CCRM Minneapolis

The biggest strength of CCRM Minneapolis is definitely how up-to-date and successful they are, they definitely know what they are doing! In general, I also found the clinic staff to be kind, knowledgeable, and helpful. Overall, the strengths far outweigh the weaknesses, but there are a few downsides to CCRM that are worth mentioning. The clinic hours sometimes made it difficult to schedule appointments around my work schedule, and also made phone communication tricky sometimes (it is often not possible for me to take/make phone calls while I'm at work). Because they are so busy and see so many patients, I occasionally felt a little bit lost in the shuffle, or like there were some gaps in communication among the nurses when I had to talk to a few different nurses about my care.

Dr. Batchellor and all of the nurses at CCRM were very friendly, kind, and responsive to questions. It was clear that they looked closely at each cycle to determine what factors might be affecting my case, and used that information to tweak the next treatment cycle.

The nursing staff was excellent overall. Occasionally there were a few gaps in communication about my medication protocol (usually they were able to be sorted out quickly, though sometimes there was some scrambling to get more of a medication in time), but that is really my only complaint. Margaret, the nurse who coordinated my care, was very helpful, and I'd also like to mention Jill for going above and beyond in more than one instance to answer questions or get medication to us when I needed more than was originally anticipated.

Dr. Batcheller is extremely knowledgeable and competent, as well as friendly and always willing to answer questions or explain things in more detail. She's very up to date with fertility research. The only time I felt that her recommendations were not 100% evidence-based were after my embryo transfer and in early pregnancy (before I transferred back to my OB). She is extremely conservative and cautious about early pregnancy, and gave me a lot of restrictions that seemed unnecessary and that did not line up with the research I found (for example, 2 days of bed rest after embryo transfer). Overall, my experience with Dr. Batcheller was extremely positive, and she got the job done! Although I only had a handful of appointments and conversations directly with her, she communicated well through the clinic staff and never seemed inaccessible.

Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions! She is very good at explaining things clearly and concisely.

The cost for IUI varied between about $2,000 and $3,500, depending on how many ultrasounds were needed and what medication was used. The cost for IVF was about $14,000, plus about $7,000 in medications.

Dr. Batcheller did not actually ask if we wanted one embryo or two to be transferred until the day of the procedure, which I found a bit odd. We did not have a prior conversation about the pros and cons of single vs multiple embryo transfer, but when I said I only wanted one transferred, she said "That's probably a good idea, if we transfer 2 there's about a 60% chance of twins".

This clinic clearly has advanced technology and is affiliated with the CCRM headquarters. They don't yet have published outcome data, so it's unclear to me whether their outcomes will mirror those of the Denver site. One major weakness we've experienced is lack of organized and general difficulty scheduling appointments. At the start of our treatment with this clinic, we had difficulty scheduling appointments and received mixed messages (or inaccurate messages) from nurses. It seems as though the clinic has more patients than they can realistically manage.

This is our second round of treatment. We previously worked with a different clinic. We feel more like a number at this clinic. We also feel our concerns were not taken seriously until we started injections. It feels as though there are more patients than can be adequately managed and that we weren't a priority until injections started.

The phlebotomists are fantastic - caring, understanding, and great at drawing blood effectively the first time. We've struggled a bit with the nursing staff. We've received mixed messages and have noticed errors in our IVF calendar. At one point, test results were not shared with us which resulted in unexpected testing recommendations.

Dr. Batcheller has a record of success, and we are hopeful this round will be successful. She is always friendly and appears knowledgeable. Our last RE indicated, after one failed round of IVF, that our chances of a successful round of IVF would be low. April reviewed our records from that round and made significant adjustments to our protocol.

Be persistent. We had to persist to convince Dr. Batcheller to test us for infertility issues. She recommended we try for a year, though after persisting, testing showed severe male factor infertility that requires IVF.

We are coming to April's clinic with a history of one failed round of IVF. She's recommended a number of changes, and we're happy with her ability to adjust course from our last failed round. Priming: Estrogen and progesterone Stimming: Menopur, steroid, human growth hormone; cetrotide; lupron and novarel We'll be doing a frozen transfer after all embryos are genetically tested.

We haven't completed the process yet. We are 100% out-of-pocket for clinic services.

April recommends one embryo transfers due to my age and the high risk of multiples.

My overall experience at CCRM Minneapolis was great. I got all my questions answered (when I remembered to ask them, if not, the portal was a great resource) in a timely fashion. The communication seemed to be slightly lacking on occasion (they forgot to freeze my partner's sperm the first time around, but I think they are not used to doing this during the one day workup), generally between the lab and the nursing staff. When this occurred they did everything to help fix the issue and did not charge for reanalysis. Due to my concern about this they were even kind enough to show me the vial of sperm with my partner's name on it to reassure me. They called me promptly the morning after to let me know how many eggs were mature (60%) and that 100% had fertilized, and told me that there is still a chance that more will mature. Overall this is, of course, fewer than I might have hoped, but is still very good for my AMH. As with any clinic, be sure to advocate for yourself - if there is anything very particular to your case (like us using frozen sperm from my partner), tell them and tell them again. Other than that, things will run smoothly!

When meeting with Dr. Batcheller I felt that my care was very personalized and that she made a solid plan for my specific case. We met with her for the initial consultation, regroup after fertility tests (hormone levels, sperm analysis, etc.), and I saw her before and after my egg retrieval. I was able to make a follow up appointment with her two days after retrieval, and will be meeting with her to plan round two. I believe that other clinics have a lot more face to face time with the doctor, during stimming/monitoring I didn't see Dr. Batcheller at all. This didn't bother me personally very much, as she was clearly always in the background assessing how to manage my care. The staff at CCRM Minneapolis are also fantastic and began remembering my name after the second or third stim check, so I didn't feel much like a number.

The nursing staff always answered my messages in the portal promptly. They were overall kind and considerate. If they didn't know an answer they usually let me know that and followed up with someone who did know the answer. It seems like there is a bit of divide between the nursing staff and embryology, but I think this is not atypical. There were a few occasions where my questions were answered incorrectly, but I generally followed up with the doctor and got the right information. Dr. Batcheller then assured me she would inform the nurse so that they know for the future. I think I had more challenging questions than most as I am studying for my masters in biology.

The patient has to be comfortable dealing mostly with staff at this clinic. For me that wasn't a problem, and Dr. Batcheller was clearly monitoring my progress behind the scenes, as she is clearly very busy. I felt my care was well handled and had a very good cycle to begin with seeing as I have low ovarian reserve. The protocol seemed very fitting for a first round based on my situation, and I will only be requesting small adjustments for round two.

If you want a very personalized plan this is the place to go, but you should be prepared to have somewhat limited interactions with the doctor herself.

I did a high dosage protocol for my low ovarian reserve. I was on both Clomid and Dexamethasone, alongside 300 units Follistim, two vials of Menopur, and about halfway through I started one prefilled syringe of Ganirelix. I triggered with both HCG and Lupron. Toward the end of my cycle my estrogen was very high, so there was some concern for overstimming. They had me trigger according to our original plan, even though I was hoping to let a few more follicles catch up. They focused on my body and safety when I didn't, which I think is very important. They put me on Cabergoline to help this as well. I am currently one day past retrieval and have had no weight gain, no trouble urinating, and otherwise no signs of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Being below age 35 and having been on such high doses of hormones this was definitely a concern, and I'm glad that my doctor took this into account.

Initial Consultation: $200 One Day Workup (Hormone Testing, Hysteroscopy, Sperm Analysis, Disease Testing, Other Blood Tests): ~$2,100 in house, ~$2,000 to Quest Diagnostics (disease testing) Round One (Monitoring, Surgery): ~9,400 Anesthesia: $475 (Check Only)

Because I am doing PGS testing and am under age 30 I believe that when we get to the transfer I will only be allowed to do one. The risk of multiples is too high, and the success rate should be around 70%. For me this is a non-issue as I would like to avoid multiples if possible, as the risk to myself and the babies increases significantly in this case.

This clinic is NOT RESPONSIVE. As someone who is dealing with a highly sensitive and highly precise science, this is a terrible characteristic for the clinic. I was unable to talk to my doctor (Dr. Batcheller). I had no email, no phone number or any other way to communicate with her. I found the clinic to be incompetent and unprofessional.

My most recent experience with Dr. Batcheller is concerning. I am not being provided with information or responses to questions. There is no clarity on the process. The medications were not sent to the pharmacy and it generally feels like they are overworked, understaffed, or simply do not care about providing me with adequate service.

The nurses were unresponsive, uninformed and did not assist in ordering my medications for transfer. Quite frankly, I am not sure what the nursing staff does but every time I tried to talk to them or to reach Dr. Batcheller I was met with resistance. In fact, they gave me a general email address to email Dr. Batcheller with my concerns and the email link was bad. When I requested a new email link, they ignored me.

Dr. Batcheller, when I saw her which was not often, was kind and patient. She fully explained the procedure and risks and answered all of my questions. My interactions with her have always been pleasant.

More time with each patient and more availability for patients. I was not able to talk to Dr. Batcheller directly at all over the phone and when I asked for an email address to send her an email, I was given a non-functioning email address. When I tried, via the portal, to obtain a working email, I received no response.

$3500 for transfer plus the cost of medications

Dr. Batcheller prefers a single embryo transfer for good candidates due to the likelihood of twins.

The clinic and staff are always great. The appointment times are accurate, you’re never left waiting for too long, unlike a lot of doctor’s offices. Everyone there is always willing to answer questions to find the answers for you quickly. They never make you feel like an inconvenience. The only weakness I would say is Dr. Salem is flying solo right now which makes the schedule fill up very fast. I’m sure that will change when the other doctor returns.

He has been absolutely wonderful. He gives us the facts but in a way that is caring and assured that we’re going to get through it in a positive way. He’s very optimistic and we trust him.

Every nurse I have worked with at the clinic has been nothing short of awesome. Any questions that have come up have been answered quickly and thoroughly. Everyone is extremely patient and caring. Even though going through this type of treatment is something no one wants, they have made it so much less painful to have to go into the doctor so many times for checks.

Dr. Salem has been very compassionate and great at communicating. He is the only doctor on staff right now while the other is out on maternity leave but he still took the time to call with updates and give us next steps. Everyone at the clinic has been wonderful and caring and patient with all the questions we’ve had throughout the process.

Ask as many questions as you want. He’s extreme patient and kind and really makes you feel like he wants to help, you’re not just a number.

Due to my husbands abnormal sperm sample and the fact that we had tried other approaches prior to going to CCRM, Dr. Salem thought our most efficient and best option would be IVF since my tests showed normal results. We are currently in the transfer prepping phase of the cycle.

So far the costs have been surprisingly minimal through our insurance. I do wish we could have gotten a better estimate up front on what the cost of the entire cycle was going to be including medications.

My doctor does the single embryo approach. When I asked about doing multiples to possibly have a better shot, he explained the benefits for the mother and child if only one is transferred and that made me feel better about the approach and care for myself after getting pregnant.

The knowledge and lab facilities are amazing! Everyone who works here are experts and you can tell by the care you received. The Nurses at this location really made my experience amazing and one of the huge reasons I will continue to go back to them! They were considerate, answered my questions, and when I was having a bad/good day or appointment, they were there for me to celebrate in the happiness or pick me up if needed it. I had great experience with communication (via the portal and phone call).

Dr. Batcheller and her team were always willing to answer questions or sit with me longer to answer questions or concerns I had. They knew my name when I would come into the clinic - which made me feel like they were invested in me and I wasn't just another "patient"

I LOVED the nurses at CCRM-Minneapolis! They responded quickly to me, were always checking in, and happy to see me even! They made the experience at CCRM so enjoyable!

Dr. Batcheller was always pleasant when I met with her. She explained step by step what was going to happen when she was doing procedures or if we needed to change treatment course (which happened multiple times). I do wish I would have had more face time with her vs. the nurses but if I ever needed to get a hold of her for questions - she was available. I loved her and will continue to go back to her for all my fertility treatments!

Ask lots of questions and tell her how you would like to communicate. I preferred a more direct approach and she respected that.

Egg Retrieval: Normal protocol using Gonal-F, Menopur, Cetrotride. We STIM'd for 10 days and retrieved 24 eggs on the 11th day. Embryo Transfer: We attempted 3 times for a transfer but due to having a thin lining we had to cancel 2 times (was successful on the 3rd). After the first transfer attempted was cancelled, I was worried and unsure about the future and if we would be able to transfer. She calmed my worries and looked at my medicine and changed course accordingly, always trying to find the right mix of medication. I was so discouraged when we cancelled but she was always positive and assured me that sometimes when bodies have a hard time getting a thicker lining they just have to change the medicine protocol. I have been on Estrogren (oral and patches), Vaginal Viagra, Progesterone, Baby Aspirin, Endometrin, etc.

Medicine (Egg Retrieval + 3 Transfers attempts + 1 successful Transfer) = $15,000+ Care: Unsure - at least $7,500. My insurance coveres a specific amount (which has now been used up). Our costs will be different when we do this another time.

I trusted Dr. Batcheller's approach to transferring just the 1 embryo.We only had 2 good embryo's and we did discuss transferring both but she wanted to make sure that we had the best chances for success - which meant transferring only the 1, which was successful.

Ensure that you are very clear on the type of appointment that you are trying to make. Some appointments have to be scheduled before certain times, Sperm Preservation for example, this will help avoid confusion and get you the appointment that you need.

Dr. Salem and our Nurse are awesome. They respond with thoughtful responses to questions and concerns. Additionally when we have had setbacks they have explained the reasoning and our next steps clearly and with compassion.

Our nurse is awesome! She takes the time to make sure we understand the whole plan and answers any questions that we have.

Dr Salem takes the time to be prepared for our appointments and spent time to understand our goals before we developed a treatment plan. While we have not had a complete cycle due to setbacks, he has adjusted our plan to ensure that we are setting ourselves up for the best results.

Bring all of the questions that you can to understand the process, He was able to break down our plan using our results. It was helpful for me to have my questions written down so that I was sure I got all of the answers that I needed to feel good moving forward with our plan.

I have PCOS and my husband has a normal sperm count/motility so we are good candidates for IUI. With the success rate of IUI (about 20%) the plan is to do 3 rounds of IUI and if not successful moving on to IVF. We were ready to start an IUI procedure using letrozole to trigger ovulation, sadly the lab found that one of my ovaries had an active cyst which would interfere with the treatment plan. So we did a 3 week cycle of birth control pills to quiet it down. We are currently waiting to see if that did the trick to move to doing a full cycle.

$383 was the cost for a sperm analysis and cryopreservation $253 is about what a monitoring appointment costs (day 2/3 appointment)

Strengths: The clinic is clean and easy to get to Staff is friendly and knowledgeable Was able to get financing with help of the clinic Came in on Easter Sunday and the nurses were still in good spirits Weakness: I haven't found one yet. (maybe cost, but that is not necessarily something unique to this clinic)

Dr. Salem was amazing at telling you the truth, but using language that I could understand. He was pleasant and had a positive outlook without promising success.

The nursing staff at CCRM is outstanding. They are empathetic and understand that your time is valuable. I am a teacher, so leaving during the morning to go to appointments is difficult. They made every effort to make the appointments quick, without feeling like I was being pushed out. I had to call one time after hours to ask a question about my medication. The nurse responded to my message within 5 minutes and was so kind in her response.

The first time I met Dr. Salem, he provided us with clear timelines and what things would look like. He was very thorough and has a personality that helps to make people feel comfortable. I have twins that were done previously through IVF at a clinic that is no longer open and he was diligent in getting all of that information to help inform him on my care.

Don't be afraid to ask questions. He is very open and honest about what to expect and outcomes.

The first thing that I did at CCRM was to get a full workup. They took blood and did ultrasounds to be sure that I was in good health. It was at this time that he prescribed me with thyroid medication to be sure that I had optimal levels. Then I went on birth control for 3 weeks before beginning my stimulation meds. I am on the last day of my stimulation meds now. I take 2 vials of menopur in the morning with my thyroid medication. At night I take Follistim and Dex. On day 5 I also began taking Gonirelix in the morning with the Menopur. I have had daily ultra sounds and blood work for the last 5 days. I will likely trigger tonight.

Cost of medication was about $7,000 Cost of everything else was about $20,000 We did IVF with CCS testing. They also had sperm thaw.

Dr. Salem prefers single embryo transfer as he believes that with added testing the results are likely going to be positive.

Can not describe the clinic strength as I just started with them. The clinic weakness is that they don't really get new patients in as fast as possible. For example, I had my consultation and was supposed to schedule a hysteroscopy within 3-12 days in my cycle. They say no opening and will call me. Call me the very last minute and it's already past 12 days cycle, so now I have to wait for a new cycle to get the test done. The clinic need to regulate timing of the patient carefully and schedule them properly. New patient would need to know every visit, you must prepaid before you can be seen or do treatment if you're out of pocket. This make my feel awkward and dislike clinic for this reason.

Dr. Batcheller took the time to review my history and my failed transfers from my previous clinic before meeting with us. She also prepared her opinion of our case and give us options to what she believes will help us to be successful with the up coming IVF cycle. She listen for our opinion and very open.

Haven't start my cycle so can't really say much about the nurses there which I haven't really met them beside the ultrasound technician and the lab lady. They both seem very nice.

As a patient I feel like Dr. Batcheller did really took the time and effort to review my history and go over our treatment plan. Dr. Batcheller also very details in her explanations. Love her energetic approach and how knowledgeable she is.

Don't loose HOPE until you see Dr. Batcheller.

Too early. We just finished our consultation, done labs and ultrasound. Still need a hysteroscopy and regroup before we can start IVF treatments

Consultation $205 Labs $1083 Ultrasound $397 Hysteroscopy $970 Regroup $224 IVF Pack $15104 Anesthesia $475 Annual Storage $408 PICSI $408 FET package $4208

No comments. Didn't get that far yet.

Dr. Batcheller always treated is like a human. But we often had trouble with the business office and sometimes with the nurses. We would ask a question and get a generic answer (or no answer) that didn't always fit with our situation. Like they never even opened my file before calling me back or responding.

We had a lot of trouble with our first nurse. They were just getting the donor program started and things seemed a little unorganized. We just didn't click with our first nurse. She was not very compassionate and dropped the ball a few times (in our opinion). When they added a second nurse to the donor program, Gina, they switched is to her. It was a much better fit. She was very kind and compassionate. And took the time we needed. I did have to have a conversation with the nursing staff about remembering that we are coming in with trauma related to Infertility that requires some extra attention. We need a little more hand holding through this process sometimes. And that this is a big deal for us even if it's their every day work.

Dr Batcheller made is feel comfortable and confident throughout the process. She was blunt when we had to be and gentle when we needed it. We recruited our own egg donor which is something I don't think they'd gone through very often which made our journey a little bumpy. We asked a lot of questions I don't think she was used to answering and could tell that she wished we had been less complicated. But it ultimately worked out and we trusted her. She did not offer embryo testing at the time of creation and I wish that she had.

Ask as many questions as you have. She'll answer them all. But doesn't necessarily bring things up if you don't ask. She brings up the things that are medically important. But maybe not extra things that might be important to crazy infertiles lIke us!

My AMH was .05 and AFC around 4 when I first saw Dr B. She suggested we start with a medicated IUI. I did triple Menopur for 14 days and had 1-2 follicles. It was not successful. Given my poor response and low AMH/AFC she suggested we either do multiple rounds of IVF with high doses of stims and CCS testing bto hopefully get 1-2 normal embryos if we wanted to it my own eggs or move on to donor eggs. We opted for donor eggs. Knowing we wanted more than one child. The cost of using my own eggs would be too high.

Our Dr strongly encouraged eSET and we agreed.

Weaknesses: not feeling like you’re able to get through to a nurse or billing coordinator when you need. It seemed like there were always multiple people looking at my chart and they would jumble the info. Feels like they would quickly rush you through appts. Strengths: having Dr.Salem on staff

Dr.Salem is very compassionate and made me feel like my husband and I having a baby was his biggest priority. He had a manner that was extremely friendly and explained everything in great detail.

I didn’t end up primarily working with Andrea. There would be different nurses providing results each time. I didn’t feel like I knew how each monitoring appt went unless I asked for specifics. They would just say if I was on track or not.

Dr. Salem primary did phone consists with me as we were far from the clinic. He always explained things in a way I could understand and made me feel confident our cycle would be successful. He explained his experience and how it compared with our expected treatment plan and I never doubted his expertise. He was caring during painful procedures and his knowledge of infertility blew me away. When answering questions I had, he did so in a way that didn’t belittle my lack of knowledge and explained everything so wonderfully.

If you’re unable to get the answers you need from his nursing staff, ask to speak directly with him. He’s more than happy to set aside time to speak with you.

For our Egg Retreival process, I was on 150units of Gonal F for 10 days starting day 16 of my cycle. I also did 1 vial of menopur for those 10 days and 5 days of cetrotide starting day 21 of my cycle. For my trigger prior to retreival I did leuprolide and novarel. I was also placed on a medication to lower my estrogen levels 2 days prior to retreival.

Ivf Egg retreival with Genetic testing and 1 frozen transfer is approximately $25000

Dr. Salem stated he prefers single embryo transfers

Strengths: Scheduling has always been so easy. Weaknesses: I was once handed a bill in person. It was our first large bill (a couple thousand dollars) and so I was shocked. I would have preferred that they mailed that bill to my home so I could be shocked and cry on my own vs. in the parking ramp before I had to start my day.

April was so optimistic for us that we were very excited to begin treatment. Everyone at her office has been incredible to work with.

Margaret and everyone else we worked with have been so friendly. Margaret does a great job of explaining options and clearly laying out our plan each cycle.

I’ve met Dr. Batcheller once or twice, but she’s always been super helpful and friendly. In our initial consult with her, we talked about our plan being 3 months of IUI and then evaluate from there. At that point, she was so optimistic for us that we never spoke of what would come next and that was comforting. Unfortunately IUI has not worked for ya yet. We’re trying a 4th round with some new meds and if that doesn’t work, we’ll have our regroup appointment next month. Honestly, we see more of the other staff and they’ve all been great.

Stop in and say hi during appointments every now and again if you’re available!

IUI with Clomid (1pill x 5days), Ovidrel and Progesterone. Our second cycle, I ovulated on my own, so Ovidrel wasn’t needed. In our upcoming 4th round, we’re adding in 3 injections of Gonal-F. So far, no positive tests, but we’re optimistic about this round.

Our insurance is taking a while to process things, so I know we’re not up to date. So far we’ve spent around $2000. I anticipate it will be more though.

I think this is the best fertility clinic in MN. I would 100% recommend it to anyone. I switched to this clinic after doing one round of egg freezing at another clinic in the twin cities. It was a night & day difference! This clinic is truly the best and is on the cutting edge of fertility technology. The only negative is that they don't bill insurance for you, but they do fill out all the claim forms for you so that you can submit them on your own - it is worth it to get the best treatment!

Dr. Salem is incredibly kind and compassionate. He is easy to get ahold of and actually called to see how I was feeling during my egg retrieval cycle. He knows his patients by name.

Everyone you deal with at this clinic is extremely nice and caring. The nursing staff was excellent. Christie, my nurse, was very nice and easy to get ahold of. She actually gives patients her extension number so that when you call, she actually answers! Which is a total contrast to the clinic I started at - you have to leave a voicemail and a random nurse would call back several hours later. Everyone at this clinic was nice and helpful. Even the phlebotomists were nice!

I met with Dr. Salem after having a bad experience at another fertility clinic. He is incredibly kind and compassionate. He is also incredibly smart and up to date on the latest information about fertility treatments. He worked really hard to get me the maximum number of eggs for freezing and tailored my treatment plan specifically to my issues (I ended up getting nearly double the number of eggs that I got at the previous clinic!) I sent my sister to him also because I was so impressed with his services.

Go see him! He is a great doctor! If you are a woman who its hesitant to go see a male ob/gyn, don't let that stop you - get the best treatment possible from the best doctor.

My treatment protocol was "Luteal Oral-Clomid Protocol 5 - freeze all only." I did a round of egg freezing at a prior clinic and got 7 mature eggs. Dr. Salem's goal was to get me at least a few more the second round. To do that, he advised me to wait 3 months after stopping birth control pills to see if my AMH would increase (it did! went from .5 to 1.78). Based on that, Dr. Salem concluded that birth control pills had a very suppressive effect on my ovaries, so rather than start my cycle with down-regulation by taking birth control pills, I waited for my natural LH surge and then started priming my ovaries by taking estrogen (estrace 2 mg tab twice a day). On day 3 of my next cycle I stopped taking estrace and started taking the stim meds (2 vials of menopur in the morning, 300 units follistim in the evening + 2 tabs of clomid for 5 days + dexamethosone). On day 7 of the stim meds I added in ganirelix in the morning. Triggered after 11 days of stims with HCG and Lupron. I got 13 mature eggs this round - almost double what I got at the previous clinic. I feel that Dr. Salem is directly responsible for the improvement - he really looked into which treatment plan would work best for my circumstances. The other clinic planned to do their exact same protocol a second time (birth control pills for 2 weeks to down-regulate, then start with 1 vial of menopur in the morning + 225 units of follistim in the evening, add ganirelix and then trigger with just HCG). It didn't work well the first time and they had to increase the medication half way though - I believe that if I had done that protocol again, I wouldn't have gotten as many eggs. In addition, they made it seem as though that was the best they could do for me - that because of my low AMH I should just be happy with the number I got. It was very frustrating. Dr. Salem's approach was much more tailored to me and really addressed the concerns I had at the first clinic. He is optimistic and tries to do the best for all of his patients.

$8,754 for an egg freezing cycle + $475 for anesthesia. The clinic also offers to reduce the fee for a second cycle by 20% and 15% for each cycle after that.

Dr. Batcheller and the embryology lab are top notch from our experience and understanding. It’s a matter of navigating the processes and people that causes the discontent. It’s a tough choice in a tough time.

We saw Dr. Batcheller at our initial consult and a scheduled (and paid for) follow-up. When we had our initial consult, there wasn’t another doctor at the practice. We had a delay before treatment and in that time another was hired. Dr. Batcheller was on vacation for the week of our retrieval. We weren’t notified or given a choice to delay and therefore our monitoring and ultimately retrieval was done by the other doctor (who is no longer at the clinic and was there a curiously short time). Both the monitoring and retrieval were poorly handled. I ovulated early, therefore retrieving only 3 of the 9-10 mature follicles I had. Dr. Batcheller called with the results of the PGS testing but otherwise I saw techs and was told I could call or email the nurses.

I was assigned one primary care coordinator but it switched and then it wasn’t consistent anyway. They made careless errors such as asking which one of our embryos we wanted to transfer when we only had one and including subject lines in email such as “Infectious Diseases”. If I mentioned an error I was met with defensiveness.

If you can get in-person or phone contact with Dr. Batcheller, she is knowledgeable, willing to discuss and answer questions, and provides a sense of understanding. She is kind and approachable. She emphathetically discussed our situation and offered counsel. She is great... when you can see her. For me, during our IVF process we didn’t see her enough and ultimately wonder if we would have had a different outcome if we had.

She is the only doc at her practice currently so you won’t have to confirm if she will be doing your retrieval. My recommendation would be to have Dr. Batcheller/the staff outline the access/contact you will have with Dr. Batcheller during the process you are completing and adjust as you see fit. Either request additional consults or schedule and pay for them.

To my understanding, she has protocols based on intial testing that she will recommend. I didn’t come in armed with knowledge about the many and varied protocols that are out there so I took her recommendation at face value. I responded well to treatment and follicle maturation looked great trending on the 9-10 we anticipated. At our follow-up after our failed transfer Dr. Batcheller confirmed that on examination the 3 eggs retrieved were likely the 3 least mature further indicating that I ovulated early and the retrieval missed the best quality eggs. So... it’s hard to say but considering we had 1 normal embryo from 3 lower quality eggs... I would trust Dr. Batcheller to select my protocol again.

$25k+

She makes a suggestion, but will support a decision of 1 or 2 embryos transferred.

CCRM-Minneapolis is great and I would highly recommend to anyone. Everyone is friendly, supportive and knowledgeable. Front desk staff, lab techs, nurses, embryologist, doctors all were very nice and supportive. I started at another clinic and this place was excellent and a night and day difference compared to the first clinic.

I started at another clinic and my insurance had my switch to CCRM. I'm so thankful for this! This clinic was a night and day difference to the previous clinic I started at.

Every nurse at this clinic was wonderful! They answered any emails, quick questions I had in a very timely matter, and always answered my question. All the nurses were great calling and relaying information over the phone and asking if you needed anything else before hanging up. If I needed a refill on medication, I used the patient portal and it was done in a very timely fashion.

I highly recommend Dr Batcheller. She has a great bed side manner, explains everything in a straight forward way that is easily understood. I felt confident that we were at the right place and getting the best treatment available.

If you are struggling with infertility, CCRM-Minneapolis is the place to go in the Twin Cities metro area.

We went with my natural cycle for IVF instead of picking a date on the calendar that fit the schedule (like the other clinic I went to was going to do). She said I was an excellent candidate for IVF, and had a successful cycle with the medication and protocol she used.

We have always put in 1 embryo. I was able to freeze 5 embryos.

I love CCRM more than anywhere else that we looked/met with. One thing a new patient should know is that you have to pay for everything up front and CCRM does not submit anything to your insurance company, you need to submit your own claim form after you pay for it. That being said, if you’re going to use a loan, you can use your insurance reimbursement to pay off the loan. The other thing I would say is that sometimes the front desk staff doesn’t seem to understand the toming/urgency aspect of scheduling.

Before seeing Dr Batcheller we met with other RE for IVF consults. I saw another doctor at another clinic in Minneapolis. The other doctor clearly didn’t know anything about our history and was primary concerned with giving us pricing. Dr Batcheller was the exact opposite. It was evident from the second we walked into her office that she knew what we had done before and she had a plan of what we needed to do next. She answered every single question that we had. We were excited to finally have found a doctor that listened and knew what we were wanting out of the process. She was prepared to speak specifically on our issues and didn’t push pricing.

Lauren is a rockstar! She always calls the day they get any results back. She also takes extensive time out of her day to go over things with me, sometimes repeatedly to make us feel at ease throughout the process. She is very positive without promising any result at a given time.

She’s very well versed in different options. She is also thoroughly prepared to speak on your specific issues even before you even meet her, just based on your records. She presents options and plans, strategizes with you on timing and always makes you feel comfortable speaking to her throughout the process.

Have your questions ready because she will be ready to answer all of them

Dr. Batcheller was the first doctor to find my uterine polyps. Based on our previous meetings with other doctors for ivf consults we asked Dr. Batcheller if she would put me on birth control, which was suggested by other drs to boost egg production and she said no, because of my low AMH, it wouldn’t be helpful. I throughly enjoy that she doesn’t treat us as if we are just another couple with the same issue as everyone else. Our plan is unique to us.

The costs seem normal compared to other ivf locations in MN

Dr. Batcheller is not opposed to multiple embryo transfers but did suggest not transferring more than 2. She thoroughly explained why this is safer for me and the embryos as the risk of multiples increases.

They all work very well together and you can tell they all get along well. I strongly believe any work place runs smoothly if you have that combination. I have never noticed any weaknesses within this clinic. Even the front desk staff is well organized and know who you are right when you walk in and they have a smile on their faces.

Dr Batcheller showed sympathy during the hard time and excitement during the good time. She wanted to sit down and talk with my husband and met multiple times to see how things were going and even after our loss. She pointed us in the right direction to see a specialist to receive more information on my blood clotting disorder and helped us come with a plan moving forward. She has nothing but compassion for her job.

All of the nurses at CCRM are amazing they always have smiles on their faces. All very friendly, and more than happy to help.

Dr. Batcheller sits down with each patient and really gets to know them. She meticulously plans out every aspect of your treatments, what you are going to need for meds when, do on. If you have questions she will answer them and explain to you in terms you will understand. She cares about your well being during the whole process.

I had to start with egg retrieval. I had to start taking Doxycycline for 10days. Cycle day 10 start an ovulation kit testing. 10days after surge I started my Vivelle 0.1mg patches switching them every other day. The next day I started taking Cetrotide 0.25mg for 3 days. I continued with the Vivelle patches for that week and wore the last patch for 7 days or until it fell off. 3 days after I started with my Stim meds, 2 vials of Menopur in the morning and 300 units of Gonal-F and Dexamethasone in the evening for 10days. After 6 days of starting Stim meds I started taking Cetrotide again. 2 nights before the retrieval I had to start my trigger meds, Pregnl and then again 12 hours after the first does then I had retrieval.

Everyone’s IVF story is different therefore everyone’s cost will be different. But I strongly believe that the cost was comparable to other clinics.

This is a small clinic with only one provider. The 'feel' of the clinic is calm and quiet. Given the size of the clinic you typically see a number of familiar faces each time you go in which is comforting. The front desk staff has always been kind and helpful. Costs are high for most things but clearly outlined ahead of time.

Dr. Batcheller is warm, engaged, and happy to answer every (possibly crazy) question you might have. She has truly made me feel seen and validated during this process.

My nurse was very kind and responsive to communications. There were a few mix-ups with medication orders but those were fairly minor and quickly corrected.

Dr. Batcheller is such a blessing. She is intelligent, warm, and honest, a combination that is so hard to find. Dr. Batcheller has always given us the impression that she is fully invested in seeing us succeed in this process and doesn't shy away from trying new things or tweaking things as needed. I have worked with another RE in the past and while the outcomes of my cycles have been similar the experience of working with Dr. Batcheller far exceeded my previous experience. Can't recommend her highly enough!

Don't be afraid to ask questions.

