Spring Fertility
Available Resources
Genetic counseling
Acupuncture
Mental health counseling
Nutrition counseling
Administration of shots
Coordinating at-home nursing
Selling medication
Providing backup medication
Mountain View
2490 Hospital Dr
Mountain View, CA 94040
(415) 964-5618
Oakland
80 Grand Avenue
Oakland, CA 94612
(415) 964-5618
Redwood City
570 Price Avenue
Redwood City, CA 94063
(415) 964-5618
San Fran
1 Daniel Burnham Court
San Francisco, CA 94109
415-964-5618
Show all branches
Show fewer branches
70 assessments
6
0
Age
33 - 34
Treated
2019 - 2020
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
6
0
I came to Dr. Harris for my first IUI, which I did during a Letrozole cycle. He was supportive but said I'd have better success with IVF. After the second failed IUI (chemical pregnancy), I begun IVF, so in a way I feel like he was right all along but it took me awhile to get there emotionally/mentally. IVF hasn't been as much of a "sure bet" as he explained it would be.
I preferred interacting with Dr. Harris [at Spring Fertility] directly to discuss my treatment plan. Initially, I was assigned to Nanette who was difficult to reach via e-mail and sometimes I didn't understand her recommendations. Additionally, I had one chemical pregnancy and she didn't provide the level of compassion I expected from a nurse.
Age
33 - 34
Treated
2019 - 2020
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Black or African-American
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 3 Docs
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
6
0
How was your experience with Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Harris was relatable and easy to talk to; in the few visits where my husband joined me, he provided a place that was comfortable for a man going through this process. He was very clear on his thoughts on IUI vs. IVF up front but mentally, I wasn't ready to go straight to IVF w/o trying IUI. He respected my decision and supported me. He is very optimistic and always tells me everything "looks great" which is ironic because I feel like I'd be pregnant already if everything was truly "great". As I experienced set backs, one being a lab error (scheduled for the wrong day for my FET), Dr. Harris accepted accountability but was pretty dismissive of my emotional state and just kept saying he has faith I will eventually be a mom despite acknowledging the IVF fatigue I was experiencing. He also provided a "pregnancy guarantee" which never came into fruition under his care so it felt a bit like an empty promise.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility?
Take advantage of the time you have with him and ask a lot of questions. During each treatment I would ask him the questions I had instead of trying to schedule calls thru the clinic. But if I needed to do calls through the clinic, I'd do that. Do not always depend on the nurse being your "middle man". He's a great doctor but I cannot recommend the clinic in good faith. They don't care about their patients in the way you deserve to be cared for.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Harris was personable and spoke in terms I understood. However when things started getting difficult (failed transfer) he was seemingly less understanding, said that 1/3 embryo doesn't result in a live birth and was overly optimistic which didn't help the pain I was experiencing. Towards the end of treatment it was clear to me that Spring was processing patients like a factory vs. a personalized experience. This became evident when my protocol was impacted due to a clinical error.
Describe the protocols Isiah Harris used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
I have "unexplained infertility", before trying I visited him to get the full work up to ensure my reproductive system was working as expected. However, I never had a HSG which I feel like is odd for someone who was doing IUI. I came to Dr. Harris for my first IUI, which I did during a Letrozole cycle. He was supportive but said I'd have better success with IVF. After the second failed IUI (chemical pregnancy), I begun IVF, so in a way I feel like he was right all along but it took me awhile to get there emotionally/mentally. IVF hasn't been as much of a "sure bet" as he explained it would be.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Jill)
I preferred interacting with Dr. Harris directly to discuss my treatment plan. Initially, I was assigned to Nanette who was difficult to reach via e-mail and sometimes I didn't understand her recommendations. Additionally, I had one chemical pregnancy and she didn't provide the level of compassion I expected from a nurse. She rarely replied to my emails in a timely fashion and I recently learned she works from home so I've never met her in person. Upon expressing concern to Spring about my nurse, they changed me to Jill who is FANTASTIC. She has really been an angel in the entire process, addressing all of the gaps I expressed with the previous nurse. However, when Jill is out I do not trust the other nurses to fully execute my care. For example, when Jill was out of the office another nurse scheduled my FET on the wrong day, meaning I missed my window of repetitive and the FET was cancelled which was heart breaking. I am really displeased with this outcome and working with the clinic & Dr. Harris specifically on being made "whole" from this devastating experience which means another FET to be covered by Spring.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
Spring clinic is conveniently located in Redwood City, San Francisco and Oakland. Their clinics are state of the art and have a clean aesthetic with coordinating decor which is welcoming. They are very timely with their appointments. However, Spring does not take time to understand underlying fertility issues and the items they miss could be the reason you aren't conceiving. I can't trust them whole heatedly and they do not treat you like person with the several hoops you need to jump through to talk to the doctors.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Spring Fertility.
Spring is a Fertility Factory, sometimes they get it right and thats sheer luck but mostly they don't.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility.
100% covered by Progyny insurance after meeting my insurance deductible
Describe Isiah Harris's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
I wouldn't mind twins but Dr. Harris said he would only transfer one embryo at my age.
What specific things went wrong at Spring Fertility?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Provided conflicting information
- Failed to convey critical information
- Lost or damaged samples
- Canceled a cycle due to clinic error
- Scheduled the wrong procedure
- Read less
8
6
Age
33 - 34
Treated
2019 - 2020
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
8
6
I never had a HSG which I feel like is odd for someone who was doing IUI. I came to Dr. Harris for my first IUI, which I did during a Letrozole cycle. He was supportive but said I'd have better success with IVF. After the second failed IUI (chemical pregnancy), I begun IVF, so in a way I feel like he was right all along but it took me awhile to get there emotionally/mentally. IVF hasn't been as much of a "sure bet" as he explained it would be but I am maneuvering through the process in hopes of his optimism turning into a baby...said he would only transfer one embryo at my age.
Initially, I was assigned to Nanette [nurse at Spring] who was difficult to reach via e-mail and sometimes I didn't understand her recommendations. Additionally, I had one chemical pregnancy and she didn't provide the level of compassion I expected from a nurse. She rarely replied to my emails in a timely fashion and I recently learned she works from home so I've never met her in person...My cycle coordinator (Michelle) is dealing with 1000 other clients and at times it feels like a factory operation instead of a fertility experience. She has made typos in emails and sent incorrect information so I second guess every email she sends which is unfortunate but she has gotten a little better, so I am thankful for that. Now I am working primarily with Dr. Harris & Nurse (Jill) for my communications.
Age
33 - 34
Treated
2019 - 2020
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Black or African-American
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 3 Docs
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
8
6
How was your experience with Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Harris was relatable and easy to talk to; in the few visits where my husband joined me, he provided a place that was comfortable for a man going through this process. He was very clear on his thoughts on IUI vs. IVF up front but mentally, I wasn't ready to go straight to IVF w/o trying IUI. He respected my decision and supported me. He is very optimistic and always tells me everything "looks great" which is ironic because I feel like I'd be pregnant already if everything was truly "great". As I experienced set backs, one being a lab error (scheduled for the wrong day for my FET), Dr. Harris accepted accountability but was pretty dismissive of my emotional state and just kept saying he has faith I will eventually be a mom despite acknowledging the IVF fatigue I was experiencing.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility?
Take advantage of the time you have with him and ask a lot of questions. During each treatment I would ask him the questions I had instead of trying to schedule calls thru the clinic. But if I needed to do calls through the clinic, I'd do that. Do not always depend on the nurse being your "middle man".
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Harris was personable and spoke in terms I understood. However when things started getting difficult (failed transfer) he was seemingly less understanding, said that 1/3 embryo doesn't result in a live birth and was overly optimistic which didn't help the pain I was experiencing.
Describe the protocols Isiah Harris used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
I have "unexplained infertility", before trying I visited him to get the full work up to ensure my reproductive system was working as expected. However, I never had a HSG which I feel like is odd for someone who was doing IUI. I came to Dr. Harris for my first IUI, which I did during a Letrozole cycle. He was supportive but said I'd have better success with IVF. After the second failed IUI (chemical pregnancy), I begun IVF, so in a way I feel like he was right all along but it took me awhile to get there emotionally/mentally. IVF hasn't been as much of a "sure bet" as he explained it would be but I am maneuvering through the process in hopes of his optimism turning into a baby.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Jill)
I preferred interacting with Dr. Harris directly to discuss my treatment plan. Initially, I was assigned to Nanette who was difficult to reach via e-mail and sometimes I didn't understand her recommendations. Additionally, I had one chemical pregnancy and she didn't provide the level of compassion I expected from a nurse. She rarely replied to my emails in a timely fashion and I recently learned she works from home so I've never met her in person. Upon expressing concern to Spring about my nurse, they changed me to Jill who is FANTASTIC. She has really been an angel in the entire process, addressing all of the gaps I expressed with the previous nurse. However, when Jill is out I do not trust the other nurses to fully execute my care. For example, when Jill was out of the office another nurse scheduled my FET on the wrong day, meaning I missed my window of repetitive and the FET was cancelled which was heart breaking. I am really displeased with this outcome and working with the clinic & Dr. Harris specifically on being made "whole" from this devastating experience which means another FET to be covered by Spring.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
Spring clinic is conveniently located in Redwood City, San Francisco and Oakland. Their clinics are state of the art and have a clean aesthetic with coordinating decor which is welcoming. They are very timely with their appointments.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility.
100% covered by Progyny insurance after meeting my insurance deductible
Describe Isiah Harris's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
I wouldn't mind twins but Dr. Harris said he would only transfer one embryo at my age.
What specific things went wrong at Spring Fertility?
- Provided conflicting information
- Failed to convey critical information
- Canceled a cycle due to clinic error
- Read less
10
10
Age
34 - 35
Treated
2019 - 2020
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Poor Egg Quality
10
10
Dr. Tran reviewed our results and agreed that IVF with ICSI was our best path forward. Because my results were all within standard range, he said our chances were relatively high, comparatively -- about 60% chance of conception per cycle. I was put on Menopur and Gonal-F to prepare for the retrieval, and we were able to stay the course without making changes to the protocol as the eggs were progressing as expected...strongly recommended single embryo transfer, and given my age and the risks, I was happy with this approach.
We used ICSI and they grew the embryos to day 6 [at Spring Fertility]. Only two made it to day 6, both of which we chose to send for PGS testing. One came back as normal, the other was "inconclusive." We would have been allowed to either re-test the inconclusive embryo or transfer it without further testing...I was very happy with my primary nurse. She was communicative and extremely helpful when we had some trouble with insurance timing and the medication. I appreciate all her support and patience with us.
Age
34 - 35
Treated
2019 - 2020
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European, Ashkenazi Jewish
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Poor Egg Quality
10
10
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
When we first met with Dr. Tran for a consultation, he was very efficient but thorough. He explained our options in a straightforward manner. We received a lot of information that first visit, but we had a fairly clear sense of our path forward, though the question of timing was still a little hard to grasp. We were able to proceed with treatment relatively quickly, and I always felt like I was in good hands with Dr. Tran. I appreciated that I saw him on most visits and that he handled my procedures himself. We had one minor confusion when he told us he thought we could do a transfer before the end of the year, when really January was the actual outcome because of holiday closures, but while that felt frustrating at the time, I'm glad we did the transfer at a time when we could have full access to Dr. Tran and the clinic. On the day of the retrieval, he did a great job putting me at ease, joking about the music playing in the procedure room. We got some bad news after my retrieval - only 2 embryos made it to day 6 out of the original 18 - and Dr. Tran explained that it might be due to the quality of my eggs over the phone. I think that information would have been a little easier to take in person, but I appreciate that he was able to take the time to talk to us about it. While things sometimes felt like they moved quickly with Dr. Tran, I know he's a very experienced doctor with a great track record, so I feel grateful we were able to work with him.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Don't be afraid to ask questions if you have any. Dr. Tran will make time to answer them if he knows you have them.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
While Spring was handling a lot of patients, I appreciated the attention from Dr. Tran. He kept appointments short and to-the-point without making me feel like he didn't have time for me -- I appreciated his efficiency as well as his personal approach.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
My partner was diagnosed with male factor infertility before coming to Dr. Tran. We were told IVF with ICSI was our best option by the reproductive endocrinologist we had gotten testing with at Kaiser. Dr. Tran reviewed our results and agreed that IVF with ICSI was our best path forward. Because my results were all within standard range, he said our chances were relatively high, comparatively -- about 60% chance of conception per cycle. I was put on Menopur and Gonal-F to prepare for the retrieval, and we were able to stay the course without making changes to the protocol as the eggs were progressing as expected. I did the trigger injections 36 hours before the procedure, and came in for the retrieval, which resulted in 19 eggs, 18 of which made it to the embryo state. We used ICSI and they grew the embryos to day 6. Only two made it to day 6, both of which we chose to send for PGS testing. One came back as normal, the other was "inconclusive." We would have been allowed to either re-test the inconclusive embryo or transfer it without further testing. When the clinic reopened after the holidays, I went on birth control for about two weeks before starting medication (Letrozole then Medrol) to prepare for the transfer. I was not put on progesterone after bloodwork showed I had appropriate levels. I was given Valium to take the day of the transfer, and no further medication after that. I got a positive HCG result about two and half weeks after the transfer and am currently 14 weeks pregnant.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Yvette Perez)
I was very happy with my primary nurse. She was communicative and extremely helpful when we had some trouble with insurance timing and the medication. I appreciate all her support and patience with us.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
Spring is a very nice facility, I appreciate that it's not overwhelmingly clinical in atmosphere. It helped me feel like a person -- the touches like having snacks/drinks in the waiting room, and the running-water feature across from where you get your blood drawn. They're very friendly and accommodating. We struggled a little with our care coordinator at the beginning, and I was a little surprised by how much I had to advocate for myself when I expected a bit more hand-holding -- everything worked out, but I was initially a little frustrated by the confusion, which was mostly around timing. I was generally under the impression that they're growing a lot, quickly, which wonderful, but that some of the early missteps were just a result of that growth. Once I was handed over to the clinical team, everything was very smooth. While it's certainly not a deciding factor, the occasional difficulty of parking is something to be aware of -- at a stressful time, finding out the lot next door is closed or having to circle for spots is just something to account for in understanding the time it'll take to get to the appointments.
Describe Nam Tran's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
Dr. Tran strongly recommended single embryo transfer, and given my age and the risks, I was happy with this approach.
What specific things went wrong at Spring Fertility?
- Provided conflicting information
- Read less
9
10
Age
38
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
10 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality
9
10
Don't expect someone who is touchy-feely. Ask good questions...[Dr. Nam Tran is] happy to explain things...felt strongly that we should transfer 3 based on my age and egg quality...retrieved 10, had 9 embryos. 3 very good ones and a handful of ok ones. None made it to freeze. Transferred 3 on day three resulted in twins...is efficient, so I only saw him briefly during most visits. However, he was very familiar with my case during each visit and I felt like he was genuinely invested in our conceiving.
I definitely felt like we got what we paid for...Spring is not your cheapest option. However, with the price tag came very good client treatment. I never had to wait for an appointment. Dr. Tran always came in exactly on time, was quick and efficient, and they had me out the door. I was traveling from outside of SF for treatment and I loved that they had very early morning appointments--it meant I missed very little work relative to the number of appointments I had. The office is neat, they offer nice amenities (snacks, coffee, etc.) to make your wait more pleasant. Staff were all extremely friendly and professional. I liked that we even got to meet the embryologist when it came time to transfer. I also used their on call number once and was grateful to speak with one of the doctors on call to make sure I was dosing my medications correctly. I definitely felt like we got what we paid for.
Age
38
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 3 Docs
Treatment
10 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality
9
10
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Tran was always honest about our odds of conceiving. He was hopeful that it could work, but didn't offer false hope which I appreciated. He was good at explaining what he was doing and why. He seemed to have a good balance between using evidence-based methods and a willingness to try something else when that didn't work. He is fairly technical and clinical, but I think that's what you want: someone precise and exacting. In the end, we trusted him and when he was optimistic that a second round could yield better results than our first, we agreed. And he was right! Our second round was successful.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Don't expect someone who is touchy-feely. Ask good questions, he's happy to explain things. Trust that his number one goal is to help you conceive and he'll do what he can to make that happen.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Tran is efficient, so I only saw him briefly during most visits. However, he was very familiar with my case during each visit and I felt like he was genuinely invested in our conceiving.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
Round one: started with lupron then was on 150 menopur, 225 gonal f for 4 days, then 150 of each for 4 days, then 75 menopur/150 gonal f for 1 day. Produced 14 follicles, 9 embryos, all poor quality by day 3. Transferred the best 3 on day 3, resulted in a chemical pregnancy with nothing left to freeze.
Round 2: started on Aygestin then was on 150 each menopur and gonal f for 8 days, then 75 menopur/150 gonal f for 3 days, then 75 of each for last day. Also took HGH throughout. Began cetrotide last 4 days. This time he also cultured our embryos differently. This time retrieved 10, had 9 embryos. 3 very good ones and a handful of ok ones. None made it to freeze. Transferred 3 on day three resulted in twins.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The staff were always courteous and efficient. We had an incident where meds weren't ordered in time which would have resulted in a delayed cycle (we ended up delaying for other reasons). Staff called us quickly afterward to find out what happened and ensured us it wouldn't happen again.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
Spring is not your cheapest option. However, with the price tag came very good client treatment. I never had to wait for an appointment. Dr. Tran always came in exactly on time, was quick and efficient, and they had me out the door. I was traveling from outside of SF for treatment and I loved that they had very early morning appointments--it meant I missed very little work relative to the number of appointments I had. The office is neat, they offer nice amenities (snacks, coffee, etc.) to make your wait more pleasant. Staff were all extremely friendly and professional. I liked that we even got to meet the embryologist when it came time to transfer. I also used their on call number once and was grateful to speak with one of the doctors on call to make sure I was dosing my medications correctly. I definitely felt like we got what we paid for.
Describe Nam Tran's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
Dr. Tran felt strongly that we should transfer 3 based on my age and egg quality.
What specific things went wrong at Spring Fertility?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Read less
10
10
Age
35 - 36
Treated
2019 - 2020
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
2 IVF, 2 Embryo Freezing
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Male Factor
10
10
Dr. Klatsky is warm and meets each patient where they are. E.g., early on I wanted to leave most things up to him, but as we progressed I got more involved in the data. He is warm and compassionate, and has a quirky sense of humor...he will be candid and forthright...Mid-luteal cycle start for my second cycle as I responded poorly at the first retrieval...is kind, patient, and thorough...He followed up with me when the number of eggs retrieved at my first retrieval was not what we were expecting, with a commitment to figure out what was going on.
Spring is a nice clinic. I appreciate that it felt almost spa-like. For people with grueling work schedules, they are able to see you early morning (e.g., 7 am), and it runs like clockwork at that time. The receptionists are nice and remember your name/face. The early morning flexibility with appointments and the concierge-like service was the most important factor for me in choosing Spring vs. UCSF...Catherine is my patient coordinator, and she is absolutely wonderful in every way. I used to send long lists of questions at the beginning, and she never handled them with anything other than good cheer, a high degree of competence, and utter professionalism. I’m sure her case load must be high, but she is amazing at her job. I feel lucky to be working with her, given how on top of everything she is all the time.
Age
35 - 36
Treated
2019 - 2020
Success with this Doc
?
Race
South Asian
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Consultant
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 IVF, 2 Embryo Freezing
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Male Factor
10
10
How was your experience with Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Klatsky is warm and meets each patient where they are. E.g., early on I wanted to leave most things up to him, but as we progressed I got more involved in the data. He is warm and compassionate, and has a quirky sense of humor.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility?
Come armed with knowledge, or as you are - he will be candid and forthright.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Klatsky is kind, patient, and thorough. He meets everyone where they are - e.g., if you just want the data/facts he’ll do that. But he also cares. He followed up with me when the number of eggs retrieved at my first retrieval was not what we were expecting, with a commitment to figure out what was going on.
Describe the protocols Peter Klatsky used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
Mid-luteal cycle start for my second cycle as I responded poorly at the first retrieval.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Catherine Lange )
Catherine is my patient coordinator, and she is absolutely wonderful in every way. I used to send long lists of questions at the beginning, and she never handled them with anything other than good cheer, a high degree of competence, and utter professionalism. I’m sure her case load must be high, but she is amazing at her job. I feel lucky to be working with her, given how on top of everything she is all the time.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
Spring is a nice clinic. I appreciate that it felt almost spa-like. For people with grueling work schedules, they are able to see you early morning (e.g., 7 am), and it runs like clockwork at that time. The receptionists are nice and remember your name/face. The early morning flexibility with appointments and the concierge-like service was the most important factor for me in choosing Spring vs. UCSF
Describe the costs associated with your care under Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility.
It’s all covered by my company’s insurance.
Describe Peter Klatsky's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
N/A; haven’t transferred yet
- Read less
10
10
Age
40
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
9 IUI, 1 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
10
10
When I met with Dr. Minjarez she knew everything I’d been through and already had a tailored plan. The major part of feeling confident and secure with Dr. Minjarez is that she was open to hearing my questions, thoroughly explained things, and if I had a specific request she was open to it. Many of the doctors I’d had before treated my journey as an experiment I.E. sure, I have no idea if that will work so let’s try it. That’s never comforting. As a queer female couple, every time we tried to get pregnant was costly financially and emotionally. Dr. Minjarez was the only doctor that understood that balance and knew that we didn’t have time or money to waste. Lastly, Dr. Minjarez treats you based on your cycle - the clinic didn’t make me take medications in order to fill their schedule. So when my body was ready they were able to always accommodate.
Some of the nurses [at Spring Fertility] go between the Oakland and SF office so it was really nice on the day of my transfer to see one of our nurses in SF and get a hug before I went in for the procedure...We did ICSI, genetic testing and frozen transfer with one embryo. Overall with medications we paid between $25-30k...easy location in Oakland, clean and cozy clinic, amazing staff. The SF clinic is similar. Things to know- parking at the Oakland clinic is difficult but not terrible. We only went to SF for the weekends and the day of procedures and found parking easily. If you have any questions or concerns with finances work with your coordinator to manage them. Spring basically has packages and we had no surprises with our costs.
Age
40
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Latino, Middle Eastern
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
4th of 4 Docs
Treatment
9 IUI, 1 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
10
10
How was your experience with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Minjarez treated me differently than the other fertility doctors I had seen. I was exhausted with misinformation and feeling like none of the doctors I met with were fully in control of a plan toward success. However, Dr. Minjarez was direct in her communication and let me know what challenges were ahead and she did it compassionately. Kaiser has sent over 450 pages of my medical records and I assumed it would be too much to read through so I came to the appointment with a timeline. When I met with Dr. Minjarez she knew everything I’d been through and already had a tailored plan. The major part of feeling confident and secure with Dr. Minjarez is that she was open to hearing my questions, thoroughly explained things, and if I had a specific request she was open to it.
Many of the doctors I’d had before treated my journey as an experiment I.E. sure, I have no idea if that will work so let’s try it. That’s never comforting. As a queer female couple, every time we tried to get pregnant was costly financially and emotionally. Dr. Minjarez was the only doctor that understood that balance and knew that we didn’t have time or money to waste. Lastly, Dr. Minjarez treats you based on your cycle - the clinic didn’t make me take medications in order to fill their schedule. So when my body was ready they were able to always accommodate.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility?
If you have any doubts or questions make sure to always ask them before you leave the appointment. She is busy but always has time to explain and answer things.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Minjarez and her team were dedicated to my fertility journey. They addressed me and my wife personally, compassionately, and made sure we left with all the information we needed. Even though the office visits were efficient and brief we never felt rushed (helpful when you need to rush to work!).
I was thankful that the staff were friendly and always rooted for our success.
Describe the protocols Debra Minjarez used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
Because I’d already had an extensive journey with medication, Dr. Minjarez was able to tailor my injections and quantities based off my history. Surprisingly, she didn’t prescribe the highest amount of injections that I’d used before. Instead she explained to me that I didn’t need as much as I’d had before (that doctor had really amped up the meds) in order to produce.
When I had my transfer she prescribed clomid. Previously I’d had a weird reaction to clomid (Rx from the same doctor that had rx’ed high amounts of injections) and Dr. Minjarez walked me through trying it again at a different dosage and taking them at night. She let me know that I could change the meds if I needed to. She was right and I didn’t have a negative reaction when I took them.
After I had the embryo transfer I was able to just have progesterone suppositories instead of injecting. This is uncommon with the other doctors I’d met with and I was so thankful that Dr. Minjarez knew the up to date science and confirmed that my numbers were high enough for suppositories. Most other doctors just automatically prescribe progesterone injections no matter what.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Sonia, care coordinator. Flo, nurse)
Sonia was our coordinator and she is amazing. Super organized and totally invested in our journey to have a baby. As a queer couple, the entire staff embraced us and always addressed me and my wife appropriately. The nurses were all great! We mostly worked with Flo but also had other nurses. They were all knowledgeable and knew my medical chart very well. That type of knowledge and attention never happens at other clinics. Some of the nurses go between the Oakland and SF office so it was really nice on the day of my transfer to see one of our nurses in SF and get a hug before I went in for the procedure.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
Strengths- easy location in Oakland, clean and cozy clinic, amazing staff. The SF clinic is similar.
Things to know- parking at the Oakland clinic is difficult but not terrible. We only went to SF for the weekends and the day of procedures and found parking easily.
If you have any questions or concerns with finances work with your coordinator to manage them.
Spring basically has packages and we had no surprises with our costs.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility.
We did ICSI, genetic testing and frozen transfer with one embryo. Overall with medications we paid between $25-30k. Our insurance didn’t cover anything.
Describe Debra Minjarez's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
We preferred single embryo transfer and Dr. Minjarez agreed. We did PGS testing and ICSI to have the best chances of only needing the eSET. This was recommended by Dr. Minjarez and we were happy with the results.
- Read less
10
10
Age
30
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
7 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
PCOS, Unexplained, Other
10
10
I had failed multiple IUI cycles elsewhere already. Based on my ethnicity and a combination of PCOS and unexplained infertility, and with some other considerations (like limited sperm vials to work with) I was recommended [by Dr. Nam Tran] an antagonist protocol for a freeze-all cycle and FET. We opted for PGS just because we could. We ended up having to adjust medications downwards because I was responding too well. Got more of everything than estimated - eggs, fertilized #, day 3, day 5/6. FET was a letrozole-assisted cycle and succeeded on the first try...He had a VERY, very, very, very strong preference for eSET due to my age and PGS-tested AA grade embryos.
I had nothing but excellent experiences with all the nursing staff [at Spring Fertility]. Every question I had was answered, even at 9pm at night, and all communications were timely...18k for stimulation/retrieval including icsi and pgs. around 4k for medications. 4500-5000 for FET. then $950 for saline sono and $450 for the last appointment to confirm pregnancy before graduating to my regular OB...I think the clinic is pretty great and their doctors, embryologists, and nursing staff are top notch. I also had no issues with billing or with any other clinic interactions. Spring was also one of the only Bay Area clinics that weren't transphobic and queerphobic, and that counted for a lot for us.
Age
30
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Other
Income
—
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
3rd of 3 Docs
Treatment
7 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
PCOS, Unexplained, Other
10
10
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
I absolutely loved Dr. Tran. He was super straightforward, answered all my questions and beyond, and performed all procedures skillfully. He was also very respectful of me and my partner at every opportunity. It is a pretty rare situation that I leave a serious conversation with a doctor feeling pretty good about everything - even if the answer isn't necessarily what i wanted - but somehow he managed to make that happen.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
I spend a lot of my time dealing with healthcare advocacy for others, so Dr. Tran's bluntness was a big positive. But if that's not working for you, I would highly recommend Dr. Harris, who I think was my favorite for bedside manner out of all the doctors at Spring that I saw in brief.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
The attention to detail and the way everyone communicated with me felt very personalized. Everything from consideration of names and pronouns, to timely updates.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
I had failed multiple IUI cycles elsewhere already. Based on my ethnicity and a combination of PCOS and unexplained infertility, and with some other considerations (like limited sperm vials to work with) I was recommended an antagonist protocol for a freeze-all cycle and FET. We opted for PGS just because we could. We ended up having to adjust medications downwards because I was responding too well. Got more of everything than estimated - eggs, fertilized #, day 3, day 5/6. FET was a letrozole-assisted cycle and succeeded on the first try.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Yvette Perez)
I had nothing but excellent experiences with all the nursing staff. Every question I had was answered, even at 9pm at night, and all communications were timely.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
I think the clinic is pretty great and their doctors, embryologists, and nursing staff are top notch. I also had no issues with billing or with any other clinic interactions. Spring was also one of the only Bay Area clinics that weren't transphobic and queerphobic, and that counted for a lot for us.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility.
18k for stimulation/retrieval including icsi and pgs. around 4k for medications. 4500-5000 for FET. then $950 for saline sono and $450 for the last appointment to confirm pregnancy before graduating to my regular OB.
Describe Nam Tran's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
He had a VERY, very, very, very strong preference for eSET due to my age and PGS-tested AA grade embryos.
- Read less
10
10
Age
42
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
4 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
10
10
[Dr. Nam Tran is] not going to waste your time with un-substantiated rabbit holes...The one key decision, which was different from my past (unsuccessful) transfers with my 1st doctor: unmedicated transfer cycle, using my own body's natural cycle to guide transfer timing. I believe that made all the difference in my outcome! That meant that the stuff I had to do before my other (unsuccessful) transfers - endometrial scratch, ERA testing, daily injections with progesterone treatments - were not necessary...made a last-second decision to do ICSI with one of our retrievals. He clarified why and I'm fine with the rationale, but would have liked to know in advance.
[Spring Fertility has a] Concierge feel. Beautiful facilities, incredible medical team. I loved being able to work with Dr. Klatsky and Dr. Harris when Dr. Tran was out of the office. Both are incredible doctors. The surgery nurse is stellar...My experiences with the entire team were incredibly positive with the exception of Yvette. While she was very competent, her demeanor was lacking in compassion. Her delivery of our - positive!!! - pregnancy blood test results sounded like she was telling me my puppy died. TWICE...The one key decision, which was different from my past (unsuccessful) transfers with my 1st doctor: unmedicated transfer cycle, using my own body's natural cycle to guide transfer timing. I believe that made all the difference in my outcome! That meant that the stuff I had to do before my other (unsuccessful) transfers - endometrial scratch, ERA testing, daily injections with progesterone treatments - were not necessary.
Age
42
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
East Asian
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Marketer or PR
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
4 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
10
10
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
The proof is in the pudding. I'm a 42-year old woman, using my own eggs and husband's sperm, and am currently 20-weeks pregnant after a single embryo transfer!
Dr. Tran is matter-of-fact and VERY data-based meaning he doesn't waste time with frivolous treatment without proven efficacy. After two failed transfers in LA, my doctor there had me going down rabbit holes. Not so with Dr. Tran! He reads all of the studies so you don't have to. At the same time Dr. Tran really, really cares about your outcomes. I have video of Dr. Tran in our first ultrasound, grinning from ear-to-ear. As we're all first laying eyes on our baby to be, Dr. Tran is ecstatically exclaiming "you've got a one good one!"
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Don't be afraid to ask questions and be open to data-based answers. Like I said, he's not going to waste your time with un-substantiated rabbit holes.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
1. Dr. Tran REALLY cares--I have a photo of him grinning from ear to ear as he is conducting my first ultrasound post-transfer, confirming our pregnancy!
2. The entire team converses with you in calming, collegial, layman's terms.
3. Every time I walked into the clinic, I was greeted with my name (without looking at the chart).
4. The demeanor of doctors, nurses, and staff, along with the physical setup of the office, are all very peaceful (i.e., designed with the human being in mind).
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
The one key decision, which was different from my past (unsuccessful) transfers with my 1st doctor: unmedicated transfer cycle, using my own body's natural cycle to guide transfer timing. I believe that made all the difference in my outcome!
That meant that the stuff I had to do before my other (unsuccessful) transfers - endometrial scratch, ERA testing, daily injections with progesterone treatments - were not necessary.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Yvette)
My experiences with the entire team were incredibly positive with the exception of Yvette. While she was very competent, her demeanor was lacking in compassion. Her delivery of our - positive!!! - pregnancy blood test results sounded like she was telling me my puppy died. TWICE.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
Concierge feel. Beautiful facilities, incredible medical team. I loved being able to work with Dr. Klatsky and Dr. Harris when Dr. Tran was out of the office. Both are incredible doctors.
The surgery nurse is stellar.
Describe Nam Tran's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
We chose eSET because of my risk factors: age and two previous ectopic pregnancies. That was absolutely the right thought process and decision!
What specific things went wrong at Spring Fertility?
- Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
- Read less
5
5
Age
33
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
4 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Other
5
5
Dr. Tran is an intelligent, competent doctor, but there's a lack of emotional IQ to balance his intellectual IQ. ... I found Dr. Tran to be very conservative in his approach vs. other docs, which may be due to his background at UCSF (teaching hospital). He will not perform an ERA, or other new procedures, unless they have tons of data back them up. He won't order blood-tests or recommend aggressive treatments unless absolutely necessary.
pring is busy....really busy. They need more docs for the amount of patients they take on. It's easy to get lost in the cracks here...and there are a lot of cracks. What I love the most about Spring is the lab facility. It's a reason in itself to come here for treatment. I just wish their doctors, and care team were also part of that reason too! ... Unfilled medications, procedures rescheduled last minute, billing issues, lack of communication, etc. You have to stay on top of your care team, medications and billing - just be prepared!
Age
33
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Ashkenazi Jewish, Prefer not to answer
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
5th of 5 Docs
Treatment
4 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Other
5
5
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Tran is an intelligent, competent doctor, but there's a lack of emotional IQ to balance his intellectual IQ. Infertility is an emotional journey, and we look to our doctors for support. Many times during my care I felt like he didn't have enough capacity for me, and he was taking on too many patients. In the worst of times, I felt abandoned by him as my doctor. He is present at appointments, but his time is rushed. Appointments have become difficult to schedule due to his split time between Redwood City and SF offices, and I have even had major procedures rescheduled last minute to accommodate his busy schedule.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Get to know your nurse, because Dr. Tran will not be available to you beyond your appointments. Be direct in your questions. Don't let yourself get rushed, or brushed off - speak up for yourself. You may need to ask questions multiple times to get the answer you need. Find a good therapist to help with the emotional stuff - you will need it.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Tran is smart, but we've been disappointed in his bedside care. As long as appointments and/or procedures go as planned, he is a fine, friendly doc. But when things get complicated (as they often do with IVF), he seems to lack patience, and is reluctant to verbalize his reasoning for making treatment decisions. We had a heart wrenching complication during our cycle, and Dr. Tran never went out of his way to check in on us. The only time we ever heard from him was during scheduled appointments, which were always rushed. If that's not being treated like a number, I don't know what is.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
I found Dr. Tran to be very conservative in his approach vs. other docs, which may be due to his background at UCSF (teaching hospital). He will not perform an ERA, or other new procedures, unless they have tons of data back them up. He won't order blood-tests or recommend aggressive treatments unless absolutely necessary. He isn't super proactive - which may be partially due to his lack of time. If you're looking for a doc that will be extremely thorough, and give you all the bells and whistles, he many not be the doc for you.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Laurel)
We never met our nurse and care coordinator in person, so it always felt detached, but overall kept decent rapport. Unfortunately we had several missteps with medications, treatment calendar information, etc. which caused some lost trust. Since the doctors are inaccessible beyond appointment hours, questions around treatment, etc. had to go through the nurse, which can get frustrating. Nursing staff at the clinic seems inexperienced overall, but there are some great gems if you can find them/get their time.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
Spring is busy....really busy. They need more docs for the amount of patients they take on. It's easy to get lost in the cracks here...and there are a lot of cracks.
What I love the most about Spring is the lab facility. It's a reason in itself to come here for treatment. I just wish their doctors, and care team were also part of that reason too!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility.
We had some insurance coverage, but about $46-50k for retrieval, $6k for transfer, $800 for meds
Describe Nam Tran's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
I wasn't given an option - single embryo transfers only
What specific things went wrong at Spring Fertility?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Lost paperwork
- Lost appointments
- Failed to call with results
- Failed to order appropriate test
- Failed to send your chart to another clinic
- Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
- Provided conflicting information
- Failed to convey critical information
- Read less
9
8
Age
41
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
2 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
9
8
Be prepared with a list of questions to get the most out of your visits with Dr. Tran. We had most of our monitoring visits with him personally, but they're routine in nature and quick,...the whole reason we did IVF was the genetic test at D5/6 so we can minimize the risk miscarriage. The mid-luteal protocol didn't allow for a Day 3 transfer...He is strong with the numbers and the science behind this, which was important to my spouse particularly, but also showed great understanding and willingness to listen and consider not only new information but our desires about the ivf cycle we were undergoing as well as next steps. His team of nurses was phenomenal - accessible, understanding and compassionate.
team of nurses [at Spring Fertility] was phenomenal - accessible, understanding and compassionate...Dealing with the billing department at Spring was the most stressful and painful experience, an unwelcome one too given how taxing the IVF process already is. Inquires required multiple follow-ups before Spring would respond (sometimes 2-3 weeks later)...This is a boutique practice. The clinic was conveniently located for us, and they have other locations in the Bay Area. They seem to be growing and adding new doctors, but I never felt that I have to wait to get an appointment or even wait during an appointment for more than 5 minutes. They'd get me out on time as well, so there was minimal interruption to my work day. The online portal is good, but most importantly they respond and follow-up promptly.
Age
41
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
9
8
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
What I mostly appreciated about Dr. Tran was his willingness to listen and adjust the treatment as new information came in and we wanted a change in direction. I think there's a lot of ego in this field and his flexibility was refreshing.
He is very keep on the mid-luteal protocol. At the beginning he was reluctant to share what approach he'd take, stating that he doesn't care what the protocol is called, but whether it is appropriate for us, but ultimately took the approach he seems to be known for. We experienced a setback with unusually high drop in embryos in the lab (b/n D3 and D5/6). He was upfront about how unexpected that result was and presented a solution, without throwing the stats based on my age in my face, which I appreciated.
Ultimately, we didn't get to an embryo transfer with him. He very candidly shared his opinion that our embryos had a better chance in my uterus, which is what we came to realize, and showed that he had our interest at heart. This is not where the clinic makes money, so he won my full trust with this recommendation.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Be prepared with a list of questions to get the most out of your visits with Dr. Tran. We had most of our monitoring visits with him personally, but they're routine in nature and quick, so I found myself following up with the nurses with follow-up questions I didn't get to or didn't think of during the visits.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Tran showed interest in and concern about our individual journey to parenthood. He is strong with the numbers and the science behind this, which was important to my spouse particularly, but also showed great understanding and willingness to listen and consider not only new information but our desires about the ivf cycle we were undergoing as well as next steps. His team of nurses was phenomenal - accessible, understanding and compassionate.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
We had to IVF cycles with mid-luteal protocol, with moderate to low doses. I had 8-9 follicles at baseline, and given that there wasn't much potential beyond that, it was important for me to not get overly medicated (some other fertility doctors we consulted with in our research mentioned "aggressive" protocol, which was a big turnoff). Dr. Tran took a moderate approach and adjusted down given my good response in the first cycle. The meds were 225 IU Gonal-F and 150 IU Menopur. Great response initially - of 8 follicles we retrieved 8 mature eggs, 7 fertilized with ICSI. Second time less so - of 9 follicles, we retrieved 4 and only 2 mature eggs which were fertilized. "0" embryos at Day 5/6, however, and the whole reason we did IVF was the genetic test at D5/6 so we can minimize the risk miscarriage. The mid-luteal protocol didn't allow for a Day 3 transfer. Seems like our embryos can't make it beyond that in lab environment.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Yvette)
My IVF nurse was phenomenal - responsive, knowledgeable, caring - just on top of her game in every sense. Yvette was super helpful and patient with all my questions, and they were many as I kept reading and educating myself. Same goes for my coordinator Nichakorn.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
I definitely felt that I was getting personal care. This is a boutique practice. The clinic was conveniently located for us, and they have other locations in the Bay Area. They seem to be growing and adding new doctors, but I never felt that I have to wait to get an appointment or even wait during an appointment for more than 5 minutes. They'd get me out on time as well, so there was minimal interruption to my work day. The online portal is good, but most importantly they respond and follow-up promptly.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility.
