Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania

11 doctors work here

Rated 9
Strongly recommend: 75%Neutral: 17%Don't recommend: 8%9
75% strongly recommend
107 reviews
Operations
9.2
9.2
Operations

Ratings of 1 indicate that a clinic was poorly operated.

Ratings of 10 indicate that a clinic operated very well.

Scheduling
9.4
9.4
Scheduling

Ratings of 1 mean it was difficult to schedule appointments with this clinic.

Ratings of 10 mean it was easy to schedule appointments.

Billing Department
8.1
8.1
Billing Department

Ratings of 1 indicate an unsatisfactory billing department.

Ratings of 10 indicate an excellent billing department.

Nursing Team
9.4
9.4
Nursing Team

Ratings of 1 indicate an unsatisfactory nursing team.

Ratings of 10 indicate an excellent nursing team.

Attention to Detail
8.4
8.4
Attention to Detail

Attention to detail is on a 1 - 10 scale, and is scored based on the rate, and severity, of errors committed by the clinic according to the patients.

For example, a severe error might be failing to inform a patient of critical information, while a small error might be failing to call a patient with results.

CDC Success Rates

This is the most recent data from the CDC. The CDC cautions that it should not be used to compare doctors and clinics. This data represents the outcomes of IVF cycles when using a person's own eggs.

For more information please see our FAQs.

Where you see a “?” on the chart, a clinic has done fewer than 20 cycles in this category and age range, so the CDC says showing percentages from this small data set would be misleading and unreliable.

Annual Cycles
1,878
National Avg
738
This Clinic
National Avg
00%
20%
40%
60%
<35
35-37
38-40
>40

Available Resources

Genetic counseling
Genetic counseling
Acupuncture
Acupuncture
Mental health counseling
Mental health counseling
Nutrition counseling
Nutrition counseling
Administration of shots
Administration of shots
Coordinating at-home nursing
Coordinating at-home nursing
Selling medication
Selling medication
Providing backup medication
Providing backup medication

This clinic has 9 offices

Allentown
5018 Medical Center Circle, Suite 210
Allentown, PA 18106
Center City
1515 Market Street
Center City, PA 19102
Chesterbrook
945 Chesterbrook Boulevard
Chesterbrook, PA 19087
Lancaster
205 Granite Run Drive
Lancaster, PA 17601
Mechanicsburg
2005 Technology Pkwy
Mechanicsburg, PA 17050
Philadelphia
1515 Market St
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Warrington
865 Easton Road Suite 290
Warrington, PA 18976
Wexford
6400 Brooktree Ct
Wexford, PA 15090
York
2200 South George St
York, PA 17403
Show 7 more

107 patient reviews

2021 - 2023, Successful
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 32 - 34
3 IUI
2 IVF
PCOS
Income $200K - $499K
Marketer or PR
Only Doc Seen
Fertility Medications With Other Docs
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
Dr Kallen has a very calm, quiet bedside manner but don't let that fool you - he is extremely invested in every patient he sees. When my case sometimes presented challenges, he would go back and look at all of my past scans and consult with his peers to determine the best course of action. There was a time during my treatment when Dr. Kallen was away for a few weeks, and I honestly wish I had paused treatment because I began only trusting him with my care. Not that the other physicians aren't great, but he really knows what he's doing and is fully invested in his patients.
Dr Kallen and the whole team at SGF are extremely warm and welcoming...Going through this experience is extremely difficult - it's emotional, time consuming and hard on your body. Shady Grove made it as smooth as possible. With multiple locations, it was easy to get to and from appointments and hardly ever had more than a 5 minute wait time. The portal was easy to use, and the finance department was very easy to work with...
How was your experience with Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr Kallen has a very calm, quiet bedside manner but don't let that fool you - he is extremely invested in every patient he sees. When my case sometimes presented challenges, he would go back and look at all of my past scans and consult with his peers to determine the best course of action. There was a time during my treatment when Dr. Kallen was away for a few weeks, and I honestly wish I had paused treatment because I began only trusting him with my care. Not that the other physicians aren't great, but he really knows what he's doing and is fully invested in his patients.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Look no further!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr Kallen and the whole team at SGF are extremely warm and welcoming. They are always there with any questions you may have, and remember your name every time you come in. They feel like they are really on this journey with you - your heartbreaks are theirs, and your wins are theirs too.
Describe the protocols Caleb Kallen used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania and their degree of success.
I presented with PCOS and a high AMH - which actually proved to be more challenging to get my follicles to reach maturation without my hormone levels going too high. We started out with a few IUIs, and moved onto IVF in April 2022 when IUI did not work. Dr. Kallen was very clear about all of the steps of IVF, so we went in armed with as much information as possible. We had one unsuccessful egg retrieval (which was actually not performed by Dr Kallen). For our second retrieval, Dr. Kallen ensured he was the one to perform it. We ended up with 13 good embryos. Our next challenge came when my uterine lining just wasn't getting as thick as we ideally would want it before a transfer. The first transfer did not work, but luckily the second one did and I am now 4 months pregnant.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania. (Assigned nurse: Hannah)
Hannah was the best! She sometimes had to make those tough calls after IUI, and always delivered the news with care and compassion. She responded to any and all questions (email or phone) right away, and was always cheering us on.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Going through this experience is extremely difficult - it's emotional, time consuming and hard on your body. Shady Grove made it as smooth as possible. With multiple locations, it was easy to get to and from appointments and hardly ever had more than a 5 minute wait time. The portal was easy to use, and the finance department was very easy to work with.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Luckily we had good insurance, so after deductibles and out-of-pocket were met, insurance covered the rest.
Describe Caleb Kallen's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
A lot of people asked me why we did not put multiple embryos in, and I said that was what Dr. Kallen recommended. I do believe that is the right approach - one healthy baby should always be the end goal.
10
Doctor
Caleb Kallen
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
4 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
10
Clinic
Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania
Center City
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
4 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2021, Consult
NPS
0
NPS
1
Age 32
Income $100K - $199K
1st of 2 Docs
Doesn't Recommend
Doesn't Recommend
Unsuccessful
Dr. Kallen spent 80% of the appointment pushing IVF on us. He spent about 5 minutes discussing the less intense treatment options with us (IUI) and the rest of the appointment running through the packages that SGF offers for IVF. He also started the appointment saying that our numbers, aside from my AMH levels, looked okay, but then ended the appointment saying that "our numbers were very concerning". Overall, it was incredibly confusing, disheartening and overall we felt like there was an immediate push for unnecessary treatment...
There was conflicting information between the nurses and the Dr. [at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania] regarding the urgency of my issues. The information was misleading and not aligned between receiving test results and the treatment consult with the doctor...He [Dr. Kallen] spent a majority of the appointment running through all of the financial packages that SGF offers for IVF, which felt like a business push instead of a focused/personal treatment plan for us. He ended the appointment by saying that our numbers were extremely concerning, which contradicted what he said at the beginning of the appointment, leaving us extremely confused and upset....
How was your experience with Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Our experience with Dr. Kallen was incredibly disheartening and upsetting. There was no personal approach to my treatment, he never suggested running any additional testing and he jumped right to the most expensive treatment options. He was incredibly pushy and I would never trust him as my doctor. We only had two appointments with Dr. Kallen, our initial consult and the treatment consult, both of which were done over Telehealth calls. After receiving what seemed like good news from our nurses, our treatment consult felt incredibly misleading and confusing. Dr. Kallen ran through our testing quickly, said that everything looked okay except my low AMH levels and then immediately went on to explain why IVF was necessary. He spent a majority of the appointment running through all of the financial packages that SGF offers for IVF, which felt like a business push instead of a focused/personal treatment plan for us. He ended the appointment by saying that our numbers were extremely concerning, which contradicted what he said at the beginning of the appointment, leaving us extremely confused and upset. My husband and I decided to get a second opinion with MLF where they ran additional mid-cycle testing, which Dr. Kallen never suggested or mentioned. This testing led them to find out that I am not ovulating, a situation that can be fixed with medication. For comparison, MLF has NEVER even talked to us about IVF, as it would be the absolute last resort if the less intense treatment options do not work. Because Dr. Kallen never suggested running these additional tests, there is a possibility that we could have put ourselves through extremely expensive fertility treatments and I could have put my body though something that was completely unnecessary, which is the most frustrating and upsetting part of our experience with Dr. Kallen.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Be an advocate for your own health. If something doesn't feel right, seek a second opinion. But overall, I would not recommend Dr. Kallen as a doctor to anyone.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Our experience with Shady Grove and Dr. Kallen was incredibly frustrating and disheartening due to a lack of communication and what felt like a huge push for treatment that wasn't necessary. To start, as our diagnostic testing was received, we received a phone call from the nurses with the results. All of our testing came back okay aside from my low AMH level and we were told "not to be concerned, as everything else looked great". With that, we went into our follow up with Dr. Kallen assuming that we were going to have fairly good news. However, Dr. Kallen spent 80% of the appointment pushing IVF on us. He spent about 5 minutes discussing the less intense treatment options with us (IUI) and the rest of the appointment running through the packages that SGF offers for IVF. He also started the appointment saying that our numbers, aside from my AMH levels, looked okay, but then ended the appointment saying that "our numbers were very concerning". Overall, it was incredibly confusing, disheartening and overall we felt like there was an immediate push for unnecessary treatment.
Describe the protocols Caleb Kallen used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania and their degree of success.
Dr. Kallen suggested that we could try IUI, but focused on the fact that the success rates are not high. He mostly pushed for IVF.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
The nursing staff at SGF was fine overall, but their communication vs. the doctors communication was confusing and not aligned.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Even though my experience with SGF wasn't great (specifically Dr. Kallen), the clinic itself was very welcoming and everyone was very nice. If you are interested in going to SGF, I would just be sure to research the doctors ahead of time and only go see someone who you are comfortable seeing.
Describe Caleb Kallen's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
N/A
What specific things went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
  • Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
There was conflicting information between the nurses and the Dr. regarding the urgency of my issues. The information was misleading and not aligned between receiving test results and the treatment consult with the doctor.
0
Doctor
Caleb Kallen
NPS
Humanity
1 of 5
Communication
1 of 5
Frequency Seen
1 of 5
Trustworthiness
1 of 5
Compassion
1 of 5
Explained risks
3 of 5
Adaptability
2 of 5
1
Clinic
Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania
Center City
NPS
Operations
3 of 5
Scheduling
4 of 5
Billing Department
2 of 5
Nursing Staff
2 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
4 of 5
Educational Resources
5 of 5
2019 - 2020, Unsuccessful
NPS
5
NPS
6
Age 35 - 36
1 IVF
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
European
Income $200K - $499K
1st of 2 Docs
Doesn't Recommend
Doesn't Recommend
Unsuccessful
Dr. Kallen is very no-nonsense and clinical. While I don't expect every doctor to have a wonderful, cheerful personality, his is less than ideal for women going through the very emotional and stressful infertility process. Unless you ask a specific question he does not volunteer information. Each monitoring appointment was very quick...he is pretty conservative/traditional in his approach
Shady Grove has many convenient office locations and utilizes an online patient portal which makes the whole process easier. They have financial counselors who are knowledgeable about insurance benefits and for providing cost estimates. The nurses are the clinic's biggest strength...The main area needing improvement is the amount of information and resources they provide to patients
How was your experience with Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr. Kallen is very no-nonsense and clinical. While I don't expect every doctor to have a wonderful, cheerful personality, his is less than ideal for women going through the very emotional and stressful infertility process. Unless you ask a specific question he does not volunteer information. Each monitoring appointment was very quick and he offered no opinion as to how I was progressing - I had to wait until my nurse called with blood test results to get more information on what was seen on the ultrasound. I also learned that he is pretty conservative/traditional in his approach. I specifically had to ask about other treatments I had read about that may be better suited for my diagnosis. I didn't feel like he was up on the latest studies or open to alternative treatments (even ones that are commonly used by other clinics). These factors ultimately lead to us finding another doctor/clinic.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
If personality is not important, and standard, by-the-book treatment is ok with you, Dr. Kallen is just fine. If you want more personalized care look elsewhere.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
In general, Dr. Kallen does not have a good bedside manner. I don't expect doctors to be all warm-and-fuzzy, and I generally prefer to receive straight-forward answers but I also expected more communication during monitoring appointments and my progression during my IVF stims. Dr. Kallen was very empathetic though when he called to deliver not so great news after our egg retrieval which was unexpected and made me feel better about his general personality.
Describe the protocols Caleb Kallen used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania and their degree of success.
I was diagnosed with diminished ovarian reserve during my first appointment. Dr. Kallen told us that IVF would be our best option, but also said we could consider IUI - ultimately the decision was ours. We ultimately moved forward with IVF and did a pretty standard antagonist protocol - Gonal-F, Menopur and Cetrotide. I was considered a poor responder, and Dr. Kallen pushed more meds at the end of the cycle to try to produce adequately-sized follicles. We ended up with 5 eggs, 3 mature. All 3 fertilized but arrested growth on day 5 post-retrieval.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania. (Assigned nurse: Deborah/Debbie)
Debbie was a savior during the process, especially given the less-than-ideal personality of Dr. Kallen. She called after each appointment with my blood test results, explained the ultrasound results, gave me a sense of how I was progressing and answered every single question I had. I felt comfortable emailing her any time I had additional questions and she responded very promptly. She was supportive and always had a positive attitude, especially on days when I was stressed.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Shady Grove has many convenient office locations and utilizes an online patient portal which makes the whole process easier. They have financial counselors who are knowledgeable about insurance benefits and for providing cost estimates. The nurses are the clinic's biggest strength - every single one I encountered was so sweet and had positive attitudes, which makes all the difference when you're going through a very stressful and emotional process. The main area needing improvement is the amount of information and resources they provide to patients. Looking back on my experience I had to learn a lot by advocating for myself and asking questions whereas the doctors, as the experts, should better prepare patients for treatments, and manage expectations. They should also provide more information on medication options. If you have good insurance (which we are very lucky to have) they just put in orders for the most expensive meds with no consideration for the fact that you may have to do multiple IVF cycles. That resulted in us maxing out on our prescription benefit and now have to pay out-of-pocket for our next cycle (through which I learned there are cheaper versions of the meds available).
Describe the costs associated with your care under Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Medications were approximately $19,000 ($15k luckily covered by insurance). I think the medical procedures (monitoring appts, egg retrieval, fertilization/embryologist) were around $15,000 but pretty much all was covered by insurance so I'm not sure of the total.
Describe Caleb Kallen's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Generally recommended single embryo transfer, though we never made it to that stage.
5
Doctor
Caleb Kallen
NPS
Humanity
3 of 5
Communication
2 of 5
Frequency Seen
4 of 5
Trustworthiness
4 of 5
Compassion
3 of 5
Explained risks
4 of 5
6
Clinic
Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania
Center City
NPS
Operations
4 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
3 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
5 of 5
Educational Resources
5 of 5
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2018 - 2019, Unsuccessful
NPS
5
NPS
5
Age 25 - 26
Tubal Blockage
Latinx
Income $0 - $49K
Nurse or HC Services
1st of 2 Docs
4 Fertility Medications With Other Docs
Doesn't Recommend
Doesn't Recommend
Unsuccessful
At first it was all good. Now it’s like he [Dr. Caleb Kallen] don’t care about any of his patients. When getting and ultrasound done he litterly wouldn’t let any pictures nor did he give me any medical records. I just felt like I was $ in his eyes and that’s all .... Ivf. He says clamping the tubes before transfer. That’s all he told me... He wants to me pay 30,000$ for 6 cycles and that’s with out medication
There [Shady Grove Fertility of Philadelphia- Center Center is] very clean. The lady at the front desk is amazing and I love her !! She helps a lot and gave me a bunch of ivf financial routs that she known of. They need to keep her .. well for the others They talk nice but with a attitude. They lack on care , communication, organization. They really lack of checking on patients.... The nurse staff are nice but when talking to a nurse she just like him. They don’t care because it’s not them
How was your experience with Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Caleb treated me as if I was money. Not a person. It upsets me because he don’t work around nor does he help with the situation. He basically makes you feel like your worthless. Thank god he won’t be my doctor anymore
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Make sure he don’t treat you like money. Make sure when your paying cash for everything you accually get the time you payed for and the resolves of the work you have done
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
At first it was all good. Now it’s like he don’t care about any of his patients. When getting and ultrasound done he litterly wouldn’t let any pictures nor did he give me any medical records. I just felt like I was $ in his eyes and that’s all .
Describe the protocols Caleb Kallen used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania and their degree of success.
Ivf. He says clamping the tubes before transfer. That’s all he told me
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
The nurse staff are nice but when talking to a nurse she just like him. They don’t care because it’s not them
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
There very clean. The lady at the front desk is amazing and I love her !! She helps a lot and gave me a bunch of ivf financial routs that she known of. They need to keep her .. well for the others They talk nice but with a attitude. They lack on care , communication, organization. They really lack of checking on patients.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
He wants to me pay 30,000$ for 6 cycles and that’s with out medication. Very crazy . That’s not the price for all the lab work and stuff before .
Describe Caleb Kallen's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
I really have nothing. He treated me so horrible and I can’t wait to go to cny fertility
What specific things went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
  • Failed to call with results
  • Failed to send your chart to another clinic
  • Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
They never called me for the resaults on my egg count. I had to call and they told me to use the portal because no one was able to speak to me about the resaults. The blood work they never called me for as well I had to bug them in messages in the portal in order to get them
5
Doctor
Caleb Kallen
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
3 of 5
Frequency Seen
5 of 5
Trustworthiness
4 of 5
Compassion
3 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
1 of 5
5
Clinic
Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania
Center City
NPS
Operations
3 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
3 of 5
Nursing Staff
3 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
4 of 5
Educational Resources
5 of 5
LGBTQ+
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2015 - 2017, Unsuccessful
NPS
10
NPS
8
Age 34 - 36
3 IVF
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
Unexplained
Black or African-American
Income $50K - $99K
2nd of 2 Docs
6 IUI With Other Docs
Donor Sperm
LGBTQ+
Strongly Recommends
Neutral
Unsuccessful
Dr. Martin has excellent bedside manner. He always remains positive and tried not give unfavorable information in a kind way. He has been open to phone calls and visits, and never makes his patients feel rushed... funny, personable and kind. He works hard to try and lighten the mood and often makes jokes in the office. He is also gentle. Vaginal ultrasounds are not the most comfortable thing and he does a great job and easing that discomfort.
Our total cost for the Shared Risk Program [at Shady Grove Fertility] with the genetic testing for all embryos was $28,000. The cost of visits were included. We probably spent an additional $300-$400 on meds for those three trials of IVF. We spent about $300-$400 on IUI with the cost of visit co-pays and medication over six tries...They can and will drop you from the shared risk program if you do not conceive within two tries. They label it low ovarian reserve or response and do not consider that grief plays a role. They push the phrase, "you get up to six tries and you either get a baby or your money back." They do not spend a lot of time going over reasons you could be dis-enrolled from the program which is misleading. Also, the services are extremely expensive and there is little information offered about financial resources for patients.
How was your experience with Ryan Martin at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr. Martin is very funny, personable and kind. He works hard to try and lighten the mood and often makes jokes in the office. He is also gentle. Vaginal ultrasounds are not the most comfortable thing and he does a great job and easing that discomfort.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Ryan Martin at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Ask your questions. He is more than willing to answer anything you throw at him and if he doesn't know the answer, hell get back to you. Don't be shy. Ask what you need to know and ask about risks.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Ryan Martin at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr. Martin has excellent bedside manner. He always remains positive and tried not give unfavorable information in a kind way. He has been open to phone calls and visits, and never makes his patients feel rushed.
Describe the protocols Ryan Martin used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania and their degree of success.
I believe I was on an antagonist protocol. I did the Estrogen patch followed by menopur and follistim for egg stimulation. Ganirelix was introduced to wards the end to prevent ovulation prior to egg retrieval. I was taking 450 ml of follistim per day (350 AM/ 150 pm), two vials & then three vials of menopur (one saline solution with the powder menopur) in the evenings and one syringe of the ganirelix. Not sure of the dosage of menopur or ganirelix but those were the instructions. I had appts every other day or so and sometimes daily. Bloodwork was obtained at every visit. I also had a saline sonogram twice during the course of treatment.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania. (Assigned nurse: Victoria Bennis)
Tori is very kind. She is sometimes unavailable but the other nurses do a good job of covering for each other. She seemed a bit less knowledgeable than our previous nurse, Debbie Dancer, but she was ok.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Shady Grove Fertility (SGF) is a very well run clinic overall. The staff is friendly and efficient, their facilities are clean and they seem invested in your success at becoming a parent. They only do procedures out of their Chesterbrook office which is not very convenient. There are times the Bala office has been closed unexpectedly which is inconvenient as well. The Chesterbrook office usually does well accommodating that. The decision board is less personable. They seem to treat patients more like a number in that they do not take into consideration contextual variables. They can and will drop you from the shared risk program if you do not conceive within two tries. They label it low ovarian reserve or response and do not consider that grief plays a role. They push the phrase, "you get up to six tries and you either get a baby or your money back." They do not spend a lot of time going over reasons you could be dis-enrolled from the program which is misleading. Also, the services are extremely expensive and there is little information offered about financial resources for patients.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Monitoring occurred between the hours of 7-9am daily. It was a well-oiled machine.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Ryan Martin at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Our total cost for the Shared Risk Program with the genetic testing for all embryos was $28,000. The cost of visits were included. We probably spent an additional $300-$400 on meds for those three trials of IVF. We spent about $300-$400 on IUI with the cost of visit co-pays and medication over six tries.
Describe Ryan Martin's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
My doctor recommended one embryo be transferred but was ok with transferring two at most. That's how we got pregnant with our twins. After losing them, he recommends only transferring one at a time.
What specific things went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
  • Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
It was really one issue but it was a significant one in my opinion. We were approved for the Shared Risk Program and told we would be fine. We conceived our twin daughters on the first try of IVF and lost them at four months gestation. We tried two additional rounds of IVF but I did not make genetically normal embryos. Each time I only had one egg that made it to blastocyst stage for PGS. Both were not eligible for transfer. We were then dropped from the program and told we could continue but pay per try. This is a $14,000 commitment. After many conversations, I was later told that I didn't have "the highest numbers" from the beginning and that despite my loss and grief, they weren't willing to continue with me in the program. This was news to me. If I had known my numbers weren't very high (they actually fluctuated at post review), we would have started IVF sooner. Now we have to be very calculated and hope that paying for another round independently will result in a viable embryo that can be transferred. It's very stressful.
10
Doctor
Ryan Martin
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
5 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
2 of 5
Adaptability
4 of 5
8
Clinic
Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania
Center City
NPS
Operations
4 of 5
Scheduling
4 of 5
Billing Department
4 of 5
Nursing Staff
4 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
6 of 5
Educational Resources
5 of 5
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2015 - 2017, Successful
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 26 - 28
1 IVF
Unexplained
Ashkenazi Jewish
Income $200K - $499K
2nd of 2 Docs
1 IUI With Other Docs
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
Dr K. [Kulshrestha] was there for me every step of the way. One example: the nurse told me I would probably need a frozen transfer and I completely broke down in tears. Minutes later, Dr. K herself called me (well after 5pm) to talk through it and reassure me we would do everything possible to have a fresh transfer...Dr. Kulshretha treats every patient like her top priority. She tells you what she thinks is best, listens to your concerns, and works with you to make the treatment be as best as it can for you. She never rushes you, and is always aware of your treatment. She'll let you know if another physician will be monitoring you for a particular day.
[Shady Grove Fertility of Philadelphia] Does not allow children in office - personally I think that's important in a clinic. Small location - you will know all the staff (I love Haley, the girl that takes your blood) You will have to go to Chesterbrook for the procedures and on weekend...(nursing staff] they are very kind and experienced...Egg retrieval, day-5 fresh embryo transfer. Continued endometrin for a long time into the pregnancy...
How was your experience with Sunita Kulshrestha (retired) at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr. Kulshretha treats every patient like her top priority. She tells you what she thinks is best, listens to your concerns, and works with you to make the treatment be as best as it can for you. She never rushes you, and is always aware of your treatment. She'll let you know if another physician will be monitoring you for a particular day.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sunita Kulshrestha (retired) at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Allow her to get close with you. Think of her as a good friend. It will help her be on your page for treatment.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sunita Kulshrestha (retired) at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr K. was there for me every step of the way. One example: the nurse told me I would probably need a frozen transfer and I completely broke down in tears. Minutes later, Dr. K herself called me (well after 5pm) to talk through it and reassure me we would do everything possible to have a fresh transfer. She still checks in on me and has met the baby a couple times!
Describe the protocols Sunita Kulshrestha (retired) used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania and their degree of success.
Im sorry but I dont remember specifics. I took 3 shots a day, 1 in the am and 1 in the pm. Egg retrieval, day-5 fresh embryo transfer. Continued endometrin for a long time into the pregnancy...
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania. (Assigned nurse: Daniella - not with practice anymore)
I recently met the new nursing staff and believe they are very kind and experienced. I have not yet undergone treatment with them so cannot comment.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Does not allow children in office - personally I think that's important in a clinic. Small location - you will know all the staff (I love Haley, the girl that takes your blood) You will have to go to Chesterbrook for the procedures and on weekends
Describe Sunita Kulshrestha (retired)'s approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Did a SET (she felt very strongly about it). The embryo split into two (identical twins) but I lost one.
10
Doctor
Sunita Kulshrestha (retired)
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
4 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
10
Clinic
Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania
Center City
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
4 of 5
Nursing Staff
3 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
5 of 5
Educational Resources
6 of 5
LGBTQ+
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2014 - 2016, Unsuccessful
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 33 - 35
6 IUI
Unexplained
Black or African-American
Income $50K - $99K
1st of 2 Docs
3 IVF With Other Docs
Donor Sperm
LGBTQ+
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Unsuccessful
Dr. K[ulshrestha] was absolutely amazing. She was very kind and genuinely seemed invested in our family creation. She answered our questions, was very personable, gentle and respectful. She genuinely seemed just as disappointed when we didn't get pregnant with IUI and she also appeared to try everything she could with clomid stimulation to assist...Dr. K also did two saline sonograms to ensure my uterine cavity was normal. I had an HSG prior to starting w/ Dr. K and at the time, my tubes were open and the dye passed through without incident.
[Shady Grove Fertility] does not do a great job at conveying when you would be dis-enrolled from their shared risk program. They push the "you get up to six tries and you either get a baby or your money back" jargon but they do not highlight that low response following grief can make them kick you out which adds insult to injury. This is a delicate process only complicated by losses of pregnancies or negative test results. That, was not handled delicately and we absolutely felt like we were just a number or just statistical odds rather than people.
How was your experience with Sunita Kulshrestha (retired) at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
To be honest, it was great to work with a physician who identifies as a woman. We feel comfortable at Shady Grove however, all the doctors are male while all the nurses are female. It was nice to have a woman who was kind, gentle and knowledgeable. She was truly wonderful and I wish we had the opportunity to work with her when we transitioned to IVF. Dr. K relocated to the Maryland office after our last round of IVF. We saw Dr. Martin after that who is also great (I did a review for him already). After we lost our twin daughters (Dr. Martin did that embryo transfer), both he AND Dr. K called me to express their condolences. That meant a lot and showed that even though I wasn't currently a patient of hers (because she had relocated), she was still keeping an eye on my treatment and invested in our success. I absolutely adore Dr. K.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sunita Kulshrestha (retired) at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
It's ok to be vulnerable. Ask your questions and trust that she will spend the necessary time with you to make sure you feel as comfortable as possible when leaving the office.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sunita Kulshrestha (retired) at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr. K was absolutely amazing. She was very kind and genuinely seemed invested in our family creation. She answered our questions, was very personable, gentle and respectful. She genuinely seemed just as disappointed when we didn't get pregnant with IUI and she also appeared to try everything she could with clomid stimulation to assist.
Describe the protocols Sunita Kulshrestha (retired) used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania and their degree of success.
We did the IUI portion of our treatment with Dr. K. Initially, I think we just did the monitoring with no additional stimulation. We eventually added the clomid at 50 mg and towards the end, increased it to 100 mg. I believe I also did birth control protocol prior to starting the clomid 100 mg on our last 2 tries. Monitoring was every other day or everyday as we got closer to insemination. Dr. K also did two saline sonograms to ensure my uterine cavity was normal. I had an HSG prior to starting w/ Dr. K and at the time, my tubes were open and the dye passed through without incident.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania. (Assigned nurse: Daniella Pellicioti)
Daniela had her challenges in that she sometimes seemed a bit scattered. Initially, I was not a huge fan because of this. Having said that, Daniela was actually my FAVORITE nurse. She too, left the agency towards the end of our IUI trials but she was present for all of our inseminations. When we had a IUI w/ a different doctor, she was in the room and she really went to bat for me when I had a narrowing of the cervix. The doc (Dr. Munabi) attempted to use dilators which was extremely painful and Daniela really was amazing with me and him. She advocated for me, helped to calm me and genuinely made me feel like she had my back. I really valued her for all she did.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
As mentioned in my other review (of Dr. Martin), Shady Grove Fertility (SGF) is a very well-run, well-organized facility. The staff is kind, personable, friendly and knowledgeable. Though you have a primary physician, all of the doctors tend to make you feel very comfortable and cared for. I don't have any other facility to compare it to however, sharing stories with other people having fertility challenges, I am very grateful for feeling like a human rather than a number more often than not. The one issue I have with SGF is their shared risk program. It's a great option but they do not do an efficient job at talking to you about what constitutes dis-enrollment from the program. We felt extremely blindsided by this decision from the review board and felt like they did not take into account that we experienced a loss and that grief can effect med response. Instead, we were put in a situation where we have to make very difficult decisions about moving forward because of the financial burden. I will say that through this hard time, my doctors have been kind and understanding. The decision seems to be above their heads and I think it would be helpful for there to be some kind of appeals process.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sunita Kulshrestha (retired) at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
We exclusively did IUI with Dr. K. We paid for our co-pays and for the medication. I estimate we spent between $300-$400 total on those expenses.
Describe Sunita Kulshrestha (retired)'s approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Dr. K had conversations with us twice about the possibility of multiples. On our last two tries of IUI, I made 8 eggs and 7 eggs (with the clomid for both). She spoke to us about eSET from a safety perspective. We were honestly a bit uncomfortable with this idea and didn't know what we would do if I did get pregnant with more than two babies. I didn't want to risk the entire pregnancy by doing the reduction procedure. When I worked with Dr. K, it was not IVF so the embryo transfer was not the issue. It was whether all the eggs I made actually fertilized.
What specific things went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
  • Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
As mentioned previously, SGF does not do a great job at conveying when you would be dis-enrolled from their shared risk program. They push the "you get up to six tries and you either get a baby or your money back" jargon but they do not highlight that low response following grief can make them kick you out which adds insult to injury. This is a delicate process only complicated by losses of pregnancies or negative test results. That, was not handled delicately and we absolutely felt like we were just a number or just statistical odds rather than people.
10
Doctor
Sunita Kulshrestha (retired)
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
5 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
10
Clinic
Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania
Center City
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
4 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
6 of 5
Educational Resources
6 of 5
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2017 - 2018, Unsuccessful
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 37 - 38
1 IUI
Unexplained
European
Income $100K - $199K
Only Doc Seen
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Unsuccessful
Dr Martin has been very friendly and treated us like we were the only patients that he has. He ensured we understood ever step of the process and continues to keep us positive and moving toward our goal...He is extremely through so if you have questions don't be afraid to ask them...My wife had to use Clomid and a trigger shot for 4 TI cycles and the same for 1 IUI cycle. Each cycle the drugs were working as prescribed and we had no set backs just never got pregnant.
Hallie [nurse at Shady Grove Fertility] was very responsive even when we were frazzled or emotional about things not going our way. She ensured we were comfortable and always responded in a timely manner on all emails and phone calls...Meds ranged between $25-100 and IUI procedure was $1800...The overall clinic is great. They try to schedule appointments in the most convenient fashions so it does not interfere with your day. They have very clean facilities and work with you to the best of their ability.
How was your experience with Ryan Martin at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr Martin was phenomenal from the first time he met us and each and every time there after. He always made sure we knew what our next step in the process is/was and makes us feel comfortable like we have the same goal and not just a number.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Ryan Martin at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
He is extremely through so if you have questions don't be afraid to ask them.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Ryan Martin at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr Martin has been very friendly and treated us like we were the only patients that he has. He ensured we understood ever step of the process and continues to keep us positive and moving toward our goal.
Describe the protocols Ryan Martin used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania and their degree of success.
My wife had to use Clomid and a trigger shot for 4 TI cycles and the same for 1 IUI cycle. Each cycle the drugs were working as prescribed and we had no set backs just never got pregnant.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania. (Assigned nurse: Hallie)
Hallie was very responsive even when we were frazzled or emotional about things not going our way. She ensured we were comfortable and always responded in a timely manner on all emails and phone calls.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
The overall clinic is great. They try to schedule appointments in the most convenient fashions so it does not interfere with your day. They have very clean facilities and work with you to the best of their ability.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Ryan Martin at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Meds ranged between $25-100 and IUI procedure was $1800.
Describe Ryan Martin's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
not applicable
10
Doctor
Ryan Martin
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
4 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
4 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
4 of 5
10
Clinic
Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania
Center City
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
4 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
5 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
2017, Unknown Success
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 40
Unexplained
Income $100K - $199K
Nurse or HC Services
2nd of 2 Docs
2 IUI With Other Docs
IVF With Other Docs
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Success w/ Doc Not sure
Dr Martin was the first doctor to take all the time I needed to explain with compassion the treatment protocol, my last doctor experience was terrible, I'm so thankful for meeting the right doctor and group bc now I feel comfortable with fertility treatments...I am just starting the IVF protocol, so all the treatment strategies aren't determined yet. I was recommended IVF bc of my age and the fact that I had treatments in the past that failed.
Tori [nurse at Shady Grove] was patient and followed up with me after I needed time to process the IVF decision. She's great!...So far I have nothing bad to say. Truly! This experience has been hard but 100% supportive. Everyone at the clinic I go to has been wonderful, and has taken the time to educate me and answer all my questions...24K and meds were seperate...Dr Martin was the first doctor to take all the time I needed to explain with compassion the treatment protocol, my last doctor experience was terrible, I'm so thankful for meeting the right doctor and group bc now I feel comfortable with fertility treatments.
How was your experience with Ryan Martin at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr Martin was the first doctor to take all the time I needed to explain with compassion the treatment protocol, my last doctor experience was terrible, I'm so thankful for meeting the right doctor and group bc now I feel comfortable with fertility treatments.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Ryan Martin at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Just listen to what he has to say ans how he explains it.
Describe the protocols Ryan Martin used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania and their degree of success.
I am just starting the IVF protocol, so all the treatment strategies aren't determined yet. I was recommended IVF bc of my age and the fact that I had treatments in the past that failed.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania. (Assigned nurse: Victoria Bennis)
Tori was patient and followed up with me after I needed time to process the IVF decision. She's great!
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
So far I have nothing bad to say. Truly! This experience has been hard but 100% supportive. Everyone at the clinic I go to has been wonderful, and has taken the time to educate me and answer all my questions.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Ryan Martin at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
24K and meds were seperate
Describe Ryan Martin's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Dr Martin highly recommends PSG testing and for that reason will only transfer one at a time. I am pleased with this.
10
Doctor
Ryan Martin
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
5 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
10
Clinic
Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania
Center City
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
5 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2015 - 2016, Successful
NPS
10
NPS
9
Age 29 - 30
1 IVF
Male Factor
European
Income $50K - $99K
Nurse or HC Services
Only Doc Seen
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
Dr. Munabi was compassionate but he was also realistic that this only gave us a chance to have a baby,not a guarantee. It was hard to understand him at times with his accent but otherwise we really liked him....He was friendly and personable, down to earth and honest....Just to listen to him, ask him to repeat or explain what you're unsure of....Staff [Shady Grove] was friendly and didn't treat you like a number. They remembered you by name and were so patient. They were reliable with returning communication and followed through on their word.
Staff [Shady Grove Fertility] was friendly and didn't treat you like a number. They remembered you by name and were so patient. They were reliable with returning communication and followed through on their word....It was an efficient well oiled machine. I was in, out and done within 15 minutes. Very prompt....Melanie was reliable, compassionate, honest and supportive....Dr. Munabi was compassionate but he was also realistic that this only gave us a chance to have a baby,not a guarantee.
How was your experience with Abraham Munabi (retired) at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr. Munabi was compassionate but he was also realistic that this only gave us a chance to have a baby,not a guarantee. It was hard to understand him at times with his accent but otherwise we really liked him.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Abraham Munabi (retired) at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Just to listen to him, ask him to repeat or explain what you're unsure of.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Abraham Munabi (retired) at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
He was friendly and personable, down to earth and honest.
Describe the protocols Abraham Munabi (retired) used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania and their degree of success.
I don't remember
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania. (Assigned nurse: Melanie)
Melanie was reliable, compassionate, honest and supportive.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Staff was friendly and didn't treat you like a number. They remembered you by name and were so patient. They were reliable with returning communication and followed through on their word.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
It was an efficient well oiled machine. I was in, out and done within 15 minutes. Very prompt.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Abraham Munabi (retired) at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
36,000
10
Doctor
Abraham Munabi (retired)
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
4 of 5
Frequency Seen
5 of 5
Trustworthiness
4 of 5
Compassion
4 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
4 of 5
9
Clinic
Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania
Center City
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
3 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
4 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2019, Successful
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 35
Tubal Blockage
South Asian
Income $100K - $199K
Engineer
Only Doc Seen
IVF With Other Docs
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
[Dr. Caleb Kallen] took time to explain the entire IVF process in detail to both me and my husband. He also personally called to reassure and give confidence when the first transfer did not go our way...It was absolutely wonderful to have Dr Kallen as my doctor. He is very sincere and my experience with him was that he took time to explain every detail of the IVF treatment and also give confidence throughout my journey...Dr Kallen recommended single embryo transfer and also provided more details on why it is more favourable...It is best to ask questions through the entire process if you think something is unclear or not explained.
Shady Grove Fertility is very organized and the entire team has been entirely supportive, and in touch through my entire journey. My only recommendation would be that sometimes it's hard to reach the front desk and voice messages left are not responded to promptly...[Dr. Caleb Kallen] took time to explain the entire IVF process in detail to both me and my husband. He also personally called to reassure and give confidence when the first transfer did not go our way...It was absolutely wonderful to have Dr Kallen as my doctor. He is very sincere and my experience with him was that he took time to explain every detail of the IVF treatment and also give confidence throughout my journey...Dr Kallen recommended single embryo transfer and also provided more details on why it is more favourable...It is best to ask questions through the entire process if you think something is unclear or not explained.
How was your experience with Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
It was absolutely wonderful to have Dr Kallen as my doctor. He is very sincere and my experience with him was that he took time to explain every detail of the IVF treatment and also give confidence throughout my journey
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
It is best to ask questions through the entire process if you think something is unclear or not explained.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr Kallen took time to explain the entire IVF process in detail to both me and my husband. He also personally called to reassure and give confidence when the first transfer did not go our way.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Shady Grove Fertility is very organized and the entire team has been entirely supportive, and in touch through my entire journey. My only recommendation would be that sometimes it's hard to reach the front desk and voice messages left are not responded to promptly.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Mostly covered by insurance.
Describe Caleb Kallen's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Dr Kallen recommended single embryo transfer and also provided more details on why it is more favourable.
10
Doctor
Caleb Kallen
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
3 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
4 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
10
Clinic
Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania
Center City
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
3 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
5 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
2019, Successful
NPS
7
NPS
9
Age 29
1 Fertility Medications
Unexplained
South Asian
Income $50K - $99K
Only Doc Seen
Neutral
Strongly Recommends
Successful
Dr. Kallen helped us get pregnant on the first cycle of fertility treatment with non-invasive treatment. I was thrilled to have such fast results. I think Dr. Kallen really cares about his patients, and clearly knows the research and medicine behind fertility care. Sometimes, I felt that I had trouble communicating with him during appointments...We used Chlomid, hormones, trigger shot, with timid intercourse...answered my questions effectively and were able to schedule appointments quickly...explained our options for fertility treatment and respected our choice to try the least invasive option first.
She [nurse at Shady Grove] always greeted me in the lobby with such compassion and care. She is very efficient in returning calls. Bonnie made the process feel so much easier. She always took as much time as needed to answer all of my questions...This clinic is very efficient in scheduling appointments fast. The wait time is very short, and they do well with monitoring you closely even on the weekends. They schedule urgent appointments very fast. They are also extremely reliable in returning calls to patient. They will spend as long as needed on the phone with you to answer your questions. The office is also very nice.
How was your experience with Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr. Kallen helped us get pregnant on the first cycle of fertility treatment with non-invasive treatment. I was thrilled to have such fast results. I think Dr. Kallen really cares about his patients, and clearly knows the research and medicine behind fertility care. Sometimes, I felt that I had trouble communicating with him during appointments.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Go into it with an open mind and remember that he is there to solely help you get pregnant.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr. Kallen and his staff answered my questions effectively and were able to schedule appointments quickly. Dr. Kallen helped us get pregnant during our first cycle with non-invasive treatment.
Describe the protocols Caleb Kallen used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania and their degree of success.
We used Chlomid, hormones, trigger shot, with timid intercourse. We got pregnant on the first cycle of treatment.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania. (Assigned nurse: Bonnie Cancel)
Bonnie Cancel was amazing! She always greeted me in the lobby with such compassion and care. She is very efficient in returning calls. Bonnie made the process feel so much easier. She always took as much time as needed to answer all of my questions. Bonnie is amazing! I was lucky to have her as much my care coordinator.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
This clinic is very efficient in scheduling appointments fast. The wait time is very short, and they do well with monitoring you closely even on the weekends. They schedule urgent appointments very fast. They are also extremely reliable in returning calls to patient. They will spend as long as needed on the phone with you to answer your questions. The office is also very nice.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Costs were reasonable. Our insurance helped pay for a significant portion of the treatment. We were left with reasonable costs. I would say total we spent less than $1000 including all of the testing, doctors appointments, ultrasounds.
Describe Caleb Kallen's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Dr. Kallen explained our options for fertility treatment and respected our choice to try the least invasive option first.
7
Doctor
Caleb Kallen
NPS
Humanity
4 of 5
Communication
3 of 5
Frequency Seen
4 of 5
Trustworthiness
3 of 5
Compassion
3 of 5
Explained risks
4 of 5
Adaptability
4 of 5
9
Clinic
Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania
Center City
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
4 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
6 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
LGBTQ+
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2019, Successful
NPS
8
NPS
10
Age 31
1 IUI
Latinx
Black or African-American
Income $0 - $49K
Only Doc Seen
Donor Sperm
LGBTQ+
Neutral
Strongly Recommends
Successful
I Would Have Appreciated More Information [from Dr. Caleb Kallen] As To Why I Was Put On Vaginal Progesterone...I Was Told And Planned With Dr. Kallen For A Natural Cycle. I Should Have Been Thoroughly Included On Why That Changed And How Long It Would Last To Find Out If I Was Comfortable With It And Was Aware Of The Risks And Side Effects....In My Experience, He Is Very Straightforward, A Little Cold Or Serious, But When He's Being Sweet Or Warm You Have To Know How To Read It. I Met With Him Maybe 2-3 Times In Person; For The Consultation, For The OAR, & Finally For The Ultrasound To Check How Many Sacs After A BFP, And Once Over The Phone To Discuss Test Results.
[Shady Grove Fertility Center City] Strengths Consist Of Cleanliness, Availability, Location, Nurse Bonnie's Bubbly Personality, And It's Appearance To Be LGBTQ "Friendly"...I Think That Most Of The Team, Except For Nurse Bonnie Treated Me As If I Was A Number. There Was No Warmth, Genuine Care, Or Compassion Other Than Nurse Bonnie. As For Doctor Kallen, I Rarely Saw Him But The Few Times That We Did Meet Or Our Phone Appointment, I Felt That He Treated Me Like A Human.
How was your experience with Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Initially When I Read The Reviews Online For All Of The Fertility Doctors At Shady Grove Fertility I Remember Whispering "Please Don't Let Me Get Dr. Kallen, He Sounds So Mean And Cold". I Scheduled My Consultation And Sure Enough I Was Assigned To Dr. Kallen. I Was So Worried But I Went In With An Optimistic Approach And Believed That Maybe All Of Those Negative Reviewers Had Him Wrong. In My Experience, He Is Very Straightforward, A Little Cold Or Serious, But When He's Being Sweet Or Warm You Have To Know How To Read It. I Met With Him Maybe 2-3 Times In Person; For The Consultation, For The OAR, & Finally For The Ultrasound To Check How Many Sacs After A BFP, And Once Over The Phone To Discuss Test Results. He Did Not Perform My IUI Which I Was Shocked To Find Out When 2 Women Walked Into The Room But I Understand He Can't Be Everywhere At Once. He Explained Everything As It Appeared And Let Me Know Whenever There Was A Small Moment Of Concern. Although He Seems Like He Could Use A Big Hug Or A Few Laughs, Dr. Kallen Was Exactly What Was Best For My Journey In The End.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Please Be Open-Minded With Dr. Kallen's Personality. He Shows His Warmth And Passion In Other Forms. Don't Expect For Him To Make You Laugh Or Smile But To Assist In Making Your Dreams Of A Family A Reality.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
I Think That Most Of The Team, Except For Nurse Bonnie Treated Me As If I Was A Number. There Was No Warmth, Genuine Care, Or Compassion Other Than Nurse Bonnie. As For Doctor Kallen, I Rarely Saw Him But The Few Times That We Did Meet Or Our Phone Appointment, I Felt That He Treated Me Like A Human.
Describe the protocols Caleb Kallen used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania and their degree of success.
My Treatment Strategy Was A Natural IUI Cycle Using Donor Sperm From A Sperm Bank. I Had Recently Went Into Preterm Labor With Twins And Was No Longer Involved With The Father. I Did Various Forms Of Bloodwork, Dr. Kallen Checked Out My Egg Count, I Ordered 2 Vials From California Cryobank, I Checked Ovulation Using One Digital Ovulation Kit And Strips To Compare, Once I Got My LH Surge I Was Scheduled For My IUI The Next Morning, Started Vaginal Progesterone The Following Morning For Whatever Reason I Was Not Given An Explanation, Got My BFP 2 Weeks Later, SGF Checked That My HCG Levels Were Rising, And Then Brought Me In To Count The Sacs.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
I Only Have Positive Things To Say About Nurse Bonnie C. She Just Has This Warmth And Genuine Care For The Work That She Does, What It Means To Her Patients, And She's Overall A Very Happy And Uplifting Nurse. I Was Assigned To A Nurse Lindsay After Bonnie And We NEVER Met In Person, She Wasn't Knowledgeable About So Much I Felt Like I Was Her Nurse, And Was Relieved When She Said She Would No Longer Be Employed There But Her Patients Were Being Transferred To Another Nurse. Unfortunately, I Didn't Feel That The Next Nurse Was Reachable & Probably Spoke To Her Twice And Contacted By Others On Her Behalf Maybe 3-4 Times. I Would've Preferred Nurse Bonnie Throughout The Entire Process, She's A Spectacular Balance To Dr. Kallen's Dry Personality.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
I Have Already Recommended My Best Friend And She Brought Up How She Was Treated Like A Number Or Dollar Sign From The Beginning After They Found Out Her Financial Status Which Is Complete Opposite Of My Own. The Clinic Shows Its Weakness In Delivering The Same Services To Those Of Various Financial Status. The Receptionist Needs To Seek Other Employment. She (Camille, I Believe Is Her Name) Gets Frustrated And Overwhelmed Easily And By Late Afternoon Her Fake Smile And Approach Is Rude And Snappy. The Clinic's Strengths Consist Of Cleanliness, Availability, Location, Nurse Bonnie's Bubbly Personality, And It's Appearance To Be LGBTQ "Friendly".
Describe the costs associated with your care under Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
The Costs Was All Out Of Pocket For Me. It Was A Lot Cheaper Than I Expected. My Insurance Was Not Accepted. Discounts Not Really Explained Came In Handy. I Filled Out Paperwork With A Financial Counselor Of Sorts And NEVER HEARD FROM HER. She Is A Terrible! Doesn't Answer Phone Calls, Emails, Or Voicemails. The Sperm Donor Vials Were The Most Expensive From California Cryobank.
What specific things went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
  • Lost paperwork
  • Failed to order appropriate test
  • Provided conflicting information
  • Failed to consider drug intolerance
  • Canceled a cycle due to clinic error
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
I Would Have Appreciated More Information As To Why I Was Put On Vaginal Progesterone The Morning After The IUI And Notified Before Beginning Of How Long I Was Supposed To Be Taking This Potentially Dangerous Medication. I Was Told And Planned With Dr. Kallen For A Natural Cycle. I Should Have Been Thoroughly Included On Why That Changed And How Long It Would Last To Find Out If I Was Comfortable With It And Was Aware Of The Risks And Side Effects.
8
Doctor
Caleb Kallen
NPS
Humanity
3 of 5
Communication
3 of 5
Frequency Seen
2 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
3 of 5
Explained risks
4 of 5
Adaptability
3 of 5
10
Clinic
Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania
Center City
NPS
Operations
4 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
3 of 5
Nursing Staff
3 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
6 of 5
Educational Resources
5 of 5
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2017 - 2018, Successful
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 24 - 25
1 IVF
Endometriosis
Male Factor
Unexplained
East Asian
Income $50K - $99K
2nd of 2 Docs
2 IUI With Other Docs
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
When we received less than great news, he was the one who called us personally to share that news. ... Dr. Kallen is an incredibly talented, kind, compassionate doctor. He is up-to-date on the latest studies and values his patient's input. ... Due to our age (25 and 26) and this being our first pregnancy, he highly advised going with an eSET ... While he has a very calm and serious demeanor, he is incredibly caring and compassionate.
We had quite the time figuring out our insurance pharmacy coverage and she [Nurse Chrissie], without hesitation, sent multiple scripts to multiple pharmacies and filled out pre-authorization forms. ... There are global fees for procedures. Global fees for IVF is based on maternal age and they have 3 packages - one cycle, multi-cycle, Shared Risk money-back.
How was your experience with Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr. Kallen is an incredibly talented, kind, compassionate doctor. He is up-to-date on the latest studies and values his patient's input. He takes the time to educate, inform and listen to all of his patients. He works seamlessly with his nursing and clinical staff, which you can tell through their communication. While he has a very calm and serious demeanor, he is incredibly caring and compassionate. When we received less than great news, he was the one who called us personally to share that news. He listened to all of our concerns and worries and thoughtfully shared his thoughts, while never once pushing us in any direction. I fully trust Dr. Kallen and know that I am in good hands.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Look no further! We came to Dr. Kallen as a second opinion and knew we'd found the right doctor upon our first consultation with him. Bring any and all questions and concerns to him and he will guide you through everything.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr. Kallen makes you feel like you're his only patient. He spends as much time as needed with you and has never once made us feel rushed. I have always gotten an appointment when I needed one, even last minute.
Describe the protocols Caleb Kallen used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania and their degree of success.
Since we had had diagnostic testing done at our previous clinic only a few months prior to coming to Dr. Kallen, we did not have to repeat our genetic blood screening. (I was not a carrier for any conditions the test screened for). My husband repeated his semen analysis and completed an infectious disease blood panel. I also repeated a complete blood work up. Prior to beginning our IVF cycle, I had an HSG done, a saline sonogram, and mock embryo transfer. This was our first IVF cycle, and we followed the Antagonist IVF Protocol. This entailed being on an active birth control pill for 21 days which commenced on the first day of my menstrual cycle. A few days before injections were to start, I came in for a baseline ultrasound and bloodwork. Once they verified that my levels were where they needed to be, 3 days later I started my injectible hormones. I began on 225 IU of Gonal F and 150 IU of Menopur daily. I came in 3 days later for my first monitoring appointment and my dosage of Gonal F was increased to 300 IU per day. Monitoring appointments became more frequent and my dosage of both Gonal F and Menopur increased. Once my follicles were large enough, I began Cetrotide and came in for monitoring almost daily. Then we got the go-ahead and exactly 36 hours before egg retrieval, we used an HCG injection. Egg retrieval was successful and we waited to see how many made it to Day 5 blastocyst. Since we were doing PGS testing, our blastocysts were biopsied and sent to the lab and embryos were frozen. PGS test results took about 2 weeks to come back, and in the meantime I waited for my next menstrual cycle to begin active birth control pills again to begin my frozen embryo transfer cycle. After we received our normal embryo results, I also began Estrace oral pills, three times daily. Then I began progesterone in oil injections five days before our frozen embryo transfer. Once the embryo was transferred, I continued both Estrace and PIO until 10 weeks gestation.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania. (Assigned nurse: Chrissie Speca)
Chrissie was amazing to work with. She was caring and compassionate and knew her stuff. She communicated flawlessly with Dr. Kallen and never left any question unanswered. Whether I called or emailed, I knew I could expect a call from her almost immediately. Whenever she said she'd call, she always did. We had quite the time figuring out our insurance pharmacy coverage and she, without hesitation, sent multiple scripts to multiple pharmacies and filled out pre-authorization forms. This was definitely time consuming and she did it in a very timely manner. Thanks to her help, we managed to get our insurance to cover our medicine. She shared in the joy of our first positive pregnancy test.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Shady Grove Fertility - Chesterbrook is like a well-oiled machine. The waiting times are minimal (10-15 minutes max, although it was usually closer to 5). When you first walk in the receptionist always greets you with a smile. The medical assistant/phlebotomist is extremely skilled and makes you feel at ease when getting blood drawn. When getting ultrasounds done, they are gentle and explain everything that they're doing and what you're seeing on the screen. I've always been able to get an appointment when needed, even on a last minute or emergent basis.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
There are global fees for procedures. Global fees for IVF is based on maternal age and they have 3 packages - one cycle, multi-cycle, Shared Risk money-back.
Describe Caleb Kallen's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Dr. Kallen prefers eSET, as there are now studies that show that transferring multiples does not increase the chances of success, rather the chances of multiples which is risky. He explained the risk of multiples and the probability of an embryo splitting. Due to our age (25 and 26) and this being our first pregnancy, he highly advised going with an eSET. We were planning on doing an eSET anyway.
10
Doctor
Caleb Kallen
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
3 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
10
Clinic
Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania
Chesterbrook
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
4 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
6 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2022, Successful
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 31
1 Embryo Freezing
Anovulation
PCOS
Poor Egg Quality
Income $50K - $99K
2nd of 2 Docs
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
Dr. Sasson won me over with his unparalleled knowledge and attention to detail. He created a protocol that was tailored just for me and made adjustments along the way to make sure we got the best possible outcome. He predicted my exact cycle outcome and it's better than I could have ever hoped for. I struggle with egg quality and in the past had only made a handful of C grade embryos, but Dr. Sasson tried the Lupron Stop Protocol and was able to get multiple A grade embryos for me...
Nikki [nurse at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania] is an absolute gem! She is so knowledgeable, patient, and compassionate...There was a wide window for monitoring appointments. I think 7 AM - 11 AM...I never had to wait too long...gives you the personalized attention you crave. I truly felt like a priority for the entire medical team and even the front office staff...
How was your experience with Isaac Sasson at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr. Sasson and Nurse Nikki are the gold standard for IVF care! I am so incredibly grateful that I found them. I traveled from out-of-state several times to receive my care at SG Chesterbrook, but it was worth it. After a disappointing experience elsewhere, I was afraid to try IVF again but Dr. Sasson won me over with his unparalleled knowledge and attention to detail. He created a protocol that was tailored just for me and made adjustments along the way to make sure we got the best possible outcome. He predicted my exact cycle outcome and it's better than I could have ever hoped for. I struggle with egg quality and in the past had only made a handful of C grade embryos, but Dr. Sasson tried the Lupron Stop Protocol and was able to get multiple A grade embryos for me. I would recommend Dr. Sasson to everyone!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Isaac Sasson at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Don't be afraid to ask all of your questions! Dr. Sasson is very knowledgeable and he will answer each one in great detail.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Isaac Sasson at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr. Sasson tailored my protocol just for me. He made adjustments throughout the process and always explained why. He is very compassionate and wants the best for his patients. He makes you feel like you're his only patient.
Describe the protocols Isaac Sasson used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania and their degree of success.
Lupron Stop Protocol, Gonal F 175-225, MenoPur 75, 3 A-grade Embryos
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania. (Assigned nurse: Nikki)
Nikki is an absolute gem! She is so knowledgeable, patient, and compassionate. She helped me every step of the way and I couldn't have done it without her.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
SG Chesterbrook is fantastic! It has the reputation of being one of the nation's largest and leading fertility clinics, but being at Chesterbrook gives you the personalized attention you crave. I truly felt like a priority for the entire medical team and even the front office staff.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
There was a wide window for monitoring appointments. I think 7 AM - 11 AM. There was usually more than one appointment slot to pick from. I never had to wait too long.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Isaac Sasson at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
$12K with PGT-A testing; no transfer yet; medications additional
Describe Isaac Sasson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
eSET
10
Doctor
Isaac Sasson
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
5 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
10
Clinic
Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania
Chesterbrook
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
6 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
2021 - 2022, Successful
NPS
6
NPS
9
Age 29 - 30
1 IVF
Male Factor
European
Graphic Designer
Only Doc Seen
Doesn't Recommend
Strongly Recommends
Successful
She [Dr. Schumacher] is very knowledgeable and walked us through everything, allowing time for and answering all questions we had. We rarely saw her and only saw her for our consultation, follow-up, and egg retrieval. We were very happy with her but had we had a different diagnosis/ didn’t have success we probably would have preferred a doctor who was easier to reach- I tried emailing her a few times with no response...
The nursing staff [Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania] is AMAZING- they are the reason we are so happy with our care at Shady Grove. Everyone is pleasant, knowledgeable and great at communicating...The only criticism I have is I think it’s hard to contact your doctor and I think it’s just the format of the clinic and not the specific doctor’s fault. Everybody is wonderful, appointments run on time, your concerns are always taken seriously, they make navigating everything (meds, insurance, testing, finances) so easy...
How was your experience with Brianna Schumacher at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
We loved Dr Schumacher when we first met her. She is very knowledgeable and walked us through everything, allowing time for and answering all questions we had. We rarely saw her and only saw her for our consultation, follow-up, and egg retrieval. We were very happy with her but had we had a different diagnosis/ didn’t have success we probably would have preferred a doctor who was easier to reach- I tried emailing her a few times with no response. But that could possibly not be her fault but the way the clinic is structured- my emails weren’t very dire so I brushed it off. I don’t think she would be the right fit for a person who needs constant communication with their doctor. All in all we were very happy with Dr. Schumacher and would recommend her.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brianna Schumacher at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
She’s wonderful but don’t expect to see/ hear from her often.
Describe the protocols Brianna Schumacher used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania and their degree of success.
Our case was straight forward- I don’t remember the exact protocols but they seemed pretty standard and appropriate for us.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania. (Assigned nurse: Yes but forget who!)
The nursing staff is AMAZING- they are the reason we are so happy with our care at Shady Grove. Everyone is pleasant, knowledgeable and great at communicating. The doctors are wonderful but the nurses are who will keep us coming back to Shady Grove and recommending them to people.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
The only criticism I have is I think it’s hard to contact your doctor and I think it’s just the format of the clinic and not the specific doctor’s fault. Everybody is wonderful, appointments run on time, your concerns are always taken seriously, they make navigating everything (meds, insurance, testing, finances) so easy.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Brianna Schumacher at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
We did the shared risk program which we think was a fair price. It’s always going to be expensive and we were prepared for that.
6
Doctor
Brianna Schumacher
NPS
Humanity
2 of 5
Communication
3 of 5
Frequency Seen
1 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
1 of 5
9
Clinic
Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania
Chesterbrook
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
6 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2020 - 2021, Successful
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 29 - 30
1 IVF
Tubal Blockage
Latinx
Income $50K - $99K
Only Doc Seen
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
He [Dr. Kallen] put me on the antagonist protocol. Started me off on a very low dose of gonal and menopur as he expected my ovaries to react well. They weren't initially responding the way he expected them to so he monitored me very closely and adjusted my doses as needed. I stimmed for about 13 days and ended up with 18 retrieved, 17 mature, 12 fertilized and 9 embryos. He was very confident that even though my ovaries didn't respond the way we initially thought the were going to we would still end up with good embryos (which we did!) I'm very happy I trusted him as we were very happy with the results.
Everyone at the chesterbrook location [Shady Grove Fertility] was great! From the staff to the nurses. They're compassionate, caring, friendly and never once rude. I will recommend this clinic to everyone. They were always answering my questions, always willing to help...Dr. Kallen was great. He always made me feel like I was more than just a number. From phone calls to emails I always felt like I was receiving excellent care...
How was your experience with Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr. Kallen is a very smart man. He knew from the very beginning what my problem conceiving was. He put me on the perfect protocol and even though I wasn't very sure at first I trusted him and sure enough everything turned out exactly as he expected it to. I felt confident I was under the right care from the very beginning. He is an excellent doctor!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Trust him, he knows what he's doing.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr. Kallen was great. He always made me feel like I was more than just a number. From phone calls to emails I always felt like I was receiving excellent care.
Describe the protocols Caleb Kallen used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania and their degree of success.
He put me on the antagonist protocol. Started me off on a very low dose of gonal and menopur as he expected my ovaries to react well. They weren't initially responding the way he expected them to so he monitored me very closely and adjusted my doses as needed. I stimmed for about 13 days and ended up with 18 retrieved, 17 mature, 12 fertilized and 9 embryos. He was very confident that even though my ovaries didn't respond the way we initially thought the were going to we would still end up with good embryos (which we did!) I'm very happy I trusted him as we were very happy with the results.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania. (Assigned nurse: Laura )
Laura was awesome!!
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Everyone at the chesterbrook location was great! From the staff to the nurses. They're compassionate, caring, friendly and never once rude. I will recommend this clinic to everyone. They were always answering my questions, always willing to help.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Caleb Kallen at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
insurance coverage
Describe Caleb Kallen's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
His stance on single embryo transfers vs multiple embryo transfers is very clear and understandable. One healthy baby is the goal! If single transfers aren't working then he isn't opposed to transferring more than one.
10
Doctor
Caleb Kallen
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
3 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
10
Clinic
Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania
Chesterbrook
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
6 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2019 - 2020, Unsuccessful
NPS
0
NPS
2
Age 46 - 47
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
Poor Egg Quality
Uterine Fibroids
European
Income $100K - $199K
Consultant
3rd of 3 Docs
2 IUI With Other Docs
Donor Eggs With Other Docs
Donor Sperm
Doesn't Recommend
Doesn't Recommend
Unsuccessful
[Dr. Schumacher's] excitement over 2 embryos that resulted was also inappropriate. Only when those embryos were found to be abnormal did she approach the situation with the appropriate gravity...she apologized for not following her standard protocol in advising me to select a donor that had already been used by Shady Grove and that they knew would have good results. She did not know why she had failed to advise me since she said that was her standard protocol with patients.
I never really understood who to contact for what [at Shady Grove Fertility] and at what point the doctor came back into the picture...Working with her [Dr. Schumacher] team felt very impersonal and confusing...being handed off from one person to another with no crossover, essential checks and balances got lost. Ultimately, I lost 30K because of the lack of accurate information and the lack of attention to the process as a whole.
How was your experience with Brianna Schumacher at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
In our initial visit, she made the complex topic of infertility and IVF very clear. She gave me her time, details, and sketched out diagrams, more than the two other fertility centers I had been to previously. With Brianna, I felt I would get the time and care you would expect given the nature and price tag of the treatment. She described how easy it would be to get plenty of healthy embryos with a Shady Grove egg donor. They had excellent and thoroughly evaluated egg donors. Just pick one of their fantastic egg donors and a sperm donor and voila! She was so confident about how easy it was to make healthy embryos with Shady Grove’s expertise and one of their egg donors. I saw very little of Dr. Schumacher after that appointment. I received a long list of items to complete and a few folks that were supposed to walk me through the process. It took me 6 months. I never really understood who to contact for what and at what point the doctor came back into the picture. One of the times I did see her, she said to work with her team, and they would handle everything and make sure I got what I needed. Working with her team felt very impersonal and confusing, and as it turned out, I was never getting all of the information I needed. And being handed off from one person to another with no crossover, essential checks and balances got lost. Ultimately, I lost 30K because of the lack of accurate information and the lack of attention to the process as a whole. Here are the details – I went with a 1:1 egg donor cycle with a 25-year-old Shady Grove egg donor. I had insurance for 2 transfers, and I planned on using it. All in all, it cost ~30K. And Shady Grove received about another 30K from my insurance company. The result: Instead of 18+ eggs retrieved, there were only 9. Only 4 were mature eggs. Those eggs resulted in 2 embryos with chromosomal abnormalities. 1 with Downs syndrome and 1 with Klinefelter’s (XXY). I was told to expect 8-12 mature eggs from a 1:1 pairing. This donor was originally a 1:3 that I asked to be converted to a 1:1. From that, they would expect 4-6 healthy embryos, worst case. Ideally, I could expect 6 or more. Dr. Schumacher was overly excited about the embryo with an AA rating (prior to PGS testing) and wanted me to be excited. She did not tell me the rating of the other one, even though I asked. I was not ready to get excited because most people who can do a simple internet search know that the rating does not correlate to the chromosomal health of the embryo. She should have counseled me to be cautiously optimistic until the results came back. Even in the beginning, she was advising me that I didn't have to do PGT-A testing because there normally weren't any problems with a 25-year old's eggs. I felt that Dr. Schumacher's advice, process, and attitude were reckless. She neglected our discussion that I am 47 years old, maybe had a chance left, and did not have any more money to try again. Had she considered that she would have been involved with the selection of a donor and advised me appropriately. I was never told that a 1:1 pairing “could go wrong.” They sold it to me as a guarantee. Hence, why I chose to spend the 20K for a 1:1. Nor was I told by the financial department or Dr. Schumacher that there is a guarantee with a 1:3 pairing of 4 mature eggs or your money back. When I asked, "So you can pay 10K and end up with nothing?" Heather’s response was, "Yes." This is incorrect. If you don't receive 4 mature eggs, you get your money back. If anything, the financial department’s job is to make sure you completely understand all the financial aspects of the contract. Prior to payment to secure my donor, I had several back and forth emails with Finance about how their documentation was confusing. There is no guarantee with a 1:1 pairing. Shady Grove just said - sorry we were wrong about this donor. It happens sometimes. And they accept no responsibility for requiring you to select from the egg donor list that they have hand-picked and evaluated. Shady Grove told me these details only after things went wrong. It took 2 weeks for Dr. Schumacher to call me with the PGT-A results. For 2 additional weeks, I did what she told me to do – be excited that there were 2 healthy embryos. She sent me an email with multiple exclamation points about how I should go out and enjoy the sun. “I just checked on your embryos and it looks like we have one BEAUTIFUL embryo frozen for you today (AA - the highest grade!). We have 2 more that we are still going to watch for 2 more days. :) Let me know if you have any questions!!!! Otherwise, have a great day! Enjoy this sunshine and warm weather - it's sooo nice out!” Finally, we connected so she could confirm that Shady Grove had set fire to my 30K. There were no healthy embryos. The AA rating embryo was found to have Down’s Syndrome. They have offered that if I pay an additional $38K, we can start over, and Dr. Schumacher will be personally involved this time. To be fair, this does include transfers. However, it means I won’t be able to use my insurance. She will review the donors with me to ensure that we are successful. We will only select from donors that have been used before and have produced healthy results. When I asked Dr. Schumacher why she didn’t review this with me the first time (I am 47, and this was the only 30K I had for treatment. I only had one opportunity with an egg donor.) She said, “ummm to be honest I normally do have this conversation with people .. it’s one of the first conversations we have when it comes down to selecting a donor, um I usually review all the donors and I have patients send them to me so I can go through them specifically, uumm I don’t remember specifically um the conversation that we had and it sounds like we didn’t have that conversation and so I apologize if it wasn’t um you know I mean usually we do have this conversation usually I’m very involved in the donor selection process, I’m not sure what happened um in your case.” In order to come up with that money, it will have to come out of my 401K. Take-Aways • DO NOT use an egg donor that is new and untested. With Shady Grove or any fertility center. Or you could end up in my situation. Choose an egg donor that has already been tested and ask what the results were. Know as many details as possible about the health of the eggs and embryos and living children from that donor. Let someone else play the lottery with a new donor. • Confirm with Finance and your doctor, your understanding of the contract and do it in writing. Make sure they reply back and confirm. • You are just a number with any center that you go to. It's up to you to make sure your doctor and your center are following an appropriate standard of care. • The profit margins on fertility treatment are significant. Do not accept a low standard of care. • Shady Grove is not any different than RMA or Main Line (Tangent – The most wonderful nurses in Dr. Gocial’s office.)
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brianna Schumacher at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
She will make you feel comfortable and explain everything in a way you will understand. She is very engaging and wants to get you excited about how amazing their treatment is and how easy everything will be in their hands. Unfortunately, to the detriment of the truth and reality. Then she will disappear.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brianna Schumacher at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Number: Credit card number. Bank number. Human: At times, but often with inappropriate excitement. It made everything worse. I had to ask Brianna to stop calling me until she had news of the PGS results. Dr. Schumacher reached out personally via phone call/email only at the end of the donor egg retrieval process with inappropriate excitement over what we both knew was a poor result. 9 eggs retrieved, only 3-4 were mature. I felt she was trying to gloss over that it was a very poor result, thinking I might not know it was that bad. This is a poor result for a 25 year old egg donor. Her excitement over 2 embryos that resulted was also inappropriate. Only when those embryos were found to be abnormal did she approach the situation with the appropriate gravity. At that point, she apologized for not following her standard protocol in advising me to select a donor that had already been used by Shady Grove and that they knew would have good results. She did not know why she had failed to advise me since she said that was her standard protocol with patients.
Describe the protocols Brianna Schumacher used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania and their degree of success.
We didn’t get that far since the 1:1 egg donor match from Shady Grove was unable to produce any healthy eggs or embryos.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania. (Assigned nurse: Abbie)
Everyone was nice. But also gave incomplete information. And short email responses. I always felt that they had too many patients on their plate. I never had a clear understanding of what each person was responsible for and who to contact about what.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
I had a very poor experience with Shady Grove. It started well but did not end well. It’s an assembly line, and they have more people on it than they can properly serve. They are so used to success that they are not giving their patients accurate or complete information or making sure that every step of the process is reviewed, discussed, and properly handled. I was very disappointed in the standard of care – they are supposed to be the best. Everyone was very flip about the whole process as well. Very little information … just give me your money. They are on it about collecting money, less so regarding delivering the service, you're paying for. When I asked about what I should purchase regarding a sperm donor, the response was, "Just one, the cheapest!" Now that the egg donor cycle failed, I have to start all over again, selecting a sperm donor. The one I found after weeks of researching was no longer available. When I received the devastating results of the PGT-A testing, the email was signed, "Have a great day!" Maybe now that COVID has slowed things down for everyone, Shady Grove will have the number of patients that they can adequately handle and deliver the standard of care that they are known for. It's easy for fertility centers to get caught up in the profit margins available to them and move cattle through. But as patients, we want to stay away from these.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Brianna Schumacher at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
21K for a 1:1 egg donor retrieval, 5K PGTA testing. 5K for storage, surgery and sperm.
Describe Brianna Schumacher's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Dr. Schumacher will not transfer more than 1 embryo at a time to my knowledge. Regardless of patient request.
What specific things went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
  • Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
- Inaccurate information from the financial department regarding important specifics of their egg donor programs. - 2 week delay in knowing the results of PGT-A testing and that there were no healthy embryos. - Failure of my doctor to give me her standard practice care in selecting an egg donor. - Flippant and inappropriate responses to situations as things went wrong.
0
Doctor
Brianna Schumacher
NPS
Humanity
2 of 5
Communication
3 of 5
Frequency Seen
1 of 5
Trustworthiness
2 of 5
Compassion
3 of 5
Explained risks
1 of 5
Adaptability
2 of 5
2
Clinic
Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania
Chesterbrook
NPS
Operations
3 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
1 of 5
Nursing Staff
4 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
4 of 5
Educational Resources
1 of 5
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2019 - 2020, Unknown Success
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 26 - 27
1 IVF
Anovulation
PCOS
Poor Egg Quality
Tubal Blockage
European
Income $50K - $99K
2nd of 2 Docs
12 Fertility Medications With Other Docs
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Success w/ Doc Too early to know
[Dr. Isaac Sasson] wants to get to the route cause of my infertility and has been very supportive and compassionate through the whole process. He tweaks protocols and walks me through each diagnosis in terms I can understand...in the baby making business but also wants to keep mom and baby healthy. He will only transfer a single embryo unless there is a particular reason why the patient is requesting 2...
Everyone [at Shady Grove Fertility] is friendly and compassionate. They are all rooting for you! They are sensitive to not allowing people to bring their children to appointments and they are always checking in on us to see how everything is going...[Nurse] answers all my questions and never sounds like she is a rush to get off the phone...For IVF, our shared risk with PGS testing was about $26,000 (not including meds).
How was your experience with Isaac Sasson at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
I highly recommend Isaac Sasson. He wants to get to the route cause of my infertility and has been very supportive and compassionate through the whole process. He tweaks protocols and walks me through each diagnosis in terms I can understand.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Isaac Sasson at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Book soon because it take a little time to see him. Everyone wants him to be their doctor
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Isaac Sasson at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Isaac explains things in a way that makes sense. He explains everything medically and then again in terms I can understand. He is the best!
Describe the protocols Isaac Sasson used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania and their degree of success.
I started my first several rounds on clomid. Trying to get me to grow a few follicles and ovulate. Clomid effected my lining so we switched to Gonal F. I had the best results with this and it allowed my lining to grow as well. After almost a year, we decided to try IVF. Turns out I have poor egg quality so the protocol will be changing to a lupron, Gonal f, menopur cycle.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania. (Assigned nurse: Alicia)
Alicia is great. She answers all my questions and never sounds like she is a rush to get off the phone
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
The clinic is great. Everyone is friendly and compassionate. They are all rooting for you! They are sensitive to not allowing people to bring their children to appointments and they are always checking in on us to see how everything is going.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Isaac Sasson at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
For times intercourse cycles the cost was around $1500 a cycle (including meds). For IVF, our shared risk with PGS testing was about $26,000 (not including meds)
Describe Isaac Sasson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Isaac is in the baby making business but also wants to keep mom and baby healthy. He will only transfer a single embryo unless there is a particular reason why the patient is requesting 2.
10
Doctor
Isaac Sasson
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
4 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
10
Clinic
Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania
Chesterbrook
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
4 of 5
Billing Department
4 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
5 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2019 - 2020, Unknown Success
NPS
9
NPS
8
Age 29 - 30
Anovulation
PCOS
Income $200K - $499K
1st of 2 Docs
1 IUI With Other Docs
Strongly Recommends
Neutral
Success w/ Doc Too early to know
Dr. Sasson is very compassionate, yet direct and to the point. He was clear on my predicted outcome and shared our sense of urgency...has been wonderfully compassionate, thorough and insightful so far. We absolutely trust his clinical judgment and reccomendations. We will be moving into IVF as soon as we are allowed by the state (treatments are currently paused due to COVID19)...did tell us that the chances of pregnancy are the same whether you implant one embryo or two. Therefore, I believe we will just transfer one.
Nikki [nurse at Shady Grove Fertility - Chesterbrook] is fabulous and always replied to emails within an insanely fast time frame. She was clear, specific and always had the answers to our questions...The front desk staff could definitely be more friendly and welcoming. I also think that the clinic could use a facelift, especially given the amount of money we have spent there - you'd think they could update things a bit!...I have PCOS and am completely anovulatory. Unfortunately, my condition cannot be managed by exercise and diet. We completed 3 cycles using letrazole which were unsuccessful. Unfortunately, the fourth cycle I did not respond to either letrazole or clomid, so we moved onto Gonal F injections. Sadly, we were not successful on that cycle either. Since the cycles have become increasingly difficult for me emotionally, we decided that our best bet is to move forward with IVF.
How was your experience with Isaac Sasson at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr. Sasson has been wonderfully compassionate, thorough and insightful so far. We absolutely trust his clinical judgment and reccomendations. We will be moving into IVF as soon as we are allowed by the state (treatments are currently paused due to COVID19).
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Isaac Sasson at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
I believe you are in good hands! Though we haven't had success just yet, I am very hopeful that we will through IVF.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Isaac Sasson at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr. Sasson is very compassionate, yet direct and to the point. He was clear on my predicted outcome and shared our sense of urgency.
Describe the protocols Isaac Sasson used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania and their degree of success.
I have PCOS and am completely anovulatory. Unfortunately, my condition cannot be managed by exercise and diet. We completed 3 cycles using letrazole which were unsuccessful. Unfortunately, the fourth cycle I did not respond to either letrazole or clomid, so we moved onto Gonal F injections. Sadly, we were not successful on that cycle either. Since the cycles have become increasingly difficult for me emotionally, we decided that our best bet is to move forward with IVF.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania. (Assigned nurse: Nikki)
Nikki is fabulous and always replied to emails within an insanely fast time frame. She was clear, specific and always had the answers to our questions.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
The front desk staff could definitely be more friendly and welcoming. I also think that the clinic could use a facelift, especially given the amount of money we have spent there - you'd think they could update things a bit!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Isaac Sasson at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
We have spent an average of $1,800 per cycle since we have a high deductible plan. For IVF, we will spent am additional approximately $26K
Describe Isaac Sasson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
We have not gotten to that stage just yet, however, Dr. Sasson did tell us that the chances of pregnancy are the same whether you implant one embryo or two. Therefore, I believe we will just transfer one.
9
Doctor
Isaac Sasson
NPS
Humanity
4 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
3 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
8
Clinic
Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania
Chesterbrook
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
3 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
1 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2019, Successful
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 34
1 IUI
Unexplained
Income $50K - $99K
Only Doc Seen
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
She [Dr. Brianna Schumacher] was very thorough in her explanation at the initial visit, and optimistic and supportive in our decision to go with IUI...She did our final US before graduating from the practice and explained everything well, answered any questions we had, encouraged us to send pictures of my growing belly and baby as the pregnancy progresses...She had reviewed my chart from my previous doctor, and felt my body responded well to clomid so we did cycles of clomid and ovidrel with IUI. My initial month, I over produced and had 11 follicles so she canceled for too high a risk of multiples. The second month she lowered my dose to where i had 4, and we had a successful first IUI treatment.
The office [of Shady Grove Fertility] called to check in on us often, lend an ear or medical advice when needed, emailed to congratulate us on our pregnancy. Never at any point did I feel like a number in that office...Everyone who would call to discuss things was well informed of our chart/history/plan...We struggled the first month when I had too many eggs with whether we should try timed intercourse and take our chances, and she was extremely professional and honest with her advice. Suggesting we think of life down the road, do we have room for triplets in the car? In our house? Can we feed them?
How was your experience with Brianna Schumacher at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
She was very thorough in her explanation at the initial visit, and optimistic and supportive in our decision to go with IUI. Everyone who would call to discuss things was well informed of our chart/history/plan. She did our final US before graduating from the practice and explained everything well, answered any questions we had, encouraged us to send pictures of my growing belly and baby as the pregnancy progresses.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brianna Schumacher at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
The office called to check in on us often, lend an ear or medical advice when needed, emailed to congratulate us on our pregnancy. Never at any point did I feel like a number in that office.
Describe the protocols Brianna Schumacher used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania and their degree of success.
She had reviewed my chart from my previous doctor, and felt my body responded well to clomid so we did cycles of clomid and ovidrel with IUI. My initial month, I over produced and had 11 follicles so she canceled for too high a risk of multiples. The second month she lowered my dose to where i had 4, and we had a successful first IUI treatment.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania. (Assigned nurse: Annika )
Annika called after any procedure we had, to go over the information with us again and see if we had any questions. We struggled the first month when I had too many eggs with whether we should try timed intercourse and take our chances, and she was extremely professional and honest with her advice. Suggesting we think of life down the road, do we have room for triplets in the car? In our house? Can we feed them? She put things into perspective and was the voice of reason I needed at the time. I was grateful for her honesty. I appreciate a blunt approach when it comes to my medical care. She was also compassionate when I needed her to be when we could t do IUI.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
They were always understanding and flexible. With traffic in the morning sometimes i would call if I would be late and they were always very understanding. Their receptionists knew you by name quickly. They offered very early appts which were helpful with our work schedules.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Brianna Schumacher at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Our IUI was 100% covered by our insurance
10
Doctor
Brianna Schumacher
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
2 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
10
Clinic
Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania
Chesterbrook
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
6 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2019, Unknown Success
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 30
3 IUI
1 IVF
Anovulation
European
Teacher
2nd of 2 Docs
7 Fertility Medications With Other Docs
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Success w/ Doc Too early to know
Dr.Sasson treats each of his patients with a kind heart, compassion and takes the time to be encouraging and comforting through this trying process. He takes the time to explain the next steps and keeps his patients well informed the entire time. We feel lucky to have him as our doctor and feel safe and confident in his hands!...Dr. Sasson knew right away that I was very sensitive to any injectable meds. that I was on. He was cautious and told me that my risks for hyperstim. during my egg retrieval process was likely. He educated me on the signs and when it did happen he gladly saw me on. a Saturday afternoon and checked on my the next day reassuring me that it will pass.
Shady Grove is well organized, and full of knowledgable physicians and nurse that are sensitive and caring. They know your name and greet you as you go in for your 7am blood work. It is like a family!... Nikki is my new nurse due to my nurse leaving. Shady Grove was very thoughtful and assigned me to Nikki because I had previous communication with her and she did help me out when my nurse wasn't in the office. Nikki is a kindhearted nurse who is very well versed and knowledge in all injections ! She gives you helpful hints and takes the extra step to make sure your are comfortable with all of the procedures and injections you are doing.
How was your experience with Isaac Sasson at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr. Sasson took on our case after a very bad experience at a previous clinic. He walked us through our lab results and the plan he has created. Throughout our care there have been some complications. Dr. Sasson was there on the phone calling checking in, and taking care of every detail. We feel so lucky to be in his care and know one day he will be the reason we have a child. He is truly a blessing and a very kindhearted intelligent individual who we have full confidence in!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Isaac Sasson at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Wait to get a consult with him!! You will walk out feeling at ease that you are in HIS excellent care!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Isaac Sasson at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr.Sasson treats each of his patients with a kind heart, compassion and takes the time to be encouraging and comforting through this trying process. He takes the time to explain the next steps and keeps his patients well informed the entire time. We feel lucky to have him as our doctor and feel safe and confident in his hands!
Describe the protocols Isaac Sasson used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania and their degree of success.
Dr. Sasson knew right away that I was very sensitive to any injectable meds. that I was on. He was cautious and told me that my risks for hyperstim. during my egg retrieval process was likely. He educated me on the signs and when it did happen he gladly saw me on. a Saturday afternoon and checked on my the next day reassuring me that it will pass. Dr. Sasson understands and puts first the wellbeing of his patience- I am small and he will not risk the transfer of two embryos due to potential complications for the babies and me. Overall Dr. Sasson is a very thoughtful physician.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania. (Assigned nurse: Nikki)
Nikki is my new nurse due to my nurse leaving. Shady Grove was very thoughtful and assigned me to Nikki because I had previous communication with her and she did help me out when my nurse wasn't in the office. Nikki is a kindhearted nurse who is very well versed and knowledge in all injections ! She gives you helpful hints and takes the extra step to make sure your are comfortable with all of the procedures and injections you are doing.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Shady Grove is well organized, and full of knowledgable physicians and nurse that are sensitive and caring. They know your name and greet you as you go in for your 7am blood work. It is like a family!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Isaac Sasson at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Our insurances did not cover any of the costs. We chose the shared risk program that costs 20,000 up front plus cost of all meds. This allowed us 6 retrievals and unlimited transfers. We did not qualify for financial aid and did not finance due to high interest rates through clinic program.
10
Doctor
Isaac Sasson
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
4 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
10
Clinic
Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania
Chesterbrook
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
4 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
6 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2019, Successful
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 32
1 IVF
Endometriosis
Income $100K - $199K
Only Doc Seen
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
I liked Dr. Sasson because all our our treatment was customized to us. I didn’t feel like he just threw the same medications/ treatment at everyone. He worked with me when I ended up needed a second hysteroscopy for a septum. He was able to get it scheduled even though the clinic was overbooked with retrievals and transfers. We tried to be the one to preform all procedures as well and did both of our transfers. I liked that when we needed to make a decision about treatment he would give us the options, his opinion, and then let us make the final decision. Once the decision was made he fully supported whatever we wanted to do.
The absolute biggest strength of the Shady Grove Chesterbrook office is that they do everything there. Since this office has a lab, a surgery center, and weekend monitoring I never had to go anywhere else. I was in the surgery center at least 5 times and the staff always remembered us and was so comforting and nice. The same goes for monitoring, you see the same faces and they remember your case and don’t just treat you like a number.
How was your experience with Isaac Sasson at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
I liked Dr. Sasson because all our our treatment was customized to us. I didn’t feel like he just threw the same medications/ treatment at everyone. He worked with me when I ended up needed a second hysteroscopy for a septum. He was able to get it scheduled even though the clinic was overbooked with retrievals and transfers. We tried to be the one to preform all procedures as well and did both of our transfers. I liked that when we needed to make a decision about treatment he would give us the options, his opinion, and then let us make the final decision. Once the decision was made he fully supported whatever we wanted to do.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Isaac Sasson at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
I felt like a human because our treatment felt truly customized for us.
Describe the protocols Isaac Sasson used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania and their degree of success.
The first step was a hysteroscopy to correct a septum in my uterus. This surgery did not remove the full septum however. We were going to do IUI next but insurance wanted us to move right into IVF. We did IVF and frozen everything, then did another hysteroscopy for my septum. We did a frozen transfer of one embryo that failed followed immediately by a frozen transfer of two embryos that led to a successful singleton pregnancy. I was on Gonal F, Menopur, and cetrotide. I triggered with Lupron. For stims we started on low dose meds because I had a lot of follicles and did the lupron trigger for the same reason. This was successful in preventing OHSS. For frozen transfers I did del estrogen injections every 3 says and progesterone in oil injections daily until 10 weeks pregnant.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania. (Assigned nurse: Nikki)
Nikki was truly amazing. She always responded quickly and always helped me resolve any issues I had. She even listened to all of my anxieties and was really compassionate.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
The absolute biggest strength of the Shady Grove Chesterbrook office is that they do everything there. Since this office has a lab, a surgery center, and weekend monitoring I never had to go anywhere else. I was in the surgery center at least 5 times and the staff always remembered us and was so comforting and nice. The same goes for monitoring, you see the same faces and they remember your case and don’t just treat you like a number.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Isaac Sasson at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
I was extremely lucky to have insurance coverage. I had to pay my deductible up front before treatment. Embryo freezing wasn’t covered and that was $1,800.
Describe Isaac Sasson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
At first he preferred we transfer one. When that failed he gave us the choice to transfer one or two. We chose two.
10
Doctor
Isaac Sasson
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
3 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
10
Clinic
Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania
Chesterbrook
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
5 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
2019, Unsuccessful
NPS
9
NPS
9
Age 29
Endometriosis
Unexplained
Black or African-American
Income $50K - $99K
Nurse or HC Services
1st of 2 Docs
1 IUI With Other Docs
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Unsuccessful
Dr Isaac gave it to my straight. He didn’t water things down for me and I totally appreciate that because I’ve been to another doctor who gave me complete false hope and I feel I wasted lots of money with him and I could’ve used it else where. He told me things like the percentages and changes we had. He also explained how every treatment worked and what he thought would be best for me and my husband. Every time I spoke with him things got easier and understood more and more. He explained to me that these things can be very expensive and taxing on our mental health so we should take our time in making each decision and consider all out comes.
The strengths [of Shady Grove] are their communication ability to explain where we could understand and the transparency. The nursing staff answered when ever I called and had questions and I had lots of questions. The staff broke down every procedure to where we could totally understand it. And they explained that nothing is 100% everything came with risk and where we could go if things didn’t work in our favor. The only weakness i feel like was the cost....The screening was around $2000 and every visit with the doctor was $90 and the iui was closer to $3000
How was your experience with Isaac Sasson at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr Isaac gave it to my straight. He didn’t water things down for me and I totally appreciate that because I’ve been to another doctor who gave me complete false hope and I feel I wasted lots of money with him and I could’ve used it else where. He told me things like the percentages and changes we had. He also explained how every treatment worked and what he thought would be best for me and my husband. Every time I spoke with him things got easier and understood more and more. He explained to me that these things can be very expensive and taxing on our mental health so we should take our time in making each decision and consider all out comes.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Isaac Sasson at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Don’t expect to anything but the truth and facts. But with consideration and understanding.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Isaac Sasson at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
He was very straightforward but he was still compassionate. He talked in medical terms then he broke it down for us to understand
Describe the protocols Isaac Sasson used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania and their degree of success.
The IUI process. He told us step by step. Before, during, and after he reviewed what we did. From clomid to the injectable hormones, the scans and the intercourse times. He always gave us holistic things to do to increase the odds such as Foods, proper rest, and supplements to take.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania. (Assigned nurse: Bonnie)
Bonnie was the sooooo amazing she made me feel comfortable. She talked to me like she knew exactly what I was going through. She was gentle, soft spoken, but she knew her stuff. I feel it was a balance between her and dr. Issac
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
The strengths are their communication ability to explain where we could understand and the transparency. The nursing staff answered when ever I called and had questions and I had lots of questions. The staff broke down every procedure to where we could totally understand it. And they explained that nothing is 100% everything came with risk and where we could go if things didn’t work in our favor. The only weakness i feel like was the cost. Fertility treatments are so expensive.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Isaac Sasson at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
The screening was around $2000 and every visit with the doctor was $90 and the iui was closer to $3000
Describe Isaac Sasson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
Well he explained to use because of my endometriosis he only felt comfortable doing single egg transfer because that would but me at a higher risk for complications during pregnancy
9
Doctor
Isaac Sasson
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
4 of 5
Compassion
4 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
3 of 5
9
Clinic
Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania
Chesterbrook
NPS
Operations
4 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
2 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
6 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2017 - 2018, Successful
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 39 - 40
1 IVF
Donor Eggs
European
Income $200K - $499K
Lawyer
4th of 4 Docs
4 IUI With Other Docs
5 IVF With Other Docs
Donor Sperm
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
Dr. Sasson was compassionate and understood what I had been through previously. He allowed me to speak and let my feelings be understood before moving forward.... He made everything seamless for a donor egg cycle after 5 long years of IVF troubles - even coordinating most of the monitoring for me in New York...he is organized and knows what he is doing...He is the first doctor who actually really delved into and reviewed my entire very long medical record before I got to the appt with him
The clinic [Shady Grove Fertility] was organized throughout the process and handled any request/communication timely and with professionalism. I would highly recommend. A new patient should feel confident putting care in their hands. At the time, their donor egg website was transitioned to a new format and had a few hiccups, but staff helped throughout. The clinic also had helpful online presentations on various topics to review.
How was your experience with Isaac Sasson at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr. Sasson was incredibly warm and caring during the whole process. He made everything seamless for a donor egg cycle after 5 long years of IVF troubles - even coordinating most of the monitoring for me in New York. I wouldn’t be holding my son now without him! I am forever grateful and highly recommend him - both for his expertise and gentle manner in dealing with his patients.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Isaac Sasson at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
He is very impressive. I had been too various fertility specialists, but finally with Dr. Sasson I felt that he was prepared, listened to me, and had a game plan with very specific details as to what I could expect. He is the first doctor who actually really delved into and reviewed my entire very long medical record before I got to the appt with him - previously, I felt each doctor did not bother to (even after all my work of gathering it). The uncertainty of dealing with infertility is a lot of the frustration - he and his staff take that away. Don't be afraid because he is organized and knows what he is doing. I say that with confidence as I was relatively calm having a donor cycle done in PA while I was being seen in NY; he inspires confidence.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Isaac Sasson at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania?
Dr. Sasson was compassionate and understood what I had been through previously. He allowed me to speak and let my feelings be understood before moving forward.
Describe the protocols Isaac Sasson used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania and their degree of success.
I had a donor egg cycle split with another couple. I used the long Lupron cycle. I had very poor egg quality in prior attempts using my own eggs so this was the best approach. The Lupron cycle was fine for me, and I also was watched carefully as I had previously ovulated prematurely before an egg retrieval. He synced up everyone's cycles to have a transfer when expected.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania. (Assigned nurse: Abbie Chapin)
The nursing staff was wonderful. From initial assessment for the egg donor program through conception and birth, all of the nurses and staff were excited for me and showed compassion beyond what I had experienced elsewhere. Their warmth was a breath of fresh air.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
The clinic was organized throughout the process and handled any request/communication timely and with professionalism. I would highly recommend. A new patient should feel confident putting care in their hands. At the time, their donor egg website was transitioned to a new format and had a few hiccups, but staff helped throughout. The clinic also had helpful online presentations on various topics to review.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
I was monitored in NY while my egg donor had her appointments in Chestbrook. I was always abreast of her status and I felt completely involved. My paperwork for appointments for myself in NY were handled well as well.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Isaac Sasson at Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania.
The costs were reasonable in comparison to NY IVF clinic prices. i utilized the shared donor egg program and my insurance, which covered a good portion of costs exclusive of the donor eggs themselves. The staff were very helpful in assessing options for me.
10
Doctor
Isaac Sasson
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
4 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
10
Clinic
Shady Grove Fertility Pennsylvania
Chesterbrook
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
5 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5