New York City IVF

From my first appointment with Dr Elassar, I was put at ease by her obvious intelligence, skills and thorough examination of my case. Unlike my first two experiences with other doctors, she took the time to carefully go through the possible reasons for my unsuccessful attempts in retrieving eggs, suggested a monitoring of my natural cycle to understand better how my body operates, and made some initial recommendations for treatment, all while managing my expectations. She was also warm, and also very considerate of my personal circumstances as I was not based in tete country. She was able to work with me even when this included some monitoring visits and starting treatment (with her protocol) at a different country, then continuing upon my return to New York. Int experience at NYC IVF made me realize even more, in hindsight, how I personalized and cold the experience was in the two larger facilities I attempted my previous attempts, and how much of a difference it makes to be treated by a dedicated team that is committed to achieving the best results for you as a person, not a number.

Please immediately book an appointment with her, and you will soon see why she is one of - if not the one - best doctor in NYC.

First, Dr Elassar only fully settled on a treatment protocol once she had time to monitor my natural cycle and understand how my body works. She then had me start my stimulation in the mid luteal phase (day 21 of my cycle), with 150 Menopur, 200 Gonal and later in the cycle, Ganirelix. She had initially wanted to start me on Estrace prior to stimulation, but deemed it not necessary after my baseline scan just before the start of treatment. She also had me on slightly lower doses than pervious attempts with other doctors as she felt the stimulation was too much for my body given my low number of follicles. She was able to explain why she would not try again the same protocol previously used in other unsuccessful rounds (with other doctors). An important aspect is that she listened to my concerns about my response to the trigger used in my previous rounds (Pregnyl/Ovidrel) and decided from the onset that she would use a double trigger (Pregnyl and Lupron). This is an option the doctor at my second facility had failed to consider (or explain why not) even when I had expressed the same concerns. For my next cycle, Dr Elassar has suggested to stick to the same protocol as my latest successful round.

The egg freezing treatment cost $8,000 exclusive of medications and monitoring visits. Each monitoring visit was $350 plus blood work (approx 25$ per test). While this was a bit higher than my previous facilities, it was well worth it as it is a small clinic with a much more personalised approach.

The place is wonderful. Feels very personable and easy to work with. Everyone is very attentive and things are well organized. While the whole ivf process is annoying and emotionally draining it felt super easy compared to other places that we have gone to. The Doctor and the staff are great. Dr Elassar was straightforward, explained the process, concern when needed and offered options

You will be in good hands. Dr. Elassar is very experienced and makes the whiten experience pretty pleasant

We did two retrievals, following gonal f and (the other medication, they am forgetting the name). I would do shots as instructed, depending on my blood results we adjusted dosage if needed

Mostly my insurance covered things but I have to say the whole billing was soooo easy. They handled everything and where I did have to pay they would tell me upfront. Genetic testing is not covered by insurance 1500- 2000 for the test

There is a risk of getting twins so there was no reason not to start with single embryo transfer, the doctor also explained as such

