Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine

Dr. Kim has a kind demeanor, and is very straightforward with facts and statistics. She was upfront about the benefits and drawbacks of trying IUI, and answered all of my questions. I felt like she listened to me, and cared about trying to help us get pregnant. I personally appreciate a scientific approach, which she is how she speaks.

Make sure you have thought through your fertility journey ahead of time because she will ask you a lot of questions (i.e. timing, OPKs, tests you've had, history, etc). View Dr. Kim as a problem solver who will analyze your journey and try to help you with next steps.

My husband and I had a complete fertility work-up (HSG, bloodwork, ultrasound, SA, etc) and were diagnosed with unexplained infertility. Dr. Kim recommended a few cycles of medicated IUI. She said it could help with some problem they haven't been able to identify. She let us know it had about a 9% success rate per cycle, but on our own we likely only had 3% chance per cycle. I took Clomid (50 mg) for 5 days with monitoring. When I had a follicle large enough (mine was 23 mm) I took an HCG trigger shot, and did an IUI 36 hours later. My husband produced a sample of 11 million post-wash, which is considered great. Unfortunately, my IUI was unsuccessful.

My insurance covers fertility treatments. I had already met my deductible going through my fertility testing. For the IUI I paid approximately $40, labs about $30, Clomid was $10, HCG shot (generic) was $30.

Dr. Jain is a kind and compassionate RE. He’s written a book about infertility and it’s clear he truly cares for his patients and their well-being. That said, I am a poor responder and have done 6 cycles with Dr. Jain. Other than the first 2 cycles, I have suggested all protocols and potential new ideas to try. While I wish he would have been more proactive in that respect, he was completely open to my suggestions and allowed me to try everything I wanted to without hesitation. Of my 6 retrievals, Dr. Jain only performed 1 of them. I never saw him during stims either but he was also available for a call if I requested it (and I was never charged for them). Overall, I think Dr. Jain is a great RE.

Be sure to do your own research and advocate for any protocols or medicines you think may be beneficial. Northwestern appears to be pretty conservative in their practice.

Antagonist - first 4 cycles, mostly diagnostic but I think this is the standard protocol they use for all patients. Microdose lupron - it was my suggestion to make this change For the last 2 cycles because I knew regular antagonist was not working for me.

Northwestern follows SART guidelines in this regard.

Dr. Kim was honest and candid about our options. She explained the results of our infertility evaluation in detail. When IUI did not work and we decided to go forward with IVF, she spent a large amount of time answering all our questions and reviewing the steps, risks in detail. She was very knowledgeable, drawing from medical literature/data, and transparent about our options and chances. The only thing that made me unsettled (and perhaps this is a reflection of my current stress/anxiety as we are still undergoing fertility treatment) is that I felt that we should have discussed IVF as a more serious option earlier when I had a better chance of success (I.e. was younger). Even though it was a span of a year, I felt that my chances of fertility success declined over that period based on my repeat testing/evaluations and that doing IUI first was a waste of time.

Don't be afraid to voice your concerns and opinions up front.

For my IUIs, we used 100 mg of Clomid for 5 days, triggered with Ovidrel. I did produce 2 follicles each time. For my first IVF cycle, we started with Follistim at 300 mg and Menopur at 75 units for 3 days which is the standard start IVF regimen for the clinic from what I understand. I was then increased to Menopur 150 units along with the same dose of Follistim for 5 days. Despite the increase, my cycle ended up getting converted to IUI because of poor response (only 2 follicles).

I have fertility benefits which covered my IUIs and medications thus far. I do have a copay for labs, US, office visits which have equaled out to about $500-$800 thus far.

We have yet to make it to transfer. But our plan is for PGS testing and transfer of 1 embryo.

So far he is very nice and very gentle. He explains this well and although I am in the field he still explained everything. Sometimes he can be a little awkward but I believe he knows his specialty. I’ve never had a problem with him, I’d just like him to be more visible.

Be prepared to not see a MD during your IUI. I was completely caught off guard. Be prepared to travel down town for monitoring and procedures, I was under the impression everything could be done in Oakbrook.

Iui x3 with letrozole and ovidrel trigger. Letrozole works better with those with a history of PCOS. 1 ivf cycle with gonal f and menopur. 7 follicules, 4 mature, 1 fertilized. 1 bfn.

Last I have heard... my insurance covers 5 IUI’s and 4 IVF procedures.

1-2 with a 3 day. 1 with a 5 day.

Dr. Robins is straightforward and gave me his cell number which I appreciated. However, I still found it difficult to get in touch with him and trying to contact him through the nurses or MyChart was pointless. He is not warm or compassionate. Can be a little bit patronizing.

Don’t use him if you need comforting care.

I had 3 retrievals at the clinic - 2 were conducted by Dr. Robins and one was by another doctor. The protocol for my first 2 retrievals was Follistim/Menopur/Ganirelix. I used Ovidrel to trigger for my first retrieval and got overstimulated, which was awful. 12 embryos retrieved. For the 2nd retrieval, same stim meds, but with Lupron trigger. I think I had 10 retrieved (can’t remember exactly). For the 3rd retrieval, I used an estrogen priming protocol the the same stim meds with a Lupron trigger. I think I had 11 retrieved (can’t remember). Ended up with 2-3 per retrieval after Day 5-6 that ended up being frozen for PGS/PGD testing. Only had 3 transferable after testing.

Monitoring occurs from 7-7:45 am and it is a cattle call.

have insurance coverage for some of it but paid $40 copay per visit (these REALLY add up), $895 per retrieval for cryopreservation, plus my coinsurance costs. Total of about $4,500 for 3 retrievals and 2 transfers spanning 2 calendar years. Not counting parking costs!

They wouldn’t transfer more than one.

Dr. Feinberg is so good at explaining the process and what to expect. She did not make me feel silly for wanting to freeze my eggs at 25 for social reasons where many doctors might. She helped keep my mental and physical status intact during the process

You will be in great hands!

First come first serve. If you got there super early it was in and out and a little longer but after a few visits I knew what to expect!

$5800 out of pocket for fees and meds that my insurance did not cover

Doctor is very understanding of my particular situation. With a lot of money at stake for treatment a bit more clarity or face to face time would be appreciated. I felt heard but I would like a more detailed explanation of why, when things don’t work

Do your research and ask a lot of questions

2 IUI with Clomid, Ovidrel - negative 1 IUI Letrozole, Ovidrel (I asked for Letrozole change) Negative 1 IVF converted to IUI because of response Antagonist- negative 1 IVF long lupron protocol negative but better result

It was busy during monitoring but organized. Check in and then First come first served basis. Mostly in and out in half an hour

Over $5000 so far, some coverage

She was open to discussing pros and cons about this.

I cannot say enough good things about our experience with Dr. Feinberg. She is exactly who I want and need in our corner while we fight to have our first child. I only wish we found her sooner. It would have made our first 6 rounds kinder and perhaps more successful.

Call her immediately.

I am a 43 year old intended mother who has been trying to have a baby for 6 years and has had 6 miscarriages, 5 of the 6 miscarriages were through trying naturally. We saw Dr. Feinberg for our last two IVF rounds using my own eggs. We are beginning IVF rounds with her using donor eggs. (We have done 8 rounds of infertility treatments to date, though only two have been with her.)

Our insurance helped with the cost substantially.

Lia Bernardi was always great in person and on the phone. I spoke with her a total of two times in two years. Once at the initial meeting, once on the phone after miscarriage. She was kind and caring when I interacted with her. Interaction was so little. I felt like I was in charge of my own treatment. I would suggest something via portal and a nurse would respond. Also I had to point out that my thyroid was high and only then did they put on meds for that. Nice person, not a great doctor/patient experience.

Look carefully at all tests and each patients results/past. Interact more with patient.

Went for FET with an embryo from an embryo retrieved at another clinic out of state. Wanted to transfer in state so found them. They transferred and it was not a success. I requested Dr. Bernardi be the one to transfer- she agreed. The dr. that showed up at the transfer was NOT Dr. Bernardi and at that point I had no choice but to do the transfer as the embryo was thawed. It failed. Then we went to IUI as I had previously gotten pregnant with iui. First stimmed iui I became pregnant. I then was shuffled between two dr.'s as Dr. Bernardi went on maternity. The pregnancy was ectopic. Given methotrexate (3x) to dissolve pregnancy. Also had an empty sac. This was expelled and I ended up being admitted to ER for excessive bleeding. Horrible times. A few months pass. We decide to do iui again. First iui failed. Second they stimmed me too hard and I feel the cycle should have been cancelled as I triggered on day 6. It failed, not surprised. This current cycle I am doing a natural cycle (I asked for this). We'll see. I am planning on going elsewhere after this cycle.

