Reproductive Resource Center

Dr. Hammoud was a wonderful doctor. He explained everything in full detail, asked if we had any questions. Answered all the questions he could. He gave his professional opinion on matters and was quite blunt. Which I respected. My only problem was that he referred me elsewhere for a hysteroscopy with a doctor I had never met. Also he did not perform my sono-hysterogram. These 2 things caused a delay in my embryo transfer. My previous RE did both and there was no delay at all. That was the only issue I had.

Be prepared to receive a lot of information. Be prepared for a lot of testing. He told me that if during the preparation for a FET he saw anything that was less than perfect, I.E uterine lining, low progesterone, he would cancel the cycle. Mark his words, he will. He has all and final say over the cancelling of your cycle. He never gave us the option to just " continue on with a so-so uterine lining" He cancelled twice and redid a new calendar for us. It was frusterating at times, but he was doing what was best for us. We already had 2 failed transfers and he was not going to let that happen again.

Dr. Hammoud recommended a ERA to test the receptivity of my uterus. When that test was performed we found out that with my previous protocol was not appropriate for me. My uterus was non-receptive and I needed an additional 12 hours of progesterone added to my protocol. He then recommended an Immune Suppressed protocol for NK cells or recurrent miscarriage. I added low dose aspirin, Medrol (steroid), and Lovenox injections (blood thinner) to my protocol of Estrace and PIO injections.

The price of the embryo transfer was raised from $2,900 to $4,500. The ERA was also an additional $800. I had to have a hysteroscopy, which had a $350 co-pay from the hospital. All of my medications were covered through insurance.

With Doctor Hammoud, he said that at my age and my past with multiple failed embryo transfers, he recommended 2 embryos to be transferred. We were agreeable to that.

Dr Phipps is great, not always the best communicator but over all very knowledgeable. One nurse on his staff is cold and uncaring, she set my expectation and when I had a miscarriage it provided false hope that my baby was ok. Moving forward her emails were short and cold.

If you want a warm and fuzzy feeling, this office is not the one. If you want straight shooters, this office is where to go

I had coverage so I was aware of the coverage due to my advocate through my coverage

We have only seen Dr. Brabec at our initial consult. Our Nurse Practitioner is our main contact. Doctor Brabec was very warm and took the time to explain our options. She was very optimistic! I feel that we would see her more if we were doing an IVF cycle. She has an amazing staff that truly personalizes our care.

She is extremely knowledgable and very nice!

I don't remember specifics, but we felt comfortable starting with the least invasive treatment and Dr. Brabec supported us.

We are currently in the middle of our first IVF treatment and so far, have been very pleased with Dr. Brabec. She is warm, informative and we have seen her for every appointment so far, except for 1. She does talk a bit fast in general but has always slowed down when we ask questions and takes her time to answer.

Don't be afraid to slow her down from talking so fast and ask all your questions.

We are currently planning for our first egg retrieval and will do genetic testing on our embryos ( ICSI will be done) before doing a frozen transfer. They knew right away we would be doing a frozen transfer due to our history of multiple miscarriages and my PCOS diagnosis.

The clinic will only transfer 1 embryo at a time.

Dr. Brabec is a very kind, funny and VERY knowledgeable individual! She would crack jokes, which my husband loved, always give us very detailed information and never let us leave or hang up the phone until ALL of our questions were answered. At one point, I had a LEEP procedure done and had an odd reaction to the anesthesia. During my egg retrieval, Dr. Brabec took ever precaution to ensure that I was going to make it through the surgery with NO complications and she was genuinely concerned. It was so relaxing(during a time that can be VERY stressful) knowing that she cared so much!

Dr. Brabec does talk pretty quick! I have learned that this is because she is very knowledgeable-she definitely knows her stuff!!! But never feel like you can’t ask her questions if you need clarification! She is very kind and will answer any questions you have.