My first meeting with Dr. Elassar was not what I expected. I had been to fertility doctors before and it was always the same routine: bloodwork, sonogram, etc. before I even spoke to anyone. Rushed around and not listened to. Over and over I was told “you’re young, you’re just overthinking it.” It was quite infuriating. Despite my setbacks and disappointments, I met with Dr. Elassar for the first time in November 2021. We sat in her office and had a long conversation about my history, my trials and errors with fertility, the fact that I have been trying to get pregnant for 5 years, my partner, my goals. She explained what is involved in fertility, things no other doctors had discussed, she even used diagrams. Dr. Elassar explained step by step what was involved and what my options were. Then we got to work. Ever since my very first ob/gyn visit as a teenager I was told I have a fibroid. Every fertility doctor I’ve seen has said, “you have a fibroid,” then moved on. Dr. Elassar, upon my first sonogram with her, also noted my fibroid. Our first attempt at IUI gave a positive hcg result. But the hcg level decreased rather than increase and the pregnancy did not take. Round 2 of IUI did not work at all. Dr. Elassar had me in for a saline sonogram to investigate the fibroid further. She reminded me of a great scientist (which she is) trying to solve a case. She suspected the fibroid may be causing a problem. She sent me for an MRI. I had never had an MRI. I found out I’m quite claustrophobic. I ran out of the MRI facility and went to Dr. Elassar and told her I couldn’t do it. She calmed me down, explained it will give the best image of the fibroid and gave me pointers on how to get through it. I did it! My first MRI successful thanks to Dr. Elassar. Not one doctor prior had ever mentioned that a fibroid may affect fertility. Dr. Elassar’s expertise and persistence to help her patients is finally leading to me getting some answers! Dr. Elassar found a doctor for me to go to get the fibroid removed. When the first available appointment to have initial consult was 3 months away, Dr. Elassar personally called and asked if I could be seen any earlier and I was pushed up a month. Having my doctor on my team has been a blessing. I am going for my post-op visit this week and the fertility journey will continue from there. For the first time in my life I feel hopeful that at least I have a doctor who cares.

Don’t wait to see Dr. Elassar. She will help you and you will be happy you met her.

I have had treatment for 2 cycles so far with Dr. Elassar. Because my thyroid levels were slightly off, she prescirbed Synthroid 50mcg daily. And each cycle I took Femara 2.5 mg tablets 2 tablets at 7pm each day for 5 days. This was to help induce ovulation. Then based upon my bloodwork I got an Ovidrel 250 mcg/0.5mL subcutaneous injection 2 days before IUI to help trigger ovulation. After IUI the first round, I started progesterone 100mg capsules twice a day to supplement my progesterone levels and help ensure the pregnancy. I did not take progesterone for round 2 if IUI because it didn’t make it that far.

Dr. Elassar is out of network with my insurance but she billed them for all appointments and procedures. Any amount the insurance reimbursed the office accepted and I paid out of pocket for visits until my deductible was met. The cost of each IUI was $2,000 out of pocket from myself.

Dr. Elassar is the most amazing doctor. Literally the best physician I have ever been under the care of. What I love the most is that she she does not sugar coat the truth. If there is a concern, she tells you what it is and you make a plan together to work through it. She is very diligent and careful and makes sure that you are well informed about your care in every step of the process you are going through. She takes the time to help you understand and has a way of breaking down even the most complex aspects of the IVF process. You are more than just a patient. Dr. Elassar cares about you as a person.

Be prepared to have a direct conversation. While going through the IVF process is difficult and very sensitive, you need to have your eyes wide open. Dr. Elassar is very direct in her communication and tells you what you need to know even if it’s nor something you want to hear.

Approximately $15,000 - $20,000 per cycle inclusive, precediese, regular and follow-up appointments and genetic testing of embryos

Dr. Elassar’ main approach is eSet. However she understands when circumstances call for multiple embryo transfer and will help you understand the risks so that you can make the best decision.

Honest, professional, caring, empathic. She took the time to explain each step of the treatment and what to expect. I knew I could call her anytime for questions. I never doubter her professionalism as I was aware of the details of the procedure from my previous experiences.

She is an honest and caring doctor. You will be in good hands with her.

Due to my age and 2 failing cycles of IVF made in another country, Dr Elassar decided to do two cycles of egg stimulations (and retrieval), fertilize the eggs retrieved in the first cycle them with my husband’ sperm and push to day 3, the second time fertilize them, and at day 3 defreeze the ones in the first set and then let them all survive to day 5. At day 5 the genetic test was performed and the good one was transferred one month later, after making sure my other problems were solved.

The cost were explained to me at the first appointment, which I like, because it gave clarity and expectations were set.

No comment. I only had one good embryo, so this discussion never took place.

Dr. Elassar is compassionate and knowledgeable about her job. She always made me feel comfortable. She was very respectful of my privacy and concerns. She explained every possible outcome, procedure and cost very thoroughly.

Do not think twice about choosing Dr. Elassar.

