Indiana University IVF Program

I like Marguerite [Dr. Shepard] as a person, but no so much as a Dr. She's so nice, laid back, and really makes me feel comfortable, but when it came to my treatment, it really felt like she was just going through a checklist and not personalizing the treatment to my body's needs...It always felt like she was trying to rush through my appointment, but she was never familiar with the equipment she was using, which made the appointment last much longer than it needed to.

One of the major downsides of this [Indiana University IVF Program] clinic is I have rarely ever been able to be seen at my scheduled time...During that three hours, not a single person came in to check on us or give us any update to let us know they were running behind...Dottie (nurse practitioner), along with the rest of the nursing staff, is the reason I have stayed with this clinic for so long. She genuinely wants to help my husband and I start our family. She treats me as a person, not just as a patient.

How was your experience with Marguerite Shepard at Indiana University IVF Program?

I like Marguerite as a person, but no so much as a Dr. She's so nice, laid back, and really makes me feel comfortable, but when it came to my treatment, it really felt like she was just going through a checklist and not personalizing the treatment to my body's needs. During the 3 years I have been going to this clinic, I have only met with Marguerite a few times. It always felt like she was trying to rush through my appointment, but she was never familiar with the equipment she was using, which made the appointment last much longer than it needed to.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Marguerite Shepard at Indiana University IVF Program?

Do your research on all of your options first and pick the one that will be best for you. I only went to Marguerite because my primary Dr. referred me to the nearest fertility specialist, but I do not feel like she is a good fit for me.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Indiana University IVF Program. (Assigned nurse: Dorothy Craig)

Dottie (nurse practitioner), along with the rest of the nursing staff, is the reason I have stayed with this clinic for so long. She genuinely wants to help my husband and I start our family. She treats me as a person, not just as a patient.

Describe your experience with Indiana University IVF Program.

One of the major downsides of this clinic is I have rarely ever been able to be seen at my scheduled time. On several occasions, I have waited in the waiting room for an hour after my scheduled appointment time. At one of my appointments, my husband and I were brought back to the exam room on time and the nurse ran through her routine questionnaire. She left and then three hours later, Marguerite finally came in. During that three hours, not a single person came in to check on us or give us any update to let us know they were running behind. Once she did come in, there were no apologies. She acted as if she came in right on time.

What specific things went wrong at Indiana University IVF Program?

Lost results
Provided conflicting information
Lost or damaged samples

Describe the specific things that went wrong at Indiana University IVF Program.

At the appointment where my husband and I waited for three hours in the exam room before the Dr came in, the entire appointment was going to be centered around my lab results. Marguerite had sent me to have lab work done a few days before my appointment, then when I came to see her, we would discuss the next steps based on those results. Once she finally came into the exam room, she informed me that she did not have the results we needed for that appointment. The lab had taken my blood, but cancelled the test without giving a reason as to why. This was nothing but a huge waste of time, since there was nothing to discuss without those results. For my first year at this clinic, when messaging through the portal, I would get responses from both Marguerite and Dottie. Even within a single conversation, they would flip back and forth with who responded, which made things far too difficult and confusing for everyone. I was constantly getting contradicting information. One of them would give me the run down of my treatment for the following month, telling me to take certain medications on this day, go for lab work on that day, and then come in for an appointment on this day. Then later on, still within the same conversation, the other one would tell me to take the medications on these different days and then the appointment on that day. No lab work.

Doctor

Marguerite Shepard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Compassion

Adaptability

Clinic

Indiana University IVF Program

Indianapolis

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Marguerite Shepard Indiana University IVF Program

2019, Consult

Age 30

2 IUI

East Asian

Income $100K - $199K

Doctor

2nd of 2 Docs

Neutral

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Marguerite Shepard Indiana University IVF Program

She [Dr. Marguerite Shepard] takes the time to explain everything and often times goes into the science behind the process. As a physician myself, I like that and it is easy for me to follow...My husband and I both enjoy working with Dr. Shepard. She is caring and is the most knowledgeable person we have met. At the same time, I know that my husband has left some visits confused as a lot of the science went over his head. Also, visits take much longer than expected because of the tangential conversation. I feel that she does care about her patients a great deal.

Dottie [nurse at Indiana University IVF Program] is quick to respond to messages and is helpful throughout the process...It can be difficult to communicate with the clinic by phone. It is easier to communicate via the patient portal. Because there are resident learners, the time spent for your appointment is often much longer than expected...I came to Dr. Shepard specifically for IVF consult. She is the only REI specialist that sees patients downtown which was important for my schedule.

How was your experience with Marguerite Shepard at Indiana University IVF Program?

My husband and I both enjoy working with Dr. Shepard. She is caring and is the most knowledgeable person we have met. At the same time, I know that my husband has left some visits confused as a lot of the science went over his head. Also, visits take much longer than expected because of the tangential conversation. I feel that she does care about her patients a great deal.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Marguerite Shepard at Indiana University IVF Program?

Block off a few hours for your appointment. Don’t be afraid to ask her to slow down and not use so much medical terminology.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Marguerite Shepard at Indiana University IVF Program?

She takes the time to explain everything and often times goes into the science behind the process. As a physician myself, I like that and it is easy for me to follow.

Describe the protocols Marguerite Shepard used in your cycles at Indiana University IVF Program and their degree of success.

I came to Dr. Shepard specifically for IVF consult. She is the only REI specialist that sees patients downtown which was important for my schedule. For her protocol, she starts you on Lupron and birth control pills along with daily prenatal and baby aspirin. Then, she had me stim with Follistim only starting at 225 IU daily. There was a baseline ultrasound and estradiol level done on the day of starting Follistim. Then you do an ultrasound on day 6 of stim and every other day until egg retrieval.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Indiana University IVF Program. (Assigned nurse: Dottie Craig)

Dottie is quick to respond to messages and is helpful throughout the process.

Describe your experience with Indiana University IVF Program.

It can be difficult to communicate with the clinic by phone. It is easier to communicate via the patient portal. Because there are resident learners, the time spent for your appointment is often much longer than expected.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Marguerite Shepard at Indiana University IVF Program.

Haven’t completed the process yet so unsure

Doctor

Marguerite Shepard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Indiana University IVF Program

Indianapolis

Operations

Scheduling

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Marguerite Shepard Indiana University IVF Program

2015 - 2017, Unknown Success

Age 33 - 35

1 IVF

Tubal Blockage

Other

Income $0 - $49K

Teacher

Only Doc Seen

Neutral

Doesn't Recommend

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Marguerite Shepard Indiana University IVF Program

I enjoyed my conversations with Dr. Shepard and felt she was very experienced and knowledgeable. Getting an undesirable outcome from the fertilization period of the 17 eggs that were retrieved, she started discussing "plan b protocols" even before the transfer of the one viable egg. This left me feeling a little hopeless about my current transfer, but I'm sure she doesn't want to give me false hope either. Her comments were that I wouldn't need down reg medications if we did another cycle or that my reserve could be low. I'm wondering why these weren't things that were already checked during my current cycle.

Most of the staff [at Indiana Univ IVF Program] seems to speak in very clinical terms. Doing your due diligence in terms of knowledge would benefit you. Keeping your own notes would be useful as well. They are transitioning into an online form of communication which seems to work a little more efficiently than trying to call. There is a voicemail system set up, but it just made me feel that it was a little one-sided.

How was your experience with Marguerite Shepard at Indiana University IVF Program?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Marguerite Shepard at Indiana University IVF Program?

Do your homework. She does tend to talk quickly and very clinically. If you are not educated already, it may be hard to keep up. She is very thorough though.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Marguerite Shepard at Indiana University IVF Program?

Dr. Shepard was very personable and called me with updates personally. I do feel that she cares about the outcome, but she does speak in very clinical terms, which at times I appreciated more than others. Due to the fact that I have done my own studying I was able to keep up with her in conversations. Towards the end, right before my transfer, I wasn't given very much hope. I am still awaiting the outcome, but wish I could be feeling a little more optimistic. I don't know whether or not its a good or bad thing that she has prepared me for a negative outcome.

Describe the protocols Marguerite Shepard used in your cycles at Indiana University IVF Program and their degree of success.

Once we established through an HSG that I had tubal blockage, she though she might be able to clear them with a laparoscopic surgery. I went that route first in July of 2015 and it was unsuccessful. She said the blockage was more severe than the HSG portrayed. I saved for IVF and she started me on birth control pills and Lupron injections. I also took Menopur injections to stimulate my follicles. She stopped the Lupron early and also decreased my Menopur because my hormone levels were getting too high. She retrieved 17 eggs. At the end of the week of fertilization there was only 1 viable egg for transfer that was still a slow developer. It had reached Morula stage by day 5. We were hoping for a blastocyst stage. She said that I may not have needed the Lupron to suppress my system. She mentioned that the results could also have been due to a low reserve, but that was tested the year before and was said my level was fine. I am still waiting for the results, but without much optimism. I was not expecting to have to go through the whole retrieval process again, especially if it was just a matter of the medications I was given suppressing my eggs too much to be able to develop.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Indiana University IVF Program.

Dr. Shepard's office went through a quick turnover of a couple of nurses during the time that I was being treated so it was a little bit of a hodge podge which is why Dr. Shepard ended up being the one I communicated with the most.

Describe your experience with Indiana University IVF Program.

Most of the staff seems to speak in very clinical terms. Doing your due diligence in terms of knowledge would benefit you. Keeping your own notes would be useful as well. They are transitioning into an online form of communication which seems to work a little more efficiently than trying to call. There is a voicemail system set up, but it just made me feel that it was a little one-sided. All I could do was talk to a machine and wait. Everyone is very knowledgeable and will thoroughly answer any question you have though without "beating around the bush" for sure.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Marguerite Shepard at Indiana University IVF Program.

The medications cost about $3200. The monitoring costs were between $1500-2000 billed to my insurance. There was a $3400 lab fee plus $974 fee for retrieval and $370 transfer fee to the facility it was done. Dr. Shepard's fee is $730 for her part of the procedure. Since my husband doesn't carry insurance (he is self-employed) and is not on my insurance it cost several hundred dollars more for him to get his STD screening and sperm analysis.

Describe Marguerite Shepard's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Indiana University IVF Program.

Dr. Shepard's office HIGHLY encourages a single embryo transfer. Due to my circumstances though (17 eggs retrieved, only 1 viable by day 5) she did say if there were any other decent quality embryos she would have transferred them as well, but there weren't any.

What specific things went wrong at Indiana University IVF Program?

Provided conflicting information

Describe the specific things that went wrong at Indiana University IVF Program.

Due to the change in nursing staff, it was hard to keep in contact in the very beginning. I had questions about the bloodwork at the beginning of my monitoring period that I did not get a direct answer about until I met with Dr. Shepard and I was under the impression that I needed it done before I met with her.

Doctor

Marguerite Shepard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Indiana University IVF Program

Indianapolis

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Marguerite Shepard Indiana University IVF Program

2018, Unsuccessful

Age 33

2 Fertility Medications

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

Poor Egg Quality

European

Income $500K

Lawyer

Only Doc Seen

Neutral

Strongly Recommends

Unsuccessful

Review of

Marguerite Shepard Indiana University IVF Program

I am just beginning this process, but feel very confident that Dr. Shepard is going to get me where I need to be. I like that she uses the online myIUhealth portal to communicate, I feel like this method is faster.... I had to ask for a AMH test and that's how we figured out the my reserve was low. I think with any doctor its important to be your own advocate.... Dr. Shepard's nurses are great! I felt like Dottie was compassionate and really cared about me during my care.

I like that they [Indiana University IVF Program] bill most things as diagnostic. This really helps keep the cost down. Sometimes I have to wait past my scheduled appointment time to see the doctor or NP, this is irritating since I take off work for my appointments.... I felt like Dottie was compassionate and really cared about me during my care.... She always calls and explains the next step. She has a ton of compassion even though I am tough on the outside, she knows that I might be disappointed on the inside.

How was your experience with Marguerite Shepard at Indiana University IVF Program?

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Marguerite Shepard at Indiana University IVF Program?

Dr. Shepard's nurses are great! I felt like Dottie was compassionate and really cared about me during my care.

Describe the protocols Marguerite Shepard used in your cycles at Indiana University IVF Program and their degree of success.

I had to ask for a AMH test and that's how we figured out the my reserve was low. I think with any doctor its important to be your own advocate.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Indiana University IVF Program. (Assigned nurse: Dottie)

She always calls and explains the next step. She has a ton of compassion even though I am tough on the outside, she knows that I might be disappointed on the inside.

Describe your experience with Indiana University IVF Program.

I like that they bill most things as diagnostic. This really helps keep the cost down. Sometimes I have to wait past my scheduled appointment time to see the doctor or NP, this is irritating since I take off work for my appointments.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Marguerite Shepard at Indiana University IVF Program.

So far, everything has been billed as diagnostic and I have not received any bills. I will update as my treatments change.

Doctor

Marguerite Shepard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Clinic

Indiana University IVF Program

Indianapolis

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Marguerite Shepard Indiana University IVF Program

2014, Unsuccessful

Age 33

2 IUI

3 IVF

3 Embryo Freezing

Unexplained

European

Income $50K - $99K

1st of 3 Docs

Neutral

Unsuccessful

Review of

Marguerite Shepard Indiana University IVF Program

Dr. Shepard was recommended to me by a friend who saw her to manage PCOS symptoms. She took time to explain things. I did get the feeling some of her methods were out of date. She did two post-coital tests which most doctors no longer do...She took a good deal of time explaining things. It was a teaching hospital so some of the procedures were observed by students, which can be uncomfortable.

I love Laurie [nurse at Indiana University IVF Program]. I wish I could take her with me to every clinic. Was also helpful in getting my information to my new clinic...It is in a hospital. Parking can be tricky, just park in the garage. It is not connected to the OBGYN clinic so you won't have to deal with pregnant patients in the waiting room.

How was your experience with Marguerite Shepard at Indiana University IVF Program?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Marguerite Shepard at Indiana University IVF Program?

I think she is best for diagnostic purposes and for managing illnesses but perhaps not for trying to get pregnant.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Marguerite Shepard at Indiana University IVF Program?

She took a good deal of time explaining things. It was a teaching hospital so some of the procedures were observed by students, which can be uncomfortable.

Describe the protocols Marguerite Shepard used in your cycles at Indiana University IVF Program and their degree of success.

3 femara cycles, two of them with trigger injections. I was unexplained and that was standard protocol.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Indiana University IVF Program. (Assigned nurse: Laurie)

I love Laurie. I wish I could take her with me to every clinic. Was also helpful in getting my information to my new clinic.

Describe your experience with Indiana University IVF Program.

It is in a hospital. Parking can be tricky, just park in the garage. It is not connected to the OBGYN clinic so you won't have to deal with pregnant patients in the waiting room.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Marguerite Shepard at Indiana University IVF Program.

They billed everything they could as diagnostic, which was helpful for insurance coverage. Femara was about $10 or so per cycle.

Doctor

Marguerite Shepard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Indiana University IVF Program

Indianapolis

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Marguerite Shepard Indiana University IVF Program

2013, Unsuccessful

Age 32

2 IUI

2 IVF

1 Egg Freezing

Unexplained

European

Income $0 - $49K

1st of 2 Docs

Doesn't Recommend

Unsuccessful

Review of

Marguerite Shepard Indiana University IVF Program

She's [Dr. Shepard] a good place to start but if you need further intervention, maybe look elsewhere. She'd be a good option if you simply need to manage disorders and not get pregnant.

Dr. Shepard's nurse Lauri [Indiana University IVF Program] is wonderful and does most of the patient care. She is professional and kind but also is honest. Dr. Shepard is fine but not as wonderful as Lauri... She was on top of everything, helpful when I switched clinics, and compassionate.

How was your experience with Marguerite Shepard at Indiana University IVF Program?

I think her methods may be a bit outdated. She does post-coital exams which no other RE puts any stock in. She spends time with you and explains things well.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Marguerite Shepard at Indiana University IVF Program?

She's a good place to start but if you need further intervention, maybe look elsewhere. She'd be a good option if you simply need to manage disorders and not get pregnant.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Marguerite Shepard at Indiana University IVF Program?

Dr. Shepard's nurse Lauri is wonderful and does most of the patient care. She is professional and kind but also is honest. Dr. Shepard is fine but not as wonderful as Lauri.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Indiana University IVF Program. (Assigned nurse: Lauri)

She was on top of everything, helpful when I switched clinics, and compassionate.

Doctor

Marguerite Shepard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic