treatment so I didn’t feel like just a number. It was important for me to have a black female doctor and I felt I could more easily talk about racial concerns.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kim L. Thornton at Boston IVF?
Don’t delay in scheduling since her calendar books quickly, and be persistent about getting an earlier appointment/ask to get put on the waitlist and follow up
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kim L. Thornton at Boston IVF?
She listened to my concerns and answered my questions and also expressed interest in personal details outside the treatment.
Describe the protocols Kim L. Thornton used in your cycles at Boston IVF and their degree of success.
She recommended COQ10 in addition to the prenatal vitamin I was already taking. I injected meds to increase my follicles and eggs and had frequent monitoring to time my retrieval.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Boston IVF.
It’s almost impossible to get someone to answer a call directly. It tends to go to voicemail with a long message about their callback policy that you can’t skip. During the treatment cycle they were very responsive and and warm. Missing a call created anxiety especially before I started a treatment cycle, because I’d have to leave a message again
Describe your experience with Boston IVF.
Provide an easier way for patients to get in touch and get questions answered sooner. Communications had sort of a factory feel. Before scheduling my initial consult I wished someone could have laid out potential future appointments and blood/ultrasound monitoring during egg retrieval. I would have potentially opted for a closer clinic had I known that
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kim L. Thornton at Boston IVF.
My insurance covered everything except embryo genetic testing. I’m still not sure if donor sperm is covered
Describe Kim L. Thornton's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Boston IVF.
We discussed potentially transferring more than one embryo due to my age.
The first appointment [with Dr. Penzias] was very detailed and helpful. We felt we were in good hands. Some of the follow up appointments did not seem as helpful and i was not always sure of what to do next...We tried Letrozole first. I was happy with this as we wanted to try to conceive naturally. The drug seemed to be prescribed based on my age. We did IUIs next as we had no insurance
She [Boston IVF nurse] is happy to explain next steps and what blood tests are being done and what the results mean...I think the blood lab is the best feature. They are friendly, quick and painless and despite only seeing them a couple of minutes at a time they make an effort to remember your name and whats going on with your life. It is great that there are so many tests available in the clinic...I have a copay for each appointment. IUI we paid for out of pocket at roughly $500. The drugs were $500. This came as a surprise to us
How was your experience with Alan S. Penzias at Boston IVF?
The first appointment was very detailed and helpful. We felt we were in good hands. Some of the follow up appointments did not seem as helpful and i was not always sure of what to do next.
Until Covid it was very hard to get an appointment and normally required one month wait. This feels like forever when battling a ticking body clock.
I liked that he used my data to figure out next steps. I did not feel especially like the treatment was custom made for me but we have not yet been able to start an IVF cycle.
It was nice that he tried to enrol us in a clinical trial.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Alan S. Penzias at Boston IVF?
Make a list of all your questions before you go in else the appointment will be very short and you will feel unsatisfied
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Alan S. Penzias at Boston IVF?
The first appointment was really helpful. He was very kind in the last appointment as I have been waiting so long.
Dr P likes statistics and sometimes I feel like I am one of them.
Describe the protocols Alan S. Penzias used in your cycles at Boston IVF and their degree of success.
We tried Letrozole first. I was happy with this as we wanted to try to conceive naturally. The drug seemed to be prescribed based on my age.
We did IUIs next as we had no insurance. This was more of our decision due to cost. I feel like if we had insurance we would have jumped straight to IVF
Describe your experience with your nurse at Boston IVF. (Assigned nurse: Lisa)
I feel like I speak to my nurse at least a couple of times per month as i have so many period issues. She is very helpful and clear and gets back to me very quickly. She is happy to explain next steps and what blood tests are being done and what the results mean.
I have never called any medical professional this much and I don't get the feeling I am bugging her
Describe your experience with Boston IVF.
I think the blood lab is the best feature. They are friendly, quick and painless and despite only seeing them a couple of minutes at a time they make an effort to remember your name and whats going on with your life.
It is great that there are so many tests available in the clinic.
The Domar center is an awesome resource and I think it would be helpful to advertise their services particularly the mind body program more prominently.
The weakness is that they are so busy it is hard to get appointments to see the doctor.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Alan S. Penzias at Boston IVF.
I have a copay for each appointment.
IUI we paid for out of pocket at roughly $500. The drugs were $500. This came as a surprise to us
Describe Alan S. Penzias's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Boston IVF.
She [Dr. Carla DiGirolamo] is very straight forward with information, but also explains everything well. Interactions with her are limited. Her personality isn’t very warm, but you can still tell she does care an did compassionate about what you’re going through. She doesnt seem to be open to my suggestions sometime as I’m not a healthcare professional. She recently emailed to check on me during the pandemic which was surprising, but very nice and thoughtful!
Their [Boston IVF] online portal need a lot of help. I wish they would utilize it more to get information to their patients quicker. They are clean and organized. Their method of sign in is good if it’s looked at carefully by the nurses (I’ve been skipped before). Everyone I’ve interacted with at both locations have been very warm and helpful...No one checked in on me and how i was doing during and after each cycles result.
How was your experience with Carla DiGirolamo at Boston IVF?
She is very straight forward with information, but also explains everything well. Interactions with her are limited. Her personality isn’t very warm, but you can still tell she does care an did compassionate about what you’re going through. She doesnt seem to be open to my suggestions sometime as I’m not a healthcare professional.
She recently emailed to check on me during the pandemic which was surprising, but very nice and thoughtful!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Carla DiGirolamo at Boston IVF?
Don’t let your initial reaction to her personality steer you away. She does know what she is doing and she does care, even if it can seem like she doesn’t.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Carla DiGirolamo at Boston IVF?
I only got to speak with her twice in the last few months. No one checked in on me and how i was doing during and after each cycles result.
Describe the protocols Carla DiGirolamo used in your cycles at Boston IVF and their degree of success.
We were given a treatment plan of injections and IUI procedure.
Cd 3 start Gonal-F, ultrasound scans and bloodwork every other day, once follicles we’re mature take Ovidrel (trigger shot) then scheduled IUI. We did this twice with a negative result. We were set to try a 3rd time but the pandemic happened. The reason for 3 was insurance purposes. She said she felt confident that we would have good results.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Boston IVF. (Assigned nurse: Brynna )
She is very compassionate and takes the time to answer all questions. She also calls back in timely fashion.
Describe your experience with Boston IVF.
Their online portal need a lot of help. I wish they would utilize it more to get information to their patients quicker. They are clean and organized. Their method of sign in is good if it’s looked at carefully by the nurses (I’ve been skipped before). Everyone I’ve interacted with at both locations have been very warm and helpful.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Carla DiGirolamo at Boston IVF.
Consultation cost us $150.00 out of pocket. Each medication was $30 per refill/per drug. I haven’t received full billing amount for all cycles yet.
We had a great experience with Dr Brian Berger. After our first cycle was not successful in a couple of ways, he adjusted our treatment for the second cycle. That second cycle gave us our baby girl. We are going back to him for a sibling cycle. The biggest roadblock right now is trying to get his time to write us letters of appeal for insurance (which may not be a fault of his but supporting staff not helping to get it in queue).
I had a mixed experience with the nurses [BostonIVF]. One nurse I felt would rush me through everything from paperwork to questions to talking me through progress throughout the cycle. I do not recall her name. While other nurses were so very nurturing and wouldn't mind if I called for updates to make me feel better. I think there is an opportunity for the staff to be more patient / customer focused. The office is so busy and has become so popular
How was your experience with Brian Berger at Boston IVF?
We had a great experience with Dr Brian Berger. After our first cycle was not successful in a couple of ways, he adjusted our treatment for the second cycle. That second cycle gave us our baby girl. We are going back to him for a sibling cycle. The biggest roadblock right now is trying to get his time to write us letters of appeal for insurance (which may not be a fault of his but supporting staff not helping to get it in queue).
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brian Berger at Boston IVF?
Make sure to ask any and all questions. Read up and be knowledgeable so you can advocate for yourself. This is with him or any other doctor!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brian Berger at Boston IVF?
Dr. Brian Berger took the time to speak to us about our case. He took the time to understand who we are as individuals and as a couple. He took the time to learn our story.
Describe the protocols Brian Berger used in your cycles at Boston IVF and their degree of success.
My first cycle was included estrace, crinone, follistim, low hcg, cetrotide and ovridel. It yielded 17 eggs, 5 matured, 2 fertilized, 1 became a day 3 embryo transfer. This ended in a chemical pregnancy. Round 2 had the same drugs except we did a step-down protcol in order to yield more mature eggs. Round 2 resulted in 16 eggs, 10 mature, 2 fertilized, 1 day 3 embryo. This resulted in a healthy baby girl!
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Boston IVF.
I had a mixed experience with the nurses. One nurse I felt would rush me through everything from paperwork to questions to talking me through progress throughout the cycle. I do not recall her name. While other nurses were so very nurturing and wouldn't mind if I called for updates to make me feel better. I think there is an opportunity for the staff to be more patient / customer focused. The office is so busy and has become so popular that they sometimes forget.
Describe your experience with Boston IVF.
Strengths = results, statistics (top clinic in the area)
Weaknesses = putting patients first, not nurturing as should be, communication is terrible, really hard to get a hold of sometimes, constant phone tag, takes forever to get an appointment with a doctor and sometimes it is only over the phone and not in person.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Brian Berger at Boston IVF.
Our health insurance had lifetime maxes. We were able to cover treatment, minus deductibles, but had out of pocket expenses for medication. I'd say out of pocket a cycle typically costs $20K, that is with ICSI.
Describe Brian Berger's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Boston IVF.
Dr Brian Berger was open to multiple embryo transfer, as he understands why patients would want to go that route. He just wanted to ensure his patients understood risks and to make sure they were comfortable with the outcomes that could occur.
What specific things went wrong at Boston IVF?
Lost paperwork
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Boston IVF.
I'm currently trying to get Dr Brian Berger to write appeal letters for both my and my husband's employer health insurance. It's taken over a month of asking and I still do not have an answer of when he can provide them to us.
[Dr. Luzzo was] Somewhat clinical in demeanor but very competent and trustworthy. She listened to my questions and took my feedback into consideration when planning treatment. We did not see her very often, though - just the initial consultation, and right before our IVF cycle...Antagonist protocol using gonal f, menopur, and cetrotide. Stimmed for 10 days. Retrieval of 35 eggs - 31 mature, 20 fertilized with ICSI, 10 embryos frozen, 1 fresh embryo transferred, resulting in a singleton pregnancy.
Strengths [at Boston IVF] - Very large - lots of patients, practitioners, data and coordinated use of evidence based practices. Sometimes can feel like a factory, but a successful one that will give you a baby at the end. Weaknesses - All major procedures have to take place in Waltham, MA which was a 2-3 hour trip for us. All communication seems to take place via telephone which can be frustrating to manage while at work.
How was your experience with Kerri Luzzo at Boston IVF?
Somewhat clinical in demeanor but very competent and trustworthy. She listened to my questions and took my feedback into consideration when planning treatment. We did not see her very often, though - just the initial consultation, and right before our IVF cycle.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kerri Luzzo at Boston IVF?
Prepare any questions that you have ahead of time.
Describe the protocols Kerri Luzzo used in your cycles at Boston IVF and their degree of success.
Antagonist protocol using gonal f, menopur, and cetrotide. Stimmed for 10 days. Retrieval of 35 eggs - 31 mature, 20 fertilized with ICSI, 10 embryos frozen, 1 fresh embryo transferred, resulting in a singleton pregnancy.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Boston IVF. (Assigned nurse: Wendy)
Always returned my calls with the information I needed, once I was in treatment. When not in an active treatment cycle, I did feel as though I was a lower priority (which makes sense) and had to follow up multiple times on some things.
Describe your experience with Boston IVF.
Strengths - Very large - lots of patients, practitioners, data and coordinated use of evidence based practices. Sometimes can feel like a factory, but a successful one that will give you a baby at the end.
Weaknesses - All major procedures have to take place in Waltham, MA which was a 2-3 hour trip for us. All communication seems to take place via telephone which can be frustrating to manage while at work.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Boston IVF.
With the exception of a few long back-ups, I was usually able to get in and out within 30 minutes early in the morning before work.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kerri Luzzo at Boston IVF.
Unsure - billed directly to insurance.
Describe Kerri Luzzo's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Boston IVF.
Single embryo transfer seems to be the policy unless there is a compelling reason otherwise. We were educated (and dissuaded) on multiple embryo transfer.
Dr. Luzzo is very straightforward. She doesn’t push one treatment over the other but rather gives pros and cons for each and lets the patient make the decisions. ... She is very business-like in her explanations. ... Not very warm and fuzzy but she knows her stuff. ... Very neutral with her opinions. ... We have done 3 rounds of IUI. First round we went in for baseline ultrasound and labs on cycle day 3.
My biggest concerns for this clinic [Boston IVF] is the billing/insurance department. ... she never even submitted my the authorization request to my insurance. I called Every day that week and it wasn’t submitted until Thursday. ... I was Unable to start ivf like planned. ... we now have to spend close to a $1000 to freeze sperm. This could have been completely avoided if this women did her job.
How was your experience with Kerri Luzzo at Boston IVF?
Dr. Luzzo is very straightforward. She doesn’t push one treatment over the other but rather gives pros and cons for each and lets the patient make the decisions. Not very warm and fuzzy but she knows her stuff.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kerri Luzzo at Boston IVF?
Ask lots of questions. Advocate for yourself.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kerri Luzzo at Boston IVF?
She is very business-like in her explanations. Very neutral with her opinions.
Describe the protocols Kerri Luzzo used in your cycles at Boston IVF and their degree of success.
We have done 3 rounds of IUI. First round we went in for baseline ultrasound and labs on cycle day 3. For the call that afternoon to start 50mg of clomid every night for 5 nights. Cycle day 10 went in for monitoring and labs. Nurse called later that day and informed me of follicle sizes and scheduled another monitoring appointment the next morning. Had more monitoring and the nurse called again later that night to clear ya to trigger with Ovidrel. We only had one mature follicle. Our IUI was scheduled 36 hours after that. 2 days after IUI I started on progesterone suppositories twice a day. This cycle failed. Second cycle was the same as the first except they increased the clomid to 100mg instead. One mature follicle again, progesterone twice a day after IUI and another failed cycle. This cycle we started Gonal-F injections 75iu at night from cycle day 3-9 in hopes to mature more eggs. Monitoring from cycle day 7-10 and then got the clear to trigger on cycle day 10 with Ovidrel. I’m in the waiting room for IUI as I type this so nonresuots yet. I will Start progesterone twice a day in two days.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Boston IVF. (Assigned nurse: Margie and Wendy)
Margie is wonderful. She is very compassionate and understanding. Wendy however, has been rude, and cold.
Describe your experience with Boston IVF.
The lab tech Crystal, ultrasound techs especially Heidi, and office women- Joanna and Taylor are absolutely wonderful. They are friendly, caring and very reassuring. They make the office run so smoothly and truly care about their patients. The insurance/billing lady is HORRENDOUS. Mistakes were made on her behalf which completely derailed my IVF chance. I called numerous times asking for explanations and she BLAMED ME for things going wrong. She is a horrible communicator, and overall terrible at her job.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kerri Luzzo at Boston IVF.
$40 copays for Dr. Luzzo and IUI. Everything else has been covered by insurance except medications that have cost between $250-$300/cycle.
Describe Kerri Luzzo's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Boston IVF.
Haven’t had a transfer yet
What specific things went wrong at Boston IVF?
Failed to call with results
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Boston IVF.
My biggest concerns for this clinic is the billing/insurance department. I was Suppose to start ivf this cycle after two failed IUI’s. I went For my consult, signed all consents a month in advance and was told next cycle we would start and it would be no problem. Two weeks before my cycle I called asking for an update on my ivf approval. Lady told me She didn’t have it yet but would have it Monday. Monday rolls around and not only has the billing lady been out since last THURSDAY, she never even submitted my the authorization request to my insurance. I called Every day that week and it wasn’t submitted until Thursday. My period was due Friday. Needless to say I was Unable to start ivf like planned. This may not be a big deal, but my
Husband is leaving the country and will be in an area of Zika risk. Since we were not able to get an egg retrieval in before he left, we now have to spend close to a $1000 to freeze sperm. This could have been completely avoided if this women did her job.
With PGS, [Dr. Samuel Pauli] advised to transfer 1 only. Without PGS, then we were advised to transfer 2...He is a very sweet man, but also analytical and technical as a doctor. He is a professional and all business while maintaining a very human demeanor...will tweak protocols when something doesn't work. He was always very kind and easy to talk to, and I am sad that things didn't work out. Towards the end of my time I felt like he was almost too kind and would say what he thought I wanted to hear rather than what I needed to hear.
We got along amazingly well [with the nurses at Boston IVF]. I also would get my bloodwork and ultrasounds done at a local satellite clinic and I got along spectacularly well with the phlebotomists and sonographers there after seeing them for years...If you go early [for monitoring], then you'd be fine. Mostly people didn't show up at their designated times, so it was generally first come first serve. The satellite clinic I went to was amazing and they loved seeing me so much.
How was your experience with Samuel Pauli at Boston IVF?
He really wants to have his patients succeed, and he is very modest and will tweak protocols when something doesn't work. He was always very kind and easy to talk to, and I am sad that things didn't work out. Towards the end of my time I felt like he was almost too kind and would say what he thought I wanted to hear rather than what I needed to hear.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Samuel Pauli at Boston IVF?
If you are under 35 and have no history of recurrent pregnancy loss, than you should do just fine with him. More advanced cases with older patients and recurrent pregnancy losses may need to look elsewhere.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Samuel Pauli at Boston IVF?
He is a very sweet man, but also analytical and technical as a doctor. He is a professional and all business while maintaining a very human demeanor.
Describe the protocols Samuel Pauli used in your cycles at Boston IVF and their degree of success.
Round 1: Menopur and Gonal F, Cetrotide Pregnyl Trigger
8 eggs, all mature and fertilized. 1 fresh transfer "worked," miscarriage at 11 weeks. Karyotype revealed a normal pregnancy and unexplained loss. 2 remaining untested frozen embryos. 1st negative pregnancy test, 2nd "worked," miscarriage at 8 weeks due to triploidy.
Round 2: Menopur and Gonal F, Cetrotide Pregnyl Trigger
Added PGS. 7 eggs, 4 fertilized, 1 abnormal blast.
Round 3: Menopur and Gonal F, Cetrotide Pregnyl/Lupron Double Trigger
Added PGS. 10 eggs, 4 fertilized, 1 abnormal blast.
Round 4: Lupron Flare with Lupron and Gonal F only, Pregnyl Trigger
Added PGS. 11 eggs, 4 fertilized, 1 PGS normal blast. Miscarriage at 6ish weeks with low beta and slow heartrate. Was found to be an abnormal blast after karyotype testing.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Boston IVF. (Assigned nurse: Nikki P and Nikki F)
We got along amazingly well. I also would get my bloodwork and ultrasounds done at a local satellite clinic and I got along spectacularly well with the phlebotomists and sonographers there after seeing them for years. Unfortunately, my primary nursing team was moved to another location closer to me, and I did not like the team there, which further contributed to my leaving after the third miscarriage.
Describe your experience with Boston IVF.
Strengths: So many different doctors and locations to choose from, you just gotta move around and see who may be the perfect fit for you. There is also a MInd-Body center on site where the surgical unit is so you can have counseling or acupuncture if you wish.
Weakness: Very standard, conventional practices, doesn't always tailor the protocol to your needs well, and could have benefitted from further tests.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Boston IVF.
If you go early, then you'd be fine. Mostly people didn't show up at their designated times, so it was generally first come first serve. The satellite clinic I went to was amazing and they loved seeing me so much.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Samuel Pauli at Boston IVF.
Luckily, we have health insurance, so our rounds were completely covered. Medications had to be paid for though, but they only made out to be in the $200 range tops.
Describe Samuel Pauli's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Boston IVF.
With PGS, it was advised to transfer 1 only. Without PGS, then we were advised to transfer 2.
Even though I was 40 and had low reserve, was a poor responder he [Dr. Alan Penzias] didn't tell us donor eggs were the only choice. He know how we wanted our own child and he said out what our chances were. He has worked with us to optimize how many eggs we get but my eggs are not fertilizing. He is not encouraging or promoting of alternative therapies or naturopathic treatments to improve quality as he thinks they make minimal impact. But he will approve them and supplaments that I chose to do.
Their [Boston IVF-RSC] strengths are that due to their size you can cycle any time and they do egg retrevial and transfers every day of the year. I also love the Domar Center located at their Waltham location. Acupuncture there is awesome with all practioners and the nutritionist was very helpful too. You do not usually get your doctor for retrevial, but mine came in once special to do just mine or a weekend morning. Billing is frustrating as you never get an actual bill or breakdown, and now we are paying out of pocket so you pay ahead for the whole cycle and get reimbursed if you did not use all of the plan treatments.
How was your experience with Alan S. Penzias at Boston IVF?
Dr Pandas was very responsive to questions and requests, even while traveling He is accessible thru the nurse or via email. He was also flexible with us as far as having conference calls when we couldnt meet at his office due to schedule conflicts. We found him as he came highly rated to us from a Chief of another department
Even though I was 40 and had low reserve, was a poor responder he didn't tell us donor eggs were the only choice. He know how we wanted our own child and he said out what our chances were. He has worked with us to optimize how many eggs we get but my eggs are not fertilizing. He is not encouraging or promoting of alternative therapies or naturopathic treatments to improve quality as he thinks they make minimal impact. But he will approve them and supplaments that I chose to do. I always keep him in the loop with what I am taking. He does like the use of acupuncture for transfer.
We are looking to do another cycle or two with him at this point and looking at different treatment options. He has also gone to bat for us more than.once with the insurance company.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Alan S. Penzias at Boston IVF?
He is a down to earth person and a straight communicator that relies on data and proven methods. He is not on the cutting edge but it up to date on everything going on out that and looks to reliable data of success before recommending it to patients. He is very professional.
Go in with lots of questions and you will come out with solid options to choose from.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Alan S. Penzias at Boston IVF?
He is very fact based but also very personable. He encourages questions and looking at new treatment plans and will discuss it all in detail and give you approx. Success rates of different options.
Describe the protocols Alan S. Penzias used in your cycles at Boston IVF and their degree of success.
For my first cycle we did menopure and gonal f with Cetrotide to suppress, and during the cycle my dosing was upped as I was a poor responder. I ended up ovulating thru the Cetrotide is the cycle was candles.
My next 2 cycles (the first I did immediately after the fist cycle as some research indicates that works better for older women) we switched to micro Lupton and stuck with the m &g. The first cycle we got 1 mature egg that did not fertalize naturally. I took a cycle off then the next cycle we used the same protocol and got I believe 3 eggs. They did not fertilize with ICSI, for the ones it could be used on.
We switched to mini IVF since I was at max doses for stimulating meds but not getting good responses.
Used Clomid with a hcg trigger (same as all the others) and got 6 eggs, 5 mature, none fertalize with ICSI.
Took another few cycles off and did another mini IVF where I believe we got 3 or 4 eggs, nothing fertalized again. It has been attributed to my poor egg quality at my age, even though they look good at retrevial. Dr.P told me at my age less than maybe 1 in 12 eggs are chromosomaly normal, so it is a numbers game.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Boston IVF. (Assigned nurse: Sara Mawn)
Sara is wonderful. Very compassionate and responsive. She was out for a while and we experienced other nursing staff. Most we great! At my first ERA biosposy, I was disappointed in the nursing as the 2 we not very professional, but my second biopsy was the exact opposite.
It is a very large clinic so you will have interactions with many staff, but you also have a main point of contact.
Describe your experience with Boston IVF.
Their strengths are that due to their size you can cycle any time and they do egg retrevial and transfers every day of the year. I also love the Domar Center located at their Waltham location. Acupuncture there is awesome with all practioners and the nutritionist was very helpful too.
You do not usually get your doctor for retrevial, but mine came in once special to do just mine or a weekend morning.
Billing is frustrating as you never get an actual bill or breakdown, and now we are paying out of pocket so you pay ahead for the whole cycle and get reimbursed if you did not use all of the plan treatments.
You do need to be on top of things as far as your treatment as there is not someone to walk you through the process once you are on treatment or remind you. Follow up is also on you. But nurse communication is great and so was the coordinator.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Alan S. Penzias at Boston IVF.
Our first 4 cycles were covered by insurance, but the PGS testing was not. He did appeal to insurance and got 2 cycles covered that were initially rejected by insurance.
Out of pocket IVF was $7750 for the cycle plus 2500 for icsi and 980 for the embryoscoping (which was at our request). PGS was $3300 For 7 to 8 embryos and went up and down from that number
For the mini IVF cycle it is $4950 and that includes ICSI but not PGS testing.
Describe Alan S. Penzias's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Boston IVF.
We haven't gotten to that point, but we originally talked about doing only FET transfers of PGS tested embryos and at my age, 1 or 2 at a time.
What specific things went wrong at Boston IVF?
Failed to call with results
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Boston IVF.
My first Clomid challenge cycle i was not called with my results, which required a retest on another cycle, which ended up delaying the start of my treatment 3 months.
He [Dr. Brain Berger] is confident and has alot of experience with diminished ovarian reserve. However, his choice of protocols began to feel cookie-cutter, as he was not receptive to changing up the protocols for us, even after 4 IVF cycles with no pregnancy...Don't expect to see him face to face very much. But he does review all of his patients monitoring results himself, and makes the recommendations via his nurses.
[Boston IVF is] big and you begin to fee like a number. Your primary doctor will not always be the one doing your egg retrievals or transfers. You have to be comfortable with other RE's doing your procedures. For the procedures, you have to travel to Waltham, which may be farther than your home clinic...We never had any problems with the nursing staff at BIVF. I also emailed Catherine with questions and she was prompt at getting back to me via email, and phone calls.
How was your experience with Brian Berger at Boston IVF?
He is confident and has alot of experience with diminished ovarian reserve. However, his choice of protocols began to feel cookie-cutter, as he was not receptive to changing up the protocols for us, even after 4 IVF cycles with no pregnancy.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brian Berger at Boston IVF?
Don't expect to see him face to face very much. But he does review all of his patients monitoring results himself, and makes the recommendations via his nurses.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brian Berger at Boston IVF?
Many people feel that Dr. Berger comes across as arrogant, this didn't bother me very much, so long as he was confident in what he was doing. Which he wa.
He always treated us with honesty and was straight-forward.
Describe the protocols Brian Berger used in your cycles at Boston IVF and their degree of success.
He recommended the estrogen priming antagonist protocol for me every time.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Boston IVF. (Assigned nurse: Catherine Lamb)
We never had any problems with the nursing staff at BIVF. I also emailed Catherine with questions and she was prompt at getting back to me via email, and phone calls.
Describe your experience with Boston IVF.
It's big and you begin to fee like a number. Your primary doctor will not always be the one doing your egg retrievals or transfers. You have to be comfortable with other RE's doing your procedures. For the procedures, you have to travel to Waltham, which may be farther than your home clinic.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Boston IVF.
They gave you times, but it was mostly a first-come, first-serve basis, which I liked.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Brian Berger at Boston IVF.
Just co-pays
Describe Brian Berger's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Boston IVF.
He did not have a strong preference as to the number of embryos transfered; however, if at day 3 he felt like you may lose some at day 4 or 5, he recommends transfering 2, for example, on day 3.
What specific things went wrong at Boston IVF?
Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Boston IVF.
On the day of a transfer, I found out Dr. Berger decided to transfer 2 embryos instead of 1 without letting us know prior.
Dr Wright will do everything to get you there...2nd embryo transfer I got a stitch put in my cervix to help straighten it during the transfer. It worked perfectly and the transfer went more smoothly. I have 2 curves and it’s been hard at time to get the catheter in...The stitch in the my cervix was such a simple procedure I just wish it had been brought up earlier...has always taken the time to go over things each cycle or to try something new. We’ve had in person consults as well as phone consults so we wouldn’t have to wait.
The nurses [at IVF New England] were always wonderful. We had many over our visits and they were always warm and caring and helpful...It was expensive but the billing was always willing to try to get insurance to cover things...The strengths are the staff in general. They are all caring and you Know they want you succeed. The only weakness is that you don’t always get your doctor and usually a different nurse each time. While each doctor is great they don’t always know your whole story and that can be hard
How was your experience with Kristen Wright at Boston IVF?
Dr Wright knows her stuff and she will always tell you how it is. She will break all the info down and help you understand. Having her as the one doing the procedure always made it easier. I’ve had bad experiences with iuis and embryo transfers. But the one I had with Dr Wright was the most comfortable. All together using my obgyn and Boston Ivf I’ve had 8 iuis and two embryo transfers using my wife’s embryos. None have been successful and I was thinking of giving up. My last embryo transfer I was sure it was my last try but Dr Wright changed things up and made the experience less painful and quick. While it wasn’t a success it made me rethink quitting. We’ve already come up with two alternate plans when I’m ready to restart next year.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kristen Wright at Boston IVF?
It’s hard work to get pregnant. But Dr Wright will do everything to get you there. It can be frustrating and scary at times, but I feel you can really put your trust in Dr Wright. It was a lot of struggle for us but we have our beautiful son.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kristen Wright at Boston IVF?
My wife and I both saw Dr Wright to try and get pregnant. My wife has gotten pregnant and gave birth, while I’m still trying. Dr Wright has always taken the time to go over things each cycle or to try something new. We’ve had in person consults as well as phone consults so we wouldn’t have to wait.
Describe the protocols Kristen Wright used in your cycles at Boston IVF and their degree of success.
One iui cycle was with clomid 50mg for 5 days. Ovidrel 250 mcg
2nd iui: gonal f 50 iu
Ovidrel 250 mcg
Endometrin 100mg
Embryo transfers: estradiol mg
Estradiol patches .1 mg
Progesterone 1 ml
2nd embryo transfer I got a stitch put in my cervix to help straighten it during the transfer. It worked perfectly and the transfer went more smoothly. I have 2 curves and it’s been hard at time to get the catheter in.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Boston IVF.