At first Dr. Elassar’s cost may seem to be more than other clinics but it actually costs less. During my appointments I was seen by both the doctor and the nurse, whereas in a different well known clinic I had only seen the doctor during the consultation and all the monitoring was done by different nurses and technicians. As a result they kept missing my cycle. Dr. Elassar was very professional and through about the costs. You know exactly how much it will cost you ahead of time so you can prepare yourself.

Dr. Elassar was very impressive in my initial consultation. And she has outstanding reviews online. So I was very surprised and disappointed when she seemed very rushed and uninterested in answering questions during my in-person visits. At one point, she said "I don't have time to answer your questions. You can ask [a member of our medical team] -- she is working on a medical degree and can answer these questions for you." You want to feel like your doctor is genuinely interested in your success, and that he or she is willing to take the time to make sure you are aware of what's happening and what the next steps are. It was really disappointing.

Ask in advance if she will be available to answer your questions via phone or email, or during in-person sessions. Be your own advocate and have questions prepared so that you understand what is going on in your protocol / cycle.

I began an IVF cycle that had to be cancelled due to poor response. Dr. Elassar did not say this to me directly, but a member of her medical team said that they believed my ovaries were likely "over-suppressed" by taking birth control pills for too long, which meant that not as many follicles as anticipated grew. I was on birth control for about 2.5 weeks, and then on Menopur and Follistim for 2 weeks. I had 3 mature follicles (we anticipated 7-8 based on prior evaluations) so we decided to cancel the cycle.

Please note this is NOT NEW HOPE. This is NYC IVF with Dr. Alayaa Elassar. $350 for each monitoring visit. An IUI would have been $2,000. IVF was $14,000 not including any transfers.

Dr. Elassar is very intelligent and experienced. Both of my egg retrieval processes went very smoothly and I believe her careful monitoring of me during that time was a big part of the reason it did so. She is VERY available via email and this was invaluable to me. I also trust her even though I'm not always 100% sure what is going on behind the scenes. I had 3 failed transfers (unexplained) and 2 successful ones that resulted in the 2 children I have today.

Don't be afraid to ask questions! She will answer and explain but you must ask. Trust the process as much as you can.

For egg retrieval, but I was on follistim 300 units for 3 nights and then increased to 400 units for 3 nights. Then I added 150 units of Menopur and Ganirelex for 5 nights with 300 units follistim. I then triggered with Lupron. For my FETs, I used oral estradiol tabs (between 4-6 mg per day) and in-oil progestrone shots with baby aspirin added post transfer and I did one natural cycle using only Letrozole and progesterone suppositories.

Egg retrieval was $16,000 and each FET was $3,000. Each visit is $350 before I meet my deductible. Nothing is covered by my insurance. I do not know how much I have spent on meds and lab bills to date but it's most likely over $5,000.

She prefers to do single embryo transfers in my case and I agree with her so there is no issue there.

Being a patient of Dr. Elassar’s was a treat. It’s rare you get so much 1on1 time with a doctor. She cares about every single one of her patients equally and is always 100% prepared for all scenarios. She was incredibly knowledgeable and versatile. Throughout the process, my body didn’t always cooperate but Dr. Elassar was always ready to adjust the treatment as needed and to respond to many of the unknowns. She was always 100% honest with me in regards to treatment and outcomes. She also always followed up, it was one of my favorite traits of hers. Also, she was shockingly available 24/7, always wanting to be available for her patients.

Ask any and all questions!

Dr. Elassar worked with my schedule and was extremely accommodating. She scheduled her time off around my treatment. Even when she was on vacation, she would always be responsive. When my cycle start was delayed, she was able to fix the plan and explain all the upsides and downsides. She is very realistic and explains the data, the research, and how is applies to me. Things that are specific to my ethnic background which may be different than the typical american patient. She is attentive, research and data driven, and very focused on getting the best results for her patients. I wish I went to her from the beginning.

