Northern California Fertility Medical Center
Available Resources
Genetic counseling
Acupuncture
Mental health counseling
Nutrition counseling
Administration of shots
Coordinating at-home nursing
Selling medication
is not offered
is not offered
Providing backup medication
Roseville
1130 Conroy Lane
Roseville, CA 95661
(916) 571-0945
Sacramento
1111 Exposition Blvd
Sacramento, CA 95815
(916) 571-0945
93 assessments
10
Age
34 - 38
Treated
2015 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
2 IVF
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Male Factor, Poor Egg Quality, Other, Unexplained
10
Everyone at NCFMC is so kind and compassionate. ... They are open everyday to support their patients. They have an excellent team of doctors, embryologists and nurses. ... They also work hard to stay up to date on new developments in infertility treatment. ... The docs consult with each other as needed to insure they are providing the best care possible to their patients. ... They will transfer 2 if it’s something you feel strongly about
+ Read more
Age
34 - 38
Treated
2015 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Engineer
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 IVF
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Male Factor, Poor Egg Quality, Other, Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I can’t really say anything negative about this clinic. They are open everyday to support their patients. They have an excellent team of doctors, embryologists and nurses. The docs consult with each other as needed to insure they are providing the best care possible to their patients. They also work hard to stay up to date on new developments in infertility treatment. We travel 3 hours one way to see them and continue to go there even though we’re now closer to another clinic.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Everyone at NCFMC is so kind and compassionate. Dr Stephens and all my nurses have always listened to all of my concerns and answered questions as best they could (sometimes the answer is just unknown with infertility). I’ve always felt they truly want to see my family grow and are always rooting us on through our challenges.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Dottie and Wendy )
I’ve had the best experiences with the nursing staff. They are all kind and helpful. I always get a return call same day when I have a question and have never had someone treat my questions like they were silly. I’ve gotten to know the staff well in our years of treatment and know they genuinely care about us and are hopeful we will be successful soon!
How was your experience with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr Stephens is an excellent doc. She listens to what your goal is as a family and provides options, makes recommendations for treatment. She’s performed two surgeries on me as well. Both went extremely well and I always felt I was in the best hands.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
As with any trip to a doc for a consult, come prepared with questions so you can get the most out of your appt.
Describe the protocols Sahar Stephens used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
We started with a diagnosis of RPL and MFI. We opted to skip IUI and go straight to IVF w/ PGS to increase our odds of a successful pregnancy. Ovarian reserve is good so we started with a standard antagonist cycle. Monitored every other day, bumped up my Gonal-F once. Good results at egg collection, 3 5day blasts all aneuploid. Second round discussed donor egg option, but said we could try again with my eggs as well. 3 months of recommended vitamin protocol (D3, CoQ10, DHEA). Stopped DHEA because of its effects on me. Second retrieval antagonist cycle with higher Follistim to start. Better egg numbers, 6 5day embryos, 3 euploid girls! First transfer diagnosed ectopic (my second after a ruptured ectopic). Opted to have last tube removed in preparation for second transfer. Second transfer negative results. Both transfers were low medicated with trigger to induce more of my own progesterone due to multiple follicles and to encourage a good lining. Progesterone supplementation was added as well.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Last IVF freeze all cycle 2018 $12,250 with ICSI and biopsy for PGS. Meds $3,500 (high protocol). PGS $1,200. FET1 discounted 50% $1,650. Cash pricing.
Describe Sahar Stephens's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
eSET is recommended by our clinic for all PGS embryos due to the increased risks associated with twin pregnancies. They will transfer 2 if it’s something you feel strongly about (it was an option for us with RPL and our history). We have opted for an eSET each time.
– Read less
10
Age
34 - 35
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Tubal Blockage
10
I think the staff [Northern California Fertility Med Ctr] is great! Very supportive and compassionate through and through. The answering service cant answer very many questions and calling in after hours was a pain, or on weekends. They didnt seem to be as connected. The billing department staff left ALOT to be desired. ... I wish Alyssa could be my friend in real life. I cant Express all the ways she has helped make this process doable and make me feel so much love and support. She basically rocks!
+ Read more
Age
34 - 35
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 3 Docs
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Tubal Blockage
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I think the staff is great! Very supportive and compassionate through and through.
The answering service cant answer very many questions and calling in after hours was a pain, or on weekends. They didnt seem to be as connected. The billing department staff left ALOT to be desired.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Lovely doesn't come off as superior but in fact has a lovely bed side manner. I was switched to her in the middle of my infertility journey and she put me at ease despite the circumstance of changing Doctors. She is very direct but also let's you know she is there to help and provide info, she never pushes her agenda only your own. She listen very well and also her humor does lighten the mood!
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Alyssa)
I wish Alyssa could be my friend in real life. I cant Express all the ways she has helped make this process doable and make me feel so much love and support. She basically rocks!
How was your experience with Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
I was a bit shocked to hear I'd be hopped around to different Doctors in the practice not just exclusively seeing her. I quickly learned that she put her faith in these other great physicians and that they all work as extensions of one another. Each one seemed just as invested as she was. I am so appreciative of her thoroughness and the time she gives to her patients. She always says when in doubt please call. I never feel like I'm bothering her.
Describe the protocols Laurie Lovely used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
She did offer is endometrial scratch as well as more info on genetic testing.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
My entire cycle one is between 17,250- 18,000. This includes monitoring, meds, cyro freeze for a year, retrieval and transfer.
– Read less
10
Age
32 - 34
Treated
2017 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
IUI, 3 IVF, 3 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality, Unexplained
10
The receptionists [No Cal Fert Med Ctr] are great and really nice then you see the nurses and they are all nice make you feel good about the process ... Not really sure everything is great everyone is nice what more could you ask for. ... Like 12k for retrieval plus medication then 1650 for transfer plus meds Then it goes down a bit for each new cycle ...
+ Read more
Age
32 - 34
Treated
2017 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Prefer not to answer
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Accountant
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
IUI, 3 IVF, 3 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality, Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Not really sure everything is great everyone is nice what more could you ask for. The receptionists are great and really nice then you see the nurses and they are all nice make you feel good about the process
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
explains everything in detail. Calls when he needs to discuss cycles because of how far I live from the clinic. He also responds to emails and does his research
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Courtney for this round )
They all rock
How was your experience with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
My experience has Been so good with dr Murray. He understands what his patient is going through when a cycle or maybe even a few don’t go the way we hoped for. But after every cycle he has a new plan of medications/genetic testing/ and even try triggering one day earlier to adding in human growth hormones. Love the fact that you can email him directly AND HE REPLIES BACK!! :). Due to the distance that I am from the clinic he calls me directly to have phone conversations regarding the next plan. I would definitely refer him to someone having issues with trying to conceive. Dr Murray has. A strong passion for what he does. And I love that. Sorry for any errors typed all of this on my phone.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Trust him. He knows his shit!
Describe the protocols Michael Murray used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
My first egg retrieval. I believe 19 were retrieved or 23. A few embryos. Transferred one -didn’t take. Transferred two more didn’t take. My 2nd cycle there dr Murray changed up my medication were 11 retrieved I believed 1-2 embryos we had them genetically tested came back abnormal. This was a hard point for me I thought I was done trying. Just had my third retrieval done in December 20 eggs 5 embryos that passed the genetic testing!! This process had more medication involved. My embryo transfer is tomorrow
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Like 12k for retrieval plus medication then 1650 for transfer plus meds Then it goes down a bit for each new cycle
– Read less
10
Age
28 - 31
Treated
2015 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Uterine Fibroids
10
Strengths. They have a group of talented doctors nurses and MAs. You can always get into see someone and they will try to schedule everything at times that work best for you. They review their active cases as a medical team so everyone you sees knows your history. ... Dottie was amazing. All the nurses are. Knowing that all day they were meeting with patients they always got back to me in a timely manner.
+ Read more
Age
28 - 31
Treated
2015 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Uterine Fibroids
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Strengths. They have a group of talented doctors nurses and MAs. You can always get into see someone and they will try to schedule everything at times that work best for you. They review their active cases as a medical team so everyone you sees knows your history.
Weaknesses. You might see a different doctor for each appointment. It didn't bother me but I could see some people caring.
All the REs are very knowledgeable caring and professional. Dr. Gould their male factor specialist was also a pleasure to work with. He was able to get sperm from my husband when he doesn't ejaculate any.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
He took time to listen after we loss our first set of twins in 2016 at 15wks from complicated related to a fibroid. We discussed all my options and he helped contact an MFM to place a TAC while he removed my 7cm fibroid.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Dottie)
Dottie was amazing. All the nurses are. Knowing that all day they were meeting with patients they always got back to me in a timely manner. During a cycle either retrieval or fet I felt like their #1 priority. Dottie would meet with me after all my appointments and call with lab result.
After hearing about the loss of my twin boys at 15wks Dottie personally reached out to my husband and I to offer her condolences. She is truly an amazing person and nurse.
How was your experience with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
I had a wonderful experience. He was easy to contact either by phone or email and always got back to me in a timely manner. He performed my myomectomy in April 2017 and the recovery was quick and without complications.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
IVF is a very complicated process, ask questions, take notes if you need to. Dr. Murray tell you exactly how everything works and doesn't sugar coat it.
Describe the protocols Michael Murray used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
We did an IVF antagonist cycle. I was on GF 150iu, and manipur 75iu starting cycle day 4 and going until day 11 when I did my trigger shot. Of lupron and HCG. I was on Garirelix from day 7 to day 11. I was on 81mg aspirin for my whole first trimester. It was held for 3 days before retrieval. After retrieving the eggs I started 2mg estrace 3x a day, combo progesterone supp vaginal once a day and 50mg progesterone Im once a day. We retrieved 31 eggs, transferred two 3 day embryos and had three 5 day embryos to freeze.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
IVF with ICSI and my husbands sperm retrieval cost around 15k. Medications another 3-5k.
FET cost around 3.5k a cycle and under 1k for medications. I believe it was closer to 500.
Describe Michael Murray's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
After my 15wk loss of my twin pregnancy related to IC we agreed only transferring one embryo at a time. We did a FET of 1 embryo and dis not get pregnant. Our remaining 2 embryos were of low quality and frozen together. We discussed the risk factors with Dr. Murray about a multiple pregnancy. It was also noted that because of the quality of we only transferred one embryo the 2nd one would most likely not be viable to freeze and redefrost for another fet at a later date. We transferred both and ended up with healthy twin girls in Nov 2018.
– Read less
10
Age
40
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality, Tubal Blockage
10
The receptionists [N. CA Fertility Med Ctr] are wonderful. All of them know us know and were there for us when we had the bad news. One time I called 2 minutes before their phones turned over, and I never felt rushed or that I was putting them out.... Nurse Courtney is FANTASTIC. She has that perfect balance of being compassionate while also being straight forward and to the point. She makes color coded sheets with the drugs on them and checks to be sure we understand each step.
+ Read more
Age
40
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Doctor
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality, Tubal Blockage
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
The receptionists are wonderful. All of them know us know and were there for us when we had the bad news. One time I called 2 minutes before their phones turned over, and I never felt rushed or that I was putting them out.
Courtney, our nurse, is wonderful. I don't want to go through this now without her!
Dr. Murray, Dr. Lovely, and Dr. Doblado have been great to us.
The only difficulty at all was when first trying to get our initial consult. It took over a week before anyone returned our call to make our first appointment. It took longer for my husband to get an appointment to be evaluated. Once we have been patients, everything has been wonderful. I have never considered going elsewhere.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Murray was involved with both of our IVF cycles. The first time I met him was an appointment to remove the uterine balloon catheter after my hysteroscopy. He introduced himself to me and then apologized for having to hurt me on the first time we met. Removing the balloon catheters can be a bit uncomfortable. I felt right away that he really cared about me as a person and just not the next client. He also did my egg retrieval for my first cycle and unfortunately was the doc to tell me we needed to cancel my last cycle. I was crying and he was very honest yet hopeful about trying again. I feel absolutely comfortable asking him questions. I never feel rushed. I feel very thankful that I have him now looking after my next cycle.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Courtney)
Nurse Courtney is FANTASTIC. She has that perfect balance of being compassionate while also being straight forward and to the point. She makes color coded sheets with the drugs on them and checks to be sure we understand each step. She always answers my questions and is easy to get in contact with.
How was your experience with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
From my very fist visit with Dr. Murray, I could tell that he saw me as a person and not just the next patient on his schedule. He takes extra time to answer questions and when he had to tell me the bad news about our cancelled cycle, I felt he was experiencing the pain with us. He made sure that neither my husband or I had further questions before leaving the room. He was very honest about our chances and was forward about changing up the plan for the next cycle.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
For future patients of Dr. Murray, I would tell them to trust in the process and to fully trust that Dr. Murray will make the right recommendations. Also trust that he will be honest about your chances and and not inflate what he tells you just to make you feel better.
Describe the protocols Michael Murray used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
A different doc set up my last cycle that was cancelled. This next cycle that we are starting now is the low dose Lupron cycle. My ovaries did not respond to the last cycle.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
The hysteroscopy was approximately 2k, however the remainder was paid for by our insurance company. That is all the insurance covers. Nothing for IVF. Our first cycle of drugs was approx 5.5k. The second close to 8k. The first IVF cycle was approx 13K and the second was cancelled.
Describe Michael Murray's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Unfortunately, we have not reached that point yet.
– Read less
10
Age
30
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
The clinic [NoCa Fert Med Ctr] is always very clean and well kept. They are experts at what they do! From the time I called to schedule our initial consultation I knew I had made the right decision. They were quick to get me on the schedule the receptionist was very professional and able to answer all my questions. This made me feel very comfortable right from the start. The financial coordinators really know what they are doing and are able to quickly discuss coverage with you.
+ Read more
Age
30
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Other
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
The clinic is always very clean and well kept. They are experts at what they do! From the time I called to schedule our initial consultation I knew I had made the right decision. They were quick to get me on the schedule the receptionist was very professional and able to answer all my questions. This made me feel very comfortable right from the start. The financial coordinators really know what they are doing and are able to quickly discuss coverage with you. All of the staff are extremely knowledgeable in their profession and make you feel very comfortable. You know your in great hands at the Roseville Norhtern California Fertility Clinic.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
My husband and I felt like Dr Stephen was very patient and listened to our questions and concerns. She even took the time to explain results from a prior surgery i had had with another surgeon.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nursing staff is always very professional and compassionate. They always take the time to answer questions and make you feel important.
How was your experience with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr Stephens gave us hope after two other doctors had given us discouragement. The diagnosis of unexplained infertility can be very discouraging but she showed us multiple treatment plans and gave us hope.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
She take the time to listen unlike most doctors who are watching the clock.
Describe the protocols Sahar Stephens used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
We started with a letrozole IUI cycle. We decided to start at the least invasive treatment and then work our way up. This was what was recommended by Dr Stephens and was the best choice for my husband and I.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
We did a letrozole IUI cycle and are now beginning our journey with IVF. So far with IUI we have spent approx $1500 on one cylce.
Describe Sahar Stephens's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
We are just beginning our journey into IVF after and unsuccessful IUI.
– Read less
10
Age
36 - 37
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
3 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Unexplained
10
I honestly can’t think of a weakness at this time. They are a very busy clinic [Nor CA Fert Med Ctr] but I never feel rushed. My questions are always answered and I never have to wait long. Sometimes I wish I could see Dr. Stephens a little more regularly, but I have come to know all of the other doctors and they are all just as friendly. I feel comfortable with them all, and they come into my examination room knowing where I’m at in the process and up to date. They all work very well as a team, the doctors, nurses, and staff.
+ Read more
Age
36 - 37
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Latino
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I honestly can’t think of a weakness at this time. They are a very busy clinic but I never feel rushed. My questions are always answered and I never have to wait long. Sometimes I wish I could see Dr. Stephens a little more regularly, but I have come to know all of the other doctors and they are all just as friendly. I feel comfortable with them all, and they come into my examination room knowing where I’m at in the process and up to date. They all work very well as a team, the doctors, nurses, and staff.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Stephens is a great doctor. I’m so happy we found her and the NCFMC facility. She’s always been upfront and honest and showed sympathy and understanding at all times. She explains the procedures and process in terms we can understand and feel comfortable with her.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Jamie Fife)
My Nurse Jamie is great. She explains everything well, returns my calls when I have a question, gives me outlines of dates and medications and instructions. All of the staff at NCFMC is very helpful and friendly.
How was your experience with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Stephens is friendly, honest, trustworthy. She explains the process and procedures in terms I understand. She genuinely wants the best for her patients. She cares about her patients and does all she can to provide the best care while hoping to achieve the best outcome.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
I’d tell them they are in good hands.
Describe the protocols Sahar Stephens used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
We have unexplained infertility so we started with IUI using clomid. My first round didn’t produce as many follicles as she had hoped for so the second IUI she increased my medication. After the second failed IUI, she gave me the option of doing surgery to see if there was anything else going on inside that we were unaware of. I elected for surgery. She found slight endometriosis and a cyst. Those were removed and we tried for a third IUI. The third failed. She informed me I could try for a 4th IUI or go on to IVF. WE elected for IVF at that point. The first round of IVF did not produce as many eggs as we had hoped for. We had 11 in total. My right side didn’t respond as well as she hoped and the two embryos we had remaining Cake back abnormal. We are in the process of our second IVF. This round she has increased my meds in hopes of retrieving more eggs.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I believe the average cost for the IUI process was about $1,100. For IVF, our first round was about 18k-20k. That included all of our appointments, ultrasounds, egg retrieval, genetic testing, and ICSI.
