The Fertility Center of Michigan
Available Resources
Genetic counseling
Acupuncture
Mental health counseling
Nutrition counseling
Administration of shots
Coordinating at-home nursing
is not offered
is not offered
Selling medication
Providing backup medication
Grand Rapids
3230 Eagle Park Drive NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49525
(616) 988-2229
Grand Rapids - Downtown (closed)
555 MidTowne
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
(616) 988-2229
Kalamazoo
317 South Drake Rd
Kalamazoo, MI 49009
(269) 324-5100
Mason
1100 S. Cedar Street
Mason, MI 48854
(616) 988-2229
Traverse City
1200 6th Street
Traverse City, MI 49684
(877) 904-4483
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172 assessments
7
Age
31 - 32
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
Unexplained
7
All [the nurses at The Fertility Center of Michigan] are kind. Very disappointed they are the ones that perform the IUI though. Had two different nurses and neither really inspired confidence, they knew what to do just didn't seem to have much skill in it. Neither IUI worked and it was $1,400 down the drain...Terrible business hours for anyone that works a regular job and is expected to drive back and forth multiple times a month in the middle of the day for ultrasounds. The staff there also seems to forget everything is being paid out of pocket by most of us and every time we come we're charged hundreds of dollars, and are disapproving when trying to minimize appointments. The front registration staff are phenomenal.
+ Read more
Age
31 - 32
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
—
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
Unexplained
7
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Terrible business hours for anyone that works a regular job and is expected to drive back and forth multiple times a month in the middle of the day for ultrasounds. The staff there also seems to forget everything is being paid out of pocket by most of us and every time we come we're charged hundreds of dollars, and are disapproving when trying to minimize appointments. The front registration staff are phenomenal.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
I've only ever seen Dr. Shavell twice in two years, during consults. She's very sweet, but she has nurses perform IUI procedures (and not very well), a different doctor performed my HSG and any time I place a call or send a message to her directly it's always a nurse that responds.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
All are kind. Very disappointed they are the ones that perform the IUI though. Had two different nurses and neither really inspired confidence, they knew what to do just didn't seem to have much skill in it. Neither IUI worked and it was $1,400 down the drain.
How was your experience with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Shavell is very nice and soft spoken, easy to talk to. We were diagnosed with unexplained infertility though and given a packet of pre-determined steps with none ever working for us. Our care is really left in the hands of nurses, we never hear from the doctor or see her during/after procedures and ultrasounds unless we want to pay out of pocket for another consult.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
You're just one of many. She is kind and knowledgeable but don't plan for her to actually be involved in your care unless you're doing IVF.
Describe the protocols Valerie Shavell used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
HSG that came back normal, 3 rounds of clomid, 4 rounds of Femara in attempt to see if any of these things would produce more follicles to increase chances of pregnancy. I was already ovulating on my own and ended up with multiple follicles twice. Also went on estrogen and progesterone to thicken lining when Femara thinned it. No success from any treatments.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Expensive, my insurance doesn't cover most of it. Ultrasounds are frequent and usually cost $175-250 depending on limited or complete (although even when charging for complete ultrasound the cervix isn't evaluated and a VERY fast sweep of the uterus is performed that's not very diagnostic). IUIs were around 700 each time, the HSG was probably closer to 1000 but I can't remember the exact numbers for sure. Consults are over 100, and then another 50 every time I talk to a nurse in the clinic after ultrasounds.
Describe Valerie Shavell's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Not to that point yet
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10
Age
30 - 31
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
Anovulation, PCOS
10
The Fertility Center has been simply amazing as my husband and I go through our fertility journey... On top of having a team that is knowledgable and professional, the facility itself is extremely clean, relaxing (coffee, water, magazines, tv and fish tank in waiting room)...also offers a support group that means once a month that is free to members, as well as discounted infertility yoga that is exclusively for those trying to conceive...
+ Read more
Age
30 - 31
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Other
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
Anovulation, PCOS
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
The Fertility Center has been simply amazing as my husband and I go through our fertility journey. This is a difficult journey where you are not sure where it will end, but we have discovered that having a team of physicians and nurses that are knowledgeable, honest and caring has truly helped to put use at ease. On top of having a team that is knowledgable and professional, the facility itself is extremely clean, relaxing (coffee, water, magazines, tv and fish tank in waiting room). The Fertility Center also offers a support group that means once a month that is free to members, as well as discounted infertility yoga that is exclusively for those trying to conceive. The support group and yoga are two excellent features to provide to clients and another reason this center is so extraordinary. They make you feel like they truly care about you and want to support you.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Shavell put me at ease with her level of expertise and showcasing our options. Her mannerisms are calm, nurturing and supportive - exactly what is needed during such a difficult time. I really appreciate her level of care provided.
Describe your experience with your nurse at The Fertility Center of Michigan. (Assigned nurse: Kristy)
The nurses are the fertility center are simply amazing. They are caring and extremely knowledgeable. This helps put my anxious self at ease! I call the office very frequently with questions throughout each cycle and the nurses are always ready to answer my questions. They are truly so supportive which has been extremely helpful throughout this process.
How was your experience with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Shavell has been a supportive, knowledgeable, and honest physician. After being with my OB for fertility treatment, it is refreshing to be with an RE that is confident in her procedures and uses my personal data, blood work, and ultrasound information to make informed decisions about my procedures and next steps. I truly recommend Dr. Shavell to any person looking for their next options in starting a family in the midwest region. My only regret is not visiting this office sooner!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
After working with an OB for 5 medicated cycles, Dr. Shavell makes sure you have a fertility panel done (bloodwork, ultrasound, possible HSG test) before starting treatment. This was extremely helpful knowing what my numbers were to these tests and helped me understand my body a bit more. The more information, the better; which is what you will get with Dr. Shavell!
Describe the protocols Valerie Shavell used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
When I first began seeing Dr. Shavell, she ordered a fertility panel of bloodwork and an HSG test to see if my tubes were open. Most bloodwork was normal except AMH (very high) and my TSH. My husband also had a semen analysis done which came back normal. I was put on metformin and levothyroxine. After, we began with 5 mg femara. I had no response. She upped me to 7.5 femara. Again, I had no response. I was then put on 10 mg of femara. I responded well and grew 1 mature follicle per cycle. I did this 3 times and did the HCG trigger shot when my follicles were considered mature. After three negative pregnancy tests, we decided to move to a more aggressive approach as 3-4 cycles per medication is the norm. We are currently doing 10mg of Femara, 37.5 iu Gonal F, and the HCG trigger shot. I also use progesterone suppositories 3 days after trigger shot. We have also included an IUI with this more aggressive approach. We have 2 more cycles with this approach before our last option is IVF.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Each visit there is a cost associated with it. Some are covered by insurance where I have a discounted portion to pay (ultrasounds and doctor's visits) while others are not covered at all (IUI, medications):
Ultrasounds ($23)
IUI ($600)
Meeting with a nurse ($23)
meeting with a doctor ($180)
HCG trigger shot ($90)
Femara ($5)
Gonal F ($420)
Progesterone ($50)
HSG ($1200)
Various bloodwork combined ($800+)
Levothyroxine ($4)
Describe Valerie Shavell's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
I have not received information on this yet.
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10
Age
30 - 35
Treated
2014 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
4 IUI, IVF, Donor Eggs, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Endometriosis, Male Factor, Poor Egg Quality
10
The staff [at The Fertility Center of Michigan] is very friendly and compassionate. The nurses are highly trained and a good resource for patients with questions. They usually can get me in for my appointments at my requested time and have always been able to bring me in for same-day evaluations in emergent situations...The nursing staff was always friendly and available. They were well-educated and able to thoroughly answer my questions.
+ Read more
Age
30 - 35
Treated
2014 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
4 IUI, IVF, Donor Eggs, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Endometriosis, Male Factor, Poor Egg Quality
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
The staff is very friendly and compassionate. The nurses are highly trained and a good resource for patients with questions. They usually can get me in for my appointments at my requested time and have always been able to bring me in for same-day evaluations in emergent situations.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Shavell took the time to thoroughly review my fertility history and discuss my options in a kind, yet honest, manner. On multiple occasions she went above and beyond for me, including staying into the late hours of the evening to care for me after my surgery and arriving before her scheduled office hours to evaluate me for bleeding while I was pregnant. As a woman who has gone through several pregnancy losses, the promptness and compassion Dr. Shavell has shown me was invaluable. I am so grateful for all of her help and highly recommend her to anyone seeking thorough and compassionate treatment.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nursing staff was always friendly and available. They were well-educated and able to thoroughly answer my questions.
How was your experience with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Shavell has always honestly and thoroughly discussed my treatment options with me while demonstrating kindness and compassion. I was impressed by how thoroughly she reviewed and understood my particular infertility history prior to my initial consultation. She keeps in close communication with me and has always made me feel I could speak openly with her about my treatment plan.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Shavell has a very gentle and patient bedside manner. She has a way of putting the anxious mind at ease and is very accommodating to any special needs.
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
Age
31 - 32
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
2 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
—
10
The entire staff at TFC were friendly, helpful, and professional...All of the staff are attentive and professional. The clinic itself is clean, organized, and welcoming. As my wife and I are a same-sex couple, we are always a little apprehensive about how we will be treated but this was absolutely a non-issue at TFC (thanks for the rainbow flag at the front desk!). We never had to wait too long for our appointments. Whether we were having a financial consultation, a sperm donor consultation, an ultrasound, or the procedure itself - we felt well taken care of and had an overall great experience.
+ Read more
Age
31 - 32
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
—
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
TFC is a wonderful clinic. All of the staff are attentive and professional. The clinic itself is clean, organized, and welcoming. As my wife and I are a same-sex couple, we are always a little apprehensive about how we will be treated but this was absolutely a non-issue at TFC (thanks for the rainbow flag at the front desk!). We never had to wait too long for our appointments. Whether we were having a financial consultation, a sperm donor consultation, an ultrasound, or the procedure itself - we felt well taken care of and had an overall great experience.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Shavell has a very kind and caring demeanor. She is gentle while knowledgeable. I never felt like I was just another appointment in her book. She never seemed to be in a rush and always took time to answer our questions and give thorough explanations.
Describe your experience with your nurse at The Fertility Center of Michigan. (Assigned nurse: Francillia (Fran) Tavernier)
The entire staff at TFC were friendly, helpful, and professional. We worked the closest with Fran, who showed great communication and compassion. We really developed a positive relationship with her and felt like she truly cared about us and our journey. Fran was always available via phone or email and would check in with us often.
How was your experience with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Overall we had a great experience with Dr. Shavell. She has a very calming personality which is a huge positive for those undergoing something that is already anxiety-provoking, such as fertility treatments. She is thorough, knowledgeable, and always took the time to speak with us. She answered all questions no matter how big or small. We left every appointment feeling like we knew what was happening. Anytime we didn't get the result we wanted, she immediately came up with a plan of action which left us feeling confident, and in the end, got the result we wanted.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
If you are looking for a doctor who is calm, warm, sympathetic, and attentive, Dr. Shavell would be a great fit for you. Her quiet nature is immediately calming and reassuring. If you prefer a doctor who is a little more firm or hard-lined, she would not be a good fit.
Describe the protocols Valerie Shavell used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
We tried a natural cycle for our first IUI. Actually, I miscalculated my ovulation and when we went in for our mid-cycle ultrasound, we learned that I had already ovulated and it was too late. Dr. Shavell reassured us that we could try again the following cycle, which we did. She had me come in earlier, and quite often throughout the week, to track follicle growth to ensure we didn't miss the window of opportunity this time. I was prescribed the trigger shot (Ovidrell) to administer at midnight on a Saturday so that we could do the IUI on a Monday. Dr. Shavell was the one to perform the IUI. It was a simple and quick procedure. Unfortunately we did not get pregnant from that try. A few months later we tried for the 2nd time with similar protocol - ovulation tracking through an OPK in the mornings and then tracking follicle growth via ultrasound as the time grew closer. There was no need for a trigger shot this time; I ovulated on a Thursday morning and went in right away for the IUI (which was performed by a nurse, not Dr. Shavell). The nurse inserted a mesh plug after the procedure. Two weeks later we got our positive result!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
We used all of the money from our wedding to cover our costs, so we did not have to pay out of pocket. If I had to do an overall estimate of the total cost, it would be about $10,000.
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10
Age
31 - 32
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Anovulation, PCOS
10
There are two nurses that I work with [at The Fertility Center of Michigan] every time I go into the office. They are both so compassionate and make me feel like they actually care about each cycle and helping us start our family. They help to explain the treatment plan from the doctor and answer any questions that I might have. I never feel rushed when I am in with my nurses...I don’t know if I have enough words to explain how much I have loved working with this clinic. The staff at the front desk remember me and my preferences, including that I like to pay my bill before I am seen, so that I can get back to work quicker. They are often running early for appointments. Everyone is friendly and caring and make me feel like I am being cared for every step of this journey. Scheduling is often quite easy with my work schedule. If I have to call and leave a message, someone is calling me back in less than an hour... This clinic has given me hope.
Clinic Nps
+ Read more
Age
31 - 32
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Anovulation, PCOS
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
I don’t know if I have enough words to explain how much I have loved working with this clinic. The staff at the front desk remember me and my preferences, including that I like to pay my bill before I am seen, so that I can get back to work quicker. They are often running early for appointments. Everyone is friendly and caring and make me feel like I am being cared for every step of this journey. Scheduling is often quite easy with my work schedule. If I have to call and leave a message, someone is calling me back in less than an hour... This clinic has given me hope.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Young sat down with my husband and I and explained my treatments in detail and kept asking if we had any questions or concerns throughout the whole visit. He truly listened to us and what we were looking for.
Describe your experience with your nurse at The Fertility Center of Michigan. (Assigned nurse: Amy)
There are two nurses that I work with every time I go into the office. They are both so compassionate and make me feel like they actually care about each cycle and helping us start our family. They help to explain the treatment plan from the doctor and answer any questions that I might have. I never feel rushed when I am in with my nurses.
How was your experience with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Young explained everything about our next steps in treatment in detail. He is straight to the point, but will answer any questions that you have. We never felt rushed in the appointment and were able to have all of our questions answered no matter how small it might be.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Have a list of questions ready to ask Dr. Young. He has so much knowledge and was able to answer questions I wasn’t able to find from “Dr. Google”
Describe the protocols James Young used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
He discussed why previous treatments hadn’t worked and why he was recommending me to use oral medication and injectables. He discussed why my lab values and PCOS were affecting our fertility each month and how this new plan would help us overcome my medical issues. So far, I have not fallen pregnant, but I am positive that we will get the right treatment plan and positive pregnancy soon.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
I have copays for every visit with the doctor. I often have $20-40 to pay after insurance for my ultrasounds/screen-scans. Medication has ranged from $10 per cycle to $175 per cycle after insurance.
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9
Age
30 - 35
Treated
2014 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
2 IVF, Embryo Freezing
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Male Factor
9
When I first started going to the clinic [The Fertility Center of Michigan] it felt unorganized. Since then, I have noticed that they have done a good job about putting out surveys and I feel as if they have really taken the information and made changes. The last couple of years have been much better...For the most part the nurses in the office are nothing but excellent. There have been times however where I have felt as if they were not familiar with my case or where I was with my protocol. When I would ask questions I felt as if rather than reviewing my filing and getting be solid information, I would receive some guess work. This has only happened a couple of times. For the most part they are on the ball.
+ Read more
Age
30 - 35
Treated
2014 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 IVF, Embryo Freezing
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Male Factor
9
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
When I first started going to the clinic it felt unorganized. Since then, I have noticed that they have done a good job about putting out surveys and I feel as if they have really taken the information and made changes. The last couple of years have been much better.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Shavelle is super compassionate. You can also tell that she wants to hear from you, how you are feeling and what your concerns are. She will take what you are saying and will fully consider how it could potentially be affecting your treatment. I also feel as if she has never given up on us, even though we have not yet been able to concieve. She continues to sign to try to figure it out.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
For the most part the nurses in the office are nothing but excellent. There have been times however where I have felt as if they were not familiar with my case or where I was with my protocol. When I would ask questions I felt as if rather than reviewing my filing and getting be solid information, I would receive some guess work. This has only happened a couple of times. For the most part they are on the ball.
What specific things went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Provided conflicting information
How was your experience with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
As a patient, I would highly recommend her. She is well educated and compassionate. She has an awesome bed sideanner and you truly feel like she is listening. She also has so e a great job of trying to figure our case out by tapping into the knowledge of her partners and other fertility clinic.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
When you do get time with her, ensure you write down all of your questions before hand so you don't forget anything. She is great but you don't get a ton of one on one time with her.
Describe the protocols Valerie Shavell used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
Round 1 -Egg retrieval and fresh transfer using Gonal F, Menpur, and Cetrotide. - chemical pregnancy
Round 2 Frozen embryo transfer using Lupron, Estrace, Progesterone. - negative
Round 3 - Frozen embryo transfer using Lupron, Estrace, and resistant uterine protocol of ibuprofen, Xanax, prednisone. - negative
Round 4 - Frozen embryo transfer, stimulation cycle using gonal. Thought was that I responded better to stimulation rather than suppression - negative
Round 5 - Did an Endometrial Receptivity test prior to frozen embryo transfer. Showed I needed 12 less hours of prednisone if following previously used stimulation protocol. Negative
Round 6 - Full retrieval with PGS testing of embryos followed by a frozen embryo transfer with previously suggested protocol from ERA. Negative
Round 7 - yet to transfer. We are on our second round of testing through Yale doing the Endometrial Function Test. First round showed potential endometriosis and that I was taking too much progesterone. With this second round of testing we are treating the endometriosis by doing 2 months of Lupron prior to testing month. We are also adjusting estrogen and progesterone doses.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
For all treatment thus far, we have spent almost $80,000.
Describe Valerie Shavell's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Dr. Shavelle has always been very honest about how many embryos are recommended. It seems that the office has protocols as to how many they are willing to transfer in which situations.
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10
Age
38 - 41
Treated
2016 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
3 IVF, Surrogacy
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Other
10
The office staff [at The Fertility Center of Michigan] are very nice and helpful. They all are very compassionate and willing to listen and help you out. They began to know you by name. I think it would be nice to see the same physician when they are adjusting med dosages but besides that they do a wonderful job...Loved Robin [nurse] very informative and helpful. Could call her for anything When she would get back with you in a timely manner.
+ Read more
Age
38 - 41
Treated
2016 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Black or African-American
Income
—
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
3 IVF, Surrogacy
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Other
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
The office staff are very nice and helpful. They all are very compassionate and willing to listen and help you out. They began to know you by name. I think it would be nice to see the same physician when they are adjusting med dosages but besides that they do a wonderful job.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
He always talked to me. Updated me every step of the way. Even called me after egg retrievals to go over things and give me his opinion even after business hours.
Describe your experience with your nurse at The Fertility Center of Michigan. (Assigned nurse: Robin s)
Loved Robin very informative and helpful. Could call her for anything When she would get back with you in a timely manner.
How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
I believe he is a very compassionate caring doctor. Very knowledgeable and truely cares. Will do what is best for the pt and he listens to what you have to say. Will come to a conclusion that works for everyone involved.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
He is great. And easy to talk to. Do not be afraid to ask questions or tell him how you really feel about something.
Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
I used Menopur 75,Gonal F, (do not rememberdose)and added cetrotide and then a trigger shot. On the first round we only ended up with 1 frozen embryo. So with the second and third
round we did the same dosage of Menopur decreased the Gonal F and grew the follicles bigger due to the fact I had a more immature eggs duing the first round. The first round 5 retrieved 1 frozen. Second round 7 retrieved 3 frozen. Third round 14 retrieved 10 frozen.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Monitoring was always done in the morning so if medications needed to be changed they would call you in the afternoon to let you know. It went like a well oiled machine in my book.
Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Well we are around 24,000 which includes 3 rounds of IVF, monitoring, medications, and some of our gestational carriers things are paid for.
Describe William Dodds's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
No he said it was up to me and my gestational carrier.
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10
Age
28 - 29
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
1 Egg Freezing, IVF
Diagnosis
PCOS
10
The clinic [The Fertility Center of Michigan] offers FREE counseling sessions with their in house counselor. They also have a monthly support group session that I have found helpful. The clinic is modern, clean and easy to access...The nurses give extreme patience with the many questions I've asked, sometimes multiple times. Their bedside manor also shows great compassion and understanding of the emotional roller coaster infertility dishes out. The nurses show incredible care with detail and being thorough.
+ Read more
Age
28 - 29
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Prefer not to answer
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Architect
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 Egg Freezing, IVF
Diagnosis
PCOS
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
I have a limiting schedule with my career to allow for the many doctors appointments IVF warrants. The scheduling staff always found a way to fit my schedule. The clinic offers FREE counseling sessions with their in house counselor. They also have a monthly support group session that I have found helpful. The clinic is modern, clean and easy to access.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Mili Thakur has amazing bedside manor. She has kept me feeling reassured and well taken care of. Her ability to deliver news, both positive and negative, with extreme compassion rather an only clinical view let's me know I am at the right office with the right doctor.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nurses give extreme patience with the many questions I've asked, sometimes multiple times. Their bedside manor also shows great compassion and understanding of the emotional roller coaster infertility dishes out. The nurses show incredible care with detail and being thorough.
How was your experience with Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
During my time at The Fertility Center - Grand Rapids, Dr. Thakur has take incredible care of me through the many delays I've experienced. There were multiple surprises along the way due to my health, not any reflection of my clinic or doctor, such as surgeries to better improve my chances of pregnancies (tube removal and endometriosis removal). These issues were diagnosed by Dr. Thakur and she was able to change my medical plan to suit those needs.
Dr. Thakur has been incredibly informative and empathetic. I feel Dr. Thakur truly cares about me and my opinion with my best interest and safety in mind.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
If you are looking for a fertility doctor that will cover all aspects of your health, (physical, mental and emotional) Dr. Mili Thakur is the right doctor for you. Her knowledge of the field and compassionate bedside manor will give you confidence that you are in the best hands. She wants nothing more than success for all her patients on the safest path.
Describe the protocols Mili Thakur used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
Dr. Thakur encouraged me to take multiple vitamins such as prenatal, CoQ10, folic acid, vitamin C, fish oil, D-3, vitamin E and Metformin. There were multiple injections I used such as Lupron, Progesterone, and other standard medications for IVF treatment. We discussed ICSI and Blastocyst as the best options for my pregnancy success.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
For an egg retrial, fresh embryo transfer and the medications associated with it, I spent roughly $14,000.
Describe Mili Thakur's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Dr. Mili Thakur has guided me through the process to the right decisions. Due to my age, medical diagnosis and preference, we have chosen to go the route of multiple embryo transfer with not more than 2 embryos.
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
Age
33
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
—
10
The fertility center has been super helpful in letting me get lab work done at a place covered by my insurance, so that im not incurring unnecessary costs. They also recommended a cheaper pharmacy that I could get the Ovidrel shot from.(It wasn't covered by my insurance.) I went from paying $170 for the shot to $90...the IUIs that I've done were each $600 out of pocket...This Clinic knows their stuff! They are also just incredibly personable, friendly, compassionate, upbeat people. I definitely felt well guided and cared for during any treatment that I've received there. They help cultivate hope for your situation. I feel very relaxed at this clinic.
+ Read more
Age
33
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
—
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
This Clinic knows their stuff! They are also just incredibly personable, friendly, compassionate, upbeat people. I definitely felt well guided and cared for during any treatment that I've received there. They help cultivate hope for your situation. I feel very relaxed at this clinic.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
She took the time to both ask and answer questions about my husband and I. We both felt valued and hopeful after having our consultation visit. She knew exactly which steps we should take next and we both felt confident in her knowledge, abilities and understanding of where we were currently at in our infertility journey.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nursing staff at the fertility center are incredible. They are overflowing with compassion. I was almost shocked by the amount of care and concern they showed the first time I had to call in because I had started my period after our first treatment cycle. I felt very cared for and even comforted. For the most part, all of the nurses are warm, compassionate and fun. They are also very knowledgeable and confident in helping you or answering any questions that arise. The nurse I had for my first IUI was so great and talking me through the process and calming any nerves that I had. Great nursing staff!
How was your experience with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
When we met with her the first time, we were impressed by her professional manner and knowledge of the process. She was very good at answering the questions that we both had, as well as making questions of us. She made us feel hopeful about our ability to be able to eventually conceive and made us feel like we had many options and possibilities yet to pursue. She has a very calming demeanor, which for me was maybe a little too clam. Where I definitely appreciate that you need to exude peace in what can be a stressful situation in people's lives, I personally love when doctors can make you feel like they understand the particular situation that you're in and still express an upbeat fun attitude. That being said, she was very nice and gentle with the way she talked and discussed different treatment options with us.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Be prepared to feel like you have a wealth of possibilities that you gain from her knowledge. You'll definitely feel like your being cared for and helped, but don't expect an excess of laughter or jokes. She seems to be very calm, steady and even keeled.
Describe the protocols Valerie Shavell used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
After our consultation visit, she decided to do some more lab work that we hadn't previously had yet...testing the ovarian reserve, my thyroid levels and a couple other things that I can't remember. She also decide to increase the dose of Clomid that I had previously been taking from my OB/GYN. (Which is where we started out in this process.) We went from 50 to 100. She also had me schedule a mid cycle ultrasound to measure the developing follicles and thickness of the uterine lining. By upping the dose, she was hoping to stimulate a better response from my follicles than what I had been getting on just the 50. I was also told about the trigger shot ovidrel, and used that to push ovulation. The first Cycle like that we did with just timed intercourse. The next cycle she bumped my clomid dose up to 150 because it still wasn't helping the follicles to develop any sooner or bigger than it had at the 100. That definitely worked. At the next middle ultrasound, I had three good sized follicles instead of only one small one. We moved on to an IUI that cycle...still with the Ovidrel. A nurse in the office actually performed the IUI, not the doctor herself. That both of those cycles ended with a negative pregnancy test. We are currently coming to the end of our third cycle with this Doctor and office. This cycle we did all the same things, 150 cComid, Ovidrel, IUI. (Just one follicle this time, but still on the bigger side.) The only thing that changed this time is that during the mid cycle ultrasound it was noticed that my lining was on the thinner side, so I was prescribe esterase tablets to take vaginally to help thicken the lining. I started taking them cycle day 12 and am still taking them now on cycle day 19. I was advised to take them until I take a pregnancy test..which will be soon. That being said, we don't know the results yet of this current treatment cycle.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
My insurance only covered half the cost of ultrasounds and lab work only if it was done somewhere else and then sent to the Fertility center. The fertility center has been super helpful in letting me get lab work done at a place covered by my insurance, so that im not incurring unnecessary costs. They also recommended a cheaper pharmacy that I could get the Ovidrel shot from.(It wasn't covered by my insurance.) I went from paying $170 for the shot to $90. The ultrasounds cost me about $100 after the insurance and the IUIs that I've done were each $600 out of pocket.
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10
Age
34 - 36
Treated
2017 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
7 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Poor Egg Quality, Other
10
Everyone one at the clinic [The Fertility Center of Michigan] is patient, compassionate and understanding. No matter how many times you call or email, they are happy to assist you with their knowledge...Egg Donor process was slow moving . they had us wait months for a certain nurse, who did not end up being there for our initial appointment. I like the clinic because they never are frustrated with things. they are completely understanding and show empathy every phone call, email, or visit.
+ Read more
Age
34 - 36
Treated
2017 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Prefer not to answer
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 7 Docs
Treatment
7 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Poor Egg Quality, Other
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Egg Donor process was slow moving . they had us wait months for a certain nurse, who did not end up being there for our initial appointment.
I like the clinic because they never are frustrated with things. they are completely understanding and show empathy every phone call, email, or visit.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr Dodds is caring . Explains plans in details. Answers all our questions. calls us back if we have questions. knows who we are
Describe your experience with your nurse at The Fertility Center of Michigan. (Assigned nurse: Robin Strouse)
Everyone one at the clinic is patient, compassionate and understanding. No matter how many times you call or email, they are happy to assist you with their knowledge
How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr Dodds I did recommend to my best experiencing infertility. Reason is that he is knowledgeable and can run several test that may determine a solution. He always makes sure we fully understand the steps in the plan and what are options are .
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
This process is overwhelming . Your head is foggy with anxiety , sadness and negativity. Before you go to the appointment, write down your goals and questions
Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
when we first met Dr Dodds, I had miscarried three times. he understood getting pregnant was not an issue for us , but staying pregnant was . He had us try clomid for 6 rounds. unsuccessful. we then trying to set my body my body up for ivf, where my body did not respond to the drugs . this is when we found out that the D&C damaged uterus lining. he did everything to make sure we could have our family. he performed a surgery to attempt to restore my lining . unsuccessful.
Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
I think that being drugs for me, ultrsounds, tests, consultations,egg donor. We are well over 50k
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9
Age
30 - 33
Treated
2016 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
8 IUI
Diagnosis
Anovulation, Male Factor
9
The employees at the front desk [at The Fertility Center of Michigan] are AWESOME. Every time I am there they greet me with a smile and call me by my first name. They are easy to communicate with and have multiple means of communication. Their response time is quick. It's clean. It's professional...For the most part, they [nurses] are so nice. Two nurses told me about their own fertility journeys which made me feel so comfortable and at ease... knowing they had gone through what I was going through. Weakness - I didn't have one primary nurse so at times I felt like they didn't know my treatment plan. Sometimes I needed to tell them what the plan was,
+ Read more
Age
30 - 33
Treated
2016 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Sales Representative
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
8 IUI
Diagnosis
Anovulation, Male Factor
9
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
The employees at the front desk are AWESOME. Every time I am there they greet me with a smile and call me by my first name. They are easy to communicate with and have multiple means of communication. Their response time is quick. It's clean. It's professional.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Dodds has personally called me numerous times to discuss treatment plans. I was also able to contact him through email and he was quick to respond with an in depth, detailed answer.
He is really easy to talk to and would talk to me about things other than my treatment plan (because sometimes that gets old and tiring). We would talk about his kids, my interests, his interests, etc.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
Strengths - For the most part, they are so nice. Two nurses told me about their own fertility journeys which made me feel so comfortable and at ease... knowing they had gone through what I was going through.
Weakness - I didn't have one primary nurse so at times I felt like they didn't know my treatment plan. Sometimes I needed to tell them what the plan was,
What specific things went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
- Provided conflicting information
- Scheduled the wrong procedure
How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
He is awesome. If anyone out there is reading this and wondering if they should pursue care under Dr. Dodds, the answer is YES.
I was nervous going into my first consultation. I didn't know what to expect. He put me at ease as soon as he walked into the room. He is friendly and personable. He opened up about himself which made me feel comfortable. He has called me personally numerous times to go over treatment plans. You can tell he truly wants to find what will be successful for you.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Don't be afraid to ask questions if you don't understand something.
Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
Clomid and scheduled intercourse - not successful
Clomid and IUI - not successful
Clomid and injectables - successful
Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
I do not remember the initial cost of the consultation. An ultrasound and nurse visit ranged from $275-$385. An IUI was $600. The medications were EXPENSIVE but that price depends on insurance so it is different for everyone.
Describe William Dodds's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
N/A
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10
Age
31 - 34
Treated
2016 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
6 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
They [nurses at The Fertility Center of Michigan] were always there to answer questions if I had them. They explained the medications that I had to take and when I needed to take them...They are very good at their jobs. They are helpful with questions and even provide monthly meetings for new patients to come and learn more about the fertility center. The weakness would just be the costs associated but I know there is not much they can do about that. It would be great if more insurances would cover some costs.
+ Read more
Age
31 - 34
Treated
2016 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Other
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Accountant
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
6 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
They are very good at their jobs. They are helpful with questions and even provide monthly meetings for new patients to come and learn more about the fertility center. The weakness would just be the costs associated but I know there is not much they can do about that. It would be great if more insurances would cover some costs.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
He would call me personally to talk about results or procedures.
Describe your experience with your nurse at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
They were always there to answer questions if I had them. They explained the medications that I had to take and when I needed to take them.
How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Such a nice Doctor. Completely trust him. He explained everything so well and was kind to us through each of our journeys to get pregnant. I always appreciated his calls to congratulate me on a success or see how I was doing after a failure.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Trust Dr Dodd’s. He knows what he is doing and he is always looking out for your best interests.
Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
After 6 failed IUIs he suggested that we either start stronger injectables or begin IVF. After our first fresh cycle IVF we transferred two embryos and got pregnant with one baby. Most recently we transferred 2 frozen embryos and did not get pregnant. He suggested we thaw 3 the next time and pick the best 2. Which was good because one of the embryos did not make it. After transferring those two good embryos we did get pregnant and it looks to be one baby after the 6 week ultrasound.
Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
We had to pay out of pocket for everything except ultrasounds and prescriptions. That is the worse part about infertility, the costs are so high
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
Age
28 - 31
Treated
2016 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Tubal Blockage
10
Approximately $8000 for egg retrieval and fresh transfer [at The Fertility Center of Michigan] including medications and ultrasounds...It's a beautiful clinic with friendly and knowledgeable staff. The clinic is up-to-date and very clean. My favorite part is that they offer an on-site fertility counselor free of charge. The fertility counselor has been a great resource for managing my anxiety through my fertility treatments... She [nurse] communicates to me via email (at my request) as it is difficult for me to answer phone calls discussing personal matters while I'm at work. She is always very thorough in her instructions and answers ALL of my questions. I feel very comfortable communicating with her and am so glad that I was blessed with such an amazing IVF nurse.
+ Read more
Age
28 - 31
Treated
2016 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Other
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 4 Docs
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Tubal Blockage
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
It's a beautiful clinic with friendly and knowledgeable staff. The clinic is up-to-date and very clean. My favorite part is that they offer an on-site fertility counselor free of charge. The fertility counselor has been a great resource for managing my anxiety through my fertility treatments.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
He always was very thorough in answering my questions and explaining our fertility treatment plan. He apologized and showed concern when the outcome of our treatment was negative.
Describe your experience with your nurse at The Fertility Center of Michigan. (Assigned nurse: Kim Helm)
Kim Helm is the most kind-hearted, caring, and knowledgeable nurse I've ever communicated with. She communicates to me via email (at my request) as it is difficult for me to answer phone calls discussing personal matters while I'm at work. She is always very thorough in her instructions and answers ALL of my questions. I feel very comfortable communicating with her and am so glad that I was blessed with such an amazing IVF nurse.
What specific things went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
- Failed to call with results
How was your experience with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
He can be a bit dry but overall very personable. I felt very comfortable discussing my concerns with him. I feel that he was keeping my best interests in mind during the course of my treatment. There was one instance where he forgot my name but I didn't take it personal.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Be open, honest, and express all of your concerns. He will be thorough if you ask the questions.
Describe the protocols James Young used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
My first cycle was an embryo retrieval and fresh transfer of 2 embryos. If I remember correctly, gonal-f, hcg trigger were used and then progesterone through the 11th week of pregnancy. This procedure resulted in a successful pregnancy and birth of my daughter.
My 2nd IVF cycle was a long protocol with frozen embryo transfer. The medications were Lupron, estradiol, and progesterone. This cycle did not result in pregnancy.
My 3rd IVF cycle followed the same protocol as my 2nd cycle but was cancelled prior to the frozen embryo transfer because my uterine lining was possibly over-stimulated by the hormones and was not suitable for pregnancy.
I am currently on my 4th IVF cycle. I have reverted back to the same protocol as my first cycle but with lower dose gonal-f as I do not require multiple follicle production. I do not yet know if the transfer produced a positive pregnancy.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Approximately $8000 for egg retrieval and fresh transfer including medications and ultrasounds. Approximately $5000 for frozen embryo transfer including medications and ultrasounds.
Describe James Young's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Dr. Young is responsible with selecting the number of embryos to transfer. He has always suggested 2 embryos for my transfers in hopes of single or double births but no more than that as multiple births come with added risks and potential complications.
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10
Age
30 - 33
Treated
2016 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Other
10
The nursing staff at The Fertility Clinic is very understanding, patient, and compassionate. They are very helpful and knowledgeable, having the ability to answer many of my questions without asking the doctor...Our insurance did not cover our IVF procedure which ran us $9-$10k, I think. Each frozen transfer is around $3k...This is a very busy clinic so at times, it is difficult to schedule appointments with your preferred doctor and wait times can be longer than usual. However, the majority of the time, they are very efficient and well-run. While I prefer to see my doctor, I trust the entire team and will gladly be seen by another partner.
+ Read more
Age
30 - 33
Treated
2016 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Other
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Graphic Designer
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Other
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
This is a very busy clinic so at times, it is difficult to schedule appointments with your preferred doctor and wait times can be longer than usual. However, the majority of the time, they are very efficient and well-run. While I prefer to see my doctor, I trust the entire team and will gladly be seen by another partner.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Dodds went out of his way to familiarize himself with our case. He took the time to troubleshoot our situation and even called outside of office hours to talk to us.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nursing staff at The Fertility Clinic is very understanding, patient, and compassionate. They are very helpful and knowledgeable, having the ability to answer many of my questions without asking the doctor.
How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Dodds is very good at taking the time to make you feel as if you're his only patient. I feel incredibly comfortable voicing concerns (if I have any) and discussing options. He is trustworthy, knowledgeable, and empathetic.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Be open and trusting of his process. He knows what he is doing. However, don't be afraid to ask questions and push the boundaries.
Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
We started with menopur + timed intercourse but I kept overstimulating, even with a change in doses, so we moved to IVF. I continued the menopur, did an HCG trigger, and we retrieved 18 eggs. We were able to fertilize 12, transferring two (fresh transfer) and freezing the rest. I started Progesterone in Oil (PIO) injections following the transfer. I became pregnant but miscarried at 9 weeks. After three failed frozen transfers (slightly different protocol each - #1 was identical to the first (prep with estrace, PIO shots after transfer), #2 we incorporated xanax, prednisone, and motrin, #3 we incorporated xanax, prednisone, Motrin, and zithromax), we did an ERA which concluded we were transferring in the wrong window of receptivity. Grew our remaining 5 embryos to blastocysts, transferred two, and I became pregnant. That resulted in the birth of our son. When our son was 12 months, we transferred our remaining blastocyst (one did not make through the thaw). I became pregnant but miscarried again - 6 weeks this time. Since then, we have been doing rounds of menopur + timed intercourse. My body is reacting appropriately this time and we actually became pregnant on the third try; however, I miscarried at 6 weeks. We just began a fourth cycle with menopur + estrace and will do an IUI with progesterone suppositories to follow.
Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Our insurance did not cover our IVF procedure which ran us $9-$10k, I think. Each frozen transfer is around $3k. My medications and ultrasounds are mostly covered - a $20 copay applies for each office visit. For my Timed Intercourse cycles, my medications are $50 - $100 total, depending on how much I need that cycle. I believe IUI, which we are hoping to do soon, is around $600.
Describe William Dodds's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Dr. Dodds did not have a strong preference on 1 vs. 2 but did properly warn us on the risks of multiples.
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10
Age
30 - 37
Treated
2012 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
3 IUI, 2 IVF, 2 Embryo Freezing
Diagnosis
Male Factor, PCOS
10
[The Fertility Center of Michigan] is clean and pretty...The staff all work well together. The billing ladies are very helpful, too...There is one nurse that mixed up the date of our pregnancy test, which led to me seeing results before I was prepared to. Other than that, they have been excellent. Some have even shared their own fertility journeys. That was very helpful...We are at 25,000 out of pocket after three IVF cycles. The office covered the $800 time lapse photography for free for our last egg retrieval.
+ Read more
Age
30 - 37
Treated
2012 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 IUI, 2 IVF, 2 Embryo Freezing
Diagnosis
Male Factor, PCOS
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
It is clean and pretty. I hate the fish tank though, when you have a procedure that requires a full bladder the running water noise on the tank makes you want to pee more! The staff all work well together. The billing ladies are very helpful, too.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Young is very up front and honest. He explains things without making you feel dumb for asking. After each of our three failed IVF cycles, he made a personal phone call to express his condolences after. He answered calls from the on call doctor on a Saturday to make the best decision for some time sensitive treatment.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
There is one nurse that mixed up the date of our pregnancy test, which led to me seeing results before I was prepared to. Other than that, they have been excellent. Some have even shared their own fertility journeys. That was very helpful.
How was your experience with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Young is very up front and honest. He explains things without making you feel dumb for asking. After each of our three failed IVF cycles, he made a personal phone call to express his condolences after. He answered calls from the on call doctor on a Saturday to make the best decision for some time sensitive treatment. He doesn't give false hope, he tells it like it is. I like his dry sense of humor. He really knows his stuff and is up to date on the latest things to try.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Ask questions about anything you don't understand. Take notes and you can message him questions on MyHealth if you think of any later. He is very receptive to questions.
Describe the protocols James Young used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
Long med protocol IVF, uterine scratch (worth a try, knew it might not help), grew embryo to blastocyst, next time doing a clotting factor panel and and ERA biopsy before transferring another embryo, will thaw all remaining and grow them all to blast to see how many keep going. No pregnancy yet, but we have embryos left. If the next round doesn't stick he said we can look into gestational carriers.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
We are at 25,000 out of pocket after three IVF cycles. The office covered the $800 time lapse photography for free for our last egg retrieval.
Describe James Young's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
They let me transfer 2 at once, but said 3 was too risky with my younger age of 36 and embryo quality.
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10
Age
30 - 36
Treated
2013 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
6 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
They [nurses at The Fertility Center of Michigan] were super comforting throughout the process. Very good communication and made sure we knew exactly what to do and what to expect...Monitoring appointments were held during a window of time in the morning. I loved this because I was able to go before work. It allowed me to minimize using my personal time off for appointments...Approximately $12,000 total for blood work, ultrasounds, medications, egg retrieval, and transfer.
+ Read more
Age
30 - 36
Treated
2013 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 3 Docs
Treatment
6 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
I felt welcomed to the fertility clinic during the first call to schedule my new patient consultation. The receptionists were very knowledgeable and friendly. The medical assistants and nurses were always reassuring. The doctors always made us feel safe, comfortable, and confident in our next step of treatment. We even got a personal call from our doctor congratulating us on our positive pregnancy test. Great office all around. You will not be disappointed.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
He was always patient with our concerns and questions.
Describe your experience with your nurse at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
They were super comforting throughout the process. Very good communication and made sure we knew exactly what to do and what to expect.
How was your experience with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Young has a wonderful and caring personality. He can put the most nervous or upset person at ease. He was very patient during our appointments. He made us feel completely comfortable and confident with the care we were receiving.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Write down any questions or concerns you have before your appointment. Then you won't forget to ask them. I always wrote the answers down so I could remember later. Sometimes being nervous you may forget to ask questions or forget the information you were given. You could always call back and clarify if you need to.
Describe the protocols James Young used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
We used the antagonist protocol with bravelle and menopur to stimulate follicle production for about 11 days. After a few days of taking stimulation medicine they also added a morning injection of ganirelix to prevent premature ovulation. After 12 nights of stimulation Injections I had to administer a Lipton trigger shot to mature the eggs. I had my egg retrieval the next morning. The day of egg retrieval I started progesterone in oil injections. 2 days after retrieval I had 2 embryos transferred which resulted in our healthy baby girl being born.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Monitoring appointments were held during a window of time in the morning. I loved this because I was able to go before work. It allowed me to minimize using my personal time off for appointments.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Approximately $12,000 total for blood work, ultrasounds, medications, egg retrieval, and transfer.
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9
Age
37 - 38
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
Other
9
Approximately $9500 for egg retrieval and transfer [at The Fertility Center of Michigan]...They have a good track record, are organized, kind, compassionate, nice facility, offer services like genetic counseling, a fertility counselor, and support group. They have 4 offices throughout the state and are relatively easier to reach. They coordinate with my local clinic for monitoring which has been very helpful...[nurses is a] Very effective communicator. Took into consideration my personality (Type A) when giving info (eg I want all the details, numbers,etc) Friendly and excellent at organization.
+ Read more
Age
37 - 38
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Lawyer
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
Other
9
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
They have a good track record, are organized, kind, compassionate, nice facility, offer services like genetic counseling, a fertility counselor, and support group. They have 4 offices throughout the state and are relatively easier to reach. They coordinate with my local clinic for monitoring which has been very helpful.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
He remembered details about my husband and myself, kept a sense of humor and conversed with us about non fertility topics.
Describe your experience with your nurse at The Fertility Center of Michigan. (Assigned nurse: Sandy)
Very effective communicator. Took into consideration my personality (Type A) when giving info (eg I want all the details, numbers,etc) Friendly and excellent at organization.
How was your experience with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
He was candid and straight forward about treatment and our options. I feel like he followed SART guidelines and ethics protocol. I am very detail oriented so I would have preferred more in depth explanations, but overall he communicated well.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
He has a dry sense of humor which can come off as insensitive and might be off putting to some. My husband thinks he is hilarious.
Describe the protocols James Young used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
Antagonist protocol (BCP, 150 Gonal f, 75 menopur, cetrotide, hCG & Lupron trigger). I used Gonal during IUI so we had a good idea how I would respond. Protocol was chosen based on age, single Fallopian tube, prior ectopic pregnancy and normal AMH & FSH values. Currently stimulating for first egg retrieval.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Approximately $9500 for egg retrieval and transfer - totally out of pocket. After partial insurance about $100 for mock transfer/sonohytogram. Insurance covered office visits with $20 co pay. $400 annually for embryo storage. All the remaining lab testing and ultrasounds are partially covered by insurance, and balances vary based on type of test and remaining deductible.
Describe James Young's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Based on age I knew transferring 2 was a possibility, but was surprised that we could transfer up to 3. Otherwise, i trust that my doctor will only transfer the number of embryos he believes is healthy and safe.
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10
Age
31
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
I always got right in to do my procedures or see my doctor [at The Fertility Center of Michigan]. Hardly no wait time. They are friendly and greet you when you go into the office. They are very personable yet professional. I have no compliments about the clinic...The nursing staff was very helpful. They called us in a timely fashion about our lab results and if we called with questions they called us back fairly quickly...
+ Read more
Age
31
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Other
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
I always got right in to do my procedures or see my doctor. Hardly no wait time. They are friendly and greet you when you go into the office. They are very personable yet professional. I have no compliments about the clinic.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
I felt so comfortable with Dr. Mili Thakur. She explained things so well & didn't blame either my partner nor myself. She is always available to answer our questions & wants to help us get pregnant.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nursing staff was very helpful. They called us in a timely fashion about our lab results and if we called with questions they called us back fairly quickly.
How was your experience with Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
I had a great experience with Dr. Mili Thakur. She was the first doctor to take us seriously. My regular OBGYN didnt want to do any testing. Dr. Mili Thakur explained everything in detail at every consultation we had. What our next steps would be and what the procedures would involve. One consultation we couldn't make it to the office so she called us on the phone. I feel confident with her. I would suggest her to anyone going through this journey. She also has a great bedside manner that makes you feel she cares and wants to help you in your dream of becoming parents come true.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
She is a great doctor and really wants to help you conceive. Very kind and personable.
Describe the protocols Mili Thakur used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
At our first consultation she put me on a pill called femara & suggest we do up to three rounds of IUI if the sperm count was good. I thought that was a great amount of time and very reasonable.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
We had to pay for office visits, ultrasounds and our IUI treatments. Our insurance only covered some medication & some lab work.
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
Age
36
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Uterine Fibroids
10
The staff [at The Fertility Center of Michigan] is great about using names...The nursing staff we have interacted with have all been very friendly. We appreciate the use of our names and the approachable personalities...Based on research, we felt the costs were inline with other clinics. They do have finance options and offer info on grants...They are good about returning calls, but it has been hard to get a person on the phone at the time I'm making the calls. (My calls have been scheduling and billing related, not medical.)
+ Read more
Age
36
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Uterine Fibroids
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
The office itself is a welcoming and calming environment. They make every effort to protect your privacy. They offer a lot of info and don't leave anything on the table. You feel welcome to ask any questions.
The biggest issue I have, is when calling by phone there are way too many prompts. I understand it is how the world runs, but there are so many prompts that sometimes I'm not sure if I'm getting to the right person/department. Whenever I have called, I always end up with a voicemail. They are good about returning calls, but it has been hard to get a person on the phone at the time I'm making the calls. (My calls have been scheduling and billing related, not medical.)
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
The staff is great about using names. Dr. Dodds have a great bedside manner. Very approachable. He takes the time to explain medical terms and procedures.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nursing staff we have interacted with have all been very friendly. We appreciate the use of our names and the approachable personalities.
How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Dodds is very personable and we felt very comfortable asking questions. Our first appointment/consultation, felt a little rushed. After a few tests and blood work, we met again to go over the results. This appointment felt slower and we had more time to discuss next steps and treatment. We realize its hard to discuss everything the first meeting so we were not that upset.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
There is so much to learn, be ready to listen. Do some research before had, it will make the first few visits go more smoothly. Having some knowledge about infertility and treatments will help in asking questions that directly relate to your situation. Don't go alone, having a spouse/family member/friend will help during the down times to discuss all the info being shared with you.
Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
We are still in the diagnostic stage of our infertility treatment. However, we have found that male factor infertility is a possible issue due to low sperm count. Dr. Dodds is working with us to try to help increase the sperm count with the hope that IVF could be avoided. He has suggested a male hormone treatment to raise testosterone levels which would hopefully raise sperm count.
Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Based on research, we felt the costs were inline with other clinics. They do have finance options and offer info on grants. Overall, its just expensive treatment to pursue.
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10
Age
30 - 31
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
10 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Anovulation, PCOS, Other
10
Every single nurse [at The Fertility Center of Michigan], every single time, from a long visit to a quick in and out visit, was nothing but caring, respectful, honest and empathetic. The nursing staff was prompt to respond to every message I left, little issue or big...The office was determined to find me the best deal for medicines that weren’t covered by insurance. They work with an online fertility pharmacy, and would give me the information to figure out what pharmacies near me had the best price for meds.
+ Read more
Age
30 - 31
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
10 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Anovulation, PCOS, Other
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
They are busy, so make sure if you’re a new patient, to plan ahead! Initially it took a month and a half to get my first appointment. Now that I’m an established patient, I never have any issues getting appointments. The front desk staff is always on the ball, and accommodating. They have always tried their hardest to make sure that we have all of the information we need, and have worked with my strange work schedule on many occasions to make sure I got the appointment I needed. The first visit can be overwhelming, but very informative. You receive a large packet of all of the information discussed, in case you can’t remember it all. The staff is always there to answer any questions you may have.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Although Dr. Young is very thorough, it is sometimes his emotion, or lack of, during delivery of information that can seem a bit cold. I could see how, to some, the lack of emotion could equate to feeling like a number. However, with a matter such as infertility, I would rather have a Dr. be completely honest, straightforward, with less emotion, than a Dr. that sugar coats and withholds.
Describe your experience with your nurse at The Fertility Center of Michigan. (Assigned nurse: Amy and Julie)
I have zero constructive criticism for the nursing staff. Every single nurse, every single time, from a long visit to a quick in and out visit, was nothing but caring, respectful, honest and empathetic. The nursing staff was prompt to respond to every message I left, little issue or big. If they didn’t have the answer, they would assure me that they would work until they found it, and they did. I can’t imagine this journey without them!
How was your experience with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
There was never a time that I left Dr. Young feeling confused about treatment, unheard about my feelings or concerns, or worried about what would be next. From the very beginning, my husband and I felt a sense of relief and calmness from our meetings with Dr. Young. He is soft spoken, but delivers news, treatment plans and options with conviction. If you want a Dr. that is going to tip-toe and proceed with caution, Dr. Young may not be the doctor for you. But if you want someone who will shoot you straight, and push forward without haste, then Dr. Young will be a great fit.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Know that Dr. Young may seem quiet and reserved at first, but he will become a fierce advocate, giving you nothing but his best.
Describe the protocols James Young used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
I have PCOS, so the first treatment strategy was Clomid with monitoring to see if that would help me ovulate. The outcome was little to no results.next I was put on Metformin (indefinitely). The next strategy was a combination of Clomid, Follistim, Ovidrel and timed intercourse. This treatment was successful in getting me to ovulate, but unfortunately it didn’t result in a pregnancy. With the help of Dr. Young we decided to stop current treatments and move forward with IVF. Within a month of stopping treatment, we got pregnant naturally but unfortunately suffered a chemical pregnancy. We are currently saving for IVF.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
My Insurance does not cover infertility treatments, however the billing staff would work with me to code things appropriately to save me the most money. Each visit I had a copay of $35. My medicines were sometimes covered, sometimes not. Although I believe this has to do with my insurance, not the provider. Clomid- $45. Metformin-$15. Follistim- $300/300iu $600/600iu. Ovidrel- $107. The office was determined to find me the best deal for medicines that weren’t covered by insurance. They work with an online fertility pharmacy, and would give me the information to figure out what pharmacies near me had the best price for meds.
Describe James Young's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
N/A
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10
Age
27
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
Because the doctors [The Fert Ctr] rotate to their other offices, it isn't uncommon that you talk to all of them at one point or another. I personally think that is a good thing, because I feel like I get all of their expertise involved in my care. Everyone is very knowledgeable in what they do and they are able to make you feel like you have control going forward and they give you hope again.
+ Read more
Age
27
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Because the doctors rotate to their other offices, it isn't uncommon that you talk to all of them at one point or another. I personally think that is a good thing, because I feel like I get all of their expertise involved in my care. Everyone is very knowledgeable in what they do and they are able to make you feel like you have control going forward and they give you hope again.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Doctor Young took the time to explain everything in terms that both my husband and I would understand, even drawing pictures at times. He made sure that we both agreed and understood the plan going forward and even took some time to get to know what we both do and joked with us. He made us feel comfortable during a tough discussion and made us feel like we had some small amount of control back.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
After my ultrasound the nurse sat down with me to do over the next steps for treatment. She made sure I was able to get the medicine I needed on time and that I understood what would happen going forward.
How was your experience with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
He was very good at describing our treatment in easy to understand terms also providing pictures when necessary. He always made sure we understood before moving on to the next area. He took time to ask about what we do and got to know us a little bit and also joked around with us. It helped for us to both feel comfortable and we left feeling like we had some control over the situation again.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Doctor Young will go over everything you need but I think it is always good to know a little background on fertility treatments.
Describe the protocols James Young used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
Before we had met Dr. Young my obgyn had already had me try 4 rounds of clomid because of my irregular cycles. With that and my husband's low motility, he had us start with IUI, first having me take Femera so I would ovulate on time and possibly produce more then one egg, then going to an ultrasound to make sure an egg had formed, and then using ovidrel so they could time the IUI treatment even closer to ovulation. He also gave us ways to increase our chances such as reduce alcohol use, exercise, eat well, etc.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
I don't remember the cost of the initial consultation appointment but the ultrasound and meet up with the nurse was around $250 and the actual IUI was $600. They gave me resources to get the ovidrel at a more reasonable cost, which was around $35.
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10
Age
25 - 26
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
9 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
PCOS
10
The knowledge that the clinic [Fertility Ctr of Michigan] has is by far their greatest strength. I have no doubt going in there each time. A weakness might be that sometimes when getting transferred from the nurse to scheduling on the phone I'm not always clear on what the nurse wants me to schedule.... The nursing staff have been nothing but awesome! Everytime i have an appointment they are very friendly. When I had my miscarriage my ultrasound techs were so comforting and supportive, they didn't treat me like just another person who miscarried.
+ Read more
Age
25 - 26
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Other
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
9 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
PCOS
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
The knowledge that the clinic has is by far their greatest strength. I have no doubt going in there each time. A weakness might be that sometimes when getting transferred from the nurse to scheduling on the phone I'm not always clear on what the nurse wants me to schedule.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
She didn't make me feel like she was just talking to another patient for the day. She was kind and explained our plans and the next steps we were taking very thoroughly. Keeps in contact to check on how things are going.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nursing staff have been nothing but awesome! Everytime i have an appointment they are very friendly. When I had my miscarriage my ultrasound techs were so comforting and supportive, they didn't treat me like just another person who miscarried. The nurses after each ultrasound have been so thorough about the next step in the cycle. I do not have one bad thing to say about the nursing staff at the fertility center.
How was your experience with Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Mili Thakur was very kind when we had our first visit. Going into fertility treatments we were scared and unsure, but she did her best to explain everything and give us a written plan/ timeline of what to expect. Even after our miscarriage she was sure to call weeks after to see how we were doing and offered any type of therapy if needed through the fertility center.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Be patient with her accent and language barrier because she is a great doctor!
Describe the protocols Mili Thakur used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
Before seeing her I took provera for 10 days to jump start my period and then on cycle day 3 Femara 2.5mg though my OB and then had my appt with the fertility center in November 2018. They monitored the rest of the cycle out which I then found out we were pregnant December 2018. She monitored very closely with bloodwork. In January of 2019 we miscarried. In Febuary we started provera again for 10days to jump start my period and in March 2019 we tried Femara 5mg and with cycle 14 ultrasound it showed the foliciles were too small so for 5 days I took Femara 7.5g mg to grow the foliciles and returned in 10 days to see that the folices had tripled in size, due to no ovulation that time I started another round of femara 7.5mg in April. Now we are awaiting to see folicile size. This round we will be doing a ovadril shot for ovulation.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
I believe my co pays for office visits have been around 30 to 40 dollars each time
Describe Mili Thakur's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Have not had to deal with this situation
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10
Age
34 - 36
Treated
2017 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
7 IUI, 3 IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality, Unexplained
10
The main clinic [Fertility Ctr of MI] is in Grand Rapids which is where all procedures are performed but the normal appointments can be at one of their other locations, we went to the Kalamazoo clinic. We liked the staff at both locations, and appreciate that they know us by name and are always friendly. They are also very respectful when things go poorly... Every nurse I have encountered has shown great empathy and compassion and some can relate to the journey which is comforting.
+ Read more
Age
34 - 36
Treated
2017 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
7 IUI, 3 IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality, Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
The main clinic is in Grand Rapids which is where all procedures are performed but the normal appointments can be at one of their other locations, we went to the Kalamazoo clinic. We liked the staff at both locations, and appreciate that they know us by name and are always friendly. They are also very respectful when things go poorly (when I found out I miscarried).
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
From the time we had our first consult we felt that Dr.Dodds genuinely wanted to help us succeed and every visit since we leave with that same feeling.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
Every nurse I have encountered has shown great empathy and compassion and some can relate to the journey which is comforting.
How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
I think Dr. Dodds is exceptional and he wants all of his patients to succeed. What I like best is even though I am under his primary care, all of the doctors have great communication and I am able to feel comfortable with any of them.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Do your research, ask questions until you feel comfortable. If you are walking in with no prior knowledge regarding infertility, like I did, I felt very lost and confused but he is willing to explain things in a way for you to understand until you feel comfortable.
Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
We took our time trying these out slowly. We started with timed intercourse with clomid and gonal f then moved to iui’s with gonal f, eventually moving to IVF which is where we discovered my egg quality was poor. We retrieved 3 times and I really appreciated that each time the doctors discussed my case and tried different approaches, however in the end my eggs are just too poor and we are moving on to donor eggs.
Describe William Dodds's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Though we have not had any transfers yet, Dr. Dodds has discussed multiple times the risks of transferring multiple embryos and their clinic holds a strong stance on transferring one is best, which I respect that they are looking at the overall picture and the health of the mother and baby.
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8
Age
32 - 34
Treated
2017 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
Male Factor
8
All of the nursing staff [Fertility Center of Michigan] has been beyond friendly and sympathetic!... I believe the clinic overall is a solid one. I believe they have very fair prices, but I do wish they would look into Invocell IVF. This would give people like myself a chance at IVF due to the lower cost.... Each round of IUI ended up being around $800. IVF is expected to cost around $10,000 plus meds, anesthesia, etc.
+ Read more
Age
32 - 34
Treated
2017 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
Male Factor
8
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
I believe the clinic overall is a solid one. I believe they have very fair prices, but I do wish they would look into Invocell IVF. This would give people like myself a chance at IVF due to the lower cost.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
I felt really good about our first consult in 2017. We had a solid treatment plan/ path established. We did 2 rounds of IUI, with the second ending in a miscarriage/ possible ectopic. We then took a break.
Fast forward to 2019, we decided to re-consult. I felt like Dr Dodds didn't take any time to review my chart prior to coming in the room. He waffled on the recommended treatment course, at first recommending up to 4 more cycles of IUI. As we talked further, he backtracked and decided that IVF was what he was going to recommend. I felt like I had to steer the conversation, as he was saying things that weren't applicable to me or were untrue.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
All of the nursing staff has been beyond friendly and sympathetic!
How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Strengths-I do believe he truly wants to help his patients achieve the end goal of bringing home a baby
Weakness-I believe he is a very busy man and I didn't feel as supported by him as I would have liked. I think he focuses the majority of his support on IVF patients
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Speak up about your wants and if something doesn't sound right or applicable to your case
Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
We did 2 rounds of IUI with femara and Ovidrel. The rationale was that due to my husband's lower sperm count and motility, having more eggs and putting the sperm closer to them would increase the chance of pregnancy. I had one negative cycle and one pregnancy that ended in a miscarriage/ possible ectopic
Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Each round of IUI ended up being around $800. IVF is expected to cost around $10,000 plus meds, anesthesia, etc.
Describe William Dodds's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
N/A we did not do IVF
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10
Age
34 - 35
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
5 IUI
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
They [Fertility Ctr of MI] were overall a really great place to be working with. The few complaints I have are quite minor, they seem to be very busy and I get that but getting back to people on administrative stuff is not their strong suit. Getting record copy’s, talking to their billing department, finding out what paperwork is needed next all took longer than necessary. While the nurses and docs will call back within the day the office itself won’t call back for a fee sometimes, or forget to email paperwork or forms etc. so that part was frustrating.
+ Read more
Age
34 - 35
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Lawyer
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
5 IUI
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
They were overall a really great place to be working with. The few complaints I have are quite minor, they seem to be very busy and I get that but getting back to people on administrative stuff is not their strong suit. Getting record copy’s, talking to their billing department, finding out what paperwork is needed next all took longer than necessary. While the nurses and docs will call back within the day the office itself won’t call back for a fee sometimes, or forget to email paperwork or forms etc. so that part was frustrating.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
She was great about sitting ya down and going through every detail of the process. We had a prior doc and felt like a number and this was a million times better. She was sympathetic, called to check in when she knew I’d been sick even though I hadn’t called. She was our team mate not our doctor.
Describe your experience with your nurse at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
The nurses were mostly pretty great. There were times it felt like it was difficult hearing back and we’d play a lot of phone tag as they didn’t seem to answer the phone ever but because I was working I couldn’t always pick up when they called back.
What specific things went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
- Failed to call with results
How was your experience with Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
We felt she was thorough and helping us identify the issues as well as solutions. She followed up with us personally when she found out from the nurse that I was hesitant about the retrieval based on tests. She followed up directly when I had some slight concern of overstimulation (turned out I wasn’t ohss but she wanted to call to chat anyway). She called when she’d heard I was sick from the meds to see about adjusting them even though I’d commented I’d tough it out. She was available when we needed her by phone or office visit and was just really great to work with.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Don’t hold back on questions because she will draw pictures and explain everything you just have to ask. In the beginning I don’t think I asked as much, with nerves etc and so wish I had as she was so great at taking the time to explain things to us.
Describe the protocols Mili Thakur used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
We started with femara lightly and an IUI because we weren’t sure how severe the sperm motility was. She switched us to clomid and objectively gonalf to grow additional eggs and grow them more friendly to penetration by softer sperm as we didn’t have a lot of strength on our side. We tried different variations of that. We learned I react very very poorly to any progesterone and in the end canceled my retrieval to see what else could be tried safely before we did a retrieval and transfer.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Iui’s were broken between the lab and the insemination itself. Lab was $350, procedure $250 for a total of $600. Meds were usually sent to freedom pharmacy unless you requested otherwise. Consults were $350ish even though the nurse will always say on the phone 200 they always bill at the higher coding rate. Sperm analysis are $200, genetic testing is $100 for each spouse.
Describe Mili Thakur's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
We had heard the field was cutting back on transfers but our doctor said that they still transfer two if we really wanted it or if we’ve down more than one IVF already.
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10
Age
22 - 24
Treated
2017 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
9 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
PCOS
10
The strengths they [Fertility Center of Michigan] have are fast scheduling, prompt return calls, so caring and knowledgeable, great at explaining the next step. They have multiple doctors that you can see if your doctor isn't available and they are all great! When you call with questions they call you back within the hour and always answer all of your questions.... The nursing staff has been incredible! They make me feel comfortable and are genuinely concerned
+ Read more
Age
22 - 24
Treated
2017 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Other
Income
$0 - $49K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
9 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
PCOS
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
The strengths they have are fast scheduling, prompt return calls, so caring and knowledgeable, great at explaining the next step. They have multiple doctors that you can see if your doctor isn't available and they are all great! When you call with questions they call you back within the hour and always answer all of your questions.
I can't really think of any weaknesses at this point.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
He took the time to answer all of my questions and to explain the diagnosis of PCOS. He gave me hope with the treatment plan he decided and explained to me!
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nursing staff has been incredible! They make me feel comfortable and are genuinely concerned and so caring every time I call or come in for my appointments. They make the visits each month as enjoyable as they can be.
How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Dodds made me feel very comfortable and confident with his treatment plan. He told me all of the details and made me hopeful.
The only thing that I wish could have done differently is that he would have suggested the hsg test before I started the Femara.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Ask every question you can think of! There are no stupid questions!
Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
I had an ultrasound done and Dr. Dodds could tell that I had pcos. Because of the multiple cysts on my ovaries and infertility as well as some other symptoms he was confident with the diagnosis. He started me on Femara 5 mg for the first cycle. It worked but the second cycle we decided to add the trigger shot to take out the guess work of when I ovulate. Now this third cycle because I only had one follicle the previous two we increased my dosage to 7.5 of Femara with the trigger shot. I had one large follicle again. I have a consultation scheduled in a couple weeks if I am not pregnant to go over the next options.
Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
I paid everything out of pocket.
Consultation $250.
Ultrasound $200
Nurse consultation $75
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8
Age
33
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
9 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Unexplained
8
it is a nice sized clinic [The Fertility Center of MI-Kalamazoo] but it is kind of like a satellite clinic, they can do consultations,ultrasounds etc. there but for anything else you might need or want done ( IUI, HSG, IVF) you have to go to Grand Rapids to do. Which at times can make for time constraints especially for work hours. The clinic is also only open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday (which isn't a problem for me but I could see it causing issues for some people depending on their work schedule or commute time)
+ Read more
Age
33
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
3rd of 3 Docs
Treatment
9 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Unexplained
8
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
it is a nice sized clinic, but it is kind of like a satellite clinic, they can do consultations,ultrasounds etc. there but for anything else you might need or want done ( IUI, HSG, IVF) you have to go to Grand Rapids to do. Which at times can make for time constraints especially for work hours. The clinic is also only open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday (which isn't a problem for me but I could see it causing issues for some people depending on their work schedule or commute time)
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Dodds took the time to look at my information and decide what he thought was the best for me, he was caring but also to the point. He seemed sincere and concerned for my best interest in all aspects.
Describe your experience with your nurse at The Fertility Center of Michigan. (Assigned nurse: Amy)
Everyone was very sensitive and supportive, every time I go into the clinic I feel at ease and supported, everyone is very sensitive to the situation and you feel like they are all rooting for you to win
How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Dodds was very well spoken and personable, he told me the findings of my blood work and what was normal or abnormal and what he thought we needed to work on. He have me several different options as to what my next steps should be, but also rated them as what he would "suggest if I were his own child" . He made it very clear that he wanted to get me to what my husband and my goal of having a child in the most cost effective and healthy way possible.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
He is very open and will explain anything that you want/need.
Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
Dr. Dodds wants to try two cycles of hybrid medications with IUI to increase my chances of conceiving. I will be using Femara 5.0, and Gonal F at 450iu at 75iu per injection for a few days days, and a trigger shot of Ovidrel at 250 mcg/.5 ml He also gave me the success rates for all of the options that he gave me (such as, I could try Laproscopic surgery to check for endo but it would only increase my chances of conceiving by about 20%, or I could do the hybrid and IUI which on average 60% conceive within 3 cycles, or IVF which is a 60% change on the first try no matter if I have endo or anything else, with the added bonus of having egg retrieval and FET at the age of 32 instead of later in life, especially with my low ovarian reserve.
Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
with no insurance coverage, my consultation was around $240, ultrasound runs around $275, medication costs Femara $6, Ovidrel $100 Gonal-F $450, Initial consultation was $375, Blood work all together was around $600
Describe William Dodds's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
N/A
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9
Age
28 - 30
Treated
2017 - 2019
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
7 IUI
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Unexplained
9
The billing department and front desk staff [The Fertility Center of MI] have had billing miscommunications within their computer system. The front desk staff would have us pay off our entire balance and then I'd receive a bill for services we already paid for and they would say what we paid must have been applied to a different procedure balance. No one could actually identify the issue so we just paid what they said we owed and we haven't had a problem since.
+ Read more
Age
28 - 30
Treated
2017 - 2019
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
7 IUI
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Unexplained
9
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
The clinic has a lot of staff so you may not always be familiar with who you are speaking to. The billing department and front desk staff have had billing miscommunications within their computer system. The front desk staff would have us pay off our entire balance and then I'd receive a bill for services we already paid for and they would say what we paid must have been applied to a different procedure balance. No one could actually identify the issue so we just paid what they said we owed and we haven't had a problem since. The clinic is very clean and well organized. Be aware, that some fertility clinics have separate areas for those with no children and not pregnant and those who have children or currently pregnant, this is not one of those clinics. You will frequently walk into the waiting room where there are multiple children per family. Anyone of the more sensitive nature may feel uncomfortable.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Shavell was always kind and sensitive to the nature of our conversations. When it was time to delve into the more difficult news, the information was provided in an informing and caring manner. Our meetings weren't rushed. After providing a certain amount of information she always asked if I had any questions instead of dumping a ton of information at once and waiting until the end to ask if I had questions. It is always difficult to remember so much, but with the breaks for questioning between information, it made it feel more human and personable.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nursing staff was fairly easy to communicate with. In most cases I left voicemails for them and they would call back. Some of my messages may have been long and it seemed like they may not have listened to all of it at times. Regardless, they still answered my questions after getting them on the phone and mentioning it again.
The nurses carried out the IUIs and were as gentle as possible and comforting. They were able to provide information regarding the seman sample prewash and postwash prior to the IUI.
The IVF nurse who did my IVF consult was very thorough and informative.
What specific things went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
- Provided conflicting information
How was your experience with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Shavell was very thorough from the very first consultation. There was a lot of information to take in but it provided me with everything I needed to know and to further research myself. Any questions resulting from my research and conversations with others in similar situations were always received positively and answered appropriately no matter how silly some questions may have sounded. She was more available to the nurses than me, however. She did not conduct the 7 IUIs but still communicated with the nurses before starting the next round. Although she was not available to conduct my laparoscopy, she did my pre-op and post-op and made sure I was very comfortable and doing well. Most recently she did my sonohysterogram and mock embryo transfer and was very gentle and calming through the discomfort. She ensured all parts were in working fashion to proceed with IVF in the coming month.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
If you feel like you need a face to face meeting, do not be scared to call and make the appointment. It can be difficult playing phone tag with the nurses who have to communicate with the doctors and then back to you. It can be time consuming, especially if you miss phone calls due to work or other daily activities.
Describe the protocols Valerie Shavell used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
The first test I had completed was an HSG. Everything looked perfect with no signs of obstructions. Dr. Shavell mentioned there is some research showing women getting pregnant in the following three months. Unfortunately that was not the case for me.
We started a cycle of clomid in December 2017 with a trigger shot of Ovidrel followed with an IUI. A negative pregnancy was the result. We continued with the same protocol for 3 more IUIs. Dr. Shavell provided statistics that show IUIs increasing positive outcomes after 3 IUIs, again they all resulted in negative pregnancy tests.
We had a meeting with Dr. Shavell to discuss the next steps. She stated she would like to see my egg quantity and quality response with a protocol of pills and injectables with IUI. We switched to letrozole pills as I started having very bad headaches and long lasting nausea with clomid, and added Gonal F 75 IU daily, triggered with ovidrel followed with IUI. We did this for 2 rounds and both resulted in negative pregnancy tests. However, there was an increase in the number of follicles and size.
At this point I could not continue to see negative tests and chose to take a month off. We met again and discussed having a laparoscopy to inspect the outside of my anatomy. We had a good pre-op conversation consisting of laparoscopy information and IVF information. The laparoscopy resulted in finding and removing stage 2 endometriosis. Dr. Shavell wanted to try IUI again now that we found a potential cause. We did IUI with letrozole, gonal f, and ovidrel. Another negative pregnancy test.
That was the final IUI. Being that I was provided with IVF information a few months prior, I decided to schedule an IVF consultation in January 2019. The meeting was with an IVF nurse and she provided all the procedures,medication, and protocol information Dr. Shavell wants me to do.
I was scheduled for a Sonohysterogram and mock embryo transfer with Dr. Shavell February 7, 2019. Here she wanted to get a better view of inside the uterus to ensure there weren't fibroids, polyps, scar tissue or other abnormalities that would prevent implantation. Everything looked just fine for implantation and the mock transfer went smoothly as well.
Dr. Shavell will carry out my egg retrieval and embryo transfer in March 2019.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
We do not have infertility insurance, however we do have coverage for monitoring and some procedures such as the HSG and laparoscopy which resulted in significant savings.
Ultrasounds performed at one of their smaller locations (Mason) were typically $180 or $75 after insurance. However, if it was one of the Doctors that did the ultrasound as an ultrasound technician wasn't available, an extra $30 was added. If they were done at the Grand Rapids office, regardless of who did it, an extra $30 was tacked on. The bill would show it as a meeting, even though no meeting took place, it was just the ultrasound.
IUIs were out of pocket. For the semen wash and the procedure it was $500 per IUI, we did this 4 times. Pricing changed and the IUIs were then $600 per, we did this 3 more times.
The laparoscopy was a reasonable and fair price.
For IVF, we will be paying $9,867 just for the procedures. This price includes the $1,850 we paid for a case management fee. We have a $8,017 balance due at the end of February 2019.
Describe Valerie Shavell's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Dr. Shavell provided statistics on the success rates of single vs. Multiple embryo transfer along with specific criteria as to why a two embryo transfer is ideal for me. As I do not meat criteria for increased high risk pregnancy, we both agreed a two embryo transfer is ideal. She made sure to discuss the possibility of selective aborting if there were more than 2 or 3 developing babies.
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
0
Age
39 - 40
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
4 IUI
Diagnosis
Unexplained
0
Weaknesses: staff [The Fertility Ctr of MI] is not friendly, or welcoming. You are shuffled room to room for procedures and consults. No continuity in staff throughout a week let alone a cycle. ... It was obvious I had been crying. The staff checking me out, starting asking me about my bill, and a discrepancy with my insurance. ... It was a frustrating, confusing, stressful, and impersonal experience with the staff overall.
+ Read more
Age
39 - 40
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
4 IUI
Diagnosis
Unexplained
0
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Weaknesses: staff is not friendly, or welcoming. You are shuffled room to room for procedures and consults. No continuity in staff throughout a week let alone a cycle. I was crying with frustration in a consultation room once. I go myself back together and went to check out. It was obvious I had been crying. The staff checking me out, starting asking me about my bill, and a discrepancy with my insurance. I had fulfilled my deductible. She continued to ask for payment for services that were coming back as "going to deductible". I understand business, and this is one, but I was very obviously upset and it was not an appropriate time to ask for these things. This is still a very emotional journey.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
The entire office is impersonal, and you can see a different nurse, tech, or doctor each time. There is little to no consistency nor connection with your primary doctor. You are called through the same process each visit and can see others doing the same. I felt like cattle being processed for ultrasounds and IUIs. I was rarely referred to by name. Doctors who had performed IUIs on me, did not remember me from cycle to cycle. I once walked into the wrong consult room (down a long hallway, all doors look the same) and Dr. Dodds welcomed me in and asked me to sit down. He was in fact waiting for a different patient. He was not my Dr. that day, didn't recognize me, (note: he is considered my PRIMARY Dr. and has met me in-person) nor, apparently, the patient he was supposed to be waiting for. I excused myself and went to the Dr. I was seeing that day.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
A new person every time. The ultrasound techs were aloof and impersonal. They seemed upset to be there. The nursing staff would make recommendations or changes in the protocol which were in direct contradiction to the original protocol. I never felt confident when they told me to change the protocol b/c they did not seem sure or confident when I questioned why we were changing. It was a frustrating, confusing, stressful, and impersonal experience with the staff overall.
What specific things went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Failed to call with results
- Failed to order appropriate test
- Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
- Provided conflicting information
- Failed to convey critical information
How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Upon meeting Dr. Dodds, he quickly explained to me that I had two options due to my age (39y.o.): 1) The "European method". He explained this as "...if you want a baby ASAP, I can get you one using IVF. I call it the European method because it's cheaper and used more often in Europe. It's like the deluxe package". Or we could go the 2). Conservative route. Which would be try more medicated cycles and then IUIs and see what we could get to happen. But that we had maybe a 15-30% chance of ever conceiving this way. I was, and still am, diagnosed as Unexplained Infertility. I do not have PCOS, endometriosis, or diminished ovarian reserve, I ovulate regularly, am healthy, and all tests have come back in good range. I believe the only reason he said IVF was my best option is my age. He in no way was interested in discovering why we are unable to conceive. At one time he used the phrase "Well it's a good thing that's how the good Lord made you!" when discussing female reproductive anatomy. He commented on how "great" my husband's sperm analysis was several times. He called him an "overachiever". I left feeling hopeless, pressured to spend anywhere from $10-25,000 for IVF with them, and that my body was a complete failure. I never met with him in person again. I went through 4 IUI cycles in which he supposedly read the monitoring reports and made recommendations. It took me changing Drs to get a new protocol. He would have kept running the same thing over and over, even though we got no better results each time.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Go in confident. Do not let him pressure you to make decisions. Ask questions, and ask them again. Ask that you see him in person once in awhile to check in. Ask if he personally is monitoring your cycle. I doubt he will, but I wish I had demanded it more.
Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
My first medicated cycle, he had me do 100mg of Clomid days 3-7. I produced 6-8 mature follicles. They recommended we switch to timed intercourse rather than IUI to avoid multiples. Then, I used 50 and 100 mg of Clomid days 3-7 (alternating days), with transvaginal monitoring on Day 1, and then closer to ovulation. We hoped to get 3-5 follicles of good size. I produced these each time, with some of them getting to a very large size---38mm was my largest. Ovidril was used to trigger ovulation and IUI was performed around 24-36 hrs later. I used progesterone the day following and for the next 14 days. I was not told that progesterone could stop my period from coming and I needed to stop after a negative test in order to allow myself to bleed. This lead to quite a bit of disappointment and heartache right off the bat. By the time we came to IUI #3, my lining was severely thinning due to the Clomid. I then started using estradiol to help build my lining. No pregnancies resulted from all 4 IUIs I had done.
Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
With medications, consults, 4 IUIs, etc. about $7,000. A 10 min conversation with the Dr following my ultrasound would cost me about $150 each time. Ultrasound: $120 ea. IUI: $1200 +.
Describe William Dodds's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
N/A
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9
Age
32 - 33
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
7 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Unexplained
9
It is still very early in my treatment at the clinic [FC - MI] but so far I can say that they are very organized but also very busy. Some of the hours are a little strange but I also work a kind of first/second shift job so I have some odd hours open. ... When setting up my first appointment I was given a range of about how much my visit would cost ... hey were very helpful and compassionate, they made sure that any questions I had were answered and that I had everything I needed.
+ Read more
Age
32 - 33
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
7 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Unexplained
9
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
It is still very early in my treatment at the clinic but so far I can say that they are very organized but also very busy. Some of the hours are a little strange but I also work a kind of first/second shift job so I have some odd hours open.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Thakur was very direct but also very compassionate. She sincerely seemed concerned that I was having trouble conceiving, and wants to figure out why.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
They were very helpful and compassionate, they made sure that any questions I had were answered and that I had everything I needed.
How was your experience with Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
It is still very early in my treatment, but compared to how I was treated at my OB/GYN I am very happy, she sat down with me and gave me numbers and what those numbers meant and what she wanted to do and how I was supposed to do it. She also was very compassionate, and explained that there are several different factors that could be at play and to conceive they all need to work in sync.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
This is a new experience, don't expect the same experience.
Describe the protocols Mili Thakur used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
I am still very new to the clinic and Dr. Thakur, but we are trying 3 cycles of femara using OPK's with an optimal trigger shot to begin because I was able to conceive once on a clomid cycle ( but it resulted in a chemical pregnancy). I was also put on synthroid because my absorption rate was "normal" but hypo for someone who is TTC.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
My insurance does not cover any costs. When setting up my first appointment I was given a range of about how much my visit would cost so that I would be prepared and then at my visit I was given a sheet that broke down the clinic costs for visits, procedures, and most medications.
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10
Age
27 - 28
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Anovulation, Male Factor, PCOS, Poor Egg Quality
10
Nurses [The Fertility Ctr of Michigan] kind and compassionate, with you every step of the way. Detailed in keeping you updated on the plan and details for each new cycle. Staff communicate well with each other and with me.... They met me after each of my appointments to go over the next plan and future appointments which was appreciated. They were efficient at calling me back the same day, and working to make sure they retrieved any labs taken outside of the clinic.
+ Read more
Age
27 - 28
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Anovulation, Male Factor, PCOS, Poor Egg Quality
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Thorough and understanding doctors with lots of experience. Nurses kind and compassionate, with you every step of the way. Detailed in keeping you updated on the plan and details for each new cycle. Staff communicate well with each other and with me.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
My calls were answered quickly, my questions were taken seriously and given thorough answers, the processes were explained in great detail as well as printed out, the staff grieved with me with each negative pregnancy test, they also helped me find the cheapest pharmacy to get medications by cash. I also had a nurse meet with me at the end of each ultrasound/consultation to go over the plan and next steps.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
They met me after each of my appointments to go over the next plan and future appointments which was appreciated. They were efficient at calling me back the same day, and working to make sure they retrieved any labs taken outside of the clinic. They were kind and compassionate and I appreciated them greatly at critical moments during my treatments.
What specific things went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
- Provided conflicting information
How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Dodd’s is a great person and doctor. He doesn’t rush through the appointment and thoroughly answers each question with years of experience clearly behind each thoughtful answer. He is understanding that this is a difficult and sensitive time for patients, especially the woman. He is kind and detailed, with every script and note written, never missing one single fact. At the first appointment we talked about our personal lives, careers, and families including both his own and ours - which set the tone for each future appointment, making it feel like we were just meeting with a friend. We also met in casual settings that didn’t feel like a “doctor’s office” which contributed to our comfort. He is clearly close with his staff, which helped us trust him and all the staff at the fertility clinic, knowing they were a team all together supporting us.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Great doctor- he has perfect bedside
Manner and is excellent at his profession.
Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
I had tried clomid prior to seeing Dr. Dodd, and he explained that IN femara studies it have been shown to work better than clomid for pcos which I have. We tried femara twice which I ovulated with based on occupations tests and a progesterone level. On the second round I didn’t get a positive ovulation test so I added ovidrel in the third and fourth cycles to ensure good ovulation. On the third and fourth cycles we did a mid cycles ultrasound Which showed that my uterine lining was getting smaller, and on the fourth round, which I had increased the dose of femara on, I was still only getting one follicle, so we have decided to move on to injectable with ovidrel and IUI which I am doing now. He explained that injectables will stimulate more eggs and thus increase chances of pregnancy. He also said iui doesn’t increase your chances by much, but we still wanted to try this during these injectable cycles as we will do 3 of them and then move to IVF.
Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
$300 for each ultrasound - which were multiple in some cycles. $600 -iui. $500 - first months dose of gonal f. $50 - femara. $50- metformin.
Describe William Dodds's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Dr. Dodd’s suggested a 2 embryo transfer as that will increase our chances of success, with a reasonable chance of a multiple pregnancy. Also is it obviously a very expensive procedure, so that is to be considered.
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8
Age
34
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
8
They [staff at The Fertility Center of Michigan] seemed to care about our situation and we're hopeful with helping us on our infertility journey...[nurses were] Very helpful with any situation. Always returned my calls when I had any questions I had regarding our procedure to make sure I was still following our plan and things were progressing normally...The only thing was when we had our miscarriage after our first IVF procedure [at The Fertility Center of Michigan] it was much harder to receive help...
+ Read more
Age
34
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Other
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
8
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Great at providing a way to get pregnant. Offers many more options and insight that regular ob's are not able to do. The only thing was when we had our miscarriage after our first IVF procedure it was much harder to receive help. There were other circumstances and factors that occurred during this time which made it more difficult. In hindsight I would have found a better OB sooner to help with the process.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
They seemed to care about our situation and we're hopeful with helping us on our infertility journey.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
Very helpful with any situation. Always returned my calls when I had any questions I had regarding our procedure to make sure I was still following our plan and things were progressing normally.
How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Was very knowledgeable and seemed honest with us every time we spoke. He seemed to really want to help us with our family and offered different suggestions we could take. He left a lot up to us on how quickly we wanted to move forward and supported any decisions we made for our treatments.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Don't be afraid to ask questions.
Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
We started with 3 rounds of femara resulted all negative pregnancy tests, had an HSG done results were normal. I started IVF procedures with injections in the morning and also in the evening. I don't remember every injection but was closely monitored by blood work and ultrasounds every other day. Once we got the okay I had a trigger shot and another injection. We had our egg retrieval and got 22 follicles 18 were mature, 14 were fertilized, 2 were implanted and 11 were frozen. We resulted in a positive pregnancy but at the 6 week ultrasound it wasn't looking good. I continued to take progesterone injections and at our follow up ultrasound we found both embryos implanted but we're not viable and I miscarried.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
I was given a few options based on availability and I picked what I was able to do between my work schedule and office hours.
Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
With our original insurance we had all of our procedures covered outside of a minor copay for each appointment. With our new insurance they do not work with so everything is now out of pocket even though our current insurance offers fertility treatments the same as our previous insurance it's just now out of network.
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10
Age
26 - 27
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
3 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
They [staff at The Fertility Center of Michigan] are pretty good at listening to what the patient wants and what they expect. They have been known to run late, i think we've been taken back on time 3 times in total out of all of our apppintments. Front desk is always kind and knows us by name, billing had been a dream to work with, makes things easy! And the embryo RN has been unbelievable! She has really been there for us. We've emailed back and forth countless times, everytime my questions get answered.
+ Read more
Age
26 - 27
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Other
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Overall the clinic is very warm and inviting. They are currently short staffed, so it can take time to hear back from someone which can be hard at times but that is out of their control. They are pretty good at listening to what the patient wants and what they expect. They have been known to run late, i think we've been taken back on time 3 times in total out of all of our apppintments. Front desk is always kind and knows us by name, billing had been a dream to work with, makes things easy! And the embryo RN has been unbelievable! She has really been there for us. We've emailed back and forth countless times, everytime my questions get answered.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Valerie always made time to talk with us, in person or via phone. She was kind and compassionate and never was trying to answer questions quickly just to get us iut the door.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
Some were amazing, some were there because it is there job. But more good than bad.
How was your experience with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Valerie has always been very warm anf compassionate. In the beginning we did state we wanted to do embryo adoption right off the bat and were told to do 3 iuis first, which all failed which was discouraging. We wasted a lot of money and time for it not to work. But shavell has always been reassuring and positive!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
She is almost overly kind sometimes, but thats important when dealing with such sensitive topics.
Describe the protocols Valerie Shavell used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
First IUI was a natural cycle and it failed. Second cycle we used clomid and trigger shot, it was very hard to get through my uterus and ended up having to do an ultrasound, that cycle failed.
Third cycle was clomid, estrace, and trigger shot with ultrasound guidance, that failed as well. All 3 cycles were with donor sperm.
I just started week 2 of lupron shots as we start our frozen embryo adoption cycle.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Expensive! But in Michigan most insurance doesn't over anything for infertility. Ive had 4 or 5 ultrasounds each being between $275-$350. 3 iuis each $550, multiple appointments ranging from $200-500 each time. Medications have been about $900 so far, male factor testing has been almost $2,000, my testing has been about the same at $2,000. We just paid almost $10,000 for embryo adoption.
Describe Valerie Shavell's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Valerie recommended a single transfer due to my age but was VERY receptive that we wanted to transfer 2, and we will be transfering 2 hopefully in May
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8
Age
36 - 37
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
4 IUI
Diagnosis
Unexplained
8
you're always seeing someone different [at The Fertility Center of Michigan] so there's bound to be conflicting information...After four rounds of clomid, I've now been told that clomid can actually cause a thin lining, which was my issue, so now I've switched to Femera for the last two cycles and that really helped thicken my lining...I would estimate that each IUI costs around $1000 including drugs, ultrasounds, and procedure.
+ Read more
Age
36 - 37
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
—
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Sales Representative
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
4 IUI
Diagnosis
Unexplained
8
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
I think they do a good job for the most part. The reception staff is very sweet. The medical assistants, ultrasound techs, etc. are really compassionate and willing to do whatever they can to help you out.
The one thing I would change if I could, is being able to see my primary doctor/nurse for every appointment/procedure. They are so busy that you basically just see whoever is available. Which makes sense since fertility is such a time sensitive thing and comes down to the day you're ovulating so they can't always be available for you, but another doctor/nurse always is.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Shavell is great and really spends the time to help my husband and I by explaining everything and letting us ask a ton of questions.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
They are wonderful. I've communicated a lot with Kristy and Lori over the phone. They are very knowledgable and caring. I've also seen Erica quite a few times in the office to go over protocols and she's great too.
What specific things went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
- Provided conflicting information
- Failed to consider drug intolerance
How was your experience with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Shavell is so compassionate she almost comes off as meek in the consult room, which might be good for some people, but I prefer a doctor to be blunt and tell me like it is. She did perform surgery when I had an ectopic pregnancy and she's much more to the point in the operating room so I was happy with that and she did a great job.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
I would suggest going into an appointment prepared with lots of questions to ask. I've done a lot of my own research and make lists of things I want to ask her about.
Describe the protocols Valerie Shavell used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
I've done 4 IUI's under Dr. Shavell's primary care. At the Fertility Center you basically see whichever doctor or nurse is available during your procedures though so a lot of these protocols were assigned by other providers.
Each IUI cycle started with Clomid cycle days 3-5, midcycle ultrasound ~day 10-12, IUI ~day 13-15.
The first two were negative. The third IUI was positive, but resulted in an ectopic pregnancy found at the 6 week ultrasound. Dr. Shavell recommended methotrexate to terminate the pregnancy. That was followed by two weeks of Beta HCG blood tests every few days and my numbers weren't going down. She recommended a second dose of methotrexate over surgery and that was also ineffective. Two weeks later I finally had surgery to remove the ectopic pregnancy and my fallopian tube. After methotrexate you have to wait 3 months to conceive and then the first month we could try, I was ovulating on the side my tube was removed from. After many months of waiting, we just did our 4th IUI this week so hoping for a positive result!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
I would estimate that each IUI costs around $1000 including drugs, ultrasounds, and procedure. They don't bill insurance for the male portion, which is $350 for the cleaning and storage of the sperm. But they've billed my insurance for everything else and majority of it has been covered by Blue Care Network. I don't think BCN covers anything for IVF though.
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10
Age
39 - 40
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
4 IUI
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
10
The nurses [at The Fertility Center of Michigan] are fabulous!! They are great in handling not only the physical aspects of infertility, but also the emotional ones. They remind you to be gentle with yourself and were always my biggest cheerleaders!...Iui’s were not covered and totaled $600...The clinic has multiple locations, but most of the bigger procedures take place in Grand Rapids. The clinic is clean, inviting, and the staff is always friendly. It would be nice if the hours at the clinics were more conducive to work schedules with later appointments. With that being said, the schedulers always did their best to find an appointment that supported times I had available so that I did not have to take a lot of time off of work.
+ Read more
Age
39 - 40
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Other
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
4 IUI
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
The clinic has multiple locations, but most of the bigger procedures take place in Grand Rapids. The clinic is clean, inviting, and the staff is always friendly. It would be nice if the hours at the clinics were more conducive to work schedules with later appointments. With that being said, the schedulers always did their best to find an appointment that supported times I had available so that I did not have to take a lot of time off of work.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Doctor Dodd personally called me when I had concerns and worries about my plan. He is very kind and gentle during this tumultuous journey
Describe your experience with your nurse at The Fertility Center of Michigan. (Assigned nurse: Amy )
The nurses are fabulous!! They are great in handling not only the physical aspects of infertility, but also the emotional ones. They remind you to be gentle with yourself and were always my biggest cheerleaders!
How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Doctor Dodd is very knowledgeable about the latest research, is kind with good and bad news, is honest and goes out of the way to make a patient feel heard and clarified anything that you ask. Dr. Dodd never made me feel as though my fertility and dream of a family was a lost cause. I knew my age was a factor and he always found a way to help me through the emotions.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
He is honest and will do his best to even be honest and supportive when the news isn’t always positive. Ask questions! He appreciates it and will do his best to answer to the fullest
Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
Injections- he said that my diminished ovarian reserve needed more of “the Cadillac treatment” the best medicine. Iui’s- two were successful but resulted in early miscarriages. Dr. Dodd’s reviewed the plan each time and is continuing to support me on my journey with the latest research
Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
My insurance covered most of the meds- I paid $40 for each med order. Iui’s were not covered and totaled $600
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10
Age
32
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
Anovulation, PCOS
10
I have been going to the clinic [Fertility Ctr of MI] since 2014, I have never thought about switching facilities because they do treat you awesome there. They pretty much know you by name and make you feel right at home. They are overall really on top of things and know what they are doing.... Overall the nursing staff was great and showed empathy. Only one incident there was a ultrasound tech who said something I thought was a little insensitive but that could’ve just been me being overly sensitive
+ Read more
Age
32
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
South Asian
Income
$0 - $49K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
Anovulation, PCOS
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
I have been going to the clinic since 2014, I have never thought about switching facilities because they do treat you awesome there. They pretty much know you by name and make you feel right at home. They are overall really on top of things and know what they are doing. Also ver clean
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
I have just switched to Dr shavelle this year although I have been going to their clinic since 2014, I thought maybe I’d give another doc a try to maybe get a 2nd opinion. I had a consult with her in feb and loved how personable she is and made me feel at ease and not just another number. I wish I had seen her sooner as maybe we could’ve moved further had I known facts sooner. Its been a long 5 years.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
Overall the nursing staff was great and showed empathy. Only one incident there was a ultrasound tech who said something I thought was a little insensitive but that could’ve just been me being overly sensitive
How was your experience with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
I officially got diagnosed with infertility 2014. I seen Dr Dodds. He was witty and nice but for a long time I just progressing and doing the same medications over. On my 5th year I decided to stay at the same clinic but try a woman specialist to see maybe if she had a different opinion. I had a consult with her and she wrote up a new plan for me and was very personable. She could tell I was a little discouraged but made me feel at ease and not embarassed or uncomfortable. My only regret is not seeking her out sooner as my result who knows might’ve been a pregnancy already. All the money could’ve went towards ivf if I had known facts sooner and understood.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Be patient as always. You will love her
Describe the protocols Valerie Shavell used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
We looked at my history since 2014. I did countless clomid/femara cycles. I did a couple rounds of ovidrel and one round of follistim. This time after meeting with her she wrote up a plan to first get new bloodwork on everything. Found out I am a probable candidate for PCOS, have high liver enzymes and high blood sugar. Had me meet with my OBGYN to take metformin to level everything out. Had me do an hsg again, and for two cycles use a higher dosage for femara and do 2 iui’s before discussing ivf again. Although no pregnancy I have never had 2 months in a row with mature follicles so I’m thinking the higher dosage of femara has helped. Moving forward I have another consult at the end of this month about ivf. Not sure what the cost and fees are as I’m a little nervous because we have spend so much money on the other medications and feel hopeless. Hoping I will be qualitfied foe this grant, will be life changing
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5
Age
32 - 33
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
8 IUI, 1 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Anovulation, PCOS, Uterine Fibroids
5
I really have nothing great to say about the nurses [Fertility Center of MI]. None of them were particularly friendly. They never took the time to get to know us and never remembered us. We honestly had to explain our situation at every appointment. The ultrasound tech, Jillian, was the only one I felt comfortable with. Almost always when calling I had to leave a message and they would usually wait until the end of the day to return my call. They often returned it after they shut their phones off (at 3:30pm!) and if I didn't catch their call I would have to wait until the following day to speak with them.
+ Read more
Age
32 - 33
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
8 IUI, 1 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Anovulation, PCOS, Uterine Fibroids
5
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
You have to strongly advocate for yourself. You will get lost in the mountain of patients otherwise. If you feel like the treatment they have you on isn't working, speak up. They let us keep going until we said "stop". We were 8 IUIs in when we finally realized this.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Every time we met with a nurse or doctor, we had to explain everything to them. They almost never remembered that we were using donor sperm... I hated repeating that over and over. Not a single person in 2 years remembered our names.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
I really have nothing great to say about the nurses. None of them were particularly friendly. They never took the time to get to know us and never remembered us. We honestly had to explain our situation at every appointment. The ultrasound tech, Jillian, was the only one I felt comfortable with. Almost always when calling I had to leave a message and they would usually wait until the end of the day to return my call. They often returned it after they shut their phones off (at 3:30pm!) and if I didn't catch their call I would have to wait until the following day to speak with them. It was extremely frustrating, especially when we are dealing with a time sensitive issue.
What specific things went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Failed to call with results
- Provided conflicting information
- Failed to convey critical information
How was your experience with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Young is a very knowledgeable guy. He has a very dry sense of humor but he always made me feel comfortable. He always explained everything pretty clearly but it never seemed like he was talking down to us. He keeps an extremely tidy office, which seems to be rare for most doctors I have visited. He has a very steady hand and that always made me feel more at ease with him.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Ask as many questions as you can think of, he will answer them all. Don't ever leave, wishing you had the courage to ask something that may seem dumb. He will take his time and explain everything to you.
Describe the protocols James Young used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
For IUI- We did femara along with injectables to hopefully get a better number of mature eggs without the extra cost of doing all injectables. For 3 cycles that worked. On the 4th and 5th, we had absolutely no response to the meds and the IUI was cancelled. All 3 cycles produced negative results. We also used the ovidrel trigger shot 24 hours before IUI.
IVF- we started with birth control the month before to hopefully "align" the follicles. We began the cycle with Gonal-F and Menopur, added lupron to prevent early ovulation. When the majority of the follicles reach 18-20mm, we used an HCG trigger. Exactly 35 hours, we had the egg retrieval. The 12 eggs were fertilized using ICSI and 7 actually fertilized. All 7 made it to day 2, two 4 cell "day two embryos" were transferred and the other 5 were frozen. Both embryos implanted but only one progressed to have a heartbeat, the other disappeared over the next 16 weeks. We gave birth to a healthy son at 38 weeks.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
IUI procedure was about $400
Full ivf was about $12,000
Describe James Young's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
They explained it to us but really left the choice up to us. They allowed us to transfer 2
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10
Age
34 - 38
Treated
2015 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
3 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
PCOS, Unexplained
10
When you call to make an appointment [at the Fertility Center of Michigan] you can generally get in right away. Once you are a patient and going thru treatments making future appointments is easy and you can get in right away. If you call and leave a voicemail for their nursing staff with a question, they get back to you immediately.... The nurses also show care and compassion to myself and other patients taking into consideration how sensitive and private infertility treatments are.
+ Read more
Age
34 - 38
Treated
2015 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Sales Representative
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
PCOS, Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
When you call to make an appointment you can generally get in right away. Once you are a patient and going thru treatments making future appointments is easy and you can get in right away.
If you call and leave a voicemail for their nursing staff with a question, they get back to you immediately.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr Dodds shows compassion and care while working with me as a patient. Paying close attention to how sensitive this is for anyone going thru infertility treatments. He truly shows care and is an amazing doctor.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nurses also show care and compassion to myself and other patients taking into consideration how sensitive and private infertility treatments are. They are also gentle while doing ultrasounds and make you feel comfortable.
How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
While meeting with Dr. Dodds he goes over everything with you slowly and carefully to be sure that you understand. He shows care and compassion during your visit and knows how sensitive it is for anyone going thru infertility treatments.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
If you are struggling with infertility see Dr. Dodds. He will be with you every step of the way.
Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
We did 3 timed intercourse cycles. First and second cycles were with clomid and Ovidrel. Third cycle was a hybrid where I was on clomid, did the gonal-f and there was no success. So they stair stepped it with femara and it was successful with follicle growth. Gave and Ovidrel shot with progesterone.
Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Depending on your type of insurance, an ultrasound would cost $45, a 5 day dose of Gonal-F would cost $750. Clomid $10. Ovidreal $75
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9
Age
30 - 34
Treated
2014 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
4 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Poor Egg Quality
9
I felt that [The Fertility Center of Michigan] was thorough during our treatments and were compassionate during our miscarriage. The only improvement I would like to see is that the doctors do not seem like they are in a rush during consultation. I did feel rushed during those meetings...Nurse Sandy is an absolutely wonderful nurse and person! She went above and beyond for me and she was my rock through this whole process! She always made sure I understand all the meds and process and would take multiple calls from me while I was panicking and always made me feel better.
+ Read more
Age
30 - 34
Treated
2014 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Other
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Sales Representative
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
4 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Poor Egg Quality
9
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
They are all friendly and accommodating. They are very open and will share their infertility stories with their patients. I do feel it would help the financial stress of this process if they allowed payment plans.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
I felt that the fertility center was thorough during our treatments and were compassionate during our miscarriage. The only improvement I would like to see is that the doctors do not seem like they are in a rush during consultation. I did feel rushed during those meetings.
Describe your experience with your nurse at The Fertility Center of Michigan. (Assigned nurse: Sandy)
Nurse Sandy is an absolutely wonderful nurse and person! She went above and beyond for me and she was my rock through this whole process! She always made sure I understand all the meds and process and would take multiple calls from me while I was panicking and always made me feel better.
How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Dodd’s was very friendly and informative every step of the way. He was very compassionate when we had a miscarriage. He did adjust our meds protocol for our second retrieval which we had wonderful results with. However, I did always feel rushed during our consults.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Be prepared with all your questions for him. So you feel informed of the process you are about to endure.
Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
We started with IUI and gonal f shots. All resulting in a negative pregnancy test. We moved onto IVF and the first retrieval gave us 4 embryos. We transferred two and I became pregnant with a singleton resulting in a miscarriage at 9weeks pregnant. We then transferred the last two 4 months laters, which resulted in a negative pregnancy test. A year later we started the retrieval process again and this time the started the drugs at a stronger dose to jump start my follicles and we received 9 embryos at a 3 day blast. We transferred 2 and one embryo split and I was pregnant with triplets. Unfortunately at 10 weeks I lost the faturnal Twins. However my 3rd baby grew strong and we now have a 6 week beautiful baby girl!
Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
8,000 for the ART program. 5,000 medication 2,000 blood work /ultrasounds, etc.
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10
Age
38 - 41
Treated
2015 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
4 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
The Fertility Center is extremely knowledgeable and compassionate. Two qualities that are important and needed when a family is going through such a personal and sometimes devastating struggle to make their family bigger...Each one [nurse] again showed compassion and care for our story. Some of them had their own stories which helped to know they sort of knew the struggle we felt...We were very happy Dr. Dodds allowed us to transfer 3 embryos on two separate occasions due to my age and my biological clock running out.
+ Read more
Age
38 - 41
Treated
2015 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
4 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
The Fertility Center is extremely knowledgeable and compassionate. Two qualities that are important and needed when a family is going through such a personal and sometimes devastating struggle to make their family bigger.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
He seemed to really care and wanted us to have a family almost as badly as we wanted to have one.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
Each one again showed compassion and care for our story. Some of them had their own stories which helped to know they sort of knew the struggle we felt.
How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
We felt like family with Dr. Dodds. I think he truly cares about our story and knows how badly we wanted a family. On the visits we didn't see Dr. Dodds, we saw exceptional and caring Drs I felt like if I ever needed to talk to Dr. Dodds about something he would make sure he was there for me. You can tell he has been doing this for a long time and creating families is his passion.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Keep going. What you are doing is a team effort with Dr. Dodd's. He will do his part and you will need to do your part.
Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
My husband and I had been trying to conceive for 4 years prior to seeing Dr. Dodd's. We had tried several IUI's with my OBGYN. One resulted in a pregnancy that ended in a stillbirth at 30 weeks. We never got pregnant on our own or any other time trying IUI with my OBGYN.
In the consult with Dr. Dodd's, he talked about trying IUI twice with Clomyd before moving to more intensive treatment. I got pregnant and then miscarried with my first IUI treatment with Dr. Dodds. He then allowed me to try more than 2 IUI's, knowing I was able to get pregnant with the first round. After the 4th or 6th (can't remember how many we did) IUI that year, he then suggested we move to IVF due to my age of 38. My husband and I were hesitant due to the cost. We soon realized we needed to take the next step to IVF. We contacted Dr. Dodd's to let him know we wanted to take the next step and then it moved fast from there. We did the egg retrieval a couple of months later and did a live embryo transfer (3 embryos) two days later. We froze the 5 remaining. I had a successful pregnancy and gave birth to our son at 36 weeks and 5 days in May 2017. We then did an embryo transfer of 3 frozen embryos in March/April 2018 that resulted in a negative pregnancy test. Then in August 2018 we transferred our last 2 frozen embryos with a IUI two days prior to the embryo transfer. This round resulted in a positive pregnancy test. We soon found out we were pregnant with twins. Then I miscarried the twins at 7 weeks. At that point I was done trying due to my age and all that we had been through. We are happy with our son in heaven and our son on this earth. We are so grateful to Dr. Dodds, Dr. Shavell and Dr. Thakur for all their support and care they provided through our treatments. They showed compassion and humanity and some of their own personal stories. I can not say enough good things about The Fertility Center's team of doctors.
Describe William Dodds's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
We were very happy Dr. Dodds allowed us to transfer 3 embryos on two separate occasions due to my age and my biological clock running out.
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10
Age
28
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
This clinic [Fertility Ctr of Michigan] is very great at accommodating to every patients needs. They will even open on weekend to preform necessary procedures to ensure your best chances at conceiving. The clinic is very great at making sure each step to your journey is done on time and correctly by helping you set up appointments and also setting reminders by giving you a set outline....The nursing staff were all very nice and considerate of the patients feelings. They know that infertility is a stressful thing to endure so they would always be sure to smile and make you feel warm and welcomed in the atmosphere.
+ Read more
Age
28
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European, Latino
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
This clinic is very great at accommodating to every patients needs. They will even open on weekend to preform necessary procedures to ensure your best chances at conceiving. The clinic is very great at making sure each step to your journey is done on time and correctly by helping you set up appointments and also setting reminders by giving you a set outline. I strongly feel like I did not ever experience any weaknesses with this clinic, everything was great.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
She made me feel very welcomed and made me feel like she too was eager to help reach our dream of becoming parents. She started right in on what was needed to do so and started treatments right away, she was very genuine and caring throughout everything.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nursing staff were all very nice and considerate of the patients feelings. They know that infertility is a stressful thing to endure so they would always be sure to smile and make you feel warm and welcomed in the atmosphere.
How was your experience with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Shavell is very caring and considerate. She will do everything that she can to help her patients conceive. She is very empathetic to situations and explains in detail different options to choose from when one doesn't work.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Don't stress and stay calm, everything is very face passed and starts immediately after your consultation. This is to ensure things get to moving and to help you reach your dreams of parenthood as fast as possible.
Describe the protocols Valerie Shavell used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
When we first started our journey with the fertility center, Dr. Shavell had me do blood work and also go in for an ultra sound to check the lining of my uterus and what not. She then proscribed me with femara, I was to take it cycle day 3-7. I was monitored with more ultra sounds making sure I was producing eggs and that follicle sizes were where they needed to be. She stated that we could use a trigger shot or ovulation test to see when ovulation occurred. We used ovulation tests and once I got a positive we were to head to the clinic to preform the IUI procedure. On the day of the procedure my husbands count was unfortunately low but Dr. Shavell reassured me that it only takes one, so we went ahead and tried. We however did not convince but we have been on the course of increasing my husbands count with seeing a urologist and him also being on clomid. We hope to try for another IUI here soon!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
My insurance through my work unfortunately is very limited to what it will cover fertility wise. Some medications were covered like the femara along with ultra sounds. However the IUI procedure was not covered but Dr. Shavell worked with us tremendously with that.
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9
Age
30
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
9
It's a nice environment in a great location. The interior [Fertility Ctr of MI] is modern, but comfortable and welcoming. They offer beverages and have couches. Front desk staff is kind. It did not take long to get an appointment scheduled after being referred. It is a professional environment.... I have not had much interaction with the nurses. I have with multiple MA's and they are not very warm. Clinically they are fine.
+ Read more
Age
30
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
9
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
It's a nice environment in a great location. The interior is modern, but comfortable and welcoming. They offer beverages and have couches. Front desk staff is kind. It did not take long to get an appointment scheduled after being referred. It is a professional environment.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Mostly like a human. It was more the MA's that made me feel like a number, than the doctors. The consultation was less warm than the following procedures.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
I have not had much interaction with the nurses. I have with multiple MA's and they are not very warm. Clinically they are fine.
How was your experience with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Shavell is to the point, and obviously extremely intelligent and well educated. I'm a person that wants everything explained in detail as I want to absorb all the information I can. I could have asked more questions, but I wish she had approached us without thinking we were as familiar as why she would suggest some of the procedures. I wanted the detailed reasons why. She is very kind, which is very important to me. I have met with her twice, and am scheduled with her in 1.5 weeks.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Ask your questions, she gives you time.
Describe the protocols Valerie Shavell used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
I'm diagnosed with recurrent pregnancy loss after three miscarriages. Dr. Shavell suggested a saline sonohysterogram and a endometrial biopsy. The SHG was to check for scar tissue after two D&C's 7 days apart. The biopsy was to make sure the infection (endometritis) in my endometrium was resolved. Both came back normal and great, thankfully.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Cost has been fine as my insurance has covered appointments and procedures. Thanks to the staff that scheduled the two procedures, she made sure they were scheduled on two different days. Otherwise my insurance only would have covered one. That was a great experience. One negative experience was the Counsyl genetic testing they recommended; I had already had karyotype testing; so, I don't know if it was even necessary, but the MA gave me inaccurate information about being able to cancel the testing when I received an email from Counsyl. Thankfully Counsyl worked with me. I am slightly irritated they do not accept Tricare. My husband is a veteran and in the national guard and soon I will be on his insurance.
Describe Valerie Shavell's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
does not apply
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
Age
32 - 39
Treated
2011 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
4 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Anovulation, Male Factor, Unexplained
10
[Fertility Center of MI's] Weakness: The cost. We have some insurance coverage for treatment (meds, labs, ultrasounds, etc) but the IUIs, Retrieval and FETs all come out of pocket for us. They have a Family Building Fund, but you only if you make less than a certain amount of income, so we don’t qualify for help. Strengths: Everything else. This long, almost 8 year journey that we are still on has been more bearable because of the kind and compassionate care that we have received from everyone in the office
+ Read more
Age
32 - 39
Treated
2011 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
4 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Anovulation, Male Factor, Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Weakness: The cost. We have some insurance coverage for treatment (meds, labs, ultrasounds, etc) but the IUIs, Retrieval and FETs all come out of pocket for us. They have a Family Building Fund, but you only if you make less than a certain amount of income, so we don’t qualify for help. Strengths: Everything else. This long, almost 8 year journey that we are still on has been more bearable because of the kind and compassionate care that we have received from everyone in the office
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
We have been seeing Dr Young since 2011. He has always taken his time with us, explaining every little detail. He remembers what my husband and I do for a living and what we do for fun. When we lost our daughter at 19 weeks, he called us and shared his condolences. When our last FET failed, he was just as confused and sad that it didn’t work and ordered tests to make sure he wasn’t missing anything before we attempt our last transfer. I may cry in our talks, but I always end up smiling by the time I leave his office.
Describe your experience with your nurse at The Fertility Center of Michigan. (Assigned nurse: Julie S, Julie M, and Ashley)
All of the nurses that I have interacted with have been amazing. Kind, caring, answering all of my questions and returning calls in an incredibly timely manner. They have made this whole journey incredibly more tolerable
How was your experience with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
There is seriously nothing that My husband and I don’t like about Dr Young. He seems truly vested in us creating our family. When he is doing procedures he walks us through each step and often uses humor, which I appreciate. If there was one thing that I think needs to be improved upon is his handshake. It is very firm/confident and my husband always brings it up after our appts.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Tell him what your goals are and what your timeline is. He won’t make you rush into anything, but he will make sure that he looks into everything before suggesting major procedures
Describe the protocols James Young used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
He was very patient with us. He put both my husband and I through testing, then we did some cycles on clomid. When those didnt work he ordered a hystosalpinogram to make sure my clear. When those weren’t successful, he suggested IUIs and we did 2-3 and when those weren’t successful he did laparoscopic surgery to see if there was anything getting in the way. We tried one more IUI before he suggested IVF with ICSI because of my husbands sperm issues
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Over the course of our 8 year journey, we have probably spent close to $30,000 to $40,000 out of pocket
Describe James Young's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Dr Young had us transfer 2 each time and we were good with that. He always explained multiples were possible and the dangers of that, but the rewards out-weighed the risks for us
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9
Age
32
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Male Factor, PCOS
9
The [Fertility Center of Michigan] environment is welcoming and comfortable. They are professional and organized for the most part. Every person we have encountered has been kind and willing to answer questions. ... There was one instance where the nurse had told me over the phone that she would send the prescriptions in and they were not at our pharmacy after a couple days.
+ Read more
Age
32
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$0 - $49K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Male Factor, PCOS
9
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
The environment is welcoming and comfortable. They are professional and organized for the most part. Every person we have encountered has been kind and willing to answer questions. We were really nervous on our first visit but the nurses made it more comfortable. You will first meet with a nurse to go over your information, then your Dr will meet with you in their office. We were very worried that it would be a very emotional experience, but the staff and environment made it much easier than we thought.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr Dodds does go over info in a matter of fact and easy way to understand, but also gets to know you as a person. He calls himself when needed and makes sure you understand the plans moving forward but respects how you want to proceed with treatment.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nursing staff has been supportive, kind, and informative. They encouraged us when we were upset, answered all of our questions without making us feel silly, and have been incredibly professional during treatments.
What specific things went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
We are in the middle of our fertility journey so I haven't had too many encounters with Dr Dodds yet, however the ones I have had been positive. Upon meeting him he was very informative, but in a way thats easy to understand. He let us know what he thought the best plan for us was and also took some time getting to know us. He is professional but understanding and compassionate. He also called me personally the day of our IUI to discuss how it went and his thoughts for moving forward. We are confident and happy with the care we are receiving.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Don't be afraid to ask questions! He is more than happy to elaborate if you don't understand. Also don't be afraid to ask for a different option if you're not comfortable with the one he gives. For example, he thought we may be better off trying IVF but we decided to exhaust the IUI option first. He was supportive of this decision.
Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
We have done one round of IUI Femara Protocol so far. We are using Femara, a mid cycle ultrasound, and ovidril injection. We have not conceived yet so are trying another round of that same protocol and increasing the dose of Femara
Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
We are only beginning. Our first patient visit we just paid a copay because our insurance covers diagnostic costs. The cost of IUI was $600 (not including our medication, that was an additional $120)
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10
Age
24 - 27
Treated
2015 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
—
10
When you walk in the front desk [Fertility Center of Michigan] is fast and to the point to get you signed in. ... My IUI that I had performed NOT by dr young was different then how he did it. ... So consistency was off. ... The nurses are thorough and let you know what the need you to do. They help you to relax and answer any questions you have. ... $500 for IUI ...
+ Read more
Age
24 - 27
Treated
2015 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Prefer not to answer
Income
—
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
—
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
When you walk in the front desk is fast and to the point to get you signed in. The nurses are thorough and let you know what the need you to do. They help you to relax and answer any questions you have.
One weakness is that one lady in my follow up ultrasound assumes that we had fresh sperm when we ONLY have frozen viles which made me question if she knew what she was doing and made me feel uneasey about having my IUI done. My IUI that I had performed NOT by dr young was different then how he did it. So that was odd. He put a sponge thing to hold in sperm and the other IUI did not have that. So consistency was off.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
He asks personal real life questions. Not all “doctor” stuff. He sat with both my husband and I, and I didn’t feel “rushed”. It is genuine. He’s funny and kind. He talks about his life to so it’s a mutual connection. Humans need connection in life and he provides this.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
Fun enjoyable nice kind knowledgeable
How was your experience with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
James is a good doctor. He explains the good and the bad. He gives guidance on what to change and his knowledge on how to move on to the next step when the last IUI’s failed. He has improved being relational sense 2014 vists.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Confident.
Describe the protocols James Young used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
First cycle- femara 2.5mg pills cycle day 3-7. Had four mature eggs. I have one daughter from this cycle.
Sencond cycle I was put on femara 2.5mg cycle day 3-7 only produce ONE egg. We backed out of the IUI.
Third cycle dr young bumped my femara as I only produced one egg last time using 5mg cycle day 3-7 and had four mature eggs. IUI failed
Fourth cycle femara 7.5 cycle day 3-7 had four mature eggs. IUI failed.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
$500 for IUI
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10
Age
29 - 31
Treated
2016 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Other, Unexplained
10
Great staff [Fertility Center of Michigan], although sometimes tough to get through on the phone immediately to someone (obviously not including emergencies). Often I have to leave a message and wait for a call back to schedule or to have questions answered. ... IVF without PGS for healthy 28-30y.o. was about 8-10K. With PGS clinic cost is about 12.5K and seperate PGS fee is 5.8K.
+ Read more
Age
29 - 31
Treated
2016 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Doctor
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Other, Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Great staff, although sometimes tough to get through on the phone immediately to someone (obviously not including emergencies). Often I have to leave a message and wait for a call back to schedule or to have questions answered. But, everyone is always helpful! They run things efficiently and are good about getting back to you that day if indicated.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
When we first started medicated cycles at The Fertility Center, I rarely saw any of the doctors, but when I did, it was always a good experience. However as we have continued on through IUIs, then IVF, a miscarriage, the care has gotten more and more personalized and Dr. Dodds has been extremely empathetic, thorough, and generous. He has squeezed us in when the schedule was "full" and never rushes the conversation when we meet with him.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
There are a lot and they are all super nice and helpful. Early in our time at the Fertility Center, I sometimes felt like I had to remind some of them about certain unique parts of my case, but as we have moved on to IVF, the nurses seem to be very up to speed.
How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Even though we haven't had our miracle baby yet, I still am so thankful for having Dr. Dodds as our doctor. He has stuck with us and has kept us hopeful during a tough journey. He is always comprehensive in his treatment planning and when a treatment hasn't proven to be successful, he is great about tweaking things or offering other options. He is direct and very smart. He is also caring and empathetic. If I had to start treatment over, I would absolutely stick with him as my doctor.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Schedule to meet with him if you have questions and make sure to bring a list of questions! He is great about explaining options and also great about listening to you.
Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
He first ordered blood work, sperm analysis, and HSG for diagnostic testing. It was determined I have a heart-shaped (bicornuate) uterus, otherwise we were unexplained. Multiples is a big risk with this condition, so he made sure to start me out on the lowest dose of Femara when I started medicated cycles. He had me come in for one midcycle US and we were able to adjust meds to get the anywhere from 1-3 follicles. After 4 cycles on femara, we met with him and he offered IUI or IVF. I was close to overproducing follicles a couple times (and again multiples is risky for me), so IVF would be more predictable. But, due to cost, we decided to do IUIs first and he was very understanding. We added in injectables to help with egg quality and ended up having to cancel our first month due to overproducing. After that, he had me come in a lot earlier and more frequent to monitor closely. The next 3 IUIs went smoothly (except for not getting a positive pregnancy test!). We then moved on to IVF. Before starting, I was on birth control for 6 weeks to quiet everything. We had a great retrieval with 17 eggs retrieved, 16 mature, all 16 fertilized, and 12 made it to day 2 freeze. I had to do a freeze-all because of risk of hyperstimulation. After our first day 3 embryo FET, I got pregnant, but miscarried at 10 weeks. I then went on to do 3 more FETs, all failed. We met with him after each FET to discuss next steps. He did try an immune protocol for resistant uterus for the last two FETs due to some indications that I may have autoimmune issues. This last FET we ended up transferring two embryos, as we hadn't had luck with single embryo transfers. After 4 transfers and 5 embryos transferred, we met again and Dr. Dodds had discussed our case with the other three doctors at the practice and gave us several options moving forward. We are now considering doing a fresh round of IVF and PGS testing all embryos, new and old. We got karyotyping done on me and are waiting on results. I also have a hysteroscopy scheduled for next week to look at the inside of the uterus to determine if anything obvious could be preventing implantation.
Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
IVF without PGS for healthy 28-30y.o. was about 8-10K. With PGS clinic cost is about 12.5K and seperate PGS fee is 5.8K. IUI ended up being about 1.5K per cycle. Medicated cycles alone were pretty cheap, usually $100-200.
Describe William Dodds's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
With a bicornuate uterus, we were encouraged to transfer one embryo. Not until our fourth transfer did we end up transferring two. Dr. Dodds went over all the pros/cons with us.
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10
Age
29
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
3 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Unexplained
10
I do not have any negatives to say about any of the staff at The Fertility Center. All were kind, excellent communicators, compassionate, concise, knowledgeable.... Able to get you in for a visit in a reasonable amount of time, awesome staff, fair prices, straight forward billing, counseling available, quick phone calls back and caring doctors. At this time there are no weaknesses.
+ Read more
Age
29
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Other
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Doctor
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Able to get you in for a visit in a reasonable amount of time, awesome staff, fair prices, straight forward billing, counseling available, quick phone calls back and caring doctors. At this time there are no weaknesses.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Very personable and funny.
Describe your experience with your nurse at The Fertility Center of Michigan. (Assigned nurse: Ashley)
I do not have any negatives to say about any of the staff at The Fertility Center. All were kind, excellent communicators, compassionate, concise, knowledgeable.
How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Very nice and great bedside manner. He is realistic but after 2 failed transfers he is not changing anything and that is frustrating. Clear with his plan of action and answered all questions. Did feel slightly rushed when seeing him.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Very kind and compassionate for what you are going through. Knowledgeable.
Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
I did the GnRH antagonist protocol due to my low ovarian reserve (low AMH) and the results were 12 eggs total with 1 immature, 1 did not fertilize and 10 fertilized embryos. We did use ICSI as our choice to increase our odds to be able to freeze our embryos. No male factor with my husband. He transferred two and froze 8. The goal was to have enough embryos to have for all children desired as my ovarian reserve will continue to decrease and IVF in the future might not produce as many eggs.
Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
I have Blue Care Network
Nurse office visits-copay $10
Doctor office visits-co-pay $40.00
Ultrasounds were partly covered- out of pocket was approx $30.00 per US
All labs were covered but had to use an outside lab--could not have blood drawn in the office.
Hysterscopy with Dye was partly covered by insurance--approx $300.00 out of pocket
Hysteroscopy with saline-partly covered but out of pocket was $100.00
Approx $8,000 for IVF, ICSI and transfer.
Anesthesia was from an outside vendor and was $400.00
Medications ordered from outside pharmacy was approx $5000.00 for IVF (some were partly covered and some were covered but the out of pocket cost was more than the cash price so chose cash price).
Endometrial Scratch-partly covered but approx $100.00 out of pocket
1st Transfer cost approx $5000.00 and medications an additional $250.00 through outside pharmacy.
Describe William Dodds's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
He did not have any preference. He said due to my age we could choose 1-2 embryos to transfer and that our chance of pregnancy was higher, even with just one, as all my testing thus far was negative and I was 29 years of age.
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
9
Age
35
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
—
9
Each time I call [The Fertility Center of Michigan- Grand Rapids], I am greeted genuinely and the nurses are so good and answering all my questions and making sure I understand their answers or anything I may be confused on. They are prompt when having to return my call as well. They are incredibly friendly and very knowledgeable...They have a few locations to serve the Michigan community. I have the option of two locations that are fairly close to me which I appreciate. They coordinate my appts well with my work schedule. I also appreciate that. The staff is friendly and at this stage, I haven’t seen any weaknesses.
+ Read more
Age
35
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European, Other
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Operations
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
—
9
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
They have a few locations to serve the Michigan community. I have the option of two locations that are fairly close to me which I appreciate. They coordinate my appts well with my work schedule. I also appreciate that. The staff is friendly and at this stage, I haven’t seen any weaknesses.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
She always greeted me or us with a warm smile, a hand shake, and some sort of memory from previous conversations even if it wasn’t treatment related. She has given excellent advice in times of stress and she is very good expressing concern based on experience and allowing you to make the final decisions in your journey.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
Each time I call, I am greeted genuinely and the nurses are so good and answering all my questions and making sure I understand their answers or anything I may be confused on. They are prompt when having to return my call as well. They are incredibly friendly and very knowledgeable
How was your experience with Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr Thakur’s approach is that of passion, compassion, expertise, and specialized education. She specializes in individualized care and doesn’t make you feel polarized based on your journey thus far. Her first question to my husband and me was “What is it that you have planned for your treatment. What would you like to this journey to be?” We expressed our thoughts on med induced cycles with timed inter course and if those failed after a few attempts, we would like to move on to IUI. After looking at our medics history, she agreed that that is a good approach. She expressed concern about not “wasting time” and that we will need to be more aggressive as we go. We left the consultation feeling confident in our new RE. I believe it take some a special confidence and tremendous courage to put faith in your doctor and we felt both and still feel both working with Dr Thakur.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Be honest about your journey. She is very receptive. She has the experience to guide not only to where you want to go, but down the path you want to travel. She gives excellent and advice and has a fact based approach to back it up. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and for clarity.
Describe the protocols Mili Thakur used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
We started off trying 50mg of Clomid, with prenatals, Vitamin D supplements because let’s be honest, living in Michigan doesn’t provide optimal Vitamin D. I’m also taking Synthroid to keep my T-SHIRT down to a level that can sustain pregnancy. She felt strongly that my ovaries would respond well to 50mg of Clomid, and they did! Although I have had 3 failed cycles, she holds confidence in us moving on to IUI. She wants to put me on Progesterone to lengthen my Luteal Phase and increase the Clomid to 100mg to give us optimal rate of success. We are very excited to move forward!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
My insurance has covered a great deal of my office visits and ultrasound appointments. I have paid maybe $300 out of pocket so far for Clomid cycles with timed intercourse. The IUI will be $600 our the door and I think that’s affordable as all get out. This clinic is known for their success rates and fair pricing. Lowest in the state if I’ve not mistaken.
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10
Age
35 - 36
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Tubal Blockage, Unexplained
10
Even though I met with several nurses [at The Fertility Center of Michigan] over the course of treatment, they each were kind, knowledgeable, and were able to answer any questions I had. They took my concerns seriously and accommodated me as needed...There was just some miscommunication this last cycle with the medications I was supposed to be on and when I was supposed to start. It is unclear if it was more the pharmacy's fault or the clinic's, but it was stressful not receiving medications until the day before I was supposed to start my medications.
+ Read more
Age
35 - 36
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 4 Docs
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Tubal Blockage, Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
The clinic is very efficient in terms of planning for treatment and getting you in for ultrasounds and blood work. They meet with you after most appointments to make sure you are clear are the next steps. In terms of weaknesses, there was some miscommunication with the pharmacy regarding my medication and sometimes it can be difficult to get answers regarding insurance issues. But, overall, they care about their patients and want success for everyone.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Dodds altered treatment for my second round of IVF to achieve better results. He is friendly and willing to answer any questions. However, it did not seem like he knew me as a patient and what my experience was and needed to go through my chart right before meeting me.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
Even though I met with several nurses over the course of treatment, they each were kind, knowledgeable, and were able to answer any questions I had. They took my concerns seriously and accommodated me as needed.
What specific things went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Provided conflicting information
How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Dodds is very knowledgeable and has lots of experience. He is compassionate in the room and will call depending on the result. He also provides hope for future round of treatment. It may be that he has too many patients, as it seemed as though he did not remember me and needed to look over my chart prior to each meeting.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Make sure to ask lots of questions.
Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
For my first IVF cycle - I was on the antagonist protocol with Cetrotide, Menopur and Gonal-F. This produced 13 eggs, 8 fertilized and 4 embryos. We transferred two on a fresh cycle and two on a frozen cycle on none of them stuck.
For my second cycle (current), I am on the microdose flare Lupron protocol. Three days after stopping birth control I start on 20 units of microdose Lupron twice a day. Two days of that I began 450 IU of Gonal F in the evenings. I have also had an endo scratch and will use Embryogen for this cycle in order to help with implantation. Egg retrieval is in 2-3 days.
Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
IVF treatment with ICSI was around $9000; ultrasounds and blood work were separate costs. Medication was between $2800-$3400
Describe William Dodds's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
I was provided information on the risks of single vs. multiple and the recommended number to implant based on my age.
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10
Age
31
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
—
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
The prices seemed reasonable and seemingly followed other average costs. The building was very clean and well designed. It [Fertility Center of Michigan] was relaxing atmosphere and the waiting room was calming and inviting. While walking through the halls other staff members greeted you. ... [Nursing Staff] Very kind and welcoming. All my phone calls were pleasant and my interactions at the center were great
+ Read more
Age
31
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$0 - $49K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
—
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
The prices seemed reasonable and seemingly followed other average costs. The building was very clean and well designed. It was relaxing atmosphere and the waiting room was calming and inviting. While walking through the halls other staff members greeted you. The only weakness for me was that I lived far away from the clinic.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
I feel she is always actively listening to me. She makes eye contact and is reassuring with her body language. She ensures you feel comfortable and your voice is heard at your appointments.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
Very kind and welcoming. All my phone calls were pleasant and my interactions at the center were great
How was your experience with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Shavell was kind and seemed deeply aware of the stress and emotions that go along with infertility. She always made sure I knew what the next step of the process was and that I was comfortable with it. What I like most is she reminds you that you are strong and capable of handling the stress and struggles of IVF.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
She is ready to work for you and make sure you are ready for the work!
Describe the protocols Valerie Shavell used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
Gonal-F, Follistim, Menopur, hCG
Describe the costs associated with your care under Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
ART case management $1850 (deposit to schedule)
Follicle Puncture/ Oocyte Retrieval $1795
Culture and Fertilization of Oocytes/Embryos $1570
Embryo Transfer $1060
Abdominal Ultrasound $225
ICSI $1850
Assisted hatching $630
Blastocyst Culture $620
Cryopreservation of Embryo $910
Cryopreservation of Oocytes $910
Time Lapse Photography $805
Embryogen $465
Thawing of cryopreserved embryos $1075
This is the cost breakdown provided to me. Obviously I did not require everything here. My total from this list was $10,065
Describe Valerie Shavell's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
I was education on risks and likelihood of successful implantation.
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10
Age
34
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
10
I love that the fertility center has multiple locations and super flexible hours for monitoring ultrasounds! I do wish that the drs spent one more day in Mason. I also feel like the pricing is reasonable versus a lot of other clinics.... The nurses for the most part are great! They respond very quickly to phone calls. I do feel like they are a little overwhelmed because a lot of times they don’t know the full extent of “your case” which I wish they did. Also, a lot of times you have to call and get test results versus them calling you. They are all very patient and compassionate and do take time to listen to your concerns.