The nurses were always wonderful. We had many over our visits and they were always warm and caring and helpful.
Describe your experience with Boston IVF.
The strengths are the staff in general. They are all caring and you
Know they want you succeed. The only weakness is that you don’t always get your doctor and usually a different nurse each time. While each doctor is great they don’t always know your whole story and that can be hard
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kristen Wright at Boston IVF.
Unfortunately our insurance didn’t cover much. It was expensive but the billing was always willing to try to get insurance to cover things
Describe Kristen Wright's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Boston IVF.
The stitch in the my cervix was such a simple procedure I just wish it had been brought up earlier
Dr. Wright prescribed an antagonist cycle with no birth control. This was my fourth IVF cycle, but first with her. Five eggs were retrieved and two embryos were transferred, but resulted in a negative pregnancy test. Due to diminished ovarian reserve and poor egg quality, I am going to undergo an donor egg cycle with Dr. Wright soon.... Dr. Wright never did any of my procedures, which I was disappointed about, but I did feel comfortable with the other doctor's in the practice.
The clinic [IVF NE] has multiple monitoring locations, which is convenient for someone like me who lives close to one location and works close to another. You can go to different sites depending on what works for you. The main procedures are completed at one location. They give you a scheduled time for blood work and ultrasounds, which streamlines the process really well.
How was your experience with Kristen Wright at Boston IVF?
Dr. Wright takes the time to explain every aspect of treatment clearly. I came to her with many questions and she answered all of them fully and honestly. Dr. Wright presented the facts of my case and provided me with options after discussing the benefits and disadvantages of each. She is very knowledgeable and trustworthy.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kristen Wright at Boston IVF?
Attend appointments with a list of questions so that you can maximize your time with the doctor and get all the information you need to proceed with treatment.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kristen Wright at Boston IVF?
I felt like a human under the treatment of Dr. Wright. I felt that she and the nurses were caring and compassionate. However, the clinic is large and at times I felt like a number - not due to the way any staff member treated me, but because I knew there were so many patients under the care of the clinic's doctors.
Describe the protocols Kristen Wright used in your cycles at Boston IVF and their degree of success.
Dr. Wright prescribed an antagonist cycle with no birth control. This was my fourth IVF cycle, but first with her. Five eggs were retrieved and two embryos were transferred, but resulted in a negative pregnancy test. Due to diminished ovarian reserve and poor egg quality, I am going to undergo an donor egg cycle with Dr. Wright soon.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Boston IVF. (Assigned nurse: Sarah)
My main nurse was clear in her directions and knowledgeable about medications. She called to explain next steps and answered all my questions efficiently.
Describe your experience with Boston IVF.
The clinic has multiple monitoring locations, which is convenient for someone like me who lives close to one location and works close to another. You can go to different sites depending on what works for you. The main procedures are completed at one location. They give you a scheduled time for blood work and ultrasounds, which streamlines the process really well. Dr. Wright never did any of my procedures, which I was disappointed about, but I did feel comfortable with the other doctor's in the practice.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kristen Wright at Boston IVF.
When undergoing an IVF cycle, I had majority of costs covered by insurance. With my upcoming donor egg cycle, I will pay a fee to the clinic, a fee to the outside agency, donor fee, and legal fees.
I wasn’t getting the results I needed to [with Dr. Rita Sneeringer], so we added HGH and I finally got an embryo to transfer (has not been transferred yet)...was always warm and welcoming when I saw her. She was up to date on my case and if she wasn’t sure about something she takes the time to look through my chart to make sure she provides an appropriate answer... When I wasn’t getting the results I wanted, and I did some research, I made suggestions and although my clinic mostly didn’t use the medicine I was suggesting to try, she was willing to go outside the box and try something different.
There was miscommunication on the new protocol since it was an “out of the box” medication I was using, the nurses [at Boston IVF] weren’t used to calling it in to the pharmacy and prescribing it. So we had to wait another cycle to get things in order...The clinic as an overall has been great. The retrieval process has been amazing, they’ve always made sure I am comfortable with warm blankets, heating pads, nausea meds, etc. Generally you need to book appointments far ahead with the doctors as they fill up pretty quickly, even for post-op appointments.
How was your experience with Rita Sneeringer at Boston IVF?
Dr. Sneeringer put me on a pretty popular protocol that I had been on before. When I wasn’t getting the results I wanted, and I did some research, I made suggestions and although my clinic mostly didn’t use the medicine I was suggesting to try, she was willing to go outside the box and try something different. She has always been warm and kind at our appointments and I have never once felt rushed which is a huge difference from a previous clinic I was at.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rita Sneeringer at Boston IVF?
Ask questions. Do your research and if you want to try something new, ask, she is very open to experimenting with different protocols if you aren’t getting where you want to be.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rita Sneeringer at Boston IVF?
Dr. Sneeringer was always warm and welcoming when I saw her. She was up to date on my case and if she wasn’t sure about something she takes the time to look through my chart to make sure she provides an appropriate answer.
Describe the protocols Rita Sneeringer used in your cycles at Boston IVF and their degree of success.
I used BCP, gonalf f, menopur, cetrotide and HGH trigger. I wasn’t getting the results I needed to, so we added HGH and I finally got an embryo to transfer (has not been transferred yet).
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Boston IVF.
There was one nursing staff that seemed very harsh and not compassionate at all. Obviously it was hard to deal with her. However there was another nurse that couldn’t be nicer and always put in all the effort she could to get you the answers you need and make sure you understood everything.
Describe your experience with Boston IVF.
The clinic as an overall has been great. The retrieval process has been amazing, they’ve always made sure I am comfortable with warm blankets, heating pads, nausea meds, etc. Generally you need to book appointments far ahead with the doctors as they fill up pretty quickly, even for post-op appointments.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Rita Sneeringer at Boston IVF.
The cost was mostly covered by insurance except for PGS and ICSI if we wanted to use it. We chose to do PGS but not ICSI.
What specific things went wrong at Boston IVF?
Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Boston IVF.
There was miscommunication on the new protocol since it was an “out of the box” medication I was using, the nurses weren’t used to calling it in to the pharmacy and prescribing it. So we had to wait another cycle to get things in order.
I heard very little from the doctor [Dr. Brian Berger]. It was nearly impossible to directly ask him any questions, they were all answered by the nurses...He’s very intelligent and seemed to have reviewed my chart thoroughly. He wasn’t always the most optimistic though- he was frank and honest. He didn’t seem to think outside the box at all though or try to come up with solutions for my unique situation. He was also always running hours late for his appts.
IVF cycle cost was $14,500, with PGS costing additional $3500 +/- depending on how many embryos were tested, plus the cost of medications ($4000) [at Boston IVF]...The doctor doing the transfer I did not know and until we arrived at the office we didn’t know how many embryos we had left. Then, in a split second they told us we had 2 but never offered us the option of transferring both. After, they said they always recommend transferring only 1 the first cycle.
How was your experience with Brian Berger at Boston IVF?
He’s very intelligent and seemed to have reviewed my chart thoroughly. He wasn’t always the most optimistic though- he was frank and honest. He didn’t seem to think outside the box at all though or try to come up with solutions for my unique situation. He was also always running hours late for his appts.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brian Berger at Boston IVF?
Schedule your appts with him WAY in advance and try to coordinate so that HE is actually performing your procedures (retrival and transfers).
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brian Berger at Boston IVF?
I heard very little from the doctor. It was nearly impossible to directly ask him any questions, they were all answered by the nurses. There were different nurses calling you all the time and almost never the same ones. None of them knew my particular situation completely. Whenever you called to ask a question, you always had to leave a voice mail and then the call had to be returned which made it difficult to get answers if you weren’t always available to answer your phone. This made it difficult to get answers and speak to an actual person about your questions.
Describe the protocols Brian Berger used in your cycles at Boston IVF and their degree of success.
He used Estradiol tablets at the end of your previous cycle for a week before your period. Then started Gonal-F on day 3, and then added low dose HCG after the first blood draw and U/S, followed by Cetrotide or Ganirilix for ovulation suppression. Then used Ovidrel for trigger. Followed by Crinone gel post transfer until blood test, 2 weeks after the transfer. I retrieved 13 eggs the first cycle, and 5 fertilized. By day 5 we had 1 embryo left to transfer. I became pregnant, but on U/S at 6 weeks, there was no fetus present and it was considered a blighted ovum. He recommended a D&C and sent the contents for genetic analysis to look for chromosomal abnormalities. We discovered the embryo had trisomy 16 and therefore was linked to miscarriage. The second cycle we retired 9 eggs after starting with a higher dose of gonal-F and using the same meds as prior. This time we only had 1 egg fertilize and transfered it on day 3, which was unsuccessful.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Boston IVF.
The nurses were often not well educated and very dismissive of any concerns I had about the last
Describe your experience with Boston IVF.
It takes many weeks to schedule an appt so schedule early! They are capable of working with out of town patients and doing phone appts as well. They have multiple locations of offices for different doctors so be aware of that. The main office is in Waltham where they do all the retrievals and transfers, but they also have other smaller offices.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Boston IVF.
I did my monitoring appts at Albany IVF
Describe the costs associated with your care under Brian Berger at Boston IVF.
IVF cycle cost was $14,500, with PGS costing additional $3500 +/- depending on how many embryos were tested, plus the cost of medications ($4000)
Describe Brian Berger's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Boston IVF.
The doctor doing the transfer I did not know and until we arrived at the office we didn’t know how many embryos we had left. Then, in a split second they told us we had 2 but never offered us the option of transferring both. After, they said they always recommend transferring only 1 the first cycle.
What specific things went wrong at Boston IVF?
Failed to call with results
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Boston IVF.
Because I’m an out of town patient, I had to drive in on the day 5, with the potential plan of doing a transfer, not knowing if we had any embryos left. Someone was supposed to cal be first thing in the morning (the embryologist or nurse, or someone!) to let us know if we should still proceed in or stay home. No one called us as planned! We finally were able to speak with someone when we were almost already there. Then no one would tell us the results until we were in the transfer room and ready for the procedure- legs in the air and all kind of situation. We had very little time to digest the information before the transfer just happened!