a lot for the fet. Each iui ends up being about 1700$

Not applicable

Dr. Feinberg has a policy of only transferring 1 embryo per transfer. She says it is for the safety for mother and baby, but with Northwestern's cost of $5000 per frozen transfer, there is a financial incentive for you to fail so that she can make more money on subsequent transfers. She cowers behind her nursing staff to deliver difficult news, instead of calling and talking to you directly. We made the mistake of waiting longer for an initial appointment so that we could see Dr. Feinberg, but she really wasn't terribly involved in our care. I had a different doctor for both the egg retrieval and fresh transfer. All that waiting for her did was delay our ability to start treatment.

Don't wait to see her, because you really won't be seeing her. Take the first available appointment unless you feel like waiting another 6 months (or longer) to actually start treatment.

Standard IVF protocol, with a month of estrogen priming to start. 5 day fresh transfer.

It is a cattle call. Expect to spend 30 min to an hour waiting.

$10,000 for out of pocket IVF, plus additional costs for all medicines. $5,000 for frozen transfer

She will only do a single embryo transfer unless you have very unfavorable characteristics (ie advanced maternal age and poor embryo quality).

Dr Bernardi is very warm, welcoming, comforting! I always felt comfortable picking her brain and discussing treatment plan. During my ivf treatment she was expecting. She asked if I was ok with her treating me while she was pregnant. That was very considerate of her. It didn't bother me at all, and of course I wanted her to continue treating me!

Ask all the questions you like! She will answer them all without making you feel uncomfortable!

We started with clomid, but that had an adverse effect on me. We stopped immediately! It had my vision like I was in the Matrix! We then moved on to Menopur, Gonal F, Ovidrel, and maybe another med(I forget). I can't recall the doses. We did weekly blood work, and Ultrasound.

Ultrasound typically was done right after or before bloodwork. They put you on the schedule and you do it then. Never a long line/lengthy wait!

The cost was for procedures, clinic, were covered under the insurance had at that time. The meds were covered up to a percentage for the first cycle. All cycles after are out of pocket.

N/A

She is a warm, compassionate doctor. She does a good job balancing my own wishes/priorities with her medical judgement. She patiently answered all of my questions (and I had A LOT of questions!) She made a point to involve my husband in discussions as well, whereas a different doctor that we saw first nearly ignored him. She advocated on my behalf with my insurance company when they didn't want to cover IVF after 3 IUI cycles.

Do your reading in advance and come prepared with a list of questions.

25 mg Clomid x 5 days for 1st and 2nd IUIs. I produced 2 mature follicles the 1st time and 1 the second time. 50 mg Clomid x 5 days for 3rd IUI-- still only produced 1 mature follicle, pregnancy results pending (too soon to test). She decided that it I am not pregnant, next time I should come in sooner for baseline testing (day 3 instead of day 5) so I can start Clomid earlier in hopes of producing 2 follicles. She had recommended 50 mg Clomid from the start but I wanted to start with 25 mg and she was OK with that.

With my insurance, office visits had a $50 copay. IUI was covered by my insurance.

Dr. boots was great! I didn’t she her often but she responded to all message quickly and was always willing to setup a call to walk me thru everything. She was always positive and that helped getting thru all the appointments and procedures.

Get on a Facebook support group. I learned so much from those groups and they helped me understand more or have someone to talk to that was going they the same thing.

My first cycle, I was on BC then microcode Lupron protocol. My second cycle, I was on global-f and Menapur then added in ganerlix after a couple of days.

I have insurance but my deductible was $350 and I spent 7,800 on meds for 2 cycles.

I believe she only will transfer 1 if it’s a 5 day transfer. I think it should be up to the patient if they want 2.

She is really open and honest, explaining her thinking at each step. She has also been deeply caring when things have been difficult or unexpected. I have real trust that she knows what she’s doing and wants the best outcomes for us, not just for herself. She shares stories of other patients (anonymously of course!) in a way that helps us keep things in perspective

It is a long wait to get an appointment, but worth it! Also, she has 2 offices, downtown and Highland Park. The HP office is lower key - less crowded and more time with her.

We started with IUI since I had previously had a successful pregnancy and 1 miscarriage. I produced 1 follicle on clomid the first round and then she increased my dosage for another round, when I produced 2 follicles and became pregnant. Unfortunately genetic testing revealed a chromosomal abnormality and we had to terminate the pregnancy. Meanwhile we had also received information from our genetic screening that we are both carriers for a genetic disease. Dr Feinberg suggested changing course and we are currently doing IVF with ICSI and PGD. We did stimulation with 300 units of Gonal-F (increased to 375) and 75 units of Menopur (increased to 150), with Cetrotide and an Ovidrel trigger. This produced 13 follicles, 7 mature, 4 fertilized, 2 made it to blastocyst. Dr Feinberg told us she will adjust if future cycles are necessary since these were not the results she had hoped for. She explained her choices were based on my previous ability to conceive.

This is different for Highland Park and downtown. Downtown is a lot of people waiting to be called, and I would expect to be there for at least an hour if not more. Highland Park is a set appointment time and moves very quickly - in and out in half an hour.

Our IUI self-pay package cost $709 Our IVF with PGD (FET) cost $12,000 + meds cost of ~$6000 + genetic testing with Natera $6400

Dr Feinberg told us she does single embryo transfer and we are happy with this as we do not want multiples.

When we first went for our consultation with Dr. Bernardi, she seemed incredibly friendly and knowledgable and like she would be a good doctor to work with. When it was time to start our cycle though I didn't hear from her at all, working only with nurses. When I requested for her to call, she elected instead to send me a message a day later informing me she was going on maternity leave and good luck. So essentially, she did not tell me she was going on maternity leave until the last moment, when she certainly could have told me sooner and made alternative arrangements for my care. In addition, she could not take the time to speak with me over the phone and discuss certain procedures and answer my questions. It was very disappointing.

Ask a lot of questions and be persistent if you actually want to speak on the phone with her. Although ultimately I would recommend a different doctor at Northwestern.

We used oral estrogen tablets, injectable progesterone, and progesterone suppositories.

$5,000 for an embryo transfer, plus the cost of medication, plus copay expenses for workup appointments.

When we had our initial consultation and I told her in our last cycle we had only done a single embryo, she asked why and thought we could do two embryos. That was the extent of her comments or explanation about the subject.

Even though our first round of IVF with Dr Feinberg failed, we still trust her and the process and will not give up. We felt so well taken care of by her. She answers all my questions no matter how silly they may seem. When we talk to her, we feel as if she is more of a friend than a doctor.

She is determined to get you pregnant and will not give up!

I was happy that Dr Feinberg changed my protocol from my last retrieval with a different clinic. I was on less medications and in return I felt better physically and mentally. I also found it refreshing that she suggested a day 3 transfer instead of what I have done in the past, a day 5 and explained to us the reason she would transfer two instead of one. I liked how she mixed it up because we were afraid of doing the same thing as previous cycles and expecting different results.

Compared to other clinics, the costs with Dr Feinberg were significantly lower. They really want to make it affordable to everyone as they know it doesn't always work on the first try and you might have to do more than one round. My insurance has an infertility max that had already been met, so we knew we were going to be self pay. We were pleasantly surprised that the financial advisor said our blood tests and ultrasounds would be covered, as well as some of the drugs, so we went with the lower priced package.

She said if it was her, she would transfer 2 but still gave us the choice to make on our own. We valued her advice and transferred two.

I like that she has personal experience with IVF and is super knowledgeable. However, I've met with her in person only twice, before receiving any IVF treatment. I have only spoken with her on the telephone or emails since. I like that she is definitely open to changing protocols, but she doesn't always give me all the details so that I feel totally informed.

She knows her stuff, so you will be in good hands. However, be ready to be a Northwestern patient, in more ways than a Feinberg patient.

Cycle 1: Microdose Lupron Flare - used based on my test results and miscarriage history alone. I turned out to be overstimulated by this protocol and we were all pleasantly surprised that they were able to retrieve 14 eggs, 5 of which became blastocysts. However, none tested as PGS normal, so we decided to cycle again, as my doctor believes it is a numbers game and we had a good chance to get a normal in the next round. Cycle 2: Antagonist - started low dose and increased slightly. I wanted to stim lower and slower, if at all possible after not feeling very good during the first cycle. She was open to this for sure. My AFC this round was significantly lower though, and we retrieved only 7 eggs, 3 of which became blastocysts and 1 tested as PGS normal. She suggested we try to get at least one more PGS normal embryo before attempting any transfers though. Cycle 3: Long Lupron - we changed it up again to see how I would respond. I was on highest doses and was a slow responder. We did retrieve 13 eggs, but only 1 grew to blastocyst and we are currently awaiting PGS testing results (and we will then decide to either attempt a frozen transfer or retrieve again).