+ Read more
Age
34
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
I love that the fertility center has multiple locations and super flexible hours for monitoring ultrasounds! I do wish that the drs spent one more day in Mason. I also feel like the pricing is reasonable versus a lot of other clinics.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
We went to see Dr Thakur after I suffered an ectopic pregnancy. She actually validated our loss. Also, after some test results came back showing that I was in DOR, she sat down with us for an hour and a half and discussed what all that meant. Also, after our next loss, she sat down with us to discuss what she thought the cause of that was.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nurses for the most part are great! They respond very quickly to phone calls. I do feel like they are a little overwhelmed because a lot of times they don’t know the full extent of “your case” which I wish they did. Also, a lot of times you have to call and get test results versus them calling you. They are all very patient and compassionate and do take time to listen to your concerns.
What specific things went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
- Failed to call with results
How was your experience with Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
My husband does not love seeing drs, especially after we went through an ectopic pregnancy and a lot of unknowns. We both felt like Dr Thakur was very smart. She takes the time to go over all the options. I never felt pressured to do one course of treatment over the other. She outlined what she thought would be the best course of treatment and how long we should go through with that and when to move on.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Ask lots of questions! Also, if you have information about something that you’ve read online, tell her about it. She is very smart and will tell you whether or not there is any sort of evidence to back it up.
Describe the protocols Mili Thakur used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
We have always done femara and ovidrel because I respond well to the femara. The first month I only had one mature follicle so she upped my dose and I seem to be responding well to that!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Mili Thakur at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Our initial appointment was $285 and every appointment after that was $180. Ultrasounds were about $110. The IUI is around $700. For us, the femara was covered by insurance but the fertility center helped me get the best price for ovidrel at about $95/shot.
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8
Age
32
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Endometriosis
8
It's a great clinic [Fertility Ctr of MI], but it's very big. I was hoping for more of a compassionate atmosphere, but it's pretty business-like. I do appreciate that some of the front desk ladies have started to recognize me.... Some of the nurses were friendlier than others. They all seemed to be very knowledgeable and I felt comfortable with their recommendations. They were always very matter of fact and never really asked me about how I was doing though. T
+ Read more
Age
32
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$0 - $49K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Endometriosis
8
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
It's a great clinic, but it's very big. I was hoping for more of a compassionate atmosphere, but it's pretty business-like. I do appreciate that some of the front desk ladies have started to recognize me.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Dodds took the time to talk to us about our jobs and life.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
Some of the nurses were friendlier than others. They all seemed to be very knowledgeable and I felt comfortable with their recommendations. They were always very matter of fact and never really asked me about how I was doing though. This is a very emotional experience and I would have liked that to be acknowledged a little more.
What specific things went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
- Failed to call with results
How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
I have only seen Dr. Dodds once, but he was pretty good when we met with him. He met with us in his office instead of an exam room. He took the time to review all of my previous tests and surgery. He asked us about our jobs. He had a connection to the place where my husband works and he told a long story about that. I appreciated that he waited until the end of the appointment to talk to us about that. I did feel like he was a little matter of fact and didn't explain things in great detail. He just laid out the plan and gave us the next step. I left a little bit confused and felt a little like we had been rushed into moving forward with an IUI.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Make sure you ask questions! We didn't really know what to ask at the time but we felt like we left with more questions than answers.
Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
Dr. Dodds suggested that we start moving forward with an IUI. He put me on Femara, an ovidrel injection, and progesterone. He didn't really explain what each of these did or why I was taking them. After my husband and I discussed it, we weren't comfortable moving forward with the IUI right away. I called back and talked to a nurse about it. We decided to try timed intercourse first. So, she said to take the Femara and the progesterone, but I could wait on the Ovidrel. I went in for a mid-cycle ultrasound and the nurse told me when to have intercourse. After a negative pregnancy test that month, we decided to go forward with the IUI. Then it was back to the Femara, Ovidrel, and Progesterone. Then a mid-cycle ultrasound and the insemination. The Progesterone gave me really bad side effects so after I called and asked, my dosage was reduced by half and that seemed to help. I got another negative pregnancy test, so we started all over again. I am currently scheduled for another IUI later this week.
Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
My initial appointment and ultrasounds are covered by insurance. The IUI procedure was $500. The meds were ordered through a pharmacy and were $100-$200 each cycle.
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10
Age
38 - 40
Treated
2016 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
IVF, Donor Eggs, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Unexplained
10
The entire team of doctors, nurses and office staff [at The Fertility Center of Michigan] are always willing to help with any questions or concerns we have. We feel well cared for and accommodated with every visit...All of the nurses we encountered were helpful in explaining everything (i.e. timelines, administration of medications, the "what ifs"). If we had a question, they would respond in a timely manner. When the cycles didn't have the outcome we hoped for, they were compassionate and sympathetic. We are extremely happy with the care they have provided thus far.
+ Read more
Age
38 - 40
Treated
2016 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Other
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
IVF, Donor Eggs, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
The entire team of doctors, nurses and office staff are always willing to help with any questions or concerns we have. We feel well cared for and accommodated with every visit. We would like new patients to know that patience is important as they begin their infertility treatment. Also don't hesitate to ask questions even if they seem trivial.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Young was very personable, informamativ, and professional throughout our entire journey so far. He has made us feel at ease and confident in his abilities. Although the process has been trying at times, we are glad that Dr. Young has been there to help us.
Describe your experience with your nurse at The Fertility Center of Michigan. (Assigned nurse: Robin Strouse)
All of the nurses we encountered were helpful in explaining everything (i.e. timelines, administration of medications, the "what ifs"). If we had a question, they would respond in a timely manner. When the cycles didn't have the outcome we hoped for, they were compassionate and sympathetic. We are extremely happy with the care they have provided thus far.
How was your experience with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
When we first got married, we never imagined that it would be so difficult to have a baby. Dr. Young helped us understand the process and all of our options. We had a lot to learn about unexplained infertility and how to maximize our chances of achieving a successful pregnancy, and Dr. Young patiently helped us with that.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Trust in the process.
Describe the protocols James Young used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
Dr. Young tried several different strategies and protocols throughout our journey. First, he tried 100mg of Clomid with Ovidril trigger shot, we attempted 3 cycles of this. Then we did a couple of cycles with Clomid, Follistim and Ovidril. None of these cycles resulted in pregnancy. Third, we attempted to do an IVF cycle using the luteal suppression protocol (Lupron and Gonal-F medications). Only one follicle matured, the cycle was cancelled. Since only one follicle matured with the first IVF cycle, Dr. Young recommended we attempt multi-cycle IVF. If he was able to retrieve one or two eggs each cycle, hopefully there would be enough embryos to transfer after the second or third retrieval. The first cycle of the multi-cycle IVF protocol ended up being cancelled due to no mature follicles. At that point Dr. Young suggested we consider using donor embryos. Because it was the most viable option for us financially at that point, we agreed. In January 2018, 2 donor embryos we're thawed, only one survived the thaw. Dr. Young told us it was a very healthy embryo, so chances of implantation we're good. Unfortunately, the cycle ended in a negative pregnancy test. Dr. Young suggested we try another IVF cycle using donor embryos and select a donor with more embryos available. We are scheduled for a second donor embryo transfer in April.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Donor Embryo Transfer:
Case Management Fee: $2,225.00
Bundled Fees (testing/screening/program maintenance, profile preparation, record review, MD evaluation, interdisciplinary ART meeting, appointment with Social Worker): $4,000.00
Vaginal Ultrasound: $295.00
Preparation of Cryopreserved Emryos: $1,000.00
Embryo Transfer: $1,025.00
Abdominal Ultrasound: $215.00
Medication: $500.00
Describe James Young's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
N/A
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10
Age
33 - 34
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Unexplained
10
They [the nurses at The Fertility Center of Michigan] know the protocols and if they were unsure how to proceed they would always let me know they would ask the Dr and let me know that day. I always knew what was happening. If I had any questions they would explain everything very well...Paid $10,500 for first cycle and $3000 for the next 2 (multi cycle discount up to 3 cycles). Medications cost $130 for first cycle.
+ Read more
Age
33 - 34
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Accountant
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Organized, helpful, compassionate workers. Front desk staff very helpful and work with your schedule.
So far my experience has only been good there. They get you in quickly and there isn’t much of a wait at any appointment.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
I feel like Dr. Young definitely took his time with us when we would meet to discuss plans. He didn’t rush us out of his office to get on to the next patient. He seems to care about his patients and their past.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
They know the protocols and if they were unsure how to proceed they would always let me know they would ask the Dr and let me know that day. I always knew what was happening. If I had any questions they would explain everything very well.
How was your experience with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
At first he seemed quiet and I wasn’t sure what to think of him, but towards the end of our first appointment I knew he was very good at his job just by what he was explaining to us. He evaluated my past before I came in and knew what tests to run to find the problem. He explains things in terms that we can understand.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Ask questions if you are unsure.
Describe the protocols James Young used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
First cycle used fermara only. Resulted in a pregnancy that ended at 16.5 weeks, no reason found. Second cycle used 375 Gonal F And 75 menopur for about 9 days (ganirelix and HCG shot towards the end also) resulted in 4 eggs retrieved, one embryo frozen (Grade 3). About to start another cycle with same meds but add clomid on day one. We will be doing PGD testing which is why we froze the one embryo.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
My insurance covers all ultrasounds and 4 estrogen blood draws a month. Paid $10,500 for first cycle and $3000 for the next 2 (multi cycle discount up to 3 cycles). Medications cost $130 for first cycle. Office visits were covered by my insurance.
Describe James Young's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
The Dr. seems to want to transfer 2 for our case as I have trouble carrying them so the hope is that at least one will stick.
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10
Age
31 - 34
Treated
2015 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
3 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
This clinic [Fertility Ctr of Michigan] is amazing. They go above and beyond to communicate with patients and ensure quailty care. Infertility is difficult, and the staff at this clinic make it bearable. One weakness is that certain appointments can only be scheduled at certain a time of day, which is not always convenient.... A round of IUI was generally atounf $1,500 and IVF was around $9,000. You can apply for the Assured program, which costs around $19,000 and you get up to 3 IVF cycles, if they are all unsuccessful you get almost all of your money back.
+ Read more
Age
31 - 34
Treated
2015 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
This clinic is amazing. They go above and beyond to communicate with patients and ensure quailty care. Infertility is difficult, and the staff at this clinic make it bearable. One weakness is that certain appointments can only be scheduled at certain a time of day, which is not always convenient.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Young (and other doctors at this office) have always treated me well. They listen to my questions and concerns and address them wuth kindness, patience and understanding. I can't imagine going through this with any other doctor.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
I love the nursing staff. They are very knowledge and go the extra mile to make sure patients are fully prepared throughout the process.
How was your experience with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Young is kind and understanding. He has a dry sense of humor which always makes me smile. He and his wife also went through fertility treatments which give a better understanding of what a patient is going through.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Ask questions. He likes Ohio State, so you have to look past that flaw. (Go Blue!)
Describe the protocols James Young used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
Early on, we used a medication that had the opposite affect on my system, this was adjusted for the next cycle. This was more successful. It's difficult to remember all of the things we have done.
Dr. Young was always very honest with us. I felt that he gave us all the facts and helped us to make decisions based on our personal case.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
A round of IUI was generally atounf $1,500 and IVF was around $9,000. You can apply for the Assured program, which costs around $19,000 and you get up to 3 IVF cycles, if they are all unsuccessful you get almost all of your money back.
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8
Age
29 - 30
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
5 IUI
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Endometriosis, Male Factor
8
Strengths [Fertility Center of MI]: location, cost, easy to get you on the schedule for appointments, not a long wait for treatments (including IVF), wonderful nurses and sonographers. Weaknesses: you almost always have to leave a voicemail and wait for a nurse to call you back, very little interaction with the RE.... Erica is fabulous and so sweet! There have been a few more that have really showed me compassion, including Kristi. But my favorite staff member is actually a sonographer, Shana.
+ Read more
Age
29 - 30
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
5 IUI
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Endometriosis, Male Factor
8
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Strengths: location, cost, easy to get you on the schedule for appointments, not a long wait for treatments (including IVF), wonderful nurses and sonographers.
Weaknesses: you almost always have to leave a voicemail and wait for a nurse to call you back, very little interaction with the RE.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Young is very kind and remembered some minor details about my previous cycles, which I really appreciated.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
Erica is fabulous and so sweet! There have been a few more that have really showed me compassion, including Kristi. But my favorite staff member is actually a sonographer, Shana. She is SO good at what she does and is insanely sweet and compassionate! I plan on requesting her for all my future scans, when possible.
How was your experience with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Young is definitely very wise and I felt I could trust him with our treatments. Personally, I feel like his bedside manners could improve a little. He is very kind and thorough, but somewhat awkward at times. I felt like I had to push treatment changes when things didn't work but that's also largely a part of my personality. He always explained things in an easy-to-understand way.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Keep in mind that although he can come off a little quiet or awkward at times, I do believe he has plenty of wisdom and experience to handle direct treatment courses. I'm still undergoing treatment (more aggressive, I'll add) so I'm very curious to see how my thoughts on him will change, if at all!
Describe the protocols James Young used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
I responded very well to Femara 5mg for my IUIs, so we stuck with that for 3 cycles. Although I was ready to change things up, I understood how he wanted to keep the course. I was also thankful to move on to Gonal-F for IUI #4, though my dose was small (75iu nightly). I actually responded with fewer follicles than on 5mg Femara. My 5th and final IUI, we tried a higher dose of Follistim (125iu) and I responded very well! Almost too well: 6 follicles. I'm very glad my clinic was upfront and honest with me about the risks and let me make that decision alongside of them. We still went for that IUI and it was a negative, but I feel very good about that last shot IUI: we tried our best and I feel much more comfortable moving forward with IVF, especially since I've gotten comfortable with injections.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
I have zero fertility coverage besides 50% coverage for meds (which I realized was truly nothing since most pharmacies have an agreement and give women who are completely out of pocket a discount, so my med coverage didn't really do anything). Specifically with my clinic, a semen analysis was around $130. IUI including the sperm wash was $500. Most ultrasounds/appointments were in the $100 range, depending on your coverage, of course.
Describe James Young's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
We are just about to start our first IVF cycle with Dr. Young, so I can't speak about embryo transfers yet. But, I did trigger and have an IUI with 6 follicles and they were very straightforward and honest with me about the risks. You could tell it was very important to them that I knew what I was doing.
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8
Age
32 - 35
Treated
2015 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
5 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Poor Egg Quality, Other
8
The office team [The Fertility Center of Michigan] up front seems to change regularly but there are a couple of key long term employees I’ve noticed....Shana, the ultrasound tech, is the best! She is so sweet and knowledgeable.... My primary nurse, Sandy, was excellent....There are a couple nurses on the team that I would not rate as high either due to competency or low sensitivity.... I question the ability of the lab with ICSI. I need to research their success rates in comparison to other labs but I lost a lot of eggs after attempting ICSI fertilization.
+ Read more
Age
32 - 35
Treated
2015 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
5 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Poor Egg Quality, Other
8
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
I question the ability of the lab with ICSI. I need to research their success rates in comparison to other labs but I lost a lot of eggs after attempting ICSI fertilization. The office team up front seems to change regularly but there are a couple of key long term employees I’ve noticed.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Dodds honestly cares about the end result and how it’s effecting you. He’s gone out of his way to personally pick up the phone in good and bad circumstances.
Describe your experience with your nurse at The Fertility Center of Michigan. (Assigned nurse: Sandy)
My primary nurse, Sandy, was excellent. I felt that I was in great care with her from the beginning. There are a couple nurses on the team that I would not rate as high either due to competency or low sensitivity. I’d say the majority are above average in bedside manner though.
What specific things went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
- Failed to consider drug intolerance
How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Dodds is willing to explore all avenues and alters your treatment as needed. I have noticed that amongst friends going through treatment, he does work through trends in the market (uterine scratch, embryogen, etc.). He is upbeat and has positive relations with his team at the clinic.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Do your research and go through every option that you have available to you. For example: ICSI, time lapsed photography, genetic testing. Decide what is right for you and ask the hard questions including success rates with each treatment.
Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
For our IVF cycle we did ICSI (which is apparently used on 90% or so patients at TFC), time lapsed photography (differentiates between quality and keeps them in one enclosed space versus taking them out to check under a microscope), day 3 transfer (standard at this clinic), and freeze all cycle (I was at risk for hyper stimulation).
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Shana, the ultrasound tech, is the best! She is so sweet and knowledgeable.
Describe William Dodds's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
I became pregnant with twins after the first transfer (two embryos). We lost both of them at eight weeks. Therefore, knowing that pregnancy can occur, we opted for a single on the second transfer. Pregnancy did not occur, however.
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
Age
40
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Male Factor
10
I have never been anywhere where everyone was so friendly and happy. We love that they were always willing to work with our schedules and greeted us by name upon arrival. They offered us beverages as well as a shoulder to cry on. They prayed with us and celebrated with us. We love our TFC family!...everything was always broke down for us and we were able to make payments that worked for us
+ Read more
Age
40
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Other
Income
$0 - $49K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Male Factor
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
I have never been anywhere where everyone was so friendly and happy. We love that they were always willing to work with our schedules and greeted us by name upon arrival. They offered us beverages as well as a shoulder to cry on. They prayed with us and celebrated with us. We love our TFC family!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
From the moment we met him, he was warm and kind. He was very informative, but yet described things in ways we understood easily. We felt he genuinely cared about our situation. We never felt rushed, and he calmly took all the time we needed during our appointments.
After the loss of one of our babies, Dr. Young gave us hugs and was professional and also emotional right along with us. He talked to us about the power of prayer, which meant the world to us. We felt like family and not just another patient.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
They were so sweet. Greeted us at the door with a smile, and showed great compassion in our sorrow. They celebrated us when we achieved pregnancy. They were wonderful!
How was your experience with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
He is a caring and friendly person. He gave us hope, when our success rate was so low. He took all the time we needed, and never made us feel rushed. We didn't feel like we were at a typical medical facility, we felt like we were being treated by friends or family.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Never ever give up hope, miracles do happen and Dr. Young can help you get closer to your dream.
Describe the protocols James Young used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
Our infertility journey started 12 years ago. We dealt with several different doctors before hearing about Dr. Young. We have gone through countless rounds of clomid, pills, shots, tests, procedures surgeries...you name it. Nothing worked. We had given up all hope until we met Dr. Young. He convinced us to try one more time, and that one more time led us to our son!
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
It was pretty expensive, but the costs were less than we had assumed. Although I cannot remember the exact costs, everything was always broke down for us and we were able to make payments that worked for us.
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8
Age
35
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Diminished Ovarian Reserve
8
The way the clinic runs [Fertility Center of Michigan], I don’t see my actual Primary RE often except for consultations and if he happens to be doing the retrieval I will see him. ... I was able to start treatment the day of my consultation. The staff is caring and kind and mostly runs on time. They do not batch patients and office runs 7 days a week. It would be nice if there were more morning appointment times for ultrasounds, they also need a program for those paying out of pocket. