Fertility Institute of New Orleans

Fertility institute has been wonderful so far during our process! I have no question as to why my ob/gyn referred us to them. IVF can seem like a scary process when you don’t know much about it. They have made sure that we are well informed on what will happen, what treatment they think will be best for us, and what steps will be next. I think the thing I have liked most about them is I do always know what step comes next. I’m never left guessing when my next appointment with be or when I will next hear from them! This has been so important as you want to feel like someone is taking this as serious as you are.

They have always taken the time to explain everything that goes on during IVF and test results we have had. It is such a huge decision to try IVF and they have made us feel so hopeful and secure.

Jackie was the one to call me back about my results for my hormone test. She was very thorough with me about the information and explained any information I wasn’t familiar with.

We have only seen Dr Dunaway once during our consultation (as we haven’t started treatment yet) but we immediately felt like we were in good hands! He was so willing to help us achieve our goal to have children and answered all questions we had. My husband loved that he showed us around their facility and knew all the details it takes to run such a clinic and shared that with us!

Make sure any questions you have about IVF are written down. When getting to the appointment we were so excited to hear what Dr Dunaway was saying and then receiving all the information, we couldn’t remember any of the questions we had. If it is your first time with IVF, like it was for us, it can be a lot of info to absorb at one time.

We have only had our first consultation and tests so I am unfamiliar with the specifics after that.

Our insurance only covers the diagnoses of infertility. They explained to us what that might cover and then gave us a sheet to explain the other cost of IVF.

N/A at this time

I have never waited very long in the waiting room. I feel like they are organized and helpful. My only compliant is maybe the billing because my insurance covers infertility some times I see things that were billed that I am not sure about and its not easy to talk to the billing dept at this clinic. But they are always corrected after speaking to someone

I feel like Dr Clishman really cares, he always been kind and seemed concerned and he has always remembered my name

They always return calls, are very knowledgeable and answer all of my questions

I feel my experience as a patient has been great! I have been treated well! Dr Clishman calls me personally to discuss results and treatment options and I see him at most of my appointments. He is very involved!

Don't be scared to ask a lot of questions even if you think it is a stupid question and do a lot of research on your own, that's with any doctor really. I feel Dr Clishman is very knowledgeable but he talks in dr terms and it is a lot of information to take in at one time so take notes and keep a fertility journal

Same day after the first initial consultation I did an exam and blood work and my husband did a semen analysis. I scheduled an HSG. after the HSG came back clear, we did more blood work, progesterone testing, and mucus testing, all test came back good so we decided to keep trying on our own for a few months then after no results Dr Clishman asked us to try a medicated IUI. I went in for ultrasounds and bloodwork every other day and the IUI was on day 14 when I usually ovulate on day 12 so that was my only real concern. I had 4 good follicles so we were hopeful but no pregnancy. We waited a few months and then did a second IUI and this time it was done on day 12 but only 1 follicle and no pregnancy. At this point Dr Clishman thinks it is age related and asked if we wanted to try another IUI and I said no we would like to start the IVF process and he agreed so that is our next step. success rates with IUI are so low that it just does not make sense to me to continue trying them especially with my age being a factor. Dr Clishman has always made us feel comfortable and has been open to whatever we wanted to try

My insurance covers 80% . I have had very little out of pocket expense

We have not got that far yet

The clinic is nice and well organized but as other reviewers have mentioned, it still uses paper charts and has no online portal so you have to ask to get your actual numbers for all the routine blood work. My biggest complaint though is that they have no designated billing department designed to talk to patients during their visits, so aside from a packet with the IVF costs we were given, it is impossible to get an idea of what anything costs. And even with the packet, that does not put it into the context of your insurance. Our previous RE would not let you leave the office without a trip to the patient billing coordinator and so you never had any surprise costs. The idea is brilliant and shows so much respect for patients. We are fortunate to have good fertility coverage from my employer but I still want to know what everything costs.

While the nurses (who I interactive the most) are very attentive and my primary nurse definitely knows who I am, there is no doubt that this clinic is pumping woman and couples through with what feels like pretty regimented steps - medicated cycles, IUI, IVF. I feel like you are sorted into a box and if that box doesn't work, you get moved to the next one with little reflection on whether this is really the right box for you. Part of this may come from my own insecurities regarding making the right decisions for my family, but I still feel like a human number.

This practice would not exist without the nursing staff! I interact primarily with Holly and have always found her to be knowledgeable and available when I inevitably forget to to ask something and have to call her back. She is very professional but has expressed genuine support for my husband and I. I have also seen Simone on one occasion and she also took the time to answer all of my questions and gave me as much time as I needed. I have never had an unpleasant interaction with the nurses here.

Just a bit of background, Dr. Dunaway is our second RE and we came to him after we moved to the area. We initially sought treatment after two back to back miscarriages. I will readily admit I would prefer my RE to be a woman but due to location, insurance and success rates, he seemed like a decent choice. I find him to be pretty frank but can sometimes seem impatient when explaining things - uses acronyms when full words would be more appropriate, rushes through things. When filling out my paperwork, I put my occupation was a biologist (but I mainly deal with invertebrates and my husband is a professor) so I am not sure if us having a science background influences the way he talks to us. We have met with him 3 times now and I admit that each time gets better and the last time, prior to our first IUI, he did take the time to answer every concern. He has diagnosed me with high natural killer (NK) cells but having done my own research am not fully convinced this a true cause of recurrent miscarriage. He was definitely willing to engage me in a conversation about my concerns, acknowledges that the treatment for high NK cells is experimental and his evidence is largely anecdotal - but he believes it works. I do have to mention, prior to tipping me back in the chair right before he performed my first IUI (only so far), he did ask if I was "ready for my ride?" I found this extremely inappropriate (and see my original comment about preferring a female RE) but what are you going to say to someone who is holding a syringe of your husbands sperm? Do I think he will get us pregnant? Yes. Would I have him over for dinner? Nope.

Brace yourself...and do your homework.

We came to Dr. Dunaway on letrozole + timed intercourse cycle 3 of 4 that our previous RE had started us on after 2 miscarriages in 3 cycles. That month in addition to the 5mg for 7 days of letrozole we added 4mg/day of Estradiol starting day 12, an 10,000 iu Novarel shot on day 13 after labs and ultrasound looked good and 200 mg/day of Estrase. No pregnancy. The next cycle was anovulatory and I was told I did not respond to the letrozole. I do not have any known issues with ovulation and I really wanted to discuss that it may have been the estrogen, HCG or progesterone that that contributed to the off cycle, but no one was particularly receptive. After weighing our options with Dr. Dunaway, we decided to to try 1-2 IUI cycles before moving on to IVF. My day 3 US did show that that I had a 12mm follicle that they predicted was a cyst but they decided to move forward anyways. We did with 150 iu of Gonal F on days 5-7 and at my day 8 US, I had one follicle at 22mm. My blood work suggested this was not an overstimulated follicle and so I triggered that night with 5,000 iu of Novarel and the IUI was scheduled for the next day, cycle day 9. We are currently 7 days past trigger and 6 days past IUI.

Every time I go to the office, I have a copay of $23.90 - $30 per visit and every few visits I have to pay for 2-3 visits (I would prefer to pay each visit). For prescriptions, I pay $10 for 60 pills of Estradiol, and the first cycle I paid $120 total for 24 100mg progesterone suppositories and 10,000 iu of Novarel but the second cycle it was only $60 for both. I paid $35 each for the Gonal F and Centrotide (which I did not end up using). They have yet to process my IUI claim. If we are to get pregnant from the IUI (or IVF in the future) the treatment for the high NK cells is $2500 per bag of immunoglobin which we have been told by Dr. Dunaway insurance will not cover. He recommends 3 bags.

My understanding is the law (not sure if this is federal or Louisiana state) now states that you can only transfer 2 embryos if you are 38 or over and forgo genetic testing (PGS). Prior to this I believe he was pro multiple transfer.

There is an open 1.5 hour period for labs and cycle related ultrasounds. The wait can take minutes or hours depending on who else shows up on that day. It could be difficult to balance this with your job. It bears asking Dr.Dunaway things you may have asked the nurses- in one instance we learned I was taking a medication unnecessarily. Ms. Audrey at reception and Nurse Cindy are exceptionally kind people who keep the faith for their patients despite bearing witness to their pain. All staff are truly wonderful.

Dr. Dunaway is so warm and personable. He had a great sense of humor and was candid about some of his own vulnerabilities. My case was frustrating and his joy when we succeeded was evident, as was his pain when we did not succeed. His staff is warm and wonderful.

I loved all the nurses especially Jackie and Holly who I worked closely with.

My only hesitation about referring people to Dr.Dunaway is that he didn’t offer ERA procedures as an exploration into recurrent implantation failure. After several unexplained failed transfers I wanted to turn over every stone, though I also believe Dr. Dunaway is truly committed to saving patients money and this may play a role in the rationale for this decision. I still strongly recommend him. I think he is brilliant, ethical, and frankly fun to be around. His sympathy with our unexplained failures was evident. He was serious about helping us achieve our goal. He took my input seriously and supported my return to iui which finally led to success.

Ask many questions! He will take the time to answer. He seems to appreciate you playing an active role in your care and won’t fault you for being cautious. His opinion will sometimes differ from what his staff will assume it will be, so be vigilant about that.

We were looking to have one more child (after one successful natural pregnancy). He started ivf with medium stimulation to increase our chances of enough viable embryos to create a pregnancy but without many if any leftover embryos. We did follistim and menopur both times. The first cycle he increased my dose to 150 menopur from 75 and kept it at 150 for the second. We stayed with 225 follistim both times. Prior to ivf we did clomid and letrozole iuis. 1 of each drug resulted in chemical pregnancies while another of the clomid iuis was a negative. Our first ivf resulted in 1 high grade PGS normal embryo and our second resulted in 2. All transfers failed. The first two were a standard FET estrogen and PIO transfer protocol. My lining grew thinner by transfer day so for our third we used Gonal-f instead of the standard protocol and my lining cooperated but the transfer failed. We did iui with letrozole and menopur because I had menopur to get rid of and it failed. Our next step was iui with Gonal-f (150 units) and pregnyl trigger and I’m now 6 months with a healthy single baby.

Pleasant waiting area. Great lab and ultrasound staff. My only qualm is the variable wait.

It’s all a blur but I believe we spent about $30 thousand total for 5 iuis, 2 ivfs and 3 transfers.

Dr. Dunaway seemed to favor multiple transfer on the cycle when we had the chance but we chose eSET, primarily because I didn’t want to risk 2 embryos when we had an unexplained failed transfer in our history but also because one of us passionately didn’t want twins.

The sooner you start the sooner you start getting answers. The receptionist is amazing, the clinic would not be the same without her. The nurse Cindy always gives so much detail, wish I could have seen her more. Dr Dunaway is exceptional.

Every consult with dr dunaway in person was detailed and amazing, he is great. He replies to emails promptly. Anytime I met with the nurse early in the process about taking medication cycles or iui cycles, I felt like I was just a number, I always had to figure things out on my own, frequently frustrated with the lack of detail and had surprise cost at check out. The last month has been different, we decided to do invocell/invitro and I got a whole packet of information, cost and an organized folder. It was not just on the process and procedures but on infertility in general. I wish i would have had info with iui cycle. The nurse I saw was very detailed. She answered questions I didn’t even know to ask.

Dr Dunaway has compassion for his patients. I’ve never felt rushed in a consult with him. He thoroughly explains procedures. He has years of experience. You are able to communicate with him through personal email and he promptly answers ANY questions the best he can. I would recommend Dr Dunaway.

Do you research first to know what questions to ask. You are your biggest advocate.

He always started with the most conservative treatment suggestions however listened to you concerns and you and your partners expected time line.

Wish I would have got a price sheet of consult and standard procedure cost.

The clinic is quiet, clean, discrete and professional. Infertility can be a scary and even embarrassing issue to deal with but I never felt weird in there. For the most part, they are on time. They have a TV to watch which is nice, you watch HGTV while you wait. They have water, coffee, and comfortable seats. I feel very peaceful in there. Its not too large so you don't get lost.

I always felt important. Dr. Sartor answered all my questions patiently and she was always very gentle during the IUI procedures. Also, the staff are amazing. After getting some bad news about my follicle count one cycle, I started crying at the checkout station. The woman working the station was so sweet and caring and even got me some water. I never feel rushed at the office and someone will always call me back if I have a question.

The nursing staff are phenomenal. I've worked with three of Dr. Sartor's nurses. They are all patient, kind, compassionate and knowledgeable. They don't rush you and are there to listen even if you just want to talk things through. They always call me back if I have any questions.

On my first visit with Dr. Sartor, I met with her for over an hour. She explained everything very carefully with me and made sure I understood all the costs and risks. She is very direct but sincere. I never felt as though she had given me false hope or made it seem impossible. During IUIs, she is very gentle and talks her way through it so there are no surprises. My only suggestion is that I wish I could see her more, instead of a nurse, on visits when they are adjusting the procedures.

If she doesn't call you back, her nurse definitely will before the end of the day. Don't worry if they don't get back to you within the hour.

My first IUI cycle we did 10 days of oral hormones, and 3 injections of Follistem. I had three good follicles, but a negative pregnancy test. My second IUI cycle, we did 2 weeks of birth control, then 5 days of oral hormones, and 3 injections of Follistem. We also followed up with progesterone after the IUI. I had one good follicle, but a negative pregnancy test. We skipped the following month because I had a very large cyst on one of my ovaries. My last IUI cycle we did 8 days if Follistem, I had three good follicles and the best sperm count we've ever had, but still, a negative pregnancy test.

An IUI cycle averaged $2500-$3000 depending on the amount of injectable medication.

n/a

Office is clean and quiet. Mrs Audrey at the front desk is amazing. Greets you by name on your way in and your way out every single time. Weakness would be that they do monitoring appointments from 7:30-9:00 on first come first serve basis. So if you’re not there very early in the morning you could be waiting a while.