I'm glad that my husband and I trusted our gut instinct about what was best for us, and appreciated that Dr. Thornton and her team were flexible and supportive of our decision. ... What I can say is that in my initial consultation, Dr. Thornton gave me a lot of reassurance that treatment could work for us, got me started on treatment right away as I had hoped, and explained what she would recommend for us and why very thoroughly.
It did at times feel a bit like a baby factory with so many people coming in and out, but again, that seems expected when you choose a larger practice. I only had one procedure done at the clinic, with a few rounds of lab work, so my experiences are somewhat limited, but I had no complaints. ... However, given the sheer size of Boston IVF, it was hard to not feel a bit like a number during my actual treatment cycles, since there were so many women at the Waltham location for labs/treatments/etc.
How was your experience with Kim L. Thornton at Boston IVF?
I was only a patient for a few months as my second treatment cycle was successful, so I can't comment on some of the questions like how compassionate Dr. Thornton is or how willing to change treatment course she is -- those didn't come up during our treatment course. What I can say is that in my initial consultation, Dr. Thornton gave me a lot of reassurance that treatment could work for us, got me started on treatment right away as I had hoped, and explained what she would recommend for us and why very thoroughly. I ultimately had positive results after just two months and am forever grateful.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kim L. Thornton at Boston IVF?
I would recommend advocating for yourself and what you feel is the best for you. Dr. Thornton recommended that we do letrozole + IUI, which did not work during our first month of treatment. I was concerned that the timing of the IUI the first month could have been a bit off and that that could have caused the unsuccessful cycle (we did not use a trigger or do any monitoring). As a result, for our second cycle, I felt strongly that I wanted to try letrozole + timed intercourse instead of the IUI, and expressed that to Dr. Thornton and her team. They were supportive of this change, and that was the month that we were successful. I'm glad that my husband and I trusted our gut instinct about what was best for us, and appreciated that Dr. Thornton and her team were flexible and supportive of our decision.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kim L. Thornton at Boston IVF?
During my one-on-one consultation with Dr. Thornton, I very much felt treated like a human and was able to ask all of the questions I had. I felt she addressed my concerns adequately and gave me reassurance about beginning treatment. However, given the sheer size of Boston IVF, it was hard to not feel a bit like a number during my actual treatment cycles, since there were so many women at the Waltham location for labs/treatments/etc. I don't fault Dr. Thornton for this but rather feel it is almost inevitable when selecting a large fertility treatment center.
Describe the protocols Kim L. Thornton used in your cycles at Boston IVF and their degree of success.
Both cycles, I took letrozole (I believe the dose was 7.5ish?) CD3-7. This was to help me ovulate strong eggs, and ideally more than 1 to help increase our chances of success.
Our first cycle, I had an IUI performed. I was told to test with OPKs every morning before noon starting at CD 15. Once I had a positive test, I was to call and schedule my IUI for the next morning, and my husband would go in and drop off a fresh sample. We did this one time and were unsuccessful.
Our second cycle, we used the same letrozole protocol but had timed intercourse once I began testing positive on OPKs. We were successful.
Describe your experience with Boston IVF.
I appreciate the size of this practice and the number of locations to choose from for providers. It did at times feel a bit like a baby factory with so many people coming in and out, but again, that seems expected when you choose a larger practice. I only had one procedure done at the clinic, with a few rounds of lab work, so my experiences are somewhat limited, but I had no complaints.
Dr. Luzzo made us feel like their was hope, but gave us the straight information...and we wanted both.... She was candid, but kind and gave us the straight up answers when we asked questions. She didn't sugarcoat things and we liked that.... It was a pretty standard IVF cycle, although she did provide a little different protocol in terms of the drugs and increased the estrogen for the treatment.
I think Boston IVF can be a great clinic, but because they are so large you get handed off to different doctors and we had to go to different clinics for different procedures. I like the fact that they have a whole mind, body, spirit component with IVF. They offer a support group that I joined that was helpful.... Most of the appointments were in the early morning so it was first come, first serve. That can be a little nerve wracking, but I got into my appointments all the time before I went to work.
How was your experience with Kerri Luzzo at Boston IVF?
I think Dr. Luzzo was exactly what we wanted in a doctor. She was better than our previous one who had a better reputation. She was candid, but kind and gave us the straight up answers when we asked questions. She didn't sugarcoat things and we liked that.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kerri Luzzo at Boston IVF?
Just be ready to hear the truth. She will give it to you.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kerri Luzzo at Boston IVF?
Dr. Luzzo made us feel like their was hope, but gave us the straight information...and we wanted both.
Describe the protocols Kerri Luzzo used in your cycles at Boston IVF and their degree of success.
It was a pretty standard IVF cycle, although she did provide a little different protocol in terms of the drugs and increased the estrogen for the treatment.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Boston IVF.
She seemed very empathetic. She knew her stuff and that is always important. She seemed to get her job done quickly and proficiently.
Describe your experience with Boston IVF.
I think Boston IVF can be a great clinic, but because they are so large you get handed off to different doctors and we had to go to different clinics for different procedures. I like the fact that they have a whole mind, body, spirit component with IVF. They offer a support group that I joined that was helpful.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Boston IVF.
Most of the appointments were in the early morning so it was first come, first serve. That can be a little nerve wracking, but I got into my appointments all the time before I went to work.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kerri Luzzo at Boston IVF.
Our insurance covered practically all of the costs and Dr. Luzzo was honest with us about additional procedures like Donor Eggs and PGS. We actually saved some money based upon her advice regarding Donor Eggs.
Describe Kerri Luzzo's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Boston IVF.
Boston IVF only does single transfer to prevent multiples. Our previous doctor did not. We did have a pregnancy with the previous clinic, but it resulted in a miscarriage.
What specific things went wrong at Boston IVF?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Boston IVF.
I think our prescriptions were delayed for this last procedure. It wasn't a big deal, but it did cause a bit of anxiety for us to start the procedure.
Dr Pauli is a very science based doctor. He wanted to stick to what has been scientifically researched in terms of supplements and remedies. He listened me for my suggestions and agreed to do a procedure the way I wanted...Dr Pauli explained why it is so hard for us to conceive and was very realistic but in a nice way. He agreed to do the 7th IVF just because I wanted to. At the same time, he blurted out clinic’s success rate was gonna go down with my 7th try.
I liked the regular sonographers Annie and Deb. They told me what they were seeing and didn’t leave me wondering how many follicles I have or how big they were. The lab [at IVF New England] was usually very quick. I didn’t like the way the waiting room was. Various people were waiting and sometimes I felt sensitive to what others were there for...They were always pleasant to talk to. They were organized and answered any questions I had patiently. Their return calls were always prompt.
How was your experience with Samuel Pauli at Boston IVF?
Dr Pauli is a very science based doctor. He wanted to stick to what has been scientifically researched in terms of supplements and remedies. He listened me for my suggestions and agreed to do a procedure the way I wanted.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Samuel Pauli at Boston IVF?
He is very nice. But don’t ask him about supplements and other things you would do to increase your fertility.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Samuel Pauli at Boston IVF?
Dr Pauli explained why it is so hard for us to conceive and was very realistic but in a nice way. He agreed to do the 7th IVF just because I wanted to. At the same time, he blurted out clinic’s success rate was gonna go down with my 7th try. I know he said it jokingly. Except this statement, he treated us nicely.
Describe the protocols Samuel Pauli used in your cycles at Boston IVF and their degree of success.
Because I had already had four IVF cycles before I saw him, dr Pauli reviewed what worked well and didn’t work well for me from the previous cycles. He did both antagonist and birth control for prep. Used Gonal-f (follistim) as FSH and menopur and lupron. I used clamid and femera as well.
When I used femera and small dose of follistim, I had day 5 transfer for the first time although it ended in negative pregnancy test.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Boston IVF.
They were always pleasant to talk to. They were organized and answered any questions I had patiently. Their return calls were always prompt.
Describe your experience with Boston IVF.
I liked the regular sonographers Annie and Deb. They told me what they were seeing and didn’t leave me wondering how many follicles I have or how big they were. The lab was usually very quick.
I didn’t like the way the waiting room was. Various people were waiting and sometimes I felt sensitive to what others were there for.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Samuel Pauli at Boston IVF.
It was about $10,000 for a complete cycle plus testing and lab. My insurance covered almost all of the full cycle.
Describe Samuel Pauli's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Boston IVF.
Since I had only two embryos I had assumed one stopped growing. When I asked he said nope it's fine but dr Zimon changed you to one. I was so angry. I hate confrontation and I felt like I was put on the spot and had to defend myself and fight for my original plan. I had a chemical that cycle and had a phone follow up that was very brief with dr Zimon. I raised concerns and she brushed them off. Cycle two I had the exact same results. Same amount of eggs (I was told 8 but they were wrong, they got 5 again) Dr Zimon was the dr on rotation for the day of my 2nd transfer and it also happened to be her last day at he practice. She didn't bother to mention that to me and I found out my dr had quit on Facebook! I feel like her quiting was a blessing in disguise because I absolutely love my new dr. He spent almost an hour on the phone with me answering every question and concern.
...She [Dr Alison Zimon] didn't bother to mention that to me and I found out my dr had quit on Facebook! I feel like her quiting was a blessing in disguise because I absolutely love my new dr. He spent almost an hour on the phone with me answering every question and concern...They [Boston IVF] are very efficient. I don't lived near an office so I get blood and scans done locally. It's very convenient. Unless it's a weekend.
How was your experience with Alison Zimon at Boston IVF?
She was very nice and personable when we met for a consultation. Our next appointment after testing was quick and to the point. All communication after that was with her nurses. My first problem with her and what made me lose her trust happened at my first transfer. She changed our agreed upon plan last minute. We agreed on single embryo transfer of a 5 day blast or two embryos if day 3. I showed up on day three and the random dr that was doing my transfer told me we were transferring one. Since I had only two embryos I had assumed one stopped growing. When I asked he said nope it's fine but dr Zimon changed you to one. I was so angry. I hate confrontation and I felt like I was put on the spot and had to defend myself and fight for my original plan. I had a chemical that cycle and had a phone follow up that was very brief with dr Zimon. Cycle two I had the exact same results. Same amount of eggs (I was told 8 but they were wrong, they got 5 again).