In the other clinic that I had received treatment at, we went through several months of medications and times intercourse, and 6 cycles of IUI. We were ready to move on to IVF when the clinic was shut down due to several embryologist leaving at the same time. We went to RRC and Dr. Brabec knowing that we wanted to jump in to IVF. We had already done the necessary testing so we were able to start the cycle. I went through 8 days of medication. Injections and every other day I had my blood draw to look at levels. Once they were high enough, i went in for an ultrasound and had SEVERAL follicles. Dr. Brabec knew this was going to be the outcome. I went in for the Egg Retrieval where she retrieved 20 eggs! My husband provided sperm and our eggs underwent ICSI. She suggested this because my husband has low morphology so this would ensure the best fertilization rate. She was right! All 20 eggs fertilized! In the end we had 10 healthy embryos develop. We did choose to have genetic testing done on each and now we have 7 extremely healthy embryos awaiting transfer!!

I do not feel like I need to be specific because this is personal but for our entire IVF cycle it was under $30,000. My body does react well to the medications however, so I did not have to pay as much in medications as some others may! They do have programs for you to pay slightly more and receive more cycles but we knew we would not need that.

I have had a LEEP procedure done, so it is suggested that we only do a single embryo transfer. However, because of my age(27 and healthy), Dr Brabec suggested we only do a single transfer anyways because of the higher success rate.

Dr. Brabec, is a very kind and honest person. I would say that some of her strengths are that she knows all her fertility information. She is a very compassionate person and tries to show you every aspect of treatment and what option could possibly work best and why. For example, in our case she recommended ivf because my husband was low on sperm count and motility but also my eggs were not in the best shape. I would say her weakness is that she talks really fast, sometimes it can come across as rushing through but I think it’s just the way she speaks. Overall I felt safe and in good hands. She always tried her best to make sure I was feeling good and that the treatment was going according to schedule.

Be open to different treatment options and know that Dr. Brabec only wants the best for her patients.

Dr. Brabec prefers to only transfer 1 embryo at a time due to the potential for twins and what not. However, if you have two embryos she will take the patients wishes into consideration. On my case we had two viable embryos and she allowed us to transfer both.

Was very knowledgeable and eager to help. Gave choices and recommendation but ultimately let the patient decide on treatment plan. She does talk quickly and is sometimes hard to follow, however she will re-explain if asked- nursing is also very good about following her and asking if everything was understood.

Expect for her to talk quickly- not because she is rushing you or in a hurry, just because that's the way her brain works. Do not be afraid to ask her to slow down or go over something again- she will do so gladly.

Diagnosed with PCOS at first visit. Had 2 rounds of clomid with OBGYN with negative OPK's prior to first appointment with Dr. Brabec. She prescribed metformin to be taken daily, letrozole used on days 3-7. Also prescribed dexamethasone and used Ovidrel for trigger shot prior to IUI. Did 3 IUI's with this protocol, all resulted in a negative pregnancy test.

Before insurance each IUI cycle was approximately $1,000 using letrozole and Ovidrel trigger protocol- this does not include initial testing.

We are fairly new to the process, but Dr. Phipps seems to be very well educated in his field. He may not be the easiest person to talk to (a bit awkward), because I swear he is a super genius, but it makes me feel good that he’s educated in his field.

He is unlike any other doctor I’ve had. Give him the chance to explain what he’s doing and don’t expect him to dumb things down. All of his explanations are scientific.

Because we had DOR, he wasn’t worried about being aggressive with protocol or me getting OHSS. However, for some reason, I didn’t respond at all and we converted to an IUI. Waiting on phone call with Dr. Phipps to discuss why he thinks that happened and what is next

Down payment for IVF cycle was $12,800 Medications were $4,800 We didn’t make it to egg retrieval to pay the rest...

Dr. Phipps will only transfer one embryo...because of my age.

I saw Dr. Brabec about three times over the course of 1.5 years. At my initial consult, she recommended IVF as my course of treatment based on my age and lab values. I was not ready for that and wanted to try IUI first. She recommended IUI with injectables to increase the chances of pregnancy. During the diagnostic phase prior to IUI, she recommended I get a large fibroid removed, which I did. During that surgery with another surgeon, it was discovered that I had endometriosis. This VERY important finding was completely glossed over by Dr. Brabec. I knew nothing about endo at the time and trusted her since she didn't discuss it after my surgery. During that second consultation to finally start IUI, she only gave me the options of IUI with oral meds or IVF. No injectables. I pointed out this discrepancy from our previous visit, and she stated that injectables are rarely used with IUI anymore due to the risk of multiples. I pointed out that that was her recommendation a year prior, which she again glossed over. After two failed IUIs with oral meds, I sought out a second opinion on my case to see if IVF was the next best step. I did not consult with Dr. Brabec about this b/c she was gung-ho about IVF from the get go and felt that I already knew what her answer would be. My second opinion doctor encouraged me to look into endometriosis again before doing anything, because in her eyes (based on my labs and testing), I was a fertile woman and something else was causing my infertility. THANK GOD I found her and also found Nancy's Nook group on Facebook which provides amazing information about endometriosis. I still knew very little about endo at the time. Through this group, I found an endometriosis specialist in STL. He read my operative report from 1.5 years ago where I had the fibroid and endometriosis removed and HE informed me that I had Stage 4 endometriosis. To say I was shocked and disgusted that Dr. Brabec never mentioned this to me is an understatement. I honestly don't know that she ever ready my surgical report, as it clearly stated that I had endometriosis on my bowel, bladder, and uterus. Upon learning this, I feel that the IUIs I had were likely a waste and that I also wasted 1.5 years of my fertility life by not knowing I had stage 4 endo. Dr. Brabec was completely negligent in this area, and even after confronting her about this, she was less than helpful and said how she had it documented that we discussed the endo. Had I known I had stage 4 endo then or had been given ANY education about it, I would have been ready for IVF at that time. Also, her treatment recommendations for endo are very outdated and old school. So- if you know you want IVF and are ready for it, this might be the doctor for you. However, if you want a thorough investigation into the causes of your infertility, want education about your fertility picture, or if you have endometriosis, I would absolutely not recommend Dr. Brabec as your provider. She basically feels that IVF is the answer for anything.

Only go to her if you are ready for IVF and have done your research on why you need IVF.

I did two rounds of IUI with letrozole pills (2.5 mg for five days), along with Ovidrel trigger shot both times. I believe I had several good sized follicles both times.

I think IUI was around $700 per cycle which included an ultrasound. Meds were another $120 per cycle.

I had a wonderful experience with Dr. Brabec. She tells you how it is and I love that. I don’t want anyone that’s going to sugar coat anything and that is by far Dr.Brabec! She did tell me I needed to lose a little weight which is a shock to whoever hears it, but if that is what is holding me back from growing my family, I will try to lose what I need to! What I also love about Dr.Brabec is her POSITIVITY! When my husband and I could not get pregnant my attitude became so negative, but the second we walked through the doors her positivity lit up the room! She also told us,” Don’t worry, we will get you guys a baby, we just have to figure out what is going on” I honestly believe that they are going to get us pregnant! She also told us that we can only talk about IVF for 1 HOUR a day, just because that’s all I literally think and talk about. She keeps me in check and I need that in a doctor.

Be patient and open minded. Don’t get your feelings hurt if you are told you need to lose weight or some other lifestyles changes.

We have only had our consultation and my husband had a seman analysis. I had a vaginal ulrtasound done, which determined my PCOS. Then we discussed our treatment plan and I was put on Metformin and the birth control pill.

We are going through IVF and with all of our costs not including what we have already spent, it will be around $27-$30k.

Dr.Brabec only recommends one embryo at a time just because there is that chance that you can have multiples and having multiples means bed rest and possibly NICU time for the babies.

She’s straight to the point but optimistic. She’s determined to find a way to make us a baby even with challenges. She’s confident but not cocky. She’s warm but realistic in our expectations. As a physician, she respected my profession and knowledge base but still explained everything completely and made sure my husband understood.

Don’t be afraid to stick to your guns if you want to try a less invasive approach first. She is determined to get you a baby so she can be aggressive is recommended IVF right away if that’s what she thinks would give you the best shot.

We actually conceived naturally after our first visit with her after only being on the supplements she recommended. That pregnancy ended in a ruptured ectopic. She then further recommended IVF however she was open to allowing to us try IUI first. We took letrozole 2.5 mg, Ovidrel 250 mcg trigger shot, insemination and then progesterone. We are currently in the 2 week waiting period.

Not sure

I have loved being at RRC with William Phibbs. He has great bed side manner and I also felt comfortable with him. He's been really great, open and honest. We are traveling over 4 hours both ways to see Dr. Phibbs. We researched clinics and doctors extensively before making our decision and we are happy with it so far!

Listen. Jot down notes. Ask questions. Be direct. He is very smart and very educated and has a lot of years of doing IVF under his belt. He knows what he's talking about, for sure.

Agonist protocol, if I recall that was the name of it. We did injections for 10 days, trigger on the 11th day, and egg retrieval two days later. It was successful, with 15 eggs, 11 mature, 9 fertilized, 3 made it to day 5, and 1 on day 6. All four made it through PGT testing.

We are around $34,000 right now. Not finished.

We are only transferring one embryo. We are not sure our clinic's protocol on it but we think they only do one at a time. We are young with healthy embryos and not miscarriages so only one is fine with us.

I saw Dr. Phipps 2 years ago for an iui and initial diagnoses. I did not get pregnant and then my spouse and I took a break from treatment and returned this month. So far we have had an IVF consult, simple labs, a plan of treatment and a financial consult. So far he has been thorough, but not extremely personable. I believe he is talented and knows what he is doing, but just may not be the warmest person. He explains each detail, but sometimes uses vocabulary that needs to be explained. I feel comfortable moving forward with him.

Make sure to ask questions when you need to clarify information that may not make sense.

I have PCOS so IVF with ICSI and a frozen transfer was recommended to do a fear of OHSS. He explained why I’m at a higher risk and why frozen transfer would be the safest option. I have not started the medication process, but those details will come in a separate meeting.

The quote we were given was between 18500 and 2200 depending on genetic testing. They also offered unifvy and attain multi cycle plans for more.

They told me they almost always do a single embryo transfer. They said it is safer for me and there are less complications with a singleton pregnancy

When my labs were not going according to plan, I wish they would have called off the cycle. It felt like a money thing to them to keep me going. We were expecting 6-7 eggs, but only got 1. It didn’t mature past day 3. In the followup from cancelling the trial transfer, she said she wouldn’t change my protocol or do anything different. She would recommend an egg donor as well. We were also charged for that follow up call even though we paid for a special program to get two rounds of IVF. The clinic seemed more focused on making money than trying to find the right plan for us. I actually got pregnant on my own after IVF.

I would ask for specific break downs of the financials for clarity of what you would be charged for. Ask if she will actually be your doctor or if her staff will he overseeing your treatment.

I was told I have low egg reserve and bad egg quality before my labs even came in which was a huge shock to us because we had been doing treatments for 2 years before seeing her and we were told it was “unexplained fertility”. So her protocol for us was the maximum medication she could give me because of the low reserve and bad egg quality.

$18,500

Honest, integrity, great communicator, and trustworthy. When we first met her, she gave us advice on skipping the IUI and proceeding with IVF. We decided to take the less invasive procedure and in all actuality we should have listened to her. She took her time to review our case and knew what was best for us as a couple. Her best advice was not to be afraid to ask questions and always call to talk to staff if you’re unsure on a certain injection instruction.

Trust exactly what she tells you.

So with doing two rounds of IUI and one round of IVF we spent around a total of $24,000 with RRC.

She only wanted to do one since I had OHSS.

She can be a bit abrasive and her bedside manner isn’t the greatest. I have also witnessed her being short and rude (in my opinion) to nurses. She seems to know what she is doing, but could be more compassionate towards her patients.

Ask tons of questions and make sure you get the answers you are looking for before you leave the office.

We have done every test I know of to come to the unexplained infertility diagnosis, which is discouraging. We have done 2 rounds of IUI, neither of which were successful using letrozole, trigger injection & progesterone.

Costs are significant and they usually want payment up front or will bill you immediately following for treatment. Luckily, we have great insurance that covers many of the procedures and tests. But, if we didn’t I’m not sure how we would afford treatment if at all.

I believe Dr. Brabec is an experienced RE. This experience makes up for her lack of bedside manner. She cuts straight to the point and does not always listen well. Dr. Brabec is clearly busy but certainly cares about her results. She gave exaggerated optimistic odds (65% success rate) when encouraging us to use donor eggs. When our donor egg cycle failed, she said "we knew the odds were just 50%." Both odds are higher than those reflected on the clinic's SART records.

