New Hope Fertility Center

She was kind and respectful. But I didn’t feel like she was invested in me as a person. You need to come with questions because she won’t really explain if you don’t ask her. She was great during the retrieval but I barely saw her before the transfer until moments before which to me was the most important part. When I had a chemical pregnancy she called me to explain that it could have been the embryo or my lining. But I was devastated and she didn’t really give the next course of action. She only brought up the ERA after I suggested it and to do another biopsy. While I did get pregnant I was kind of in shock that it didn’t stick and no one told me what to expect after getting the first HCG test. They simply sent me an email. I had no idea that it had to double ( I found out on my own ) and was in shock when it didn’t. She didn’t really explain the whole process and I wish she prepared me more for what could happen.

I wish she would explain the process to the patients more. Especially for the transfer. What to expect… for example levels to double and a possible pregnancy or it not working. Also I would have appreciated it if she gave me a better course of action next.

We initially wanted to come in to thaw my 6 eggs from 2019. But she suggested another retrieval. I was hesitant but went ahead ( warning if you do a retrieval check with your insurance if they will cover it if you already have eggs. I had to battle the insurance ). In November I was put onto Gonal 125- 250ml for around 10 days along with Clomid I think. I had ultrasounds around every 2-3 days and blood tests too. The retrieval went smooth and I was lucky to get 20 eggs. 14 of which matured and 12 fertilized. We got 5 embryos that made it to blastocyst. Of which only 2 were PGT normal. I was surprised we got so many eggs but only 2 normal embryos but she said it was a good number for 42. I would actually recommend her for the retrieval. in December I did a hysteroscopy and had endometritis. So she gave me doxy and I was really allergic to it. My stomach couldn’t handle it. So she switched me to cipro which I didn’t realize is one of the strongest antibiotics. I would not recommend this because I was on it for Dece and in Jan they cleared me to do the transfer and said my endo was mild. But they continued me on cipro with promethium and estrace up until the day before the transfer. I waited around 3 hours for the transfer and there were several other women in the room. 2 of which had around 3-4 transfers that failed from her. That to me was a red flag. I stayed positive and did the transfer and got pregnant a week later! My HCG level was 18. Which I didn’t know was low and didn’t know it was supposed to double. The PA called on Monday telling me my HCG was 15 and that I might be having a miscarriage. I was devastated alone at work and besides myself. I called my husband and Fighting back tears I picked myself up and went back to work. It was the worst day of my life. I prayed that the baby would be saved but at that moment I knew that the baby was gone :( she told me to come back on Wednesday to confirm. I did the blood test on Wednesday and sure enough my HCG went to 6 or something. Dr Kulp finally called me and said I was having a chemical pregnancy and that I would be having a miscarriage soon. That was the worst week of my life. She didn’t explain why it didn’t work she said it could have been the grade A Embryo which we paid like $1000 for. I thought it could have been my lining or the medication. I don’t know. But after that I lost faith in New Hope and decided to get a second opinion.

There usually was a line in the morning. It always was really busy and would have been nice if we could schedule appts so that we could be seen on time instead of waiting. Sometimes it would be quick other times id wait an hour.

I’m not sure as my insurance covered it. I paid $360 for my IUI and retrieval and probably another $200 for the transfer ( after insurance)

I did ask for twins but she suggested one embryo.

I haven’t had much of any contact with Dr Makarov. She is rarely if ever available and when I did see her once in the office while there for an egg retrieval she had no idea who I was. She hasn’t performed any of my retrieval procedures and has only spoken to me personally one time about my treatment plan.

Don’t expect a personal and warm patient/Dr relationship with Dr Makarov. You will be highly disappointed

Antagonist Protocol: down regulation with birth control, clomid/letrozole and injectable stimulation with Gonal-f and ganirelix.

