San Diego Fertility Center

2017, Unknown Success

Age 50

3 IUI

Egg Freezing

IVF

Donor Eggs

Surrogacy

Male Factor

Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

Other

European

Income $100K - $199K

Lawyer

2nd of 2 Docs

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

I truly feel she [Dr. Brooke Friedman] wants the best for us in building our family. She was kind, patient and transparent with our chances...detailed in her explanations...Based on her recommendation we turned to surrogacy...has been great in handling my need for every detail and in communicating in a different manner to my husband who just wants the bottom line.

The clinic [San Diego Fertility Center] says they advocate for single transfer, but they believe strongly in individual choice...they are kind and caring. We have been treated like valuable friends who they want to help have a family...[staff] has been the very best to us in helping us with understanding the financial packet...[staff] was amazing in helping us select an egg donor

How was your experience with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

Dr. Friedman is kind, caring, and detailed in her explanations. We have had horrible luck and a long history there, but she has been then the whole time. We lost two babies - stillborn to two separate surrogates in 2018 and 2019. Dr. Friedman has been amazing in helping us move forward after these devastating losses.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

I have no advice. Dr. Friedman has been great in handling my need for every detail and in communicating in a different manner to my husband who just wants the bottom line.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

I truly feel she wants the best for us in building our family. She was kind, patient and transparent with our chances. Based on her recommendation we turned to surrogacy.

Describe the protocols Brooke Friedman used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center and their degree of success.

By the time we transferred our care to Dr. Frideman, we only tried one more IVF with donor eggs transferred to me. Then we turned to surrogates. We are still hopeful and have found another lovely surrogate.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Danielle)

Everyone has been lovely. (We just don't have a living baby yet.)

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center.

It seems large and intimidating at first, but they are kind and caring. We have been treated like valuable friends who they want to help have a family. Debbie Goode has been the very best to us in helping us with understanding the financial packet. Jenna Lake was amazing in helping us select an egg donor, and again when we needed another.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center.

We have undergone treatment with transfers to first me, and then four separate surrogates. I could not begin to break it down. I do know they have a program with a "guarantee" that seemed quite attractive if you qualify.

Describe Brooke Friedman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center.

The clinic says they advocate for single transfer, but they believe strongly in individual choice. (We chose single for each transfer.)

Doctor

Brooke Friedman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Said Daneshmand San Diego Fertility Center

2017, Successful

Age 26

1 IVF

PCOS

Latinx

Income $50K - $99K

1st of 3 Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

He [Dr. Daneshmand] really took his time ordering all of the right tests and getting a clear idea of where are problem areas were. He was concerned about my health so while undergoing treatment he really stayed on top of my mess to avoid over stimulation ... He has this way of explaining things, and this warmth and sincerity that makes you feel like he’s with you every step of the way

They are some of the most kind and compassionate people you will ever come across in the medical field ...The entire staff was amazing, infertility is already heartbreaking to deal with. They understand that at SDFC and show nothing but compassion ... Aww qualified for their success guarantee program. You basically spend $30K but it guarantees a live birth up to 72 hours or use of all of your embryos, if love birth is not achieved you are refunded a portion of the cost

How was your experience with Said Daneshmand at San Diego Fertility Center?

He really took his time ordering all of the right tests and getting a clear idea of where are problem areas were. He was concerned about my health so while undergoing treatment he really stayed on top of my mess to avoid over stimulation

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Said Daneshmand at San Diego Fertility Center?

Have faith in him, he truly knows what he is doing

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Said Daneshmand at San Diego Fertility Center?

From the moment we had our consultation to the day we got a positive pregnancy test, Dr. Daneshmand was nothing short of amazing, He has this way of explaining things, and this warmth and sincerity that makes you feel like he’s with you every step of the way

Describe the protocols Said Daneshmand used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center and their degree of success.

SHG stimming: Menopur/ Gonal-F Trigger: Lupron Birth control to prep my lining Progesterone in oil injections before transfer and until 12 weeks of gestation

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at San Diego Fertility Center.

The entire staff was amazing, infertility is already heartbreaking to deal with. They understand that at SDFC and show nothing but compassion

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center.

My only complaint is that I didn’t find this facility sooner we spent 7 years ttc. This facility made our lifelong dream of becoming parents come true. They are some of the most kind and compassionate people you will ever come across in the medical field

Describe the costs associated with your care under Said Daneshmand at San Diego Fertility Center.

Aww qualified for their success guarantee program. You basically spend $30K but it guarantees a live birth up to 72 hours or use of all of your embryos, if love birth is not achieved you are refunded a portion of the cost

Describe Said Daneshmand's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center.

Dr. D was not opposed to us transferring more than one, but he did recommend we only transfer one. To optimize our chances of implantation, and for the fact that multiples puts you at a higher risk

Doctor

Said Daneshmand

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Said Daneshmand San Diego Fertility Center

2016 - 2017, Successful

Age 34 - 35

10 IUI

1 IVF

Donor Sperm

PCOS

Unexplained

Other

Income $100K - $199K

Graphic Designer

4th of 4 Docs

LGBTQ

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Dr. Friedman is extremely bright and knowledgeable in her field. Right from the start she made us feel very comfortable (we are an LGBT couple) and we felt an immediate connection and trust with her...Being able to email her directly with questions was amazing. She not only answered everything I would ask (and I had a lot of questions), she responds in the same day which is HUGE when you are going through fertility treatment...Dr. Friedman really personalized my care and made me feel like she genuinely cared about my partner's and my goals, wants, and needs. I knew without a doubt that Dr. Friedman knew who I was and my case every time I had to contact her.

As a clinic everyone there [at San Diego Fertility Clinic] is very friendly and patient and understanding. The only thing that kind of frustrated me a little bit is that you have to talk to a lot of different people rather than their be 1 liaison that you work with...The IUI cycles were around $700 per cycle. The IVF cycle if you do single cycle is around $13,500 and we chose to do success guarantee which was $22,465...On the plus side, they ALL use email (I love emailing rather than calling) so I was able to email all the coordinators about everything.

How was your experience with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

Dr. Friedman is extremely bright and knowledgeable in her field. Right from the start she made us feel very comfortable (we are an LGBT couple) and we felt an immediate connection and trust with her. We had full faith in every decision or opinion she gave and could feel that she genuinely cared about us. She is also extremely warm and compassionate and is also very calming and reassuring. I wish that Dr. Friedman could be my doctor for everything, she is by far the best doctor I have ever seen.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

Being able to email her directly with questions was amazing. She not only answered everything I would ask (and I had a lot of questions), she responds in the same day which is HUGE when you are going through fertility treatment.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

Dr. Friedman really personalized my care and made me feel like she genuinely cared about my partner's and my goals, wants, and needs. I knew without a doubt that Dr. Friedman knew who I was and my case every time I had to contact her. She quickly responded to any questions I had as well as would call me to wish me luck on everything.

Describe the protocols Brooke Friedman used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center and their degree of success.

When we came to Dr. Friedman I had already tried 8 IUI's without a single one resulting in a pregnancy. I have PCOS, am a lesbian, and was using frozen donor sperm. I also had tried everything from fertility meds (clomid and letrozole) to injectables (follistim and hcg trigger shots) and progesterone suppositories. I had had some positive physical changes (ie: lost weight, less stress, more stable cycle) and wanted to try IUI at least once or twice before making the big plunge to IVF. Dr. Friedman was in full support of this, she believed there was the possibility that IUI could work and understood my reason for wanting to try. After the 2nd try when it did not work I appreciated that she was honest in telling me her opinion on why she thought the IUI's weren't working and why IVF would have a much better chance and she was supportive of either decision we made. We ended up deciding to go with IVF retrieval and FET instead of trying a 3rd IUI with her (would have been my 11th IUI total). She confidently believed we would get pregnant on our first FET. We had a minor road bump right before the transfer (I ended up having uterine polyps and had to have them surgically removed) but then everything went smoothly with our embryo transfer (we transferred 1 by choice) and I am happy to say we are currently almost 10 weeks pregnant after our first try.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at San Diego Fertility Center.

Some of them are fantastic, a couple of them weren't as warm in their bedside manner but then again that could be because we were spoiled by how lovely Dr. Friedman is. Some of them were a little disorganized and lost some of my forms but I made copies for myself so it wasn't a big deal to me.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center.

As a clinic everyone there is very friendly and patient and understanding. The only thing that kind of frustrated me a little bit is that you have to talk to a lot of different people rather than their be 1 liaison that you work with. For example, you speak to coordinator to arrange your meds, 1 coordinator to arrange your insurance, 1 coordinator to arrange your financials and billing, 1 coordinator to train you on your meds, 1 coordinator to set up your calendar, and then the medical assistant to the actual doctor. There were times this was frustrating for me and I wished that I could just contact 1 person to take care of all of that and arrange with all those coordinators themselves. I'm not sure if this is usually how all clinics work or not. On the plus side, they ALL use email (I love emailing rather than calling) so I was able to email all the coordinators about everything.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center.

The IUI cycles were around $700 per cycle. The IVF cycle if you do single cycle is around $13,500 and we chose to do success guarantee which was $22,465.

Describe Brooke Friedman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center.

We were very adamant about not wanting to multiples, obviously if we somehow ended up with multiples we would not complain but we preferred to have a singleton. Other doctors I have seen push to transfer more than 1 embryo to increase your chances and Dr. Friedman was in complete and total support of us transferring only 1 embryo at a time. We are so grateful that her vision and ours were completely on the same page.

What specific things went wrong at San Diego Fertility Center?

Lost paperwork

Describe the specific things that went wrong at San Diego Fertility Center.

One of the nurses lost a set of my documents but I had copies for myself so it ended up not being a big deal.

Doctor

Brooke Friedman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2016, Unsuccessful

Age 31

3 IUI

1 IVF

Male Factor

European

Income $100K - $199K

Nurse or HC Services

1st of 2 Docs

Doesn't Recommend

Unsuccessful

Review of

We did low dose clomid IUI cycles (x3) [wtih Dr. Friedman] . I produced 2-6 follicles each cycle, but none resulted in pregnancy. My husbands sperm count was a tad low on the second and third IUI rounds... has wonderful bedside manner and is extremely warm and kind...She did get a little flustered during my first iui as she was having difficulty getting the catheter in (I have a retroverted uterus so it could have been difficult). I did see a different provider almost every visit which was a little frustrating.

[San Diego Fertility Center] Very nice, new facility. I liked that they had a wide range of appointment times, including early slots for monitoring. They were one of the only places that took my insurance for iuis. Since it is such a large clinic and there are so many different providers (including PAs and NPs) you can start to feel like a number a little bit (lost in the shuffle). They had a success guarantee program I was looking into back in 2016 for ivf.

How was your experience with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

Dr Friedman is a wonderful person and had amazing bedside manner (very warm and positive and always seemed to care). She did get a little flustered during my first iui as she was having difficulty getting the catheter in (I have a retroverted uterus so it could have been difficult). I did see a different provider almost every visit which was a little frustrating.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

Make sure you get along well with her medical assistant.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

Dr Friedman has wonderful bedside manner and is extremely warm and kind. The office itself, including front desk and medical assistant were another story, however (felt much more like a number with them).

Describe the protocols Brooke Friedman used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center and their degree of success.

We did low dose clomid IUI cycles (x3). I produced 2-6 follicles each cycle, but none resulted in pregnancy. My husbands sperm count was a tad low on the second and third IUI rounds.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: MJ)

She was a very nice person, but did not appear very organized. I had to call and email numerous times to follow up on ensuring med Scripts were sent to pharmacies and when double checking timing of doses. Felt like I had to do double or triple the work to make sure things were correct. This could be because I was not an ivf patient at this point (maybe they put all their resources towards ivf patients and those getting iui s take a back seat??)

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center.

Very nice, new facility. I liked that they had a wide range of appointment times, including early slots for monitoring. They were one of the only places that took my insurance for iuis. Since it is such a large clinic and there are so many different providers (including PAs and NPs) you can start to feel like a number a little bit (lost in the shuffle). They had a success guarantee program I was looking into back in 2016 for ivf.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center.

My insurance covered three iuis so I only had a $40 co pay each visit.

What specific things went wrong at San Diego Fertility Center?

Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy

Describe the specific things that went wrong at San Diego Fertility Center.

Had a difficult time with our first iui and getting the meds called into our pharmacy.

Doctor

Brooke Friedman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2016, Successful

Age 36

2 IVF

Unexplained

Middle Eastern

Income $100K - $199K

4th of 4 Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

She [Dr. Friedman] makes sure you are comfortable with any decision through the process and keeps you informed about everything. She always answered all our questions and replied to all our emails and we feel very fortunate to have our treatment with her. She even called to give the results when I was told that a nurse from the center will call. And when I decided to see a nurse for an ultrasound as Dr Friedman was in the operation room and I choose not to wait, Dr. Friedman called me in the afternoon to congratulate me...

The Staff at SDFC were so supportive, respectful, kind and knowledgeable. They try their best to make you ivf journey much easier...I highly recommend having a consultation with Dr Friedman and I'm sure you will feel the difference from that moment...

How was your experience with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

Going through IVF is not easy but Dr. Brooke made our experience much better. Dr. Friedman is so kind and intelligent and truly cares for her patients. She makes sure you are comfortable with any decision through the process and keeps you informed about everything. She always answered all our questions and replied to all our emails and we feel very fortunate to have our treatment with her. She even called to give the results when I was told that a nurse from the center will call. And when I decided to see a nurse for an ultrasound as Dr Friedman was in the operation room and I choose not to wait, Dr. Friedman called me in the afternoon to congratulate me. We had to deal with 4 doctors for infertility and Dr Friedman was the sweetest and most dedicated doctor.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

I highly recommend having a consultation with Dr Friedman and I'm sure you will feel the difference from that moment.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

Dr. Friedman is so kind and intelligent and truly cares for her patients. She makes sure you are comfortable with any decision through the process and keeps you informed about everything. She always answered all our questions and replied to all our emails and we feel very fortunate to have our treatment with her. She even called to give the results when I was told that a nurse from the center will call. And when I decided to see a nurse for an ultrasound as Dr Friedman was in the operation room and I choose not to wait, Dr. Friedman called me in the afternoon to congratulate me.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center.

