Kaiser Permanente SoCal

Overall, my experience was not bad but there are things I think could have been better. During the consultation, Dr. Jabara was honest and positive and I was optimistic. He respected that we couldn't afford IVF and worked with us as much as possible to keep the costs down. I really appreciated this. After this, I only saw Dr. Jabara one or two more times. He had to do one of my IUIs as there were issues getting through my cervix. In hindsight, I wish he had given us resources to learn more about IVF due to my age so we could have made a more educated decision. I also wish he had reevaluated me after three IUIs rather than wasting time, money, and emotions on a fourth IUI. Now, I am almost 41 and just starting IVF. Overall, I think he is a good doctor but if you are looking for bedside manner, he may not be for you.

Educate yourself about the process, the medications, etc... Advocate for yourself.

I did three IUIs with 5 days of clomid. I got 2-3 eggs each cycle. The last IUI I did a combo of menopur and clomid. Still only got 2 eggs. Chemical pregnancy on 2nd IUI and negative all others.

Since we opted for IUIs, our insurance covered 50%. I estimated it to cost us around $1000 per round with all the medications and visits.

Her staff of nurses were incredibly rude and didn't care about the patient. They all had terrible bed side manner. Anytime my husband and I had questions we were answered as if we were bothering them or with the tone of our questions being dumb. This was particularly an issue with Jennifer Sempre, Dr. Ben-Ozer's head case manager for her office. I would get labs back and no explanation of the results. Dr. Ben-Ozer herself is ok, however she never seemed to check my file prior to my appointments and was constantly getting my history wrong. My husband and I weren't treated with a customized fertility plan. We got the same cookie cutter steps everyone else gets and as we all know no two bodies are the same. Unfortunately if you don't fit the Kaiser mold they throw you to the wayside and don't care. When we did our IUI with Dr. Ben-Ozer there was no discussion of a treatment plan and had zero opportunity to speak with her. In fact she wasn't even the person who performed the procedure a Nurse Practioner was, who I had never met. The overall experience with her office was literally traumatizing. They made a stressful delicate situation even worse. I would never recommend going to Dr. Ben-Ozer or any doctor at Kaiser for infertility.

Don't waste your, time, money, or energy!!!! Do your research first and find another facility!

I had a bubble test done to see if my tubes we're blocked and they were. I was scheduled for a polyp removal in my uterus but did not t end up having the procedure because the medication dissolved it. Then had an IUI (natural cycle) and was unsuccessful.

Since it was a Kaiser facility our insurance planned covered 50% of the treatments.

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Dr. Goldstein is an RE that whispers the word “intercourse.” She made me feel like IUI would solve all or problems. But she also didn’t pay attention to where we were at in our allotment of partially covered IUIs. I feel like I wasted time and wasn’t given all the information I needed to make wise decisions. I almost never saw her directly or got to speak with her directly until I refused to speak to anyone but her. She was kind at that point and called me saying she didn’t realize that I felt communication was lacking. And after that cycle failed, I never heard from her again. Despite having one more IUI I could try. I will skip that because I would do anything not to go back. I know she has her own clinic outside of what my insurance covers, but I would never choose her as a physician.

First, ask for someone else. Second, if you must see her, make sure she communicates all the details. That she explains medications, side effects, what you can expect. Find out how involved she will be and request that you see her. Be your own advocate.

I don’t think there was a strategy. I think I was always an after thought. They allowed me to start off with unmedicated cycles, but didn’t pay attention to how many had been done that way. I did three of my six unmedicated, and then heard from Dr. Goldstein that if she had realized it was my third that she would have recommended medication. So, I feel like that one was a waste. She never knew what was happening or who I was when I came in the clinic if I was not assigned to see her that day. The dosage of clomid did nothing for me but thin my lining. I was then moved to menopur injections which also didn’t seem to have much of an effect. I never knew what was to be expected. How many visits I might have, etc. I truly felt there was no protocol for me specifically.

My insurance covered 50% of my care. Every visit just to the office was about $150. The last IUI with injectables cost about $3,000 all together.

No IVF with her.

Dr. Ben Over always came in with a positive outlook. She has candidly said that if a certain medication didn't work there were others to try and we might to increase the dosage on some. Since we are nearing the end of our cycles and still have not gotten pregnant we have to be realistic about the future of our treatment. She is kind and reasurring but I do have to be the one that asks what is next. I don't like to think that I'm being negative but I am more realistic about the situation. We are on our 3rd IUI and she did state that if this one didn't work we need to sit down for a consult and start discussing IVF which she said was "very expensive" which we already know.

Ask questions, do your research! If there is something going on with your body ask what you can do to facilitate the process.

Initially, we started with Clomid to see if that would help us get pregnant, which it didn't. We moved on to Clomid with the trigger shot, but each scan would show only one follicle growing. We decided that on the next cycle we would increase Clomid, do the trigger shot, and start on menopur, with the hope that I would get 2-3 full size follicles. This last IUI I still only had 1 follicle, so we did talk about increasing menopur if this cycle was unsuccessful.

Luckily, my insurance has covered the IUIs. All I have had to pay are my co-pays for the visits and meds

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Strengths- Positive energy, encouraging, very knowledgeable. Weaknesses- Can be a little scatterbrained, spread thin seeing so many patients that it can border on impersonal. Does not make eye contact often.

Try to slow down and make patients feel like you are invested, know their care like the back of your hand.

When I first encountered Dr. Jabara, I had ovarian cysts, I was given estrogen to removed them but then it took me two to three months to ovulate. Then we tried clomid, the doctor said I didn't respond very well to it. Ovidrel and natural attempt. No pregnancy this trial. Next visit I saw the NP, was prescribed double the dose of clomid and started on Menopur 75mg. I came in weekly for estrogen monitoring and ultrasounds.I resulted in one follicle at 12, the other at 18mm. Ovidrel admin. My first IUI followed, negative pregnancy test. The third attempt I received 2 clomids and 150mg Menopur, resulting in two follicles final measurments of 10 and 16mm. Ovidrel administered.Second IUI performed, negative pregnancy test. Had a break one month. Then 2 months with no period, return of menses in December no treatment with return of period due to office policy not to start treament during the holidays. January natural cycle with ovidrel 1 follicle seen at 16mm. Negative pregnancy. Last cycle natural with 2 follicles at 15mm and 18mm. Ovidrel administered. Third IUI performed, chemical pregnancy with serum HCG 4, first ultrasound showed 45mm corpus luteum, and 6 cysts of varying degrees all >20mm. Estrogen initiated on this 10 day long menstruation. No treatment this month, to return in April when next menstruation due. It is Dr.Jabara's thought that I have better responses to natural methods best, he suggested we may try Femara my next cycle. The pressure is on because he will no longer treat me after my 44th birthday.

Clomid- $100 Ovidrel- $400 Menopur-$1000 IUI-$500 Blood tests-$300 Ultrasounds- $2000

Dr. Dhesi has been an incredible doctor through this process. I always feel comfortable with her and she explains everything to me and my husband very clearly. She doesn't rush and will discusses pro and cons with each procedure.

Don't be afraid to ask questions.

I would say Dr. Dhesi has a very proactive strategy. She laid out all of the options and recommended first steps based on our situation. We were able to follow her recommendation (clomid and IUI) and were pregnant the first cycle. Unfortunately that pregnancy ended in a MMC. Later we got pregnant on our own and were monitored very closely by Dr. Dhesi. I was diagnosed with a SCH and later had another MMC. She doesn't hesitate to check anything that may be a potential contributing factor and I appreciate that. During our last loss, she suggested next steps and I am comfortable following her recommendations.

Insurance covers 50% and we pay 50% coinsurance

SHE WAS GREAT BUT HER PATIENT LOAD THAT KAISER PUT ON THE FERTILITY DEPARTMENT PREVENTED HER FROM TAKING EXTRA TIME DURING PROCEDURES OR EXAMS TO SPEND EXTRA TIME WITH HER PATIENTS. SHE TOOK EXTRA TIME TO ANSWER QUESTIONS DURING THE CONSULTATIONS AND TO GO OVER TEST RESULTS.

SHE WILL DO HER BEST TO HELP YOU MEDICALLY TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL PREGNANCY AS WELL AS BEING HONEST WITH YOU WHEN THERE IS NO CHANCE AS WITNESSED WITH MY WIFE'S INFERTILITY.

EVERY UNSUCCESSFUL IUI SHE WOULD ADD/CHANGE MEDICATION AND TEST STRATEGIES TO HELP GIVE IT THE BEST CHANCE POSSIBLE EACH TIME. WE WERE USING DONOR SPERM FROM THE CALIFORNIA CRYOBANK, SOMETIMES IT IS MORE SUCCESSFUL WITH IUI'S USING LIVE SPERM.

EACH CYCLE ENDED UP BEING ABOUT $1450.00. ~ 5 VISITS $40 COPAY, $250 FOR MEDS & $1000 FOR SPERM. SO FOR 5 CYCLES IT WAS APPROX $7250. NOT COUNTING THE TIME OFF WORK AND THE GAS DRIVING TO THE KAISER FACILITY ON SUNSET FOR EVERY APPOINTMENT.

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Extremely caring and honest. Dr. Baker was and has been very upfront with us about the odds and the risks of what we are trying for. She has been kind and patient with us, especially given our lack of knowledge on the subject of infertility. She has treated us like people and has always taken care to make sure we felt like the most important people on her caseload.

Bring questions when you meet with her. She will answer them all, and will do so in a very honest manner.

I honestly don't remember the details. It's a difficult thing for me to have to go through - especially knowing the slim chances of it working - and anticipating the disappointment. I mostly listen and let my wife be the expert.

At first, before we took on double coverage, we were paying about $145 per visit, and over $800-1000 for medication. Once we added double coverage, our IUI treatments we basically fully covered.

I completely back her approach (multiple). She understands my wife's situation and has recommended we be as aggressive as possible.

Dr Baker reviewed my many years of medical records, she adjusted my course of treatment each cycle and she did a saline ultrasound after my miscarriage which led to a procedure to remove something she found that I think helped me avoid another miscarriage.

Take notes and be sure to be clear about your course of treatment so you can follow and ask all your questions.

1. Clomid and a trigger shot (ovidrel). First cycle and I had Pcos and my husband tested mostly in the normal range - so the focus was on developing fully grown eggs and releasing them. Pregnancy then miscarriage at 6 weeks. 2. Clomid and no response and holidays prevented shots. No trigger because I didn't respond to the clomid. 3. Letrozole + menopur shots + ovidrel trigger. Because I didn't respond to clomid. Negative pregnancy test. 4. Letrozole + shots + trigger + IUI because timed intercourse was not successful. Negative pregnancy test. 5 and 6. Same as 4 but with adjustment to the shots 7. Similar protocol to 4 but adjusted shots and amounts. Live birth - single

The costs were covered by insurance except for a $10 co-pay each visit

Dr. Kashani is an amazing RE. She is very knowledgeable and always uses visualization sheets every time she explains things. She’s very kind, optimistic, and passionate in what she does. She’s always willing to explore all of our options which makes me and husband feel more at ease during this stressful time of our lives.

Just be upfront with her and she will listen to all your concerns and questions

She did a saline sonogram before she did any treatments on us. Once she saw that everything was clear, we were able to move forward with treatments. We did many ultrasound appointments before our IUI procedure. She prescribed a low dose of letrozole first and when she didn’t see any changes she increased the dosage.

I have dual insurance at Kaiser so everything so all the services and medication were covered

She recommended a single embryo transfer for us

Snunit Ben-Ozer was able to convey her message that time was running out, I'm 41, but was also encouraging and compassionate. She immediately expressed that it was courageous and scary to start this process but she was there to help. She was very kind. Every time I meet with her she gives me a hug. I have complete confidence in her assessments and direction that she would like me to go.

Be ready to hear the truth even if it hurts. She is there to help.

I have to have polyps and fibroids removed in two separate procedures. Ben-Ozer has suggested that egg retrieval happen before since I have low ovarian reserve a one level suggests a quick decline of my egg health. She has made clear that egg retrieval is the priority since it may take a while to schedule the procedures.

Since I was going through my insurance and I had repeated pregnancy loss I only had to pay $90 for a full work up.

The doctor is very open and compassionate. However, I left feeling a bit defeated after each visit. She made it seem that the IUI won’t really help me. She did offer to do a separate consultation with her and discuss the possibility of IVF. When I asked what is it that can be causing failed IUI treatments. She said that it was way too many things that could be causing my unexplained infertility. I understand that they can’t say much and maybe it’s the way Kaiser handles things, but even though I felt like I was being treated well, I didn’t think the treatment was personalized to me. they did standard tests, but maybe if they had a more personalized approach, the treatment could have helped.

Keep asking questions.

Everything seemed very standard.

Her strengths include her ability to answer your questions thoroughly and patience with making sure your questions are answered. A drawback is that she won’t email you directly but answers through her nursing staff.

Come with questions because she will make sure you leave her appointment with a good understanding of your situation.

I am Not sure of treatment strategies. It seems to be on an individual basis. I nsinly Did IUIs in her clinic which resulted in negative pregnancies. However, an additional follow up consultation was made to restrategize a new treatment plan.

I have Dual coverage so i had A zero copay.

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Dr. Jabara has been with us throughout our journey of infertility from start to finish. We started this adventure with him seven years ago. We came to him with a positive attitude, optimism, and hope to one day start our family. From day one, he carefully analyzed our data and gave us options. He educated us, kept us informed, and recommended proper dosage of medications. Most importantly, he listened to us: Our hopes, fear, and apprehension. He and his wonderful staff at Kaiser Sunset were professionals, knowledgeable and respected our privacy. We are highly confident in his level of expertise that we have recommended him to family and friends. In closing, we look forward to adding a photo of our son on his wall of babies.

Be patient and don’t give up. Dr. Jabara will help you add a little bundle of joy to your family.

Menopur, gonal-f, ovidrel

$15 copay for office visits. Medications less than $100 per cycle. $700 donor sperm per cycle.

She tried very hard to help us have a successful outcome, and had we not 'aged out' of Kaiser's program, I have every confidence that we would have succeeded. She also recommended several options outside of KP for us to turn to after we were released from her program.

Don't be afraid to ask questions, she's very receptive to answering any concerns you have and open about the process and possible outcomes.

I only had to pay for co-pays for office visits and prescriptions. Both were very reasonable rates.

Dr. Dhesi is extremely kind and she wants her patients to be successful. I have never felt rushed or like I’m just another person in the waiting room. She sits with you and asks you a ton of questions because she wants to really understand who you are and why this is all important to you. She prescribed the tests she knew I would need and a few more because my situation is so complex and she really wanted answers for me. I told her I was concerned about one of the tests and she offered an alternative test to ease my nerves. Because of her we found out that I need surgery. She referred me to a surgeon that is so amazing and because of her I am not nervous about my first surgery at all. She then called me to talk about what my IVF process will look like when the surgery is over and we had a total consultation over the phone! I really tried to think about a negative and so far I can’t. It’s unreal to have found this office but I’m so glad I did. I never thought we would be able to have a baby. Now, my next few months are planned out with the process of having a baby and it’s so weird! Navigating IVF, surgeries, testing, understanding test results, can all be so overwhelming. Dr. Dhesi has made it so smooth and I’m just so grateful.

My advice would be to be very open and honest with her. She will tailor a plan that is very specific to you and your body so she has to know the truth when she speaks with you. I never felt judged by her so I believe it really is a safe place.

I haven’t started my IVF process yet but I have had a lot of testing done because we did not know my situation. Dr. Dhesi first had me do routine bloodwork to check my health out and she also tested my egg quality and hormones with this bloodwork. I did an ultrasound to see what was going on and I also did an HSG test because the ultrasound showed blockage. I emailed her because I was terrified of the HSG test and she offered me an alternative test, but I ultimately ended up doing the HSG test. After all of my results came back she called me and explained everything. We did this over the phone because Kaiser is not open during COVID unless it is vital that you come in. We decided that surgery is my next step and she had me talk with my new surgeon who I absolutely love.

The first appointment was $200 and my blood tests were $50 which I went and did right after my appointment. My next fee was the HSG which was $175 and we will soon be paying $200 for the semen analysis. HOWEVER, they have a chart that explains what your costs will be based on your insurance. There was never a pressure when it came to finances and everything was laid out for me on that chart. I was able to see what my future costs would be so I could prepare for them. I was also never asked to buy anything or pay for anything that wasn’t on that pricing chart.

I’m in my mid-30’s and knew that I would need some help getting pregnant. Through Kaiser’s Department of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility located on Sunset Blvd., I got an appointment with Dr. Aline Ketefian in February 2020. She was so kind, thorough, and patient from the very beginning and throughout my subsequent visits. As I was scheduled to do my first IUI, elective procedures were put on hold due to COVID. Dr. Ketefian took the time to walk us through the clinic’s procedures for the next couple of months checking in by phone and email. Once the clinic opened again in May, we were back on track. Obviously, it was very hectic because so many couples were waiting to start around the same time. The staff was incredibly organized from the receptionist on up. They also took many precautions to keep patients and staff safe. After two failed IUI rounds, my husband and I didn’t know if we should continue. Again, we regrouped with Dr. Ketefian. She was thorough in reviewing our options. Although most couples typically decide on a 3rd or 4th IUI round, we decided to pursue IVF. Kaiser offers this service through the HRC Fertility Clinic. It’s seamless because Dr. Ketefian would continue to see us at HRC and all our health information would be transferred over. Like previous times, we met with Dr. Ketefian to walk us through the IVF process. It’s much more involved, which concerned us, but we trusted Dr. Ketefian and the staff. We waited for the new cycle to start, but we didn't end up going through with it. Much to our surprise, I got pregnant naturally in the interim! We think the IUI hormones definitely helped. This ride was full of ups and downs, and we are so thankful to have had Dr. Ketefian and the staff guide us every step of the way.

$4,000

Dr Dhesi was always helpful and took her time in our appointments. I know she had a full day of appointments so I would come to appointments with questions ready. She took her time answering them and was great over email as well. Kaiser is messaging system was not great, so I utilized her fertility clinic email address to communicate with her more easily while I was doing treatments there. Her nurse was also amazing and very approachable. Both of their approachability and kindness made the process easier for my partner and I.

Be open and honest about your goals and fears. And always come to appointments with questions ready.

I used an aggressive stimulation protocol with the maximum dosage of Menopur and Gonal F. We tried to use an HCG boost to increase my output, but both cycles yielded the same number of healthy eggs regardless of the HCG boost.

My procedure cost for covered by health insurance

Dr. Chen is very honest and I like that... no sugar coating! Overweight she will tell you in order to have better chances! Some people might get offended by her honesty but to me that was what helped me have a post treatment

Just listen and take her advice! If you don’t understand make sure you ask... there is no dum question!

First I was put on birth control. Since I was seeing a different doctor before her and looking at my record she asked me if I was ok getting surgery to make sure everything was good since I had previously done too many other cycles of IUI with no success. After surgery she gave me green light to start a new cycle and resulted a positive pregnancy test and my little miracle baby!

Insurance covered my treatment

Dr. Jabara is very thorough and kind. He made sure that we understood each step of the process fully and even wanted to make sure my husband (who was not allowed in to my appointments due to COVID19 restrictions) was fully informed. He answered our questions and made us very comfortable with each step of this oftentimes difficult process. He is a very busy man, however i always felt like i was a priority. He even gave us his personal phone number to contact him after our miscarriage for follow up questions.

Dr. Jabara is very direct and does not sugar coat diagnoses/news/next steps. I appreciated this greatly as it helped me to understand what was our most important focus. Come prepared with questions and he will answer right away. Otherwise, questions will be communicated with the nurse who will then pass information along. The answers were always timely.

My retrieval cycle included a mixture of injectable Menopur (150 mg) and Gonal F (225mg), Clomid pills (100 mg), baby aspirin (81mg), injectable Cetrotide, and Novarel 10K IU Trigger shot. This led to a retrieval of 10 eggs, 8 of which were fertilized, and 5 made it to 5-day blastocysts. 4 embryos tested PGS normal. My transfer cycles included IM progesterone in oil, Endometrin vaginal suppositories, oral estradiol pills and a estrogen patch (which we soon discontinued as the patch did not work with my skin). Our first transfer was unsuccessful at Beta (negative pregnancy test). Our second transfer about 6 weeks later used the same protocol, without the estrogen patches. We were successful with this round, however unfortunately experienced a missed miscarriage at 8 weeks.

Dr. Dhesi treated me for our infertility issues since Jan 2018 - at first, I had a misdiagnosis of diminished ovarian reserve after a blood test showed low AMH levels. This left me absolutely devastated and it took Dr. Dhesi and Kaiser doctors 5 months to realize that my AFC didn't match my AMH, so they re-tested my AMH and it came back normal. My diagnosis was switched to unexplained infertility. I think Dr. Dhesi did her best to be attentive and personable with me, and I believe her treatment for the second IUI was the most personable and thorough - she followed through with all our appointments, and she even sent a kind note after the negative pregnancy test after the 2nd IUI didn't work. However, our first and third IUIs with her were a bit cold and distant, which I attribute to her being extremely overworked and overbooked, and she didn't see us for some of our appointments. She also didn't follow through after our 3rd IUI failed, and when she ordered more tests and bloodwork to determine what other issues might be going on (e.g. endometrial biopsy, sonohysterogram) - she wasn't very forthcoming with information - again, likely due to being stretched too thin and having too many patients and commitments. For example, in a follow up appointment after my failed 3rd IUI, Dr. Dhesi noticed that I had an AFC of 30+ follicles, and she was concerned I might have PCOS - she ordered blood tests and never followed up with me to let me know that I did *not* have PCOS after all. I had to ask her to interpret the lab results and what that meant. Again, I do really like Dr. Dhesi as a person and she is a very knowledgeable doctor and when she has the time, does give proper attention, information and answers all my questions. But because of the way Kaiser operates and is structured, close and personal care at their Infertility clinic is just not possible.

I would be ready to see multiple doctors during any treatment cycle if you have Kaiser - Dr. Dhesi herself is a wonderful and caring, competent doctor, however, it is unlikely that you will only be seeing her throughout your IUI cycles. I would prepare yourself for dealing with a very very busy and understaffed clinic, and very little one on one attention.

I did 3 IUIs with Dr. Dhesi - my case was unique, as I started off with DOR and then ended with many follicles after my 3rd IUI. My first IUI I just did chlomid and insemination, which was terrible on my lining and gave my horrible side effects. I would stay away from chlomid especially if the patient is over 35 years old. The 2nd and 3rd IUIs were injectable medication cycles, and this was much better on my lining, however, I produced too many follicles and they weren't large enough for a successful insemination. For my situation personally, IVF is a better treatment plan than IUI as I tend to over-produce and over-respond to stimulating drugs. Dr. Dhesi did say that she would definitely change the medication dosage so that I don't over-respond, however, I am not willing to go through another IUI cycle and we are moving on to IVF.

My costs were covered through insurance - the only great thing about Kaiser!

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Dr. Yoo was great at breaking down the terminology, and answering the questions in simple terms. He used real life examples to compare diagnoses or treatment plans. I perceive that his weakness is not suggesting additional treatment plans or tests. I let him know my concerns and which tests other women have used to diagnose that, and he would shut it down immediately by saying it is not necessary for me. I feel that I know my body best. He speaks textbook, but it is not all textbook.

Be your own ADVOCATE. Do not let Dr. Yoo tell you to do a year of clomid if that is not what you are comfortable with.

4 cycles of IUI and Clomid 50 mg. 1. 1st day of cycle- call to get a preliminary ultrasound. 2. After preliminary ultrasound, take Clomid for 5 days, usually cycle day 3. 3. Come back for mid cycle ultrasound 4. Trigger shot depending on follicule size 5. IUI 6. Progesterone test 1 week after IUI 7. Pregnancy test 2 weeks after IUI He did not want to give me more than 50 mg of Clomid because he stated that Clomid can make the uterine lining thin.

With my insurance, all I had to pay was a copayment ranging from $5-$50. IUI and Clomid are covered under my insurance, except IVF which is the next step. IVF is out of pocket (~$20000).

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Dr. Lin is an excellent doctor. I truly feel that she is vested and cares about the outcome of my treatments. When I have questions or want to know her opinion on research that I've done, she is receptive and open to discussing and implementing changes to my protocol. One negative to working with Dr. Lin is that she is almost always running behind. I actually don't mind waiting because I believe this is because she doesn't rush her patients and takes her time with each person. However, if it is critical to you for the doctor to not make you wait, then I would go with a different doctor.

Be patient.

Depending on insurance, you pay a co-pay or percentage. My insurance pays 50%. IVF is not covered and is paid for separately to Reproductive Partners.

Normally Dr. Lin believes in doing eSET. However, because of my age, I believed that day 3 embryos might be a better choice for me, so we froze all day 3 embryos. For FET we transferred two day 3 embryos.

Dr Yoo is great at coming up with analogies to help you understand treatment. He will personally call with important news, but is slower to respond to email. He is positive and good natured. He is a little too laid back however and doesn’t always explain the science. He does try to be a good listener, though.

He will answer all your questions, despite the time it takes. So don’t feel pressured to rush through your appointments.

Undergoing IUI with male I fertility factor, Dr Yoo was focused mostly on getting the timing right for ovulation. I thankfully responded well to chlomid and never needed my medication adjusted. He suggested giving IUIs a go, since they were covered by insurance but also advised IVF with ICSI may be required (our next step). He also provided care and follow up related to my ectopic pregnancy that resulted from our 4th IUI.

We stuck with a clinic we detested because IUIs and chlomid were covered under insurance. So costs were low copays.

He is pro single.

Honestly, I think that being the the only Kaiser fertility clinic in San Diego, Dr. Yoo probably has a very large caseload, making him less available and much less invested in your particular case. He is blunt and pessimistic. This is what you need to an extent, of course, but he really did little to change protocol or tailor treatment. He also failed to warn me of a condition with my tubes that could seriously impact my fertility. It wasn't until another doctor reviewed his medical records that I was made aware of the complication. I spent over a year before finding out.

You will have to be your own advocate. Research everything. Ask, sometimes repeatedly, for specifics about your case. If you have DOR, are a "poor responder" to meds, or are older, he is definitely not a good fit. After three failed IUIs, and his failure to alert me to a tubal issue I had, he went straight to telling me I need to give up or go with donor eggs.

The first two IUIs were with Clomid, lower doses that were slightly increased. For the third IUI, I was switched to Menopur, again low dose, to finally maxed out. Throughout the treatement I had one Clomid cycle canceled and one Menopur cycle canceled due to poor response. After that, Dr. Yoo told me to quit trying or use donor eggs.

My insurance covered IUI and related medications. I just had small copays. However, IVF is not covered whatsoever.