We went through insurance as we had some coverage (with a lifetime max). Still unsure of the total out-of-pocket costs for either cycle due to the messy billing. Dealing with the billing department at Spring was the most stressful and painful experience, an unwelcome one too given how taxing the IVF process already is. Inquires required multiple follow-ups before Spring would respond (sometimes 2-3 weeks later). They simple didn't address/ignored some direct questions. Last but not least, they said they'd do the billing in a certain way for our second cycle, but didn't do so despite the agreement we had reached on that. Super frustrating experience, and I am still entangled in this two months after treatment.
Describe Nam Tran's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
eSET was the considered approach but we didn't have a single embryo for transfer.
- Read less
Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
10
Age
30
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
We did an IUI cycle with letrozole and trigger shot [with Dr. Peter Klatsky]. I asked for letrozole over clomid because I had researched that it had fewer side effects...We’ve decided to start with 3 cycles of IUI and if need be go to IVF next. He was very warm and optimistic at all my ultrasounds and I didn’t feel rushed...he’s to the point but not dry. He’s optimistic but also realistic. We went in with unexplained infertility, he explained in detail both the IUI and IVF procedures.
My care coordinator Kelsey [at Spring Fertility] is fantastic! She’s always prompt in responding to my emails and helped me check off everything I needed to get done prior to starting out IUI cycle. I really like working with her. While she was gone on vacation, I still felt very taken care of by the other staff at Spring...Each IUI is about $1600. Letrozole and trigger shot about $100ish...Clean and modern facility. You get access to the Spring portal online that has everything you need for your cycle which is great. I’d get texts a few hours before I had to take my pills as a reminder and to check to make sure I had the correct dosage. The staff are all very friendly.
Age
30
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European, Latino
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
How was your experience with Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Klatsky is optimistic but also realistic. He’ll explain everything in detail if you ask him to. I came prepared with a list of questions at the consultation and he answered all of them with patience. My ultrasound appointments were smooth, I appreciated his positivity.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility?
Come prepared with questions! You’re your own advocate.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility?
I really like Dr. Klatsky, he’s to the point but not dry. He’s optimistic but also realistic. We went in with unexplained infertility, he explained in detail both the IUI and IVF procedures. We’ve decided to start with 3 cycles of IUI and if need be go to IVF next. He was very warm and optimistic at all my ultrasounds and I didn’t feel rushed. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask, in fact I recommend to always come with questions and he’ll answer them for you.
Describe the protocols Peter Klatsky used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
We did an IUI cycle with letrozole and trigger shot. I asked for letrozole over clomid because I had researched that it had fewer side effects.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Kelsey)
My care coordinator Kelsey is fantastic! She’s always prompt in responding to my emails and helped me check off everything I needed to get done prior to starting out IUI cycle. I really like working with her. While she was gone on vacation, I still felt very taken care of by the other staff at Spring.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
Clean and modern facility. You get access to the Spring portal online that has everything you need for your cycle which is great. I’d get texts a few hours before I had to take my pills as a reminder and to check to make sure I had the correct dosage. The staff are all very friendly.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility.
Each IUI is about $1600. Letrozole and trigger shot about $100ish.
- Read less
10
10
Age
33
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
—
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Other
10
10
Dr. Minjarez has a strong preference on eSET, due to all of the risks for mom and babies if there are multiples...reviewed my specific health history with me, and then went over the potential problems, how to resolve those, and how to move forward. It was very personalized to my specific fertility challenges...clearly cares about her patients. She takes the time to hear about your fertility journey in your own words, but has also clearly taken the time to review the information you provide in your intake forms. I think she takes all steps necessary to achieve pregnancy.
I have visited the Oakland and San Francisco clinics [of Spring Fertility]. They are both great. Easy to get to & park near. Inviting, clean environment that always smells good. Friendly staff. Rarely a wait time beyond your scheduled appointment...I had a saline sonogram to look for scarring in the uterus. Then had a hysteroscopy to remove the scarring...The communication preference seems to be email, which is fine but if there is a back and forth going, sometimes a phone call makes more sense.
Age
33
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Business Executive
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
—
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Other
10
10
How was your experience with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Minjarez clearly cares about her patients. She takes the time to hear about your fertility journey in your own words, but has also clearly taken the time to review the information you provide in your intake forms. I think she takes all steps necessary to achieve pregnancy.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility?
Ask questions. And ask what she would ask if she were in your shoes. Know that the fertility journey is not linear.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Minjarez reviewed my specific health history with me, and then went over the potential problems, how to resolve those, and how to move forward. It was very personalized to my specific fertility challenges.
Describe the protocols Debra Minjarez used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
I had a saline sonogram to look for scarring in the uterus. Then had a hysteroscopy to remove the scarring. And now am on estrogen, and then will the provera toward the end of the estrogen.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The communication preference seems to be email, which is fine but if there is a back and forth going, sometimes a phone call makes more sense. They are prompt with responses, but I did have to sometimes dig for information or ask questions about things that I thought should have been readily available information, like prescriptions needed following a surgery and what purpose the medication served.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
I have visited the Oakland and San Francisco clinics. They are both great. Easy to get to & park near. Inviting, clean environment that always smells good. Friendly staff. Rarely a wait time beyond your scheduled appointment.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility.
Saline sonogram was around $700. Hysteroscopy with anesthesia was around $3500. Initial office consult was around $350.
Describe Debra Minjarez's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
Dr. Minjarez has a strong preference on eSET, due to all of the risks for mom and babies if there are multiples.
What specific things went wrong at Spring Fertility?
- Provided conflicting information
- Read less
10
9
Age
37
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
9
Appointments [with Dr. Minjarez] can be brief, but her team is always very responsive via email if things come up afterward...caring and kind. Even during short visits, I feel like Dr. Minjarez is very present and attentive to me and my partner...took time to thoroughly explain different parts of the process and answer any of our questions. We've had some delays getting started, and she's been helpful and responsive. She does a good job of balancing clear, direct communication with kindness and the feeling like she's rooting for us.
she [nurse at Spring Fertility] taught an injectable medications class that was very helpful. Our patient navigator and the team have been very helpful, promptly answering all of our questions and providing clear, detailed instructions...saline sonogram: $950...ovarian stimulation and monitoring, retrieval of oocytes, embryology lab services (including ICSI, PGS/PGD): $18,375...This facility transfers only one embryo at a time...when vetting labs we asked for Spring's stats, measuring against Fertility IQ's standards for lab quality, and they passed with flying colors.
Age
37
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Marketer or PR
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
9
How was your experience with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Minjarez took time to thoroughly explain different parts of the process and answer any of our questions. We've had some delays getting started, and she's been helpful and responsive. She does a good job of balancing clear, direct communication with kindness and the feeling like she's rooting for us.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility?
Make sure you think through your questions ahead of time -- it really benefit us to have done our research so we could make the most of our time with Dr. Minjarez. Appointments can be brief, but her team is always very responsive via email if things come up afterward.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Minjarez and her staff are caring and kind. Even during short visits, I feel like Dr. Minjarez is very present and attentive to me and my partner.
Describe the protocols Debra Minjarez used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
We haven't started stimulation yet, because my follicles weren't ready. But the plan is to stimulate with FSH and Menopur.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Flo)
We haven't worked a lot with our nurse yet -- she taught an injectable medications class that was very helpful. Our patient navigator and the team have been very helpful, promptly answering all of our questions and providing clear, detailed instructions.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
It's hard to say right now because we're at the very beginning of the process, but when vetting labs we asked for Spring's stats, measuring against Fertility IQ's standards for lab quality, and they passed with flying colors.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility.
saline sonogram: $950
ovarian stimulation and monitoring, retrieval of oocytes, embryology lab services (including ICSI, PGS/PGD): $18,375
medication package: $4,400
future frozen embryo transfer (monitoring + thawing, transfer): $5,250
embryo cryopreservation after 6 months: $650
Describe Debra Minjarez's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
This facility transfers only one embryo at a time.
- Read less
9
9
Age
34
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
Male Factor
9
9
Dr. Harris has a warm demeanor and is really invested in success for his patients...At the beginning there was some miscommunication, but when I expressed my concern Dr. Harris was apologetic and made up for the initial misunderstanding...He was always sure to ask at each visit how things are going, whether you have experienced any side effects, etc...is openly optimistic and enthusiastic, and the result is that you can get swept into the optimism and expect more from your treatment than it can realistically deliver.
Strengths [at Spring Fertility]: - great staff - clear communication - transparent - very clean Weaknesses: - they use a surgical center that is out of network for all insurance - some procedures can only be done at the SF office so if you are going to the RWC office expect to have to go downtown occasionally...She [nurse] was warm, friendly, and followed up quickly when I had questions. Her e-mails with the course of treatment were always detailed and clear.
Age
34
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Engineer
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
Male Factor
9
9
How was your experience with Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility?
At the beginning there was some miscommunication, but when I expressed my concern Dr. Harris was apologetic and made up for the initial misunderstanding. He truly wants to see his patients succeed and does what he can to that end. He was always sure to ask at each visit how things are going, whether you have experienced any side effects, etc. He explains the options clearly, and is thorough in describing the treatment plan.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Harris is openly optimistic and enthusiastic, and the result is that you can get swept into the optimism and expect more from your treatment than it can realistically deliver. The result is that a failure can hit harder than it might have otherwise. I'm ultimately happy with our choice of doctor, but just be realistic with yourself,
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Harris has a warm demeanor and is really invested in success for his patients.
Describe the protocols Isiah Harris used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
We used Clomid with an Ovidrel trigger shot followed by IUI three times. We have just started our first IVF cycle with Dr. Harris. Given our severe male factor infertility, he originally suggested we skip IUI and go directly to IVF, but that was not financially feasible for us at the time so we attempted IUI anyway despite the probable negative outcome. The first IUI cycle I had some spotting pre-period, which is unusual for me, and a positive pregnancy test long after the Ovidrel should have dissipated so we suspect the possibility of a chemical pregnancy. Dr. Harris was thorough with his description of the different approaches we could take with IVF and explained clearly why he felt the approach we went with was best for us. We're using birth control for 2 weeks followed by injectables for egg retrieval at the end of the month.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Michelle Chicas)
She was warm, friendly, and followed up quickly when I had questions. Her e-mails with the course of treatment were always detailed and clear.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
Strengths:
- great staff
- clear communication
- transparent
- very clean
Weaknesses:
- they use a surgical center that is out of network for all insurance
- some procedures can only be done at the SF office so if you are going to the RWC office expect to have to go downtown occasionally
Describe the costs associated with your care under Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility.
The self-pay cost for IUI is $1600 and it's $18,375 for IVF. With insurance, we paid ~$600 for the first two IUI cycles and nothing for the second as we'd hit our max out of pocket. IVF is going to cost around $3000 and most of that is the out-of-network surgical center. I don't yet know what additional there will be on top of that for the genetic testing, anesthesiologist, etc.
Describe Isiah Harris's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
We didn't discuss this as I had decided in advance that I wanted to do single embryo transfer.
- Read less
9
10
Age
32
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
3 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
—
9
10
I am early 30s with good stats, and his strategy was 3 unmedicated IUIs, then (if no pregnancy) 3 medicated IUIs, then potentially move on to IVF. ... now that I have had 3 unsuccessful IUIs, Dr. Tran thinks I should do one before beginning the more involved and expensive process of medicated IUIs. ... I have only ever seen Dr. Tram in person once, at my initial consult. ...
Strengths: friendly, easy to make appointments, knowledgeable staff [Spring Fertility] Weaknesses: billing can sometimes lag. Sometimes I will be asked to pay for a procedure the day I come in (my insurance doesn’t cover anything fertility related) whereas other times they would not charge me day of, and instead I would get hit with several appointments worth of charges a couple months later.
Age
32
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Accountant
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
—
9
10
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
I have only ever seen Dr. Tram in person once, at my initial consult. My IUIs were done by different doctors, and all other information has been conveyed through nurses and my patient coordinator. However I feel like I’m getting the care I need, and if I move on to IVF, I believe I will see him more.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
His primary focus is IVF, so if you are starting with IUI, you might not see him for many of your appointments. However he will still be involved in your care, and it’s easy to get answers to questions via your patient coordinator.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Along with the doctors and nurses, I was assigned a “patient coordinator” who is available to answer all my questions. Being able to go through this one person who knows me and my treatment history makes me feel much more connected to my treatment. It makes t easier to ask questions, so I understand more of what is going on. And everyone is always very responsive and friendly.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
I am early 30s with good stats, and his strategy was 3 unmedicated IUIs, then (if no pregnancy) 3 medicated IUIs, then potentially move on to IVF. I have had three unsuccessful IUIs. I am now going to have an HSG test. I elected not to have one before beginning initial treatment, but now that I have had 3 unsuccessful IUIs, Dr. Tran thinks I should do one before beginning the more involved and expensive process of medicated IUIs. Depending on the results of the HSG test, I will either move on to the planned medicated cycles, or look at IVF.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Brittany Delacruz)
Great! Very responsive and quick to answer questions. Also very warm and friendly.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
Strengths: friendly, easy to make appointments, knowledgeable staff
Weaknesses: billing can sometimes lag. Sometimes I will be asked to pay for a procedure the day I come in (my insurance doesn’t cover anything fertility related) whereas other times they would not charge me day of, and instead I would get hit with several appointments worth of charges a couple months later.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility.
Monitoring ultrasounds—$400
IUI— Around $800
- Read less
9
9
Age
34 - 36
Treated
2017 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
2 IVF
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality
9
9
Dr. Tran has always been very honest and straightforward which I greatly appreciate. He is very accurate in his assessments and his protocol is always adjusted and designed to fit my individual needs. ... He is straightforward and sets realistic expectations which is exactly what you need in this process so you are not giving an unrealistic sense of hope; with this approach it can lack a little bit of warmth in his messages but in the end you leave his office with a real sense of understanding for the future.
The clinic [Spring Fertility] is professional and innovative; their results speak for themselves. However, with the rapid growth of the clinic they have lost some of the personal care and precise communication / organization that they had when the clinic first opened. ... I have worked with Laurel Maley and Allie Bell over the last several years and both of them were absolutely amazing and made a very stressful process smooth and bearable. They are knowledge, kind, responsive and effective in communicating / answering all the million of questions you have along the way.
Age
34 - 36
Treated
2017 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European, South Asian, Native American
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 IVF
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality
9
9
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
From a scientific and IVF protocol I completely trust Dr. Tran and his decisions. He is very accurate in his assessments and his protocol is always adjusted and designed to fit my individual needs. He is straightforward and sets realistic expectations which is exactly what you need in this process so you are not giving an unrealistic sense of hope; with this approach it can lack a little bit of warmth in his messages but in the end you leave his office with a real sense of understanding for the future.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Be patient with the process and trust Dr. Trans decisions as he shares the same desired outcome.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
I have been a patient of Dr. Tran from the beginning of the clinic's opening and as they have grown the level of individual attention to detail is slightly diminished. However, Dr. Tran has always been very honest and straightforward which I greatly appreciate. He is very accurate in his assessments and his protocol is always adjusted and designed to fit my individual needs.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
I did two retrievals using Lupron, Gonal-F, Menopur, Cetrotide and Novarel. Both retrievals resulted in a desirable amount of eggs; my particular problem is in growing the embryos to day 5. The number of embroys drastically dropped during this time. First retrieval results in 2 embryos that both came back normal after genetic testing. The second retrieval resulted in 1 embryo that came back abnormal. I then did a FET immediately following the second retrieval that resulted in a healthy pregnancy. I did a second transfer Sept 2019 with the remaining embryo from first retrieval that did not result in a pregnancy. I am currently undergoing preparation for another retrieval.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Laurel Maley)
I have worked with Laurel Maley and Allie Bell over the last several years and both of them were absolutely amazing and made a very stressful process smooth and bearable. They are knowledge, kind, responsive and effective in communicating / answering all the million of questions you have along the way. They are thoughtful and compassionate; everything you would want in the person who is your primary contact during this process!
There are some nursing staff that need to avoid speaking to you about your case when they don't know all the specifics; best to avoid communicating information that could lead to confusion.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
The clinic is professional and innovative; their results speak for themselves. However, with the rapid growth of the clinic they have lost some of the personal care and precise communication / organization that they had when the clinic first opened.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility.
The first two retrievals and transfer were covered by insurance. Second transfer was around $6,000 and current retrieval will be around $25,000
Describe Nam Tran's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
I agree with Dr. Tran's approach of eSET as I highly risk adverse to having multiple babies at my age.
What specific things went wrong at Spring Fertility?
- Provided conflicting information
- Read less
7
8
Age
33 - 35
Treated
2017 - 2019
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
4 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
PCOS
7
8
If a doctor with a really good bedside manner is important to you, chose one of the other doctors at this clinic. Dr. Tran can be a little "cold", but that was not something that bothered me...I trusted that he was well educated and believe that he made decision in our treatment that he thought would result in the best outcome. I felt that he set our expectations for success once we moved on to IVF too high. Sometimes I would have to push him to make changes to my course of treatment after multiple failures because he did not believe changes were needed. I'm not a fan doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome.
Appointments were almost always on time [at Spring Fertility] which made me feel like they valued my time. Nursing staff and front desk staff were very nice. Billing staff communication was hit-or-miss...Most of the nursing staff seemed to really care about the outcome of my treatment and showed a lot of empathy when things didn't work out. The front desk staff always greeted me by name...There were two miscommunications in the first 6 months of treatment that had me questioning whether I should continue treatment at this clinic, but after that everything was good. On our first IUI cycle, no one told us that my husband needed certain bloodwork before the IUI and they ended up having to push my IUI back a few days to give time to get his results back. There was another time when I was supposed to take a medication that noone told me about. I received a text reminder to take the medicine and that is how I found out about it and had to ask for a prescription. After we moved on to IVF, the communication was great and we didn't have any problems. The staff were always very responsive to questions over phone and email.
Age
33 - 35
Treated
2017 - 2019
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Engineer
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
4 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
PCOS
7
8
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
I trusted that he was well educated and believe that he made decision in our treatment that he thought would result in the best outcome. I felt that he set our expectations for success once we moved on to IVF too high. Sometimes I would have to push him to make changes to my course of treatment after multiple failures because he did not believe changes were needed. I'm not a fan doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
If a doctor with a really good bedside manner is important to you, chose one of the other doctors at this clinic. Dr. Tran can be a little "cold", but that was not something that bothered me.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Most of the nursing staff seemed to really care about the outcome of my treatment and showed a lot of empathy when things didn't work out. The front desk staff always greeted me by name.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Laurel)
There were two miscommunications in the first 6 months of treatment that had me questioning whether I should continue treatment at this clinic, but after that everything was good. On our first IUI cycle, no one told us that my husband needed certain bloodwork before the IUI and they ended up having to push my IUI back a few days to give time to get his results back. There was another time when I was supposed to take a medication that noone told me about. I received a text reminder to take the medicine and that is how I found out about it and had to ask for a prescription. After we moved on to IVF, the communication was great and we didn't have any problems. The staff were always very responsive to questions over phone and email.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
Appointments were almost always on time which made me feel like they valued my time. Nursing staff and front desk staff were very nice. Billing staff communication was hit-or-miss. I was told by my Gyn that this clinic was the best choice if you are looking for the most cutting edge fertility treatment.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility.
IUI cycle - $1,500 plus cost of meds
IVF retrieval + PGS - $17,500 plus cost of meds
Frozene Embryo Transfer - $4,500 plus cost of meds
Describe Nam Tran's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
Dr. Tran was very adamant about not transferring more than one embryo.
What specific things went wrong at Spring Fertility?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Lost appointments
- Failed to order appropriate test
- Read less
10
10
Age
38 - 39
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
3 IUI, 5 IVF
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality
10
10
[Dr. Nam Tran is] Creative yet evidence-based and doesn’t recommend a bunch of things you don’t need. He is a scientist and straightforward but compassionate, and has some good deadpan humor! He does explain things quickly so write down and bring your questions and don’t hesitate to send up a follow up question. I most appreciate that Dr. Tran is willing to keep working with poor prognosis patients—some clinics want to move on to donor eggs to boost their numbers but not the case here. We were initially devastated after our first two cycles led to no transferable embryos likely due to poor egg quality and me being a poor responder to meds. At that point he recommended proceeding with minimal stimulation ivf which worked really well for us and ended up giving us a better blast yield per cycle and ultimately leading to success for us. Not all clinics do mini IVF so I was grateful Spring offers this as other clinics would have either proceeded with full stim (high expense for low yield) or pushed donor eggs.
Spring Fertility really focuses on the patient experience-everyone is very responsive, they have a lot of nice touches...they pay attention to the little things. The protocols are tailored to individuals not just an algorithm...We had one instance where we had to call back and clarify a miscommunication about an embryo report. However literally every other communication (probably more than 100 contacts between appointments, emails, and phone calls) was timely and accurate.
Age
38 - 39
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Prefer not to answer
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Doctor
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
3 IUI, 5 IVF
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality
10
10
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Tran is seriously smart and on the cutting edge. Creative yet evidence-based and doesn’t recommend a bunch of things you don’t need. He is a scientist and straightforward but compassionate, and has some good deadpan humor! He does explain things quickly so write down and bring your questions and don’t hesitate to send up a follow up question. I most appreciate that Dr. Tran is willing to keep working with poor prognosis patients—some clinics want to move on to donor eggs to boost their numbers but not the case here. We were initially devastated after our first two cycles led to no transferable embryos likely due to poor egg quality and me being a poor responder to meds. At that point he recommended proceeding with minimal stimulation ivf which worked really well for us and ended up giving us a better blast yield per cycle and ultimately leading to success for us. Not all clinics do mini IVF so I was grateful Spring offers this as other clinics would have either proceeded with full stim (high expense for low yield) or pushed donor eggs.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Write down your questions and don’t hesitate to send the team a follow up question!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Spring Fertility really focuses on the patient experience-everyone is very responsive, they have a lot of nice touches...they pay attention to the little things. The protocols are tailored to individuals not just an algorithm.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
1 letrozole flare
1 mid-luteal start
3 mini IVF with clomid and gonalF/menopur
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
This clinic prioritizes the patient experience and does all the touches right. We had so many visits there over our time and really appreciated their organization, timeliness, and attention to all the little things.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility.
Pricing is transparent and up front. Comparable to other clinics in the area. Mini IVF cycles can be packaged which makes the cost about 50% of a regular IVF cycle
Describe Nam Tran's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
They recommend eSET for PGS tested
What specific things went wrong at Spring Fertility?
- Provided conflicting information
- Read less
Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
10
Age
31
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
4 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
I cannot say enough good things about Dr Tran and our treatment is still going... He did all of my ultrasounds, he was supportive and thorough and is clearly a leader in his field...Dr. Tran is an unbelievably smart, thoughtful and experienced fertility doctor who I trusted 100%... Dr Tran has said from the very beginning I will only be transferring one embryo. ..He clearly loves what he does and was always willing to answer my questions or concerns in a very direct way....
I love love love the clinic [Spring Fertility]. The opening hours and location were the biggest plus for me. I had all of my appointments around 7am so never missed time off of work, the location is central SF and has easy parking, though you have to pay for it. The office is a good size with lots of rooms for ultrasounds and the lab is amazing. When you are about to have your egg retrieval you can see the embryologists at work and it makes it all so real.
Age
31
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Graphic Designer
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
4 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
I cannot say enough good things about Dr Tran and our treatment is still going. We are awaiting our FET having undergone an egg retrieval and PGS testing we have 6 healthy embryos waiting for us. He predicted we would have 3 but would do everything he could to make it more and he did just that. He did all of my ultrasounds, he was supportive and thorough and is clearly a leader in his field. I never questioned him because I had full faith he knew what he was doing and I was in the best hands possible.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr Tran has a dry sense of humour and is not the warm and cuddly type- he is a wildly clever doctor so don’t expect cuddles and a shoulder to cry on. He is fact driven, experienced and knows best so trust him. He was literally at the clinic every single time
I went- 7am in the morning, Sunday’s, he was there. That’s what I want in a doctor.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Tran is an unbelievably smart, thoughtful and experienced fertility doctor who I trusted 100%. He clearly loves what he does and was always willing to answer my questions or concerns in a very direct way.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
I did 14 days of stims using menopur and cetrotide. I had 7 monitoring visits before my egg retrieval and after each visit my dosages were changed to suit my blood results.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Onjira )
Onjira was my primary care nurse and she was ok. Not the same level at Helen or Ava or any of the other nurses that helped me each visit. She did her job and was helpful when necessary but I think Dr. Tran deserves a better nurse.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
I love love love the clinic. The opening hours and location were the biggest plus for me. I had all of my appointments around 7am so never missed time off of work, the location is central SF and has easy parking, though you have to pay for it. The office is a good size with lots of rooms for ultrasounds and the lab is amazing. When you are about to have your egg retrieval you can see the embryologists at work and it makes it all so real.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility.
So far we have paid $18,750 for egg retrieval, $4400 for meds, $900 for additional embryo biopsy, and I believe FET will be $4500. All up it will cost well over $30,000- more if our FET is unsuccessful.
Describe Nam Tran's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
I am yet to transfer but Dr Tran has said from the very beginning I will only be transferring one embryo. I am happy with this as I don’t want to put my body through any undue stress.
- Read less
Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
9
8
Age
35 - 36
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Other
9
8
Dr.Minjarez always communicates clearly and directly. She would send me current research on my condition and explain why she recommended particular tests....My one complaint is that because she is so direct, it sometimes feels like she is not the most empathetic with my feelings/journey. With that being said, my partner loves that she is very direct. I also had some issues with seeing different doctors (she is based in Oakland and I live in SF so elected to see some of the Drs in the SF office for routine sonograms). Due to some communication issues, I elected not to do that for this most recent transfer cycle and have been happy with Dr.Minjarez being my only provider.
Spring is very clean and has state of the art equipment. There are 4 full time doctors, which is on the smaller side compared to some other clinics we considered. My complaint is that it seems like the doctors do not have the best communication procedures in place. I had a cancelled FET cycle and had seen 2 separate doctors and a nurse practitioner and it did not seem like there was clear communication. Once I decided to only go to Oakland to see my Dr.
Age
35 - 36
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European, Ashkenazi Jewish
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Other
9
8
How was your experience with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility?
Dr.Minjarez always communicates clearly and directly. She would send me current research on my condition and explain why she recommended particular tests. My case has been complicated, due to multiple miscarriages and a few set backs along the way. She has handled everything in stride and is confident in her decisions when it has been necessary to change the course of treatment.
My one complaint is that because she is so direct, it sometimes feels like she is not the most empathetic with my feelings/journey. With that being said, my partner loves that she is very direct. I also had some issues with seeing different doctors (she is based in Oakland and I live in SF so elected to see some of the Drs in the SF office for routine sonograms). Due to some communication issues, I elected not to do that for this most recent transfer cycle and have been happy with Dr.Minjarez being my only provider.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility?
She is brilliant and knows about all of the recent research. She is very direct and will not tell you something that she does not fully mean/believe. Because she is so direct, if you want someone who is more empathetic, it might not be the best fit.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility?
Dr.Minjarez has taken the time to call me after hours to talk about next steps. For example, after I had an early loss with my first transfer, she called me to talk about what we could do to move forward. She also took time to get to know me and my partner.
Describe the protocols Debra Minjarez used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
For my most recent FET, I did 2.5 months of Lupron following a diagnosis of diffused adenomyosis. I then did a controlled cycle using estrogen patches and progesterone in oil injections.
After my first transfer ended in an early loss, she had me tested for endometritis using a CD138 stain. (It was negative)
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Flo)
The nursing staff at Spring has been so helpful and caring. My care coordinator is responsive to my questions via call and email. I have also had a great experience anytime I have had to call in on the weekend for urgent requests (one time I was traveling and did not have the right medications and they immediately helped me find a local pharmacy that had the medication I needed).
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
Spring is very clean and has state of the art equipment. There are 4 full time doctors, which is on the smaller side compared to some other clinics we considered.
My complaint is that it seems like the doctors do not have the best communication procedures in place. I had a cancelled FET cycle and had seen 2 separate doctors and a nurse practitioner and it did not seem like there was clear communication. Once I decided to only go to Oakland to see my Dr. this was not an issue, but something to consider if you are planning on seeing doctors at a different location than your primary Dr.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Spring Fertility.
There was a window of time for monitoring appointments but I never had to wait for more than 10 mins and they were almost always right on time.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility.
I think Egg Retrieval and PGS testing was around $25,000. Each FET has been between $3000-5500
Describe Debra Minjarez's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
We were not given the option for multiple embryo transfer. I am not sure if this is standard procedure for my clinic or if it is because of my uterine issues.
- Read less
10
10
Age
31
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
4 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
Dr Tran is an incredible doctor- his knowledge of reproduction and his role in making it happen is astounding. I respect how efficient Dr Tran was at all of my appointments, I felt like he was always present and invested in our success. I felt safe, supported and 100% confident in his abilities as my doctor. ... He did every ultrasound I had, including first appointments of the day and on sundays.
One of the things I most appreciated about Spring is their convenience. They are open every day of the year, they open at 7:30am so all of my monitoring appointments happened before work, they were always on time, I never waited and the facilities are spotless. There is parking available on site too, which made life so much easier. ... Onjira was my nurse and she was just ok. I am not one to ask too many questions but she didn’t seem to be up to the same standard as the rest of the nursing staff. Ayda and Helen we’re both brilliant.
Age
31
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
4 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr Tran is not going to sit there and give you a cuddle, if you are looking for a doctor to look you in the eyes and tell you everything is ok- that is not Dr Tran. He is smart, fast and to the point and I absolutely appreciated that about him. He did every ultrasound I had, including first appointments of the day and on sundays. He must work 7 days a week, fertility and his work are clearly his passion and I felt so confident in his abilities at every step of the process.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr Tran will get you results, but don’t forget that this is a business and he’s a busy man. Expect the best service, honest answers and world class care.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr Tran is an incredible doctor- his knowledge of reproduction and his role in making it happen is astounding. I respect how efficient Dr Tran was at all of my appointments, I felt like he was always present and invested in our success. I felt safe, supported and 100% confident in his abilities as my doctor.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
Having done 4 unsuccessful IUIs with Kaiser and being very unimpressed with the care I received there, we moved to spring. I knew Dr Tran was our doctor and within 2 weeks of our first appointment I was starting injectables. I did a combination of menopur, gonal f and certitide for 13 days. My doses were adjusted each day depending on my daily ultrasound and blood results.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Onjira )
Onjira was my nurse and she was just ok. I am not one to ask too many questions but she didn’t seem to be up to the same standard as the rest of the nursing staff. Ayda and Helen we’re both brilliant.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
One of the things I most appreciated about Spring is their convenience. They are open every day of the year, they open at 7:30am so all of my monitoring appointments happened before work, they were always on time, I never waited and the facilities are spotless. There is parking available on site too, which made life so much easier.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility.
Egg retrieval- $18,500
Additional 2 embryo biopsy - $900
FET - $4500
Meds - $4400
Describe Nam Tran's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
I am yet to have my FET but have PGS rested embryos ready to go, our recommendation has been to transfer one embryo.
- Read less
Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
8
10
Age
38
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
6 IUI
Diagnosis
Unexplained
8
10
We came in fully knowing we want to do IVF after 12+ years of unexplained infertility and a previous pregnancy loss. He was thorough answering all of our questions and laying out the course of treatment as clearly as possible. ... Dr. Tran shared all the possible statistics of going through an IVF with a couple our age (late 30's). ... He expressed that he does not want us to go through more than one egg retrieval if we can help it. His goal is to help us get pregnant as soon as possible. I really do feel he has our best interest in mind.
I got the feeling that Spring clinic really nerds out on the science behind IVF, and I love that because it's not something I want to have to deal with! I'm more than happy to put my eggs in their hands so that they can create lab magic. Expect to hear a lot of statistics. ... So clean, organized, every time I call I talk to a real live person and they help me immediately.
Age
38
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
—
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 3 Docs
Treatment
6 IUI
Diagnosis
Unexplained
8
10
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
As we have only seen Dr. Tran for a consultation, I cannot speak to his care going through the IVF process. However, just based on our consultation, I know we have made the right choice. We came in fully knowing we want to do IVF after 12+ years of unexplained infertility and a previous pregnancy loss. He was thorough answering all of our questions and laying out the course of treatment as clearly as possible. Of course, things can change as you go through the cycle, and we are not quite there yet. Dr. Tran is after eggs of great quality that will create embryos of great quality. He expressed that he does not want us to go through more than one egg retrieval if we can help it. His goal is to help us get pregnant as soon as possible. I really do feel he has our best interest in mind.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
I would say to have your questions ready, and know that he speaks very scientifically. I got the feeling that Spring clinic really nerds out on the science behind IVF, and I love that because it's not something I want to have to deal with! I'm more than happy to put my eggs in their hands so that they can create lab magic. Expect to hear a lot of statistics.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Tran shared all the possible statistics of going through an IVF with a couple our age (late 30's). He was very sensitive because of the loss we've experienced, and although I did not feel like he treated us like a number, it was staggering to learn all the statistics and to think of IVF in a very systematic way like that. He knows what he is talking about, and fully acknowledges that there are anomalies or "lucky" situations that can occur, no matter what the numbers suggest. I appreciated his honesty.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
As we have not done a cycle yet (most likely will start in June), I can only speak to the protocol we have been given. I was so elated to learn that I will not take birth control to start my cycle, but will begin injections about 3-6 days after ovulation of the cycle before egg retrieval. I am to call on first day of my period, go in for an ultrasound, and then return once I have a positive ovulation test for another ultra sound. From there, my treatment protocol will be personalized.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Michelle Chicas)
So far I have worked with Michelle, my care coordinator. I have had a few questions for her, and had to get her some info regarding previous testing I have done, and she has been so easy to work with. She communicates easily, responds quickly, and is readily available. She sets my mind at ease every time I talk to her.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
So far the clinic is awesome. So clean, organized, every time I call I talk to a real live person and they help me immediately. I was surprised that they had 80's music in the waiting room. The receptionist at the front said that Dr. Tran likes to keep it fun. It was a little odd to have an ultrasound with an antral follicle count being done with Whitney Houston playing in the background, but hey, I kind of liked it!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility.
Our consultation was paid for by insurance as we have some infertility coverage. I believe the appointment was around $400, plus additional lab fees for blood work. We received our workup for our IVF treatment, and it's around $18,000 for monitoring, egg retrieval, ICSI, assisted hatching, taking sample of cells for PSG and sending them off. Meds are estimated to be an additional $4000 and then the FET is estimated to be another $3500-5000. This does not include the actual cost of the genetic testing. I think that is another $3000-5000.
Describe Nam Tran's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
Dr. Tran's approach is single embryo transfer as often as possible. He did not mention multiple embryo transfer, so I'm sure if he does it, it's on a case by case basis. As someone who has lost twins, I appreciate that our transfer will be a single one.
- Read less
10
10
Age
32
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
33 Eggs Frozen
Treatment
1 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Other
10
10
Dr. Tran was warm, friendly and to the point. I really appreciated his ability to balance clear, candid and accurate information well also being super nice. He took the time to learn my goals, tailor the treatment, and set realistic expectations. My favorite part was that if my personal fertility goals had been different, he would have actually not recommended egg freezing. I love he was willing to turn away business if it wasn't in the best interest of his patient.
I am obsessed with this clinic. The facilities are convenient in the city, with a parking garage below and easy street meters. The ambiance is incredibly lux. The sparkling water and snacks were clutch with all the blood draws. I never had to wait long, unless I was early, but my favorite part was that patients in the waiting room were super diverse and friendly. The other patients would grab coffee and chat with each other.
Age
32
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
33 Eggs Frozen
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Other
10
10
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Tran was warm, friendly and to the point. I really appreciated his ability to balance clear, candid and accurate information well also being super nice. He took the time to learn my goals, tailor the treatment, and set realistic expectations. My favorite part was that if my personal fertility goals had been different, he would have actually not recommended egg freezing. I love he was willing to turn away business if it wasn't in the best interest of his patient.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Nothing! You're in great hands at Spring. The whole experience is incredible with great customer service, support and facilities.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
The clinic experience was so wonderful! The nurses and receptionists made a point to learn my name, offer snacks and water when I had blood draws, and ask about events happening in my life that I had shared. They were so lovely.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
I elected to freeze my eggs for later use. I was given a tailored protocol of menopur, gonal, and later cetrotide. We used a lupron trigger to help avoid OHSS. Spring adjusted my dosages almost daily for the last half of my injects to help prevent OHSS (which they did!) and provided clear communication on their online portal about medications.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Yvette)
Yvette was my primary care nurse and Shirley was my scheduling coordinator. They were both incredibly responsive. Yvette was super helpful answering all my panicked emails when I thought I had done the injections wrong. She was super patient and sweet with my random questions about taking baths and tylenol too.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
I am obsessed with this clinic. The facilities are convenient in the city, with a parking garage below and easy street meters. The ambiance is incredibly lux. The sparkling water and snacks were clutch with all the blood draws. I never had to wait long, unless I was early, but my favorite part was that patients in the waiting room were super diverse and friendly. The other patients would grab coffee and chat with each other.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility.
Progyny and my primary insurance handled all costs and billing. My out of pocket costs were minimal and covered by my yearly out of pocket maximum for all health coverage.
- Read less
10
10
Age
31
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality, Other
10
10
[Protocol with Dr. Debra Minjarez was] Letrozole mini-IVF stimulation because of diminished ovarian reserve...came up with a very patient-specific protocol that was different than my previous IVF protocols with previous doctors. It was the perfect protocol (mini IVF) for my specific situation (history of endometrial cancer, few eggs, diminished ovarian reserve)...I even had a recurrence of pre-cancer during my IVF treatment with her, went back to hormone therapy, and she helped me navigate through that and I am back on course. I call her my "miracle worker."
Strengths [at Spring Fertility]: location in Oakland, cleanliness, availability of appointments, greater customer care, excellent doctors...excellent embryology lab Weaknesses: all retrievals/embryo transfer procedures and weekend appointments are done at the SF office (but this is not that bad), so you might see different doctors for your procedures. (also not that bad because I trust all the Spring doctors)...My cycle coordinator, Marina, was extremely helpful over email and phone and very timely to questions I had over email. I nearly always received a response within 1 business day of my email from either Marina or another cycle coordinator/nurse. In my opinion, Spring is excellent on timeliness and customer care.
