Methodist for Women

I trust Dr. Doherty, and truly believes she knows what she is doing, even if I don't fully understand the course of action. When my first retrieval didn't go as well as either of us hoped, she was honest about the fact that my treatment would be an uphill battle. I like that she doesn't sugar coat things or be misleading about how the next time will be amazing. For the second retrieval, she didn't change my protocol as much as I hoped she would, but I'm currently stimming right now and have seen a big improvement in my response so far, so I'm happy I continued my treatment with her. It's hard to stay positive and trust, but it's worth it in the end. I would always like more communication, but any direct question I've asked has been answered so it has not been an issue.

Take the opportunity to ask questions. It can be hard to ask questions during your appointment, but make sure you have your list ready for when the nurse calls in the afternoon. They have always been patient and more than happy to answer my specific questions. If they need to consult with Dr. Doherty, they will and call me back as soon as possible.

IUI #1: Started stimming on 100 iu of Follistim for six days, then did Pregnyl as my trigger shot. Following the procedure, I did a Progesterone suppository. This procedure did not result in a pregnancy. Rationale was to start low. I think I produced two big follicles. IUI #2: Started stimming on 200iu of Follistim for five days, moving to 300iu for the next six days when I wasn't responding well. I responded much better with nine follicles, but the procedure still did not result in a pregnancy. I was put on Progesterone in Oil instead of the suppository as my period came early with the first IUI. Due to two failures, and my endometriosis diagnosis, Dr. Doherty gave me the option between a third IUI or IVF. I moved on to IVF. Retrieval #1: I stimmed with 300iu of Follistim for five days before moving up to 450iu of Follistim for the next six days. I took Ganirelix for the last three of these days. While we saw 12 follicles, Dr. Doherty was only able to retrieve 5 egg, 4 of which were mature. This was partly due to my left ovary being too high and possible scarred from endometriosis to get much from. I ended up with 1 pgs normal embryo from that round. I'm currently stimming for my second retrieval. 225iu of Follistim in the morning, and 225iu of Follistim in the evening. I'm on my twelfth day and am responding better than for the first retrieval. They are seeing four follicles on the left and thirteen on the right so far. Possible retrieval on Friday.

It was a very efficient process. I've rarely had to wait any longer than 20 minutes. It works well with my schedule, and I get seen and out of the office quickly.

My insurance does not cover most costs, so I pay out of pocket for everything. Including medications, my first IUI cost $2,200.45, my second IUI cost $3,805.32, my first retrieval with a freeze all cycle cost $13,482.83. This does not include the laparoscopy surgery I had due to endometriosis.

As I'm a poor responder, I'm choosing to bank embryos at this time and have not done an embryo transfer yet.

We appreciated her candor and her assessment of the situation as well as plan to move forward. We felt that the clinic could have given us more information but we understand everything depends on personal cycles. They did a great job with medication and injection teaching. Unfortunately, we were unable to proceed due to Coronavirus canceling all elective procedures but the office contacted us.

Do not expect her to be super sensitive to you. If you need someone who is very empathetic and will listen to your every worry she probably is not your person. If you want someone who is just really good at what she does then I would highly recommend her.

We were just about to start that before the Covid-19 outbreak.

The consultation was just our copay. Insurance has covered a few expenses and the clinic has reduced other costs based on cash payment. Overall they gave us the costs up front so we knew what to expect.

Do not know enough yet to comment

She treated me with respect at the consultation and made note that I knew what I was talking about and had medical background. During follicle ultrasounds she explained things well, made small talk to make me comfortable, answered any questions I had but seemed just a little rushed. I can’t really complain though, because she really did a great job at letting me know her exact thoughts and expectations.

I would tell them she’s nice but maybe a little rough around the edges. Her sense of humor is just like mine so we clicked really well, but to others it might be taken wrongly. Infertility sucks, but having some humor throughout the process is a necessity to stay sane and I like that she can joke around and make the appointments less daunting.

I was directed to take 75 IU of Follistim injections once daily starting cycle day 3. We started at this lower dose because I ovulate naturally already and I’ve also responded easily to Clomid and Femara in the past. I went in for blood draws and follicle ultrasounds when directed and on Day 5 of injections (cycle day 8) I had my follicle ultrasound showing I was ready for the trigger shot the next evening and then for the insemination that weekend. I had a different specialist go my actual IUI as it was a weekend and a holiday but it all went smoothly. I start progesterone 100 mg twice daily 3 days past insemination. 2 weeks later I got a negative test. I stopped taking progesterone that day and my period started within 5-8 hours.

My consult was priced at $400 and I paid approx $200. I don’t remember what my blood work cost. My ultrasounds were prices at $250 each and I paid approx $50 each. My husbands portion of IUI was originally $500 but with insurance we paid approx. $300. My portion of IUI was to be $300 and we paid approx $150. Injections were to cost $1,200 and I paid approx $380 with insurance. Unfortunately though my lifetime max on my insurance is about to be met, so these savings won’t last long.

Dr. Doherty is very blunt and to the point. She is most interested in finding the problem and determining the correct solution. You need to be prepared with your questions and make sure that you don't leave until you're satisfied that your questions are answered. If you prefer a doctor who will grieve your losses with you, Dr. Doherty probably isn't the right fit for you as she doesn't come across as a warm person. She is sarcastic and to the point. She also places a lot of emphasis on patients' weight and advises patients gain weight and don't eat healthfully, in attempts to increase fat cells and, therefore, estrogen production.

Ask yourself if it's more important that your doctor comforts you when treatment fails or for your doctor to blunt about your treatment and options going forward. If the former is more important to you, Dr. Doherty probably isn't the right fit for you. Also, make sure you're prepared with questions to ask and don't leave the office until you feel your questions have been adequately answered.

$400 for initial consultation; $300 for ultrasounds & blood work; $800 for IUI procedures ($300 associated with male services; $500 for female services)

She has a great bedside manner and while she does not sugar coat things, she is warm in her approach to discussing options and what her thoughts are. She always communicates what she is about to do during any check-up or procedure and she performs all of her own procedures. Even passing her in the hall for blood work she greets you and asks how things are going. I highly recommend her.

My advice for seeing any doctor is always advocate for yourself.

Fairly normal/common cycle of menopur and Ganirelix with a lupron trigger. Estradiol and progesterone oil leading up to the transfer.

Seemed to be well oiled machine I was in and out every time in less than 30 mins from walking in and almost always giving blood within first 10 mins of arriving. Way better than my previous experience with a clinic that worked on appointments only.

I'm lucky that insurance is covering 100% of treatment once I hit my deductible but each visit I am given a form outlining the costs that will be submitted to insurance.

She has been good to work with. She is quite forward about her concerns regarding our fertility. We have had no success with her but was open to us trying despite our age. Our only issue is when treatment has failed to achieve a successful pregnancy (I.e miscarriage), they often make suggestions to changing treatment after the fact even after they had previous knowledge of our history. Would like to have seen them be more proactive and less reactive.

Ask a lot of questions and advocate for yourself, even if they don’t agree with you.

We were placed on birth control for three weeks prior to Gonal F injections for egg growth and stimulation. We had to administer Cetrotide prior to maturation to prevent ovulation and administered Trigger prior to retrieval.

It was a cattle call and usually the waiting room is moderately full

4-5000 for IUI with monitoring. 20,000 for IVF with PGS testing.

Meghan Oakes explained all possibilities and treatment options at our initial consultation and met with us to discuss the next options and adjusted treatment as needed. She was compassionate and kept expectations realistic.

Ask questions often and ask to speak with Dr. Oakes if that is what is needed.

IUI #1 and #2: tracking cycle at home IUI#3: low dose of injectable hormones to increase number of eggs and egg quality IVF #1: typical protocol, 12 fertilized eggs, none made it to blast stage IVF #2: different stimulating medication (Menopure) due to low estrogen during IVF #1, different trigger (Lupron) because estrogen was too high; retrieval was stopped because Lupron trigger did not work and eggs were not mature; triggered with HCG, retrieval next day produced some mature eggs; 2 eggs made it to blast, one was PGS tested normal; transfer resulted in chemical pregnancy IVF #3: Menopure for stimulation, HCG for trigger, do not remember # retrieved or fertilized, two made it to blast, PGS testing resulted in no normal embryos for transfer Waiting on IVF with donor eggs

The clinic was an hour away, so the drive to get there during monitoring hours was frustrating, but that is not the clinic's fault. I live in a rural state, so there are few options. Based on the number of patients that day, the wait can feel long. It is efficient though.

Through Dr. Oakes's office, I paid for blood tests, ultrasounds, consultations, retrievals, transfers, sperm analysis, anethesia, and any other costs associated. I purchased medications through a pharmacy and genetic analysis through another company. In all, we have spent at least $60,000 for all treatments.

Dr. Oakes is recommending eSET due to concern about early labor if two transferred and I became pregnant with twins or multiples; she has discussed this from the beginning and was upfront and I understand and agree with her recommendation

I absolutely love Dr. Delaney. I don’t have any complaints about her. I always feel cared for and she always seems invested in my success. Throughout this whole process I have always felt that she has been rooting for us and truly hopes she helps us to become parents.

Be honest with her and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

We tried one round of iui with Femara and it was cancelled so we have always done injectable medication. After trying three iui’s, our doctor said she would do one more if we wanted but we didn’t want to waste the money on something that wasn’t working. With the egg retrieval cycle, she adjusted my meds whenever necessary and tried to find the sweet spot between getting a lot of eggs and overstimulation me.

It was first come first serve hours. The only complaint I have about this is that the building opened at 6am and the office opened at 6:30 am and we all had to wait outside the door in the hallway. It always bothers me that they never have chairs out in the hallway for us. We pay a lot of money to sit on the floor. I also wish there was some way for us to know how many people are supposed to be coming in the morning. Some days the line outside the door is 3 people and sometimes it’s 15.

Monitoring ultrasounds were $225 each, bloodwork $94 each time. Iui was $800. Egg retrieval was $7,100. Biopsy of up to 8 embryos $1,200. Cryopreservation of embryos $1,000. Frozen transfer $4,398.

From the moment that I had my initial consultation I had a renewed sense of hope for a course of treatment. My wife and I had been trying for a year already with donor sperm at home. I had a chemical pregnancy and a missed miscarriage in that time. Dr. Delaney was very kind and hopeful that with some additional testing and treatment, I may be able to have a successful pregnancy. She answers my questions and seems to genuinely care about me as her patient.

I would tell a prospective patient that Dr. Delaney is very kind and to try to be patient because all of this fertility treatment takes a long time.

I had baseline testing and an ultrasound for one monitoring cycle. I was then put on 75 iu of Follistim injections for the first 5 days of a new cycle and after an ultrasound I was bumped up to 150 iu of Follistim for 4 more days. I had 2 follicles that were over 18mm and so I gave myself a shot of Pregnyl and 36 hours later I got my IUI. It was not successful and for the next cycle I will start at 150 iu of Follistim. I have lower estrogen levels and so they want to start getting those numbers higher right from the start.

Each cycle including bloodwork, medications, ultrasound, donor sperm and IUI is $2800

She is very blunt when answering questions. She does not go into detail about results and doesn’t seem concerned about changing protocol after failed transfers. She also would not make any recommendations for us for our second retrieval which had a worse outcome than the first.

Really press for the answers you want. Be your own advocate!

Our first retrieval I was on too low of a dose of Gonal F. We had to extend the amount of time before retrieval could be done. The second round I was on too high of a dose and had OHSS. The first time resulted in only 3 embryos being viable after PGS testing. The second retrieval only resulted in 2 embryos after PGS testing. Both transfers have failed. Both times we asked what could have been done differently and we were told “nothing”. We were told that the numbers of embryos available was low but for no certain reason. They also didn’t do any blood testing before frozen embryo transfers which resulted in my progesterone being low both times and they upped it after the transfer. I wish they were more in depth with our results and how that compares with where we should be expected to be.

First come, first served. You do need to line up outside of the office about 30 minutes earlier than they open if you want to be the first seen. Times were convenient.

I believe an IVF Freeze All was around $12,000 and a Frozen Embryo Transfer was around $3,000 including all the monitoring appointments.

Dr. Maud is a straight shooter. She is going to be direct and realistic. I went to her overweight and not fully taking one of my medications (metformin) for my PCOS and Insulin Resistance. She was direct with me telling me I needed to be on the full dose of metformin and lose weight with a specific diet before we start the medications. My previous physicians (not associated to Dr. Maud) were really soft on the topic and let me continue to waste my time. She gave me the push and "tough love" to do better. It gave me more confidence in her ability to help me vs. the 2 other doctors before her. She knows her stuff and I trust her completely.

If you want someone who is really delicate and will tell you what you want to hear rather than the facts of your infertility situation, this is not the doctor for you. She is kind and friendly, but direct. She knows her stuff and and is incredibly knowledgeable. I would recommend her above and beyond to any friend or family member. In fact, I drive 5 hours each way (10 total) to see her and regret nothing.

I have PCOS w/ IR. Dr. Maud made sure I was on a consistent/daily, full dose of Metformin without side effects which in turn helped me FINALLY start losing weight. She recommended a low carb diet like Atkins to help with any side effects. Once I had achieved this, She prescribed a lower dose of FSH shots. She did baseline monitoring. At my first appointment for monitoring on shots she reviewed my results and adjusted my dose.

Average to the normal cost of Fertility treatment.

Dr. Oakes provided me with honest answers and expectations. She is kind and caring. She makes me feel completely comfortable and is so optimistic that it provides me with hope that this will work one day.

I would just tell them to go to her. My sister also saw Dr. Oakes and had exceptional care that resulted in her now almost 2 year old daughter. If anyone is struggling with fertility we highly recommend Dr. Oakes.

My first three IUI’s were all natural and unmedicated. I have one ovary but my counts and labs were all completely normal so we were hopeful that we would be able to get pregnant from one of them. Unfortunately we were unsuccessful and I am currently in the TWW for the 4th. This cycle has been medicated for 5 days with 75iu FOLLISTIM and a 10000iu Pregnyl shot. With each cycle, three days post IUI I have been given Progesterone suppositories to use twice a day.

My insurance does not pay for any procedures so it has been completely out of pocket. Going to the clinic has provided me with a significant discount as opposed to a hospital setting.

She is knowledgeable, compassionate but seems overworked and stretched too thin. Some conversations seemed rushed. I was told we could take treatments as slow as we want but then we’re pressured to move forward with more advanced treatment options before we were ready.

Do research, advocate for yourself, don’t be afraid to ask questions. She is a great doctor but time with her is limited. Many times the nurses try to intercept any issues you have when you want to talk to Oakes.

We did several rounds of Femara and Clomid, 1 IUI and so far one round of IVF with ICSI and PGS testing. Took Gonal F and Cetrotide for retrieval and estrogen and progesterone shots for transfer.

Generally a long wait, especially Monday and fridays. I drove several hours for appointments and waited longer than my appointment was.

I spent a $3800 for IUI with meds and about $12k for 1st round IVF wth meds and some insurance coverage.

Elected for one do to uterine abnormality.

Dr. Oakes is genuinely a very kind and caring person, I know she wants all her patients to have good results and be able to have a family. Some people like things told to them gently, but I am a person that would rather just be told things more bluntly, even when the truth hurts my feelings. With the last round of IVF we attempted in late December of 2017, I knew I had ovulated even though I was getting the Ganirelix injections. As a patient (who works in healthcare sometimes you know too much) I was very emotional and didn't want to proceed with harvesting my eggs because I felt like it would not be successful and would waste our hard earned money we had worked so hard to save up for this round of IVF. Dr. Oakes encouraged me that my follicles were good and I should at least try to harvest them, and at this point my husband really wanted me to proceed with harvesting as well. They successfully harvested 7 embryos, and 3 made it to day 5 but due to the fact that I had already ovulated I could not have a fresh implant and only 1 embryo met the criteria for freezing. We had that embryo implanted the following month but unfortunately it was not successful. Although my story is not normal and this truly only happens to less than 1% of women, I did take away some valuable lessons. God has a plan sometimes we have a hard time understanding, physicians that specialize in fertility know more than we do about fertility but we should always listen to our own body, and have faith because good things will happen.....you just never know when it will be!

At the Methodist for Women Reproductive Health it is good to know up front that you don't always see your same physician. There are three physicians in their clinic and depending on the day you could see any of the three, this fact does bother some people. I really like all three physicians so it is not a problem for me at all, but it's something I make sure to include when informing any prospective patients I refer to Dr. Oakes.

Prior to being referred to Dr. Oakes I saw my regular OB/GYN who did seven rounds of Clomid with me and six of the rounds we did IUI in his office. So by the time I went to Reproductive Health I was very used to getting my lab drawn and having vaginal US were a normal thing, this is something I thought I would never say. I think for anyone who starts seeing a fertility specialist the most frustrating part at the beginning is the fact that they want to re-run a bunch of tests. My husband didn't think anyone else could possibly need to look at his sperm, although it was a little hard to feel sorry for him when they want to inject dye to see if your tubes are open again (the cramping is terrible even if you only have one tube, I had an ectopic pregnancy six years ago and lost my right tube from a natural pregnancy). Eventually we get down to starting my first cycle of IUI with Dr. Oakes and I call her office with my first day of my period. This starts the process of arriving and getting baseline labs and vaginal US to make sure I don't have any cysts on my ovaries so I can start injections. Dr. Oakes starts me on Follistim SQ, the side effects from the shots to me weren't any worse than the increased hormones similar to that of Clomid. They checked my ovaries via vaginal US every 3 days or so and adjusted the dosage accordingly. I always produced good follicles and once the follicles were ready to release, but prior to ovulation they would have me get an IM injection of hCG and then the following day my husband gave a sperm sample and IUI occurred. I always had some cramping and discomfort after IUI, but not worse than that of menstrual cramps. Then it was the dreaded waiting 14 days to find out if you were pregnant, I always would pray I wouldn't get my period but in evidently it came like clock work. Since we had already tried IUI so many times previously Dr. Oakes suggested that we really should just go straight to the IVF, so my husband and I did our best to save as much as we possibly could and we called her office to proceed with IVF. They started me on birth control the month prior and then the same process as IUI, I called her office on the first day of my period and we got started. A few days later I was getting my baseline labs and vaginal US, then the injections started this time I was getting Menopur IM daily, and going every 2-3 days for a vaginal US so they could adjust my dose as needed. I was producing follicles but not like Dr. Oakes had hoped, she discussed with us that we could proceed and still harvest the 4 follicles I had or I could attempt IUI again and try IVF at a later date. Dr Oakes told us she really felt like the birth control slowed down my follicle production so she didn't want me to do the birth control the following time. My husband and I decided to try the IUI again to save money and hopefully that way when we attempted the IVF again I would make more follicles and it would be more successful. I still got an IM injection of hCG the night before IUI. Unfortunately another failed attempt only this time I was more hormonal and for the 14 days after the IUI the Dr had ordered IM progesterone injections, which made my hips and upper part of my butt very sore! Finally we were trying IVF a second time, of course the last time I was sure it was going to work so this time I had a little more reservations about it but I was excited. My husband and I have dreamed of having a family for 6+ years, and overall I was sure this time was going to be it. They did what they called a cold start, no pre-birth control. I did the Menopur IM injections again, but this time they increased the dose. I felt very aware of what was going on inside me, every little pain or twinge in my belly felt amplified. I was still getting the vaginal US every 2-3 days, by the 9th-10th day or so I was also getting the Ganirelix shots to make sure I didn't ovulate. The next morning I was scheduled to see my Dr. and this was the day I typically ovulated, but the night before I was sure I was ovulating even though I was getting the Ganirelix injections. The next morning we were in Dr. Oakes office bright and early, I went in first to my vaginal US with my husband and the US tech and I told her I thought I had ovulated. She told me she hasn't seen anyone in 30 years ovulate on Ganirelix, she states it happens than less than 1% of women and says I'm sure your fine. She does the exam and is very quiet, takes twice as many pictures as normal and just acts different. I ask her if she sees something, she tells me she will have Dr. Oakes talk to me but I may know my body pretty well. As a patient (who works in healthcare sometimes you know too much) I was very emotional and didn't want to proceed with harvesting my eggs because I felt like it would not be successful and would waste our hard earned money we had worked so hard to save up for this round of IVF. Dr. Oakes encouraged me that my follicles were good and I should at least try to harvest them, and at this point my husband really wanted me to proceed with harvesting as well. They went ahead and still had me get an IM hCG injection that night and come back the next day. They successfully harvested 7 embryos, and 3 made it to day 5 but due to the fact that I had already ovulated I could not have a fresh implant and only 1 embryo met the criteria for freezing. We had that embryo implanted the following month but unfortunately it was not successful. Overall I felt the fertility medications definitely caused me to have some weight gain and the Progesterone in Oil injections just hurt, but if I would have been able to get pregnant it all would have been worth it.

The clinic was very well organized. For routine labs and US you are required to report between 7:00-9:00 am and sign in, then they just go first come first serve basis. Typically we never waited more than 30 minutes, many times they had us in a room in less than 15 minutes.

Medications $2000-4000 Ultrasound $225 (times 5-8) Labs $86-225 (times 5-8) Egg Harvest $7850 Frozen Embryo Transfer $4100

Dr. Oakes told us that she would only transfer up to two embryos, although this is something we never had to make a decision about she did give us all the pros and cons of single embryo transfer vs. multiple embryo transfer.

My experiences with Dr. Delaney have been wonderful. From our consultation to our 3 failed IUI's, I always felt Dr. Delaney had our best interests at heart. During every stage of our treatment she reassured us and helped explain the process as much as we needed. She is always timely on calling us and giving us answers. What I could use more from Dr. Delaney is her bluntness. She is so sweet and comforting that sometimes I think it is difficult for her to be blunt with patients. I already recommend Dr. Delaney to my friends and family who are on their own infertility journeys, so I am very pleased with our experience as a patient!

One piece of advice I would give to a prospective patient is to try not to get discouraged. Sometimes when the answer and results aren't what we want, it is easy to blame the doctor or treatment for not working. But remember, she always has her patients best interest at heart and she too is hopeful each and every round of treatment. My confidence in her skills and knowledge help me from becoming easily discouraged.

I came to Dr. Delaney with what we thought was a blocked fallopian tube. After further testing, Dr. Delaney was able to confirm I did not have a blocked fallopian tube. After establishing that, came the diagnosis. My husbands sperm results came back normal and my diagnostic testing came back normal also. She diagnosed us with unexplained infertility, which means without the help from medicine we would have a 5% chance on conceiving on our own. Because of this diagnosis, Dr. Delaney decided the next treatment option should be an IUI. We started with 75ml subq of Follistem every day. Every few days we had an ultrasound to check the size of the follicles and I had a lab draw to check my hormone levels. Once the follicles were at the optimal size around 2.0, I received the "trigger" injection, HCG, in the upper botocks. Roughly 24-48 hours later I had the IUI procedure. I started on progesterone suppositories 3 days after the IUI. A few days after our first IUI I had dark red spotting which is not normal. Dr. Delaney said that was due to a lack of progesterone. That IUI round failed. Dr. Delaney was pleased with the number of follicles I produced with that dosage so we performed another IUI with the exact procedure as above. But this time instead of using suppository progesterone, I use the progesterone in oil injection in my upper botock, due to spotting from previous IUI. This is a higher dose and more direct way for the body to get progesterone. That also resulted in a failed IUI. I was still producing quality follicles so we tried a 3rd IUI, which resulted in another failed IUI, same treatment as 2nd IUI. After this, Dr. Delaney recommended we try IVF. She stated the chances of a positive pregnancy are higher with IVF then IUI and with 3 failed IUI's this would be our best next step for treatment.

An ultrasound was $225 and an ultrasound and lab work was $317. Specimen test was $550. The IUI was $800. Medicine from the Pharmacy was around $700 a cycle.

We were very pleased with Dr. Delaney, I the initial testing it was discovered that I had a polyp and she worked quickly to schedule and complete the removal so that it would not prolong our IVF process. As we went through treatment she took the time to answer all our questions and personally called us when we had the first round of embryos PGS tested and didn't have any that were able to be used. On the second round she took the time to work with us on our concerns about PGS and supported our decision to not have it done. She diligently worked to track and make sure that we would have successful outcomes with the medicines because I only have one ovary.

Be very open and share anything that you can even if you think it might not matter or have impact, because she will address your concerns and research them if needed.

On our first cycle I wasn't responding the way she had thougt so my medicine was increased after our first visit, this did result increase the outcome. However we did not end up with any viable embryos for implantation due to the outcome of PGS testing. On the second round she chose to begin on a slightly higher dose from the start which produced one more embryo from the first round. With only having one ovary she was very realistic with is on the number of embryos that we wouldn't likely achieve.

There was a window for these appointments every morning for several hours and you could go at your convenience. If the clinic wasn't close to your home you could have them at your regular OB and they would assist in getting those setup.

We discussed this at great lengths. With PGS we were told that with our circumstances she would do eSET and without PGS she was open to multiple embryo transfer but it was ultimately up to us.

A friend referred me to Dr.Oakes, and I absolutely agree that she is amazing. The first time we met her she sat and talked with us about our history and truly listened to what we wanted. She allowed us to determine what we were comfortable doing for our next treatment. When our second IVF cycle results didn’t go as planned, she called me personally. She was straight forward, but stayed positive for us for future options.

She is not scared it give her honest opinion, so she may tell you something you don’t want to hear. However, she does what is in the best interest of the patient.

Our first IVF cycle was at a different clinic. When Dr.Oakes reviewed the protocol, she made a few changes. I switched from 75 of menopur and 150 of gonal f to only 300 of gonal f. She also watched my estradiol very close before egg retrieval because I had very high levels the first cycle. I was told to use a lupron trigger, and we gave my body an extra day to let smaller follicles catch up. I ended up with double the amount of eggs retrieved from my first cycle. She also had us freeze our embryo rather than do a fresh transfer because of the high estradiol levels.

Monitoring appointments were all done in the morning between 6:30- 9:30. Since I had to commute, I liked that I didn’t have to be there at an exact time. Plus I think it is nice for people that don’t want to take time off of work to be able to go early in the morning. Most of my ultrasounds were done by one of the doctors, and then they would talk with me after about how everything looked and what the next step was. I loved that I saw a doctor every time I went.

Our initial consult visit was $400. Typical monitoring appointments included an ultrasound for $225 and blood work $80-100. I had 3 monitoring appointments and 1 additional blood draw prior to retrieval. The day of retrieval we paid $9,300 which included biopsy for PGS testing. We have not done our transfer yet, but I believe it is between $4,500-5,000. All of these costs were in addition to medications which range widely in cost.

We did not discuss this, and only ended up with one embryo, so it was not an issue.

After our second miscarriage (no previous live births) we wanted answers, not hugs. That's exactly what we got from Dr. Doherty. She had a plan from our consultation and left no stone unturned. We are currently in cycle three of seeing her. Since our first visit she has: found I have Linden Factor IV during genetic screening, found and removed a polyp in my uterus via Sonohysterography and ultrasound, identified that my hormone levels at ovulation are VERY low. This cycle we are doing Gonal F injections and had a very in depth class teaching us how to do injections. Dr. Doherty takes our concerns seriously, but we have had very few as she has a proven track record to get the job done! We adore Dr. Doherty and at a time when we felt hopeless she was exactly what we needed.

Dr. Doherty is blunt. She may come off as unprofessional or bad bedside manner. If you are you a stage where you need comfort and hugs from a specialist, I would not recommend her. If you are at a point where you want answers and a plan - she is the doctor you want!

Cycle Day 1: call the office Cycle Day 3: hormone panel & genetic screening Cycle Day 7-10: Sonohysterography Positive ovulation: ultrasound and labs *This identified that I had Linden Factor IV, a polyp in my uterus and very low levels during ovulation* Treatment plan for low hormone levels (this may vary based off of ultrasound/lab results from injections): *Attend a free shot giving/taking class, apply for discounts before arriving *Cycle Day 1: call the office *Cycle Day 2 or 3: ultrasound to get the 'green light' to start treatment *Cycle Day 3-8: injections *Cycle Day 8: ultrasound and labs *Cycle Day 8-10: injections *Cycle Day 10: ultrasound and labs *Rest of cycle: continue monitoring to determine when to do trigger shot and timed intercourse or IUI.

Consultation: $450 Genetic Screening: $99 (insurance covered) Gonal F + Trigger shot: $1300/mo (no discounts, no insurance) Ultrasound/labs: $350 IUI: $800

At times it felt like she was only interested in her treatment plan and not listening to your concerns. That was hard. If I had a question sometimes I got a snarky remark but her only goal is to get you pregnant and she'll work towards that by telling you how she thinks your body is reacting. She can be funny. Not that spirituality is important in a doctor but she was awkwardly silent when I mentioned something about prayer. She was open to letting my mom come along on an appointment when my husband couldn't. She's funny and can put your mind at ease a bit with her direct communication on your treatment. My husband and I have discussed switching clinics but it's due to cost. Otherwise when your patient of Dr. Doherty it's easy to see what her goal is for you.

To just be advised sometimes it feels like she's not listening to you because of how clinical she is but she is there at every appointment. She will even give you her cell number to discuss treatment options or to deliver bad news

We asked to try IUI with sperm donation. Originally she wanted me to do IVF but I wanted to try IUI first. I was on injectables and after the insemination progesterone. She adjusted the dose as my body wasn't growing the eggs fast enough and my lining was still thin. We took a class on how to use the needles, what each one might look like. where to place them. The pharmacy they recommended was also incredibly knowledgeable and responded well to all questions relating to the medicine. The main office person was helpful in helping with what medical issues I should avoid when picking a donor as I was diagnosed as being a carrier for gauchers disease. It was reassuring to be walked through the process. Weekly/ daily blood draws, a saline injection to see if tubes were clear then a dye test to see if tubes we're still clear, weekly ultrasounds. My husband was diagnosed with azoospermia. He had to have a biopsy done on both his testicles after his sperm analysis yielded no results. The urologist was incredibly kind. Talking about the different paths to parenthood. It was a highly emotional day and then weekend when Dr. Doherty called with the results that Saturday morning of the biopsy. My husband stated he liked how compassionate the urologist was with his treatment.

All testing was covered by insurance, with co-pay... even the dye test! But treatment was not covered. Due to needing a sperm donor overall cost was close to $5,000. Medications were well over $400 $1,000 for the sperm donation, included shipping. Over $1,000 for the insemenatiom itself. The rest would be paying for blood draws and ultrasounds. We were a little younger and didn't have access to $5,000 we had to borrow it and drain our savings. We're trying to build back up to move forward with IVFwith ICSI

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I don't have any bad things to say at all. She is kind, and friendly, and seems to be extremely competent. I guess the only negative thing I can say is that she does not seem to have any knowledge regarding the financial side of the business. Her office provided a coupon for the injectables which was nice, but there wasn't any info provided for other coupon programs or grants, like what Fertility IQ provides. And we're having a really tough time with the bills from all of this.

Don't hesitate to ask questions.

The injectable I was prescribed was Gonal F 300iu every day for about 14 days total. I started going to my local office that partners with Dr. Oakes' office for blood draws and ultrasounds, and the office would call me with instructions for what I should do for the next few days until my next blood draw and ultrasound. They increased my dose to 450iu early on because the ultrasound only showed a few eggs, and the doctor said that if the increased dose did not help my body produce more eggs then we would quit with this cycle and try for the next because the egg retrieval procedure is the priciest part of the process. The increase in dose helped increase my egg count a little, and around day 14 or 15 my husband helped me to inject my "trigger shot", and within a day or two I went in for my egg retrieval. They retrieved 8 eggs and two of those were not mature. Of the 6 remaining, 5 fertilized successfully. However, we did genetic testing and found out that all 5 embryos were severely genetically abnormal. The Dr. Oakes called me personally to tell me this and she also said that had we not performed the genetic testing and skipped to the implantation, none of the embryos would have survived because they were so abnormal. She has a plan to change up my injectables for our next IVF attempt, but we are trying to save up money until we can afford to do this all again.

She gave us a folder full of info at our initial consultation with her that included a run-down of all of the possible procedures and their associated costs. The egg retrieval (aspiration) was exactly $9,300. Up until then we had spent $893.03 in various procedures and tests. The injectable drugs were $980.78 through mailorder, and that was with a 25% coupon provided by the office. The genetic testing was completed at another facility and we have yet to receive the bill, but I know it will be thousands of dollars.

We never got that far into the process.

I think she has a realistic approach, and talked us through our options. She had both of her children through IVF, so I feel like she can relate to our struggle and she knows what we are going through. She was extremely compassionate, especially when we went through an ectopic pregnancy after an iui. I got pregnant on my first IVF cycle and I’m currently 13 weeks along!

Read some fertility books, get to know your body and your cycle. Seek out as much information as you can and go in educated enough to ask good questions!

Day 3 bloodwork and ultrasound, sonogram, 2 rounds with injections with iui. Result was ectopic pregnancy. Did IVF and got pregnant on my first cycle, and have 3 PGS tested eggs on ice!

I'm trying to remember, I think the initial consult was an hour and a half and was a couple hundred dollars. The day 3 bloodwork and ultrasound was a couple hundred and the injections were about $4k per cycle. During the consultation I received a price list that was very detailed so you know what the cost is up front. I have united health care and my plan covered about 25% of my bills, which was a pleasant surprise!

Because of my age she initially suggested transferring two, but since we did pgs testing on the embryos we only transferred one which was successful!

As explained before, Dr Doherty came Into our lives at a very difficult time. I was pregnant for the 5th time (zero children) and was very suspicious that I was having another ectopic. I had already had two ectopics with a removal of my right tube. My OB had already said I was negative for ectopic two days prior to Dr Doherty seeing it in an ultrasound. She was very straightforward with the details but yet very warm in her delivery. She didn’t sugar coat things and let us know she needed to remove my left tube and that IVF would be our only option moving forward. She hugged me several times and apologized for having to give us this bad news. She performed my surgery and also ran genetic testing that day so it was already done when we were ready to move forward with treatments.

She doesn’t sugar coat information. She’s very straightforward and gives you the facts you need. Some people may want a provider who isn’t like that but for us, it was exactly what we needed. We had felt for so long we weren’t getting the answers we needed to move forward and with one day with Dr. Doherty, it was refreshing. Even though we received bad news, we still felt more hopeful than we have been in the last 4 years of our infertility journey.

We have yet to actually receive extensive treatment from Dr Doherty. She has only performed my tubal removal surgery and provided us with all the information for IVF. She did choose to remove my left tube because of an ectopic because she was worried of reoccurrence.

The consultation fee is $400.

Dr Doherty did mention that she would only do a single embryo transfer with me because of my size. I am rather short and we would be worried of the risks of preterm labor.

Dr. Doherty would easily be described as "blunt". Some may see this as a bad thing, but she never sugar coated anything or made us get our hopes up higher than they should have been. Personally, I am grateful for that. With our history, the last thing I wanted was to be told one thing and have another happen. Dr. Doherty performed my egg retrieval and embryo transfer, and she will be doing our second embryo transfer next week. She has been great about explaining everything in detail and letting me know what to expect.

One piece of advice I would give any prospective patient, is to be ready for the cold hard truth. We went into our 3rd cycle (first with Dr. Doherty) thinking our infertility was unexplained. After our cycle with Dr. Doherty, we found out that I actually have very poor egg quality. Dr. Doherty did not in any way sugar coat this, which I really appreciated.

For this egg retrieval, Dr. Doherty had me on 225iu of Follistim (upped to 300iu on day 8) for 10 days. We also added in Cetrotide on day 8. We retrieved 24 eggs from this cycle - more than both of our first two cycles combined. Unfortunately from here our numbers dropped drastically due to poor egg quality. We ended the cycle with two frozen embryos (1 day 5, 1 day 6).

Monitoring appointments were extremely convenient at this clinic! The window was 6:30-9:00 and no matter what time I went, I never waited more than 15 minutes.

The cost of our IVF cycle total, was roughly $15,000. Each monitoring appointment was between $90-$315, the egg retrieval was around $8100, and each transfer is $4200. Thanks to a wonderful community, I was able to get most of my medications donated, and only had to spend about $200 OOP.