Dr Dunaway would take the time to answer questions. He was compassionate but also honest. Even if I was there for monitoring and needed to ask him something he would be available and happy to help.

Jackie was great. She often talks fast and I remember thinking, I’m glad I’m a medical professional because otherwise I would be totally lost. She’s honest about chances but does it in a nice way. Always returns your phone calls.

Dr dunaway is very personable. Laid back and easy to talk to. Will answer questions honestly, even if it is tough to hear. Delivered bad news in a compassionate way. Thinks out loud in front of you, so you know he’s doing his best to come up with a solution.

He is very laid back but very serious about getting you the results you want.

Started with injectable IUI with no success. Moved on to ivf, stimulation did not go as planned and we found out I am a poor responder and converted to IUI. Attempted ivf with different protocol and retrieved 2 mature eggs. 1 fertilized and the other did not. Fertilized egg grew perfectly to day 3 then arrested. We were left with no embryos to attempt transfer.

Monitoring is from 7:30-9:00 on a first come first serve basis. Some days you got lucky and got in and out quick. Other days you may be there for a few hours.

Approx $20,000

This is a business and it is treated like a business. Be prepared to have money discussed upfront and you won’t get much help or advice on how to finance things. Dr. Dunaway is extremely intelligent he’s to the point and he does not tend to dig too much on your specific issues facing this is a business and it is treated like a business. Be prepared to have money discussed upfront and you won’t get much help or advice on how to finance things. Dr. Dunaway is extremely intelligent he’s to the point and he does not tend to dig too much on your specific issues. He is good at what he does, but I think if you have immune issues or diminished ovarian reserve, you may need to see a specialist. He’s going to keep trying if you allow.

The reason I felt like a number was because each appointment, we went in and it was almost like our doctor did not remember who we were. For example, after a failed medicated cycle, He walked in and immediately started showing us a new type of procedure where they will put the egg and the sperm in a jar and put it inside of you. My husband and I got really excited, until I brought up the fact that I had DOR, and then he said oh yes sorry with the DOR this wouldn’t work. Then, after my laparoscope, he told my husband I have now we would have a regular chance like everyone else. My husband got really excited until I went to my appointment to find out why he had told him that and if this was true and he said well, you have DOR as I just looked up so no maybe not. I kind of felt like he had way too many patients and couldn’t remember our case.

I know that nurses have to have a hard exterior to work in this profession especially having to see the heart ache day by day. With that in mind, I found the nurses to be lacking compassion but very knowledgeable. My particular nurse always answered my calls always came back with answers never left me hanging, which I was grateful for. Sometimes another nurse would be there and I just found that I was not comfortable I felt like they really didn’t care. My sister is a nurse, so I know this is part of the job.

This doctor was recommended to me by everyone I know, and he was said to be the best. This doctor was full of knowledge and he did everything he could at the time. I did feel like we didn’t research the underlining cause enough to where we could correct it. Sometimes I felt he had lost his passion for this job and that I was doing just standard protocol for people couldn’t get pregnant. He is a great doctor he is very intelligent and he’s helped so many people but for my specific case, I think I may have needed to see someone who specializes in ovarian reserve.

If you were trying to get pregnant he can absolutely help, but if you are searching for answers to explain you’re in fertility, if it is not basic and you need a lot of testing in research and compassion, then you may need to find another doctor

I did four rounds with my OB/GYN of Clomid because I was not getting a positive ovulation test and my progesterone was always low. All of those cycles failed and I was referred to an endocrinologist. This RE ran my blood panel and discover that my FSH was at a 12 and my AMH was at .7. We also discovered my husband had mild morphology issues. After all of these test, we decided to do a medicated round of injections using Gonal-F and then doing an IUI. We did this in November 2017 and the cycle failed. Once the cycle failed, I demanded a HSG to see if my tubes were blocked. My doctor decided to do a laparoscope Tuesday to be able to go in And put eyes on everything. In January 2018 I was diagnosed with stage to endometriosis. My uterus my ovaries and everything looks good my tubes weren’t blocked and he remove the endometriosis. Currently, I am waiting to see if I can get pregnant on my own for month or two and if this fails, I will try one more medicated round and then go to CYN to do IVF.

Consult was $500, IUIS were 500 and my medicated cycle cost with meds around $4,000

Strengths: Nice office environment, friendly staff, prompt appointment times. Weaknesses: Huge paper files and lack of computer charting used. Bedside manner can be lacking sometimes with support staff. It would be nice if they had a portable for patients to actually view and/or save lab results as well. Mine were mostly only verbally told to me.

The staff is always pleasant and makes you feel as though time is being made for you to be seen. They do not rush you out, and Dr. Dunaway will always listen to your concerns.

My nurse is helpful and kind, but she is not warm. She can be a bit blunt and/or desmissive at times as well. Sometimes the nurses seem a bit disorganized.

Dr. Dunaway shoots from the hip and remains realistic while also being very kind and personable. Even when delivering bad news you know he is in your corner and willing to explore other options. He also listened to all of my questions even if he did not feel they were relavent to my situation or treatment. He was also available by cell phone and email. I feel he goes above and beyond.

Ditch the huge paper charts and start using electronic medical records. This would save the nurse’s time when going over things like medications. They would only need to click that things were the same instead of writing things out every time. Also, this would allow for lab results to be easily viewed and compared at all times.

Dr. Dunaway used a Lupron Microflare protocol on me because I did not respond incredibly well (had empty follicles and poor grade embryos) from my previous cycle with another doctor. I stimmed very well and my 3 embryos (from 15 eggs) looked great. However, they were all chromosomally abnormal, so we did not move on to transfer.

Although a good number of people moved in and out, I felt the monitoring appointments were handled well and went fairly quickly.

I do not remember specific costs. However, after our failed cycle, Dr. Dunaway did give us a price break for our donor egg FET. Every little bit helps being that we are totally self-pay.

My doctor is open with patients. He feels this is their decision (within reason). However, now with the new guidelines his clinic is most likely exclusively doing single transfers except for in the case of older women.

The only complaint I have ever had is that they don't set appointments for labs/ultrasounds. They just tell everyone to come within a certain time frame in the morning. Because of this there is often a wait. At my last RE office, you had an appointment for everything, and I don't think I ever waited longer than 10 minutes, and it was usually less than that! For procedures the wait wasn't bad, but it could be awhile for the monitoring appointments. That being said... they make up for this one thing in every other area!

They genuinely care about you, it is very noticeable. Since fall of 2016 when I became a patient there, I have never felt rushed or that the nurse/doctor was annoyed with me in any way. My doctor was waiting when I was wheeled out after my egg retrieval & gave me a high-five. Another time, I started crying when I realized I didn't owe as much money as I thought I did & the receptionist came around the desk & hugged me. And I can hear the sadness in my nurse's voice when she calls with bad news. They seem to get it & they rejoice with you when you get good news, and they are sad with you when you don't. I definitely feel like they want this for me, too.