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Alison Zimon at Boston IVF?
Consult she was friendly but never spoke with her again until follow up for failed cycle. She kept the call quick.
Describe the protocols Alison Zimon used in your cycles at Boston IVF and their degree of success.
I have a low AMH of .8 but I am only 31 so she wasn't worried about egg quality. Based on my AFC of 10 she was very confident that we would get around 10 eggs. First cycle was bcp/antagonist with 225 gonal and 20 HCG. I only stimmed for 6 days, triggering with HCG on day 7. I only used two doses of cetrotide. Retrieved 5 eggs, 3 mature, 2 fertilized, transferred 2, chemical
Cycle two we had planned estrogen patch protocol. I went for bloodwork to confirm ovulation then I was to start the estrogen patch for a few days, then add cetrotide before period. I got my period early so on cycle day 1 she had me put on estrogen patch then I started gonal f at 375 the next day with 40 HCG. She didn't send me for a scan until day 5 on which day she increased my gonal to 450 with 40 HCG. Stimmed 6 days again, trigger with ovidrel on day 7. 5 eggs retrieved 2 fertilized (didn't tell me how many were mature) transferred both (excellent grades) and had a negative beta. No follow up because she left the practice.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Boston IVF. (Assigned nurse: Karen)
Minor prescription mix ups but they are overall awesome. I was told 8 eggs at my second retrieval but it was only 5. They went through hell when Zimon left the practice so there was a few rocky days of missed callbacks but overall they recovered quickly and are very helpful
Describe your experience with Boston IVF.
They are very efficient. I don't live near an office so I get blood and scans done locally. It's very convenient. Unless it's a weekend. —————————————————————-———————————-—————————————————————————————————
Describe the costs associated with your care under Alison Zimon at Boston IVF.
I have insurance coverage and ended up spending $800 first cycle $1100 second.
Describe Alison Zimon's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Boston IVF.
She really pushed me to one. I chose two of day 3 transfers. Since I only got two embryos each time I felt good about putting both in.
What specific things went wrong at Boston IVF?
Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Boston IVF.
Surprise changes to protocol. I thought I was doing the same type of estrogen priming I did before but I was actually changed to luteal estrogen and wouldn't have known if I didn't ask questions.
Dr Thornton explained the process thoroughly using language that I could understand. She even drew pictures which made it easy to understand a complicated process. She also was very direct and didn't tell me what I wanted to hear, she told me what I needed to hear. Since I am 43, nothing is a guarantee...They [team at Boston IVF] were sensitive to my situation and didn't treat me like the "next patient"...
They [Boston IVF] were sensitive to my situation and didn't treat me like the "next patient"...You will be making blood work appointments with set times, but there's a sign in sheer too. So if you need to get in and out, it's best to get there early and sign up first for your time slot. A strength they have is their phlebotomists.... they are absolutely wonderful for people who have anxieties about needles.
How was your experience with Kim L. Thornton at Boston IVF?
Dr Thornton explained the process thoroughly using language that I could understand. She even drew pictures which made it easy to understand a complicated process. She also was very direct and didn't tell me what I wanted to hear, she told me what I needed to hear. Since I am 43, nothing is a guarantee.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kim L. Thornton at Boston IVF?
Don't go in with the expectation you absolutely will be able to get pregnant, there are tests to be done to see if you're a candidate or not
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kim L. Thornton at Boston IVF?
They were sensitive to my situation and didn't treat me like the "next patient"
Describe the protocols Kim L. Thornton used in your cycles at Boston IVF and their degree of success.
I had to take the pill for two weeks to jump start the ovaries. Then once I got mt period, I started gonal f, HCG, cetrotide, and ovidrel. I needed to get my ovaries ready for egg retrieval. The meds made me feel tired, bloated, and a little nauseous. My ovaries were get getting enlarged. I get blood work and an ultrasound tomorrow to figure out the next round of injections.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Boston IVF. (Assigned nurse: Sonia)
They are all great. From the front desk to the phlebotomist, to the nurses. They're sympathetic to how your feeling and speak in a very ca manor. They call and follow up with the information as they get it.
Describe your experience with Boston IVF.
You will be making blood work appointments with set times, but there's a sign in sheer too. So if you need to get in and out, it's best to get there early and sign up first for your time slot.
A strength they have is their phlebotomists.... they are absolutely wonderful for people who have anxieties about needles. I hate them and they made it the most pleasant blood draw I've ever had
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kim L. Thornton at Boston IVF.
My appts are covered by my insurance . Normal dr appt were 25$.
What specific things went wrong at Boston IVF?
Failed to order appropriate test
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Boston IVF.
My husband had blood work done and the nurse requested specific tests done. But one of the tests weren't performed so he had to get a second blood draw.
They didn't explain why the test was missed
Dr. DiGirolamo was very informative, straightforward, and matter of fact. She was compassionate and empathized with us, but focused discussions on the treatment. My husband likes numbers, facts, statistics, and focusing on the problem at hand while I prefer doctors who are friendly and make me feel like I matter. Despite these differences in preference, my husband and I both really liked Dr. DiGirolamo. She frequently let my husband and I discuss our options while she just listened quietly. She wouldn't interrupt us unless we asked her a question or she had relevant information to add. Also, she never tried to push us toward one treatment or option. She simply gave us the facts and let us make our own decision.
A strength of the clinic [Boston IVF] is that it seemed to be pretty state of the art and technically advanced (although I don't know how it actually compares to others). The clinic also felt professional and like a well-oiled machine (which can be a pro and a con)...There were maybe 2 or 3 people on the nursing staff that I dealt with frequently and then another 3 to 6 people I dealt with just once or twice. It was hard to keep them all straight. They were generally friendly and informative. My only way to contact them was by phone and they didn't always pick up, so that was annoying
How was your experience with Carla DiGirolamo at Boston IVF?
Dr. DiGirolamo was very informative, straightforward, and matter of fact. She was compassionate and empathized with us, but focused discussions on the treatment. My husband likes numbers, facts, statistics, and focusing on the problem at hand while I prefer doctors who are friendly and make me feel like I matter. Despite these differences in preference, my husband and I both really liked Dr. DiGirolamo.
She frequently let my husband and I discuss our options while she just listened quietly. She wouldn't interrupt us unless we asked her a question or she had relevant information to add. Also, she never tried to push us toward one treatment or option. She simply gave us the facts and let us make our own decision.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Carla DiGirolamo at Boston IVF?
Make sure you write down your questions beforehand and ask everything you want to know more about. Sometimes she seems a bit rushed, but she will always take time to answer all of your questions and explain anything you don't understand.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Carla DiGirolamo at Boston IVF?
The doctor gave us the information we needed to make decisions and was not judgmental. She empathized and answered all of our questions. She did seem a tiny bit rushed at times.
Describe the protocols Carla DiGirolamo used in your cycles at Boston IVF and their degree of success.
I did 2 rounds of IVF. The first cycle I used birth control pills for a month and then I think I did Lupron and Gonal-F injections once a day. The first cycle, many of the eggs retrieved were immature. Only a few embryos made it to Day 3 and we got a negative pregnancy test. Because of the low number of mature eggs, she changed my protocol for the second cycle.
The second cycle I did not use birth control pills (she said it would suppress me too much). I forget what meds I used. During the stimulation period I had to do a micro-dose injection twice a day (Lupron?) and another injection (Gonal-F) once a day. I also had to wait a few hours longer between my trigger and retrieval than the first time, to let my eggs fully mature. I am now 14-weeks pregnant with a single baby.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Boston IVF.
There were maybe 2 or 3 people on the nursing staff that I dealt with frequently and then another 3 to 6 people I dealt with just once or twice. It was hard to keep them all straight. They were generally friendly and informative. My only way to contact them was by phone and they didn't always pick up, so that was annoying, especially since infertility patients often have questions and are worried about everything. When I got a call about the test results (the negative and later the positive pregnancy test), the nurse who called with the news seemed genuinely disappointed/excited for me.
Describe your experience with Boston IVF.
I think the clinic recently changed ownership and their policies and procedures have changed for the worse. I had 2 IVF cycles (2 retrievals, 2 transfers), one in late 2016 and the other in early 2017.
The first retrieval/transfer felt much more patient friendly than the second one. For the second retrieval, I felt much more like I was a number and they were trying to rush me out of there. An example is the first time they let me stay as long as I needed to recover and made sure I could pee before I left. The second time they got me out the door soon afterwards.
The first time they had snacks in the waiting room and let me eat and drink as much as I wanted during recovery. The second time they still gave me a snack, but it was much more limited. They also used to have water and snacks in the waiting room for transfers and retrievals, but they didn't the second time I went. There wasn't even a pitcher of water in the waiting room anymore (which seemed silly since you're supposed to drink lots of water before a transfer).
There were lots of little changes like these that felt like they were just trying to save money and made me feel like a number instead of a person. None of these things were deal breakers for me or that big of a deal, but it was disappointing to see these kinds of changes.
A strength of the clinic is that it seemed to be pretty state of the art and technically advanced (although I don't know how it actually compares to others). The clinic also felt professional and like a well-oiled machine (which can be a pro and a con).
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Boston IVF.
The monitoring appointments were conveniently scheduled in the morning, so I could go before work (I think the hours were 6-9AM).
It was kind of confusing how they scheduled the appointment times. They asked you to schedule a specific time, but then it was mostly just first come first served. It seemed like they didn't really care what time you were there during that window. For ultrasound appointments they seemed a bit more strict about the appointments and schedule. The blood work was kind of a free for all (first come first serve).
Most of the time I only had to wait a few minutes (less than 10) to do the monitoring. Two or three times I had to wait for about an hour.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Carla DiGirolamo at Boston IVF.
For each IVF cycle, the clinic charged $9000. My other costs (appointments, genetic testing, infertility testing, etc.) were a total of about $300 after my insurance coverage.