The Staff at SDFC were so supportive, respectful, kind and knowledgeable. They try their best to make you ivf journey much easier.

Doctor

Brooke Friedman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2016, Successful

Age 37

3 IUI

6 IVF

6 Egg Freezing

Donor Eggs

Poor Egg Quality

Unexplained

European

Latinx

Income $100K - $199K

5th of 5 Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

I totally recommend Dr. Friedman and the SDFC to anybody going through this heart breaking journey, they were extremely professional, thorough and yet very warm, showing a great empathy for our situation. We are almost 12 weeks pregnant and we are still crossing our fingers so that all goes well, we are confidant that it will just because we know we were in such great hands.

We had several Skype appointments and it was amazing to see how well they [staff at San Diego Fertility Center] coordinated everything for us (medication, first appointments with a local doctor, tests, etc.). They were able to accommodate our schedules and help us with by being flexible around the logistics of our travel. I totally recommend Dr. Friedman and the SDFC to anybody going through this heart breaking journey, they were extremely professional, thorough and yet very warm, showing a great empathy for our situation. We are almost 12 weeks pregnant and we are still crossing our fingers so that all goes well, we are confidant that it will just because we know we were i

How was your experience with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

After 6 years trying to build our family, 6 IVFs, two clinics in LA and several in Argentina where we live now, we were so lucky that somebody introduced us to Dr Brooke Friedman of the San Diego Fertility Center. We hesitated at first because of the long distance but once we decided to do a treatment with them we felt their complete support and we were sure that we made the right decision. We had several Skype appointments and it was amazing to see how well they coordinated everything for us (medication, first appointments with a local doctor, tests, etc.). They were able to accommodate our schedules and help us with by being flexible around the logistics of our travel. I totally recommend Dr. Friedman and the SDFC to anybody going through this heart breaking journey, they were extremely professional, thorough and yet very warm, showing a great empathy for our situation. We are almost 12 weeks pregnant and we are still crossing our fingers so that all goes well, we are confidant that it will just because we know we were in such great hands.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

Trust her, you are in good hands.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

Describe the protocols Brooke Friedman used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center and their degree of success.

Fresh transfer, egg donor.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Megan)

Very profesional, flexible and understanding.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center.

Great coordination between all the departments (nurse, doctors, finance, donor team)

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center.

Around 40k

Doctor

Brooke Friedman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2016, Successful

Age 35

5 IUI

1 IVF

PCOS

European

Income $100K - $199K

Accountant

2nd of 2 Docs

Neutral

Successful

Review of

Dr. Park was extremely friendly and really answered all of my questions I had going through IVF for the first time. When she called and had to leave me a message it was always detailed enough so I wasn't left with more questions as to what was going to happen next....Don't expect to see the doctor at every visit, you can definitely schedule appointments around when she is in the office. All the staff is very friendly and it feels like a family.

The whole process is nerve-wracking but the staff is always so friendly and happy to help you that it makes you feel at home. I did have to wait over 45 minutes for my initial consultation which was a little off putting but all my other appointments have gone smoothly and quickly.

How was your experience with Susanna Park at San Diego Fertility Center?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Susanna Park at San Diego Fertility Center?

Don't expect to see the doctor at every visit, you can definitely schedule appointments around when she is in the office. All the staff is very friendly and it feels like a family.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Susanna Park at San Diego Fertility Center?

The staff was very friendly and it was nice to be greeted by name as you walked in for your appointments.

Describe the protocols Susanna Park used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center and their degree of success.

The first shot at IVF I was on 150iu of Gonal-F for 13 days, I was only able to get 4 mature eggs so we converted that cycle to an IUI (#5). It resulted in a BFN so we decided to up my dosage of Gonal-F for the next IVF. I had never taken injectable medication before so we didn't know how I would respond. I did 300iu for 10 days and it resulted in 25 follicles retrieved during my egg retrieval. We are currently waiting for our FET (scheduled date is 3/23).

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at San Diego Fertility Center.

The nursing staff has been an awesome support group. I always have lots of questions after my ultrasound and they are always right there to help answer any questions.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Susanna Park at San Diego Fertility Center.

Roughly $25,000 and that is included all the meds.

Doctor

Susanna Park

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2014 - 2015, Successful

Age 36 - 37

6 IUI

1 IVF

Donor Sperm

European

Income $50K - $99K

Nurse or HC Services

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Dr. Hummel was kind, knowledgeable & compassionate. I was somewhat disappointed in the infrequency with which I saw him. I was a patient of his for approximately 1 year an I think I saw him 3 or 4 times....I received personal care and frequent updates from the staff. I did occasionally feel like Dr. Hummel had forgotten about me because I mostly dealt with his MA and NP.... I have a medical background and struggled myself at times to understand the process, especially when it came to the explanation of the IVF treatment packages.

The facility [SD Fertility Center] was beautiful and the office front staff were so friendly and warm. Frankie is amazing (front desk). The facility location is very easy to get to, right off the freeway. The rooms are private and comfortable, the office is very clean & professional looking...I received personal care and frequent updates from the staff....I would have preferred more contact, direction & updates from the medical assistant. I felt like she treated me like just another patient she has seen a thousand times before, whereas this was my very first experience with fertility treatment and I had no idea what I was doing.

How was your experience with William Hummel (retired) at San Diego Fertility Center?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Hummel (retired) at San Diego Fertility Center?

Be sure to ask questions if you become confused with the process or terminology. I have a medical background and struggled myself at times to understand the process, especially when it came to the explanation of the IVF treatment packages.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Hummel (retired) at San Diego Fertility Center?

I received personal care and frequent updates from the staff. I did occasionally feel like Dr. Hummel had forgotten about me because I mostly dealt with his MA and NP.

Describe the protocols William Hummel (retired) used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center and their degree of success.

I had 6 failed IUI cycles and 1 successful IVF cycle. During IUI I did 2 natural cycles, 2 with oral clomid and 2 with injectables (I can't remember the names). During the IVF I used several different injectable medications in a specific series as well as intravaginal estrogen suppositories after the implantation. The injectable series was complicated but with good organizational skills, was manageable. The vaginal suppositories were inconvenient & messy (twice a day for 2 weeks). However I was told the only other options were daily intramuscular injections of estrogen. I was tired of injections so I went for the suppositories which were effective in holding my pregnancy.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: His medical assistant)

I would have preferred more contact, direction & updates from the medical assistant. I felt like she treated me like just another patient she has seen a thousand times before, whereas this was my very first experience with fertility treatment and I had no idea what I was doing. Sometimes I felt like she was irritated when I would ask her to explain something more because I didn't understand, almost like she expected me to know.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center.