I am an out of state patient so my monitoring appointments are done locally at a clinic where I live

My insurance covers 3 IVF cycles. My only costs were for prescriptions

The doctors staff has advised me that they recommend multiple embryo transfer due to my age

Dr Makarov is gentle and knowledgeable. She handled my retrieval cycle perfectly as well as my transfer cycle. Her intuition is great. I wasn’t so concerned about not seeing her every visit as I knew she was evaluating my labs each time.

Make sure you communicate your needs/questions via email with Dr Makarov’s nursing staff. They’re very responsive.

Overall warm, welcoming and made me feel comfortable. I trusted her alongside the process without asking too many questions, and she always explained topline what we are going to do, without too many details which I also appreciated. Even if she wasnt always present her team was great and reassuring. I felt in safe hand and with minimum invasive treatment.

Ask questions if you have them, experience will be driven by you.

3x IUI, negative results (3 months) Egg retrieval (1 month) Endosee & antibiotics following results (2 months) Transfer (1 month)

I could go in when convenient during the window hours 7am-12pm

3.5k is my co pay in total Genetic testing came on top 2k+ The rest is still being cleared woth insurance (16.5k for mini ivf)

She was very nice when I met her. I didn't feel rushed and she was sure to answer all our questions about egg freezing and the process. But I realize now that I didn't even know all the questions to ask, because there was a lot about the process and my body and potential risks that I just didn't know, so I do wish I had been given a more thorough overview of what was involved and what could happen both during and after an egg retrieval.

Do your research and write all your questions down ahead of time, and maybe be upfront about the type of communication you want and expect in order to feel safe and supported. I remember a nurse telling me she had developed OHSS after her cycle and had been in a lot of pain (this was after I was dealing with my OHSS symptoms), and she said "I remember calling my doctor in the middle of the night crying!", and I thought, "I wouldn't even know how to get a hold of my doctor."

We did a mini-IVF cycle for egg-freezing because of my (relatively) young age, doing a combo of Gonal-F injections and Clomid + Letrozole for about 10 days before my trigger injection and then egg retrieval procedure. It was very successful and we were able to freeze 22 eggs. I developed OHSS afterwards which was very painful and uncomfortable and was prescribed Cabergoline.

I appreciated the "window" for monitoring appointments and I usually didn't have to wait too long, and the nurses were all very nice. The Brooklyn location had no wait at all but you do have to make a specific appointment for it, which is a bit less convenient only because if the night before I realized Brooklyn would be much easier, there would be no way for me to contact them to make an appointment (rarely would someone respond quick enough to an email, and their office/phone would be closed).

In total, out of pocket (my insurance covered maybe 1 medication), it was about $7,000 for one egg freezing cycle, not including storage beyond the 6 months.

I did 4 egg retrievals (yielding 12 eggs total, 6 embryos) and 3 embryo transfers (two frozen, one fresh). I trust Dr. Zhang and his mini IVF protocol definitely works better for me, having had poor results from a standard stimulation protocol. He is compassionate and seems very optimistic but perhaps doesn't really give the full picture as to your chances of success. His communication is also somewhat lacking. He has adjusted the protocol after each retrieval, but doesn't explain why he is adjusting. My last retrieval was the worst and was a natural cycle, but I was left to guess why this didn't work.

Make sure to ask the nurses to send you your blood results and follicle counts after each monitoring visit. Don't be afraid to ask for more communication. If you're doing a mini IVF, be aware that it could take several cycles to achieve a pregnancy.

Cycle #1 (6 eggs retrieved, 1 degenerated, 5 fertilized, 1 Day 6 blastocyst - FET after hysteroscopy unsuccessful): Clomid 100mg for 5 days, then 1 tablet for 4 days Letrozole 5mg every evening for 5 days Gonal F 225 units for 2 days Orilissa 1/4 tablet vaginally at bedtime one night Gonal F 150 units @ bedtime one night Ovidrel 250 mcg Cycle #2 (6 eggs retrieved, 1 degenerated, 5 fertilized, 2 day 3 embryos, 1 day 5 blast, 2 day 6 blasts - fresh transfer of both days 3s did not implant): Estrace 2mg daily for 6 days Clomid 100 mg for 6 days Gonal F 225 units for 3 days Gonal F 150 units for 2 days Clomid 50 mg, Gonal-F 150 units, 1/4 tablet Orilissa for 2 days Orilissa 1/8 tablet Ovidrel 250 mcg FET protocol # 2 (2 blastocysts failed to implant): Estrace 2mg daily for 14 days Prometrium 400 mg one day Prometrium 200 mg 2x daily until morning before FET Cycle #3 (0 eggs retrieved): Birth control HALF a pill a day by mouth for 7 days Clomid 50mg 1 tablet one day Lupron trigger

Egg retrieval, including fertilization and culture to blastocyst, is $2750. Fresh transfer is $1500 and FET is $3000

Dr. Zhang will transfer multiple embryos. I have had two multiple embryo transfers.

My experience with Dr. Zhang has been pleasant and professional. Dr. Zhang is candid and with a little humor to make me comfortable. Unlike other doctors/ clinics NHFC provides a team approach to fertility care. He explained I had advanced low egg reserve due to my age, but that would not be a barrier. I remember him stating that all we needed was one good egg. He managed my expectations by explaining the process, how it takes time, their philosophy and approach to using minimal drugs, and their team would work with us to accomplish our goal.

Dr. Zhang is the Director of NHFC and is extremely busy and only has time for first-patient appointments. Most of your contact will be with Zhang's support team of coordinators and nurses, who are responsive. If you are looking for a traditional model, daily contact with your doctor has not been my experience at NHFC.

Dr. Zhang is very experienced with mini IVF using oral medications mostly and/or low dose injectables and IVF for women over 40. Due to my cancer diagnosis, we did a mini IVF. I was able to use Clomid, letrozole (twice), Orilissa, and Lupron as prescribed. I was able to purchase the Orilissa and Lupron at the clinic for $120 my insurance was charging me so much more.

As discussed in a previous question, please note, that the clinic is open Mon-Sun from 6:45 am to 12 pm and one evening for monitoring. Depending on your cycle and follicle development you could be called in often. Out of the 7 open days on average, I went in 4-5 times during the week.

Fertility preservation is an expensive process! If not for my cancer diagnosis I would not be able to afford the 3 IVF cycles. I have heard in comparison to other clinics NHFC may be more reasonable for out-of-pocket. Here is an example of what I recall of some of their pricing sperm storage for $400 year, embryo and egg freezing for 10 or more $1700, less than 10 $1200, embryo biopsy is $750 per egg, monitoring $800 for the month or $200 a session, ISCI range from 5 eggs $700 to 20 eggs $2000, sperm wash $200, sperm freezing $400, sedation $650, lastly, you are given 6 months complimentary storage, then you will be charged $1200 for the year. The billing team communicates best via email for question.

Dr. Zhang recommended I freeze my embryos instead of my eggs due to my age and egg quality. I will be a solo- mommy and I'm currently reviewing donor candidates to create an embryo. This has been an extensive and thoughtful process for the physical, mental, and social-emotional well-being of my child. Once I purchase the donor sperm and have it delivered to NHFC I will be able to fertilize future eggs.

It’s early in the process but he shared detailed explanation about the process (donor egg ivf) and gave realistic expectations. He is very serious as he shared information and facts but also compassionate in his approach. As soon as our meeting was complete, he immediately had me her started which was a pleasant surprise. He seems as anxious as I am to have a successful pregnancy!

Bring a pad and paper to take notes! He shares a lot of details (facts and percentages and what to expect) about every step of the process. Sets very realistic expectations which I appreciated. He does have an accent that may make it challenging for some, so make sure he repeats things if necessary. Which he is happy to do!