– Read less
10
Age
37 - 41
Treated
2014 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
5 IUI, 4 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
Everyone you encounter in the office [Northern California Fertility Medical Ctr] - receptionist, finance people, nurses, drs, assistants, etc - all are very friendly and take a genuine interest in you.... Once, I had to call the clinic for results a day later than promised (when they were supposed to call me). They were surprised I didn't receive a call and apologetic. They gave me my results shortly after my call.... The nurses were not as fluid as the drs were when assisting patients that were not "assigned" to them
+ Read more
Age
37 - 41
Treated
2014 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
5 IUI, 4 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I am fortunate that I have a very flexible schedule, so I can make appointment times work. I can see others having a more challenging time with scheduling if they have a more rigid schedule. Everyone you encounter in the office - receptionist, finance people, nurses, drs, assistants, etc - all are very friendly and take a genuine interest in you.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr Stephens was always available to answer all questions and concerns I had. She was compassionate during difficult times.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Courtney)
Courtney was able to communicate without through email (my preferred method). This allowed almost all of our conversations to be documented and easy for me to refer back to. She was patient and throuough. Courtney's work days varied, so there would be times where she was not in the office - these times I would see a substitute nurse. The substitute nurse was not always familiar with my case, and I often had to remind them of my treatments. The nurses were not as fluid as the drs were when assisting patients that were not "assigned" to them
What specific things went wrong at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
- Failed to call with results
How was your experience with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
She was available for questions regarding my cycles. I would have preferred to see her more often than other Drs in the clinic, but all doctors kept great notes so there was a good continuity of care. Each time I met with a doctor, they knew what was going on.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Ask questions, and ask to see her as much as possible.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
We were fortunate that we have insurance to cover a portion of our procedures. Over the last 4 years we have spent approximately $100,000 meds, procedures, etc.
Describe Sahar Stephens's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
My embryos were all pgs tested, so we only transferred one at a time. Since I didn't have many "normal" embryos, I was OK with doing a single transfer - it gave me more opportunities for fet and to try to get pregnant
– Read less
10
Age
29 - 31
Treated
2016 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
6 IUI, 1 IVF, 1 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Anovulation, PCOS
10
Every time I've gone into the office [NCFMC] everyone from reception to nurses and Dr's my visits have been enjoyable and comfortable. Appointment times are honored and I've never had a long wait. I greatly appreciate that they are open 7 days a week, including holidays.... The staff has always been supportive, communicative and understanding of our journey. I appreciate them all.
+ Read more
Age
29 - 31
Treated
2016 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Latino
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Operations
Order & Number of Docs Seen
3rd of 4 Docs
Treatment
6 IUI, 1 IVF, 1 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Anovulation, PCOS
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Every time I've gone into the office everyone from reception to nurses and Dr's my visits have been enjoyable and comfortable. Appointment times are honored and I've never had a long wait. I greatly appreciate that they are open 7 days a week, including holidays.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr Lovely always takes the time to fully listen, she answers any and all questions, follows up and provides you with the best options for your specific situation.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Dottie/Alyssa)
The staff has always been supportive, communicative and understanding of our journey. I appreciate them all.
What specific things went wrong at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
- Lost paperwork
How was your experience with Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr Lovely has always made my husband and I feel very comfortable. She is thorough in explaining all parts of the process from preparation, to possible complications/risks, alternate plans available, and results. We always feel well prepared and informed of what we're doing.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Be open and honest with what you're going through, as she's there to help.
Describe the protocols Laurie Lovely used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
We started with medicated IUI cycles as I have PCOS and we have a slight sperm count the issue. I tried letrozole and clomid but did not respond/ovulate. Dr Lovely then recommend a mixed IUI cycle of letrozole and gonal-f injections, which I did respond to, we tried 5 rounds but we did not concieve. After those IUIs failed it was recommended that we move onto IVF. We are part way through our first IVF cycle and now have frozen emrbros waiting for transfer.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Our insurance covers a portion of our treatments. Then there was our out of pocket fee based on treatment, IUI or IVF, due to NCFMC on or before cycle day 1. Then there were medication fees due to my pharmacy for medications needed for treatment.
Describe Laurie Lovely's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
All the Dr.'s at NCFMC have encouraged only one embryo transfer at a time. They have been very informative and provided statistics on why this option is preferred, both for my safety and that of our future babies. My husband and I trust their opinions and have agreed to only transfer one at a time.
– Read less
2
Age
38 - 39
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
Male Factor
2
Each iui was about $1200 with my insurance covering a little of the dr visits.....the clinic [Northern CA Fertility Med Ctr] is always clean in the waiting room. i think that they need to work on cleanliness in the back too. I have been in for a lot of ultra sounds and the first two times i was there i got something wet on my feet at the bottom of the table.... my prescriptions were not sent in twice and my iui was canceled without any explanation...
+ Read more
Age
38 - 39
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
Male Factor
2
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
the clinic is always clean in the waiting room. i think that they need to work on cleanliness in the back too. I have been in for a lot of ultra sounds and the first two times i was there i got something wet on my feet at the bottom of the table. The third time there was a puddle of lube at the end of the table. i am displeased with the call backs too. There have been multiple times when i call and do not hear back within two days.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Stephens was very nice but i hated that she was technically my dr but didn't do any of my iui"s and i only saw her twice in the five month span only because i asked for an extra appointment with her. My unhappiness with my experience is mostly with ncfmc not Dr. Stephens.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
i was very disappointed in the call back time and how prepared she was for our conversation. i thought it was very cold and that wasnt what i was looking for when coming to a fertility clinic. I too cried in front of my nurse and felt a awkward period where she looked uncomfortable about it.
What specific things went wrong at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Failed to call with results
- Failed to order appropriate test
- Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
- Failed to convey critical information
How was your experience with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
I thought she was very nice. I wish i was able to see her more often and she was a bigger part of my journey. We had very little interaction and i felt very awkward with her when i cried on one visit. I think we were unable to have a connection because of the lack of time between us.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Make sure to ask for her for every visit.
Describe the protocols Sahar Stephens used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
We started the first two rounds with a moderate dose of clomid. Unfortunately it didn't affect my body the way it was supposed to so i did another round of clomid before both of my iuis. The third time they doubled the dose of clomid and we tried to see if that made a difference, it did not. My iui was canceled and i went in the next month for a baseline ultrasound. During that visit i was told that i had a cyst on my ovaries and needed to go on birth control for a month. I did that and went back in for another ultrasound. The cyst cleared up and i was able to start injections. The injections worked and we did one more iui that was also unsuccessful.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Each iui was about $1200 with my insurance covering a little of the dr visits.
– Read less
10
Age
36 - 37
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Unexplained
10
I really liked how they [No Cal Fert Med Ctr] have very specialized professionals to discuss all needs regarding your care and if they don't know the answer they are not afraid to say they don't know, will find out and do call you with the findings....the nursing staff is amazing, super nice and caring. They also are available to answer any and all questions you might have... Dr. Stephens and all the doctors are open and willing to answer every and all questions.
+ Read more
Age
36 - 37
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Other
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I really liked how they have very specialized professionals to discuss all needs regarding your care and if they don't know the answer they are not afraid to say they don't know, will find out and do call you with the findings.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Our first visit was one filled with anxiety, you already know you cannot conceive on your own and now you are trying to find out if IVF can be a solution. With Dr. Stephens we were not having a discussion on clinical facts, instead we sat down had a very personable conversation while discussing options and facts. She took all the anxiety away and allowed my husband and I to walk away with hopes for a reality of having a baby while managing expectations.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Dottie )
the nursing staff is amazing, super nice and caring. They also are available to answer any and all questions you might have.
How was your experience with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Stephens and Dr. Murray are the primary providers overseeing my treatments and both are AMAZING. I have felt very comfortable with both and they have walked me through every step along with answering every question I have. I could not have asked for better physicians during this process.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Relax! Do your research as to better educate yourself about fertility procedures which makes for a better patient, but don't assume you know anything and don't be afraid to ask any questions. Dr. Stephens and all the doctors are open and willing to answer every and all questions.
Describe the protocols Sahar Stephens used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
Antagonist IVF Cycle all freeze due to PGS - 225 iu Gonal-f for 10 days, 75 iu Menopur for 10 days, Cetrotide 5 days, Ovidrel 10,000. ICSI, PGS.
We have male factor infertility and undefined cause for myself. We opted to go with PGS due to our ages (Husband 44, I am 37) and after additional discussion with Dr. Stephens looking at all possible pros and cons we chose genetic testing and single embryo transfers for highest percentage of results.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I am fortunate and my insurance did cover 50% of IVF treatment, and because we did a frozen transfer due to PGS, the office gave us 50% off the 1st FET. Total out of pocket so far is $14,490.75. Our upcoming 2nd FET will cost $3,900.00
Describe Sahar Stephens's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Since we did PGS it is highly recommended to only transfer one embryo, however, I also wanted the safest possible outcome for myself and our potential baby so I only wanted to do single embryo transfers.
– Read less
10
Age
35 - 36
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
2 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Tubal Blockage, Unexplained
10
The staff [Northern CA Fertility Medical Ctr] are always polite and friendly. They make you feel comfortable at every visit. They always make sure to explain the prices for each cycle. There is never a long wait time for your appointments. And they try to work around your schedule for your appointments.... Dr. Murray and his team made to to check with your insurance company first to see what is covered. Then they would process they necessary treatment that is covered under your plan.
+ Read more
Age
35 - 36
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Black or African-American
Income
$0 - $49K
Occupation
Operations
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Tubal Blockage, Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
The staff are always polite and friendly. They make you feel comfortable at every visit. They always make sure to explain the prices for each cycle. There is never a long wait time for your appointments. And they try to work around your schedule for your appointments.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Murray is a very kind provider. He has wonderful bedside manners. He listens to your concerns, and he always explains your best opinions depending on your issue.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Kayla Johnson)
Kayla was a very compassionate person, she made sure that I understood the treatment and always follow up on my emails or calls when ever I had a question.
How was your experience with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Murray was very straight forward with me and my Diagnoses, he explained everything in detail and give me many opinions. Once I decided to move forward and have my left tube removed. He was very proactive on make sure that he gave me all the information on the process. After the surgery he evaluated me and then told me I was fine to start fertility treatment soon after.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Please be sure to bring in all medical records from your previous providers. This was very helpful for me, and it make the process much faster and smoother.
Describe the protocols Michael Murray used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
After my laparoscopy surgery to have my left tube removed. Dr. Murray stated that since I was able to get pregnant on my own in the pass, he felt like our best and cheapest opinion would be to do time intercourse with 100mg of clomid for 5days and 75iu of Gonal-F injections for another 5days. The results were I responded well to the medication. I made 4 eggs, but they were all on the side without a tube. So Dr. Murruy was very straight forward and told me that he did not think we would get pregnant with our first cycle
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I am unsure, due to the fact that I never add up the total cost. Dr. Murray and his team made to to check with your insurance company first to see what is covered. Then they would process they necessary treatment that is covered under your plan. Anything like labs and surgery related thing should be covered by most insurance company. My timed intercourse was not covered to I think I spent like $600 on the medication and another $1000 on the cycle for office visits and ultrasounds.
– Read less
10
Age
27 - 28
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
Endometriosis
10
If i were a new patient [at N CA Fertility Med Ctr-Roseville] i would want to be aware that the providers are on cycles throughout the month. Seeing one provider may not mean you will have a procedure again with them. They rotate to allow coverage of weekends and holidays. Dr doblado only preformed one of the IUI’s and others filled in for him when needed... I first started with 50mg of Clomid and trigger shots called Lupron. We did this for 2 months and unfortunately i only grew 1 follicle each time.
+ Read more
Age
27 - 28
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Other
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
Endometriosis
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
If i were a new patient i would want to be aware that the providers are on cycles throughout the month.
Seeing one provider may not mean you will have a procedure again with them. They rotate to allow coverage of weekends and holidays.
Dr doblado only preformed one of the IUI’s and others filled in for him when needed.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Manuel Doblado at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
A lot of the time Dr. Doblado helped me with my need of accommodation.
My husband and i both Work a lot and coming in at the drop of a hat was hard. Dr doblado helped accommodate our needs by getting us in later and earlier than the regular clinic would allow. And for that i am greatful.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Courtney)
The medical assistants are a little rough and not very compassionate. I don’t think they understand that we are women on hormones and failed pregnancies and attempts are devastating.
I felt like hearded cattle, once i got through the gate of IVF a whole new approach came forth.
The nurses are amazing and compassionate. I completely feel at home here.
What specific things went wrong at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
- Provided conflicting information
How was your experience with Manuel Doblado at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Every office visit was thorough and he helped me understand fertility treatments because there so confusing and I’m in the medical field!
His bedside was awesome, he was compassionate and understanding. Not all families have a 9-5 and some tweaking may be needed to help every lady become a mother.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Manuel Doblado at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
I would suggest to have the patient ask as many questions as possible because there is a lot of big words and names that you might not fully grasp unless you ask what exactly for instance the difference between IUI and IVF is or a compounded medication versus a brand name.
Describe the protocols Manuel Doblado used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
I first started with 50mg of Clomid and trigger shots called Lupron. We did this for 2 months and unfortunately i only grew 1 follicle each time.
So after the trigger injection we would proceed with the IUI and then wait two weeks.
Unfortunately that didn’t result in pregnancy so we increased the Clomid to 100 and still 1 follicle and no Pregnancy.
Today we are in the process of IVF And i have just started birth control and will start injections in 3 weeks.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Manuel Doblado at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
1200 per IUI
13,000 per IVF including meds
Describe Manuel Doblado's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I would like to do multiple embryo transfers, but according to Dr. Doblado my chances of just doing one are over 70% accounting for my age. Therefore i believe and trust in him for a positive result with just one.
– Read less
10
Age
29
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
2 IUI, IVF
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Male Factor, Unexplained
10
I think it is important to know that you will see various doctors during your treatment because they are extremely busy! That being said, we have loved everyone we have seen so far and they are all extremely nice. Our nurse is amazing and we always see her which helps personalize our experience. They are very good about returning phone calls so make sure you leave detailed messages!...I cannot describe how amazing Alyssa is. She is on top of everything at all times!
+ Read more
Age
29
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
3rd of 3 Docs
Treatment
2 IUI, IVF
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Male Factor, Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I think it is important to know that you will see various doctors during your treatment because they are extremely busy! That being said, we have loved everyone we have seen so far and they are all extremely nice. Our nurse is amazing and we always see her which helps personalize our experience. They are very good about returning phone calls so make sure you leave detailed messages!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Manuel Doblado at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
We have so appreciated Dr. Doblado's attention to our unique situation. He has been kind from the start and listened to me when I explained my concerns and went through vast amounts of research with me in order to put me at ease. He has a great bedside manner and was ready to take action as soon as we were.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Alyssa)
I cannot describe how amazing Alyssa is. She is on top of everything at all times! She always calls back the same day and if she isn't there I get a call back from her colleague because she checks voicemails from home! She has worked with me on donated meds and with the pharmacies to find the cheapest options possible and was so thorough explaining injections. When I was worried about my low baseline AFC she immediately told me that it was a great number and not to panic before I could even say anything! She can read how I'm feeling and she makes sure my husband and I fully understand what is going on during the process. Seriously she is an actual angel!
How was your experience with Manuel Doblado at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
So far Dr. Doblado has been amazing. He is a younger doctor which means he cares a lot about being up to date on the newest findings and studies. He respected my knowledge and treated my concerns with statistical evidence and reassurance. He is quick to respond with any questions we have.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Manuel Doblado at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
I would say to make sure that you ask any questions you have and don't be shy! He is a wealth of information and understands how difficult this process is.
Describe the protocols Manuel Doblado used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
We are on an antagonist protocol-75 iu of Menopur, 200 iu of Gonal F and then cetrotide will be added along with a lupron/hcg trigger. I have my first scan tomorrow and am hoping for beautiful results! He said that I am young with good eggs so they don't want to risk overstimulating me and having me end up with OHSS.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Manuel Doblado at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
The cycle fee was contracted through my insurance at $4,000, Embryo Cryopreservation is $800, and FET is $3,300.
Describe Manuel Doblado's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
He is very firm on only transferring one embryo. He showed me a lot of data supporting that twin pregnancies are riskier and for a woman my age there is a good chance that transferring only one will work.
– Read less
10
Age
35 - 36
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Other, Unexplained
10
The people who draw blood [No Cal Fert Med Ctr] need more training....going to this clinic every other day to get monitoring labs done during a cycle is no fun when they stick me multiple times...Courtney isn't a bubbly/exciting personality, but she knows what she's doing and is helpful when you need it....I have no insurance coverage and fees are about $12250 which includes a cash discount.... Dr. Murray is a trustworthy, intelligent doctor.
+ Read more
Age
35 - 36
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Operations
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Other, Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
The people who draw blood need more training. I know I'm not an easy stick, but when I go to Quest Labs, they have no trouble. So going to this clinic every other day to get monitoring labs done during a cycle is no fun when they stick me multiple times, make me chug water, use heat compresses, rub my skin VERY hard, dig around in my wrists for veins, and still can't get it.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
He's a somewhat dry personality, but he treated us respectfully and thoughtfully answered all our questions
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Courtney)
Courtney isn't a bubbly/exciting personality, but she knows what she's doing and is helpful when you need it. If you're looking for a cheerleader nurse, she's probably not the one for you.
How was your experience with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Murray is a trustworthy, intelligent doctor. I felt confident in his understanding of our genetic issue and his protocol recommendation. He was open to all our questions and didn't make us feel bad for asking simple questions. He was also great at getting deeper into details when we asked more scientific questions. He's compassionate and caring even though he may come off a little dry at first.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Don't be afraid to ask questions- he'll give you answers
Describe the protocols Michael Murray used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
Due to my genetic condition, we wanted to get as many eggs retrieved as possible without overstimulating. My prep cycle consisted of 19 days of birth control pills. Stim protocol started with 300IU Gonal-F and 75IU menopur at night for 5 days. on 6th day, menopur was doubled to 150IU. Continued for 11 days. Days 6-11 did Cetrotide in a.m.. Leoprolide and HCG triggers. Retreived 11 eggs (had hoped for 15+ based on prelim scans from month earlier). 10 were mature, 6 fertilized, 4 were sent for PGS. 3 came back abnormal but not due to the same chromosomes in my translocation, and 4th embryo is unknown so it may get retested after our next IVF cycle depending on those results.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
For my first cycle, I had partial insurance coverage, so my clinic fees were about $7500. For the 2nd cycle I'm starting now, I have no insurance coverage and fees are about $12250 which includes a cash discount.
Describe Michael Murray's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
N/A so far
– Read less
9
Age
28 - 29
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, PCOS
9
It’s an interesting concept at NCFMC, you don’t see your own doctor very often... Strengths- upfront about costs, close to my home, open everyday of the year, no batch testing or retrievals, on time with everything, very courteous front desk staff. Weaknesses- old interior, smaller office, can get backed up, hard to actually contact the doctors on the phone... As active duty military we paid 6800 for the retrieval, and 1650 for the FET.
+ Read more
Age
28 - 29
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$0 - $49K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, PCOS
9
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Strengths- upfront about costs, close to my home, open everyday of the year, no batch testing or retrievals, on time with everything, very courteous front desk staff.
Weaknesses- old interior, smaller office, can get backed up, hard to actually contact the doctors on the phone
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Stephens is really personable and really takes the time to make sure you understand every step that will take place, and that you are comfortable with the decisions and process. She understands how emotionally taxing this process can be, and is very down to earth.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Courtney )
My nurse coordinator Courtney is well organized and keeps in good contact with you. The nursing staff is nice enough, but like everywhere there are good and bad ones. Some are good at blood draws, some aren’t.
What specific things went wrong at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
- Provided conflicting information
How was your experience with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
It’s an interesting concept at NCFMC, you don’t see your own doctor very often, and are treated by a team of doctors. Dr Stephens is personable and easy to talk to. I’ve mostly seen her for consultations and follow up appts, and she did my retrieval. As a patient, I always feel like I know what’s going to happen and what to expect which is a difficult thing in the fertility world. She answers her calls and emails in a timely matter, and is always willing to explain herself and why she feels a certain protocol is right for you.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Don’t expect to see her at every appt.
Describe the protocols Sahar Stephens used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
I was put on the average retrieval and ivf track for my first round. I did letrozole, gonal-F, menopur, centroide, and was triggered with hcg before my retrieval. That all went as predicted and we ended up with 9 frozen embryos.
My transfer cycle started as a stimulated cycle, with letrozole and gonal-F with estrogen suppositories, but my ovaries did not want to cooperate and I was switched over to a replacement cycle to include PIO and estrogen injections, as well as combination suppositories. They transferred a 5 day AB embryo. Unfortunately while the embryo implanted, it ended in an early miscarriage.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
As active duty military we paid 6800 for the retrieval, and 1650 for the FET. Medications cost about 4000 altogether
Describe Sahar Stephens's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I was apprehensive about this. I wanted to transfer 2, but she wanted to do 1. We decided that this first transfer we would do one, but try two next time. She is worried about the chance of miscarriage and multiples.
– Read less
10
Age
29 - 31
Treated
2016 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
7 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Tubal Blockage
10
This clinic [No Cal Fert Med Ctr] is very professional and clean. The place has very sweet staff in the front and always make sure no one else can hear your conversations. They are very prompt and fast to get you in and going...They [nurses] were very prompt with responses...We were self pay so when it was letrazole it was pay as you go so it was like 1400 and when we switched to injectables it was a global fee of 1900 plus medication
+ Read more
Age
29 - 31
Treated
2016 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$0 - $49K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 5 Docs
Treatment
7 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Tubal Blockage
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
This clinic is very professional and clean. The place has very sweet staff in the front and always make sure no one else can hear your conversations. They are very prompt and fast to get you in and going
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
I felt like a human with dr Murray. He is compassionate and understanding. Very truthful but sweet at the same time. He knows we all are there for the same reason to have a baby and he wants to try to make it possible
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Yes Kayla )
They were very prompt with responses
How was your experience with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr Murray was the dr on duty when we went in for our iui that resulted in our beautiful daughter. After 6 months we decided we wanted to try for baby number 2 and went back to see him. He ordered the right test and gave us a plan. After our HSG we were informed by him through a phone call that one of my tubes are closed before my daughter both were open. So because of a infection during labor caused it to close. I was devastated but he reassured me it will happen still it might take some time and he will make some adjustments to the cycles medicine to help out. He is a really caring man
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Go in with a open mind and expect nothing but the best advise and information.
Describe the protocols Michael Murray used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
For our daughter it was letrazole 2.5 mg for 5 days and entrace after. Progesterone after iui.
Ttc#2 I was started one 2.5 letrazole and then second one upped to 5mg the third to 10mg and the fourth injectables with clomid 100mg final-f 150mg and same for 5th and 6th
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
We were self pay so when it was letrazole it was pay as you go so it was like 1400 and when we switched to injectables it was a global fee of 1900 plus medication
– Read less
10
Age
32
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
The clinic [Northern California Fertility Med Ctr] is amazing. They are very clean and when you walk into the clinic it looks like a home. They have couches to sit on and magazines to read. As a new patient it is amazing how they treat you and hear you out.... I didn’t really talk to the nurses. Every time I would call them they don’t answer and so when I would leave voicemails they don’t call back. Even when I emailed them it takes forever for someone to respond back.
+ Read more
Age
32
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Latino
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
The clinic is amazing. They are very clean and when you walk into the clinic it looks like a home. They have couches to sit on and magazines to read. As a new patient it is amazing how they treat you and hear you out. They go over everything with you and tell you what to expect as far as needing IUI or IVF.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with John Gould at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Gould treated us like if we were family. He was understanding and caring about our situation.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
I didn’t really talk to the nurses. Every time I would call them they don’t answer and so when I would leave voicemails they don’t call back. Even when I emailed them it takes forever for someone to respond back.
How was your experience with John Gould at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
When we first seen Dr.Gould we didn’t know what to expect. He was so friendly and caring. He showed sympathy in our situation and we are going through. From the beginning he was honest about what the outcome could be if my husbands semen analysis came back low. As soon as the results came back he contacted us right away and gave us a full detailed explanation. As of right now we have to do IVF. We were told that things might change after the second analysis is done but they cannot guarantee it.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of John Gould at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Always stay positive because there is a light under the tunnel.
Describe the protocols John Gould used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
Dr. Gould has not used treatment on us. He told us that because my husbands lab work came back good he cannot prescribe him anything and the only option for us is IVF treatment. He could not explain why my husband is producing low sperm and said that’s just the way his body is functioning. We cannot afford IVF and all I can do is pray for a miracle and win this IVF treatment.
Describe the costs associated with your care under John Gould at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
For my initial visit with Dr.Lovely I paid $112 and when my husband seen Dr.Gould he paid $87. The semen analysis was roughly around $12 dollars and for the repeat analysis it will be $50 dollars. IVF treatment will be $13,000 out of pocket but we don’t have that yet so we are unable to do it. I really hope that we are selected for the IVF giveaway
– Read less
10
Age
26 - 28
Treated
2016 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
The nurses [No Cal Fert Med Ctr] have always been very nice and compassionate with every interaction... Strengths: Excellent team and facility. Doctors are Nurses are all very highly reviewed and know what they are doing. Weaknesses: At the beginning, we were off-put feeling like we were "just a number" with the clinic. However, I do not believe we accurately judged them at the beginning and they are just very busy with countless patients coming in each day.
+ Read more
Age
26 - 28
Treated
2016 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Operations
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 3 Docs
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Strengths: Excellent team and facility. Doctors are Nurses are all very highly reviewed and know what they are doing.
Weaknesses: At the beginning, we were off-put feeling like we were "just a number" with the clinic. However, I do not believe we accurately judged them at the beginning and they are just very busy with countless patients coming in each day.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with John Gould at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr Gould is great about having open and honest conversations with you about male factor infertility and what can be done about it (not much a lot of the time). However, he has been very responsive and candid about outcomes from various SAs I have taken and what our probabilities were for success. I have very much appreciated my care under him.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nurses have always been very nice and compassionate with every interaction (especially the awkward ones of coming in for a SA).
How was your experience with John Gould at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Very knowledgeable and responsive. Always calls with results the second he has them whether it be on weekends etc. I have always felt like a priority and not just a number. He has always made my wife and I feel very comfortable especially in the awkward field to talk about such as infertility.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of John Gould at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Be prepared for a lot of hypothetical answers to situations. If you are a borderline male factor, such as myself, medical science has only come so far in this field so there aren't definite answers to being able to improve certain aspects of your semen.
Describe the protocols John Gould used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
He worked in tandem with my wife's doctors as well to devise plans moving forward including repeat SAs for myself, trying different things to see if numbers improved. He suggested IUI as a good course of action for us as well. Unfortunately, after two failed rounds of IUI, we decided to move onto IVF.
Describe the costs associated with your care under John Gould at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Standard and in line with my insurance costs for seeing a specialist
Describe John Gould's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
No comments were made
– Read less
10
Age
21
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
PCOS, Tubal Blockage
10
The nursing staff [at Northern California Fertility Medical Center] was very good and they always showed very good compassion and every time I had a question they would contact me within an hour and always have the answer for me...I wouldn't really say that the clinic had any weaknesses because they are a very good Clinic and they care very much about their patients the good thing about them is that they make you feel really good about yourself and then make you feel like you can do it and they make you also feel like a baby will come your way
+ Read more
Age
21
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Latino
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
3rd of 3 Docs
Treatment
1 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
PCOS, Tubal Blockage
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I wouldn't really say that the clinic had any weaknesses because they are a very good Clinic and they care very much about their patients the good thing about them is that they make you feel really good about yourself and then make you feel like you can do it and they make you also feel like a baby will come your way
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
She made me feel like a human because she treated me like a friend and she also gave me the bad news in a very great way she never made me feel bad or she never made me feel that I couldn't do it she always had very much faith in me and I feel so grateful for her
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nursing staff was very good and they always showed very good compassion and every time I had a question they would contact me within an hour and always have the answer for me
How was your experience with Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
I just feel like if I would had the money I would have been able to get pregnant she was so much help and I know she tried very hard for me and my husband to get the loan but you need very good credit to get the loan and our credit isn't so great but I just know that if I would have gotten it she would have got me what I wanted
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
I highly recommend you see doctor lovely only because she will make you feel at home and she will make you feel like anything is possible if you just try hard enough
Describe the protocols Laurie Lovely used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
She had me go get an hsg and that's when it showed that I had one blocked tube and when we found that out she gave me some fertility medicine to make me ovulate and she was hoping for me to get an IUI but never really got to it so now I am just waiting to actually have enough money to get one
Describe the costs associated with your care under Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I did have to pay $80 per visit but it was only because I didn't have any insurance besides medical and Medicaid does not cover fertility treatment but other than that my spouse did have insurance so his covered most of his appointments but other than that it was all worth paying
Describe Laurie Lovely's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
We never really bought it up in our conversations
– Read less
5
Age
36
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
5 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor
5
Their [No Cal Fert Med Ctr] front desk in the past has always felt very cold and business like, but they have recently got new front deak employees who are much more pleasant and welcoming. Sometimes in general you feel like a body just being pushed through the line based on you see so many different doctors while going theough the iui and ivf process....Some of the sperm count numbers would come back different on the day of iui in comparison to what it said on the patient portal. Maybe it was lack of communication in interpreting those results but sometimes we were left comfused as to what the actual count was
+ Read more
Age
36
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Other
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
5 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor
5
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Their front desk in the past has always felt very cold and business like, but they have recently got new front deak employees who are much more pleasant and welcoming. Sometimes in general you feel like a body just being pushed through the line based on you see so many different doctors while going theough the iui and ivf process. I understand the time urgency with these procedures bit it would be nice to see more of the doctor who is handling your specific case.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
She was very nurtouring when talking and i felt that she was very real with the process.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Courtney Swanson)
My nurse coordinator was grat. She always resoonded very quickly to my questions both through phone and email, and i felt very comfortable with her
What specific things went wrong at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
- Provided conflicting information
How was your experience with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Very compassionate doctor. Since she was the only one i went through for our ivf i can not really compare how good or bad she was because i have nothing as far as other doctors to compare her to. I was happy with her as an informative doctor just disappointed in the outcome
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Go over all different sinerios that could arise while going theough hormone injections
Describe the protocols Sahar Stephens used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
Tried 2 iui’s with clomid, forst was very low dose, second was a normal dose from talking to orher wmen. Both iui’s unsuccessful. Then moved on to ivf. Hormone levels where very high through my injection process resulting in not being able to be given the proper dose of hcg which could have effected the eggg quality and possibly why so many did not get to blast. Ended up switching from a fresh transfer to a freeze all because of high hormone levels. Tranfered two eggs both in which neither of them took.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Insurance covered 50% of iui’s so we paid about 1,000 for two consecutive iuis. Ivf was around 12,000 for egg retrieval and transfer plus an additional 800 for having to change to a freeze all. None of the hormones where covered and that was an additional 4,000
– Read less
10
Age
42
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
1 IUI, 3 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
The office [No Cal Fert Med Ctr] is old and the surgical area in particular could use some updating. It was very crowded and I felt this area didn't have a done of privacy. The privacy aspect doesn't apply to the rest of the clinic. The finance person is responsive, which I haven't responded at other clinics. The doctors rotate so you likely won't see your doctor at every appointment....Dottie is amazing! Responsive, accommodating, and is the only nurse I want to work with at this clinic.
+ Read more
Age
42
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Marketer or PR
Order & Number of Docs Seen
4th of 4 Docs
Treatment
1 IUI, 3 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
The office is old and the surgical area in particular could use some updating. It was very crowded and I felt this area didn't have a done of privacy. The privacy aspect doesn't apply to the rest of the clinic.
The finance person is responsive, which I haven't responded at other clinics.
The doctors rotate so you likely won't see your doctor at every appointment.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Murray and his office were very responsive and also accommodating to our situation. We had to drive ~2 hours to see them and they adjusted our appointment times to work with our schedules, which we appreciated. He was also very realistic with expectations and took time to answer all of our questions.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Dottie)
Dottie is amazing! Responsive, accommodating, and is the only nurse I want to work with at this clinic.
What specific things went wrong at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
How was your experience with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
My favorite thing about Dr. Murray is that he didn't brush off our questions about various treatment options. Instead, he brought up various research, printed it out and highlighted areas that addressed our questions, which I appreciated. Additionally, he was very upfront about our options and still worked with us for a final cycle using my eggs eventhough it likely wasn't going to be successful. Afterwards (and before), he gently yet candidly had a conversation with us regarding donor eggs vs. adoption vs. my eggs.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Come prepared with your questions and be open to challenging him; he responds well and addresses your concerns in a thoughtful manner.
Describe the protocols Michael Murray used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
I get my protocol confused with other cycles but the plan was to use ICSI and skip PGS testing. Dr. Murray (and team) adjusted my protocol as I did not respond and we ended up cancelling the transfer.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Insurance picked up some costs, I believe it was ~$15k without insurance
Describe Michael Murray's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
At my age (40+) he seemed open to a multiple embryo transfer
– Read less
9
Age
40 - 41
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
7 IUI, 1 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Unexplained
9
Because of the structure of the facility you see which every doctor is on duty for that days schedule. I would have liked to seen my assigned doctor more during the ultra sounds and check ups. But overall the staff if very pleasant and helpful...I selected financing through ARC there was a set price for the treatment plan with NCFMC it was very detailed and easy to understand...The nursing staff was very compassionate and kind
+ Read more
Age
40 - 41
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Other
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
7 IUI, 1 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Unexplained
9
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Because of the structure of the facility you see which every doctor is on duty for that days schedule. I would have liked to seen my assigned doctor more during the ultra sounds and check ups. But overall the staff if very pleasant and helpful.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Lovely is very personable. She gives you the information in a way that makes it easier to understand and handle. She is very supportive and encouraging.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Alyssa )
The nursing staff was very compassionate and kind
How was your experience with Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Lovely is very honest in her opinion of your individual situation I believe. She is very compassionate to the struggle and emotional toll treatment takes on you during treatment. She is very encouraging and informative. I original saw Dr. Lovely for a consultation when she was at California IVF and when I decided to proceed with IVF away from Kaiser I specifically decided to go to NCFMC to be seen by Dr. Lovely. She was also recommended by my treating doctor at Kaiser.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Listen and trust in her guidance.
Describe the protocols Laurie Lovely used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
Dr. Lovely gave me two plans to decide on. One plan was using my own eggs with that plan we were to remove my eggs now due to my age and my low AMH number. Then we would freeze the embryo's and have them PGS tested. She wanted me to lose some weight that I had gained from treatment I had received at Kaiser for polyps on my Uterus. When I was given the all clear by Kaiser we proceeded with IVF treatment. I was give the maximum dosage of medicine due to my poor response during my IUI treatments with Kaiser. Unfortunately I did not respond well, while we thought there were possibly 7 good follicles they were only able to retrieve 3 eggs. One egg wasn't mature, one didn't fertilize. The third egg looked beautiful on the 5th day, but unfortunately during the PGS testing we discovered it had to many chromosomes and would not produce a baby. I'll be meeting with Dr. Lovely for my follow appointment to discuss using an Egg Donor.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I selected financing through ARC there was a set price for the treatment plan with NCFMC it was very detailed and easy to understand. The cost including medication was $20k the only cost I had to pay outside of that was for the sperm and PGS testing which was $3800 together.
Describe Laurie Lovely's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I don't have any comments on this section because I did not get this far. However. Dr. Lovely and I did discuss that if I had multiple embryos that made it past the PGS testing we would only transfer a single embryo because it would have a higher chance of being successful. I was in agreement with that because I know that twins poses a much higher risk.
– Read less
8
Age
38
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
Unexplained
8
Joann is my current nurse coordinator [at Northern CA Med] but she is newly assigned to me. I have had several coordinators in the 5 months we've been at the clinic. My current nurse coordinator has been very communicative and helpful...Overwhelmingly, they have been very professional and helpful but we did have disappointing a mix up early on in our treatments. At one point I left a message letting the clinic know I had ovulated (according to my predictor kit) but they didn't return my call for over 24 hours.
+ Read more
Age
38
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Prefer not to answer
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 3 Docs
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
Unexplained
8
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
The clinic is well organized with friendly staff. Because the five or so clinic doctors share cases, you never know who will be seeing you. That may be off-putting for some but it doesn't bother me. The ambiance leaves a little to be desired but that isn't really important.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Stevens and the entire team at Norther California Medical Fertility Clinic has been helpful, positive, and generally reassuring. I am now on my 3rd IUI treatment and I hope for a positive result this round!
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Joanne)
Joann is my current nurse coordinator but she is newly assigned to me. I have had several coordinators in the 5 months we've been at the clinic. My current nurse coordinator has been very communicative and helpful.
What specific things went wrong at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
- Lost paperwork
- Canceled a cycle due to clinic error
How was your experience with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Stephens has been cheerful, optimistic, realistic, and helpful. We were all hoping to see a positive result last round but she readjusted my meds and we are continue to "trouble shoot" with hopes of a positive result soon. All in all, I feel pretty comfortable with her.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
I would advise potential patients to get a clear picture of the treatment schedule and the financial plan. This is not an inexpensive endeavor so prospective patients should look into financial aid if needed -- hence, my current grant pursuit.
Describe the protocols Sahar Stephens used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
1) Clomid (1 pill per day) and Estrace (2 pills per day), and IUI. Only had 1 follicle so we upped it.
2) Clomid (3 pills per day) and planned IUI but had to cancel due to a cycle calculation/scheduling error Had 1 follicle but we made a mistake with the cycle scheduling so had to cancel our scheduled IUI procedures that month.
3) Clomid (3 pills), Gonal F at 75 units, IUI. TWO follicles but a BFN.
4)Clomid (3 pills), Gonal F at 75 units, IUI. Two follicles again but BFN.
5) Clomid (3 pills), Estrace (2 per day), Gonal F at 125 units (only 4 days). 1 follicle . . .
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Round 1 with clomid and estrace ran $1800 with meds, round 2 was $800 because we had to cancel it. Rounds 3 and 4 with Gonal F and IUI ran about $2300 each. This current round is running about $3000. All in all, we have spent about $10K with treatments and meds.
Describe Sahar Stephens's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
We haven't taken this step yet but we may be headed down that road.
– Read less
10
Age
26 - 27
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
4 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
[N. CA Fertility Medical Center is] Clean and organized but there were a few times they were running late with their schedule and I had to wait. But if that means they were giving quality empathetic care to all of their patients, I would not have them give that up for me to be seen on time.... All the nursing staff were fantastic: warm, friendly, understanding, and hopeful. I did not have any bad interactions with the nursing staff.
+ Read more
Age
26 - 27
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
4 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Clean and organized but there were a few times they were running late with their schedule and I had to wait. But if that means they were giving quality empathetic care to all of their patients, I would not have them give that up for me to be seen on time.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Stephens was very warm to talk to and always explained treatment, diagnosis, and odds to a level my partner and I could easily understand. She was always realistic in expectations of procedures. She listened to us and gave us choices to enable us to have a part in directing our care.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Dotty)
All the nursing staff were fantastic: warm, friendly, understanding, and hopeful. I did not have any bad interactions with the nursing staff.
How was your experience with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
I love this doctor. She is very nice, intelligent, and portrays an understanding of the emotional aspect of going through infertility. She always explained all testing and treatment options to us. I would recommend her 100%.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Feel free to ask her about anything. She will never hurry you and will always give a direct comprehendable response.
Describe the protocols Sahar Stephens used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
We were diagnosed as unexplained infertility after routine infertility lab tests were performed. We did 4 rounds of IUI: 3 with clomid and 1 with injections. All 4 ended in negative pregnancies. Since IUIs were not working, Dr. Stephens gave us a choice of continuing with the IUIs or going to IVF; she explained to us that the rates of success after 3-4 failed IUIs declines so we chose to move forward with IVF. We had 8 embryos to start with. We were going to do a fresh transfer of 1 embryo (she recommended transferring just 1 because of our unexplained infertility diagnosis and we are young - we were totally on board with that plan) but my estrogen levels were a little bit elevated after the egg retrieval and she told us there was less of a chance of the embryo implanting with my hormone levels being off. She gave us the option and we decided to do a freeze all. We were able to freeze 6 embryos (2 of them were not high enough quality to freeze). It was another few months before we could attempt a frozen transfer due to my cycles being off and the lab being closed for cleaning during the holidays. When it came time to do the frozen transfer, she planned for me to ovulate so that my body could create its own corpus luteum to produce my own progesterone so I wouldn’t have to do the progesterone in oil shots. I became pregnant upon the first embryo transfer, was released to my regular OB after viable pregnancy was confirmed with seeing a fetal pole and heartbeat on ultrasound. I carried that baby to term and was able to deliver vaginally.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I can’t recall specifics but I believe the IUIs were between $800-$1000 each and the IVF procedures were just under $10,000. My insurance covered most medications for all procedures
Describe Sahar Stephens's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I am really happy she gave us this option so my pregnancy was less high risk with 1 baby and chance of needing a c-section was lowered. I felt I was able to enjoy my pregnancy and not worry about all the high risk issues that come with having twins/multiples.
– Read less
10
Age
28 - 31
Treated
2014 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
2 IVF, 6 Embryo Freezing
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
You walk into the clinic [No Cal Fert Med Ctr] and IMMEDIATELY feel like family! The compassion and care in everyone’s voice makes it feel like family! The office is very good at being on time with appointments. Only a couple times were they running behind. And by behind i mean no more then 10 minutes. Their organization and time management was great!...The nurses are angels! They are the ones who keeps us positive, keeping us on track and being there st any given minute
+ Read more
Age
28 - 31
Treated
2014 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Prefer not to answer
Income
—
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 6 Docs
Treatment
2 IVF, 6 Embryo Freezing
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I remember first pulling up to the clinic and it not being what I pictured. I imagined this new multi story modern building. It was nothing like that. Although it was a nice area and building i remember thinking don’t judge a book by its cover. You walk into the clinic and IMMEDIATELY feel like family! The compassion and care in everyone’s voice makes it feel like family! The office is very good at being on time with appointments. Only a couple times were they running behind. And by behind i mean no more then 10 minutes. Their organization and time management was great!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
I’ll be honest just starting to try to write a review not only on Dr. Murray but in the entire clinic makes me tear up! Dr. Murray is one of the most patient, optimistic but realist people i have had the honor of meeting! He took the time to talk with me and answer my questions or ease my concerns if it was via phone, email or in person! Dr. Murray and this entire clinic are 5 stars in my book!
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Susan and Courtney )
The nurses are angels! They are the ones who keeps us positive, keeping us on track and being there st any given minute! I can’t even begin to explain what all those people mean to me! They were excellent!
How was your experience with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Murray is a rare person. His compassion for what my husband and I were going through is something I will never forget! He was realistic about our situation and always answered ALL of my questions! I know we can typically find weakness in ourselves however for Dr. Murray I find no weakness’ and thank God everyday that I was referred to him!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
To stay positive as this is a rough journey however if you are questioning anything or feeling off, reach out to Dr. Murray. He will do everything in his power to put you at ease!
Describe the protocols Michael Murray used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
We had to have two full cycles as our first cycle ended with us losing all of our embryos. We had a healthy baby boy but had to start the process over to have another. The time difference between the two treatments was only 2 years. My treatments were pretty different as for my medication plan. I was so confused why it was so i reached out to my Nurse who advised me I could email Dr. Murray directly so he could explain why it was different. He kindly mentioned i had birthday that occurred (this made me laugh knowing age is a battle with infertility) and also how science had taught them more in the last two years. Not only was my medication treatment different they also did the growing and freezing different from the first time. The second time we grew all of our embryos freezing them at a 5 day stage so we knew all of our grades. We now have 7 frozen! I appreciated Dr. Murray and the clinics drive to educated themselves constantly to give us all a better shot at having a family!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
For IVF with ICSI, medications, any pre testing and fuel it was a total of around $17,000.00
Describe Michael Murray's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
N/A
– Read less
8
Age
32 - 37
Treated
2012 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
7 IUI
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
8
Dottie [at Northern California Fertility Medical Center] is the most compassionate nurse. She is optimistic. Sometimes she is a little disorganized, but I believe that is because she has so many patients that she cares about. She always eventually get you what you need. She is most thorough in explaining your medications, when to take them, how to administer them, and always calls you back within the day even if it's late at night.
+ Read more
Age
32 - 37
Treated
2012 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 4 Docs
Treatment
7 IUI
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
8
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
This clinic seems very on top of the latest tests etc. They are optimistic yet realistic. They advise you and don't lecture you. They sometimes run late , But having been an emergency appointment I have compassion for them needing some flexibility in their schedule due to the nature of their practice.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
He was very encouraging and yet realistic.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Dottie Rowell)
Dottie is the most compassionate nurse. She is optimistic. Sometimes she is a little disorganized, but I believe that is because she has so many patients that she cares about. She always eventually get you what you need. She is most thorough in explaining your medications, when to take them, how to administer them, and always calls you back within the day even if it's late at night.
What specific things went wrong at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Failed to order appropriate test
How was your experience with Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Soto was very informative. He precisely described what was going to happen during each cycle. He was compassionate yet realistic. He worked very hard to try to figure out why we were experiencing Reocurrent miscarriages. Even though we have not found a cause he continues to provide good care.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
He is not going to hold your hand but he is very good at what he does. He will answer all questions you ask.
Describe the protocols Carlos Soto-Albors used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
Due to our reoccurant miscarriages, Dr. Soto attempted various strategies to maintain pregnancies. For example, he prescribed for progesterone suppositories at one point because nothing else was working even though I didn't show a need for them in blood tests.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Cost would vary depending on what was going on in each cycle. Plus my insurance picked up some, although no prescription injectable medications.
Describe Carlos Soto-Albors's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Not applicable
– Read less
10
Age
30
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Endometriosis
10
This clinic [No Cal Fert Med Ctr] compared to others was a lot bigger, especially the waiting room. ... Their scheduling and the ladies and gentlemen at the front were all warm and welcoming. There was no need to feel awkward when walking in! ... My coordinator was incredible! She was so personable and made such a stressful experience exciting! She was there whenever I had the silliest of questions
+ Read more
Age
30
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Other
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
3rd of 3 Docs
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Endometriosis
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
This clinic compared to others was a lot bigger, especially the waiting room. The only thing I would suggest which would be extremely hard is to have at least one other restroom in the waiting room.
Their scheduling and the ladies and gentlemen at the front were all warm and welcoming. There was no need to feel awkward when walking in!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Stephen's was incredible she puts herself in "your shoes" and says if I were you I would do this. She is a doctor with impeccable bedside manners! When we found out we were pregnant she seemed just as happy as we were. Previous doctors I have seen were not compassionate whatsoever and leaving to offices I told my husband I would not be returning because infact I felt like just a number or statistic! We elected to pay all out of pocket instead of a location that insurance would cover just for Dr. Stephens!
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Erica, not sure her last name.)
My coordinator was incredible! She was so personable and made such a stressful experience exciting! She was there whenever I had the silliest of questions
How was your experience with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
I honestly have nothing bad to say about Dr. Stephens. The day we did our first ultrasound she unfortunately was not our Dr. We had another outstanding doctor, Dr. Murray who is just as warm and compassionate; Dr. Stephens made it a point to find us and congratulate us on top of it ensured she did our final Ultrasound with the clinic. She is incredible and can't wait to schedule our FET!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Advise I would give, to ensure you write all your questions down and bring something to write with! She will cover all your questions and some and you don't want to miss out of forget!
Describe the protocols Sahar Stephens used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
I have endometriosis, I am unsure of the protocol. But she used the specific protocol because of my illness.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I can't remember specifics, we did do a loan and got the option for a fresh and frozen transfer which was roughly 10,900. All meds were paid out of pocket which I believe was 5,000, and I paid for ultrasounds and one lab to confirm pregnancy. Also prior to treatment I had a 600$ scan.
Describe Sahar Stephens's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
She gave her opinion but ultimately left the decision up to us. I liked that she didn't seem offended when we went against her advice, she was 100% supportive!
– Read less
9
Age
39
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Immunological
9
When they retrieved 27 eggs from my wife, the embryologist [at NCFMC] had searched out, among billions of sperm, and found enough live sperm to fertilize every egg (which was way beyond what I had expected). They gave us updates on progress, and transferred 2 embryos, resulting in the live birth of our son. While the experience was stressful (which, I'm assuming, every experience WILL be), it was better success than I could anticipate, and for the clinic and that success, I'm forever grateful.
+ Read more
Age
39
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 5 Docs
Treatment
1 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Immunological
9
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
We went in starting IVF having little to no idea how long things would take; because we didn't know, and expected things to be done within a month, and weren't getting updates, it stressed us out. We finally got things cleared up and questions answered, and from there the experience was great. Two of the doctors came across as pessimistic toward my results, and demanded that we have donor sperm on standby; two of the doctors were completely empathetic, and came across that anything is possible, and that it wasn't the end of the world for me. When we did the electroejaculation the 2nd time, we were told that they washed the semen sample obtained, but didn't give specific results, but when they retrieved 27 eggs from my wife, the embryologist had searched out, among billions of sperm, and found enough live sperm to fertilize every egg (which was way beyond what I had expected). They gave us updates on progress, and transferred 2 embryos, resulting in the live birth of our son. While the experience was stressful (which, I'm assuming, every experience WILL be), it was better success than I could anticipate, and for the clinic and that success, I'm forever grateful.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with John Gould at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
The way I was spoken to, it appeared that there was practically no chance of success, and my wife and I were mandated to have donor sperm present. At the same time, though, Dr. Gould assured me he would be trying extensively to have success obtaining my own live sperm for IVF, and though it took 2 procedures, we had success, and now I have a 1 year old son from his extensive efforts.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Marcie Colletti)
We had a hard time getting along with our nursing coordinator; it took a while for us to get used to her, and her to us. We finally managed to get things worked out, and she met all our needs in a timely manner. The rest of the nurses were great, encouraging and positive; one even had had to have fertility treatments herself, and because of that, stood out among the others as someone who knew what it was like on a personal level.
How was your experience with John Gould at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
The first time I saw Dr. Gould, my wife and I sat down with him, gave him my entire medical history and prior health; and he immediately knew what the problem was, and was able to explain it to me to where I could understand it. He went over an anticipated plan of how we would get sperm (I'm unable to ejaculate, and my body also tends to kill off sperm). When we did the procedure the first time, they got plenty of semen, but all the sperm were completely dead. So, we chose to do a future procedure (the same one, but 3 months down the road), and it was done. The second time around, we had a little more success (out of several billion sperm, we got close to 30 live sperm). From there, it was pretty much the clinic handling everything, and that was the end of our treatments with Dr. Gould.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of John Gould at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Be honest, don't be afraid to tell him everything you know. The more he knows, the better your chance of success.
Describe the protocols John Gould used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
No medications were ever used by Dr. Gould, but he went with the electroejaculation procedure twice, and it was effective in obtaining adequate semen/sperm results.
Describe the costs associated with your care under John Gould at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Payment was expected up front prior to any appointment or procedure; I vaguely remember the particular procedure costing somewhere around $1200.
Describe John Gould's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Not applicable.
