Dr. Brooke Friedman overall is a kind, compassionate, and supportive physician. She had empathy for our experience and gave us space and time for all and any questions we had...used a ton of research in each answer...big believer in just doing a single embryo transfer for good reason...she was still flexible with us as we requested transferring two embryos and she did that for us although we only got pregnant with one.
The entire staff [at San Diego Fertility Center] is really supportive. They answer questions, knew us by name, and always made time to chat when we arrived. They made it feel like we were family...they will do retrieval or transfer on the weekend if that is the timing that ends up working out...busy clinic and it's easiest to get appointments if you are able to be flexible with your schedule
How was your experience with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?
Dr. Brooke Friedman overall is a kind, compassionate, and supportive physician. She had empathy for our experience and gave us space and time for all and any questions we had and believe me I had a ton. I literally made a list of questions based on things I read online or from Instagram posts that I followed and she went through every question I had. She also used a ton of research in each answer. During our planning for our 2nd egg retrieval process I asked if there were any other meds or strategies we could use to obtain more eggs and embryos and she took time to think through research she had studied and added more to our treatment which actually resulted in one more really good embryo! The team at San Diego Fertility Center is like family to us. They were all kind, everyone seemed to know our names and where we were in our journey, and even if I just called to make an appt they asked how we were doing. Once I left that center and went to my OB it was a tough experience because I was not surrounded by all this support. Her Medical Assitant, M.J. was amazing. She was kind and always there for us when Dr. Friedman was with another patient. Dr. Friedman is very busy and that is the only issue however I do think that is the nature of this business. We did not see her during every visit and this could have been because we did our follow up ultrasounds and appts at the Mission Valley location. Also just FYI the team at the Mission Valley office is awesome! We are really happy with our experience as we ended up with our baby girl who was born in 2019 and is a healthy little one.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?
Do your best to come in with questions and remember any question is valid. If you read something or hear about another treatment or strategy just bring it to her and she will go over it with you. So I would suggest doing some research of your own before you see her. Think through what is important to you during your treatment as well. She is really supportive but has to know what you are thinking and what is important to you.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?
Dr. Friedman has a bubbly and kind personality and she was very supportive throughout the process. She even literally held my hand as I was going under during my egg retrieval process. She always asked how we were doing and checked in on how our families were as well as my parents were there during this process. Also her Medical Assistant, M.J. was super supportive every step of the way! A great team!
Describe the protocols Brooke Friedman used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center and their degree of success.
Honestly because we had our baby girl I have been wrapped up in that experience and have almost forgotten all we did to get pregnant. Things I do remember is that when we first met with Dr. Friedman she suggested IVF and we agreed. She started us on a protocol right away. We ended up doing 2 egg retrievals as we had planned and because I did a ton of research on my own I brought ideas to Dr. Friedman and she was receptive. Our 2st egg retrieval felt pretty standard and for our 2nd egg retrieval she added a growth hormone and other things based on research she had studied. She gave us these new suggestions, she never pressured us to do anything extra, we actually wanted to do more and so we signed up for more meds. And it worked! I do remember she cancelled I think two of my upcoming transfers. Once was due to my lining not being up to par and where she wanted it and the second time was due to having tissue she found during the sonohysterogram (ultrasound here she also used water to get a very clear picture). When she found that tissue she had us get that surgically removed. We choose to have Dr. Friedman do that in the OR at the Carmel Valley office and it was a success. It may be tough to have things pushed back but she has good reason for all of it. So I would really trust in that.
Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: M.J.)
The entire staff is really supportive. They answer questions, knew us by name, and always made time to chat when we arrived. They made it feel like we were family. The care coordinator I met with at the Carmel Valley location was really positive and kind so that helped me because I was very nervous about things going well.
Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center.
I think it's important to do some research before you go into a consultation because it will help guide your journey. The strengths are that when you are there you feel like you are with family who really care about you. They are so supportive and everyone is cheering you on because they all really want you to be successful. Also they will do retrieval or transfer on the weekend if that is the timing that ends up working out which is really amazing. The doctors work overtime for sure which shows how passionate they are about the work they do. The weakness is that they are a busy clinic and it's easiest to get appointments if you are able to be flexible with your schedule. They somehow manage to get you in when you need to which is great. Also there are certain things that they will not offer unless you bring it to them and are interested in it. I think its important to connect with your doctor's medical assistant because they will help get things moving forward.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center.
The cost was more due to the medications we ended up using for our 2nd egg retrieval. So for our initial cost it was about $26,000 which included 2 egg retrievals, one transfer, and all appointments which included blood draws and ultrasounds. We paid extra for medication for each part so for our 1st egg retrieval we paid around $4,000 and for the 2nd egg retrieval we added testosterone gel which I put on my arms when I started the estrace pill at the very start of the cycle which was actually Day 20 of my cycle. The testosterone gel was only like $50 extra but then we also added a shot of growth hormone which was the big money item and it ended up being worth it because we got one more normal embryo out of that retrieval. The 2nd egg retrieval medication cost was around $6,000. We then paid extra for the mock cycle, the sonohysterogram (water ultrasound) and I had to have tissue removed after that water ultrasound which we decided to have Dr. Friedman do at the OR at their office for about $2,000. We paid only a couple hundred for the progesterone meds for the transfer which was around maybe $400 or so. That medication was the least expensive of the bunch. Also San Diego Fertility Center has a pharmacy they work with which gives a discounted rate!
Describe Brooke Friedman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center.
Dr. Friedman is really a big believer in just doing a single embryo transfer for good reason. She does not want to put you, the patient, at risk for twins and a difficult pregnancy. That being said she was still flexible with us as we requested transferring two embryos and she did that for us although we only got pregnant with one. It was still worth it for us.
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Clinic
San Diego Fertility Center
San Diego - Del Mar Main