Too early to describe. It’s a donor egg fresh embryo transfer cycle and I haven’t started monitoring yet. They have a good selection eggs in stock at the clinic. There are a list of prerequisites to complete prior to starting. Blood tests, mammogram, Pap smear, psych evaluation, and medical clearance from your PCP. I’m in the process of completing this stage.

Over 10k

In my case, he’s transferring two day 3 embryos since I’m only purchasing two donor eggs.

I felt really comfortable with Dr. Liu's capabilities in directing my cycles and making changes as we progressed. He is updated on all the latest technology and gave me information in an upfront yet gentle way. I also really appreciated how positive he was.

This process is difficult, emotional and exhausting. But, I think its important to trust your doctor so I would say, trust Dr. Liu, with the understanding that he knows what he is doing.

We started by using just clomid but that did not work well. So, Dr. Liu added in some gonal. I had a very light medication protocol, which ended up producing about the same number of eggs as I previously produced using a ton of meds (at another clinic). The most amount of eggs that I produced was 6. My other cycles only produced 1-3 eggs.

I did not have monitoring at NH since I am an out of town patient.

My insurance covered after my deductible.

I only had 1 embryo to transfer so we did a single embryo transfer.

When I saw Dr Markov she was kind and a regular person. She looked over worked or very busy but once she saw me she smiled and we.just talked while she did procedure. Made me feel relaxed and comfortable.

Write down questions to ask doctor Markov. You might only see her once. Get to know Olga she works very well with Dr Markov and can answer your questions by asking Dr Markov and calling you back

I don't remember .

8000

Only 1 of my 6 embryos survived to day 5 so choice was natural selection

Dr. John Zhang was a very good communicator but I wish I saw him more at my appointments vs. the NP. He gave me all options and helped me make the best decision. I would recommend to others. Dr. Zhang did not do my egg retrieval and I did not meet the MD prior

One piece of advice would be to ask many questions and know what to expect.

Treatment strategies was based on my own natural fertility and having low ovarian reserve to not over power my reproductive system.

The monitoring appointments were easy and convenient.

My cost was reasonable besides $100 to speak with the MD at each visit which was optional, but each time I preferred to speak with the MD.

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He was fast but explained assessed and guided me. He told me what he thought and what I should do and was prompt said he would call.me the next day but a nurse called. I would have rather spoke to the doctor myself.but if i had a choice i would see him everytime he seems very smart.

Write down your questions, make sure u understand before leaving and ask him to call u personally

I did blood work first, than sonogram, than went to his office he asked me when i wanted to get pregnant and talked about my pcos he showed me my sonogram and a lot of.fibriods that i have. Askrd me questions about my period and told me about 2 diffrent meds he would put me on to try, than told me about two meds intercourse suggested i do.it for.2.months than try iui.

Some costs are.good.somw.costs are lumped together and are.more than what u would expect.for example.the hsg test is 580 but than saline solution goes with that test for.350 and thata not clear unless u talknto a financial person

We didnt talk about that cause my focus isnt ivf i cant afford that.

Dr. Zhang is amazing and I feel confident in his recommendations and care. A friend had suggested I go to him since two of her friends had had success with him, one of which was what she said was a “difficult” case. Later, after I started treatment with Dr. Zhang, one of my own acquaintances said she had seen him and he had retrieved an egg from her when no other doctors had (she has an autoimmune disease). Being older with DOR, I am so happy I chose to leave my previous doctor and clinic for Dr. Zhang. Don’t be dissuaded by some of the negative reviews online, he is a true gem. If there is one thing I have learned during this journey, it is that no one is going to hold your hand during the IVF process… but if you are proactive about your care and seeking Dr. Zhang’s advice he is always available to speak. Every time I go for a monitoring appointment, he is right there in the midst of things, working with the nurses - very hands on. He will oftentimes pop in to chat before or after my ultrasound and/or is readily available if I ask to briefly speak with him.

Be proactive in seeking out his time, it takes two! Before I started seeing him, I read reviews that said he was not always present, etc. However, my impression is the complete opposite. He is always (literally) present at the clinic when I go, guiding the staff in the ultrasound area and looking at patient files. He will oftentimes pop in before or after my ultrasound to speak briefly, updating me about my cycle and answering any questions. If he does not seek me out, I ask one of the girls if I can speak to him and he makes himself available. If you go on the earlier side for monitoring (7-9am) he is always there and able to chat.

Dr. Zhang specialities in mini IVF and believes in quality or quantity. I came from a clinic (Weill Cornell) that prescribed me a high stims, cookie-cutter protocol that resulted in 5 eggs retrieved but only 1 embryo (unsuccessful Day 3 fresh transfer). My first cycle with Dr. Zhang, I took Clomid and a fraction of the Gonal-F I had taken before (overall just a very trimmed down protocol) and it yielded 2 eggs retrieved. Of those 2 eggs both yielded Day 5 embryos!! Since then, I have had most of my embryos make it to blast and have gotten 2 PGT-tested normals. Dr. Zhang is willing to change protocol and try new things and I really like that about him - he is always very enthusiastic and straightforward and seems truly invested in my treatment and getting the highest quality outcome. This whole process is so much trial and error and Dr. Zhang goes above and beyond to find what works best for your unique condition.

Very efficient and quick monitoring appointments! After you check in, there are TV screens all around the clinic that let you know when it’s your turn and where to go. I’m usually out within 30-45 minutes.

I thought Dr. Makarov was really knowledgeable about everything related to my care. Visits were sometimes in and out, but that's just what happens at a fertility clinic when you're there all the time! Anytime I asked something, she was happy to take time to explain or go over the possibilities. I always trusted her decision making.

Don't expect that she's going to offer all of the information at the outset -- come with questions if you want specific answers!

We did three rounds of IUI just because my insurance required it before moving to IVF. Once we decided to move to IVF, we did an egg retrieval but then waited a month for my ovaries to heal because I had so many eggs. The next month, we did the implantation and now we are nearing the end of our first trimester.

I went right around 7am when they opened. I scheduled to be there for about 45 minutes each time. Only once did I go over that time, and that was at the height of Omicron so I think they had staffing issues that were out of their control. Usually I was there about 30 minutes.

My care was mostly covered by insurance but I had co-pays.

They preferred single embryo transfer for health reasons, but it seemed like if I had really pushed for multiple, they would have been open to it.

She is not a chatty person. But when I ask my questions, she answered everything. So you want to think what to ask before you go to appointments. When I ended up chemical pregnancy on first FET with Different doctor in same clinic, I switched doctor to Dr. Makarov. She did a procedure and detected my inflammation in uterus. So she told me to get antibiotics and skip a cycle. My inflammation didn’t go away completely in next cycle. She suggested me to wait one more cycle. I was most frustrated 2 months for me. But she found the cause and told me to wait. So she is not a doctor who trying to make money from patients. She was really trying make me pregnant on first try with her. She is not like super warm type of doctor. More like realistic and tell you what you need but also consults what patient’s want. If we decided to have another one, I’ll definitely come back to her!

List your questions before your appointment. She doesn’t have a lot of time to each patients.

I already had PGT-tested frozen eggs from first egg retrieval with different doctor in same clinic. When I did first FET, I didn’t use ovidrel for ovulation. With her, I used ovidrel, progesterone and estradiol. And my thyroid level was low. So she told me to use Levothyroxine. Then I got pregnant! With first doctor, he didn’t mention about my thyroid level.

FET was about $4000 with transfer and something else.

I asked her if I should transfer two, she told me because my embryos was PGT-tested normal. She suggested not to do.

Dr. Makarov was a compassionate, understanding and informative. She allowed the time and space to talk and express my concern about my past experiences. Her instructions were clear and so were the expectations of this pregnancy journey. I was recommended by a friend who has positive results and I will recommend her to others too.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions and if you can’t think of them at the moment, then you should write it down and email her and her staff. They are good in communicating and keep you abreast.

Dr. Makarov used the rejuvenation procedure to improve the quality of my eggs, retrieval, at one point I had to take birth control pills to control when I will ovulate. I had different injections during the phase of growing the eggs and retrieving them. This resulted in 5 eggs retrieved and 3 embryos in good conditions and with positive genetic testing. I’m currently on progesterone oil until my week 11 of my pregnancy in which case all medications stops and I will proceed with the instructions of my OBGYN.

Luckily the majority of the services were covered by my health insurance. The parts that weren’t we paid out of pocket.

Dr.Makarov is very compassionate and has great bedside manners. She discussed any risk and what I can expect. Dr.Makarov always kept me well informed. Her team on the 3rd floor were great throughout my treatment .

Dr.Makarov wears many hats and she may not always be available to see you during a visit, but makes sure to follow up with you herself or someone on her team will reach out.

I previously underwent IVF treatment and has frozen embryos in storage. She managed my care for a frozen embryo transfer. We used letrozole for about a week, monitored my dominant follicle, and then I ended up ovulating on my own. Then, we planned my embryo transfer.

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Dr.Makarov prefers for patients to proceed with a single embryo transfer especially at a young age due to high risk of multiples with a DET and a high risk pregnancy in general.

Dr. Zeitoun is very knowledgeable in his profession. He was very comforting and caring when it came to guiding me through this process. He reassured me when I found out that I may have OHSS after completing the cycle. Dr. Zeitoun prepared me on what signs to look out for and what steps to take after completing the Egg Retrieval.

Dr. Zeitoun has a wonderful attitude and way with patients. He is kind and definitely has the patient's best interest at heart.

I preped the Egg Freezing cycle with OCPs. When I was ready for stimulation I was given clomid, FSH and letrozol. I used orilissa tablets and a double trigger with Lupron.

Dr. Zhang is obviously a very bright man. But he didn't listen to my husband's or my concerns at all. He kept pressing us to do more and more rounds of IVF. When we originally went in to the clinic, we told him that we wanted to try one time with my own eggs. One time. And then I wanted to use an egg donor. We didn't want to waste more time and money trying to use my eggs at my age. When the first retrieval produced no embryos, I expected him to support our decision, but he kept rolling us forward and giving us false hope to keep trying. In the end, we squandered time and money and have no child to show for it. I very much regret trusting him.

If you are older and not making embryos, go straight to using an egg donor. Don't waste any time. Don't let him tell you that you have a chance. We went to NYU first and when our first try produced no viable embryos, the doctor strongly suggested that we use an egg donor. She was absolutely right. We went to New Hope because we wanted to give it one more shot. I regret my decision 100 percent. I should've listened to Dr. Hoddes at NYU.

Dr. Zhang used a very natural approach, which I did appreciate and he did adjust the treatment. We ultimately finally got one transferrable embryo out of it. Dr. Zhang specifically said that when we get a viable embryo, that he wanted it to be tested NON INVASIVE. So when I went in to that last retrieval, I emphasized that we wanted NON INVASIVE testing. However, the staff completely ignored that request. I had a feeling, so shortly after they left a message with the good news that we had an embryo, I frantically tried to call them. I didn't even want it tested at all. I wanted nothing to compromise our one shot. But they had already invasively tested it. Without my permission. And they likely compromised it and it did not result in a pregnancy. It was a horrible experience and it made me lose any trust in New Hope Clinic. It's a disorganized mess. And they don't care about the patients.

It was pretty organized. I like the monitoring process better at New Hope than NYU. The lobby was nicer and more serene and pleasant.

The cost was lower than at NYU, and they used ( at least in my case) fewer drugs. This was good. But they keep rolling you into another cycle, and another, and another, so they make up for how cheap it is with volume. Lesser drugs, mean fewer eggs each time. So they keep you going. This may work well with someone younger. But for myself, it didn't make sense. You have to be very adamant about changing the course. I wanted to switch to using an Egg Donor and they 100 percent did not help me in that direction. At all. It made me wonder if they actually didn't have a Donor program at all! It was very strange.

As stated previously he was definitely there to discuss concerns and or outcomes that look positive. I didn't think it all sounded like a dream but as a real possibility. I normally wouldn't allow male doctors to treat me but I made the exception because he came highly recommended. He was concerned and realistic at the same time. He gave me a set of goals and once completed he told me that everything looked good enough to move forward.

Be patient with the doctor because he is patient with the everyone. The plan he sets for you is for a reason and he is there to answer any wordings you may have so don't be afraid to ask.

Since I have no eggs/follicles, he suggested we do a sample cycle to see if everything else would work. For example will my lining thicken as supposed to, and it did. So we was hopefully and once I completed the trial cycle I was able to pick a donor and begin.

I only paid copay because I hadn't done a real cycle of ivf yet but I was quoted about $35,000 without insurance which is what would need to be ran and checked before Finalizing the cost for donor egg.

I didn't understand why it had to be single over multiple but given my age And risk I understood more why it was suggested to do a single over multiple.

I was referred to Dr. Makarov by a friend after 2 failed egg retrievals at another clinic due to producing zero blastocysts. My old doctor told us our infertility was due to poor egg quality (I'm 33 for reference) and we should start thinking about donor eggs. In our first consult with Dr. Makarov, she assured me there was nothing wrong with my eggs and that I was simply overstimulated with way too many injectable medications. She thought I was a perfect candidate for mini-IVF, a lower stimulation protocol with more oral medications. We would get fewer eggs, but they would be higher quality and ultimately result in more blastocysts . In that one conversation, Dr. Makarov revived our hope and we felt 100% confident in putting her in charge of our care. Our mini-IVF cycle was as successful as she predicted, we produced 3 blastocysts (with my own eggs!) and all 3 ended up being PGS normal. We transferred our first embryo in September and just gave birth to my son in May. I truly can't recommend Dr. Makarov enough, she's incredibly smart and knowledgeable. Where my old doctor made me feel like a lost cause, Dr. Makarov made me feel optimistic and excited about the process again (which is really hard after 2+ years of infertility, 1 miscarriage, 3 IUIs, and 2x failed egg retrievals).

Put your trust in Dr. Makarov and her team. Their approach may seem a little different (i.e. mini-IVF is a little unusual if you've done IVF elsewhere) but trust that they know what they're doing and are customizing your care for a reason, above all they want you to be successful. The only thing that took some getting used to at New Hope is that you won't see Dr. Makarov at every visit, sometimes you'll meet with her PA who is fantastic as well as the nurses. Even if Dr. Makarov isn't meeting with you, she's always reviewing your bloodwork and ultrasound to recommend next steps.

Dr Makarov and New Hope in general believe in a more natural approach to IVF. That means leveraging your body's natural hormones and supplementing with less stimulation, more oral medication (clomid, letrozole) and less injectables (we only used gonal-f and cetrotide) at 1/3 of the doses we had used with traditional IVF at our old clinic. And when we were ready to transfer, Dr Makarov implemented a natural transfer protocol, syncing the timing with my existing cycle. Ultimately, this approach with less medication and lower dose hormones made all the difference.

An efficient, well-oiled machine. Bloodwork was done right outside of the ultrasound rooms so they did a great job of getting everyone in and out.

New Hope was very transparent about the costs. They provide a piece of paper that outlines costs if you were to self-play for each individual procedure they offer. Since New Hope does everything in-house, I felt like their costs were less expensive compared to my first clinic where all procedures had to happen at a nearby hospital.

Since my embryos were genetically tested, highly rated and I'm under 35, Dr Makarov felt strongly about only transferring one embryo. However I know other patients that transferred 2x if they were older and their embryos were untested. It seems that the decision is made on a case by case basis.

It is very obvious that Dr. Zhang is extremely knowledgeable and competent as a doctor. I very much appreciated his candor and the humor he infused in our conversations. He always took the time to explain everything to me and made sure I understood everything before moving on. I appreciated that he canceled one transfer cycle when he didn’t think that it would be successful instead of just going for it. But he also gave me the option to continue if I wanted.

Don’t be surprised by his direct nature.

I came to Dr. Zhang as my second doctor so I went immediately into another egg retrieval. He decided to do mini IVF with me. I had previously done traditional IVF protocol at my previous doctor and did not respond very well to that and had OHSS. He believed that mini IVF would have less side effects for me with the same results and possibly better egg quality.

Monitoring was very easy to schedule. They give you a window and you can show up anytime during that window. You check in at the front desk then wait for your name to appear on the screen. You get your blood work first and then go back for an ultrasound after you complete bloodwork. I always went first thing in the morning before work and was never there for more than 20 minutes.

I do not remember the exact breakdown of cost for my treatments as insurance covered the majority of my treatment except the egg retrieval and that was around $3,000.

I was recommended to do single embryo transfer because of the number of embryos I had and because of my age. I was not given information about doing a multiple embryo transfer.

By the time I met with Dr Mehi I had consulted with a lot of clinics and was set on moving forward only with low dose IVF. I had been through a lot of cycles and he listened to each step I had been through and asked questions along the way. He validated what I was already thinking - that low does was the path forward. He also encouraged me that there were quite a few other options before donor eggs needs to be discussed which has been a change from other clinics I spoke to. But at the same time he was realistic and let me know that I would likely need more than one cycle and why that was case which was appreciated.

Be open to both positive and not so positive info since I think he is realistic. He wants to help and will spell out how he can do that but he also wants to provide you with the facts.

Mini IVF/low dose IVF is the treatment recommended for me mainly because I have diminished ovarian reserve. I have already tried a high dose IVF and had no better response than when I did medicated IUI. So he said it really didn't make sense to use high dose since we know my body won't respond to it.

The costs seemed very competitive to me. However, mine were related to low dose IVF. They are very open about sending you the full price list after your consult so it all seemed very clear and there was no grey areas.

He is a strong proponent of PGT testing embryos and because of that recommends single embryo transfer.

Zaher Merhi is a clear communicator and blunt about risks and costs. He deals with severe infertility patients and older patients, so he is very clear about treatment options and your odds of getting pregnant. That said, he has always been smiling and positive. He is always willing to fight for you and your fertility if you understand the risks and want to fight. He gave me hope. I would only change one thing. He did not call when my little embryo (the only one I've ever gotten) died on day three. I got a cold, one sentence email from the lab. He should have called.

He works in a high volume, fast-paced clinic. If you want to speak to him directly, be clear and let the nursing staff or his team know. Also, you can always reach him via email. Expect a blunt, but consistently cheerful and positive man.

I have severe infertility and very low egg reserve, so we have done estrogen only and natural IVF. I also did Ovarian rejuvenation with PRP.

I did outside monitoring and they made that process easy for me and updated me quickly.

$500/month for outside monitoring during natural IVF cycles. $3000 for egg retrieval. Very decent pricing.

He is very experienced with mini IVF using oral medications mostly and/or low dose injectables and IVF for women over 40. He also experienced in doing ovarian PRP for women who struggle with egg quality and quantity.

They seem like a busy clinic so be your own advocate and don't let yourself fall through the cracks.

The clinic and he have a lot of experience doing mini IVF. So they use a combo of both letrozole and clomid together or separately as well as very low dose injectables. The rationale is having quality over quantity.

the prices are al la carte. The prices are pretty affordable

The clinic does a lot of PGS testing due to the low pricing of in house PGS testing and the advanced ages of the women. So they do many single embryo transfers in this case. They will transfer multiple embryos if not tested or if they are day 3 embryos.