I love Mrs. Jackie! She definitely makes me feel like she cares about me & about the outcome of my procedures. She's so nice, and I can hear the sadness or excitement in her voice when she calls with bad or good news. I love the entire nursing staff, though. I have worked with Holly, Simone & Cindy, and they've all been so sweet. I worked with Jackie & Simone the most. Angela is the one who draws your blood, and I always laughed & talked with her. Love the staff!

He is kind & compassionate. The first times I went he seemed rushed, but now he seems to take his time & he always asks if I have any questions before he ends the consult. He has a good sense of humor too, and only uses it when appropriate. I am overweight & I worried how he would treat me because of that, but he has been nothing but compassionate. Even when talking about my weight, he is able to do it in a way that doesn't make me feel like a horrible person! I am so happy he is my doctor. I trust him 100%.

Don't hesitate to ask questions. Even if it seems like he is finished with your consult, he will absolutely stop & answer any questions that you have.

It did run smoothly as far as you being called to the back, getting your labs done, getting your ultrasound done, and checking out - however, the wait before you were called to the back could be a bit long.

For my IVF cycle, I chose Single Cycle Plus which included an egg retrieval and two transfers (the second transfer is included if your first transfer doesn't work or results in a miscarriage). The cost was $12,950. This didn't include the consult which was around $210. It also didn't include some tests/labs that add up to be about $1200 (although you don't have to do these if they've been done already at a previous clinic within the last year). And it doesn't include meds which can range from $5-$7k (or more if you do not respond to the meds). Plus we chose to do ICSI which was another $1200.

For me, he always transferred 2 at a time, that was his stance & his protocol for a long time unless the individual situation caused him to only transfer one. However, now he can only transfer one due to Louisiana regulations, unless you are over a certain age (I think 38).

Strengths-they are knowledgeable and have many years of experience. They are a little conservative when it comes to treatments, which is for the patient's health, but it can be annoying. Weaknesses-they need to be upfront with costs before you start treatment. Nurses need to not smoke or spray with something before coming in the rooms.

During medicated cycles, you were treated like a number. Which I complained about. Suddenly it got better. Doing IVF, you were a human they were very interested in.

They are nice, and willing to talk to you. One of them smokes too much, and comes in the room smelling of smoke. Also, she is a little blunt. They are caring, and called to check on me when I miscarried. They always call back very quickly.

He has to rely on his notes when he saw you. He shudders, but he is ok to understand. Have your questions with you before you go. He will answer any questions you have, but you have to ask them. He likes to talk, and it cam cause him to get behind. He has a steady hand, and it gentle when doing a procedure. Although he can seem rushed if there is something on his mind.

Have questions written down before you go. He's happy to answer them, but you have to be prepared to ask them.

Clomid, 3 months, 1 pos pregnancy, miscarried, 1 month metronome, chemical pregnancy, 1st round of IVF, 2 eggs retrieved, both fertilized, fresh transfer and frozen. 1 neg, 1 chemical. 2nd IVF round, 6 eggs retrieved, 5 fertilized, 3 made if to freeze, 1 neg, 1 pos, ended in miscarriage, about to transfer embryo 3.

$800 per Clomid cycle $200 for post cloitle exam $12,000 for first IVF cycle $7,000 for 2nd IVF cycle

I had to do single transfer because of my uteral deformity.

The staff is wonderful, they are all very good at their unique individual jobs. They’re knowledgeable, caring and attentive to details. A new patient may want to know that bloodwork and ultrasounds are first come first serve in the morning so get there early!!

Dr. Dunaway always seemed like he wanted the best and to give our last donor egg IVF cycle the best chance we could. He seemed genuinely upset and shocked when we miscarried and told us a personal story of how his daughter miscarried at the same stage and assured me I did nothing wrong and tested me right away instead of waiting for multiple miscarriages.

Ms. Jackie and all of the other staff here are incredible here! Ms. Jackie has been with Dr. Dunaway for over twenty years and has invaluable experience. She is extremely thorough and fully explains the process and makes sure that you are comfortable and fully know what to expect.

After our very first consultation with Dr. Dunaway I looked at my husband and told him I wished we had found him sooner. He has a plethora of experience and a great bedside manner. He is thorough and determined in what he is doing and it shows in the work that he does.

My advice would to be to go see him with any fertility concerns as soon as possible. He will be honest and give you the best options with how to navigate through your infertility issues. He sees you as a person and his ultimate goal is to see you succeed! He also saw things my previous clinic had not, he found my uterus was covered in polyps and my old clinic never saw them and transferred an embryo anyway.

When we came to see Dr. Dunaway we had made the decision to use donor eggs, we had had two failed IVF’s prior with our previous Doctor. We had 6 donor eggs which resulted in 2 beautiful embryos. Prior to transfer I was on birth control for about 5 weeks, then Lupron for two weeks, estradiol valetate injections twice a week, baby aspirin, estrogen patches and we started progesterone in oil injections 6 days before transfer. We kept the PIO injections going up until I was 8 weeks pregnant, then switched to protestors suppositories 3x a day. We also had stopped the estrogen injections by week 7 and switched to an oral tablet once a day. His protocol had worked and we were pregnant but unfortunately we lost the baby the week we were supposed to be released from his care at 10 weeks. He tested me for immune disordes, blood clotting disorders but everything came out normal.

Luckily I had good insurance and had to only cover a deductible and max out of pocket, which totaled $4000. This was our third IVF and have now exhausted all of our benefits.

Dr. Dunaway advises to transfer one embryo, we only had two to start with. At first I wanted to transfer two but I was so thankful in the end that I only transferred the one.

The FINO clinic in Baton Rouge is fairly small but only one doctor is practicing out of this location. My only real complaint is that before I scheduled our first consultation I had called to make sure it would be coded as a consultation because that is the only way my insurance would pay for the visit and they assured me it would, when we went to check out they had coded it as "infertility" which my insurance would not cover and I was required to full pay for that visit on the spot which I wasn't really prepared for. We have also gotten bills in my husbands name that were for me which can be confusing. Dr. Dunaway and his staff are really wonderful, I would just make sure you understand all the financial aspects of your visits.

Dr. Dunaway is wonderful, he truly cares about you as a patient and will spend as much time as you need answering any of your questions.

Overall the nursing staff has been great, they are compassionate and you can tell they really care about each patient and understand how sensitive and emotional this process can be. Every time I have called with a question or concern I get a call back very quickly.

We have only met with Dr. Dunaway a few times but every time I have been more than satisfied with our experience. He takes the time to answer your questions, thoroughly explains everything, and treats you as an individual. I feel 100% confident in continuing our treatment with Dr. Dunaway!

I would make a list of all questions you may have, no matter how small you think they are. Dr. Dunaway will take the time to sit with you and go over your entire list.

We are still early on in our treatment and plan but Dr. Dunaway did suggest that we use IVF w/ ICSI due to our severe male factor. He also suggested that we see a Urologist that specialized in male infertility before we begin and we have been doing that. I loved that he didn't just have us jump right into treatment.

We haven't fully began treatment yet but when we asked how much IVF w/ ICSI would cost we were told roughly 15k plus medication costs. OUr full pay cost for just a consultation was somewhere around $250 (there was an issue with how this visit was coded so insurance didn't cover)

Dr. Dunaway did educate us on single embryo transfer and explained not only the benefits but how the government in our state has set restrictions on how many you can transfer based on your age.

We have been very impressed with the wait time. We are in and out in no time, which is a huge plus since we drive over an hour away and have to get back to work. The receptionist is very sweet and always makes us feel welcome. The ultrasound techs are very knowledgeable in their field and answer any questions we have. I can't think of any weaknesses!

Although the clinic is very busy, I feel all of my questions are answered and I don't usually feel rushed.

Holly is very informative in the field and answers all of our questions each visit. We feel comfortable with her and think she's really nice and caring.

So far, we have only done one IUI cycle with Dr. Dunaway. My IUI fell on a Saturday, which only one location was open so another doctor performed the IUI. I have not seen Dr. Dunaway since our consultation. I assume this is routine with IUI cycles. We have been very satisfied with the nurse we see each visit. We plan to move on to IVF if this second IUI is unsuccessful so I know we will see Dr. Dunaway again at that time. I feel he will address all of our concerns and explain the IVF process thoroughly should we decide to take that route.

Go see him! He is very knowledgeable and stays up to date on all the latest technology and advances in fertility treatments. Very kind and caring doctor.

Our first IUI cycle we used 100 mg of Clomid. I had used 50 mg in the past so he felt a higher dosage was needed. Two rounds of IUI were suggested due to our male factor infertility of low motility and morphology. The first IUI was unsuccessful and I developed cysts from the Clomid. This next cycle, he switched me to Femara 7.5 mg, which I start today! I was prescribed the hcg trigger shot for both cycles, and this time we are adding progesterone suppositories.

We were told the cycle fee would be $850 for IUI. Medications cost about $175, ultrasounds/monitoring cost about $350 (insurance covered some) and we had a credit on our account from previous services so we only had to pay $385 the day of the procedure. So the estimate they gave was pretty close, no surprises.

The hours are great! I was always able to make appointments early in the morning so I wouldn't miss work for routine labs/blood work. The reception staff is not always warm and welcoming, but hey... they just answer phones and sign people in. They aren't responsible for my care, so that didn't bother me. It may bother some people.

The nursing staff at FINO is amazing! They truly care how you are feeling and take time explaining everything and answering questions. I still keep in contact with some of my nurses! I am looking forward to working with them again for my next embryo transfer. Dr Lu is also great! He's very personable and realistic. He remains positive in outlook, which helped me to feel confident that things would work out for us, which they did. He is patient in his explanations, and setting expectations.

The nursing staff is very kind, compassionate and understanding. They are patient in explaining procedures and your plan of care. They are always available via phone as well. I always received follow up calls with in a few hours of my appointment to discuss my hormone levels, and the next steps/medication changes. To this day, I still keep in touch with some of the nurses!

Dr. Lu is highly qualified and experienced. He is very patient in explaining procedures and answering questions. He has a very understanding and warm bedside manner. We had 1 egg retrieval, 1 fresh embryo transfer, and 2 frozen embryo transfers. Currently, we have 1 more frozen embryo. Our fresh embryo transfer resulted in a negative pregnancy test. Our first frozen transfer resulted in a positive pregnancy but miscarried very early (chemical pregnancy), and our 2nd frozen embryo transfer has resulted in the birth of our son! After our second transfer miscarried, we had a appointment with Dr Lu to discuss our plan moving forward. I went into the appointment very sad and frustrated. Since we are dealing with Male-Factor infertility, and I was under 30 years old at the time, we (meaning me, my husband, and Dr Lu) really thought that I would have gotten/stayed pregnant on the 1st or 2nd try. (side note- we did not do any PGD testing to know if our embryos were genetically normal/abnormal). Embryos were transferred in the order of highest rating to lowest rating. At our appointment, we discussed how he has had patients have perfect embryos that just don't work out, and then end up giving birth to their lowest rated embryo. His stories and examples helped me to feel more confident to move forward, thus resulting in our 3rd transfer and giving birth to our son. Dr Lu works between 2 clinics in the New Orleans area, so he is not always at the clinic at the time of my appointment. This was never a negative in my opinion! He is a very busy man, but if I ever felt the need to talk to him directly, his nurses would pass the message, and he would call me soon after. Dr Lu did perform all of my procedures, and was always available when needed.

Don't hesitate to make your appointment! He's great, and I highly suggest anyone to work with him.

I was under 30 years old at the time we started to seek treatment, never had any sort of problems of my own in regards to my cycle or reproductive system. We had tried several years to conceive on our own before starting to investigate why we weren't getting pregnant on our own. Come to find out, we are dealing with male-factor infertility. My husband's sperm count and quality are extremely low, giving us less than a 1% chance of conceiving on our own. Given all this information, Dr Lu explained why we should move straight to IVF. Because of my husbands sperm quality/quantity, clomid or IUI wouldn't raise our chances much at all. Shortly after our 1st consultation with Dr Lu, we decided to move forward. Once I started my next period, I called the office so we could start monitoring my uterus, ovaries, and blood levels. Once everything looked good, we order medications and started stimulation injections. I don't remember dosages, as they all changed day to day depending on my hormone levels. I know I was on Folistim and Menopur at the beginning, and then started hCG injections a few days before the egg retrieval. Once egg retrieval day arrived, we went in for the surgery. No complications. I started progesterone injections this same day, in anticipation that I would possibly do a fresh transfer. Retrieved 17 eggs, 12 of which were mature enough to fertilize. Dr Lu suggested that we uses ICSI to fertilize to make sure that each egg received a healthy sperm. Of the 12 eggs that received a sperm, 9 actually fertilized. Of those 9, 4 were healthy enough to make it to day 5/6 embryos. Because my hormone levels, uterus and ovaries were looking good, we decided that it was safe to do a fresh transfer 5 days after retrieval. This first transfer resulted in a negative pregnancy test. On the very next cycle, we did a frozen embryo transfer. I know I had injections leading up to the transfer, but other than progesterone, I can't remember what it was. This cycle, we did get a positive pregnancy test, but miscarried a week later. The following cycle, we went for another frozen transfer, which resulted in full term pregnancy and live birth of my son. We currently have 1 frozen embryo left, and plan to transfer in the next year or so.

I was very lucky! My employer offered benefits that included fertility treatment up to $20,000, or 1 full round of IVF. Which, after my deductible, I only paid 10% of the overall charges. I would not be a good example of the associated costs, because I paid very little compared to the majority of patients.

Dr Lu suggested that we only transfer 1 embryo at a time. Since I have a healthy reproductive system, and was under the age of 30, it didn't make sense to try more than 1 at a time. He had actually mentioned that they were preforming multiple embryo transfers for women under the age of 35, as it only increased the risk of multiple miscarriages and pre-term birth/complications. The chances of getting pregnant were only 1% higher with multiple embryo transfers vs single transfers. Dr Lu went on to explain that if you transfer 2 embryos, and 1 is healthy and implants, and the other implants and isn't healthy or miscarries, it could cause the healthy one to miscarry too.