The facility was beautiful and the office front staff were so friendly and warm. Frankie is amazing (front desk). The facility location is very easy to get to, right off the freeway. The rooms are private and comfortable, the office is very clean & professional looking.

Describe the costs associated with your care under William Hummel (retired) at San Diego Fertility Center.

Approximately $35,000 total with IUI, IVF & medications.

Describe William Hummel (retired)'s approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center.

Dr. Hummel gave me the option of single or multiple transfer. He explained the risks vs benefits and was ethical in that he would not consider transferring 3 or more embryos based on my personal story (single mom by choice). I felt he was being very responsible in his advice.

Doctor

William Hummel (retired)

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2015, Successful

Age 34

7 IUI

2 IVF

Donor Eggs

Poor Egg Quality

Unexplained

Prefer not to answer

Income $0 - $49K

Operations

5th of 5 Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

He [Dr. Kettel] was immediately warm and friendly and unimposed by our questions and fears! It felt like we were his only patient!On a day where we were full of anxiety and excitement at the same time, the day of our transfer, he was unbelievably kind and warm! For example, he knew that we had never gotten as far as an embryo transfer due to my egg quality, and immediately following the transfer of the embryo, he looked in my eyes and very sincerely said congratulations! I cried of course! He made it very personal like he understood!...

Frankie, is the name of the person who answers the phone sometimes [at SD Fert Center - Carmel V]... She is so sweet! Whenever I told her who was whether she remembered or not she acted like she remembered who I was and was so kind and made me laugh! I never felt rushed with any of their staff! My husband and I were blown away on our first visit that they scheduled us to meet with the manager of each department that would be handling our treatment. We had never met with an embryologist before!...

How was your experience with Michael Kettel at San Diego Fertility Center?

On a day where we were full of anxiety and excitement at the same time, the day of our transfer, he was unbelievably kind and warm! For example, he knew that we had never gotten as far as an embryo transfer due to my egg quality, and immediately following the transfer of the embryo, he looked in my eyes and very sincerely said congratulations! I cried of course! He made it very personal like he understood!

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Kettel at San Diego Fertility Center?

Go in with high expectations because they will be met!

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Kettel at San Diego Fertility Center?

This doctor was Honestly unlike any doctor we have ever Matt especially in the infertility world! He was immediately warm and friendly and unimposed by our questions and fears! It felt like we were his only patient!

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Danielle Miller)

You could tell that the kindness and warmth really trickle down from the doctors to the staff! But as most people know the person you have contact with on a regular basis is your nurse. She was amazing! For example in her communication with me she often took time to acknowledge my fears and reassure me! This is definitely not been the case with most of my clinics that we're mostly sterile and their communication as if I was a checklist. Then when we finally got the results of a positive pregnancy through blood work results, she encouraged me to take a pregnancy test. I asked her why since I knew the blood test was superior. She said because I deserved to see a positive sign! Wow! I'll never forget that! She was so sweet! I took a picture of the positive test an emailed it to her thanking her for encouraging me to do that!

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center.

Frankie, is the name of the person who answers the phone sometimes. She is so sweet! Whenever I told her who was whether she remembered or not she acted like she remembered who I was and was so kind and made me laugh! I never felt rushed with any of their staff! My husband and I were blown away on our first visit that they scheduled us to meet with the manager of each department that would be handling our treatment. We had never met with an embryologist before! She answered all her questions like how do you store the leftover embryos. Before she left the room she sincerely said that she was going to take really good care of us and our embryos! I believed her! And they did!

Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Kettel at San Diego Fertility Center.

They were very discreet and professional

Doctor

Michael Kettel

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2012 - 2014, Unsuccessful

Age 37 - 39

6 IVF

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

Male Factor

European

Income $100K - $199K

Sales Representative

1st of 2 Docs

Strongly Recommends

Unsuccessful

Review of

Dr. Hummel is incredibly caring and empathetic at all stages of the process...Dr. Hummel was good at explaining the process of IVF in a caring and gentle manner. One thing that stood out was how he made a point of complimenting my husband which made him feel included (when sometimes I think husbands can feel left out). He is soft-spoken and thoughtful and made us feel like we were important to him.

We did the "success guarantee" plan [at San Diego Fertility Center] which is supposed to give you money back if you use all of your embryos and have 3 rounds of IVF and do not have a live birth. This is not actually what happens- we ended up paying more money for each round and did not get anything back in the end. And the financial coordinator is difficult to work with- she does not answer phone calls or emails timely and then send you late payment warnings. This is the only part of the clinic that I did not like. They should not call it success guarantee, they should call it a discount plan for each additional cycle if you sign up for 3. It is misleading.

How was your experience with William Hummel (retired) at San Diego Fertility Center?

Dr. Hummel was good at explaining the process of IVF in a caring and gentle manner. One thing that stood out was how he made a point of complimenting my husband which made him feel included (when sometimes I think husbands can feel left out). He is soft-spoken and thoughtful and made us feel like we were important to him. The only negative I can say is that he suggested moving on to donor eggs while I was on the table having the last embryo transferred. I thought the timing was not so good.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Hummel (retired) at San Diego Fertility Center?

Dr. Hummel is incredibly caring and empathetic at all stages of the process.

Describe the protocols William Hummel (retired) used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center and their degree of success.

All of our IVF cycles were long prototcol with either ganirelix or cetrotide as antagonist, Gonal-F/menopur stimulations, Ovidrel trigger shots with Lovenox for blood thinners. The first two cycles were fresh day 5 transfers, transferring 2 the first time and 3 the second. We froze the rest and transferred them after the fresh transfers did not work. The last 2 cycles were frozen transfers with PGS. We used ICSI in all cycles because of my husband's low morphology. None of the cycles worked.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Carrie )

Carrie did all of my ultrasounds- she was professional, caring, gentle, and a great resource for information. I cannot say enough about how much I appreciated her after I went to a different clinic where the nursing staff was not great.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center.

This clinic is organized and structured in a way that you will feel taken care of and not lost in a sea of numbers. You have your ultrasounds in the morning and then the whole group meets for a midday meeting so they can discuss your case together. They call you with an update in the afternoon. That way everyone is on the same page and there is no confusion. The same nurse gives your ultrasounds (mostly) and the same nurse draws your blood each time. They are not pushy, and don't waste your time. And the office is clean and beautiful.

Describe the costs associated with your care under William Hummel (retired) at San Diego Fertility Center.

We did the "success guarantee" plan which is supposed to give you money back if you use all of your embryos and have 3 rounds of IVF and do not have a live birth. This is not actually what happens- we ended up paying more money for each round and did not get anything back in the end. And the financial coordinator is difficult to work with- she does not answer phone calls or emails timely and then send you late payment warnings. This is the only part of the clinic that I did not like. They should not call it success guarantee, they should call it a discount plan for each additional cycle if you sign up for 3. It is misleading.

Describe William Hummel (retired)'s approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center.

He was happy to transfer more than one embryo from the start, but I was 35 at the time that I started treatment and had low ovarian reserve. We discussed the possibility of twins- my husband is a twin and so we were up for it.