Describe Carla DiGirolamo's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Boston IVF.
My doctor did not say much of anything about this issue. I had done a great deal of research about it beforehand, on my own, and was strongly in favor of doing a single transfer. Maybe the doctor didn't discuss it with us because it was clear we understood the pros and cons. At one point my husband and I disagreed and looked to her to provide her medical advice (or to act as the tiebreaker), and she mentioned the pros and cons but said it was entirely up to us. We did decide to do a single transfer both times, but I wish she had been a bit more insistent about the importance of doing a single transfer.
What specific things went wrong at Boston IVF?
Failed to call with results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Boston IVF.
For one cycle, they forgot to call me and tell me some important, time-critical test results. If I remember correctly, it was Day 2 and I needed to know if I was going in for a Day 3 or Day 5 transfer. No one called me all day. The paper instructions they gave me said to call a certain number if I hadn't heard anything by 6 PM. I called that number at 6:15, and an answering service person told me it was after hours and I would have to call back the next day. After arguing with the answering service person for a while, she finally let me talk to the on-call doctor. That doctor looked up my information and gave me the next instructions I needed for my treatment. The issue was resolved, but brought me to tears and added a lot of stress and anxiety to an already very stressful time.
His [Dr. Samuel Pang's] manner can be rather dry but he is a good doctor and our procedures were successful. Also, he pushed the egg bank they worked with quite a bit which I guess is understandable but I might remind someone that there are others and they can use any one that they want...I will say that I wish they had not been so negative about transferring two embryos, and that the communication with the nursing team could have been better. However, you can't argue with success and ultimately I have a very positive feeling toward them because I have my beautiful son and am four weeks away from having a daughter if all goes well.
I will say that I wish they [the team at IVF New England] had not been so negative about transferring two embryos, and that the communication with the nursing team could have been better. However, you can't argue with success and ultimately I have a very positive feeling toward them because I have my beautiful son and am four weeks away from having a daughter if all goes well.
How was your experience with Samuel Pang at Boston IVF?
He was very knowledgeable and answered all of our questions. The first IVF someone else performed the procedure but he did the second one. It worked on the first try both times. I have nothing else to say but you are requiring me to get to 200 characters which seems sort of ridiculous.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Samuel Pang at Boston IVF?
His manner can be rather dry but he is a good doctor and our procedures were successful. Also, he pushed the egg bank they worked with quite a bit which I guess is understandable but I might remind someone that there are others and they can use any one that they want.
Describe the protocols Samuel Pang used in your cycles at Boston IVF and their degree of success.
I don't remember specifically. I believe that the first time I took Lupron, Estrace, and Progesterone. The second time I only took Estrace and Progesterone.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Boston IVF. (Assigned nurse: Paula Dwan)
They seemed a bit disorganized to me. The communication was also not great. Friends that used other clinics talked about how they could email questions and also how close they felt to their nurse because they talked to them so much. There were some times that they forgot to call when they were supposed to and so forth.
Describe your experience with Boston IVF.
I really can't speak to this too much. We didn't go anywhere else so I have no basis for comparison. I will say that I wish they had not been so negative about transferring two embryos, and that the communication with the nursing team could have been better. However, you can't argue with success and ultimately I have a very positive feeling toward them because I have my beautiful son and am four weeks away from having a daughter if all goes well.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Samuel Pang at Boston IVF.
I really don't remember exactly. I think the first time was around $15,000 and the second time was around $4000.
Describe Samuel Pang's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Boston IVF.
Yes, he was very discouraging on transferring more than one embryo at a time. I still wish we had tried for that and that I had been more assertive about it.
What specific things went wrong at Boston IVF?
Failed to call with results
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Boston IVF.
Nothing I care to elaborate on. I can barely remember anyway.
The wait to see him [Dr. Berger] is always an hour at least, but when you're with him you get the sense that he's very engaged in the conversation and not rushed...You only get to see Dr. Berger at your initial consult and then again after the retrieval to get results. There's a long wait but when you're with him, he takes his time and you don't feel rushed. It's just hard not to feel like a number - you can tell they do this day in and day out and the info can be really overwhelming - if you don't advocate for yourself you could get lost in the system.
You have a main nursing line [at Boston IVF] you call with many nurses calling back. All were nice, but some were more patient and compassionate than others...2nd round is about $17,500 plus meds and genetics...Weaknesses - Dr. Berger has a busy schedule so you sometimes have to wait weeks to see him and appointments are sometimes by phone vs. in person. Long waits to see him as well - the 2 times we've gone it's been over an hour wait. Strength Dr. Berger created the protocol we were assigned to so you know you're in good hands. He's very patient while you're with him and kind. He's optimistic but doesn't give false hope.
How was your experience with Brian Berger at Boston IVF?
We came to Dr. Berger after finding out that MGH was closing their lab in December 2016 which would have delayed our first treatment cycle. We found Dr. Berger to be very informative and more encouraging than Dr. Toth had been. The wait to see him is always an hour at least, but when you're with him you get the sense that he's very engaged in the conversation and not rushed.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brian Berger at Boston IVF?
Come prepared and do your research - ask lots of questions and leave the office asking "what is next". Ask about the protocols that they're recommending and what alternative there are. Ask about the medications and what each one does and ask about the treatment plan, how often you'll be in monitoring, what to expect at the retrieval and next steps. Ask whether genetic testing is worth it. Just ask...
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brian Berger at Boston IVF?
You only get to see Dr. Berger at your initial consult and then again after the retrieval to get results. There's a long wait but when you're with him, he takes his time and you don't feel rushed. It's just hard not to feel like a number - you can tell they do this day in and day out and the info can be really overwhelming - if you don't advocate for yourself you could get lost in the system.
Describe the protocols Brian Berger used in your cycles at Boston IVF and their degree of success.
Start with Estradiol and then injections start- Gonal F, HCG, Cetrotide, Ovidrel
Leutal Estrogen Protocol - FSH
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Boston IVF.
You have a main nursing line you call with many nurses calling back. All were nice, but some were more patient and compassionate than others.
Describe your experience with Boston IVF.
Weaknesses -
Dr. Berger has a busy schedule so you sometimes have to wait weeks to see him and appointments are sometimes by phone vs. in person. Long waits to see him as well - the 2 times we've gone it's been over an hour wait.
Strength
Dr. Berger created the protocol we were assigned to so you know you're in good hands. He's very patient while you're with him and kind. He's optimistic but doesn't give false hope.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Brian Berger at Boston IVF.
insurance covered our first round. 2nd round is about $17,500 plus meds and genetics
Describe Brian Berger's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Boston IVF.
We had no interaction with Dr. DiGirolamo throughout the entire process after we decided to go with her and everything was through the nurses. Dr. DiGirolamo happened to be the scheduled doctor on the day of my egg retrieval (IVF New England does rotation). She was in the waiting area where all patients were while she awaited for her first retrieval to start but did not come by to say hi or acknowledge that I was her patient (I was the 3rd or 4th one).
During my entire treatment, we only saw/spoke with Dr. Carla 3 times during the entire process. I raised concerns about the low # of follicles during the injection to the nurse [at IVF New England] since we did not have any interaction with the doctor directly; however, my med dosage was not adjusted. Prior to the treatment, there was no issue (on paper or blood result) about my egg quality as all along I was told it was a male infertility factor. I was surprised that I only had 5 eggs retrieved. I am currently pregnant and looking forward to the baby arrival. When I was confirmed that I was pregnant (through day 14 bloodwork and week 7 ultrasound), there was no personal phone call from the doctor to congratulate me.
How was your experience with Carla DiGirolamo at Boston IVF?
When we met with Dr. Carla the first time, she was very warm and explained things to us in details and made us comfortable. We were actually shopping for fertility doctor at the time and decided to go with Dr. DiGirolamo since she was able to start the process right away (and we got the appointment with her within 3 days meanwhile the original RE doctor that my OB doctor recommended did not have any appointment for 2 months). However, we had no interaction with Dr. DiGirolamo throughout the entire process after we decided to go with her and everything was through the nurses. Dr. DiGirolamo happened to be the scheduled doctor on the day of my egg retrieval (IVF New England does rotation). She was in the waiting area where all patients were while she awaited for her first retrieval to start but did not come by to say hi or acknowledge that I was her patient (I was the 3rd or 4th one).
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Carla DiGirolamo at Boston IVF?
Dr. DiGirolamo gets the job done. At the end, I did get pregnant and have a healthy baby. Don't expect Dr. DiGirolamo to connect with you at the personal level or spend the time to listen to your needs/concerns. Dr. DiGirolamo does have a great nurse team and they work very efficiently.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Carla DiGirolamo at Boston IVF?
During my entire treatment, we only saw/spoke with Dr. Carla 3 times during the entire process. I raised concerns about the low # of follicles during the injection to the nurse since we did not have any interaction with the doctor directly; however, my med dosage was not adjusted. Prior to the treatment, there was no issue (on paper or blood result) about my egg quality as all along I was told it was a male infertility factor. I was surprised that I only had 5 eggs retrieved. I am currently pregnant and looking forward to the baby arrival. When I was confirmed that I was pregnant (through day 14 bloodwork and week 7 ultrasound), there was no personal phone call from the doctor to congratulate me.
Describe the protocols Carla DiGirolamo used in your cycles at Boston IVF and their degree of success.
It was explained to me that because it was male infertility factor, I must go through IVF process with the egg retrieval and embryo implementation. I was on birth control pill (i did not understand why I was on the bcp when my period has always been very regular but did not question since I thought everyone needed to be on it as part of the process. I later asked my friend who also went through IVF treatment and she said her wasn't on the bcp), I was then on menopur and follistim on the first day of my period. On day 5 was my first ultrasound and learned that I had 2 follicles that were larger than 10mm. There was no increase in dosage through the entire process even though I had expressed my concern as the # of follicles remained low for the next few ultrasound. I was told that as long as I have at least 3 follicles that were larger than 10mm, my retrieval would not be cancelled. But I was hoping to have more eggs so that I could save some for the second baby. I am not sure if increasing would have helped with getting more follicles but it would have been nice to the doctor adjusted the treatment.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Boston IVF.