The clinic ha no online portal. All labs results are communicated by nursing staff via phone. If you miss their call then you have to call back and leave a message and wait for a return call, which hopefully you didn’t miss! The phone calls all go to one office then have to be transferred to the specific location you need. One of the ultrasound techs was amazing and one was terrible! The phlebotomist’s were both awesome. The clinic did have good morning hours but closed between 3:30-4:30 in afternoon so no phones answered and no way to get a message to anyone. Also no later appointments.

Dr Sartor was very pushy, not really giving us time to fully comprehend what was happening, or understand the recommended treatment plan. We had to be forceful and push back to slow things down a little. Also we never moved on to IVF due to her pushing us for PGD and us not having the money for the base IVF much less extras.

She was great about answering my questions and trying to get my insurance to cover my injectable meds which required jumping through many hoops.

I saw Dr Sartor 4 times- initial consult, pre IUI consult, my third IUI and IVF consult after the third IUI failed. During the course of my treatment, I found out I am BRCA 1 positive, putting me at higher risk for ovarian and breast cancer. My treatment started with one round of unmonitored Femara. Instead of improved ovulation, I had an annovulatory cycle. The next step was IUI with ovulation induction. I started with Femara and Menopur and an HCG trigger shot. My first cycle was 1-2 follicles, second cycle was the same. The third cycle started with 2 weeks of birth control pills due to a large cyst at start of cycle. Then went on to the meds continuing with the same. But this cycle was different in that my body didn’t respond right away and so through the nurse Dr Sartor kept upping my dose of Menopur. Finally after 3 weeks of stimming we had 4 follicles. But again the cycle failed. Next step would be IVF. Dr Sartor was recommending ICSI, PGD (for BRCA 1) and possibly assisted hatching. We didn’t and still don’t have that kind of money. And medical loans have a very high interest rates. We weren’t interested in taking on such massive debt. As much as we want a family we have to be prudent. Also Dr Sartor pushing for PGD was very uncomfortable especially when we found out it was 12000 per cycle minimum. We stepped away from treatment at that time and have been trying on our own since.

Be prepared to stand up for yourself. Don’t let her rush you or steam roll you.

I don’t remember dosing but all cycles started with Femara then Menopur injections with dosing going up as needed for response. I also used gonadotropins to prevent early ovulation and an HCG trigger shot for the 3 IUI cycles. After each insemination the doctor performing it would determine when to start oral progesterone supplementation. I only had 7 dpo progesterone testing once and never had a pregnancy test through the office.

I don’t remember any costs. IUI was about $1500 without meds.

Had we progressed to IVF Dr Sartor only wanted to transfer one embryo. Her reasoning was that you don’t know if someone has an incompetent cervix until something happens so she wants to prevent it.

They do a really good job getting you in and out in a timely manner, which is especially important when you have a full time job. Everyone is friendly and will try to help the best they can. Often the nurse isn’t available to talk when you call but will always call you back that day.

He was very thorough and took a lot of time to explain the treatment. I didn’t always see him for my appointments as he was between clinics, but it wasn’t really necessary to see him every time. He always reviewed my ultrasounds and blood work and the nurse called after every appointment.

All of the nurses were kind and helpful during the treatment. The ultrasound techs were especially kind and gentle, as once my ovaries got so big ultrasounds were very uncomfortable.

Dr. Lu was VERY thorough and straight forward. He explained my risk of having multiples, as my body responded almost too well to my shots. He adjusted the dosage to lower my risk while still ensuring a successful pregnancy. It’s so important to have a responsible doctor that has the experience to adjust and lower the risk of multiples. We underwent IUI in March 2017 and have beautiful, healthy boy/girl twins that arrived at the end of October. I’d recommend him to anyone!

Ask questions if you don’t understand and he always answers thoroughly.

I had level 1-2 endometriosis that caused me a lot of pain and pregnancy is one of the few treatments for it. I was 23 and my husband was 24 and our blood levels were so good that it was confusing to him why I hadn’t gotten pregnant easily after trying for 6 months. We had a miscarriage in December after getting pregnant naturally and started treatment in March. He decided to use injections for the type of endometriosis I had, as he said with his experience injections worked better for this type. I used 75IU of follistim for about a week and then used 10,000 IU of pregnyl for a trigger. We did IUI the day after trigger. This resulted in a fraternal twin pregnancy.

We spent about $3,200 for one round of injectable IUI. My insurance didn’t cover a lot of the ultrasounds so almost everything was out of pocket.

The front desk staff is incredible. They are very personable and even coordinate a monthly support group meeting on their own dime. They offer refreshments and rally a medical professional to discuss their field of expertise. The Mandeville location is never crowded(never felt like a cattle service, like other clinics and ob/gyn offices feel like).

He was the first doctor to agree with me that something is very wrong just based on having tried for 4 years before going to him and my husband's varicocele having been corrected but still not conceiving. He validated my concerns and communicated with numbers, which is how I understand and process situations.

I only had issues with one nurse (not named). All other nurses were compassionate, informed, honest, helpful, empathetic, and genuine.

Dr Lu has been rated the best fertility doctor in the region, and I can see how. His strength is assessing a situation and making a treatment plan. He has done a great job of telling us what to expect for each round of treatment and the stats of likely success. I would definitely recommend him.

With infertility in general, Do your own research and always be your own advocate. He is flexible to change your plan if you want to be more aggressive. Come to the appointment with your questions prepared.

Because Clomid thinned by lining worse than its usual level, and letrozole didn't give me much response, Dr Lu put me on injections. He decided I didn't need an IUI since our post coital tests kept coming back postitive. The injections were able to achieve desirable lining thickness and ample follicles. There was still only a 20% success rate for us at best and we did 2 rounds without a bfp. I am completely impressed by his protocol on our IVF. I was so scared as he lowered my meds doses so much but at the end, he manipulated everything PERFECTLY. I was risking and nearly OHSS and he gave me letrozole and cabergoline to prevent full ohss and so I know we maximized the potential for eggs retrieved while keeping me safe. He did an excellent job of changing my doses every day. Transfer was perfect as well.

Clomid and letrozole rounds may have been around 300-400. Injection rounds had a flat rate (for all bloodwork and ultrasounds and appointments up to ovulation) of 1250 each. There were med costs from the pharmacy on top of that and if I had needed the iui, it would have been another 500. We spend just under 2000 each injection cycle (follistim, menopur). IVF single/simple round is $12000 for fresh or frozen transfer.

In August 2017, the SART board regulated in our region that you may only transfer one embryo (or be sanctioned), unless female is 38+yrs old or has had 2 previous failed transfers, no other exceptions. I was sad to only transfer one but it wasn't really up to Dr Lu. All the fertility clinics in Louisiana have to adhere to the new regulations. He was clear about the risks of transferring more than one, though.

Organized, friendly staff. Good location in central Baton Rouge. Expensive but they are the best in our area, so I do not regret going to them first.

The clinic and Nurses were easy to get in touch with. They recognized me by site, and they were always friendly. On occasion, I did feel like maybe they were a little jaded to the process. They would explain things so matter of factly, at times skipping over the mental or emotional Aspect of the process.