To date I have done one egg retrieval with Dr. Batcheller. I did androgen and estrogen priming followed by an antagonist protocol (ganirelix + 300IU Follistim + 150IU Menopur) and simultaneous Clomid (100mg), Saizen (8.8mg total), and dexamethasone (0.5mg). Trigger was Lupron + Novarel (5,000IU). This protocol was chosen due to my history of being a poor responder to IVF medications, and having poor quality eggs.

At the end of the day after diagnostic assessment and egg retrieval (+ CCS testing) including medications the cost was approximately $25,000.

Prefers eSET for CCS tested embryos but open to multiple embryo transfer in my case. Can't comment on her approach when genetic testing is not used.

CCRM is new and while I think they have worked through some of their growing pains, they still have issue with communication. Specifically, I sometimes don't get a call back when I leave a voicemail first thing in the morning. I've also been routed to a receptionist that is clearly not in MN and can only send messages to nurses and schedule remotely. On a positive note, the clinic is clean and spacious, and I've repeatedly heard and been told that Dr B is very particular who she hires, and she wants to hire the best. So, even if you wait a little longer for your Ultrasound or blood work, the medical work has always been done well and is incredibly thorough. In particular, the US nurses are a delight. They both have a joy in their work. I prefer Margaret because she is pretty upfront with how things are looking to her. it's probably true of every clinic, but because I have some issues with getting information, always ask questions and be your own advocate. Dr. B didn't make me feel stupid or annoying when I had a list of questions for our meetings, and I think everyone should do their prep work before sitting down with any RE to make sure you don't get pushed along like a cattle herd. The CCRM nurses are happy to answer things as well, you just sometimes have to ask them for the information. I would get varying responses back after an US from "everything looks good, stay on course", to "your lining was only a 5, and the eggs are a little small, so we want to give it a few more days..." Just ask them what you want to know, don't expect them to give you a standard set of information.

Dr. B does genuinely know and care about her patients. She had a good understanding of our previous efforts in our initial meeting, and answered all of my questions (and I had a long list of them) without rushing or or being dismissive.

Initially, we were assigned Maria and she was wonderful, kind, compassionate, and she had great follow-up. One thing that I don't think was communicated to us was that she only did fresh transfers. When we switched to a FET, I started hearing consistently from a new nurse, Andrea. Anrea is also very kind and compassionate, but she was the one who told that she had never heard of embryos not surviving the thaw, and that happened to us. Recently, Maria left CCRM and I've been hearing from Andrea and another nurse, but neither of them had communicated if they were going to be my primary nurse. I will say that all of the nurses are very friendly, kind and knowledgeable. However, IVF is complicated, and you have to pay attention and ask questions not matter what. One failure from the nurse staff with our second FET had me waiting for a transfer calendar until 5 days before my transfer, and only once my transfer was set. I like to have as much information available to me as soon as possible, so that was a little frustrating when a fourth nurse told me I should have gotten it when I started coming in for lining checks.

Dr. B is very kind and caring about her patients. She is knowledgeable about the various developments and innovations in IVF treatment, and I felt like she allowed us to be part of the decision-making process. When our first FET resulted in chemical pregnancy, we reviewed some unique symptoms I presented with and she listened to my ideas on how to adjust treatment, gave us the scientific reality of those ideas, and we made a joint decision to try an anti-histamine approach. Dr. B also is understanding that since we were paying for everything out-of-pocket, we should skip some tests for the immune theories, and just treat me as though I had tested positive. Overall, even though we still haven't had a successful pregnancy, I feel Dr. B cares for and is passionate about her patients. My only concern now, is with two failed transfers, she had initially told us she expected a 60% chance of success. My only criticism is that her optimism can be a bit misleading or insensitive. It's nice to have that hope when you first meet and are nervous, anxious, or uneasy about the whole process. But I think I would have rather she not so confidently given us a percentage of success when I asked for it, or tempered her optimism when she said, "Let's talk about your options!" after our first FET resulted in chemical pregnancy. I'm sure in this line of work, you have to be a positive person to stay in it, but a touch more compassion isn't a bad thing either.

Just know that Dr. B is super positive and optimistic. I think she presented the risks of anti-histamine protocol well, but also dismissed the one birth defect she's seen with the protocol she's done it to something else... so, again, she's very optimistic about what she does. If you are in in a bad place, and need that boost to come back to, she's great. But if you prefer a very realistic and honest assessment, I felt like things were maybe presented a little more positive and confident than I would have liked in hindsight.

Our stim phase was "Luteal Patch (Protocol 3 with Patches)" in CCRM categories. We worked with my natural cycle at my request due to some bad experiences with BCPs. I was instructed to use ovulation kits to catch an LH surge, and then begin cetrotide and patches post-surge. The next cycle, we started stim with Menopur and Follistim on CD2. We upped the Follistim from 150 to 225 on the 4th day of stim since my eggs were going a little slow, and after that, things progressed nicely. After 10 days of stimming, Dr. B cancelled our fresh transfer because my progesterone levels were higher than they wanted. We triggered after 10 days of stimming as well. My US on that day showed at least 8 eggs on each ovary between 17.5 and 20 mm in additional to many smaller eggs. Retrieval was two days after trigger shot. They retrieved 25 eggs, 15 were mature and had ICSI, 11 successfully fertilized, and 7 were frozen for transfer. For our first FET we used my natural cycle again. Used Lupron to suppress cycle before using patches and endometrium vaginal inserts to build up lining. Had to add 1mL of PIO every other day 4 days before transfer due to low P4 levels. After transferring they upped PIO to 1mL every day due to low P4 levels. My lining grew perfectly, and once it reached 8 mm, they scheduled a transfer for 8 days later. (It’s my understanding CCRM will not transfer if the lining is not at least 8 mm.) Our transfers went perfectly, although, we requested last minute to thaw two embryos for transfer, and one did not survive. They thawed a third one in order to still transfer two. (When I asked at our pre-transfer nurse meeting about embyos not surviving the thaw, a nurse told us she had never heard of that happening at CCRM. If they would have asked us what to do when the first embryo did not survive, I would have told them not to thaw a third one. That was frustrating and I expressed that to Dr. B at our regroup. She said CCRM only has 2% of embryos that fail to survive the thaw.) 9 days after transfer, Beta #1 was over 180 and the nurse indicated a number that high (they like it to be over 50) could mean both embryos implanted. Beta #2 did not double, it was just over 200. No changes in protocol. Beta #3 was in the low 30's, and the cycle was deemed a chemical pregnancy. One frustrating part was that Dr. B insisted I get a fourth HCG test 4 days after the Beta #3 to confirm the pregnancy was over, even though I had started a heavy period three days after Beta #3. That was both a hassle and frankly, somewhat traumatizing to experience in the aftermath of things. I didn't see any reason I couldn't have waited out the period and tested afterwards to give me time and space to grieve. After discussing some symptoms I had in FET #1 (two instances of severe nausea, cramping and sweats/fever for 20-30 minutes several days after transfer) we decided to try an anti-histamine protocol in case I was having immunological issues. We also did a long-Lupron cycle due to a previous diagnosis of endometriosis in case that left me with a specific type of cell that can affect implantation. Our initial attempt at a second FET was cancelled when my lining failed to thicken, even after adding estradiol tabs, and eventually developed fluid in the lining. We induced a period with 2mL of PIO in each hip. I never really got a clear reason why might have caused the fluid, but the nurse said unless it happens again, they sort of chalk it up to a fluke and try again. FET #2- Natural cycle again, this time with low-dose meds. Instead of steadily increasing from 1 to 4 patches every other day to help grow the lining, we let it grow on its own. My lining grew a little more slowly than they like, but no fluid and it had the trilaminar layers they want to see. Once my lining was an 8 on it’s own, we added 2 patches every other day for the entire transfer, along with endometrium vaginal inserts three times a day. Anti-histamine protocol was Claritin and Prednisone once a day and Pepcid AC twice a day, beginning 2 days before transfer. Again, transfer went perfectly, we only did one embryo this time. I also didn't need PIO shots every day and could stick with every other day. However, when I presented the same symptoms of nausea, cramping, and fever/sweats, Dr. B didn't have anything specific to change initially. She did suggest we could up the PIO to every day after the second instance occurred in case the fluctuation of Progesterone was causing the symptoms. I declined since we had been doing PIO every day in our first transfer and I still had the same symptoms. Beta #1 was less than 1 and the cycle failed.