Doctor

William Hummel (retired)

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Jeffrey Rakoff (Retired)San Diego Fertility Center

2010 - 2012, Successful

Age 41 - 43

9 IUI

1 IVF

Donor Sperm

Endometriosis

Uterine Fibroids

European

Income $100K - $199K

Lawyer

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

I was happy with Dr. Rakoff. I felt like he was up front with me about everything but will willing to let me do the IUI's even when it was clear he felt I should go right to IVF. He explained things to me clearly and when I was nervous for my mock transfer he was great about calming me down and letting me relax without rushing it...I remember unmedicated IUI's were about $200 and medicated IUI's were about $500. I paid up front for two IVF cycles and I think it was around $10k

I remember unmedicated IUI's [at San Diego Fertility Center] were about $200 and medicated IUI's were about $500. I paid up front for two IVF cycles and I think it was around $10k...Receptionist at the time (Frankie) was really great. Clinic was well organized and well run and appointments were pretty much always on time...There was one nurse or coordinator that I didn't like - I think her name was Chris but can't be sure. She was not very warm and did my first IUI, for which I was very nervous, and she had little compassion. The woman who always did the blood draws came in with me for that first IUI and was amazing - she was so positive and compassionate every single time I was there.

How was your experience with Jeffrey Rakoff (Retired) at San Diego Fertility Center?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Jeffrey Rakoff (Retired) at San Diego Fertility Center?

You have to have done your homework and know what you want. I knew I wanted to try IUI's first even though he felt I should just go to IVF.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Jeffrey Rakoff (Retired) at San Diego Fertility Center?

Was always greeted by name by the receptionist and nurses and Dr. Rakoff made me feel like they really cared about me and the process.

Describe the protocols Jeffrey Rakoff (Retired) used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center and their degree of success.

I did three cycles without anything and then 3 with clomid before moving to injections. I know he changed it up when I didn't have a lot of follicles but can't recall what was changed.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Kendra, Tammy)

There was one nurse or coordinator that I didn't like - I think her name was Chris but can't be sure. She was not very warm and did my first IUI, for which I was very nervous, and she had little compassion. The woman who always did the blood draws came in with me for that first IUI and was amazing - she was so positive and compassionate every single time I was there.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center.

Receptionist at the time (Frankie) was really great. Clinic was well organized and well run and appointments were pretty much always on time

Describe the costs associated with your care under Jeffrey Rakoff (Retired) at San Diego Fertility Center.

I remember unmedicated IUI's were about $200 and medicated IUI's were about $500. I paid up front for two IVF cycles and I think it was around $10k

Describe Jeffrey Rakoff (Retired)'s approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center.

I had 3 excellent quality embryos and he asked if I wanted to transfer all three given my age. I said absolutely not but I was ok with 2 since I would be fine with having twins but not fine with having triplets. I have twin boys so I am really glad we didn't transfer 3. But it was my decision and he did not pressure me one way or another. Again, you have to know yourself well and stick to what you believe.

Doctor

Jeffrey Rakoff (Retired)

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Jeffrey Rakoff (Retired)San Diego Fertility Center

2017 - 2019, Unsuccessful

Age 31 - 33

3 IUI

1 IVF

PCOS

European

Income $200K - $499K

1st of 2 Docs

Doesn't Recommend

Unsuccessful

Review of

Sandy Chuan San Diego Fertility Center

[Dr. Sandy Chuan] also did the same protocol for me 10 times expecting different results....I had poor lining so she used estrogen tablets and injectables...so you really don't ever see the doctors...Sandy had good beside manner but it was difficult getting a meeting with her...We encountered several issues with the clinic missing key medications in my protocol. In addition, we had 10 cycles where she did the exact same protocol expecting different results. It was so disappointing.

With insurance it was $4,000 per frozen cycle [at San Diego Fertility Center], not including medications...They're churning people through, so you really don't ever see the doctors. The nurses are just ok but they don't actually go through your file when you first become a patient, so make sure all your medical history is up to date. SDFC failed to have us update our immunization records and we didn't know until they were 4 years out of date.

How was your experience with Sandy Chuan at San Diego Fertility Center?

We encountered several issues with the clinic missing key medications in my protocol. In addition, we had 10 cycles where she did the exact same protocol expecting different results. It was so disappointing.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sandy Chuan at San Diego Fertility Center?

Better record keeping of medications in protocol, and not trying the same treatment 10 times when it wasn't working.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sandy Chuan at San Diego Fertility Center?

Sandy had good beside manner but it was difficult getting a meeting with her.

Describe the protocols Sandy Chuan used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center and their degree of success.

I had poor lining so she used estrogen tablets and injectables.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Shannon)

The nurses really root for you but the fact that they missed medications listed in my file is inexcusable. I felt like I was tossed around from nurse to nurse and they omitted details when they communicated with each other.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center.

They're churning people through, so you really don't ever see the doctors. The nurses are just ok but they don't actually go through your file when you first become a patient, so make sure all your medical history is up to date. SDFC failed to have us update our immunization records and we didn't know until they were 4 years out of date.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Sandy Chuan at San Diego Fertility Center.

With insurance it was $4,000 per frozen cycle, not including medications.

What specific things went wrong at San Diego Fertility Center?

Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Lost paperwork
Failed to convey critical information
Canceled a cycle due to clinic error

Describe the specific things that went wrong at San Diego Fertility Center.

The nurses failed to add the doctor's orders to my protocol, canceling cycles twice. Dr. Chuan also did the same protocol for me 10 times expecting different results.

Doctor

Sandy Chuan

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Sandy Chuan San Diego Fertility Center

2018 - 2019, Successful

Age 36 - 37

2 IVF

Surrogacy

European

Nurse or HC Services

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Dr. Friedman from the start listened to all of my questions and answered them to the best of her ability. She made me feel like I was not alone. She explained everything to us and after the first failed cycle she adjusted everything in hope for a greater outcome....We visited this subject [Eset] and both agreed that single embryo transfer is the safest option for all parties involved and better chance of success with a full term baby.

The clinic [San Diego Fertility Ctr] was clean, the staff was professional and friendly. They were very helpful with any questions or concerns. They truly care about their patients. Both clinics I visited were warm and I was so comfortable every time I went in....The entire process was amazing, I had no idea what was involved and the entire team was amazing. Answered any questions I had with prompt responses. I don’t have a bad thing to say about them.

How was your experience with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

Even though you have a plan, be open to change as it never goes as expected.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

The entire process was amazing, I had no idea what was involved and the entire team was amazing. Answered any questions I had with prompt responses. I don’t have a bad thing to say about them.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Danielle Miller)

Danielle was amazing, she was so supportive and made me feel like no question was too dumb to ask. She went over everything in detail as I had asked. Being in the medical field I wanted to know everything. She even gave me her personal phone number if I had any questions after hours. She went above and beyond.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center.

The clinic was clean, the staff was professional and friendly. They were very helpful with any questions or concerns. They truly care about their patients. Both clinics I visited were warm and I was so comfortable every time I went in.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center.