Jackie has been doing this forever. Very organized, straight forward, calm. Go in to appointments with questions ready to go so she isn't in and out. Very clear on directions, but can skim over side effects and emotional aspects of fertility treatment. Overall impression, they aren't there to baby you-they are there to get you pregnant.

Dr. Dunaway knows his stuff. He is worth going to just by his success rate alone. Friendly, easy to talk to, although he may simplify the process when explaining. I wasn't always sure what to expect next, if my side effects/symptoms were normal, if my results were as expected, etc.

Trust his opinion, but if you are detail-oriented, have all questions ready to go! Bring someone to appointments to make sure you both understand his explanations. He is very friendly and can easily bustle in and out of the room before you realize you did ask the questions you intended to!

I should have kept notes. Lots of Lupron. Gonal and menopur for retrieval--doses changed often based on ultrasound and labs. A few oral meds to avoid OHSS after retrieval. I wanted to try a fresh transfer but they did not allow it due to my lab levels. For transfer, estradiol IM and patches, then added in IM progesterone. After transfer, added baby aspirin for a while. Switched IM progesterone to vaginal suppository. Stopped all meds at 10 weeks. Weekly ultrasounds until I "graduated" to regular ob at 10 weeks.

Ultrasounds and labs were scheduled in the mornings. Quick and efficient. Ultrasound and lab techs are very friendly. I always picked up new information from the ultrasound techs during my ultrasounds. (Sometimes they mentioned things I feel like I should have known about from the nurse! I wish I remember a good example of this.)

1 egg retrieval with 2 transfers cost about 12,000. ICSI was another $2000, roughly. Med cost was not included in this. I paid half up front, then the other half later on, I believe close to my transfer date.

Standard for my age was 2 embryo transfers, which I was fine with.

The clinic is extremely well organized! You can expect the same routine each time you go and the staff is efficient and mindful of your time. They are also flexible with scheduling appointments and have a very thorough financing department.

From the first appointment with Dr. Lu, I felt that he was deeply invested in my individual fertility journey. He was candid about the different infertility realities couples face and outlined his reasoning behind every single test he first administered. He has continued to be patient, thorough, and transparent throughout the ups and downs of our treatment. He has listened to what our major concerns are and has helped us to make the most informed decisions possible that are the best for our family.

The nursing staff at The Fertility Institute is inconsistent. Some of Dr. Lu's nurses are absolutely wonderful. They respond to requests in a timely manner and when I was starting at-home injections, gave me their cell phone number just in case I forgot how to properly mix something during off-hours. This is my primary nurse with Dr. Lu. The other nurses who have supported me at random points don't feel as invested or knowledgeable of my course of treatment.

Dr. Lu's strengths include taking a thorough approach to understanding his patients' history and goals for seeking fertility treatment. He is a candid communicator and is able to answer our questions from both a statistical and a compassionate mindset. I have felt confident in every step of our treatment because Dr. Lu truly understands our specific concerns and keeps those at the forefront of every recommendation. I have also appreciated his straightforward approach to communicating next steps and results, while still leaving room for compassion and understanding. An example of this is when he called with the Diminished Ovarian Reserve results. I was 29 at the time and this was a result we sincerely did not consider possible. Dr. Lu re-explained the testing process, the diagnosis, and his recommended treatment comprehensively, but stopped to say "I hear that you're upset, and I want you to know that it's okay. Now is the time to be upset." This was incredibly affirming of my experience as a patient. He was gentle in pushing us forward in our treatment to not waste time while also being incredibly understanding.

Dr. Lu is a straightforward communicator and an incredibly good listener but you should be prepared to ask questions and be clear about your concerns and goals! He answers all of our questions in full and has continued to keep our goals in mind. I would imagine that if you don't have those things ready and would like more of a coaching approach, you may not feel fulfilled in the relationship.

My husband and I tried to conceive naturally for 10 months before I made an appointment with my gynecologist, Dr. Sacha Wax. Due to my history of endometriosis, she moved forward with treatment and prescribed the first round of Clomid (50 mg/day), suspecting that I wasn’t successfully ovulating. My reaction to Clomid was not ideal but not uncommon. I developed a large cyst and went on birth control to diminish its size. Due to my history, reaction, and low progesterone, Dr. Wax recommended that I see a fertility specialist, and I made an appointment with Dr. Lu. The first few appointments with Dr. Lu were likely what every couple experiences on this journey. Bloodwork, ultrasounds, more bloodwork. From the initial imaging, Dr. Lu suspected an ovulation timing issue. We tried the HCG shot to trigger ovulation when one of my follicles was just on the cusp of the right size and my lining looked great. More bloodwork and progesterone supplements followed, as well as another sizeable cyst that ruptured and resulted in a trip to the emergency room. In the follow up conversation with Dr. Lu, he said that my bloodwork revealed my AMH results were extremely and surprisingly low for my age (29). I had an AMH of 0.677, when he expected it to be closer to 8, which meant my ovarian reserve was very low. The next step Dr. Lu recommended was another round of Clomid (100 mg/day), not to try for a successful pregnancy but instead to determine my FSH level to identify the quality of the eggs left in my limited reserve. The Clomid caused my FSH levels to almost double (from 6.8 to 11) which confirmed that both the quantity and quality of my ovarian reserve are extremely low. From there, Dr. Lu recommended that we try one-two months of Follistim injections (October 2016) in the hopes that this course of treatment would be successful instead of IVF. We tried one month of Follistim (150 mg/day) and I developed only one viable follicle on my left ovary, with two much smaller on my right. The treatment was unsuccessful and, on November 1, 2016, Dr. Lu shared that we were now at the point where IVF was the only course of treatment he could recommend due to my poor response to Follistim.

In total (including medications, imaging, bloodwork, special testing, and office visit fees) we have spent over $6,000 on our fertility treatment thus far. Louisiana Insurance companies are not required to cover infertility treatment so none of our visits with Dr. Lu are covered.

We have not gotten to this point in our treatment yet.

It's not going to be perfect, but the clinic does everything they can to help you. Every person has different issues and I believe Dr. Dunaway and staff do everything they can to assist and care for you and your future pregnancy.

Dr. Dunaway actually takes the time to plan a path for you and your partner while explaining his reasoning and then asks your opinion. I felt like I had a say so in what they were doing. The staff has also went out of their way to help my situation when needed by squeezing me in at the last minute. Dr. Dunaway is caring and compassionate, but not clueless. He gives you the results straightforward, but also has a plan to follow.

Absolutely wonderful. Caring and always a pleasure to see even though infertility is extremely hard to deal with.

My statement from the human vs number will be the same answer. He is caring and compassionate, but straightforward with issues. He always has a plan ready if one plan didn't work out the way we hoped.

Don't waste your time seeing a OB/GYN. Let Dr. Dunaway help you get where you want to be quicker. He is amazing!