There are total of 3 nurses on the nurse team that I normally worked with. They are very friendly and do get back to me in a reasonable time whenever i left a message. They ordered the medicine timely and provided the instruction including the calendar. I did not know how to inject myself but the nurse told me to youtube as the links that they provided did not work.
Describe your experience with Boston IVF.
The clinic is very efficient. You know exactly where to go (for blood work and ultrasound). They get you in and out quickly and I hardly ever had to wait past my appointment time. The hours are very flexible. They open early in the morning and weekends which made it convenient for me since I did not need to miss any work. I would suggest them to change the process for people who brings the sperm. I remember on the day I had to bring my husband's sperm to the clinic immediately after he had surgery, there were 2 other people ahead of me in line and it took a long time for the receptionist to address their questions. Before the surgery, I specifically asked where I should bring the sperm. The nurse told me that I needed to bring the sperm to the receptionist and she would take care of it. They should have told me to bring it to the second floor where the lab is located so that I did not have to wait in line for another 15 minutes to speak with the receptionist. I was so nervous since I was told sperm would survive with 1 hour after retrieval and it took 20 minutes drive to the clinic. Even at the lab, I still had to wait for the lab technician to come out and meet me. They should improve this process.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Carla DiGirolamo at Boston IVF.
My insurance covers all the costs. All I had to pay was the co-payment for the appointments and medicine. However, I had to pay genetic testing as well as my husband's sperm storage and analysis before receiving the procedures. IVF New England would not submit claims to my insurance for these. I submitted the claims to my insurance in early 2016. Because the contract my insurance has with IVF New England, they paid IVF New England as well. Due to some kind of policies, neither party could refund me the money directly and ask other to pay me back for the money I paid to IVF New England. It's now January 2017, I still do not have the money.
Dr Alper was very compassionate and knowledgeable with the process. He was very kind and explained the process thoroughly. He also went above and beyond with testing during our recurrent losses. He is very busy and clearly has a heavy case load, which made us feel like just a number rather than a personal experience. This was a downside.
For one of the IUIs [at Boston IVF], I had triggered and we were scheduled to go in for the semen drop off/ IUI. Timing is crucial, and when my husband showed up to drop off his sample, no one was there (we were at the Worcester office). We called many times, but it was before hours and couldn’t get ahold of anyone. This office is shared with an ultrasound so they fortunately had a number to call. We were over 2 hours past the “go time” for the IUI. They redeemed themselves by showing the actual sample and that it hadn’t effected anything. This left us feeling like they didn’t care or could not be trusted.
How was your experience with Michael Alper at Boston IVF?
Dr Alper was very compassionate and knowledgeable with the process. He was very kind and explained the process thoroughly. He also went above and beyond with testing during our recurrent losses. He is very busy and clearly has a heavy case load, which made us feel like just a number rather than a personal experience. This was a downside.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Alper at Boston IVF?
If you are looking to feel like he genuinely knows your case, this is not the doctor for you. He is a great doctor, but doesn’t know he patients well.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Alper at Boston IVF?
Dr Alper clearly has a stellar reputation and sees many patients. He is also the coowner of BIVF, and goes to several of their locations. Because of this, we felt he didn’t know our case in detail. While sitting with him in the office, he would refer back to the computer with our information even on basic Information. I would have appreciated him studying up even briefly, prior to meeting with us. This is what made us feel like just another patient.
Describe the protocols Michael Alper used in your cycles at Boston IVF and their degree of success.
We knew, due to bloodwork, my amh level was low. Due to this we started at a higher gonalF level right from the beginning. Midcycle, he noticed I still wasn’t respond the way he wanted and upped the dosage. I liked that he made this adjustment.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Boston IVF. (Assigned nurse: Kristen)
Again, due to the size of this clinic there are many people handling your case. Some of the time, we heard from the primary nurse, however it was hearing from different people that we found challenegjng because they again didn’t know the fine details of our specific case. We had to explain and re-explain ourselves often.
Describe your experience with Boston IVF.
Being a large clinic has its strengths and weaknesses. They have a high success rate, have incredibly high standards, and have many resources available. The staff we worked with unfortunately did not take the time to know our case thoroughly, in our opinion due to their high volume, leaving us feeling like we were just a number.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Alper at Boston IVF.
Fortunately most of our treatments (and medications) were covered by my insurance.
Describe Michael Alper's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Boston IVF.
He is pretty firm on transferring one embryo at a time, even into your 30s. He stated several times that multiple embryo transfer on increases your chance of twins, not a pregnancy.
What specific things went wrong at Boston IVF?
Lost appointments
Failed to convey critical information
Scheduled the wrong procedure
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Boston IVF.
For one of the IUIs, I had triggered and we were scheduled to go in for the semen drop off/ IUI. Timing is crucial, and when my husband showed up to drop off his sample, no one was there (we were at the Worcester office). We called many times, but it was before hours and couldn’t get ahold of anyone. This office is shared with an ultrasound so they fortunately had a number to call. We were over 2 hours past the “go time” for the IUI. They redeemed themselves by showing the actual sample and that it hadn’t effected anything. This left us feeling like they didn’t care or could not be trusted.
I liked that she was candid about the reality of our situation. Very compassionate in her approach. She gave us options at all stages and I felt she gave us good information for us to make informed decisions.
Strengths: - early morning hours for monitoring appts. I.e. blood and ultrasound (before normal business hours) -appts for procedures and monitoring seemed to run extremely efficiently -in house notary -multiple Dr's available in clinic Weaknesses : - no early or late hours for Dr. Consults normally. -notary hours only during normal business hours. -billing for embryo storage was difficult to understand
How was your experience with Rita Sneeringer at Boston IVF?
I liked that she was candid about the reality of our situation. Very compassionate in her approach. She gave us options at all stages and I felt she gave us good information for us to make informed decisions.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rita Sneeringer at Boston IVF?
Ask if after business hours are available for consults.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rita Sneeringer at Boston IVF?
Never rushed us-always willing to take as long as we needed during apts to answer our questions. Always took the time to try to explain complex medical jargon.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Boston IVF. (Assigned nurse: Meg)
Meg was assigned to me halfway through my treatment-and she's been fabulous. The previous nurse had been extremely scatterbrained and not patient in explaining process, treatment steps, etc. Meg has been the complete opposite, and always is patient when explaining (and re-explaining) things to me. The one thing I think could be better is that since different staff handle different portions of the treatment, that sometimes I would have to speak to multiple people -and it would have been easier if theI ran responsibilities overlapped.
Describe your experience with Boston IVF.
Strengths:
- early morning hours for monitoring appts. I.e. blood and ultrasound (before normal business hours)
-appts for procedures and monitoring seemed to run extremely efficiently
-in house notary
-multiple Dr's available in clinic
Weaknesses :
- no early or late hours for Dr. Consults normally.
-notary hours only during normal business hours.
-billing for embryo storage was difficult to understand ( They bill you all at once -and only after questioning it, I was told I could pay monthly. Would have preferred to have had that clearly outlined in the billing)
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Describe the costs associated with your care under Rita Sneeringer at Boston IVF.
I barely interacted with Dr. Gladstein, aside from one introductory appointment, and one after a miscarriage to decide next steps. Most of my interactions with with the nurses...I have no problem with Dr. Glatstein, just no real relationship. I got the sense he was very good at what he did. He provided information, evaluated my circumstances, and made reasonable recommendations during an emotional time.
They [IVF New England] are a large clinic, so your doctor will not likely be the person to do the procedure. This didn't both me given the expertise of the doctors and the need for timeliness, which was always achieved. The biggest concern I would have as a patient would be management of hormone treatment, which was considerably better when working directly with nurses, rather than my first experience, when an outside doctor, Dr. Gary Gross, was coordinating with RSC (now IVF Lexington). This was a terrible experience and I would not recommend to work with an outside provider unless you have an exceptional relationship- the center itself is much more coordinated when all points of care come from them.
How was your experience with Isaac Glatstein at Boston IVF?
I have no problem with Dr. Glatstein, just no real relationship. I got the sense he was very good at what he did. He provided information, evaluated my circumstances, and made reasonable recommendations during an emotional time.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Isaac Glatstein at Boston IVF?
He's fine, but know that, at least in my case, the nurses matter more.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Isaac Glatstein at Boston IVF?
I barely interacted with Dr. Gladstein, aside from one introductory appointment, and one after a miscarriage to decide next steps. Most of my interactions with with the nurses.
Describe the protocols Isaac Glatstein used in your cycles at Boston IVF and their degree of success.
I did injections to stimulate hormones for egg retrieval and then after pregnancy to continue hormone levels to be stable. I also used the vaginal cream after becoming pregnant to sustain estrogen levels (an earlier doctor did not do this). We did needle insemination of sperm into our embryos.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Boston IVF.
They were willing and able to take calls and communicate frequently. They gave honest information, but didn't sugar coat. I had one failed pregnancy, and one fragile pregnancy, and especially in the latter, it was challenging, but they were there for me, even at odd hours. I had medicine delivered in a snow storm and an appointment at 6 am on a Saturday for an ultrasound after a bleed.
Describe your experience with Boston IVF.
They are a large clinic, so your doctor will not likely be the person to do the procedure. This didn't both me given the expertise of the doctors and the need for timeliness, which was always achieved. The biggest concern I would have as a patient would be management of hormone treatment, which was considerably better when working directly with nurses, rather than my first experience, when an outside doctor, Dr. Gary Gross, was coordinating with RSC (now IVF Lexington). This was a terrible experience and I would not recommend to work with an outside provider unless you have an exceptional relationship- the center itself is much more coordinated when all points of care come from them.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Isaac Glatstein at Boston IVF.
Our health insurance covered our entire IVF process. It was exceptional, and this policy is no longer offered by husband's employer.
What specific things went wrong at Boston IVF?
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Boston IVF.
My first doctor, Gary Gross, did not communicate the hormone treatment that would be necessary after a positive pregnancy test and did not do testing nearly with the same rigor as the nurses and protocols at RSC. This isn't a problem per se with the clinic, rather than the way, at the time, they coordinated their services with doctors that were not providing the same standard of care.