The entire cost for 2 rounds of ivf and 2 retrieval’s was $39,000 not including meds. Medication was another $9,000

Describe Brooke Friedman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center.

We visited this subject and both agreed that single embryo transfer is the safest option for all parties involved and better chance of success with a full term baby.

Doctor

Brooke Friedman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2018 - 2019, Unknown Success

Age 34 - 35

2 IUI

Unexplained

European

Income $0 - $49K

Entrepreneur

Only Doc Seen

Doesn't Recommend

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

My personal journey was not addressed in detail. She [Dr. Friedman] spoke to us about blanket percentages and we always felt like it was so generic and our specific situation was not addressed. ... She really didn’t recommend any strategy besides do 3 IUI treatments and then if that didn’t work we would meet again. ... My experience under her care was that I didn’t trust her opinion.

The clinic [San Diego Fertility Center] is clean, professional and conveniently located. ... MJ was suppose to schedule an important SHG and she didn’t. Also I never heard from Dr. Friedman after the SHG ... Some of the nurses there are very sweet and compassionate. The weakness is it’s hard to schedule appointments with the doctor and this delays your future treatments. ... It took us over 6 months to complete a check list that should have only taken 2 months

How was your experience with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

My experience under her care was that I didn’t trust her opinion. It also felt like she was very quick to prescribe clomid even though I had no problem with egg production. It seems like they don’t care if you conceive multiples.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

If you want to initiate all appointments, procedures and do most of the research on your own then this is a good place. Be careful of their numbers with multiples and follow hour intuition

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

My personal journey was not addressed in detail. She spoke to us about blanket percentages and we always felt like it was so generic and our specific situation was not addressed.

Describe the protocols Brooke Friedman used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center and their degree of success.

She really didn’t recommend any strategy besides do 3 IUI treatments and then if that didn’t work we would meet again.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: MJ)

Communicating with her nurse was always painful. She showed no compassion and was very confusing when it came to the next steps. It took us over 6 months to complete a check list that should have only taken 2 months

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center.

The clinic is clean, professional and conveniently located. Some of the nurses there are very sweet and compassionate. The weakness is it’s hard to schedule appointments with the doctor and this delays your future treatments.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center.

IUI is $700 a cycle

Describe Brooke Friedman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center.

She was very fact and number focused and left the decision up to us if we do IVF.

What specific things went wrong at San Diego Fertility Center?

Failed to order appropriate test
Failed to convey critical information

Describe the specific things that went wrong at San Diego Fertility Center.

MJ was suppose to schedule an important SHG and she didn’t. Also I never heard from Dr. Friedman after the SHG

Doctor

Brooke Friedman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2019, Unknown Success

Age 28

1 IVF

Donor Sperm

Tubal Blockage

Other

Income $50K - $99K

Sales Representative

Only Doc Seen

LGBTQ

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

I was told because of blocked tubes it was best to go into IVF and skip IUI I started BC on day 4 of my cycle and then took 75 IUIs of menopour and 300 ius of follistim . ... From the moment I met her [Dr. Friedman] she has been very kind and welcoming. She also has good bedside manner And makes sure to awnser any questions we have and is through in explaining the IVF process . I am very pleased so far and would highly recommended her because of this

the gal who awnsers the phones is super friendly and remembers me when I walk into the clinic [San Diego Fertility Center]. All the other staff is just as friendly .The blood draw gala make everything quick and painless :) .on egg retrieval day every one was smiling and joking around which put me at ease . Even though it was early (7am ) everyone was on point and ready to go ... MJ is amazing she replies promptly to emails and calls and is such a delight to interact with

How was your experience with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

From the moment I met her she has been very kind and welcoming. She also has good bedside manner And makes sure to awnser any questions we have and is through in explaining the IVF process . I am very pleased so far and would highly recommended her because of this

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

No advice . She is wonderfuo

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

I first attended seminar with doctor Friedman and she very kindly awnsered all my questions with a good beside manner . Our interactions with her have been extremely pleasant

Describe the protocols Brooke Friedman used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center and their degree of success.

I was told because of blocked tubes it was best to go into IVF and skip IUI I started BC on day 4 of my cycle and then took 75 IUIs of menopour and 300 ius of follistim . Had egg retrieval and had 14 eggs retrieved and 12 fertilized and now have 6 embryos for freezing

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: MJ)

MJ is amazing she replies promptly to emails and calls and is such a delight to interact with

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center.

the gal who awnsers the phones is super friendly and remembers me when I walk into the clinic . All the other staff is just as friendly .The blood draw gala make everything quick and painless :) .on egg retrieval day every one was smiling and joking around which put me at ease . Even though it was early (7am ) everyone was on point and ready to go

Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at San Diego Fertility Center.

They were able to fit me on for monitoring based on my schedual

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center.

25k for gaurenteed sucess plan

Describe Brooke Friedman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center.

She advised becuase of my age and chance of multiples 1 embryo was recommended for transfer because focous is to deliver healthy babies

Doctor

Brooke Friedman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2019, Successful

Age 31

Endometriosis

Tubal Blockage

European

Income $100K - $199K

Consultant

1st of 2 Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Dr. Friedman answered all of my questions, took the time I needed, and was realistic about what my goals should be. She called my OBGYN to get all of the information she needed...She is very knowledgeable, kind, realistic, and has your best interest in mind. She was able to answer all of my questions, and walked me through every detail very thoroughly. She was also very positive and thoughtful, she helped me develop realistic goals and to have hope in the possibilities.

We weren’t notified by the clinic [San Diego Fertility Center] when our genetic tests returned, so I had to call and get access to them. Once I did call, they were very helpful...The nursing staff was very professional. Our labs went great, and they even took our picture without needing to rush. When I called in to ask questions, they were always available and knowledgeable...financial team was helpful, and the overall consultation. experience was great.

How was your experience with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

She is very knowledgeable, kind, realistic, and has your best interest in mind. She was able to answer all of my questions, and walked me through every detail very thoroughly. She was also very positive and thoughtful, she helped me develop realistic goals and to have hope in the possibilities.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

I would suggest they come with a list of questions and not be afraid to advocate for themselves.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

Dr. Friedman answered all of my questions, took the time I needed, and was realistic about what my goals should be. She called my OBGYN to get all of the information she needed.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at San Diego Fertility Center.

The nursing staff was very professional. Our labs went great, and they even took our picture without needing to rush. When I called in to ask questions, they were always available and knowledgeable.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center.

This is a top of the line clinic, it’s absolutely beautiful, clean, modern, etc. They are organized and friendly, and seem to be very on top of every aspect of the business. You’re treated kindly, financial team was helpful, and the overall consultation. experience was great.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center.

$15,740 for IVF without PGS testing and meds

Describe Brooke Friedman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center.

She prefers single embryo transfer.

What specific things went wrong at San Diego Fertility Center?

Failed to call with results

Describe the specific things that went wrong at San Diego Fertility Center.

We weren’t notified by the clinic when our genetic tests returned, so I had to call and get access to them. Once I did call, they were very helpful.

Doctor

Brooke Friedman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2015 - 2018, Unknown Success

Age 37 - 40

5 IUI

Unexplained

European

Income $50K - $99K

Graphic Designer

1st of 2 Docs

Neutral

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

I went to Dr Friedman for my first pregnancy (success after 2 IUIs) and now trying for a sibling. She is very kind, smart and knowledgeable. She can be blunt whereas I'd prefer a bit more optimism. She basically told me that IUIs wouldn't work for us first time around, but it did. I don't see her for IUIs but that doesn't bother me.... Stand up for what you want -- if you want to try IUIs first, say it.

This is a beautiful clinic [SD Fertility Center] -- very high-end. They can have a full waiting room but I rarely wait more than a few minutes for an ultrasound or IUI. Friendly staff as well. You kinda have to take control of IUIs -- no one will check to see how they are working out or if you want to do another.... IUIs are $700, monitored medicated cycles with timed intercourse are $599

How was your experience with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

Stand up for what you want -- if you want to try IUIs first, say it.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

Dr Friedman is very caring and has excellent bedside manner. She listens well and makes you feel very comfortable.

Describe the protocols Brooke Friedman used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center and their degree of success.

All IUIs were with clomid, trigger shot and ultrasound monitoring. I have a lot of follicles so the concern is that I'll overstimulate with more than clomid. I got pregnant after 2 IUIs the first time around. No success yet after 3 IUIs for a sibling.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: MJ)

MJ is Dr Friedman's nurse coordinator. If I have a question or concern for Dr. Friedman, I can call or email MJ and she'll get back to me fairly quickly.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center.

This is a beautiful clinic -- very high-end. They can have a full waiting room but I rarely wait more than a few minutes for an ultrasound or IUI. Friendly staff as well. You kinda have to take control of IUIs -- no one will check to see how they are working out or if you want to do another.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center.

IUIs are $700, monitored medicated cycles with timed intercourse are $599

Doctor

Brooke Friedman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2018, Unknown Success

Age 33

3 IUI

2 IVF

Anovulation

Ashkenazi Jewish

Income $200K - $499K

1st of 2 Docs

Neutral

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Dr Kettel took the time to review my case and clearly considered my specific situation when giving his recommendations.... He gave me a thorough exam and consultation for our subsequent FET cycle, and was very amenable to working with my old clinic where my remaining embryos are located. I have only been there twice (once to see Dr Kettel and once for an SHG, which a tech did), but the clinic is really on the ball and great with communication.

Everyone at SDFC has been great!... The clinic is clean and beautiful, the staff are friendly, and their communication is great. They have gotten me into appointments really quickly and respond to emails and phone calls right away. I have not had any issues with anyone at this clinic so far.... [Cost Of Treatment] I have only had two appointments - the appointment with Dr Kettel was a $50 copay, and my SHG was around $300.

How was your experience with Michael Kettel at San Diego Fertility Center?

I came to SDFC as a new patient after having my first IVF baby at another clinic across the country and then moving to San Diego. My former RE recommended Dr Kettel, and I have been pleased with him and SDFC so far. He gave me a thorough exam and consultation for our subsequent FET cycle, and was very amenable to working with my old clinic where my remaining embryos are located. I have only been there twice (once to see Dr Kettel and once for an SHG, which a tech did), but the clinic is really on the ball and great with communication.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Kettel at San Diego Fertility Center?

Have a list of questions ready to ask him.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Kettel at San Diego Fertility Center?

Dr Kettel took the time to review my case and clearly considered my specific situation when giving his recommendations.

Describe the protocols Michael Kettel used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center and their degree of success.

We have not done a cycle yet, but he agreed to do whatever my former clinic wants, which is estrogen patches and crinone gel for a FET cycle.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at San Diego Fertility Center.

Everyone at SDFC has been great!

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center.

The clinic is clean and beautiful, the staff are friendly, and their communication is great. They have gotten me into appointments really quickly and respond to emails and phone calls right away. I have not had any issues with anyone at this clinic so far.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Kettel at San Diego Fertility Center.

I have only had two appointments - the appointment with Dr Kettel was a $50 copay, and my SHG was around $300.

Describe Michael Kettel's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center.

We would only ever do eSET with our PGS tested embryos, so I did not have this discussion with Dr Kettel.

Doctor

Michael Kettel

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2017 - 2018, Successful

Age 40 - 41

4 IUI

1 IVF

Donor Sperm

PCOS

Ashkenazi Jewish

Income $50K - $99K

Professor

Only Doc Seen

LGBTQ

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

I was treated as an individual and was included in the decision making process of my treatment. Dr Friedman treated me with respect, always addressing my concerns and celebrating my victories with me as well...is extremely intelligent and compassionate. She is on top of the most recent research, which was important to me. She also treated me like an individual rather than using a cookie cutter approach to my care.

SDFC is full of compassionate and knowledgeable people, from the people who welcome you as you enter to the doctors. The clinic is available 7 days a week so that you do not have to manipulate your cycle any more than is necessary. I even had a monitoring appointment on a holiday. This was a much appreciated aspect of my care! The wonderful staff and practitioners are the clinic's greatest strength!...

How was your experience with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

Dr Friedman is extremely intelligent and compassionate. She is on top of the most recent research, which was important to me. She also treated me like an individual rather than using a cookie cutter approach to my care.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

The fertility process is a real roller coaster, with many bumps. You have to have realistic expectations of yourself and everyone else. And be patient. The fertility journey unfolds over time.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at San Diego Fertility Center.

The nursing staff was excellent! Everyone I worked with was knowledgeable, compassionate, and remembered me - which really makes a difference in how I experienced the process.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center.

Describe Brooke Friedman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center.

The doctor strongly encouraged me to use eSET rather than transferring multiple embryos. I probably could have pushed, but the scientific, medical, and personal reasons for eSET were very compelling, particularly since I had done genetic testing of my embryos.

Doctor

Brooke Friedman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2016, Successful

Age 30

1 IVF

European

Income $100K - $199K

Business Executive

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Dr Friedman and the entire staff at SD Fertility was beyond amazing! After 2 years of trying to do this naturally we were recommended to this clinic and couldn't be happier! From start to finish we were always presented with the best options, greeted by warm staff, and know that they had personal interest in our success...She is super knowledgeable and made every option very clear and understandable for a new patient. If anything occurred she would think of our best interest...

Every staff member [at SD Fert Center - Carmel V] was great to work with. They made us comfortable and explained with great knowledge each step of the process and what to expect...The most amazing staff that treated us like family on every visit. They were invested in our success through every step of the process..The best clinic in San Diego by far! Every step of the way was clearly defined, open lines of communication was readily available, and couldn't be happier...

How was your experience with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

Dr Friedman and the entire staff at SD Fertility was beyond amazing! After 2 years of trying to do this naturally we were recommended to this clinic and couldn't be happier! From start to finish we were always presented with the best options, greeted by warm staff, and know that they had personal interest in our success. We are happy to say that after one round we are expecting a baby in February and can't thank Dr Friedman enough. It was sad to leave them after 10 weeks, but they will always be in our hearts.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

She is amazing!

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

She was amazing and made sure we were aware of everything during the process. Couldn't have asked for a better doctor

Describe the protocols Brooke Friedman used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center and their degree of success.

She is super knowledgeable and made every option very clear and understandable for a new patient. If anything occurred she would think of our best interest

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at San Diego Fertility Center.

The most amazing staff that treated us like family on every visit. They were invested in our success through every step of the process

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center.

The best clinic in San Diego by far! Every step of the way was clearly defined, open lines of communication was readily available, and couldn't be happier

Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at San Diego Fertility Center.

Every staff member was great to work with. They made us comfortable and explained with great knowledge each step of the process and what to expect

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center.

Total cost of $25,000

Doctor

Brooke Friedman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2006 - 2011, Successful

Age 37 - 42

IUI

2 IVF

Donor Sperm

European

Sales Representative

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Doctor cared about me and my future children. Goal was to get pregnant and as as patient, I was willing to do whatever it took to get there. Doctor was very transparent...Dr. Kettel started with not as intensive treatments but adjusted protocol as needed based on results and age...Tammy was my saving grace. She brought the reality into the picture and was very compassionate and caring.

I was always provided a quote for expected treatment. They [staff at San Diego Fertility Center] contacted insurance company as needed. Offered several options for payment. At times, did not keep track of billing and notify in a timely manner what was owed...Very pleasant, organized with appointments, accessible when needed, very caring and treated patients with great confidentiality. I felt the staff genuinely cared about me and my future children and were great cheerleaders. I felt like they were family.

How was your experience with Michael Kettel at San Diego Fertility Center?

Doctor is pioneer, experienced with excellent results. Doctor has a great team of staff to assist every step of the way, who are excellent caregivers. SD Fertility Center is the only place I would go, they know me and the best care to achieve results.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Kettel at San Diego Fertility Center?

Dr. Michael Kettel has great outcomes.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Kettel at San Diego Fertility Center?

Doctor cared about me and my future children. Goal was to get pregnant and as as patient, I was willing to do whatever it took to get there. Doctor was very transparent.

Describe the protocols Michael Kettel used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center and their degree of success.

Dr. Kettel started with not as intensive treatments but adjusted protocol as needed based on results and age.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Tammy)

Tammy was my saving grace. She brought the reality into the picture and was very compassionate and caring.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center.

Very pleasant, organized with appointments, accessible when needed, very caring and treated patients with great confidentiality. I felt the staff genuinely cared about me and my future children and were great cheerleaders. I felt like they were family.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Kettel at San Diego Fertility Center.

I was always provided a quote for expected treatment. They contacted insurance company as needed. Offered several options for payment. At times, did not keep track of billing and notify in a timely manner what was owed.

Describe Michael Kettel's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center.

Dr. Kettel discussed strategies when it came time to decide on multiple embryos. Very open and honest.

Doctor

Michael Kettel

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2017 - 2019, Unknown Success

Age 37 - 39

4 IUI

2 IVF

1 Embryo Freezing

Donor Eggs

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

Poor Egg Quality

European

Income $200K - $499K

Sales Representative

3rd of 3 Docs

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

She is kind and caring but also very knowledgeable and confident. When we had a cancelled cycle she took the time to call me on her day off to talk to me about next steps and moving forward. I always heard bad news from Dr Friedman directly which made it a little easier than hearing it from a nurse. ... I have already referred several people to her. ... Dr Friedman said she would transfer two embryos if we really wanted twins but prefers to transfer one at a time.

Clinic [San Diego Fertility Center] has great communication and a top notch lab. It’s clean and things are explained well throughout the process. You always know how your embryos are doing or how your donor’s cycle is going. They are well organized and efficient - open on the weekends for certain appointments which is convenient. ... The nursing staff is great and very good with communication. Sarah was my coordinator and she has been wonderful.

How was your experience with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

I have already referred several people to her. She is kind and caring but also very knowledgeable and confident. When we had a cancelled cycle she took the time to call me on her day off to talk to me about next steps and moving forward. I always heard bad news from Dr Friedman directly which made it a little easier than hearing it from a nurse.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

Discuss all of your options and the realistic success chances for each one. They have a great donor program that might be an option.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center?

Dr Friedman is very caring and wants the best for your family. On my first visit she told me she would do whatever it took to help us grow our family. She is a wonderful doctor.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Sarah York)

The nursing staff is great and very good with communication. Sarah was my coordinator and she has been wonderful.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center.

Clinic has great communication and a top notch lab. It’s clean and things are explained well throughout the process. You always know how your embryos are doing or how your donor’s cycle is going. They are well organized and efficient - open on the weekends for certain appointments which is convenient.

Describe Brooke Friedman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center.

Dr Friedman said she would transfer two embryos if we really wanted twins but prefers to transfer one at a time.

Doctor

Brooke Friedman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2016 - 2017, Successful

Age 37 - 38

3 IUI

5 IVF

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

Poor Egg Quality

Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

European

Income $100K - $199K

Nurse or HC Services

2nd of 2 Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

We were always treated with respect and never given false hope. Dr. Kettel always took the time to explain things to us, even multiple times if needed. He was very realistic about our chances and let us know what our options were at all times.... Dr. Kettel used a fairly aggressive dose of medication due to my age. He opted in most cycles to freeze all then transfer.... In the beginning we only transferred two, as Dr. Kettel was conservative. Last few cycles we transferred 3 or 4 each time.

Clinic staff [San Diego Fertility] was wonderful amd they always had flexible appointments available. The PA Kristin was amazing and so down to earth. Del Mar Surgert Center was also very good. Overall I felt this was a great place to receive treatment even before i was able to get pregnant.... [Nurse] Annette was wonderful .... We were always treated with respect and never given false hope. Dr. Kettel always took the time to explain things to us,

How was your experience with Michael Kettel at San Diego Fertility Center?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Kettel at San Diego Fertility Center?

I would tell anyone going through fertility treatments that it may take more than one cycle to produce a baby.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Kettel at San Diego Fertility Center?

Dr. Kettel always took the time to answer our questions and explained things thoroughly.

Describe the protocols Michael Kettel used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center and their degree of success.

Dr. Kettel used a fairly aggressive dose of medication due to my age. He opted in most cycles to freeze all then transfer. I also required anesthesia for all transfers.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Annette)

Annette was wonderful .

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center.

Clinic staff was wonderful amd they always had flexible appointments available. The PA Kristin was amazing and so down to earth. Del Mar Surgert Center was also very good. Overall I felt this was a great place to receive treatment even before i was able to get pregnant.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Kettel at San Diego Fertility Center.

I had some insurance coverage but had to pay out of pocket too

Describe Michael Kettel's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center.

In the beginning we only transferred two, as Dr. Kettel was conservative. Last few cycles we transferred 3 or 4 each time.

Doctor

Michael Kettel

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2018 - 2020, Successful

Age 35 - 37

IVF

Donor Eggs

Surrogacy

East Asian

Income $100K - $199K

Nurse or HC Services

Only Doc Seen

LGBTQ

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of