Age
31
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
East Asian
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Accountant
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
1 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality, Other
10
10
How was your experience with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Minjarez is excellent in her thorough knowledge of infertility issues and related health issues. I was treated for endometrial cancer and had gone through 3 failed IVF cycles and had come to Dr. Minjarez as a last hope, after being referred to her by a friend and she treated me a lot of compassion, listened to my history (including cancer medications) and crafted a specific protocol (resting from medication, different medications once I started, mini-IVF letrozole stimulation) that miraculously resulted in 2 high quality embryos. I am currently going through the embryo transfer process, but she has been great all the way through. I even had a recurrence of pre-cancer during my IVF treatment with her, went back to hormone therapy, and she helped me navigate through that and I am back on course. I call her my "miracle worker."
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility?
Explain your medical history thoroughly so that Dr. Minjarez can understand how to best treat you with a specific protocol.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Minjarez came up with a very patient-specific protocol that was different than my previous IVF protocols with previous doctors. It was the perfect protocol (mini IVF) for my specific situation (history of endometrial cancer, few eggs, diminished ovarian reserve).
Describe the protocols Debra Minjarez used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
Resting from medication for 2 months due to over-stimulation of my ovaries from previous cancer hormone therapy and IVF treatments. Letrozole mini-IVF stimulation because of diminished ovarian reserve.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Flo (nurse) and Marina (cycle coordinator))
My nurse, Flo, was very compassionate on the phone and nearly always called whenever I needed some type of explanation for my medications. My cycle coordinator, Marina, was extremely helpful over email and phone and very timely to questions I had over email. I nearly always received a response within 1 business day of my email from either Marina or another cycle coordinator/nurse. In my opinion, Spring is excellent on timeliness and customer care.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
Strengths: location in Oakland, cleanliness, availability of appointments, greater customer care, excellent doctors (previously from UCSF and Kaiser), excellent embryology lab
Weaknesses: all retrievals/embryo transfer procedures and weekend appointments are done at the SF office (but this is not that bad), so you might see different doctors for your procedures. (also not that bad because I trust all the Spring doctors)
Describe the costs associated with your care under Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility.
$7K (before insurance) for the 1 mini-IVF cycle, $5K for embryo transfer
Describe Debra Minjarez's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
None. I preferred single embryo transfer and she recommended the same.
What specific things went wrong at Spring Fertility?
- Failed to call with results
- Failed to convey critical information
- Read less
0
1
Age
35
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Unexplained
0
1
Upon meeting Dr.Klatsky, he did not ask us why we were there or what we were looking for. He immediately launched into a pitch about IUI and IVF. I told him that we needed to back track the conversation because we were there for fertility assessments, understanding if our bodies had any issues, and weren’t yet ready for IUI/IVF. He got pretty defensive, which tanked the remainder of the discussion. We got a little bit of information from him, but not nearly the amount we would have gotten if he had met us where we wanted information instead of trying to shove us into the IVF/IUI sales pitch box.
I had to constantly be on top of my nurses and coordinators [at Spring Fertility], especially to share results with me when they came from an outside lab (and therefore didn’t auto-update the Portal), to take my questions to the doctor and get back to me with answers, and to ultimately send my records to my new clinic...The Spring portal system is clunky and difficult to navigate. Staff needs to be contacted multiple times for follow through, no matter if it is a question about medication, scheduling, or trying to transfer my records to another clinic. I am constantly sending them reminder emails.
Age
35
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Unexplained
0
1
How was your experience with Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Klatsky was there to sell us IUI/IVF. We had to push him to get off that track and discuss our bodies, where we are physically, and where we are on this journey (at the time, we weren’t ready for IUI/IVF). When I redirected the conversation, I accidentally referred to embryos as babies, prompting a long, condescending lecture on how embryos are a distinct protected class. As a patient, it is not my job to get all of the terms right. I do not have an MD. I should not be spoken to that way when I slip up on fertility vocab. It is my job to get what I need out of an appointment and with Dr. Klatsky, that was a struggle. He didn’t connect to what we wanted, he was focused from the get go on selling us IUI/IVF, and he became defensive and condescending when we tried to direct the conversation to where we needed it.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility?
Before he has a chance to speak, tell him your expectations for the appointment.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility?
Upon meeting Dr.Klatsky, he did not ask us why we were there or what we were looking for. He immediately launched into a pitch about IUI and IVF. I told him that we needed to back track the conversation because we were there for fertility assessments, understanding if our bodies had any issues, and weren’t yet ready for IUI/IVF. He got pretty defensive, which tanked the remainder of the discussion. We got a little bit of information from him, but not nearly the amount we would have gotten if he had met us where we wanted information instead of trying to shove us into the IVF/IUI sales pitch box.
Describe the protocols Peter Klatsky used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
We did not pursue treatment with Klatsky after the initial meeting. I could not trust him as a partner on our fertility journey.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
The Spring portal system is clunky and difficult to navigate. Staff needs to be contacted multiple times for follow through, no matter if it is a question about medication, scheduling, or trying to transfer my records to another clinic. I am constantly sending them reminder emails.
I tried to work with two doctors at Spring and felt like I was being shoved onto their IVF conveyor belt by both. My input was outright dismissed by both doctors, a big no-no in a process that has to be collaborative. Both doctor experiences were an IVF/IUI sales pitch. (For context, I am seeing a new doctor now who doesn’t see IVF as a first or even second choice for me).
Describe the costs associated with your care under Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility.
I don’t remember much because it was covered by insurance. But the genetic testing was pricey. $250-$450 after insurance.
What specific things went wrong at Spring Fertility?
- Failed to call with results
- Failed to send your chart to another clinic
- Read less
Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
0
0
Age
31
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
4 IUI
Diagnosis
—
0
0
In order to meet with Dr. Tran, we had to pay $200. He provided us with a 15 minute overview of the IUI process and said that we would be a good candidate for natural IUI. ... After our initial consultation, we never saw him again, nor heard from him in anyway. You are simply a number to Dr. Tran ... He is not warm, or compassionate and does not have any involvement in your treatment plan. It is all handled by Ursula, the RN.
The clinic [Spring Fertility] is very nice and new. They have snacks and water, and are always on time. The weaknesses are the level of doctors care and their desire to help patients, and not just make money. The waiting room often smells like smoke. ... Ursula is a good nurse, but she is just as much of a machine as Dr. Tran. She is always on time, but wants to get patients in and out as fast as possible. She doesn't provide you with any analysis of the results. She simply hands you a piece of paper, and expects you to understand them.
Age
31
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$500K
Occupation
Accountant
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
4 IUI
Diagnosis
—
0
0
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
I had one of the worst experiences ever at Spring. The only time that I ever saw Dr. Tran was during my initial consultation which he only spent 15 minutes with my husband and me. You are simply a number to Dr. Tran, and he does not customize your plan or treatment in anyway. It is all handled by the nurse, Ursula. None of my ultrasounds or IUI's were performed by Dr. Tran, nor did he ever provide me with any information on any of the results from our previous unsuccessful rounds of IUI. Dr Tran is not compassionate, warm, and thoughtful in his practice of medicine. In addition, my sister in law was identified with stage 4 endometriosis which was not identified or communicated to her in the year that she was under the care of Dr. Tran. Due to our unsatisfactory experience, we have switched from Dr. Tran's care and have received much better, personalized care with new doctors.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Ask how involved he is with his patients and what his level of care of will be for your particular plan.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
In order to meet with Dr. Tran, we had to pay $200. He provided us with a 15 minute overview of the IUI process and said that we would be a good candidate for natural IUI. He was concerned about having multiples, so he recommenced natural IUI as I had been pregnant two the times naturally. After our initial consultation, we never saw him again, nor heard from him in anyway. You are simply a number to Dr. Tran, and he is trying to get as many people through the door. He is not warm, or compassionate and does not have any involvement in your treatment plan. It is all handled by Ursula, the RN.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
2 rounds of natural IUI as I had 2 successful pregnancies, 1 round of medicated IUI with Clomid. When I went to see my new doctor, she said that my lining was too thin on Clomid and that it would not have likely resulted in a positive pregnancy. Since he was not involved in my care and never reviewed my results, he was not able to make informed decisions and would have recommended another round of Clomid had I not switched doctors.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Ursula)
Ursula is a good nurse, but she is just as much of a machine as Dr. Tran. She is always on time, but wants to get patients in and out as fast as possible. She doesn't provide you with any analysis of the results. She simply hands you a piece of paper, and expects you to understand them.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
The clinic is very nice and new. They have snacks and water, and are always on time. The weaknesses are the level of doctors care and their desire to help patients, and not just make money. The waiting room often smells like smoke.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility.
$850 for each round of natural IUI, $1500 for each round of medicated IUI
- Read less
9
10
Age
37 - 41
Treated
2014 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
6 IUI, 3 IVF
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality, Unexplained
9
10
Compared to another fertility practice I've worked with, I feel like Dr. Tran understands and empathizes with the person behind the treatment. I think it's why he founded his own practice - to be able to offer a more caring environment to patients who are going through all the trials and tribulations of fertility treatment.... Dr. Tran is very candid about what a patient can expect from treatment based on age and other contributing factors. His approach is kind but verges on being blunt. I actually appreciate it and prefer it to the vague politeness of my former doctor.
I appreciate that Spring really does try to provide a boutique fertility clinic experience that counters the experience of being "just a number" that I had at a larger fertility clinic. The atmosphere is welcoming and feels like a healing environment. I feel calmer there than I did at my previous clinic, and I've felt calmer and more cared for during the procedures. Everyone I've interacted with so far has been nothing but professional. The billing team has been very professional and proactive
Age
37 - 41
Treated
2014 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Marketer or PR
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
6 IUI, 3 IVF
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality, Unexplained
9
10
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
I worked with Dr. Tran to conceive my son via IUI when he was at a different practice. It happened on the first try. I remember being impressed with how realistic and almost sober he was about the expected outcome, but how precise he was with my treatment. And it worked - we got pregnant on our first IUI and had a healthy child. Three years later, after several failed IVF cycles at that same practice in an effort to conceive a second child, I learned that Dr. Tran had actually founded his own practice in the city. I switched and began working with him. We are still in progress with the first IVF cycle at Spring, transferring the embryos from my first retrieval. Unfortunately we have had two frozen transfers that have been unsuccessful so far. I do understand that I have egg quality issues due to age that are limiting my chances of success. However, my previous fertility doctor offered no new ideas after each failure and only suggested that we repeat the same thing over and over. I trust Dr. Tran more to guide us through the process, taking into account each setback and adjusting the approach accordingly. He is very precise and seems to pay attention to each small detail of my hormone levels and responses to different medication, more so than my other doctor. Plus I somehow feel like he is more invested in the success of my outcome. I trust him to do the very best for me.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Tran is very candid about what a patient can expect from treatment based on age and other contributing factors. His approach is kind but verges on being blunt. I actually appreciate it and prefer it to the vague politeness of my former doctor. However I can see how very sensitive patients who may be new to the process could potentially not respond as well.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Compared to another fertility practice I've worked with, I feel like Dr. Tran understands and empathizes with the person behind the treatment. I think it's why he founded his own practice - to be able to offer a more caring environment to patients who are going through all the trials and tribulations of fertility treatment. He's candid about what results I can expect, but I personally find that more caring than a RE who is vague. He always remembers my name and status of treatment, and makes time to call me back personally when I call the on-call doctor line with a question.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
In my successful IUI cycle with Dr. Tran, we used Clomid and a trigger shot injection (can't remember which). I remember thinking that the Clomid dose sounded high and questioning it with the nurse, but obviously it was the right dose because it produced a successful outcome.
In my current IVF cycle with Dr. Tran, we used Aygestin, Gonal-F, Menopur and Cetrotide with a Novel trigger shot for the retrieval. We did not do a fresh transfer the first time because my progesterone levels were too high for a successful outcome. With the embryos from that retrieval we've done two frozen transfers with a protocol of birth control pills, Lupron and Vivelle patches. Unfortunately neither have been successful. We have one more embryo to transfer to finish out this cycle.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Jenna Stencer / Allie Bell)
Compared to my previous practice I've found the nursing team at Spring to be more compassionate, better communicators and more detail-oriented with the medication orders. I've enjoyed working with them. They seem to enjoy what they do.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
I appreciate that Spring really does try to provide a boutique fertility clinic experience that counters the experience of being "just a number" that I had at a larger fertility clinic. The atmosphere is welcoming and feels like a healing environment. I feel calmer there than I did at my previous clinic, and I've felt calmer and more cared for during the procedures. Everyone I've interacted with so far has been nothing but professional. The billing team has been very professional and proactive, giving me a much better sense of the financial commitment of each treatment up-front.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility.
My IVF retrieval was approximately $12,000, and each transfer has been approximately $3750 (with a self-pay discount).
Describe Nam Tran's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
When we were with our former practice, we insisted on transferring one embryo at a time because we want to avoid twins. Dr. Tran on the other hand educated us up-front on the statistical probabilities of different outcomes for me. It helped my husband and I see that due to our ages, transferring single embryos is unlikely to result in a successful outcome. When explained in terms of the statistics, this helped us get more comfortable with transferring several embryos at one time.
- Read less
9
10
Age
37
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
5 Eggs Frozen
Treatment
1 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Male Factor
9
10
Tran is not a touchy-feely type, but I still always felt like he was giving me care directed at me, specifically. He is very aware of the extreme fertility hardships faced by me and and my husband (azoospermia), and is sensitive to that and tailors his recommendations to our specific situation.... Dr. Tran is an excellent clinician and scientist. He is well-informed in his craft, careful, and practices strong, evidence-based medicine. I trust him completely to get the best outcome for us, and I feel very secure that I'm getting the best treatment I can from him.
Spring has a lot going for it. Excellent doctors. Top-notch staff. Gorgeous clinics. Maybe the best lab in California, if not the entire west. I trust them with the most important medical care I've ever received in my life, and that is saying something.... My only complaint is that they seem almost too busy. Doctors are often rushed (for example, my doctor didn't have time to come back and check on me for even a second after my egg retrieva
Age
37
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
5 Eggs Frozen
Race
European
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Lawyer
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Male Factor
9
10
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Tran is an excellent clinician and scientist. He is well-informed in his craft, careful, and practices strong, evidence-based medicine. I trust him completely to get the best outcome for us, and I feel very secure that I'm getting the best treatment I can from him. I also think he is sensitive to patients' resources, and doesn't recommend a lot of extra bells and whistles if he doesn't think they're necessary. That said, he is lukewarm about newer treatments (ERA, HGH) because they don't have as much evidence behind them, and if you're looking for a kitchen-sink approach, he may not give you what you want (or he may only do so after you do some convincing of him yourself). He is not the strongest on bedside manner (which doesn't matter to me), but if you're looking for a warm-and-fuzzy doctor type, you might consider one of the other doctors at the practice. He is also incredibly busy, so don't expect him to spend a ton of time with you. That said, I felt like I got all the time I needed to have good care (just not one second more).
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Go in to appointments with a list of questions ready. He will answer them, but you need to be prepared to know what you want out of the visit. I even went into monitoring appointments with a single question on a post-it so I could be ready to ask him as I was getting an ultrasound!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Tran is not a touchy-feely type, but I still always felt like he was giving me care directed at me, specifically. He is very aware of the extreme fertility hardships faced by me and and my husband (azoospermia), and is sensitive to that and tailors his recommendations to our specific situation. He remembered what it is I do for work, my thoughts on my particular diagnosis, and even that I like to see the follicle measurements on the screen after a scan-- small things that make me feel like he cares about me, even if he is very, very, very busy and moving very fast.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
Dr. Tran started me with a mid-luteal start antagonist protocol, which he seems to really like, especially for DOR patients. This involves having a baseline 5 days after you ovulate, then you do a standard antagonist protocol (Gonal-F and Menopur, with Cetrotide added 5-7 days in). The rationale behind this protocol, as I understand it, is to catch the antral follicles before they start to develop at the beginning of your next cycle. I had expected results for my biology, and I am using the exact same protocol for my second cycle, but with a controlled start after a short course (10-day) of birth control.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Onjira)
Spring has an excellent nursing staff. They are very communicative, and respond quickly to my calls and emails with the information I need. I sometimes worry they're a little overworked, because I've had a few completely inconsequential errors happen (calling the same birth control prescription into my local pharmacy twice because she forgot she did it the first time). However, anything that was important was handled flawlessly, and it seems like they've been adding staff to deal with demand.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
Spring has a lot going for it. Excellent doctors. Top-notch staff. Gorgeous clinics. Maybe the best lab in California, if not the entire west. I trust them with the most important medical care I've ever received in my life, and that is saying something. They're open seven days a week, and nearly always available (I honestly don't know how they do it!). My only complaint is that they seem almost too busy. Doctors are often rushed (for example, my doctor didn't have time to come back and check on me for even a second after my egg retrieval, which would have been a nice sign of compassion). Occasionally the waiting room is so crowded there is nowhere to sit. Non-urgent appointments can sometimes take a while to schedule. That said, once you're getting treatment from Spring, if you need an appointment, they will make it happen. I just hope they continue to add staff to meet demand, and that they don't take more patients than they can handle.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility.
Egg Cryo Cycle (2018 price) - $8,750; subsequent cycles are 10% off.
Describe Nam Tran's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
Dr. Tran strongly prefers a eSET for me, due to previous surgery on my cervix. He has encouraged us to do PGS testing and to transfer one embryo at a time, when we get there.
- Read less
9
9
Age
39
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Tubal Blockage, Unexplained
9
9
he [Dr. Tran] is thorough and empathetic. When both FETs failed (one chemical and one negative) he was understanding but upbeat about our potential to get pregnant eventually...Dr. Tran is extremely experienced and well-respected. However, there are times when I didn't understand the drug protocol or certain choices he made and I felt like I had to really push him or the nurse to explain to me what the drugs were supposed to do, why I was being prescribed certain things, if there were risks or side effects with the drugs or procedures. It's important to be vocal with him in order to get questions answered.
Spring SF is in a convenient location, a nice office building and they've created peaceful space. The front desk staff is considerate and organized. The lab is top notch (based on our retrieval results). All of the doctors I've seen there have been excellent - Dr. M, Dr. Klatsky and Ursula...Allie [nurse] is very responsive on email and phone. She's compassionate, patient with questions and knowledgeable. She seems to be very well-educated and sensitive to both Dr. Tran and his patients.
Age
39
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Tubal Blockage, Unexplained
9
9
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Tran is extremely experienced and well-respected. However, there are times when I didn't understand the drug protocol or certain choices he made and I felt like I had to really push him or the nurse to explain to me what the drugs were supposed to do, why I was being prescribed certain things, if there were risks or side effects with the drugs or procedures. It's important to be vocal with him in order to get questions answered.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Come to the appointment with a list of questions, be prepared to push to get your questions answered. He is respectful of questions but can come off as dismissive. This isn't personal, it's just his manner. He believes in evidence and facts, he isn't swayed by hearsay, paramedical advice and naturopathic solutions.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr Tran and his team are very attentive, he is thorough and empathetic. When both FETs failed (one chemical and one negative) he was understanding but upbeat about our potential to get pregnant eventually.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
Prior to Spring, I had one live birth (10 yr old daughter) and two miscarriages (at approx 6 weeks). Spring put me through the normal regimen of tests and scans which revealed my right tube is blocked from an appendectomy when I was a teenager. Dr Tran's advice was to try IUI first. We did one IUI which resulted in a negative and another IUI was cancelled as I was ovulating on the side that was blocked. My husband and I decided to proceed more aggressively with IVF (I'm 39, he's 42). Our first retrieval was smooth, we got 6 mature eggs, all fertilized and grew to day 6. PGS, returned 3 normal embryos. We had the option to know the gender but decided not to find out. Dr Tran gave me a 70% chance of live birth. We did two FETs with one embryo each (Spring is firmly against transferring more than one Day 5 PGS tested embryo). Understandably, we were very very disappointed when both failed. One negative and one chemical pregnancy. I pressed Dr. Tran for answers. He didn't see any reason to change the FET protocol. I asked for an ERA, but he disagrees with this procedure. He offered to do an endometrium scratch, which I went through with but don't know that it helped much since the second FET also failed. With only one embryo left, we did some research and asked him to do another retrieval and FET at the same time (something they call a Switcheroo - not the medical term). We're currently heading into our second retrieval. He has prescribed Lupron, the Gonal F/Menopur and Omnitrope.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Allie)
Allie is very responsive on email and phone. She's compassionate, patient with questions and knowledgeable. She seems to be very well-educated and sensitive to both Dr. Tran and his patients.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
Spring SF is in a convenient location, a nice office building and they've created peaceful space. The front desk staff is considerate and organized. The lab is top notch (based on our retrieval results). All of the doctors I've seen there have been excellent - Dr. M, Dr. Klatsky and Ursula.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility.
Retrieval is approximately $17,500 + $5,500 for medication. (Includes PGS testing). FET is approximately $4,500. IUI is approximately $1,500. Saline Ultrasound $950. HSG $900. Endometrium Scratch $300. Office visit $175 (if it's an additional visit)
Describe Nam Tran's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
Dr. Tran was very clear that multiple embryo transfer presents many risks and he'd prefer to only transfer one embryo. We agreed so we didn't ask for more specific information.
- Read less
10
10
Age
31
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
3 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
Dr. Klatsky is extremely intelligent and a very dedicated, hard working doctor. He's at the office everyday. I saw him every visit and he never seemed in a rush. I like to know ALL the details to be fully 100% informed, and every time I asked questions he was willing to explain. ... I felt most like a human in his care after my first failed fresh transfer. He called to inform me it was negative and genuinely sounded disappointed with me. During my visits he listened to all of my concerns and helped me discern what was "my fault" and what absolutely wasn't my fault.
Spring is an amazing clinic. It has a very calm, friendly, chic vibe with dim lights in the treatment rooms and top notch equipment. A weakness - be prepared to wait in the lobby at least 10 mins after your appt. time. I think they run behind and I've seen other patients get impatient. ... Some appointments were untimely for a full time employee, but I knew IVF was a once in a lifetime opportunity for me, so I mostly did whatever the clinic needed for me timing wise. Sometimes there was flexibility in monitoring. They were always personal and always caring.
Age
31
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
3 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
How was your experience with Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Klatsky is extremely intelligent and a very dedicated, hard working doctor. He's at the office everyday. I saw him every visit and he never seemed in a rush. I like to know ALL the details to be fully 100% informed, and every time I asked questions he was willing to explain.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Klatsky is friendly, warm, gentle, direct and honest. I felt most like a human in his care after my first failed fresh transfer. He called to inform me it was negative and genuinely sounded disappointed with me. During my visits he listened to all of my concerns and helped me discern what was "my fault" and what absolutely wasn't my fault.
Describe the protocols Peter Klatsky used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
1 IUI with Clomid because I needed 3 IUIs in order to move onto IVF for my insurance. (I did 2 other IUIs through Kaiser.) No babies produced. Then I did 1 round of IVF resulting in 4 perfect embryos - 1 failed fresh transfer and 1 positive FET - currently 8 weeks. (I had NEVER had a positive pregnancy test, so it's possible!)
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Helen)
Dr. Klatsky's team was VERY kind and compassionate. There seems to be a lot of nurses, which made for a confusing experience to begin with, but everyone was friendly and professional!
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
Coming from Kaiser, Spring is an amazing clinic. It has a very calm, friendly, chic vibe with dim lights in the treatment rooms and top notch equipment. A weakness - be prepared to wait in the lobby at least 10 mins after your appt. time. I think they run behind and I've seen other patients get impatient.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Spring Fertility.
Some appointments were untimely for a full time employee, but I knew IVF was a once in a lifetime opportunity for me, so I mostly did whatever the clinic needed for me timing wise. Sometimes there was flexibility in monitoring. They were always personal and always caring.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility.
I was covered by insurance for IVF so I paid about $3500 for their facilities across the hall of the office (for retrieval and transfers), maybe around $5000 for things not covered, and around $4000 for meds all out of pocket. I also paid out of pocket $4500 for FET.
Describe Peter Klatsky's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
He would NOT have transferred more than 1 embryo. He was very vocally positive IVF would work for me.
What specific things went wrong at Spring Fertility?
- Lost appointments
- Provided conflicting information
- Read less
6
5
Age
40 - 41
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Tubal Blockage
6
5
The first IUI he wasn't available so his collegue performed the IUI, which he was nice, reassuring and careful. I am hoping to see Dr Tran on the next IUI... was very nice on the first visit. It went thoroughly with us on the treatment possibilities and we felt comfortable in proceeding with IUI treatments. He advised us for me to check the Fallopian tubes to check that was not a reason for infertility and also did an ultrasound to check that my uterus was well. The next time I saw him was during the Fallopian test, he was very kind and give me comfort knowing how uncomfortable and painful the test could be.
I had to point out to the clinic coordinator [at Spring Fertility] how I was not feeling care by the nurse I was assigned as she didn't do any follow ups after contacting her couple of times due to my lack of period for 2 months after the first IUI. I asked to get another nurse assigned that could match our needs but they reassured us that in the future she will be more attentive. Dr Tran's Dr assistant , which performs the baseline and follow up ultrasounds was always very nice and attentive.
Age
40 - 41
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Tubal Blockage
6
5
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr Tran was very nice on the first visit. It went thoroughly with us on the
treatment possibilities and we felt comfortable in proceeding with IUI treatments. He advised us for me to check the Fallopian tubes to check that was not a reason for infertility and also did an ultrasound to check that my uterus was well. The next time I saw him was during the Fallopian test, he was very kind and give me comfort knowing how uncomfortable and painful the test could be. The first IUI he wasn't available so his collegue performed the IUI, which he was nice, reassuring and careful. I am hoping to see Dr Tran on the next IUI.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr Tran was knowledgeable and honest on what to expect from the treatments and very nice to start with. However, if things go wrong as it happens to us, it seems like they have more patients than doctors in the clinic, so their follow up protocols lack in attention, so you have to make sure to follow up when you feel you need answers. Be prepared for the journey to be emotionally draining and don't expect emotional support from Spring.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
After our first IUI I didn't get my period for 2 months. I contacted the nurse that was assigned to me from Dr Tran's team at the time to let her know from the beginning that there was something wrong, but there was never a follow up from the nurse or doctor even afterwards after the IUI. After 2 months of us following up and asking what was wrong with us, we had to suggest for them to do test as I was very regular in my periods before the IUI. Then I had to let them know how disappointed and frustrated we were as as went to that clinic specifically as they advertise how they treat patients like human and we felt over the 2 month period. No follow up from Dr Tran or his team was done and we didn't hear from them unless we contacted them. They apologized and promised to be put more attention and follow closely our progress, that is why we decided to carry on with them.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
IUI with Clomid. He decided to do IUI vs IVF as he thought it was a good point to start based on our history and the results from the blood and sperm test they run.
The IUI was negative and I had a cyst , they told me that Clomid could produce cysts. I also didn't get my period for 2 months.
I am in the middle of my 2nd IUI with Letrozole , which I suggested myself as to use something different from Clomid.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility.
I had to point out to the clinic coordinator how I was not feeling care by the nurse I was assigned as she didn't do any follow ups after contacting her couple of times due to my lack of period for 2 months after the first IUI. I asked to get another nurse assigned that could match our needs but they reassured us that in the future she will be more attentive. Dr Tran's Dr assistant , which performs the baseline and follow up ultrasounds was always very nice and attentive.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
Strengths: modern and very nice and clean facility . No waiting time they call you in very soon after arrival.
Weakness: you have to deal with many people so it gets confusing. You only see Dr Tran on the initial visit and then the rest is managed by coordinators, nurses and doctor assistans so if you are a person that like personal treatment this may not be the best place.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility.
Initial Consultation $560
Blood test /Sperm $100 (with Insurance)
Genetic test $1000
IUI $600/IUI
Ultrasound $400/ ultrasound
What specific things went wrong at Spring Fertility?
- Provided conflicting information
- Failed to convey critical information
- Read less
Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
10
Age
42
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
10 Eggs Frozen
Treatment
1 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
—
10
10
I felt that he [Dr. Nam Tran] had a strong work ethic, an empathy, and a consideration for others...From our initial appointment forward, I was struck by Dr Tran’s humility. He seemed to genuinely care and I felt like he was not motivated by money, but actually respectful of my limited finances...I am not in a relationship but I want to preserve my fertility for the chance to have a biological child with someone down the road. I was upfront with Dr Tran about my expectations, which are low due to my age. He was honest without being patronizing (as I’d maybe expected?) and he was even optimistic given my healthy prior AMA pregnancy. It should be mentioned that spring’s financing plan is what drew me to the clinic; but once there and after meeting Dr Tran I was very confident I was at the right place.
I liked the clinic [Spring Fertility] because its surgery center is state of the art. It’s waiting room and reception are comfortable and thoughtful without being over-the-top...Dr Tran did a mid-luteal retrieval— I began injections midway into my cycle, so my body was in a suspended state of ovulation when he did the retrieval. As I understand it, this is a new protocol that was previously used in extreme cases (I.e., cancer patients) but has had great results. We did, in fact, get good numbers (10 mature eggs retrieved).
Age
42
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
10 Eggs Frozen
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
1 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
—
10
10
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
I sought to do one round of egg retrieval/ cryopreservatuon because my insurance doesn’t cover and it is all I can afford. I am 41 years old and have one child who is 1 years old. I am not in a relationship but I want to preserve my fertility for the chance to have a biological child with someone down the road. I was upfront with Dr Tran about my expectations, which are low due to my age. He was honest without being patronizing (as I’d maybe expected?) and he was even optimistic given my healthy prior AMA pregnancy. It should be mentioned that spring’s financing plan is what drew me to the clinic; but once there and after meeting Dr Tran I was very confident I was at the right place.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
I think his bedside manner speaks for itself. He is approachable and kind.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
From our initial appointment forward, I was struck by Dr Tran’s humility. He seemed to genuinely care and I felt like he was not motivated by money, but actually respectful of my limited finances. I’m not certain of his background (I had been referred by a friend; I only knew he was a great doctor) but I felt that he had a strong work ethic, an empathy, and a consideration for others that I don’t typically associate with doctors.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
Dr Tran did a mid-luteal retrieval— I began injections midway into my cycle, so my body was in a suspended state of ovulation when he did the retrieval. As I understand it, this is a new protocol that was previously used in extreme cases (I.e., cancer patients) but has had great results. We did, in fact, get good numbers (10 mature eggs retrieved).
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Jenna Stencer )
There was a cadre of nurses— I saw a different one each time I camein for blood draws and ultrasounds. Still, I got the impression they all knew my chart and worked in concert. There were only two instances of disconnect/ miscommunication. It was mostly in the phone process. If I needed to call in to make an allotment change, or with a question, I was routed through a tortuous phone system of extensions. In one instance my voicemail message for a changed appointment was never received. Sometimes you just need a live person to pick up the phone— particularly if it’s during business hours. Emails fairedbetter, and I generally received a response within 12 hours of my request.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
I liked the clinic because its surgery center is state of the art. It’s waiting room and reception are comfortable and thoughtful without being over-the-top. In a previous clinic, a recent lobby renovation and the building itself - on the waterfront with sweeping views of the San Francisco Bay - was beautiful but made me feel as if my check was helping to fund their real estate rather than my service.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility.
$15k over three years. Financing plan with 0%apr including freezing.
Describe Nam Tran's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
N/a
What specific things went wrong at Spring Fertility?
- Lost appointments
- Read less
10
10
Age
31 - 32
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
6 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
He takes the time to check in and see how we're doing at every appointment. He doesn't EVER seem rushed to move on to another client. He is funny yet also takes the time to explain everything to us...Dr. Tran is a big believer in "less is more". We had a low dose of Menopur and Gonal-f for our stim cycle. ...He just sits back and listens when he needs to and asks probing questions when necessary. When our transfer didn't work, he called to check in and was sympathetic to our needs at that time.
Spring has such a great team. They are great at patient support when you're there with them. It has been tough to get ahold of the finance department when we need support, but eventually, we get in touch with them and they're amazing and give you all the information you need. We especially love the transparency of the pricing. There are clear costs up front that allow you to budget and make decisions based on your health a
Age
31 - 32
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European, Latino
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
6 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
With my other healthcare professionals, I call him my favorite nerd. He goes into so much detail if you ask questions and explains everything we want to know. He gets excited about how the numbers progress and even has little jokes about what is going on. I really appreciate his approach and expertise in the area.
From our first meeting, I knew he was the right doctor for us. He is so knowledgeable and easy to talk to. There aren't many doctors that we interviewed that make you feel comfortable in an IVF clinic. Dr. Tran does that. He just sits back and listens when he needs to and asks probing questions when necessary. When our transfer didn't work, he called to check in and was sympathetic to our needs at that time. He took the time on a Friday night to explain what our next choices were and what we could do vs. what he suggests we do. I feel very well taken care of with Dr. Tran.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Be honest with him. He will, without a second thought, tell you what he thinks. I really appreciate his honesty.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
He takes the time to check in and see how we're doing at every appointment. He doesn't EVER seem rushed to move on to another client. He is funny yet also takes the time to explain everything to us.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
Dr. Tran is a big believer in "less is more". We had a low dose of Menopur and Gonal-f for our stim cycle. He worked with my teaching schedule to plan our retrieval during my Christmas break. I felt less sick during my IVF cycle than I did on some of my IUI cycles. He would rather get 10 really great mature eggs and have all of them make it to freeze than 20 eggs, and an uncomfortable, broke patient, with similar results. We had a little set back when we began our cycle, I had two cysts and he immediately said it would impact our numbers and he was right. We were originally expecting 14-16 at retrieval. He explained to me how the cysts would impact the cycle and asked me how I would like to proceed. I always let him make the decisions as he's the expert we want to control our cycle. He went along with our cycle and we had 12 follicles, 10 mature, 8 fertilized-freeze. We transferred one at day 5. We still have 7 frozen and are going through a "natural" transfer cycle again on my timelines for spring break. He's amazing!
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Allie)
Although I've only met Allie once at a difficult blood draw day, she was amazing and helpful then and every time I email/call. The rest of the nursing team, especially Susannah (she's who I see most of the mornings), is amazing! They're all there to support you and have a smile on their faces. They reassure you that everything's okay and help you understand when things are not.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
Spring has such a great team. They are great at patient support when you're there with them. It has been tough to get ahold of the finance department when we need support, but eventually, we get in touch with them and they're amazing and give you all the information you need. We especially love the transparency of the pricing. There are clear costs up front that allow you to budget and make decisions based on your health and your financial situation up front without having to think about the extra costs that might come up. If we had any recommendations around that it would be to get the med package. It was fantastic to not have to think about how much each vial cost, and when we needed more they supported that process even when the vial costs went up during our cycle.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility.
$14,500 for IVF then a $1000 teacher discount. They handled our medication package which was $3700 since I respond well to meds through Alto so it gets delivered same day. Our current FET costs $3250 with a discount because our previous failed fresh transfer.
- Read less
9
10
Age
32
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
IVF
Diagnosis
—
9
10
Dr. Klatsky is very friendly and his calm personality always put me at ease. He explained the process simply and made sure I understood everything before I left his clinic. Since we have setbacks, he knew it wasn’t what either of us wanted so he was apologetic and ensured he’s trying everything he could so we can get started and get going. He informed me of what and when to expect to start our timeline and I felt more at ease.
Spring is a very new, modern and clean clinic. They offer free snacks, beverages, WiFi and they also have a water filling “station” so you could fill your thermos. All their staff is very friendly. Weakness is probably location since they are in downtown SF. They have a parking lot, but I haven’t parked in there. Metered street parking is not hard to find around there. If your appointment is early enough, street parking is free.
Age
32
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
South Asian
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
IVF
Diagnosis
—
9
10
How was your experience with Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Klatsky is very friendly and his calm personality always put me at ease. He explained the process simply and made sure I understood everything before I left his clinic. Since we have setbacks, he knew it wasn’t what either of us wanted so he was apologetic and ensured he’s trying everything he could so we can get started and get going. He informed me of what and when to expect to start our timeline and I felt more at ease.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility?
Take all of his classes because they’re really informative and if they want to meet him then they should take their free IVF information session.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Klatsky asked me questions and valued my answers with complete understanding and validated my feelings. We chose to do IVF for the PGS/PGD testing and he understood that it wasn’t ideal to have to wait to start.
Describe the protocols Peter Klatsky used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
I’m not sure which specific protocol Dr. Klatsky put me on, but I had the saline sonogram and he saw that my uterus was healthy and smooth so I didn’t undergo a lot of testing. As I’m young, healthy and technically not infertile, I will be on menopur/Gonal-f/cetrotide/lupron. I have insulin injections as well. Dr. Klatsky said my injection amounts are a little more aggressive so they’re hoping I will produce more good quality eggs.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Helen)
Helen is really friendly and very responsive to her emails. I had a lot of issues with getting my medications and Helen was very accommodating and quick with helping me call and send prescriptions to different pharmacies. I am extremely appreciative of her friendly can-do attitude and speedy responses!
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
Spring is a very new, modern and clean clinic. They offer free snacks, beverages, WiFi and they also have a water filling “station” so you could fill your thermos. All their staff is very friendly. Weakness is probably location since they are in downtown SF. They have a parking lot, but I haven’t parked in there. Metered street parking is not hard to find around there. If your appointment is early enough, street parking is free.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility.
IVF is covered through my work, but I realized their retrieval and transfer facility is out of my network so I had to pay for their facility fee which is not bad. Dr. Klatsky knows PGS/PGD testing is pricey so he works with a company that if they diagnosis you then they offer $99 PGS/PGD testing (not including shipping/storage fees). With all those fees included, the testing would cost $600 which is way better than $5k+.
Describe Peter Klatsky's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
Because of my age he only agrees to do single embryo transfers, but I’m sure it’s case dependent.
- Read less
9
9
Age
34
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
22 Eggs Frozen
Treatment
1 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
—
9
9
She [Dr. Minjarez] talked to me like an equal, took the time to listen to me about all of my concerns. She never rushed me, and answered all my questions in depth, and was nice when discussing personal matters that I was concerned may impact my egg freezing...My egg freezing ended up going significantly better than we had initially anticipated, as some of my earlier test results were not great, and I think she stated my initial results conservatively so I would be prepared if things didn't go as well as they did.
They [nurses at Spring Fertility] were all very friendly, but I did not have a constant nurse, and saw a new person most times. They were also highly responsive over email, but I would just email whoever had contacted me last...It was, like, 4500 for meds and 8500 for all procedures related to the egg retrieval. There was an additional 400 up front for fertility testing, then an extra 200 at the end because I had 2 extra eggs that got frozen (they cover up to 20)
Age
34
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
22 Eggs Frozen
Race
European
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Engineer
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
—
9
9
How was your experience with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility?
For the most part, I was very happy with Debra Minjarez. She was nice, and really seemed to know what she was doing. The only downside, is I believe she errs on the side of caution. My egg freezing ended up going significantly better than we had initially anticipated, as some of my earlier test results were not great, and I think she stated my initial results conservatively so I would be prepared if things didn't go as well as they did.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility?
Be pretty open about your concerns, even if they seem embarrassing or silly. She was very respectful about everything that I asked.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility?
She talked to me like an equal, took the time to listen to me about all of my concerns. She never rushed me, and answered all my questions in depth, and was nice when discussing personal matters that I was concerned may impact my egg freezing.
Describe the protocols Debra Minjarez used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
I had a Gonal-F with Menopur protocol, starting with 225 iu of Gonal-F and 150 iu of Menopur, which were tapered down as treatment progressed/in response to my estrogen levels and ultrasounds. I think my dose was lowered towards the end, so I could take them longer while waiting for my follicles to mature. Overall, the results were very good, and I think they picked a great time to do my egg retrieval - we got a good number of eggs, but I didn't get sick afterwards (though, I didn't feel great the week after.)
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
They were all very friendly, but I did not have a constant nurse, and saw a new person most times. They were also highly responsive over email, but I would just email whoever had contacted me last.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
It was a nice clinic, the equipment seemed new and up to date, and the staff was friendly. One slight downside, is they have a few locations - like one in Oakland - but some of the procedures they can only do in San Francisco. I ended up having to get up very early to go into SF for my egg retrieval despite usually seeing my doctor in Oakland.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility.
It was, like, 4500 for meds and 8500 for all procedures related to the egg retrieval. There was an additional 400 up front for fertility testing, then an extra 200 at the end because I had 2 extra eggs that got frozen (they cover up to 20)
Describe Debra Minjarez's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
I didn't have embryos transferred
- Read less
10
10
Age
35 - 36
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
We were so happy with Dr. Klatsky as our doctor. The whole fertility process can be unnerving and overwhelming and Dr. Klatsky eased our anxiety/concerns at every juncture. He was patient, pleasant, explained the scientific jargon in layman's terms and made sure that we understood what the process would entail....We elected to undergo a natural transfer cycle to limit the amount of injections needed. Besides that, our treatment plan was typical for the IVF process.
Strengths [Spring Valley - San Fran]: brand new, state-of-the-art facility; new equipment and technology; clean and comfortable rooms; helpful and courteous staff; best-in-class embryologists; great video tutorials and supporting resources Weaknesses: understaffed; could use technology better for treatment calendars and management of process... Helen was really supportive, responsive and showed great compassion. The only weakness we experienced was around proactive communication.
Age
35 - 36
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
South Asian
Income
$500K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
How was your experience with Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility?
We were so happy with Dr. Klatsky as our doctor. The whole fertility process can be unnerving and overwhelming and Dr. Klatsky eased our anxiety/concerns at every juncture. He was patient, pleasant, explained the scientific jargon in layman's terms and made sure that we understood what the process would entail. Furthermore, he empowered us to make the treatment choices we decided to pursue by presenting all the information about the alternatives and giving us space to make the right decision for us. He never pressured us to choose a course of action or even undergo subsequent fertility treatments, which he could have because it meant more revenue for him. For example, he even told us that we were likely to get pregnant on our own at some point and it was up to us whether we wanted to wait for that outcome or pursue treatments if unwilling to wait. We really appreciated that.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility?
Make sure that you understand the treatment calendar and the various steps of the process because that aspect can be really confusing!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Klatsky took time to understand our challenges with conception and ran all the appropriate tests before diagnosing the problem. He was patient, knowledgeable and assured us that our situation was normal. He was always available to answer questions and even proactively reached out to us during the process.
Describe the protocols Peter Klatsky used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
We elected to undergo a natural transfer cycle to limit the amount of injections needed. Besides that, our treatment plan was typical for the IVF process.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Helen)
Helen was really supportive, responsive and showed great compassion. The only weakness we experienced was around proactive communication. There were multiple instances in which we had to email or call her to ask questions about the timing or process of the next stage of the treatment cycle instead of her reaching out to us. Furthermore, sometimes when she told us she would contact us with some update on X date, that date would pass with no contact requiring us to follow up. I think that much of this delay was due to the clinic being unexpectedly understaffed for the number of patients it treated so I think that Helen was just trying to stay afloat.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
Strengths: brand new, state-of-the-art facility; new equipment and technology; clean and comfortable rooms; helpful and courteous staff; best-in-class embryologists; great video tutorials and supporting resources
Weaknesses: understaffed; could use technology better for treatment calendars and management of process
Describe Peter Klatsky's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
He allowed us to make this choice and informed us that PGS would improve the odds of a successful single embryo transfer by understanding the genetic conditions of our embryos before the transfer.
What specific things went wrong at Spring Fertility?
- Failed to call with results
- Read less
10
10
Age
32 - 33
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
2 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
10
10
Dr Tran is one of the most brilliant doctors I have ever met. He is truly gifted in his area of care. I have several other friends who have seen him and none of us have had the same protocol, yet we have all been successful with him! He is up to date on all the latest advances, and truly treats every patient as an individual. He really assesses each persons situation and comes up with the best protocol to suit them. I always felt that he really cared about me.
The entire office [Spring ] treated me so well from the front office, the medical staff, the doctors, and the nurses. You never ever feel like you’re just a number. I really felt like they cared so much about me. They always did everything they could to accommodate me. I never waited more than 5 minutes for an appointment, even when I was super early....Allie is such a wonderful and kind nurse. On top of that, she is super competent and organized. I really felt that she cared about me. She is on top of everything and is really great at communication.
Age
32 - 33
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
East Asian
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
2 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
10
10
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr Tran is one of the most brilliant doctors I have ever met. He is truly gifted in his area of care. I have several other friends who have seen him and none of us have had the same protocol, yet we have all been successful with him! He is up to date on all the latest advances, and truly treats every patient as an individual. He really assesses each persons situation and comes up with the best protocol to suit them. I always felt that he really cared about me.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
He’s super direct, and you should appreciate that about him. He always gives it to you straight. Also, be super straight with him too.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
The entire office treated me so well from the front office, the medical staff, the doctors, and the nurses. You never ever feel like you’re just a number. I really felt like they cared so much about me. They always did everything they could to accommodate me. I never waited more than 5 minutes for an appointment, even when I was super early.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
We did a straight start with no priming or any kind. For a dor patient like me, he didn’t think priming was necessary, and he was right! I did a cycle at a different clinic with estrogen priming and max meds, and only got 2 embryos. With dr tran, he started me off with medium doses of follistim and menopur, and slowly reduced them as the cycle went on. I ended up with 9 eggs, but got 7 High quality blastocysts!
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Allie Bell )
Allie is such a wonderful and kind nurse. On top of that, she is super competent and organized. I really felt that she cared about me. She is on top of everything and is really great at communication.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
I echo all the other reviewers’ sentiments. This place really is like a spa. It’s beautiful, tranquil, and truly up to date on all the latest equipment. I really cannot think of anything negative to say. They’re also open 365 days a year and always available. I trust spring fertility 100%. I’ve referred other friends here as well, and they all end up loving Spring just as much as I do.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility.
Honestly, I still haven’t received my final bill yet.
Describe Nam Tran's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
Dr Tran strongly suggested single embryo transfers, which we agreed was he best option. However, I ended up having 3 failed embryo transfers. I sought immune treatment and also requested to have 2 embryos transferred for my 4th transfer. Although Dr tran still advised us to do a single, he listened to us and went with our decision to do 2. We wanted to do 2 because of the cost and chance of higher success.
- Read less
10
10
Age
34 - 37
Treated
2014 - 2017
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
IVF, Embryo Freezing, Surrogacy
Diagnosis
Other
10
10
Dr. Tran is a wonderful person. I always felt like he remembered everything about my case and was very reassuring.. Dr. Tran has tried to help me over the years with my intrauterine scarring issue (Asherman's Syndrome) and my resulting abnormally thin lining issue. He is very pro estrogen therapy...... I AGAIN went back to see Dr. Tran for yet another hysteroscopy because I love and trust him so much...He has also consulted with me over email and the phone about my thin uterine lining issues and saw me for an emergency ultrasound
the clinic [Spring Fertility] felt like a spa and everyone is really nice and respectful and I did not feel like I was in a fertility factory....Everyone at Spring Fertility...is wonderful. Seriously. It feels like a spa. Everyone is so nice and respectful.... He [Dr. Tran] is my gold standard of doctoring. His office sent our family a holiday card...Dr. Tran is a wonderful person. I always felt like he remembered everything about my case and was very reassuring...
Age
34 - 37
Treated
2014 - 2017
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Ashkenazi Jewish
Income
—
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 5 Docs
Treatment
IVF, Embryo Freezing, Surrogacy
Diagnosis
Other
10
10
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
I first saw Dr. Tran when he was still practicing at UCSF and I was living in San Francisco. I went in to ask him if I had a fertility issue because I had had two miscarriages and was having very light periods. He assured me that I did not have recurrent pregnancy loss and that I had a lot of follicles so didn't have to worry about timing yet. I was subsequently diagnosed by another doctor in Dallas (where I moved to next) with Asherman's Syndrome (intrauterine scarring caused by a D&C after my first miscarriage). I flew back to San Francisco twice to have Dr. Tran perform hysteroscopies to remove the scarring. After I had my first child and was again diagnosed with Asherman's Syndrome (possibly recurring from a c-section or never fully resolved) and was living in DC at the time, I AGAIN went back to see Dr. Tran for yet another hysteroscopy because I love and trust him so much. I sometimes still wish I lived in San Francisco so I could go see him. He has also consulted with me over email and the phone about my thin uterine lining issues and saw me for an emergency ultrasound when I happened to be in San Francisco during my pregnancy and was having a lot of bleeding. He is my gold standard of doctoring. His office sent our family a holiday card and I put it up on my fridge because I like looking at him. He provided hope to me when a doctor in Dallas told me there was nothing he could do for me and I needed a gestational carrier (in a twist of fate, I am now pursuing the gestational carrier route for a second child!). I really cannot say enough good things about Dr. Tran.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
If you don't understand what Dr. Tran is saying, ask him to repeat it or write it down. He actually made me a really cool diagram of what was going on once and I kept it for a long time. He's very patient so don't feel like you can't ask your questions.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Tran is a wonderful person. I always felt like he remembered everything about my case and was very reassuring. He wrote personal emails to me right away and also was always available to talk. He is very good at being optimistic while also discussing risks and downsides. He gives wonderful patient-initiated hugs.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
I think I covered this previously. Dr. Tran has tried to help me over the years with my intrauterine scarring issues (Asherman's Syndrome) and my resulting abnormally thin lining issue. He performed three of the six total hysteroscopies that I have had to date. After the first three hysteroscopies (one from a doctor in Dallas and two from Dr. Tran), I actually conceived my first child (using a protocol set in place by another doctor). Dr. Tran was the doctor who said my lining looked good enough to try getting pregnant again and he was right because I did get pregnant on my first try using injectables and timed intercourse. For baby number two, I am pursuing a gestational carrier because after three more hysteroscopies (one of which was performed by Dr. Tran and two of which were performed by a doctor in New York) and two failed FETs, I am worn out by the whole process and my lining is both abnormally thin and fluid filled - both things that are hard to treat. Plus there are a number of other risk factors from the first pregnancy. In short, results are mixed because I had a successful pregnancy after two hysteroscopies plus estrogen therapy under Dr. Tran's care, BUT I am now pursuing a gestational carrier because I don't think anyone, including Dr. Tran, is able to fix my lining this time.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
Everyone at Spring Fertility (and UCSF when Dr. Tran was there) is wonderful. Seriously. It feels like a spa. Everyone is so nice and respectful.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
I was a "weird" patient who was traveling from out of state and not going in for routine things like bloodwork and ultrasounds. As I mentioned, the clinic felt like a spa and everyone is really nice and respectful. Can't think of any weaknesses.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility.
Most of my treatments with Dr. Tran were medical treatments covered by my insurance (as opposed to fertility treatments that are often capped or excluded). So the costs were not a big deal. I think my first two hysteroscopies with Dr. Tran were totally covered. My third one was out of network and I think I paid $1,000 for it.
Describe Nam Tran's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
I didn't see Dr. Tran for this issue, but I can tell you that he is pro eSET. My successful pregnancy was a triplet pregnancy resulting from taking injectables plus doing timed intercourse. It was a dichorionic triamniotic triplet pregnancy (identical twins sharing a placenta and a singleton) and Dr. Tran very strongly counseled me to have a multi-fetal pregnancy reduction of the identical twins due to the risks of multiples and particularly multiples in this configuration. So I cannot imagine him promoting multiples! Obviously these questions depend on age and quality of the embryos, but I'm pretty sure he would encourage singletons.
- Read less
10
10
Age
35
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
7 Eggs Frozen
Treatment
2 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
10
10
Dr. Klatsky is knowledgeable in his field. He has a lot of experience. He was always personable, and cared about my life beyond being a patient in the clinic undergoing a process that could make one feel.. dehumanized. He made himself available to talk more if I had questions and once I had absorbed difficult information. He made me feel valued as a patient. He was attentive to fine tuning the nuances of medication dosages so that I would have the best outcome possible, which I appreciated - his attention to detail.
[Springs Fertility's] Strengths - they are organized! They had everything prepared before my first appointment. I never felt like my treatment or information fell through the cracks - they have a lot to keep track of with a busy patient load and fast changing information, and they stay on it. Clean facilities, beautiful office. Weaknesses - little slow delay for labs to be uploaded to account online but really, those would be emailed to me within hours of my appointments.
Age
35
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
7 Eggs Frozen
Race
Prefer not to answer
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Doctor
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
10
10
How was your experience with Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Klatsky is knowledgeable in his field. He has a lot of experience. He was always personable, and cared about my life beyond being a patient in the clinic undergoing a process that could make one feel.. dehumanized. He made himself available to talk more if I had questions and once I had absorbed difficult information. He made me feel valued as a patient. He was attentive to fine tuning the nuances of medication dosages so that I would have the best outcome possible, which I appreciated - his attention to detail.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility?
Don't be afraid to ask questions. The hard questions, like how many egg retrievals have they done and how many successful pregnancies from those retrievals.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility?
The entire staff at the office is personable and greets you by name. While undergoing fertility treatments could make one feel dehumanized, harvesting eggs and having invasive frequent visits, Dr. Klatsky always asked about other areas of my life. He made me feel valued as a person beyond a very personal journey I was on in freezing eggs.
Describe the protocols Peter Klatsky used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
I was on a demi hault my second cycle - got 3 eggs at retrieval.
My first cycle was with Menopur and Follistim - no Lupron as in second cycle - which got 4 eggs at retrieval.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Helen Timen)
They are great :) All super friendly, positive and upbeat, available, and quickly answer any questions via email. They really were a joy to work with and be around, and reason I had a good experience in this process.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
Strengths - they are organized! They had everything prepared before my first appointment. I never felt like my treatment or information fell through the cracks - they have a lot to keep track of with a busy patient load and fast changing information, and they stay on it. Clean facilities, beautiful office.
Weaknesses - little slow delay for labs to be uploaded to account online but really, those would be emailed to me within hours of my appointments.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility.
About $10-12 k per cycle
What specific things went wrong at Spring Fertility?
- Provided conflicting information
- Read less
10
10
Age
37
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
3 IUI, 3 IVF
Diagnosis
—
10
10
Dr Tran will work with you, on your terms, in a way that makes you feel confident. He will let you trybwith your own eggs and not just push donor eggs to up his success rates. But the biggest thing- they sent flowers to me during the tww to send "good vibes during this time". Way different than my first clinic who basically told me my eggs were garbage!...I started letrozole after ovulation for 10 days and did a mini stim cycle to calm down my endometriosis. I was in way less stim meds this cycle and I think that helped my egg quality immensely. We did a fresh 3dt with 3 embryos. One stuck!
They're [Spring Fertility] a boutique clinic with only two doctors, so you really get specialized care and feel like a VIP. I saw my doctor at every appointment except for one, but they have to have days off! I really doubt he takes very many. I've been to other clinics. To me, they just seem more knowledgeable and more compassionate than the others. They don't have weaknesses. The only issue I had is that the clinic is a 3 hour drive from where I live, but absolutely worth the commute
Age
37
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Sales Representative
Order & Number of Docs Seen
5th of 5 Docs
Treatment
3 IUI, 3 IVF
Diagnosis
—
10
10
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
I was referred to him by my acupuncturists who said he deals with the "toughest cases." He is friendly, professional, patient, compassionate, and amazing at his job!!! I had two failed ivf cycles elsewhere. If I had come to him first, I would have saved a lot of time and money. My first cycle with him was a success!! I plan on going back when I'm ready for baby number 2.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
They know what they're doing! They are open to your ideas if you have a certain plan in mind, but you can trust them!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Everyone in their office is so friendly and professional! The nursing staff is top notch and always positive. Their office is beautiful and comfortable. Dr Tran will work with you, on your terms, in a way that makes you feel confident. He will let you trybwith your own eggs and not just push donor eggs to up his success rates. But the biggest thing- they sent flowers to me during the tww to send "good vibes during this time". Way different than my first clinic who basically told me my eggs were garbage!
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
I started letrozole after ovulation for 10 days and did a mini stim cycle to calm down my endometriosis. I was in way less stim meds this cycle and I think that helped my egg quality immensely. We did a fresh 3dt with 3 embryos. One stuck!
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Allie)
She is so nice! Compassionate! Always responded to my emails and voice messages very quickly, and if there was ever an issue- with insurance etc, she handled it quickly
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
They're a boutique clinic with only two doctors, so you really get specialized care and feel like a VIP. I saw my doctor at every appointment except for one, but they have to have days off! I really doubt he takes very many. I've been to other clinics. To me, they just seem more knowledgeable and more compassionate than the others. They don't have weaknesses. The only issue I had is that the clinic is a 3 hour drive from where I live, but absolutely worth the commute
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility.
13,500
Describe Nam Tran's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
He will do one or more depending on the patient's wishes, the quality of the embryos, and the patient's age.
- Read less
8
10
Age
35
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
8 Eggs Frozen
Treatment
1 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
—
8
10
He [Dr. Klatsky] was great and a pro. Not super soft bedside manner but very smart and funny. He presented facts in a clear and accessible way and was very direct. I trusted him completely and though he could be a little flippant, I felt like he had my absolute best interests at heart... Went on birth control to regulate predict my period. Then, I started on Menopur and Follistem for about 12 days. I was going in basically every other day while Dr. K monitored with ultrasound and blood draws. He adjusted the med levels accordingly and was very in tune. He explained why he made the choices he did and I was really impressed with how he calibrated.
The nurses [at Spring Fertility] are so incredibly kind and responsive and the doctors are just sharp as tacks. I trust them to get the absolute optimal outcome and are really invested in their patients. Also, lovely touches - no hospital atmosphere, nice little gifts (chocolates after my egg retrieval!) and amazing snacks in the waiting room. I also love that I had one doc and one nurse for the entire process so they KNEW me and my case.
Age
35
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
8 Eggs Frozen
Race
European, Ashkenazi Jewish
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Consultant
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
1 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
—
8
10
How was your experience with Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility?
He was great and a pro. Not super soft bedside manner but very smart and funny. He presented facts in a clear and accessible way and was very direct. I trusted him completely and though he could be a little flippant, I felt like he had my absolute best interests at heart.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility?
Don’t expect kid gloves but he is a really kind and expert doctor.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Klatsky was great. He’s incredibly funny - it took a little getting used to especially at the beginning (his partner Dr. Tran has a much more mellow bedside manner), but I trusted Dr. K’s expertise thoroughly and he monitored my egg retrieval and freezing like an absolute pro.
Describe the protocols Peter Klatsky used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
Went on birth control to regulate predict my period. Then, I started on Menopur and Follistem for about 12 days. I was going in basically every other day while Dr. K monitored with ultrasound and blood draws. He adjusted the med levels accordingly and was very in tune. He explained why he made the choices he did and I was really impressed with how he calibrated.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility.
Fantastic team. So friendly and REAL. Ihad 1:1 instruction for how to give myself injections which was so helpful. Plus great email responsiveness and video tutorials
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
They were just getting started at the time so a tiny bit disorganized. However I have had friends use them since and think things have improved tremendously.