Dr. Elassar doesn't give all the bloodwork data every single blood draw. Knowing that Dr. Elassar really has personalized care for each of her patients, I knew I could trust her because she has the best intentions. It's not worth tracking all your hormone levels and driving yourself nuts.

antagonist protocol, but a lower dose for a longer amount of time. Basically to grow my eggs slower and with more care. We retrieved more eggs than the first two rounds with my previous clinic combined.

It was all scheduled, there were no set monitoring hours, it was based on when appointments were available. It's a well oiled machine considering Dr. Elassar is the one doing every ultrasound. I think patients are given hours based on priority (i.e. early in stims vs retrieval any day now).

Our doctor gave us all the data and stayed pretty neutral. It was fully up to us to make the decision and she would support us either way.

She's the best doctor I've ever had. period. She is kind, incredibly smart, caring, and personable. She runs a timely office and sees you at each visit. She explains each step of the process in detail so you know exactly what to expect. Before I started on the hormone injections, she gave me a calendar with our daily plan for the next 12 days and we adjusted it at each visit. On the day on the retrieval, she held my hand while they administered the anesthesia and was right there when I woke up. After successfully turning all of the eggs she retrieved into embryos, we froze 100% of the embryos on day 3. We froze 3 times the number of embryos we should have according to average statistics - and I attribute that to how amazing Dr. Elassar is at her job. I'm just sad that I can't have Dr. Elassar as my doctor throughout pregnancy. She is that wonderful.

Just know that you're in wonderful hands and will be cared for in the best way possible. I really don't think you'll find a better Doctor than Dr. Elassar.

She had me doing Gonal F 300 & Menopur 150 every day up until trigger shot day. She monitored my levels via a blood test daily for all 12 days leading up to retrieval in case she needed to modify the dosages. During that appointment, she also used the ultrasound to measure how well the follicle were growing.

All in, including egg retrieval, embryos creation and embryos freezing and storage, it cost $14k. If you want to do PGS, it's another $3.5k. My insurance covered the medications, which I hear can be about $4-5k.

My whole experience with Dr. Elassar was truly amazing. Besides being a brilliant doctor she is also an incredibly supportive and kind person. Her whole team, from the front desk to the nurses, are a bunch of really fabulous people who were always there supporting me and rooting me on. After 2 failed IVF rounds at RMA of NY it was time for a change and Dr. Elassar was a breath of fresh air. No waiting rooms filled to the brim. No seeing a different doctor every visit. No being treated like a number. Dr. Elassar gives you an exceptional personalized experience. She is 100% in it with you and makes you feel like you are her only patient. She did all my monitoring, she followed up with results, she did my egg retrieval and embryo transfer. She also gives hugs when needed. From the first consultation, I felt so lucky to have found Dr. Elassar. She spent quite a while with my husband and I going through almost every detail of my previous IVF cycles explaining things to me that my previous Doctor had not. I’m sure there are many good fertility doctors in NYC but Dr. Elassar is really just one of a kind. After one round of IFV with I’m almost 8 weeks pregnant with twins. I’m a week out from moving on to an OB and just thinking about having to leave her is making me tear up right now. She is truly an incredible person and doctor. I'm beyond grateful for her!

First, she put me on birth control for about 2 weeks to get my FSH down before started stims. At the same time, I also used topical testosterone to improve egg quality. After my FHS was low enough we went right into stims and it took about 2 weeks for my eggs to be ready for retrieval. We used a Follistim, Menopur and Ganirelix protocol. Timing is EVERYTHING with IVF and having Dr. Elassar keeping a close eye on them we got great results 9 eggs which ended in 5 A/B rated embryos.

$450 consultation. $80 per visit using my out of network coverage. IVF $12,000. $100 per month for frozen embryos

She talked to me about what the protocol is for someone my age which was 2 embryos. She explained the risk of multiples and I was ok with it so we moved forward. I don't think she would ever force it on someone if they were not comfortable with it.