Specifically: Initial consult: $205 Communicable/Vitamin D, TSH: $300 LH Check: $115 Progesterone Check: $115 IVF Costs (Stim appointments and clinic surgery) $13,510.00 BETA: $70 Baseline ultrasound and Hysteroscopy: $1,795.00 Regroup (phone) $112.00 FET transfer is in the range of $7,000 Overall, we've spent $24,702 at CCRM with both the consult, stim, retrieval, two transfers, and two re-groups, one in person and one on the phone.

I specifically asked Dr. B about the risks of double embryo transfer a few days before our first transfer. I had to ask, because it was never offered to me. I think CCRM assumes eSET unless they are told otherwise. Dr. B said for our situation, if we transferred two, we had a 65% chance of twins. She explained there is a slight increase in HBP and Diabetes risks, but those exist anyway. The bigger risk is a 25% chance of pre-term labor and bed rest for some portion of pregnancy. However, Dr. B was comfortable with doing 2 for us.

Entire clinic is wonderful. Everyone is supportive and kind and if they don’t have the answers they find it for you. US techs were especially wonderful counting our follicles and getting excited with us.

Listened to my concerns, what worked for me before, what didn’t. Laid out a clear and concise plan for IVF. Explained what she saw as hurdles and always worked for us, not against us.

Great turn around time on messages, thoughtful and caring. Easy to call and talk to as well.

Strengths that I see in Dr. B are communication, empathy, hard work and doesn’t tell you what you want to here, tells you what you need to hear in a kind and caring way. Both my husband and I were immediately impressed and when our cycle did not go as planned she delivered the news to us and made time to see us right away. She never gave up and came up with a great option. She also explains things in a way that we could understand. I have yet to find something I don’t like. She’s trustworthy, dependable and willing to think outside the box.

Tell her exactly what you didn’t like about your RE before. She listens!

We started with protocol 3 and that didn’t work for us. All of our eggs were immature and she sat down with us going through every stim day step by step and came to a conclusion of what went wrong. I didnt respond to one medication and the next cycle we used a different medication to trigger with, but she was very careful as I had previously had OHSS and she was trying to make sure it didn’t get worse. We ended up stimming one day less, but getting 7 mature eggs.

Total cost so far about $25,000.

Dr. B prefers one healthy mom and one healthy baby, but if we have more than 2 to transfer she is open to twins.

CCRM has high success rates, particularly with elective single (euploid) embryo transfer. They have a large network of clinics and do a lot of research. The major downside is that they are very expensive and you literally pay for everything. You cannot talk to the doctor (even on the phone) without paying extra money. We had a few follow up questions (after our regroup appointment) and were charged over $100 for a 10 minute phone call.

Dr. Betcheller is very kind and relatable, and she made me feel heard and understood. However, she is very, very difficult to get a hold of, which is not ideal when going through IVF.

Initially, we were impressed with the nursing staff. There were a couple nurses who met with us more than the others and one in particular (Andrea) was very kind and caring (she had gone through IVF herself). However, as time went on, we had a few interactions that left us feeling like we were just a number--they sometimes seemed out of the loop and overworked (managing too many patients), particularly when the doctor was gone for a couple weeks this past summer. We had a lot of miscommunication regarding the start date for our IVF protocol, and that caused us a lot of unnecessary stress.

At first, we were really pleased with our interactions with Dr. Batcheller and felt more optimistic and positive than we had with our previous clinic. We felt like she had the expertise and experience to help us, and she has a warm and empathetic personality, which really helped. However, I feel like she was not completely realistic regarding our chances. She was always more optimistic than I felt. We know that IVF is unpredictable and there are no guarantees. We just wish she had been more realistic with us, as ultimately our cycle was a total fail.

4-week priming cycle with estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, and Lupron, followed by 10 days of stims with Follistim (300 IU), Menopur (4 vials per day), Lupron, growth hormone, and dexamethasone. I had great lab results with this protocol and had eggs retrieved. We had a low fertilization rate (60% fertilized with ICSI) and none made it to blastocyst.

Approximately $16,000 (maybe more?) for workup, egg retrieval, anesthesia, embryology fees, and CCS.

Dr. Batcheller was 100% in favor of eSET with a PGS-tested euploid embryo, and we were very much in agreement with her. Unfortunately, we did not have any blastocysts to transfer.

The clinic is clean and new. It has the best equipment and competent staff. I am not a fan of being switched over to the Colorado CCRM phone board if my local location doesn't answer, cause then they just send you back to them, but that's miniscual in the scheme of things. At the beginning it was very difficult to get in for some appointments before treatment really started, like an SHG, ultrasound and so on. But once you were established it was better. And Dr B was the only doctor there so she was spread pretty thin for appointments. This clinic was hands down better in all categories then my previous clinic.

I feel that Dr B does really care about you and being able to start or continue your family. She did not read of off papers or my chart during our consult, she knew the info and my case. She laid out a great protocol that was giving ladies with DOR some good outcomes. She didn't blow smoke up our @$$ on the chances and she had hope for us and our eggs. Nurses usually responded very quickly and front desk staff was always friendly and very helpful! They knew my name when I walked in the door.

The nursing staff is great overall and has a lot to juggle day to day. They are prompt with phone calls and are willing to find you your answers. The only "issue" I ran into was the portal communication. Not always was the same nurse responding to your message and I found that one nurse that would respond didn't really look past the current message and wasn't fully informed on the previous conversation, so the continuity of care wasn't always great in that respect. It was confusing sometimes with the portal messages. But it was convenient to have the portal to communicate during the day and they are very quick with responses in the portal.

April Batcheller is a great doctor who is passionate about what she does. She was always thoroughly prepared and has options for us. She always had an answer for my questions. She isn't afraid to change a protocol or think outside the box to get you the results you want. I don't feel like i am a number or a statistic in the column with her, she has your families interest at heart, and that shows with alot of the cases she takes on, that others will not. I felt very well cared for and trusted her judgment.

Come with all your questions and don't be afraid to ask them. She is a wealth of information and you should understand your situation and treatment completely. (this is not saying she didn't do a good job laying out the treatment, I just had pages full of questions and she was more then happy to answer and explain)

My protocol was considered "the kitchen sink" protocol :) Menopur 150, clomid, dex, gonal f 300, saizen the first five days of Stims and triggered with 5,000 novarel and a double Lupron trigger. This resulted in 5 eggs retreived/5mature/5fertilized, three made it to blast with one normal ccs tested embryo. Second cycle was same protocol, 15 eggs retreived/10 mature/7 fertilized, two made it to blast and now waiting on ccs testing to come back currently. (this egg retreival was actually done by Dr. Salem, Dr B was unavailable) I will very shortly be starting my FET Blast BCPs/Lupron/suppository/P4 in oil QOD protocol for our first transfer with Dr B. I am extremely happy with the outcome of our two retreivals since our last doc wouldn't try anything but DE after a failed cycle with him.

We needed to schedule our monitoring appointments before 1130 I think it was. I had an hour and a half trip to the clinic so that was inconvenient for me on work days, but couldn't do anything about it. I was always called in an appropriate time and the ultrasound techs were great. One thing I do wish is that CCRM would have a payment option to not include the monitoring, so that you could do it at your local clinics when available. If I would have chose to monitor at my local clinic they would not have taken out the price of labs and ultrasounds from our package price. And we would have been paying for the labs and ultrasounds twice if we decided to monitor at our local clinic.

First cycle of IVF with CCS testing was $14,884. Second cycle was $13,419 due to a discount for banking cycles. With around $5,000 in medication cost each round. Labs that were not included in package were expensive, Vit D was $225, I elected to do that at my local clinic, along with my initial labs since that was where they were drawn for the past two years and I wanted the consistency. The price per item or procedure was more than at my previous clinics and I had no insurance coverage for any of it at CCRM

We don't have the opportunity yet to have to worry or think about how many to transfer, we only have one ccs tested embryo currently but waiting on two more to result. Hopefully those can change our thought process. But I agree with her idea of only putting one in at a time, if you only have two, because you can make changes if the first FET was unsuccessful and still have something to work with. And she is not opposed to transferring two embroys but you case will be evaluated and pros and cons will be weighed. I would love the ability to put two in at a time, but I do not think that will be our course of action.

The clinic is new and clean which compared to my old clinic in Boston is nice. They seem to be very organized and the front desk staff are excellent! I really don't see any big weaknesses. Once there was a mistake calling in a medication but wasn't a big deal and was quickly fixed.

CCRM is the second clinic I have been a patient at during my infertility treatments. Compared to the last clinic this one is more intimate and after a few appointments the front desk would recognize me which was nice.

They seemed to be very organized and well versed in infertility treatments. One nurse was very compassionate while I cried on the phone after the first unsuccessful retrieval results.

Dr. Batcheller was the second physician I've seen while undergoing treatments. She is warm and friendly and very understanding of my situation. I had 3 miscarriages prior to seeing her when I was undergoing IUI and IVF the year prior and she definitely understood that I had been through alot with no clear explanation. I think she is very intelligent and adjusted my meds during the stimulation cycles to get the best quantity and quality eggs.

I would say ask any question if you aren't understanding the protocol and meds, it can be alot to understand. Always take notes!

I have done two egg retrievals. The first cycle I did a vivelle patch and ganirelex prior to stim meds, stim meds I used Menopor, Follistem, Dexamethasone and added in Clomid after first ultrasound check as I'm a poor responder to meds. We retrieved 9eggs and 6 mature by day 5 only had one and did CCS testing which came back aneuploid. I just finished a second cycle and primed with Estrace pills and then for stim meds Menopor, Follistem, Clomid, Dexamethasone and did Saizen for first 5 days. Retrieved 18 eggs, 15 were mature, and then after ICSI 3 made it to day 5 blasto and still awaiting CCS results.

My insurance only covered the workup labs and baseline ultrasound nothing related to IVF. Which was a sticker shock coming from Boston where everything was covered. My meds for a retrieval were roughly $6k and then the retrieval which included everything was $15k plus another $450 for anesthesia. Honestly it might be expensive but I think it's the best clinic/MD in the Twin Cities and I don't think you can put a price on that.

I haven't done a transfer but will probably do a single embryo but will be based on quality of egg.

CCRM - Minneapolis is a very small clinic. You end up getting to know all of the clinic's employees very well. Most appointments are early in the morning to allow you to get to work without much disruption. Make sure you know the meds you're taking so when you're ordering you make sure it's correct.

Dr Batcheller sat us down and really explained what was going on and what she thought our chances were. She put together an aggressive plan and when we found out IUIs weren't going to work we immediately changed course so we wouldn't waste our money. She again was open and honest about our chances and we've enjoyed having someone we felt like we could talk to.

The nursing staff is your direct contact. Even though you're initially given a primary nurse they do share responsibilities with giving out information and responding to questions. All have been very helpful but you do have to be your own advocate to make sure meds get ordered and they get ordered correctly. The on-call/after hours nurse system has been great to use and very responsive when needed.

Dr Batcheller has been great. She was involved in all parts of the process and all of the procedures. She wants to make sure that you understand all of the numbers and will give you honest advice to help you with the most likely outcome to produce the results you're looking for.

I'd like to know more details about why which protocol was chosen and why my initial IVF protocol most likely failed. I feel like that information wouldn't have had me looking for information online and I would have had more confidence going into IVF cycle #2.

I started with low ovarian reserve and some male factor infertility. Our initial plan was to try 3 IUIs and then move to IVF. After one round of IUI on clomid we discovered my husbands sperm wasn't "washing" well and diminished his count to unusable numbers. Dr Batcheller then told us that future IUIs would probably have similar results and that we should look at IVF next. Because of low ovarian reserve I was started on a Micro-dose Lupron Protocol (lupron twice a day with 2 vials of Menopur and 300 Gonal F). After about 8 days it was determined my follicles weren't responding correctly to the stim drugs and our cycle was cancelled. We're currently in a modified protocol that has the same 2 vials of Menopur and 300 Gonal F with 5 days of Saizen (HGH).

My insurance covered CCRM for basic testing and screening. IVF was not covered except for a $5K lifetime max that didn't include meds. I believe an IVF cycle is about $15k without meds through CCRM.

We haven't gotten to this point yet. However, due to my low ovarian reserve and difficulty growing follicles Dr Batcheller recommended doing multiple embroys if given the opportunity.