– Read less
8
Age
39
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Male Factor
8
Our nurse coordinator [Northern California Fertility Medical Ctr] and we had had a little bit of friction at first because of the stress levels, but finally were able to get adjusted well to each other. The other nurses (we only worked with each one once or twice) were great, and there were a couple of nurses that were very optimistic and positive....The embryologists were really nice and good; it was obvious, looking in retrospect, that the whole team knew what they were doing.
+ Read more
Age
39
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Male Factor
8
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I had heard rumors that there was a bit of success associated with this particular clinic; for us, the same was very much true. I had a couple of doctors tell us that because of the problems with my sperm, we HAD to have donor sperm present (adding to the stress, though I can understand the motivation behind it; they wanted to make sure that the cycle was a success). The embryologists were really nice and good; it was obvious, looking in retrospect, that the whole team knew what they were doing.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
I went in to IVF thinking it would take just a short time...but when things went for a couple of months, I got impatient, and not knowing what was going on, felt alone. Also, while the main focus was on my wife, I felt like other than some of the doctors pointing out my problems, that I was invisible (a couple of the doctors, but there were also some nice ones that boosted my confidence). When the end result came under the care of Dr. Soto-Albors, things had actually worked out really well, and because of him, my wife and I now have a son that we enjoy every day with. So while the process was stressful, the results were awesome.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Can't remember)
Our nurse coordinator and we had had a little bit of friction at first because of the stress levels, but finally were able to get adjusted well to each other. The other nurses (we only worked with each one once or twice) were great, and there were a couple of nurses that were very optimistic and positive.
How was your experience with Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
He was quiet, and sometimes I wished he would talk more or explain more. We pretty well went along with the flow (although not understanding just where that flow was going or why things were being done). It wasn't until after egg retrieval happened that we started to understand what was going on.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
To ask questions, and urge the doctors to explain what everything is and why they're doing what they're doing (like making med changes).
Describe the protocols Carlos Soto-Albors used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
Not really sure what kind of protocol was used; we were never told. Follistim was used, some Estrace, Ganirelix, Progesterone in oil (was later changed to Crinone due to allergic reaction). After all was said and done, 27 mature eggs were produced, 24 had been fertilized via ICSI, and 5 of those embryos made it to day 5. We miscarried one of the twins, but the other was born full term and without any problems.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Ultrasounds were something like $300 apiece (and there were quite a few), we spent about $5000 on meds, two of my operations cost around $1500. As for the actual IVF, we spent about $20,000 on all that.
Describe Carlos Soto-Albors's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
He actually asked for our input on this one, and when we said two, he then revealed that he had also been thinking two as well.
– Read less
10
Age
35 - 36
Treated
2015 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Tubal Blockage
10
EVEEYONE WAS AMAZING! I had one nurse who volunteered to come to my work at 10pm to come give me my last (BIG) shot because I was scared I couldn’t do it. The process is stressful, but I always felt so at ease with the staff [Northern CA Fert Med Ctr], like they were family....Getting in might take a couple weeks, but once the process starts it is quick and you RARELY have to wait to be seen for appointments.... I believe they only schedule a certain amount of people to work with at a time instead of taking on as many patients as they can which I like.
+ Read more
Age
35 - 36
Treated
2015 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Tubal Blockage
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Getting in might take a couple weeks, but once the process starts it is quick and you RARELY have to wait to be seen for appointments. I really have nothing bad to say about this clinic, I have referred numerous people and am planning on going back for baby number 2! They are super organized, friendly, professional and experienced at what they do. I could t be happier! For a new patient, make sure to clear up your schedule and talk to your employer because you will need some time off, but getting an appointment is never a problem. I believe they only schedule a certain amount of people to work with at a time instead of taking on as many patients as they can which I like. I have also seen a few of the doctors there and all of them were friendly and knowledgeable. Not one time did I feel like I wasn’t there number one priority. They also give you great advice on pharmacies and different programs available for financial assistance if you need it (let’s face it, Ive is EXPENSIVE!).
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
He was friendly and straightforward. Never felt like he was judging or talking down to me like some doctors. Made me feel very comfortable.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
EVEEYONE WAS AMAZING! I had one nurse who volunteered to come to my work at 10pm to come give me my last (BIG) shot because I was scared I couldn’t do it. The process is stressful, but I always felt so at ease with the staff, like they were family. After we found out I was pregnant a nurse who had helped with the implantation of the embryos (I only had met her that one day) called and left a message about how happy she was and wishing us luck. They truly genuinely care!
How was your experience with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
I first saw him when my ob told me I had blocked tubes. He explained I needed them removed if I wanted to carry a baby safely (I had adhesions from a surgery I had around age 3 that we’re so bad my tubes had scar tissue and built up stuff that could harm a fetus). The news was devastating, but the whole process from surgery to eventually getting pregnant went smoother than I could ever had imagined.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Relax! He’s got it!
Describe the protocols Michael Murray used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
I don’t remember really, it all happened so fast. Had both tubes removed. Healed up, started birth control for a month, then started my injections. 3 shots daily, then one big shot at the end, egg retrieval and then implantation!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I believe we paid give or take $14,000 for the whole ivf procedure and then $3000 for medicarions? I don’t have the paperwork unfortunately for exact numbers
– Read less
10
Age
23 - 24
Treated
2015 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
IVF, Surrogacy
Diagnosis
—
10
From the moment you call to make an appointment with the staff [No Cal Fert Med Ctr] you get a feeling of reassurance that this is the place for you to grow your family. There is a sense of warmth in the tone you are greeted with! You are scheduled in a timely manner and the staff gets back to you in no time if they aren’t available...Our team was sensational! Courtney was always available for questions or concerns! She was always calm and positive which helped us from being overwhelmed!
+ Read more
Age
23 - 24
Treated
2015 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Other
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 3 Docs
Treatment
IVF, Surrogacy
Diagnosis
—
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
From the moment you call to make an appointment with the staff you get a feeling of reassurance that this is the place for you to grow your family. There is a sense of warmth in the tone you are greeted with! You are scheduled in a timely manner and the staff gets back to you in no time if they aren’t available.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Janice Andreyko at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Andreyko was very thorough but also personable with every step along our surrogacy journey. She explained every process in detail in terms that made sense to my husband and I. When our surrogate became pregnant, she celebrated our victory with us and expressed joyous tears. She became more than just our doctor rather than a trusting friend.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Courtney Swanson)
Our team was sensational! Courtney was always available for questions or concerns! She was always calm and positive which helped us from being overwhelmed!
How was your experience with Janice Andreyko at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Andreyko has many years of experience in fertility treatments by the time we met her. Her knowledge in her field is impeccable along with all of the years helping others create little lives. The first time we met her we felt very comfortable and positive knowing she would be helping us achieve parenthood. She thoroughly detailed every process in a way we would understand. We would trust her many time again with fertility treatments.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Janice Andreyko at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
One piece of advice I would give to a future patient of Dr. Andreykos is to not be nervous or scared. Her positive and upbeat personality puts the nerves and fears at ease.
Describe the protocols Janice Andreyko used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
I have MRKH. I was born without a cervix and uterus meaning I would never become pregnant. My mother offered to be a surrogate for my husband and I to have a biological child. When we met with Dr. Andreyko and all of us were deemed healthy to proceed from genetic testing to sperm analysis from my husband, we made a plan. The plan was I would begin hormone injections to prepare for the egg retrieval and my mom would begin hormone treatments as well to prepare for a fresh embryo transfer. In March 2016 we transferred two embryos to my mom who was 48 at the time. 11 days later we found out she was pregnant! Dr. Andreyko cried happy tears with us. We were so grateful for her to support us through our cycles and each step.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Janice Andreyko at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Roughly $18,000 for the entire process.
Describe Janice Andreyko's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Dr. Andreyko suggested a singleton transfer would be best in our situation because of our grade A embryos and how well our surrogates uterus responded to the hormone injections. She respected our choice of wanting to transfer two embryos though which later we were happy with our decision because it resulted in a singleton pregnancy!
– Read less
10
Age
28
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
6 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
Infertility treatments are not covered by insurance so we paid out of pocket for the samples and consultation. They [No. CA Fertility] were extremely helpful in allowing us to provide a sample at a nearby sister clinic to help keep the cost lower. SA $175...[Nurses] They always return your call. Depending on the severity, they will make you a priority! I had put a call in about an upcoming trip to Mexico and even though it had been awhile since we had our consultation, they treated me as though I had just been seen and called me back within an hour of leaving a message.
+ Read more
Age
28
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
—
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Business Executive
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 3 Docs
Treatment
6 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with John Gould at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Gould was very thorough and informative. When he met with my husband and I, he took the time to review both of our histories and make suggestions for me as well, even though my husband was the primary patient. He always returned our calls whenever I had more questions and actually remembered who we were.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
They always return your call. Depending on the severity, they will make you a priority! I had put a call in about an upcoming trip to Mexico and even though it had been awhile since we had our consultation, they treated me as though I had just been seen and called me back within an hour of leaving a message.
How was your experience with John Gould at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
After seeing local doctors and not having much luck, we were referred to Dr. Gould with my husband as the primary patient. He reviewed both of our previous treatments and histories and explained his plan of attack for us and what to expect. We scheduled a consultation at the No. Ca Fertility Clinic in Roseville with him and then spoke over the phone several times where he answered more questions that came up. He always returned my calls directly and remembered us. We ultimately decided to take some time off from TTC and when we were ready to pick back up, we contacted his office where he re-sent all of the follow up testing that he needed to start back with treatments and to be seen again, even after the lapse in time.
Describe the costs associated with your care under John Gould at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Infertility treatments are not covered by insurance so we paid out of pocket for the samples and consultation. They were extremely helpful in allowing us to provide a sample at a nearby sister clinic to help keep the cost lower. SA $175
– Read less
Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
9
Age
33
Treated
2015
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Tubal Blockage, Uterine Fibroids
9
The only time when I felt a little disappointed with the clinic [No Cal Fert Med], was at the very beginning when we were talking to the financial department. ... A little more understanding and empathy for the cost would have been nice. ... My doctor clearly explained that the ultimate goal of the clinic is to have 1 healthy baby during pregnancy. ... My nurse was amazing! She had her own voice mail that she checked constantly.
+ Read more
Age
33
Treated
2015
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Tubal Blockage, Uterine Fibroids
9
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I really felt like each of the doctor's took care of me during each of my visits. Even if I didn't see my primary doctor, I felt like the doctor's did an excellent job communicating with each other. The nurses that helped me were wonderful and went out of their way to try to keep me comfortable. The only time when I felt a little disappointed with the clinic, was at the very beginning when we were talking to the financial department. The person that we spoke with did not seem very compassionate talking about the money involved in this process. IVF was the absolute only way for us to have a child and there is a lot of money involved. A little more understanding and empathy for the cost would have been nice.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
The doctor treated me like a human but the financial department treated me like a number.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
My nurse was amazing! She had her own voice mail that she checked constantly. She always called me back very quickly when I had questions. She did a great job making me feel comfortable and confident with all aspects of the treatments. Even after I had a confirmed pregnancy and had been released from the clinic's care, I wasn't feeling right and my nurse called me right back and got me an appointment that same morning that I called.
How was your experience with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
I felt very confident and comfortable with Dr. Murray but he did not do the final egg transfer. By the time i was done at the clinic I saw everyone of the doctors at the clinic. Each one did a great job making me feel comfortable and confident with each decision being made.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Understand that your primary doctor is going to do a great job communicating with the other doctors in the clinic and with your nurse. Don't be concerned that you might not always see him. I really appreciated all the doctors in the practice!
Describe the protocols Michael Murray used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
Because of several surgeries that I had as an infant, my Fallopian tubes were damaged and lots of scare tissue surrounded my ovaries and mangled tubes. I also had fibroid tumors in my uterus. In March, Dr. Murray performed a surgery to clean up the scar tissue and mangled Fallopian tubes. He also took out the fibroid tumors that he could get to in my uterus. Then in June, I was able to start doing shots for egg retrieval.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
We did IVF about three years ago. I had to have a surgery before we could start any of the treatments. That surgery was covered by my insurance after I met my deductible. Then I began shots and ordered the drugs from a pharmacy from southern California. We spent approximately $6,000 on drugs throughout the process. After we the egg retrieval we then did ICSI which was an additional charge of $1500. The rest of the treatments cost us around $10,000.
Describe Michael Murray's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
My doctor clearly explained that the ultimate goal of the clinic is to have 1 healthy baby during pregnancy.
– Read less
9
Age
30 - 33
Treated
2012 - 2015
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
5 IUI
Diagnosis
Male Factor, PCOS
9
The first time we started the whole IUI process, the doctor and all the support staff [at Northern California Fertility Medical Center] were very friendly. They responded very quickly to any questions or concerns that I called in with... We are now trying for baby #2 with dr. Murray again and are currently in IUI cycle number 2 right now.
+ Read more
Age
30 - 33
Treated
2012 - 2015
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Other
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
5 IUI
Diagnosis
Male Factor, PCOS
9
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
The first time we started the whole iui process, the doctor and all the support staff were very friendly. They responded very quickly to any questions or concerns that I called in with. I got pregnant on my 3rd iui attempt and after my son was born, we actually took him in so dr Murray and the staff could meet the miracle baby they helped me and my husband get, they felt like extended family. We are now trying for baby #2 with dr. Murray again and are currently in iui cycle number 2 right now.
How was your experience with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Murray is very kind, caring, with a funny sense of humor. He knows how stressful the process can be and will try to lighten the mood with a little joke but it never seems out of place. He talks to you in a straightforward way that makes you feel reassured
Describe the protocols Michael Murray used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
Cycle day 1 was first day of full flow period and call to let dr. Murray know
Cycle day 3-7 was 100mg of Clomid daily
Cycle day 8-12 was estrace (?mg) twice daily
Cycle day 11 start using home ovulation kit in the morning call with a positive result
If no positive result by cycle day 13, then call for next day appointment.
As soon as I got a positive on the ovulation kit, called office and I had a same day appointment for an ultrasound to confirm ovulation and good follicle size. Received a trigger shot of ovidrel and iui scheduled for the next day.
Day of iui, husband gave sperm sample and roughly 2hrs later was iui....another ultrasound to see if ovulation occurred. If not, then another iui was scheduled for the next day.
Starting the day after the last iui start progesterone vaginal suppositories nightly. If no period shows by 17days after iui then beta hcg blood test is ordered to check for pregnancy
– Read less
10
Age
37 - 38
Treated
2013 - 2014
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
6 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
Our nurse coordinator [at Northern California Fertility Medical Center] had been through IVF herself and I feel this lent to her compassion and drive to provide excellent care. She was organized and always wanted to make sure we understood every part of the process and were comfortable with it. The rest of the nurses were upbeat and hard working. Great nurses.... hey were strong on education from start to finish. They understand the emotional side and were always compassionate and friendly. They have a very organized financial coordinator and my nurse knew how to get the best pricing and discounts on prescriptions.
+ Read more
Age
37 - 38
Treated
2013 - 2014
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European, Native American
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Sales Representative
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
6 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Strengths: Wait time for my initial consult was not long. They did a thorough health evaluation of me and my husband. They were strong on education from start to finish. They understand the emotional side and were always compassionate and friendly. They have a very organized financial coordinator and my nurse knew how to get the best pricing and discounts on prescriptions. The doctors are on top of changes and advancements in their field. They'll get you there! The office is clean, nice and comfortable.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
In a very clinical position he seemed very personable and determined to get us our baby! He never rushed us when we met with him and was very reassuring.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Miriam)
Our nurse coordinator had been through IVF herself and I feel this lent to her compassion and drive to provide excellent care. She was organized and always wanted to make sure we understood every part of the process and were comfortable with it. The rest of the nurses were upbeat and hard working. Great nurses.
How was your experience with Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Soto was thorough in all his testing and explanation of our results. He never spoke in terms we couldn't understand. He made me comfortable when in a very vulnerable situation. He was encouraging and determined to get us pregnant. It took a while but we have our amazing two year old son and couldn't be more happy with our treatment.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Trust in his methods and find things to do to relax yourself.
Describe the protocols Carlos Soto-Albors used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
I don't recall dosages etc. We had used both gonal f and follistm with desired stim results. It was determined that after 6 failed IUI's and a past ectopic pregnancy (not under Dr. Soto's care) that my tubes may not be functioning properly. We were then encouraged to move to IVF. Both my husband and I agreed it was time. I believe we used follistm and ovidrel for IVF though I can't recall everything. We did ICSI and PGS (our decision) because of my advanced maternal age and past failed pregnancy attempts. 1st IVF - retrieval yielded 8 healthy embryos (after PGD) of which we transferred two. It failed and I feel like my body was just too taxed. For our next cycle we did an FET. I added acupuncture and felt my body was ready. We transferred two and one took bringing us our son.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
We bought a package of 6 cycles through ARC. 3 fresh 3 frozen for approximately $26K (excluding meds). We paid $1600 for ICSI. PGS was paid to the outside genetic lab not NCFMC. That's all I can recall though it's not all.
Describe Carlos Soto-Albors's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Dr. Soto was very informative when it came to why he suggested we transfer two at a time. He never pressured us and left the decision up to us.
– Read less
8
Age
24
Treated
2012
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Tubal Blockage
8
The team [No Cal Fert Med Ctr] is overall a great team. Everyone is really nice. This journey is hard and talking with your nurse and building a good relationship really helps. Wait time is usually short. The price is very high and that can be hard.... had a couple different nurses over the course of my treatments. They were all extremely caring and understanding. They explained things well and were always willing to chat if I needed.
+ Read more
Age
24
Treated
2012
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Tubal Blockage
8
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
The team is overall a great team. Everyone is really nice. This journey is hard and talking with your nurse and building a good relationship really helps. Wait time is usually short. The price is very high and that can be hard.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
I felt like I was given the same plan because it was simple and common. The plan we were using wasn't working well for me. Dr Murray was in charge of my last FET and brought to my attention how I didn't respond well to Sotos plan and Murrays new plan ended in a successful pregnancy to two healthy boys.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I had a couple different nurses over the course of my treatments. They were all extremely caring and understanding. They explained things well and were always willing to chat if I needed.
How was your experience with Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
I think he was a great doctor. He was nice but at the same time could be very blunt and hurtful. Experiencing miscarriages under his watch were upsetting as he didn't appear to be very caring. I didn't feel he was willing to come up with a specific plan for me and instead was continuing a general treatment plan that wasn't working well for me.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
To be persistent on your needs and feelings. If you don't feel like you're a good match request a new doctor.
Describe the protocols Carlos Soto-Albors used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
He used birthcontrol in most of cycles even though I didn't respond as well as I did with a more natural cycle. He wanted more control even though it didn't seem beneficial.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I originally wanted to purchase their multi-plan packages and was talked out of it. I ended up spending a lot more because of this. I was assured since I was young they didn't believe it to be necessary. I'm still not happy with this.
– Read less
Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
Age
26 - 28
Treated
2009 - 2011
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
2 IVF
Diagnosis
Anovulation, Male Factor, PCOS, Unexplained
10
Miriam was our second nurse coordinator [at Northern California Fertility Medical Center], she took over for Judy because we did not feel Judy fit well with us. We were stressed and full of anxiety by the way we were treated with Judy, but Miriam was a blessing! She cared for and comforted us with the most amazing aura. We also enjoyed Gayleen as the clinical assistant who drew my blood most of the time! She was kind, caring, and an awesome stick! Never felt her stick the needle in and she NEVER missed!!!
+ Read more
Age
26 - 28
Treated
2009 - 2011
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
—
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
2 IVF
Diagnosis
Anovulation, Male Factor, PCOS, Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
The entire staff, as a whole, is very warm & caring! They are soft and encouraging! I even go back to visit from time to time!
One suggestion, maybe have separate entrance and exit...it can be difficult for those who have been struggling for sooooo long to see someone ecstatic for good news or devastated with bad news...separate entrance and exit would allow those grieving or rejoicing to do so without feeling bad about it in front of other hopeful people.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Janice Andreyko at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
She was kind & caring.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Miriam)
Miriam was our second nurse coordinator, she took over for Judy because we did not feel Judy fit well with us. We were stressed and full of anxiety by the way we were treated with Judy, but Miriam was a blessing! She cared for and comforted us with the most amazing aura. We also enjoyed Gayleen as the clinical assistant who drew my blood most of the time! She was kind, caring, and an awesome stick! Never felt her stick the needle in and she NEVER missed!!!
What specific things went wrong at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
- Provided conflicting information
- Failed to convey critical information
How was your experience with Janice Andreyko at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
She explained to us her expectations and what we should expect. She was a little dry and to the point, but always kind and caring. She asked us how many we wanted to transfer and we said at least two but we were toying with three. She told us she thought one would be enough, she would allow two, but gave an adamant "No" on more than two.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Janice Andreyko at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Just know she's not the most bubbly person, but she's good!
Describe the protocols Janice Andreyko used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
I don't remember everything, but I used lupron, menopure, and I forget what my trigger shot was. But I do remember my cycle with Dr. Andreyko was the same as my first, but it went one day longer than my first cycle. They lengthened it bc everything else looked great but they thought they would get a little more mature eggs and that would help. I also had progesterone shots in addition to the suppositories the second round.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Janice Andreyko at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
$13-15k plus $800-1000 for meds/shots
Describe Janice Andreyko's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Dr. A said we would most likely be successful with the transfer of one embryo, but we said we've been there, done that and wanted to transfer two!
– Read less
10
Age
38 - 39
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
8 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
This clinic [Northern California Fertility Medical Center] is organized, professional and clean. They have staff to assist through everything, including finances. I met with several doctors through my treatment and was equally happy with them all. I felt like they really cared about us and want for us to succeed.... IVF cycle was $12,500 including ICSI, PGS biopsy and cryopreservation. Another approx. $4000 for medications and we also paid for PGS testing through Igenomix. I'm not sure of the price for PGS.
+ Read more
Age
38 - 39
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European, Other
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
8 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
This clinic is organized, professional and clean. They have staff to assist through everything, including finances. I met with several doctors through my treatment and was equally happy with them all. I felt like they really cared about us and want for us to succeed.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr Lovely was very upfront about expectations and when we didn't get a favorable result with PGS testing, she was helpful with deciding next steps and understanding of our emotions during a tough time.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Alyssa Schnorr)
Alyssa was amazing. She had everything organized and she was also a cheerleader through the whole process. She responds to emails promptly and just overall was a huge support.
How was your experience with Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr Lovely has been respectful, knowledgeable and compassionate during the whole process. She took time to answer all our questions and never made us feel like we had to rush out or that we were just another couple to go in and out of the clinic. I would 100% recommend her to other couples with infertility.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Bring all the questions you have, she will be happy to answer them and give advice. She also gave us lots of options for treatment, depending on factors such as age, budget, emotional expenses.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
IVF cycle was $12,500 including ICSI, PGS biopsy and cryopreservation. Another approx. $4000 for medications and we also paid for PGS testing through Igenomix. I'm not sure of the price for PGS.
Describe Laurie Lovely's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Dr Lovely advised us that single embryo transfer would be advised in our situation, due to my age and that it's safer for mother and baby to have a singleton pregnancy. She also said she had a patient that put in 2 embryos, one split, so they ended up with triplets, which is even more dangerous.
– Read less
10
Age
31
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
PCOS
10
This clinic [Northern California Fertility Medical Center] is very on top of things. They were great about getting my lab results and keeping me informed on labs results as well as the treatment plan. They spent an hour with my husband and I just going through the financial aspect.... I will be assigned a nurse in the next week. All of the experience I have had with the nursing staff for blood draws and assistance with the water sonogram have been great. Everyone has been friendly and encouraging.
+ Read more
Age
31
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Other
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
PCOS
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
This clinic is very on top of things. They were great about getting my lab results and keeping me informed on labs results as well as the treatment plan. They spent an hour with my husband and I just going through the financial aspect.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
At our very first consultation Dr. Murray went through the whole process of IVF during so he personalized it to our specific case. He spent as much time with us as we needed and answered all of our questions. We left feeling excited and hopeful .
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Waiting to see who my nurse is.)
I will be assigned a nurse in the next week. All of the experience I have had with the nursing staff for blood draws and assistance with the water sonogram have been great. Everyone has been friendly and encouraging.
My care coordinator has been very thorough and answered all of my questions in a quick manner.
What specific things went wrong at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
How was your experience with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Murray has a gentle spirit and is very knowledgeable. He has great bedside manner and never once made me feel uncomfortable. He always asked if I had any questions and explained things thoroughly.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Describe the protocols Michael Murray used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
I have not started my IVF treatments yet. Dr. Murray did a water sonogram to make sure my uterus was the right shape, blood work to check my hormones and a DNA test to make sure there isn’t any conditions I could pass along.
I have now completed everything I need to do and will start my treatments my next cycle.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
$16,000 is what we were estimated for the total out of pocket. Our insurance is paying 50% up until egg retrieval
– Read less
10
Age
36
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
IUI
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
10
I’ve been extremely happy so far. With the wait times to be seen, to speaking to people on the phone. I have been happy with the care I have received here [No Cal Fert Med Ctr ] on every level. I would recommend them to my family and friends...The nurses that I met with were so compassionate and caring. She kept telling me I know this is a lot of information and made sure I understand exactly what I needed to do next
+ Read more
Age
36
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Other
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
IUI
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I’ve been extremely happy so far. With the wait times to be seen, to speaking to people on the phone. I have been happy with the care I have received here on every level. I would recommend them to my family and friends
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr Stephens took the time to speak with me and answer any questions I have. She also suggested doing more tests to perhaps do an IUI instead of jumping straight to IVF as the first clinic I went to was going to do. She was warm to me and made me feel comfortable
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nurses that I met with were so compassionate and caring. She kept telling me I know this is a lot of information and made sure I understand exactly what I needed to do next
How was your experience with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
She made me feel comfortable. She had a plan of action and didn’t want to just bypass and more tests and go straight to ivf like another clinic was going to do. She explained everything fully to us and she made sure we knew what to do next
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
To ask for dr Stephens because she was great!
Describe the protocols Sahar Stephens used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
I am just starting treatment. She did have a detailed plan for me to get more baseline tests done to determine whether we can/will start with an IUI or ivf. I will be getting the test done the week to determine what our plan is next
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I’m still in the beginning phases. It was $225 for consultation and $180 for semen analysis
Describe Sahar Stephens's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I’m not that far yet
– Read less
10
Age
33
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
—
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
I chose NCFMC because of the convenient location and their reviews. I have been impressed with their success rates and the organization of the Clinic. Each new patient gets a patient portal where all results and documents are stored and we have had open communication with our doctors and nurses as we complete all of our prerequisites before starting our cycle.... Cash pay prices have been: $225 for a consult and exam, $199 per person for genetic screening
+ Read more
Age
33
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Consultant
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
—
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I chose NCFMC because of the convenient location and their reviews. I have been impressed with their success rates and the organization of the Clinic. Each new patient gets a patient portal where all results and documents are stored and we have had open communication with our doctors and nurses as we complete all of our prerequisites before starting our cycle.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Lovely knew the background and challenges my husband and I were facing and spoke to us like friends. She catered our consult to exactly our situation and made us feel like individuals she truly cared about.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nursing staff has been great. The clinic is a busy place and as a new patient who has not started an IVF cycle yet, I understand I am not the highest priority but the nurses always responded to my questions or emails in a timely fashion.
How was your experience with Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Lovely is incredibly smart, kind, and has a warm bedside manner. I was so nervous I was going to burst j to tears at some point during our consult but she made me feel comfortable and confident in our future outcome.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Schedule your consult ASAP because there can be a bit of a wait for new patients. Nothing with IVF happens quickly so knowing that up front can help curb frustration.
Describe the protocols Laurie Lovely used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
N/A consult and exam only.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Cash pay prices have been: $225 for a consult and exam, $199 per person for genetic screening for myself and my husband. $300 for initial blood work needed before starting IVF.
Describe Laurie Lovely's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Dr. Laurie typically only transfers one embryo which made me feel very comfortable. I didn’t want to feel pressured to transfer multiple and was happy that her typical process was in line with what my husband and I also hoped for.
– Read less
10
Age
33 - 35
Treated
2015 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 Egg Freezing, 1 Embryo Freezing, IVF
Diagnosis
PCOS
10
They [Northern California Fertility Medical Center] can get busy and sometimes run behind, but they are good about letting you know if they are running late (so you can reschedule if you want). The online portal is great to use as well....Around $25,000 for egg retrieval, sperm retrieval, IVF with ICSI...Dottie [nurse] was great! She returns calls quickly, can confidently tell me the details of my protocols, and communicates well with my doctor.
+ Read more
Age
33 - 35
Treated
2015 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 Egg Freezing, 1 Embryo Freezing, IVF
Diagnosis
PCOS
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
They can get busy and sometimes run behind, but they are good about letting you know if they are running late (so you can reschedule if you want). The online portal is great to use as well.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
He is very warm and caring. He spoke to me like a real person (not a number), and remembered details about my treatment and personal life. I felt that he had my best interest at heart.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Dottie)
Dottie was great! She returns calls quickly, can confidently tell me the details of my protocols, and communicates well with my doctor.
How was your experience with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
He is very knowledgeable but can explain things in layman's terms. He really spent time with me and my husband in reviewing treatment options. He was on top of ordering labs, making sure prescriptions were ready, etc. I'm overweight and he was never pushy with me about losing "x" amount of pounds- just encouraged me to be healthy for a better clinical outcome. When another doctor was scheduled to do my embryo transfer, I asked him to do it instead (since he was my primary) and he happily adjusted his schedule.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Bring all your questions and don't be afraid to ask anything. I'm sure he's heard it all- he has a ton of experience.
Describe the protocols Michael Murray used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
I can't recall specific medications. But we decided to do a "freeze all" egg retrieval since I have PCOS, and he thought we would have better success with waiting a few months after retrieval for embryo transfer. He was right! My body needed that break!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Around $25,000 for egg retrieval, sperm retrieval, IVF with ICSI
Describe Michael Murray's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
He wanted a successful cycle and encouraged me to transfer 2 embryos (as he said, to help get to our end goal). One embryo took and I had a successful singleton pregnancy.
– Read less
10
Age
31 - 32
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Other
10
The staff [at No Cal Fert Med Ctr] was so sweet to us and they already knew us by our name. Every time I called with a question or concerns there was always someone there to help us...[the nurse] She was amazing! She answered all my questions and always reassured me when I was emotional and scared....Surgery, new patient fee, IVF, PGS testing and biopsy of embryo. $16,000 our insurance covered medications $9,000 for IVF.
+ Read more
Age
31 - 32
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Latino
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Other
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Make sure to call ahead of time to make an appointment sometimes it can be a month wait.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
He was always so kind and informative.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Courtney )
She was amazing! She answered all my questions and always reassured me when I was emotional and scared.
How was your experience with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Murray was referred to me from my previous fertility Dr. Klooster (Kaiser Sacramento) who is old colleagues and friends of Michael's. Dr. Murray was always so kind to me & my husband and always took the time to help us understand the steps to our journey. The staff was so sweet to us and they already knew us by our name. Every time I called with a question or concerns there was always someone there to help us.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Relax he's going to take good care of you! And you'll have a great experience no matter what the outcome is.
Describe the protocols Michael Murray used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
I had surgery and he thought maybe I had hydrosalpinx so I was going in thinking my tube was going to be removed but lucky for me it was just scare tissue and my tube was fine. He removed an ovarian cyst along with Endometriosis. We went through our 1st IVF in November 2016 and had PGS testing done on our only embryo. Our son had abnormal chromosomes. On April 28th we will be married for 10years! We hope & pray someday we can be parents. We can't financially afford another round of IVF.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Surgery, new patient fee, IVF, PGS testing and biopsy of embryo. $16,000 our insurance covered medications $9,000 for IVF.
– Read less
10
Age
24 - 25
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
The clinics [Northern CA Fertility Med Ctr] strengths are once you walk in the staff is very welcoming and help you out with paperwork if needed to be filled out. They clinic doesn't really have any weaknesses...All of our genetic testing and blood work came out to around $600 . The ultrasounds were $345 I believe. My papsmhere was $300 . The iui was $475... All of the nurses were very helpful and were able to answer all of my questions and it was a plus that the nurses spoke spanish
+ Read more
Age
24 - 25
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Latino
Income
$0 - $49K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
The clinics strengths are once you walk in the staff is very welcoming and help you out with paperwork if needed to be filled out. They clinic doesn't really have any weaknesses everything is great about the clinic.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
The staff was very welcoming and were able to answer any questions I had.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
All of the nurses were very helpful and were able to answer all of my questions and it was a plus that the nurses spoke spanish because may husband doesn't speak English fluent.
How was your experience with Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr Soto was very specific on everything he told us and he was able to answer all of our questions. He was polite and it seemed like he really cares about all of his patients . He was able to explain the whole process detail by detail without leaving us confused.
Describe the protocols Carlos Soto-Albors used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
I first had to start off by taking Clomid twice a day starting day 7 of my cycle I believe. I had to test for my fertile days starting on day 11 . Once I got a positive I had to call the office to go in . When I got to the Dr office they did an ultrasound to confirm I was on my fertile days . Before leaving the Dr office the nurse gave me the trigger shot . The next day I had the iui done . Now the wait began I had to wait 10 days after to start testing. After I got a negative test result I had to call the office to do the same process again.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
All of our genetic testing and blood work came out to around $600 . The ultrasounds were $345 I believe. My papsmhere was $300 . The iui was $475
– Read less
0
Age
32 - 33
Treated
2015 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
2 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor
0
My issues primarily came from a lack of communication by my nurse during my cycle. She failed to notify me of changes during the cycle. ... The clinic [No Cal Fert Med Ctr] looks nice but their operations are disorganized. There's a lack of communication between the lab, nurse and doctor. They also had a change in the lab director and the quality of the practice declined. ... Miriam was disorganized, didn't respond to emails and phone calls for multiple days and was often discussing how much she had going on in her personal life as an excuse for her lack of follow up. She didn't explain changes and often wasn't able to answer questions but wouldn't offer to find out for me by talking to the doctor.
+ Read more
Age
32 - 33
Treated
2015 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European, Other
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Business Executive
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
2 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor
0
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
The clinic looks nice but their operations are disorganized. There's a lack of communication between the lab, nurse and doctor. They also had a change in the lab director and the quality of the practice declined.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Stephens was very personable and took the time to sit down with us to explain things.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Miriam)
Miriam was disorganized, didn't respond to emails and phone calls for multiple days and was often discussing how much she had going on in her personal life as an excuse for her lack of follow up. She didn't explain changes and often wasn't able to answer questions but wouldn't offer to find out for me by talking to the doctor.