I felt that she not only lacked compassion but worst of all, didn’t answer questions and made us feel like we were a nuisance by asking them. She was cold hearted and her recommendations were contradicting. She charges a fortune and I would expect her level of customer service especially with sensitive issues to be at the same level. Extremely disappointed and would hope that people don’t have to go through the same expensive mistake as we did. Find a doctor who believes in you and makes you feel like they are thinking about everything deeply and in a holistic manner. I don’t need things sugar coated but I want a doctor who is happy to answer my questions.

Don’t be fooled by the 5th ave stylish offices (remember, this is part of what your money is funding); find a clinic and doctor where you feel treated like a human and are comfortable asking your questions. On the plus side, the office was very good at sending all medical records and Dr Elassar was the one who saw me each time for monitoring which is somewhat unusual. Very disappointing and hope other women don’t have to go through the same.

I don’t remember exact costs but I believe the first consult was $400.

This was our second clinic and we were looking for somewhere with better communication and with a doctor we felt trustworthy. We had a good first consultation with Dr Alassar. She seemed very thorough going over my history. My partner and I were wanting to move into IVF but we didn't get too much info about this on the first consult. None the less we felt pretty good about the doctor and the clinic. After leaving we emailed some additional questions that we felt would help us in making a decision whether to proceed with the clinic for the 20k IVF cycle. Some of these were answered over email but we were told we could go over everything with the doctor on our next visit. On the next visit we were taken by a nurse at the front desk and put in an ultrasound room without any information about what we were doing. They said "take your pants off and watch this video" and put on a 5 min video about IVF medication without explaining anything to us. They left us in the room waiting for the doctor for 40 mins while the lights kept turning out. No one told us anything and we began to feel quite frustrated and not know what was going on. Finally when Dr Alassar came to the room to see us it was her that seemed annoyed at us. I don't know if she was just very busy that day but she was very rude and not apologetic in the slightest. When we tried to ask certain questions about what to expect moving forward with an ivf cycle she was very dismissive, patronizing and rushed in her responses. We were completely shocked and never returned to the clinic.

Be firm in asking for the information you need. You are entitled to this and any good doctor should answer the questions and concerns you put forward.

Had we proceeded with IVF, costs were roughly 20k for a cycle +5k for meds

My husband and I decided to see a fertility specialist just for peace of mind after we had been trying for six months with no success. We picked Dr. Elassar based on her reviews and how close her office was to my work, and I am so grateful every day that we did. From the first appointment/scans through our most recent egg retrieval, she has been nothing short of wonderful through every stage—walking us through each step of the process, answering emails at all times (nights, weekends; it makes no difference), and providing endless support. Her warmth and compassion over the past ten months we have been undergoing treatment have made the entire process so much more bearable—at every visit (and there have been many), she greets me with a smile, and appointments have become a welcome break in the work day rather than something to dread. She is incredibly kind and brilliant and we are so thankful for her.

Do not hesitate, it would be impossible to find a better doctor.

Put simply, Dr. Elassar is the best doctor I have ever had. I believe she is an empath with an Einstein-like genius and passion for her vocation. If that is not the ultimate combination for a doctor, I don't know what is. When my husband and I were looking for a doctor, we reviewed hundreds of bios all across the country, and interviewed several other doctors. My hope in writing this review is that my words will provide you the confidence to call Dr. Elassar without hesitation as once you meet her, you will be so relieved to know she exists and you will never look back.

Not to hesitate in consulting with her! This process is filled with so much sacrifice and uncertainty. The only thing you can really do for yourself is to take the journey with the right person.

Based on my research, the costs at this clinic are commensurate with the standard costs of the procedures involved, though I have no doubt that Dr. Elassar could command much higher rates if she chose too.

Not only is Dr. Alyaa Elassar amazingly competent and knowledgeable, she is very caring and puts the patient's well-being (mental, physical, financial) above everything else. She takes the time to explain things in great detail, and customizes personalized treatment to one's specific needs, rather than mass-production factory approaches. Dr. Elassar knows my file inside out, and despite my complicated medical history (thyroid disease) and age (early 40s) she did not write me off and went to great lengths customizing protocols for me. I was able to get pregnant because of the protocols she designed for me. She is very hands-on and has a no-nonsense down-to-earth approach, which is very refreshing and reassuring. You immediately get the feeling that you're in very good hands. Not to mention she responds to emails very promptly even at odd hours and nights and weekends. I recommend her wholeheartedly!