We were told Dr. Brabec had no bedside manner before we met her by several patients of hers who had had success being treated by her. Had we not known that, it would have been harder to accept.

Based on lab results, we were advised by Dr. Brabec's staff to use frozen donor eggs. We jumped at the opportunity given the success rates she cited. Our med/timing protocol was the same as all first-time donor egg recipients at her clinic and was very similar to those I've learned about from patients at other clinics. My uterine lining was right on track for the initially estimated transfer date. The transfer failed (did not result in a pregnancy) due to a "poor quality" embryo. Two REs consulted after this experience indicated they would not have transferred an embryo of that grade.

Approximately $12,000 for lab costs and one embryo transfer, including a $1,500 "coordination fee." The fee for eggs was $15,000 from a separate egg bank that our fertility clinic works with. We paid that fee to our clinic. However, via an online donor egg recipient forum, I learned that we were overcharged more than $1,000 by our clinic.

Dr. Brabec told us she is usually unwilling to transfer more than one embryo at a time citing that it's in the best interest of the patient and child(ren).

We only met with Dr. Brabec once before we started our treatments. She did spend time with us to discuss the options and thoroughly discuss IVF. We left that first consultation very confused as it was more of an information overload. I didn’t speak with Dr. Brabec again until our IVF cycle failed.

Be sure to ask questions so you fully understand your treatment and fully know what to expect, the risks, etc.

I started my cycle with 150 units of gonal f, 150 units of menopur, and 1 tablet of dexamethasone a day for 3 days. After my first bloodwork, she increased my gonal f to 300 units a day for the remainder of my cycle, 7 days; and kept menopur and dexamethasone the same. I started cetrotide 3 days before my retrieval. My trigger was 2ml Novarel and 80 units of leuprolide. The next day they had me administer another 2ml of the Novarel.

For our IVF cycle, we were quoted around $20K but that included PGS testing. However we ran multiple tests before we could start a cycle which added up over time. I think we had at least $600 in blood work.

At times during our treatment, I really liked Dr. Brabec, and other times not so much. As some one who really wants to understand my treatment and the reasons for selected protocol, I felt like communication was greatly lacking. I also felt like Dr. Brabec got defensive when I questioned her about what went wrong with her cycle (not blaming her). I was apparently diagnosed with PCOS but wasn't made aware of that fact for several months until I asked during our IVF consult. Otherwise, I don't know if I would ever have been told.

With Dr. Brabec (or any RE), it can be intimidating to ask questions, but you really need to be your own advocate throughout the process.

I did two cycles of IUI with letrozole, then my husband and I decided to move on to IVF. For our IVF cycle, I was on an antagonist protocol with Menopur. I had a short stimulation period followed by freeze-all egg retrieval. Dr. Brabec had high hopes for our retrieval (as did we), but out of 18 eggs retrieved, we had 8 that were immature, and of the ten mature, only three fertilized. Only one made it to Day 5, 4BB blast. That FET cycle resulted in a negative.

Due to my age (34), Dr. Brabec recommended a single embryo transfer. We ended up with only one embryo so it was a nonissue.

Dr Phipps is very knowledgeable and dedicated to his profession; however, his bedside manner is poor and demonstrates little ability to create personal connection or show compassion with something that is so emotionally and financially sensitive. However, his referral and patient success has superseded these things to my spouse and I.

Trust his knowledge and rely on his staff.

I start injections this upcoming week. Dr Phipps adjusted my medication after SHG that showed uterine polyps as well as my blood drawer numbers dropping. We will be complete frozen egg transfer with PGD and PGS.

Approximately 15,000 down payment; at this point approximately 2,500 for medication; 1000 to hospital for surgery fee; 450 for anesthesia; shipping fee as well as $99 per embryo for genetic testing. This does not include fees for medication around time of implant or storage fees. Approximately $1000 in other misc fees for appointments.

I believe he talked about just one embryo transfer to reduce risk of complication.

Celeste spoke candidly about my age and options. She explained what would happen and even when I didn’t understand, took the time to reassure me that she was part of this and would do everything she could to get success. She never promised it but seemed optimistic about our chances.

She talks very fast. She has a lot of information to share so it seems to come at you fast but don’t be afraid to ask questions after. Be prepared to take notes.

Our first IVF treatment was unsuccessful but she learned from it and put me on some vitamins and my husband as well to try to improve our chances on round 2. After those adjustments, we ended up getting pregnant it suffered a miscarriage at 8 weeks. Since we had purchased a 2 cycle plan and had no frozen embryos, that was our last shot within our budget.

We purchased a 2 cycle IVF plan for $15,500. If neither were successful, we received half of it back. (Which was our case). Drugs totaled approximated $10,000

She chose to implant both embryos that had survived each time after 5 day’s. She explained that it gave us our best shot at a positive result.

I loved Dr. Brabec when we first went to her. She was blunt, but somehow compassionate. I appreciated her honesty and her matter of fact way she said "we will get you a baby". After my ultra sounds, she referred me back to my OB and said that I needed to have a fallopian tube removed. She was the doctor, I trusted her, so I did. We did a fresh transfer, never addressing the endometriosis, and transferred our only 2 embryos. After days of back and forth we are pregnant, no we aren't, we finally were told I was having a chemical pregnancy. After that, about 2 weeks later I got a call from one of the nurses that they were ready to start again. My husband and I requested an appointment to talk with Dr. Brabec, we just wanted some answers...what would we do differently, how does this happen, what are the odds of another chemical pregnancy? So, had our appointment. Dr. Brabec was sympathetic and told us that if we really want our best chances of having a baby we needed to go the donor egg route. We were not opposed to that, we just want to have a baby. I mentioned to Dr. B that I had been going to acupuncture and that it was helping my stress levels, if nothing else, immensely. She basically told me that I was wasting my money and that during the next round, with donor eggs, I would need to stop that. My husband and I looked at eachother and thought, ok, lets go home and look at these donor banks and make a decision. Then one of the nurse comes in and says ok, we can get your stim shots started for this next round asap. We looked at eachother and were so confused, Dr. B had just told us our best chance of having a baby was egg donor. The nurse called Dr. B back in and it felt so confusing and nobody seemed on the same page. Dr. B said that she would still work with us if we wanted to try another round with my eggs, but that donor eggs would be a MUCH better chance of having a baby. We left feeling frustrated, confused, and over all defeated. I went to acupuncture the next day and she told me to go talk to another doctor, so we did. We immediately made the switch.

Get a second opinion.

She wanted us to do a fresh transfer, she said that would be our best option. She never addressed my endo. I started on bc, then applied testosterone patch for 5-6 days. On 8/4 I started leuprolide injections and growth hormone. I also started menopur and follistim in the evenings. My egg retrieval was 8/10, we started progesterone shots 8/12. Our transfer was 8/15.

I would say around $18000.

Dr. Brabec's compassion and love for her patients shines through. She was always thorough and reassuring with her instructions and plan of care. She took the time to make us feel comfortable with our plan of care and addressed and questions or concerns we had through out the entire process.

Know that Dr. Brabec and her staff is always there to answer any questions you have from filling prescriptions, to lab test and procedures. Weather in person, on the phone or via patient portal you will always receive a prompt response. No question is a dumb question so ask, ask, ask. They will always be able to guide you.

We did IVF ICSI. with a male fertility factor Dr. Brabec assured us ICIS was the best course of action to get the most healthy embryos. With our fresh cycle we got 5 healthy 5day embryos. We transferred two of them and had a successful pregnancy with twin girls born at 28 weeks gestation. For our next two cycles we did two FET cycles. Our first attempt at defrost was unsuccessful and lost an embryo. They moved onto the next embryo with a successful thaw we completed transfer with. We received a positive pregnancy test but unfortunately miscarried by our 8 week scan. We then attempted anther FET witch resulted in a negative pregnancy test.

IVF ICIS approx $17,000 FET cycles approx $6,500 each

Dr. Brabec was open to multiple embryo transfer for our first cycle. She did advise we transfer no more than two embroys. Both embryos took and we were blessed with twin daughters born at 28 weeks gestation. For our next two cycles Dr. Brabec advised we only transfer one embroy at a time to reduce the risk of premature birth.