The nurses are so incredibly kind and responsive and the doctors are just sharp as tacks. I trust them to get the absolute optimal outcome and are really invested in their patients. Also, lovely touches - no hospital atmosphere, nice little gifts (chocolates after my egg retrieval!) and amazing snacks in the waiting room. I also love that I had one doc and one nurse for the entire process so they KNEW me and my case.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility.
8k for one round of egg freezing; 4K for associated meds. Annual $600 for storage of frozen eggs.
Describe Peter Klatsky's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
None
- Read less
10
10
Age
33 - 34
Treated
2015 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Anovulation, PCOS
10
10
Dr. Tran explained our situation with clarity and compassion during the entire process (retrieval through first trimester, after which I was transferred to OBGYN). My hormone treatment felt very customized and I felt like he was invested in our success, e.g., didn't do a fresh transfer because my hormone levels weren't optimum; waiting was hard, but I trusted his judgement. After two failed transfers, he suggested a uterine scratch because it was worth a shot and wanted me to feel like we were "doing everything we could."
I worked with Dr. Tran at UCSF and it was a modern, friendly place...[Nurse] Olga was very responsive. She answers lots of my questions about the protocol along the way and assured me I was doing things right...Egg retrieval ~$13,000 Each frozen embryo transfer $3,000-4,000...I felt like I was in great hands....Egg retrieval (birth control, Follistim + Menopur, Ganirelix) - 19 eggs --> 6 5-day embryos Frozen egg transfer (birth control, Lupron shots, Vivelle patch, progesterone shots)
Age
33 - 34
Treated
2015 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Anovulation, PCOS
10
10
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
I felt like I was in great hands. I knew he lectured around the world on fertility treatment, so it was clear he understood the science but also genuinely wanted to apply the science and help each patient. He never rushed us during visits and had a good sense of humor, which my husband really appreciated :) He was responsive to my needs, e.g., allowed me to talk to an IVF therapist free of charge after my second failed transfer. I can't recommend him highly enough -- it's hard to be an IVF patient because you're always wondering "will it work?!" but I had a great experience with him and never questioned his care.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Don't hesitate to ask questions; his answers are spot on!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Tran explained our situation with clarity and compassion during the entire process (retrieval through first trimester, after which I was transferred to OBGYN). My hormone treatment felt very customized and I felt like he was invested in our success, e.g., didn't do a fresh transfer because my hormone levels weren't optimum; waiting was hard, but I trusted his judgement. After two failed transfers, he suggested a uterine scratch because it was worth a shot and wanted me to feel like we were "doing everything we could." When I felt like a failure, he reminded me of the probabilities and the role of genetics (versus what I did or didn't do during the cycle). He was always willing to work with us and we'll be using him again for sure!
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
Egg retrieval (birth control, Follistim + Menopur, Ganirelix) - 19 eggs --> 6 5-day embryos
Frozen egg transfer (birth control, Lupron shots, Vivelle patch, progesterone shots)
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Olga Salamanca)
Olga was very responsive. She answers lots of my questions about the protocol along the way and assured me I was doing things right.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
I worked with Dr. Tran at UCSF and it was a modern, friendly place; I know he's started his own clinic (Spring) and I imagine it's equally nice.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility.
Egg retrieval ~$13,000
Each frozen embryo transfer $3,000-4,000
Describe Nam Tran's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
We loved his approach - patience is a virtue! We really only wanted a singleton (otherwise we could have done hormones + IUIs), and it was tempting to want to transfer two embryos to have success more quickly, but because our embryos were of good enough quality, we stuck with one embryo per transfer and were glad we did -- one baby is plenty of work :)
- Read less
10
10
Age
37
Treated
2020
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
She [Dr. Monica Pasternak] is compassionate, but direct; quick but very thorough. She clearly takes her work seriously but doesn’t take herself too seriously - she would always ask about my life outside of the clinic and tell me about hers. It put me at ease and made the whole thing feel more normal...We did IVF - we’ve done one round and we’re on hold to start our second (waiting for the shelter in place to lift). My treatment was pretty typical, per my understanding, and quick. I met dr Pasternak on 2/4 and had my retrieval on 3/7.
I was really impressed with the staff [at Spring Fertility]. I felt very well taken care of and thought all communication was timely and thorough while also feeling human...Really strong communication, availability of appointments, and overall friendly competent staff across all professions. I also appreciated that I could send one email and reach everyone at once. Every appointment was on time and I was in and out as quickly as possible...We did IVF - we’ve done one round and we’re on hold to start our second (waiting for the shelter in place to lift). My treatment was pretty typical, per my understanding, and quick. I met dr Pasternak on 2/4 and had my retrieval on 3/7.
Age
37
Treated
2020
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Marketer or PR
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
How was your experience with Monica Pasternak at Spring Fertility?
She is compassionate, but direct; quick but very thorough. She clearly takes her work seriously but doesn’t take herself too seriously - she would always ask about my life outside of the clinic and tell me about hers. It put me at ease and made the whole thing feel more normal.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Monica Pasternak at Spring Fertility?
Be direct with what you want and she’ll be direct in telling you how to get that
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Monica Pasternak at Spring Fertility?
Dr Pasternak was immediately relatable - kind, direct, and thorough without being pretentious. I felt at ease right away, like she was on my side and smart about what she was suggesting.
Describe the protocols Monica Pasternak used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
We did IVF - we’ve done one round and we’re on hold to start our second (waiting for the shelter in place to lift). My treatment was pretty typical, per my understanding, and quick. I met dr Pasternak on 2/4 and had my retrieval on 3/7.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Markie )
I was really impressed with the staff. I felt very well taken care of and thought all communication was timely and thorough while also feeling human
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
Really strong communication, availability of appointments, and overall friendly competent staff across all professions. I also appreciated that I could send one email and reach everyone at once. Every appointment was on time and I was in and out as quickly as possible.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Monica Pasternak at Spring Fertility.
I have great insurance so I paid almost nothing out of pocket
- Read less
10
10
Age
36
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
4 IUI, 3 IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality
10
10
Weekly follow ups tend to be quick as she [Dr. Debra Minjarez] is busy with patients and travel from SF. However, she checks in and takes the time to speak with us before every procedure and ensures our comfort levels and understanding. She takes the time to answer questions/concerns and is patient/compassionate...has phenomenal bedside manner and has compassion for her work and patients. She is direct and intelligent and break down information for us to better understand the process and protocols.
You deal with multiple staff on the Dr’s team [at Spring Fertility]. Nurse, finance, patient coordinator, anesthesiologists, etc. all are super friendly and are able to get up to speed with status of protocols when I call the office (I don’t have to go through a gatekeeper or explain much). Sometimes talking to different people is a bit much, but everyone has their role...Flo [nurse] has compassion and high level of care when reviewing protocols and medications. She provides comfort and additional support through the process. It is reassuring to have a team that is cheering you on and supporting your journey as it is an arduous, emotional, and straining one.
Age
36
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Prefer not to answer
Income
—
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
3rd of 6 Docs
Treatment
4 IUI, 3 IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality
10
10
How was your experience with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility?
Weekly follow ups tend to be quick as she is busy with patients and travel from SF. However, she checks in and takes the time to speak with us before every procedure and ensures our comfort levels and understanding. She takes the time to answer questions/concerns and is patient/compassionate.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility?
She has been considered the best in the field coming from CCRM in Colorado. She was highly recommended to us by many people. You have the power to hire your fertility care team. Check to see what you want and comfortable with.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Minjarez has phenomenal bedside manner and has compassion for her work and patients. She is direct and intelligent and break down information for us to better understand the process and protocols.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Flo)
Flo has compassion and high level of care when reviewing protocols and medications. She provides comfort and additional support through the process. It is reassuring to have a team that is cheering you on and supporting your journey as it is an arduous, emotional, and straining one.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
You deal with multiple staff on the Dr’s team. Nurse, finance, patient coordinator, anesthesiologists, etc. all are super friendly and are able to get up to speed with status of protocols when I call the office (I don’t have to go through a gatekeeper or explain much). Sometimes talking to different people is a bit much, but everyone has their role.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility.
$40000
- Read less
Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
10
Age
32
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 Embryo Freezing, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Unexplained, Other
10
10
If you’re looking for sugar-coating, you’re barking up the wrong tree. He [Dr. Nam Tran] tells the absolute truth using science and data no matter what. He will not pull punches to make you feel better...I used Clomid for a minimum stimulation cycle. Although I was only 31, my ovaries behave as if they are 49...was 100% transparent about my diagnosis, prognosis (it wasn’t good; my AMH was 0.18 at age 31!), and what I could expect. I feel like his transparency allowed me to have realistic expectations, which is the most compassionate thing a fertility doctor can do.
Brittany Ann (my patient navigator) and Yvette (my nurse) [at Spring Fertility] were perfect. I could not have asked for a more professional, informative, and compassionate team!...The employees are all wonderful, trustworthy people. I KNOW it is stressful, but trust the process and be kind to the staff. They know their stuff!...I used Clomid for a minimum stimulation cycle. Although I was only 31, my ovaries behave as if they are 49...Every provider at Spring is outstanding however, Dr. Tran is a perfect balance between compassion and directness. I feel as though I had all of the information I needed, and I had complete realistic expectations the entire time. I will absolutely use him a second time.
New Patient Advice
Age
32
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 Embryo Freezing, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Unexplained, Other
10
10
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Every provider at Spring is outstanding however, Dr. Tran is a perfect balance between compassion and directness. I feel as though I had all of the information I needed, and I had complete realistic expectations the entire time. I will absolutely use him a second time.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
If you’re looking for sugar-coating, you’re barking up the wrong tree. He tells the absolute truth using science and data no matter what. He will not pull punches to make you feel better.
That said, TRUST HIM.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Tran was 100% transparent about my diagnosis, prognosis (it wasn’t good; my AMH was 0.18 at age 31!), and what I could expect. I feel like his transparency allowed me to have realistic expectations, which is the most compassionate thing a fertility doctor can do.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
I used Clomid for a minimum stimulation cycle. Although I was only 31, my ovaries behave as if they are 49.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Yvette)
Brittany Ann (my patient navigator) and Yvette (my nurse) were perfect. I could not have asked for a more professional, informative, and compassionate team!
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
I work in the fertility field. I could have gone anywhere, but I chose Spring. The employees are all wonderful, trustworthy people. I KNOW it is stressful, but trust the process and be kind to the staff. They know their stuff!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility.
I do not recall the exact number. I had extraneous costs related to the donor sperm I used, mandatory FDA testing, etc.
Describe Nam Tran's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
Not applicable. I was only freezing embryos.
- Read less
0
0
Age
35
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Unexplained
0
0
Dr. Tran was dismissive to my input and did not seem to care about what was happening with my body or why. He just wanted to override everything with IVF. He was difficult to speak with and we had to push and push to get his mind briefly off of the IVF conveyor belt to discuss our bodies. Even then, his evaluation was sub-par compared to the individualized assessment I later received...
Getting the doctors to perform tests or think about diagnostics beyond IVF is darn near impossible [at Spring Fertility]. And getting results from any tests, answers to any questions, or follow up on paperwork transfers required me to pester and bother the staff far more than I should have had to...Spring is stylish and clean, but communication is difficult at best, and the doctors are hyper focused on getting the patient into IVF as opposed to creating a unique plan that includes patient input.
Age
35
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Unexplained
0
0
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Tran was dismissive to my input and did not seem to care about what was happening with my body or why. He just wanted to override everything with IVF. He was difficult to speak with and we had to push and push to get his mind briefly off of the IVF conveyor belt to discuss our bodies. Even then, his evaluation was sub-par compared to the individualized assessment I later received at UCSF.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Be ready to fight for him to listen to you. Remember that the city is full of excellent fertility doctors so you don’t have to stay if you don’t like him.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
I felt like a number because Dr. Tran just wanted to push me into IVF and did not want to consider other options. We had to twist his arm to consider anything else. When I tried to get his to pay attention to my short luteal phase, he dismissed it and blew me off. Turns out, that was the most important clue to my infertility, according to my current doctor at another clinic. At Spring, they just wanted to get me on the IVF conveyor belt instead of figuring out what was actually happening with my body.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Kaitlyn and Yvette)
I had to pester and beg the coordinator and nurse to get me my results and follow up on my questions. Nothing is simple at Spring, especially basic communication with the care team.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
Spring is stylish and clean, but communication is difficult at best, and the doctors are hyper focused on getting the patient into IVF as opposed to creating a unique plan that includes patient input.
What specific things went wrong at Spring Fertility?
- Lost paperwork
- Failed to call with results
- Failed to convey critical information
- Read less
10
10
Age
37
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
3 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
10
10
Dr. Tran is a thoughtful and compassionate doctor. He explained things very clearly and was straightforward about the challenges he anticipated in our case, which I really appreciated. He updated us at every step so I never felt confused about what to expect. Overall he gave us very realistic expectations...I completed an egg retrieval using an antagonist protocol (Lupron followed by follistim/menopur) and day 5 fresh embryo transfer with 2 embryos. I am currently pregnant with one (due next month).
The best thing about Spring was the care felt very personal. Everyone knew our names, and even the embryologist came to introduce himself before our egg retrieval. I felt very cared for throughout the entire process...Allie was friendly, caring, and compassionate. She always responded very promptly to questions and was very clear in her instructions regarding medication dosing, etc...I completed an egg retrieval using an antagonist protocol (Lupron followed by follistim/menopur) and day 5 fresh embryo transfer with 2 embryos. I am currently pregnant with one (due next month).
Age
37
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Doctor
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
3 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
10
10
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Tran is a thoughtful and compassionate doctor. He explained things very clearly and was straightforward about the challenges he anticipated in our case, which I really appreciated. He updated us at every step so I never felt confused about what to expect. Overall he gave us very realistic expectations.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Ask all of your questions! He is well-informed on advances in fertility care and applying new data to individual patients.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Tran and his staff always treated me like an individual. They all knew details of my case, and seeing a Dr at all of my monitoring visits made me feel like they took my cycle seriously and wanted to individualize the treatment course.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
I completed an egg retrieval using an antagonist protocol (Lupron followed by follistim/menopur) and day 5 fresh embryo transfer with 2 embryos. I am currently pregnant with one (due next month).
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Allie)
Allie was friendly, caring, and compassionate. She always responded very promptly to questions and was very clear in her instructions regarding medication dosing, etc.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
The best thing about Spring was the care felt very personal. Everyone knew our names, and even the embryologist came to introduce himself before our egg retrieval. I felt very cared for throughout the entire process.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility.
$16,000
Describe Nam Tran's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
Dr. Tran educated us thoroughly on the risks and benefits of multiple embryo transfer vs eSET and ultimately the decision was up to us.
- Read less
10
10
Age
42
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
IVF, 4 Egg Freezing, Donor Sperm, Surrogacy
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
I was treated as if I was his most important patient. My outcome was as important to him [Dr. Nam Tran] as it was to me...He is incredibly warm and caring. He is elated when your results are good and so sad when they don't . work out. But above all else he tells you the truth and will never lead you to believe something false because it makes you feel better. He will design your treatment with you in mind to get the best possible outcome.
I have been to other clinics that are run like a factory. Spring is warm, intimate and run so well. You are seen on time and you are never left wondering with questions. You are treated like family, not like a number...My [nurse] is an excellent communicator. She goes above and beyond for the patients in her care...My outcome was as important to him [Dr. Nam Tran] as it was to me...He is incredibly warm and caring.
Age
42
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$500K
Occupation
Investor
Order & Number of Docs Seen
3rd of 3 Docs
Treatment
IVF, 4 Egg Freezing, Donor Sperm, Surrogacy
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
A lot of people say that he isn't warm or doesn't have a great beside manner. I would completely disagree. He is incredibly warm and caring. He is elated when your results are good and so sad when they don't . work out. But above all else he tells you the truth and will never lead you to believe something false because it makes you feel better. He will design your treatment with you in mind to get the best possible outcome.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
He will tell it to you straight. And even if your odds are not great he will do everything in his power to get you a good result. He does not shy away from tough cases.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
I was treated as if I was his most important patient. My outcome was as important to him as it was to me.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: My Lee)
My is an excellent communicator. She goes above and beyond for the patients in her care.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
I have been to other clinics that are run like a factory. Spring is warm, intimate and run so well. You are seen on time and you are never left wondering with questions. You are treated like family, not like a number.
- Read less
Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
8
9
Age
37 - 38
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
2 IVF
Diagnosis
—
8
9
Both Dr. Tran and his staff [Spring Fertility] has been very responsive and informative with all of my questions....Dr. Tran Is very knowledgeable, informative and caring. I have been through 2 cycles with with Dr. Tran but I unfortunately both had negative results but he has guided me along the way and has answered every question I’ve had.
The one thing I love most about this clinic [Spring Fertility] is the connivence. They have multiple offices across the Bay Area and I’ve been able to go to one just a few minutes from my job which has been extremely helpful considering there are a ton of appointments. The only time I would have to go to the main clinic is for the big procedures which I don’t mind.... My Nurse has been very helpful and informative. Most of my questions are usually answered within a couple of hours. She’s very knowledgeable and knows my next steps.
Age
37 - 38
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
No
Race
East Asian
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 IVF
Diagnosis
—
8
9
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr. Tran Is very knowledgeable, informative and caring.
I have been through 2 cycles with with Dr. Tran but I unfortunately both had negative results but he has guided me along the way and has answered every question I’ve had.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Come prepared with your questions and make sure you’re comfortable with Dr. Tran and the clinic.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Both Dr. Tran and his staff has been very responsive and informative with all of my questions.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
Sorry, I don’t remember.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: My Lee)
My Nurse has been very helpful and informative. Most of my questions are usually answered within a couple of hours. She’s very knowledgeable and knows my next steps.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
The one thing I love most about this clinic is the connivence. They have multiple offices across the Bay Area and I’ve been able to go to one just a few minutes from my job which has been extremely helpful considering there are a ton of appointments. The only time I would have to go to the main clinic is for the big procedures which I don’t mind.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility.
Each round is roughly around 10,000.00 (not including medication)
Describe Nam Tran's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
N/A
- Read less
Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
10
Age
34 - 35
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
2 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality
10
10
Dr Tran is a busy man so have to take all my questions with me for the day. He does make time for me when I need to talk or have so much questions, but don’t get to see him at all my appointments. It would be nice to have him to all my appointment but I understand that he is a busy man and he does most of the clinic in SFO. ... Well for start he talks in a manner you understand very step on the treatment. Makes you fell like a person and not just another woman coming through.
Good nurse that is loving and caring , with an understanding. Making sure you get to know the doctors as dr Tran will not be there [Spring Fertility San Fran] all the time. Go prepared with all the questions and any other medical questions you may have ... She [nurse] is my go to person makes everything easy. I don’t have to wait to call her, she does it all on time and answers all my questions and emails me on the day. She is so easy to communicate with, finally she is never busy to take my call.
Age
34 - 35
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Other
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality
10
10
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Dr Tran is a busy man so have to take all my questions with me for the day. He does make time for me when I need to talk or have so much questions, but don’t get to see him at all my appointments. It would be nice to have him to all my appointment but I understand that he is a busy man and he does most of the clinic in SFO.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Take all your questions with you. Write them down and so you remember them all.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility?
Well for start he talks in a manner you understand very step on the treatment. Makes you fell like a person and not just another woman coming through.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility and their degree of success.
Can’t remember them all sorry
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Lee)
She is my go to person makes everything easy. I don’t have to wait to call her, she does it all on time and answers all my questions and emails me on the day. She is so easy to communicate with, finally she is never busy to take my call.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility.
Good nurse that is loving and caring , with an understanding. Making sure you get to know the doctors as dr Tran will not be there all the time. Go prepared with all the questions and any other medical questions you may have
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility.
No sorry
Describe Nam Tran's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility.
Single transfer
- Read less