My insurance covered most of the costs, I had to pay a co-pay. Certain procedures were not covered by insurance so I paid out of pocket.

Dr Elassar is in every detail and closely manages everything. She does all the scans herself and clearly communicates what she sees. She is also always interested in the wellbeing of the patient, follows up after every treatment. She is available 24 hours a day and always sends lab results to you the same day as they come in with clear next steps. She clearly explained that we may need a few rounds to adjust the medication for better stimulation and when we got to the right meds all went as planned with good implementation. unfortunately the pregnancy did not last past 9 weeks but we will continue to try again with Dr Elassar We are lucky to have her and hope to get the result we want soon.

the personal care is worth the time and the perhaps additional payment

First cycle - birth control pills 2 weeks then gonal-F 300 + Menopur 150 (not good stimulation, cancelled after a few days) 2nd cycle - estrogen patches, then gonal-F 300 + Menopur 150 (better stimulation, but early ovulation, cancelled cycle) 3rd cycle - birth control pills 2 weeks + testosterone gel then Lupron + gonal-F 200 + Menopur 150 (good stimulation + retrieval + pregnancy)

She had a preference to use 2 embryos in our case but she likely has a very personalized recommendation based on various factors

Dr Elassar is a magician and and is the most caring and nicest I have ever experienced. People come to see her from all over the world so I feel privileged to be her patient - she is really best in class. She got me confident and optimistic right away - she is clearly at the front edge of all newest research and technologies. There was never a question she couldn't answer or support with data. She remembered all my personal details and numbers on top off her head. She is incredibly professional but personal and approachable at the same time. I cannot recommend her enough and will come to her for another baby!

Don't get overwhelmed at your first visit! Just trust her experience, you will learn more along the way and she will guide you carefully.

Used Gonal and Cetrotide to mature eggs for retrieval which worked great, although my hormone level was growing a bit slow so we did not do the Lupron shot. I had a very high number of eggs (22) with high success rate (ended up with 8 embryos, several very high quality). We froze the embryos to do the transfer next cycle because I wasn't feeling great (and because we did not use Lupron at the end). Transferred one embryo and it worked the first time! Have been adjusting the dose of estrogen along the way, as well as progesterone and increasing my TSH synthoid (I have a thyroid issue so Dr Elassar monitored my TSH and adjusted the dose progressively). Everything is going great!

I had insurance cover most of it

We decided to go with one embryo because I am still under 35 and we were ready to take our chances vs potentially getting multiple births. Dr Elassar explained all the statistics and our odds very carefully which we appreciated.

I was fortunate enough to meet with this doctor and the best decision we took after failed IUIs/IVF at another facility. On our first visit, she took the time to understand my previous medical history and gave us the confidence to start the second round of IVF. Her words gave us so much trust right from the beginning we met her and we always thought that this second attempt would work. She is a very knowledgable, kind-hearted and caring doctor. She has a customized approach for each couple. She also laid the potential options for us, clearly communicated the details when we had to take a big decision for embryo transfer. She is prompt in responding to emails any time of the day and that helped me to clarify any doubts I had while undergoing this process. She made it so easier and better despite the stress you undergo with this whole process. It was really sad on the day when I graduated from her facility. She also showed her concern and asked me to give updates on how our pregnancy has been progressing.

Be prepared with the list of questions that you would want to ask the doctor and be informed. Have trust in this doctor !! My husband and I were extremely happy with the whole process.

I was given Lupron, Menopur and Gonal-f and did a fresh embryo transfer. After the transfer, I continued with the progesterone in oil injection until 8 weeks before moving to ob/gyn.

Be prepared for the costs to be higher considering the standards and also compared to other facilities, the entire process is slightly higher priced. But you get more than what you pay for.