Usually it was fast and super easy. There were only about 2 or 3 times where I had a longer wait and the office was packed with women waiting. Those were few and far between.

Most have been covered by insurance so far. Before treatment for any new cycle, I do have to pay a lab deposit for biopsy, freezing and storage.

n/a

Eve was kind, and came highly regarded with a six month wait list. I'm sure the hype and high expectations is part of the reason why, in the end, I am rating her only a 6. For someone so well regarded I would have expected more personal attention. Instead, I only saw her at our first and last (after conceiving) appointments. At the first appointment, I spent 45 minutes discussing my situation with a doctor in training, who then stepped out and took 5 minutes to relay it to Dr. Feinberg in private. When Dr. Feinberg entered the room for the first time, she sort of just jumped to a recommendation, and I felt like I didn't get to explain myself to her, after looking forward to this appointment for 6 months!! Who knows what details the student chose to relay. 20 minutes later, Eve gave me an ultrasound, said my ovaries and lining looked good visually, and that the nurse would book my follow-up diagnostic appointments. From that point onward, all communication - the IUI procedure, the follow-ups, the sharing of results were all done by nurse staff. If I had a question for Eve, a nurse would take the question and relay it to her, then the nurse would get back to me in 24 hours. All in all, I feel that Eve is probably very knowledgeable based on the fact that other doctors only had flattering things to say. However, in my limited time with her (~5 months), I didn't see the reason for the hype. Based on all my research, she recommended treatments that I fully anticipated (3 IUIs without medication, then IVF). I felt I would have had the same/similar outcome with any other fertility doctor at the same practice. Perhaps if I was a more involved, or difficult case, her pedigree and expertise would have been more valuable. I guess should consider myself lucky that we achieved pregnancy without having to get into touch choices or recommendations.

Know that you will be in good hands with Eve, but don't expect that the heavens will open up during your first appointment. She is a busy lady, in extremely high demand and your time with her will be very limited. No one knows how long it will take them to get pregnant. In "quick" cases, Eve will likely not add value. However, you should your journey be a more challenging one, you have one of the best doctors on your side to help get you pregnant.

We came to Eve knowing that my husband had POOR fertility - as evidenced by 4 prior sperm tests (low motility, morphology, count and volume). I had taken a few tests with my OBGYN that showed my AMH and other levels were normal, so my hypothesis was that the issue was with my husband. Eve said she agreed with me, but still suggested I go through the standard tests just to cross off any issues on my end (like blocked tubes). So I had more rounds of blood draws and was scheduled for an HSG, prior to undergoing IUI. I ended up cancelling the HSG because if my tubes were blocked there is very little that can be done about it. Besides, I was fine gong to IVF if IUI didn't work (at which point blocked tubes are a moot point). When it came time for IUI I asked if I could do a 'natural' IUI, since the problem appeared to be on my husband's side and I didn't want to take needless medication. She agreed, so I proceeded without any clomid, letrozole, etc, but she recommended I still take a trigger shot to force ovulation once my egg was 19mm or larger. She said success rates are higher this way because there is less room for human error in tracking ovulation (with strips, or other method). She recommended no more than 3 IUI cycles (after which point your odds don't increase) and that after that I start IVF.

Insurance covered the bloodwork and IUI. All in all I think I paid <$800

Her care and drive is evident in everything she does and touches. She isn’t just a doctor, she is our angel and our hero for so many reason. When we learned of my health issues she personally looked into every option to potentially save my fertility, from preserving my ovary tissue, to trying IVF before my surgery, to talking to my oncologist on my fertility options before and after surgery. She’s stood by our side through all the ups and downs, and instilled hope every time we felt we were down and out. This has been the hardest journey of our lives. We’re lucky to have crossed paths so many years ago.

Have faith, because she believes in you and your dreams wholeheartedly.

I had a hysteroscopy and 1 cycle of IUI before they found the cancer. Since then, we tested known egg downer my sister and my cousin. My cousin was the match. We created 5 embryos and are now at beginning stages of surrogacy with a known surrogate

Ranges due to insurance

N/a - not there yet

Northwestern Fertility Clinic is a large practice, which means you deal with lots of different people throughout the process, from multiple nurses, to schedulers, to financial advisors, to psychologists, to doctors who are on call the day of your procedures. It is not guaranteed your doctor will perform your retrievals or transfers. Overall, I had a positive experience with NFC, and with Dr. Barnes. I am in the midst of my treatments still, so I am not able to speak to my results yet... that is still to be determined! Also, in the midst of my treatment, and after several appointments with Dr. Barnes, I received a letter from Northwestern letting me know that he was retiring. So, in the midst of my treatments, I was left without a doctor and had to switch to a different doctor in the practice. My husband and I were surprised that this was never mentioned to us during multiple appointments with Barnes or with the nurses. It seemed like something they should tell us, so we could've started the process with a different doctor verses being caught off guard. This was my biggest critique of working with the NW Fertility clinic thus far.

Dr. Barnes is now retired from Northwestern Fertility Clinic.

I took 300 units of Folistim and 150 units of Menopur for 5 days, and then started a daily shot of Ganirelix to prevent ovulation. Day 10 I took my trigger shot and went in 36 hours later for my ET. 7 eggs were retrieved, 4 fertilized. I also thawed my 18 frozen eggs, 11 which fertilized. Overall, 15 eggs fertilzed and we are now waiting for our results on day 5 blastocyst stage, after which the remaining blastocysts will be biopsied and sent for PGD testing.

Morning appointments were an open window from 6:45-7:45am. Some mornings the wait was longer than others. My shortest appointment time was around 20 minutes, and my longest was 45 minutes.

Luckily my insurance covers this process.

My doctor strongly steered us toward eSET, although I had my heart set on transferring 2 embryos. He explained that due to complications from multiples, the best practice now is to recommend an eSET.

Dr. Kazer told my on two occasions that given my age (41), that having a child would be a long shot. He advised against IUI in favor of going straight to IVF given my age and "average fertility". To me, it seemed that he was concerned with his "hit rate" or number of successful pregnancies and that he wasn't that interested in facilitating a "geriatric" pregnancy. He was too blunt, and his bedside manner was off-putting. I requested a new doctor, started IUI and got pregnant on the very first try despite Dr. Kazer's misguided prognostication. If you are looking for someone who is uber direct and blunt, Dr. Kazer may be the doctor for you. He was not for me.

Be prepared to leave discouraged if you are an older patient

Not applicable

This review covers my experience with NW RE and Fertility Division from May 2017 -- Dec. 2017. It has taken me over a year to come to terms with my experience and feel comfortable sharing it as a warning for others. We first met with Dr. Pavone in May after two years of TTC; she was great and mild mannered but straight forward. She required months worth of tests before she would make a recommendation on any treatment moving forward. After several months of inconclusive testing, she suggested IUI. We started IUI in Sept. I never met with or heard from Dr. Pavone again. From there on out, I was passed from Nurse to ultra sound tech. The US techs are only available for a short period on weekday and weekend mornings (about 1.5 hours). There is no other time to be seen unless you raise a stink -- which by my third IUI, I was having to do. The nurses and US techs are all very angry and unhappy -- likely because overall the practice treats patients much like a fast food restaurant treats its patrons. My experience was already a poor one, and having nurses perform IUIs was starting to solidify my doubt in the practice. With no word from any doctor, I begrudgingly scheduled my third IUI and let the nurse performing the task know that I had had a difficult and painful experience with the first two. An IUI should take about 10 mins but after 40 mins of the nurse trying without success, she asked a doctor to come in and try. A man I had never met came in and roughly attempted to complete the IUI for another 30 mins, growing increasingly frustrated as I writhed in pain. It took so long that my husband had to leave to go back to work; the nurse had to hold my hand and try to calm me due to the pain. Finally, without discussing anything with me, the man opened a drawer, pulled out a pair of what looked like long scissors, and used them to hold/pry/clip open my cervix in order to fit the IUI inside. I bled for several days after this experience. After two months with no period, negative pregnancy tests and terrible, debilitating symptoms, I sought the help of my OBGYN who shared that I had severe damage to my cervix such that I was no longer able to have a period without a surgery. Meanwhile, I called the practice to meet with my doctor and discuss what had happened -- only to learn that Dr. Pavone had had a baby and was out on maternity leave. No one had ever told me she was pregnant and worse -- I had not seen her in so long that it hadn't been obvious that she was pregnant at all. The practice never bothered to follow up with a backup plan for a new doctor in her place. To say that this was a terrible and traumatizing experience is just scraping what I went through. And I would still be leaving a one star review even if the male doctor had not damaged my cervix so badly. Overall, there are way better practices that you can go to outside of Northwestern that will treat you like a human and not a number, that will respect you as a woman with rights to her body, and who will look after your individual case. Good luck to you in your fertility journey.

Please find another doctor and another practice. You are wasting your precious money, time and efforts here.

Dr. Pavone required lots of testing, all of which were normal so I was determined to be unexplained fertility. She required 3 IUIs before she would do IVF. She did not perform the IUI, did not review anything after my bloodwork. In fact after she set the initial plan, I never heard from her again and was left in the hands of a bunch of angry and frustrated nurses.

Insurance covered

I just felt like I was never seen. Once, that's all. Her words to me were "we will get you pregnant by the end of the year." Yelp, unfortunately, that did not happen. I also don't like when fertility doctors say "you are young, you shouldn't have a problem." My protocol was never changed for the complete 7 cycles. All communication was through the nurses.

Advocate for yourself. If the protocol doesn't work the first or second time, ask her (or the nurses) to switch it up.

Femara 5mg and Ovidrel trigger shot. Femara is supposed to be better than clomid especially with PCOS. Since I don't ovulate on my own, the trigger shot was there to ensure I did - if it did it's job. I unfortunately don't know if it worked because we never checked my levels after doing the trigger. After 6 cycles of timed intercourse, an IUI was ordered.

280 per ultrasound 1200 for IUI

n/a

She definitely knew what she was doing. Always very professional, and very knowledgeable. I never doubted her. I only wish she was more personable, and more warm towards us. She was never rude or anything like that, just cold. Maybe that's her personality. We plan to seek her care for our next baby next year.

She knows what she is doing, trust her. Don't let her emotionless personality steer you away.

When we didn't get pregnant the 1st time, she umped the dosage of the meds so that the egg retrieval came up with more eggs. She also upped the dosage for the fertility shots to make sure my body held on to the egg.

It was pretty in and out, the ladies were so very nice and they made me feel comfortable.

Out of pocket, for both procedures and treatments, we paid a little under 6k for both my wife and I. We do have private insurance that did cover some of the costs.

I always wondered why she chose to only do a single egg transfer opposed to a multiple egg transfer. I always thought that would give me higher chances of conceiving, but she never explained.

I went through two rounds of egg freezing (for "social reasons") and worked with Dr. Feinberg for both - the first was disappointing and the second a success. There is more below but I would heartily recommend Dr. Feinberg to others; she is a fine physician who is kind, thoughtful, and truly cares about her patients. The first round I felt like a cog in the wheel of the clinic (which has more to do with the clinic than Dr. Feinberg) and didn't feel I understood how things were progressing until the retrieval when I was informed that I only had a handful of possible eggs to retrieve (this conversation happened to be with the MD on rotation/doing procedures that day). While the nurse had been in touch with me after each of my morning blood draws/ultrasounds, I wasn't informed of the details of my progress (but also didn't know what I should be asking). I learned that I certainly needed to be far more well-informed, a stronger advocate for myself and, in response, brought these concerns to Dr. Feinberg in our follow-up meeting. She was kind, human, thoughtful, and generous in response. She heard me out and owned that things should not have transpired as they did - while they cannot guarantee any specific outcome, they can keep patients informed along the way so that patients can make informed decisions about their care. In response, Dr. Feinberg went to bat for me and the hospital subsidized a second round. I chose to work with Dr. Feinberg again and had a very good experience. Communication was fluid and consistent, the med regimen was tweaked, and the results were much improved. I was lucky to have Dr. Feinberg on rotation the day of my retrieval and we were able to celebrate a happy ending to a tough journey. She is lovely!

I think this may have more to do with the clinic set-up than Dr. Feinberg but do your homework and be the polite albeit squeaky wheel so that you get the grease. While Dr. Feinberg is excellent at explaining things in plain english, the clinic is set up in a way that directs your communication towards the nursing staff rather than the physician. I had Dr. Feinberg's email and knew I could get in touch with her as needed but didn't know enough about what information was important the first time around to do so.

Due to freezing eggs for "social reasons," this was fully out of pocket for me. The most useful people in terms of saving money were the Walgreens as well and in-house Northwestern pharmacists.