Fertility pills for our first cycle which resulted in a negative pregnancy test, but wanted to see my body's reaction to the pills. IUI with shots- my body didn't react enough to the pills. First time with shots I ovulated early which resulted in a negative pregnancy test and another medicine being added the next go around. 2 more cycles both with a negative pregnancy test. Surgery followed to see if their were blockages or other issues. IVF is our next step. Unfortunately, we have been diagnosed with unexplained infertility.

I have no cover under insurance for infertility and unexplained infertility. It has been expensive, but when Dunaway can he will help you.

The clinic participated with an organization called Sarah's Laughter. SL hosts a Baby Steps fun run every year where they give away a $10k grant to one couple, and The Fertility Institute gave away a FREE IVF cycle. At Baby Steps 2015, Dr. Dunaway saw how many people had participated, so he gave away an additional half off IVF, 2 free IUIs, and a few free consultations. I signed up for Baby Steps and created a "race team". My name was chosen for the half off IVF cycle. Without Dr. Dunaway's generosity, I don't think I would be pregnant right now. At this point, I really cannot think of any weaknesses. They are all so kind, everyone on staff seems very knowledgeable, their office, exam rooms, operating facilities, lab, etc. are all state of the art fantastic. The receptionist, Ms. Audrey, she is absolutely precious. She was always very upbeat and encouraging every time I saw her. I am very impressed and grateful for the care I received.

The staff at the Fertility Institute-BR are SO precious! I live 4 hours away from the clinic and they are so sweet and accommodating. They know my name, ask me how I'm doing, talk about real life, etc.

Jackie is the IVF coordinator. She is the one that I talk to the most. She is kind, caring, and gentle in her delivery of information. She does kind of talk fast, but when I ask her to repeat something she will even say, "I'm sorry I'm talking so fast..." then she will repeat or answer whatever question I have. The ultrasound girls are super sweet. They always talk to me, ask me how I'm doing, talk about the day, etc. I probably ask them the most questions while they are doing my ultrasound, "what's that? is that a good thing? why does that look like that? how do you know that the blob is a follicle and not a cyst?" they are always SO sweet and answer every single question...and they don't make me feel like I'm bothering them by asking. Another nurse that I've seen is Simone. She was there on my retrieval day & transfer day. She was really kind and caring. I don't remember the names of the other nurses who were there for my pre-op and post-op retrieval, but they were very sweet.

I really like Dr. Dunaway. His communication and personality are a very good fit for me. I prefer direct and to the point communication. I like that he kind of thinks out loud when we talk...that lets me know he's weighing different options about the protocol he's giving me and not just sticking to a cookie-cutter plan. He tells me the truth, asks me questions, asks if I am comfortable with what he's telling me to do or medicine to take. I feel like he communicates clearly and that is very important.

I just "graduated" from the clinic and am 10 weeks pregnant! Dr. Dunaway is an excellent doctor. He's the second RE that I've seen, and I trust him. Still ask questions if there's something you don't understand, but he explained things before I even needed to ask most of the time.

I was on Menopur, Follistim, Lupron, and the medicine used for trigger just completely left my brain. I'm thinking it was Bravelle? I cannot remember, sorry! It was a very straightforward protocol. They provided me with a calendar so that I could fill it in with the info from each visit - this was super helpful. My egg retrieval was in June 2016 and my transfer was supposed to be in September 2016. We started FET protocol, but my body went crazy with estrogen and my transfer had to be cancelled because my lining was too thick. My lining was a 17 for my first monitoring appointment. Ideally they want it to be around 9-12 by the time you transfer, so mine was WAY too thick. Dr. Dunaway personally came to chat with me and the IVF coordinator, Jackie. He specifically said that he hated to cancel my transfer, but that I have really good embryos and he doesn't want to waste my embryos on not-ideal lining. I was disappointed, but I trusted that he was doing what was best for me and my embryos. I was instructed to stop all meds and call when my cycle started. It didn't start for 4 weeks, so I just went back for them to check me, and they gave me Provera to make my period start. Dr. Dunaway adjusted my meds from estrogen injections & patches to just an oral dose of Estrace twice a day. My lining was looking good, but a little on the thicker side, so they moved my transfer date one day sooner. We transferred 2 embryos and I stayed on PIO injections for 6 weeks, then switched to Endometrium inserts for another 3 weeks (until I was 10 weeks pregnant). I was also still taking Estrace twice a day up until 10 weeks.

They prefer for you to be there between 7-9am. I live 4 hours away and would leave my house around 5am to get there at least by 9am. They were very understanding if I was late and were able to see me immediately. One time I completely slept through my alarms. I got on the road as fast as I could and called when they opened and told them what happened. They said it wasn't a big deal and as long as I was there by 11:30, it wouldn't be a problem. I was there at 10:50 and they called me right to the back. Even with the flooding in Baton Rouge, they didn't close and still saw patients as scheduled.

Since I won the half off IVF, I was charged half of the costs. My total was around $7,500 - that included freezing all embryos and 1 transfer, so I would guess the costs would be around $14-15k (plus medicine). The ultrasounds that I had after my positive pregnancy test were paid separately.

The entire staff is wonderful. They are kind and extremely responsive. Not to mention, always helpful.

With Dr. Sartor, I have always felt like a human - never simply a number. Since the very beginning, my husband and I have felt at ease with Dr. Sartor, and with each step in this process so far, we have felt more and more so. My diagnoses came suddenly and unexpectedly, so it was quite a bit for us to take in at one time. Dr. Sartor has always taken the time listen to our questions/concerns and thoroughly explain each step, procedure, potential outcomes, next steps, etc. She has tailored my protocol specifically for my needs and adjusted as needed depending on my particular response, as well as been a constant source of encouragement during an uncertain time.

Mary and Ashley, the IVF Coordinators, are amazing. They are always ready to answer my questions and promptly respond when I leave messages. They are both knowledgeable and well informed, but also extremely kind and compassionate. The entire staff has made this process such a positive experience so far and we look forward to working with everyone as we continue on this journey to start our family.

Our experience with Dr. Sartor has been everything we hoped it would be. Nothing can prepare you for infertility. However, once you realize that infertility treatments are necessary, you hope for a doctor that will strive for success and treat you with compassion and understanding along the way. Dr. Sartor has been that and more for us. She is always prepared with the most recent information and takes the time to walk us through it. She is positive and also realistic, so you know exactly what to expect. We are looking forward to beginning IVF treatments with Dr. Sartor and hoping for a successful outcome.

Never be afraid to ask questions or for further explanation. Dr. Sartor considers each and every question/concern you have and answers it thoroughly based on scientific evidence and statistics.

In April of this year, I became a patient of Dr. Sartor's after receiving a diagnosis of PCOS and advanced endometriosis. After careful examination, ultrasound and review of my case, Dr. Sartor came to the same conclusion and developed a protocol for me. On April 20th, Dr. Sartor performed a hysteroscopy, D & C, and laparoscopy to remove 4 large endometriomas. While I was under, she also performed a hysterosalpingogram. I had excellent results from the surgery, as Dr. Sartor was able to remove all signs of endometriosis, while still keeping both ovaries and tubes in place. Now completely healed, I have begun IVF treatment with Dr. Sartor and will start stimulation medications in just a few weeks.