She is very direct and no-nonsense, which we very much appreciated during the stressful experience that is seeing a fertility doctor. She always has time to answer questions and was available whenever we needed her outside of our appointments. She explains everything clearly so that we could evaluate what the best course of action was for us, and while she makes her opinions known about what course of action to take, she is clear that the choice is always in our hands. I found her to be an excellent doctor and a lovely person.

She may seem a bit brusque the first time you meet her, but she is very caring and compassionate. Don't let her direct manner turn you away- she is the best!

We were diagnosed with unexplained fertility, and because we were older (I was 36 and my husband was 49), she encouraged us to go straight to IVF using an agonist cycle.

I believe the total cost was between $10,000 and $15,000.

She strongly recommended single embryo transfer because of the risk of complications from multiples, but was clear that the decision was in our hands.

Dr Elassar is a wonderful person. She is intelligent, thoughtful, funny, and very focused on the project at hand. I felt completely confident in her abilities and totally comfortable in her care. I wasn't even sure I was going to proceed with anything when I first met her - I was just checking it out - but she was so clearly trustworthy and smart that when she recommended that I go forward, I decided to do it, and I only started liking her more from then. She is gracious, warm, and thoughtful. She is direct and always compassionate. She clearly loves what she does.

Don't be intimidated by the office. You'll develop very personal relationships with the people here.

Dr. Elassar just did a pretty basic egg retrieval for me. She tested my blood to decide how much hormones to give me, gave me the minimum always. Oh! She put me on birth control for a couple days before I began the process because I was going to get my period over Thanksgiving and that way I could still do the retrieval in November. Then she allowed me to stay on the birth control for a few more days because I had an event I wanted to go to on the projected day of the harvest. She was totally non-judgmental about that and what it was (it was a holiday party, so pretty frivolous to be moving a medical procedure because of, but she didn't ask and I'm sure would have said that was a perfectly fine reason). Once i went on the hormones, it was pretty simple. I just went and checked in with her every couple days so she could make sure things were going according to plan. She always tested my blood and then adjusted the dose. She was available on email all the time, even when I wrote to her at 7pm with an inquiry and needed a response by 7:30pm because of the timing. So we did those hormones for the expected number of days and then she gave me the final triggering injection I needed to take. I did that, then she checked on me again and gave me a little more of that one. Then she did the procedure the next day! I had fewer side effects than I expected on every leg of the process, especially the recovery from the procedure. Results were good. I got a bunch of eggs and then most of them ended up successfully frozen (more than 20)

$8000 plus drop costs

Dr. Elassar is so incredibly knowledgeable, personable, compassionate and has a kind, warm heart and a beautiful soul. She is an excellent communicator and makes sure you understand everything along the way. She made the IVF journey seem almost easy. She set my medication dosage exactly as was needed in order to stimulate me appropriately in order to get the most mature eggs, but was very careful to never overstimulate me and put my health at risk. Because of this I always truly felt great. She monitored me extremely carefully from the beginning to the end of my IVF journey constantly. She was always kind, came in with a smile and was always uplifting and reassuring. She was always immediately available by email to answer any and all questions day or night. When we found out that I was pregnant after my first embryo transfer, she was genuinely so happy for me, like a best friend would be. I could not have ever imagined such a wonderful and pleasant experience. Dr. Elassar was truly God sent. My husband and I will be forever grateful to her.

I would advise any prospective patient of Dr. Elassar to never hesitate for one second on using her as a doctor for all of their fertility needs.

eSet was the choice my husband and I both had decided on ourselves. However, based on my young age (30) and good health, eSET happened to be the recommended approach for embryo transfer for someone in my age/health demographic as well.

Productive and pleasant. I have fully trusted Dr. Elassar since our first appointment. I am 40 years old and from the very beginning we wasted no time. It took just one full cycle to complete all the tests -- from genetics to ruling out fibrosis and all the hormonal levels -- and assess our chances. We had no major issues. We started the IVF stims with my second cycle. I got pregnant on the third transfer after one failed fresh and one failed FET cycle. Overall experience took less than six months from the first introductory appointment in March to graduation in the beginning of September. I only saw Dr. Elassar during my appointments and she was constantly available by email, including late hours and weekends to answer all your questions and adjust treatment as necessary. She checked if I received all the right meds from the online pharmacy by emailing me and asking me to open the box and list all the meds that I got before starting the stims. The doctor was there when my first two transfers failed to support me. I was completely devastated and emotionally destroyed when that happened - Dr Elassar made me believe again that it could still happen -- and voila -- it did! She never promises anything unrealistic, just simply states the facts and gives you a clear assessment of your chances. I have a very demanding job -- I start at 7am and it is extremely difficult to step out of the office even at a lunch break. But Dr. Elassar made it work adjusting her schedule to fit mine, which sounded next to impossible to me before we started the treatment -- but somehow it worked. Above all -- Dr. Elassar is just a great professional and a very pleasant person.

Prepare for your first visit - send all your period calendars, previous test results etc. to the doctor ahead of your first visit. She will review them before your first appointment and you will have a more productive conversation right from the start. Prepare for all your visits. The Doctor sees all her patients herself and is extremely busy - you will make it a better experience for both of you if you come prepared. State you time and money limitations right from the start - both the Doctor and you need to set expectations clear right from the start.

1st fresh cycle: Short (flare/microflare) agonist protocol - Lupron, Follistim (300iu), Menopur (150iu) -- failed. FET cycle - estadiol both orally and vaginally -- failed. 2nd fresh cycle - Antagonist protocol - Follistim (300iu), Menopur (150iu), Ganirelix -- success.

Dr. Elassar was out of network. I have Anthem BCBS. So I had to pay around $10k out of pocket. Insurance paid the rest and I exhausted all of $30k life-time maximum insurance funds available for IVF. Meds are entirely covered by insurance with no limit.

Quality over Quantity

I think of Dr. Elassar and wonder how I got so lucky and fortunate to have met someone like her. Dr. Elassar has truly been a godsend during an extremely difficult time. My husband and I decided to see Dr. Elassar after we were trying to get pregnant for 6 months with no luck. For those thinking of doing IVF, I can't stress enough how important it is to find a doctor like Dr. Elassar. From our first meeting, she put forth a plan of action to get us pregnant that I not only felt completely comfortable with, but also that I was a part of planning. Dr. Elassar answered all of my questions and assured me every single step of the way. She was available on email ALL THE TIME. I'm not exaggerating - I would email her at 8pm and two hours later, I would have a response from her. It was incredible and not something that many doctors do, let alone reproductive endocrinologists who have a number of patients who I'm sure are constantly emailing her. As her patient, I only saw Dr. Elassar every step of the way. She was the one who had to call me when my first transfer didn't work, a devastating time. She shared in my grief but more importantly, she never lost faith that I would be pregnant. Our next transfer a month later, it was her optimism and dedication to me that kept me hopeful. The transfer was a success and we are currently 13 weeks pregnant. I "graduated" from Dr. Elassar's office a few weeks ago and still miss them. Incredibly, Dr. Elassar reached out to me just a week ago to see how I was doing. It made me cry and think of how truly lucky I am to have her in my life. For you women about to go through this difficult journey. please know that having Dr. Elassar in your corner will make you stronger, make the process more bearable, and should there be some heart ache involved as there was in mine, you will have someone in your corner to cry with you but to also pick you up and moving toward your ultimate goal. Your questions will be answered, you will be seen my one of the most thorough doctors I have ever met, and more importantly, you will feel like this is someone who is by your side during what can be a challenging time. You will not regret choosing her. Best of luck to all you ladies starting this journey. My heart is with you.

Go see her sooner rather than later if you are older. Don't wait for an OB doctor to refer you. I listened to my acupuncturist and went straight to Dr. Elassar once I couldn't get pregnant after 6 months. I am 35 years old and didn't want to wait a full year before seeing an RE.

She was out of network for me, so it was $8000 total for the procedure. My meds were covered by our insurance.