What specific things went wrong at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
- Lost paperwork
- Lost appointments
- Failed to call with results
- Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
- Provided conflicting information
- Failed to convey critical information
How was your experience with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Stephens is very caring and takes the time to speak to you and answer all your questions. But I did get the sense sometimes that she was still "new" in her experience. Whether that's the case or not, I'm not sure but after moving to a different clinic and dealing with a very seasoned doctor it became more clear that I was likely right.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
She's great. The clinic isn't great.
Describe the protocols Sahar Stephens used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
I unfortunately don't remember specifics of the cycle and the nurse was the primary communicator of cycle changes and she didn't tell me what was happening.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I contracted through a refund guarantee plan with an outside agency so the prices were negotiated. One cycle was about $10k which included retrieval and transfer.
Describe Sahar Stephens's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
She was fine with a multiple egg transfer as our first transfer was of two embryos.
– Read less
9
Age
31 - 32
Treated
2015 - 2016
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
9
The clinic [NCFMC] overall knows all of their patients and they treat them like family...They did not inform us that we could decline a day 3 transfer. We would have waited until the blastis stage and/or frozen the embryos so that we could allow time for my body to heal...We spent about $15,000 on IVF with Dr. Murray...My nurse was like family. When I ended up with yet another negative pregnancy she took it upon herself to call me even though she wasn't working that day and cried with me...
+ Read more
Age
31 - 32
Treated
2015 - 2016
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European, Other
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Entrepreneur
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 3 Docs
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
9
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
The clinic overall knows all of their patients and they treat them like family.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Murray was very comfortable to be around and provided us with a lot of confidence in his ability. He was extremely hopeful of the outcome and was very positive in the entire process. He was confident that we would be successful in conceiving as our numbers and bloodwork looked promising.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Marcie Colletti)
My nurse was like family. When I ended up with yet another negative pregnancy she took it upon herself to call me even though she wasn't working that day and cried with me.
What specific things went wrong at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
- Failed to convey critical information
How was your experience with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Murray was very optimistic and answered all of our questions. He may have been a little over confident since we were "textbook" for a positive result which obviously didn't occur, but I don't know that any other course of action would have been viable.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Ask every question you can think of. Ask what decisions you are allowed to make in regards to when you do a transfer and if you or the lab make that call.
Describe the protocols Michael Murray used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
With Dr. Murray we did IVF. He did a full round of hormones including injections. We did an egg retrieval with ICSI and transferred two embryos on day 3. The lab made the call to do a day 3 transfer because the embryos looked good enough to do so. I however would have waited and possibly frozen the embryos to allow my body time to recover from the egg retrieval process.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
We spent about $15,000 on IVF with Dr. Murray.
Describe Michael Murray's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I would have still transferred two embryos, but at a later date.
– Read less
10
Age
35
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
4 IUI
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Endometriosis, Male Factor
10
It's a very busy clinic [Northern California Fertility Medical Center], and things do fall through the cracks. I have had to be flexible and do things on their time more than mine. But whenever I made a phone call or followed up I got an answer quickly...I switched to this clinic from another local clinic specifically for IVF treatment. I wanted a more innovative and customized treatment. I definitely found this with Dr. Stephens....We had insurance coverage: IVF cycle with ICSI $6,000 medications $200.
+ Read more
Age
35
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$0 - $49K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
3rd of 3 Docs
Treatment
4 IUI
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Endometriosis, Male Factor
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
It's a very busy clinic, and things do fall through the cracks. I have had to be flexible and do things on their time more than mine. But whenever I made a phone call or followed up I got an answer quickly.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
She always greets me with a smile and "nice to see you again" I never feel like she doesn't remember my history, my name, or where I am in the process or cycle. Very warm and caring, but without being condescending.
How was your experience with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
I switched to this clinic from another local clinic specifically for IVF treatment. I wanted a more innovative and customized treatment. I definitely found this with Dr. Stephens. She is very easy to talk to, ask questions, and doesn't sugarcoat anything. While she was very candid about my treatment plan and the possible outcomes, she was not without compassion and warmth. She tailored an extremely aggressive protocol for me, utilized supplements, and some alternative and innovative treatment ideas. Extremely pleased I made the switch!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Feel free to ask as many questions about the process or your possible outcome.
Describe the protocols Sahar Stephens used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
CoQ10, DHEA, birth control pills for pre cycle. Microdose Lupron, Follistim 300iu, Menopur 150iu, (administered IM for better response) letrozole 5mg days 2-6 (endometriosis) 81mg Aspirin, dexamethasone (egg quality), PIO, e2 p4 suppositories. ICSI for male factor
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
We had insurance coverage: IVF cycle with ICSI $6,000 medications $200
– Read less
10
Age
30 - 32
Treated
2014 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
3 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality
10
Strengths [at Northern California Fertility Medical Center] are the doctored and nurses. Weaknesses would be the financial coordinator. Worst communication EVER. Lost my IVF check. Wouldn't email back. Didn't keep track of payments- awful experience with them. [Monitoring is] always in and out! Very easy while working!...I love Dr Stephens. From the get go she has been up front with my treatment while also doing so with empathy. She is the reason why I switched RE's at my clinic
+ Read more
Age
30 - 32
Treated
2014 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
—
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
3 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Strengths are the doctored and nurses. Weaknesses would be the financial coordinator. Worst communication EVER. Lost my IVF check. Wouldn't email back. Didn't keep track of payments- awful experience with them
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
I love Dr Stephens. From the get go she has been up front with my treatment while also doing so with empathy. She is the reason why I switched RE's at my clinic
What specific things went wrong at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
- Lost paperwork
- Failed to convey critical information
How was your experience with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
I absolutely adore Dr Stephens. She is up front and honest but treats me like a person and not just a "patient" she answers ALL my questions on appointments without making it seem like I am taking up her time a
Or bugging her. She has set realistic goals for my plan for pregnancy. She answers my emails in 2 days tops! She is so sweet and kind and I feel like that is hard to come by with doctors in this field. If you are In the sac area I highly recommend her!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Just ask questions and listen!
Describe the protocols Sahar Stephens used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
My first IVF cycle I was on an antagonist plan with low dose gonal f and menopur. I ended up producing 15 eggs but due to low quality they arrested before day 5 except for two that were put in on day 3- BFN. He next cycle she upped my Meds to a higher dose to try and create more eggs, and chose a Lupron trigger to ensure I didn't develop OHSS. I got 30 eggs retrieved this cycle and 10 frozen blasts! Her plan coupled with my egg boot camp to change my quality.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Always in and out! Very easy while working!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
8k for IVF, 3-4K for Meds
– Read less
9
Age
43
Treated
2015
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
4 IVF
Diagnosis
—
9
I have nothing but wonderful things to say about my care coordinator [at NCFMC] nurse Miriam. She made everything run smoothly, she was very friendly and most of all caring. She also understood things on another level as she too was an infertility patient...The treatment used was Traditional IVF, beginning with ovarian suppression BCP, followed by IVF Cycle Type Mircodose Lupron, Gonal- F, Menopur. I believe the protocol used was primarily based on my previous IVF treatment at another center in 2003, it then produced positive results, a healthy pregnancy and birth. With Dr. Stephens protocol it's my opinion that do to my age (43) at the time of treatment ovarian suppression was unnecessary, in doing so this may have been a factor as to why fewer follicles developed.
+ Read more
Age
43
Treated
2015
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European, Latino, Native American
Income
$0 - $49K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 4 Docs
Treatment
4 IVF
Diagnosis
—
9
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Strengths: I feel this clinics strengths are their staff from the Dr.'s to their nursing staff, and embryologist team. They made you feel welcomed.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Stephens has a straight forward approach yet compassionate and understanding at the same time.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Miriam)
I have nothing but wonderful things to say about my care coordinator nurse Miriam. She made everything run smoothly, she was very friendly and most of all caring. She also understood things on another level as she too was an infertility patient.
How was your experience with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Stephens was the first female RE Dr. I had been treated by, and who I did my third fresh IVF cycle with. At our initial meeting I sensed she was a little reserved yet approachable, she had a direct approach about the cycle protocol we would be using and over the course of treatment I found her to be a caring Dr.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Don't base a permanent opinion of her on your first encounter.
Describe the protocols Sahar Stephens used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
The treatment used was Traditional IVF, beginning with ovarian suppression BCP, followed by IVF Cycle Type Mircodose Lupron, Gonal- F, Menopur.
I believe the protocol used was primarily based on my previous IVF treatment at another center in 2003, it then produced positive results, a healthy pregnancy and birth.
With Dr. Stephens protocol it's my opinion that do to my age (43) at the time of treatment ovarian suppression was unnecessary, in doing so this may have been a factor as to why fewer follicles developed.
Describe Sahar Stephens's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
No strong approach. We had three with different grades, so all three were transferred.
– Read less
8
Age
26 - 35
Treated
2006 - 2015
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
Unexplained
8
Strengths are that it's a nice facility with many amazing staff members and doctors. Weaknesses are that sometimes things are not explained thoroughly, appointments can be hard to book, calling to schedule procedures can be stressful, especially if you are a teacher...I had some trouble with other dr's not explaining things clearly. My husband's frozen sperm was not great for you but his fresh was. I was told after the you how terrible the sample was which was very upsetting. My cervix was also closed which made things hard. I like how Dr. Murray is honest and fair. I like how he listens and makes things right even if he was not the one to cause a problem.
+ Read more
Age
26 - 35
Treated
2006 - 2015
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Other
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 3 Docs
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
Unexplained
8
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Strengths are that it's a nice facility with many amazing staff members and doctors. Weaknesses are that sometimes things are not explained thoroughly, appointments can be hard to book, calling to schedule procedures can be stressful, especially if you are a teacher.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
I met Dr. Murray when I signed up to do egg donations as a young adult. I also saw him years later for myself . He is always kind, listens and explains things.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Marcie)
I adored Marcie but she left. At times I felt like I wasn't explained things by nurses well and everyone was in a rush.
What specific things went wrong at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
- Failed to convey critical information
How was your experience with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
I had some issues with the clinic and Dr. Murray was fair and really listened to our concerns. I have a lot going on....my husband deploying and me being a teacher I am limited on time and carry a lot of stress. He put my concerns to rest and shows compassion.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Have concerns or questions ready because he is a great resource to talk to.
Describe the protocols Michael Murray used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
I had some trouble with other dr's not explaining things clearly. My husband's frozen sperm was not great for you but his fresh was. I was told after the you how terrible the sample was which was very upsetting. My cervix was also closed which made things hard. I like how Dr. Murray is honest and fair. I like how he listens and makes things right even if he was not the one to cause a problem.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I don't remember specifics of each. It was pricey.
– Read less
9
Age
29 - 30
Treated
2013 - 2014
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
9
During our IVF cycle [at Northern California Medical Center] they did not inform us that we had a say in when to transfer and or the option to freeze the embryos in order to allow my body to heal from the egg retrieval. Had we known that this was an option we definitely would have waited...We did two rounds of IUI with blood work, medications and insemination it was in total around $8000...We did two rounds of IUI with Dr. Andreyko and she changed the medication slightly increasing dosages for the second round.
+ Read more
Age
29 - 30
Treated
2013 - 2014
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European, Other
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Entrepreneur
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 3 Docs
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
9
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
The only weakness that I saw in my clinic was that it was 2.5 hours away and sometimes I had to make early morning appointments. Obviously, not their fault.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Janice Andreyko at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Andrekyo treated us like an individual and assessed our medical needs. She created a plan just for my husband and I and made us feel like she was a part of our struggle.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Marcie Colletti)
Marcie was like a second mother to me and really went on the emotional journey from the beginning. We connected with her on such a personal level and I know that I can still to this day call on her for anything.
What specific things went wrong at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
- Failed to convey critical information
How was your experience with Janice Andreyko at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Andreyko was very personable and very real world. She isn't just a textbook knowledge doctor, she is a real world doctor who was practical in her approach. She answered all of our questions in regards to the process and procedure and helped us to cope with the end result of not having a successful pregnancy.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Janice Andreyko at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Don't be afraid to ask "silly" questions? She will not judge you for not being fully educated to the process or procedure of IUI.
Describe the protocols Janice Andreyko used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
We did two rounds of IUI with Dr. Andreyko and she changed the medication slightly increasing dosages for the second round.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Janice Andreyko at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
We did two rounds of IUI with blood work, medications and insemination it was in total around $8000, as our insurance didn't cover any of the cost.
Describe Janice Andreyko's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
We only did IUI under Dr. Andreykos care.
– Read less
9
Age
24 - 26
Treated
2016 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
5 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Male Factor
9
The clinic [Northern CA Fert Med Ctr] is very clean and everyone there is friendly. Every time I had to call and talk to someone, I would leave a voicemail and they always got back to me within a couple hours, sooner if it was needed.... Susan [nurse] was very helpful and I felt very comfortable asking her about anything. She highlighted my flowsheets and it made it a lot easier to follow the directions.... for IVF I paid 2,000-3,000 on meds the first time, and 1,500 the second time.
+ Read more
Age
24 - 26
Treated
2016 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Other
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
5 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Male Factor
9
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
The clinic is very clean and everyone there is friendly. Every time I had to call and talk to someone, I would leave a voicemail and they always got back to me within a couple hours, sooner if it was needed.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Susan)
Susan was very helpful and I felt very comfortable asking her about anything. She highlighted my flowsheets and it made it a lot easier to follow the directions.
How was your experience with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
She was very thoughtful and always answered all my questions . She made sure I knew what we were getting into. Personally she is a very nice doctor. Although she wasn’t the only doctor I saw I know she was reviewing my charts with the other doctors that I saw.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Be strong. It’s a tough road but hopefully it will end well
Describe the protocols Sahar Stephens used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
The first IVF I did we used max medications and stims. But we didn’t get any follicles. The second IVF we used minimal meds and got one follicle, but at the egg retrieval no eggs were there.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I don’t remember how much I paid for the IUIs and IVF. I know for IVF I paid 2,000-3,000 on meds the first time, and 1,500 the second time.
Describe Sahar Stephens's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Never got that far
– Read less
10
Age
33
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
6 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
—
10
Strengths would be super organized, friendly staff [NCFMC] and knowledgeable doctors. The doctors know what there talking about and are sentive to the needs of there patients. Clinic is always clean. No weaknesses at this time.... Cost ran about $2000 for back to back iui and ultersound plus visits. $600 for medications.... Cost ran about $2000 for back to back iui and ultersound plus visits. $600 for medications.
+ Read more
Age
33
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
6 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
—
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Strengths would be super organized, friendly staff and knowledgeable doctors. The doctors know what there talking about and are sentive to the needs of there patients. Clinic is always clean. No weaknesses at this time.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
This doctor was very kind and sensitive to my needs. Even though I got pregnant and miscarried 4 weeks into it the dr was very senitve and kind though out.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Kayla)
Nurse coordinator was extremely helpful and always got messages back quickly.
How was your experience with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
I saw Michael Murry a few times throughout treatment. He preformed. One iui that was back to back. He was so kind and had a really good bed side manner. I felt very confident in him as a doctor. He also was there with the misscarrage and was very understanding due to how hard it was.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Always go into the office with lots of questions. This doctor will answer every question.
Describe the protocols Michael Murray used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
I used letrozole 2.5 tablets. Gonal F once a day for 5 days. HCG shot.
Suppositories every day after back to back iui
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Cost ran about $2000 for back to back iui and ultersound plus visits. $600 for medications.
– Read less
10
Age
29 - 31
Treated
2016 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
10 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Anovulation, Unexplained
10
The clinic [N. Cal Fertility Med Ctr] is very quiet and clean. The staff is very welcoming and entergetic. They are very quick so you won’t be left in the waiting room forever. I was nervous bringing my daughter in there around everyone who also is suffering but I came to realize they are the ones who help make her and I wanted people to see they can make this happen.... [Nurse] Replies very fast and very well educated
+ Read more
Age
29 - 31
Treated
2016 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$0 - $49K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 5 Docs
Treatment
10 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Anovulation, Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
The clinic is very quiet and clean. The staff is very welcoming and entergetic. They are very quick so you won’t be left in the waiting room forever. I was nervous bringing my daughter in there around everyone who also is suffering but I came to realize they are the ones who help make her and I wanted people to see they can make this happen.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
She always made it personable. Even though she would give us the statistics she would always talk to us about us and how it will happen and sometimes it just takes some time.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Kayla)
Replies very fast and very well educated
How was your experience with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Sahar Stephens at first was so blunt with the truth it hurt but after a hour or two conversation we left knowing it happens to a lot of couples and they are able to make it happen if everything was done properly. She comes off very quiet but she is very knowledgeable and loves what she does
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Go in with a open mind and don’t be upset if the answer you hear at first isn’t the one you wanted. They can work miracles and try to help everyone’s dreams come true
Describe the protocols Sahar Stephens used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
I was on letrazole and entrace then a trigger shot 10000mg
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Around 3500-4000
– Read less
10
Age
35
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
Front desk staff [Northern California Fertility Med Ctr] could use some help. They were borderline rude at times. It would be nice to be scheduled with the same doctor every time. Financial advisors did a great job at disclosing all fees upfront. We actually over paid and didn’t know it. We received a refund within thirty days after completing our cycle. It was nice to have lab onsite.... Peggy was amazing! She called back quickly answering every question and email. When I cried she cried. She really cares for her patients
+ Read more
Age
35
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Front desk staff could use some help. They were borderline rude at times. It would be nice to be scheduled with the same doctor every time. Financial advisors did a great job at disclosing all fees upfront. We actually over paid and didn’t know it. We received a refund within thirty days after completing our cycle. It was nice to have lab onsite.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Sometimes I felt like he rushed a bit to get to the next patient
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Peggy)
Peggy was amazing! She called back quickly answering every question and email. When I cried she cried. She really cares for her patients
How was your experience with Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
He was a nice doctor but we didn’t see him every time. He wore sunglasses once. Sometime I felt like he rushed me out and didn’t answer my querstions fully or to where I could understand them (he spoke in doctor terms) it would have been nice to see the same doctor every time.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Have a list of questions prepared. And ask questions if you don’t understand his responses
Describe the protocols Carlos Soto-Albors used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
We did hormone injections in preparations for egg retrieval. Then we waited 1 month and did a frozen transfer 1st try was a success
Describe the costs associated with your care under Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
9,000 out of pocket with some insurance coverage
Describe Carlos Soto-Albors's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
They strongly suggested starting with one embryo, they were right it was successful
– Read less
8
Age
36 - 37
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor
8
Strengths- very organized, friendly and experienced. Also, they are very punctual. The staff [Northern CA Fertility Med Ctr] have been great all around. I also appreciate their honesty and candidness. Weakness- it would be nice to be able to see one doctor more consistently.... Total care has been around $26,000 including medications. This is for one retrieval and two embryo transfers... very organized, understanding and knowledgeable.
+ Read more
Age
36 - 37
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Other
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor
8
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Strengths- very organized, friendly and experienced. Also, they are very punctual. The staff have been great all around. I also appreciate their honesty and candidness.
Weakness- it would be nice to be able to see one doctor more consistently.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
My doctor is very personable and understanding. She provides very good information and ensures that we understand what’s going on at all times.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Alyssa Schnorr)
She’s very organized, understanding and knowledgeable. I would recommend her to anyone.
How was your experience with Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
She’s very nice and very understanding. She has lots of confidence and experience. She is able to answer our questions in a thoughtful manner. We had a very good experience working with her. We would recommend her to others as well.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
To just ask any questions that they may have instead of googling!
Describe the protocols Laurie Lovely used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
I’ve tried a natural frozen embryo transfer cycle and a hormone replacement cycle. Both for different reasons. I’m still in the middle of the ladder cycle.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Total care has been around $26,000 including medications. This is for one retrieval and two embryo transfers
Describe Laurie Lovely's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Our doctor recommended a single, but we opted to transfer two embryos both times.
– Read less
10
Age
33 - 34
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
IUI
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
I think the clinic [N. CA Fertility Med Ctr] is great. They have always returned calls and emails quickly, been friendly on the phone and during check in. The only weakness I would say is the wait times but that’s only because we are so eager to move along in the process quickly. They also understand this.... The initial consult was @$250. Blood test were $250 .Sperm retrieval #1 was $1500. Sperm rerieval #2 will be $3000
+ Read more
Age
33 - 34
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Prefer not to answer
Income
$0 - $49K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
IUI
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I think the clinic is great. They have always returned calls and emails quickly, been friendly on the phone and during check in. The only weakness I would say is the wait times but that’s only because we are so eager to move along in the process quickly. They also understand this.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nurses were very attentive and made sure my husband was comfortable after his first sperm retrieval even though he was grouchy and in a bit of pain.
How was your experience with John Gould at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
He is one of the top most doctors in male factor and is very smart. He is also very funny and makes us feel comfortable and always explains things in more than one way to make sure we understand. He is very good at responding to emails and voicemails very quickly.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of John Gould at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Make an appointment with him right away. He is awesome
Describe the protocols John Gould used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
My husband had a sperm retrieval procedure and sperm analysts. He is due to go in for another more in depth procedure. No meds are required before hand
Describe the costs associated with your care under John Gould at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
The initial consult was @$250. Blood test were $250 .Sperm retrieval #1 was $1500. Sperm rerieval #2 will be $3000
Describe John Gould's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
No comment
– Read less
10
Age
35 - 36
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Other, Unexplained
10
Courtney [a nurse at No CA Fertility Medical Center] isn't a bubbly/exciting personality, but she knows what she's doing and is helpful when you need it. If you're looking for a cheerleader nurse, she's probably not the one for you.... My main issue was with the lab technicians drawing blood poorly. Everything else has been great! The office staff are available readily via email so that's nice to have access for billing & insurance questions too.
+ Read more
Age
35 - 36
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Operations
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Other, Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
My main issue was with the lab technicians drawing blood poorly. Everything else has been great! The office staff are available readily via email so that's nice to have access for billing & insurance questions too.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
She's very warm and caring
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Courtney)
Courtney isn't a bubbly/exciting personality, but she knows what she's doing and is helpful when you need it. If you're looking for a cheerleader nurse, she's probably not the one for you.
How was your experience with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr Stephens was very friendly and compassionate every time I met with her. She did both of my hysteroscopy procedures, and a couple of our cycle review visits. She has empathy and understanding, and is very knowledgeable and personable. While I enjoy other doctors at this clinic too, she's my favorite.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
No advice, she's great!
Describe the protocols Sahar Stephens used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
For Round 2, she's maxing out my dosages to get as many eggs as possible since I have a genetic condition and Round 1 results were worse than expected.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Round 2 fees without insurance but including a cash discount are about $12250, not including meds, PGS, anesthesia, storage.
Describe Sahar Stephens's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
n/a
– Read less
10
Age
27 - 28
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
3 IUI, IVF, Egg Freezing, Embryo Freezing
Diagnosis
Tubal Blockage
10
One weakness [for N CA Fertility Med Ctr-Roseville] i would mention is the training of new hires, they lost my first IUI payment and thank god i had my receipt or else they would have over charged me 1000$! Make sure the new hires at the front desk are aware of how to handle money and transactions before asking for another payment.... 1200$ per IUI 13000 per IVF
+ Read more
Age
27 - 28
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Other
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 3 Docs
Treatment
3 IUI, IVF, Egg Freezing, Embryo Freezing
Diagnosis
Tubal Blockage
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
One weakness i would mention is the training of new hires, they lost my first IUI payment and thank god i had my receipt or else they would have over charged me 1000$!
Make sure the new hires at the front desk are aware of how to handle money and transactions before asking for another payment.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
She was very nice and up front about my first IUI procedure. She explained everything and was comforting in how high her hopes were for a positive outcome which is something every woman needs during this hard time.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Courtney )
Courtney explained everything in detail for me over the phone before i even met with her to go over my flow sheet and injectables!
What specific things went wrong at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
- Lost paperwork
- Provided conflicting information
How was your experience with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
She was amazing at explaining the process of IUI and medications.
My hsg showed a blockage from the radiologist but she was able to find an opening giving me a sense of hope. I went home after her appointments with a smile
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Don’t forget to ask questions! There are no dumb questions
Describe the protocols Sahar Stephens used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
She started me on Clomid 50mg for my first IUI. But it only yeilded 1 nature follicle so i has to increase safely over the course of the next cycle.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
20$ co pays for new patient visit.
1200$ per IUI
13000 per IVF
Describe Sahar Stephens's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I would prefer 2 or 3 embryos but she’s very certain one is all I’ll need for a healthy baby after IVF
– Read less
10
Age
25 - 29
Treated
2014 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
IVF, 1 Embryo Freezing (cancer)
Diagnosis
Cancer, Other
10
All of the nurses [at N. CA Fertility Medical Center] I’ve interacted with have been kind and caring. They especially took EXCELLENT care of me on the day of my egg retrieval - before, during and after....Of course I wish fertility treatments were more affordable but they do their best to work with you. They are transparent about their services and pricing. There’s no pressure, they provide your treatment options, the success rates, the pros and cons, and they let you decide on the treatment you feel comfortable with.
+ Read more
Age
25 - 29
Treated
2014 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
IVF, 1 Embryo Freezing (cancer)
Diagnosis
Cancer, Other
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
No complaints here. My experience has been great each time. Of course I wish fertility treatments were more affordable but they do their best to work with you. They are transparent about their services and pricing. There’s no pressure, they provide your treatment options, the success rates, the pros and cons, and they let you decide on the treatment you feel comfortable with.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Each time we see Dr. Stephens, she is very personable and gives us her full attention. She makes a point of getting to know our situation and creating an open discussion of options.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Sue)
All of the nurses I’ve interacted with have been kind and caring. They especially took EXCELLENT care of me on the day of my egg retrieval - before, during and after.
How was your experience with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
With my situation, there has been a lot of “hurry up and wait” and “wait and see” time periods. Each time we see Dr. Sahar she is patient with all of our questions, and understanding and receptive of our thoughts and/or concerns. She is upfront and honest about our options and the pros/cons to each treatment.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
The egg retrieval was around $10,000, each embryo transfer can be up to $5,000 and each IUI cycle can be up to $2,000.
Describe Sahar Stephens's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Dr. Stephens has explicitly stated that she will only do eSET due to the young age of my eggs upon retrieval. I totally understand the reasoning and approach, although, I am of the mind that it would be beneficial financially to increase the chances of a successful transfer with multiple embryo transfer.
– Read less
8
Age
32 - 33
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
—
8
The clinic [Northern California Fertility Medical Center] is staffed with doctors, nurses and other miscellaneous staff dedicated to helping struggling couples, patients achieve their dream of parenthood. Cooperation among them in order to achieve this is noticeable. Patients thoughts are treated respectfully. Information about procedures is not hidden and shared with patient in detail without being asked for.
+ Read more
Age
32 - 33
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Latino
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 3 Docs
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
—
8
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
The clinic is staffed with doctors, nurses and other miscellaneous staff dedicated to helping struggling couples, patients achieve their dream of parenthood. Cooperation among them in order to achieve this is noticeable. Patients thoughts are treated respectfully. Information about procedures is not hidden and shared with patient in detail without being asked for.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Felt like a human- time was taken by doctors, nurses and staff at clinic to answer questions, address concerns and go over procedures in a detailed manner.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Courtney)
Amiable nursing staff. Great coordinators who were knowledgeable and willing to answer questions. Phone calls were not always answered but were returned in a timely manner.
How was your experience with Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Amiable personality, easy to communicate with. Knowledgeable about the subject and willing to share information with patients. Satisfied as to how treatment was set out. From first visit to the last felt involved in treatment and was provided with a lot of information as to why treatment was set out the way it was. Felt my questions/concerns were seriously taken into consideration and addressed in a respectful manner.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Laurie Lovely at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
She is not at the clinic full time which means treatment by other doctors is highly probable.
– Read less
10
Age
31 - 36
Treated
2013 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
5 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
PCOS, Tubal Blockage
10
Once you are assigned a nurse coordinator [at N. CA Fertility Center-Roseville] you have great communication. Prior to that it can be difficult to get answers. The front office and financial staff are great. The wait time is minimal.... Dottie [a nurse] was pretty special and a huge part in our success. She always calls back quickly and was very supportive and positive.
+ Read more
Age
31 - 36
Treated
2013 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
5 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
PCOS, Tubal Blockage
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Once you are assigned a nurse coordinator you have great communication. Prior to that it can be difficult to get answers. The front office and financial staff are great. The wait time is minimal.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Dottie)
Dottie was pretty special and a huge part in our success. She always calls back quickly and was very supportive and positive.
How was your experience with Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Dr. Soto-Albors is for the most part serious and moderately blunt. We really appreciated this about him. He is extremely knowledgeable, and thorough. Our nurse is who we spent most time with and she was more sensitive and our cheerleader of sorts. Dr. Soto-Albors is part-time in the office that he started over 30 years ago but I trusthim completely. He gave us our twins.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Ask lots of questions and take all the time you need in the appointments with the doctor.
Describe the protocols Carlos Soto-Albors used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
We had poor quality with higher doses our first round so he changed things up the 2nd time around and we made beautiful embryos. Dr. Soto-Albors will not proceed until he feels everything is perfect. We had a small uterine polyp we had to have removed before transferring.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
We were out of pocket and the cost seemed to be a average ora little bit less than other clinics. The financial coordinator was very helpful.
– Read less
10
Age
36 - 37
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
12 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
—
10
Everyone was helpful, kind, and treated me as a human instead of a "case"... I never have to wait long after arriving to be seen. Everyone is friendly. The facilities [Northern California Fertility Medical Center] are clean and up to date. Sometimes the conversations on the phone are matter of fact and directive instead of friendly and understanding.... Doctor consult was $90. Each round included two ultrasounds and 1-2 iui at around $1000. Plus HCG shot at $90 and pill meds at around $20
+ Read more
Age
36 - 37
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
12 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
—
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I never have to wait long after arriving to be seen. Everyone is friendly. The facilities are clean and up to date.
Sometimes the conversations on the phone are matter of fact and directive instead of friendly and understanding.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Used my name, listened and responded to my concerns.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
Everyone was helpful, kind, and treated me as a human instead of a "case"
What specific things went wrong at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Lost or damaged samples
How was your experience with Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Michael Murray is great at explaining every part of the process so you feel confident about your next steps. He addresses every question and is upfront and real about finances connected to the process.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Trust his experience.
Describe the protocols Michael Murray used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
My age was a factor in developing a strategy for our procedure. He addresses it in regards to the duality and quantity of eggs without making me feel old. We began with pill medication before iui. Had a positive result but insufficient lining led to a miscarriage. We are trying another pill medication round (currently awaiting results) before moving on to ivf
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Murray at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
Doctor consult was $90. Each round included two ultrasounds and 1-2 iui at around $1000. Plus HCG shot at $90 and pill meds at around $20
– Read less
10
Age
31 - 33
Treated
2016 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IVF, 1 Egg Freezing, 2 Embryo Freezing
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
All staff [No Cal Fert Med Ctr] was so friendly, they truly cared and wanted the transfers to succeed....Between 2 egg donations, vasectomy reversal, 4 fet and one fresh every staff member and nurse has been friendly and amazing....There only weaknesses is the decorations and old equipment and wall decor. Strengths is everyone communicates well and is on top of contacting patients in a timely manner.... I’ve had several nurse coordinators and different dr’s and they are all amazing.
+ Read more
Age
31 - 33
Treated
2016 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 3 Docs
Treatment
1 IVF, 1 Egg Freezing, 2 Embryo Freezing
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
There only weaknesses is the decorations and old equipment and wall decor. Strengths is everyone communicates well and is on top of contacting patients in a timely manner. We viewed several facilities and fell in love with the staff here. I’ve had several nurse coordinators and different dr’s and they are all amazing.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
All staff was so friendly, they truly cared and wanted the transfers to succeed.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Alyssa)
Between 2 egg donations, vasectomy reversal, 4 fet and one fresh every staff member and nurse has been friendly and amazing. They are all caring and compassionate .
How was your experience with Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
He was always upfront and honest. Very friendly and caring. We adjusted treatments appropriately to try different things for success. He always responded if I had questions. He always got me appointments in quickly.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Carlos Soto-Albors at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
Keep everything. That way it’s easy to look back at what medications worked and what didn’t.
Describe the protocols Carlos Soto-Albors used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
The first fet we did medications not injections. We had lots of issues with the actual transfer. We adjusted for the next cycle and he placed a stitch inside me. The next fet went much better but still resulted in negative pregnancy.
– Read less
9
Age
30
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Poor Egg Quality, Other, Unexplained
9
The regular nurses, not the IVF ones, were disorganized. Didn't call me back on time. I had to call many times until someone [No Cal Fert Med Ctr] called me back. Their strength is that once someone moved on to IVF, I felt like they were more organized and got back to me sooner when I had questions. The egg retrieval nurses were excellent. ... Not having my trigger shot during egg retrieval gave me bad egg quality. Only one out of eleven eggs was good enough to transfer. Nurses failed to call back sometimes. ...
+ Read more
Age
30
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
East Asian
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Poor Egg Quality, Other, Unexplained
9
Describe your experience with Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
The regular nurses, not the IVF ones, were disorganized. Didn't call me back on time. I had to call many times until someone called me back. Their strength is that once someone moved on to IVF, I felt like they were more organized and got back to me sooner when I had questions. The egg retrieval nurses were excellent.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
She was kind of cold at times when I was sensitive. But she gave me the baby I wanted so I don't care much anymore.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northern California Fertility Medical Center. (Assigned nurse: Dottie)
Dottie was reliable and answered all my questions. She listened to me when I was feeling depressed. I felt like she truly cared.
What specific things went wrong at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
- Failed to call with results
- Failed to send your chart to another clinic
How was your experience with Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
She was very clinical. Not very sensitive to my emotions at times but was a great doctor. I loved how she didn't want to over stimulate me during injections or didn't want me to get high risk twins even when I asked for it.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center?
She does care even if she seem like she doesn't. She will get you pregnant!
Describe the protocols Sahar Stephens used in your cycles at Northern California Fertility Medical Center and their degree of success.
She didn't give me the hcg shot because she didn't want me to over stimulate. It was a mistake because the hcg trigger during my second egg retrieval gave me better results on number of good embryos.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sahar Stephens at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
We had to do 2 egg retrieval and pay for keeping our embryos frozen. About 40k total! Also did one round of IUI!
Describe Sahar Stephens's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northern California Fertility Medical Center.
I'm glad she only transferred one since twins are high risk!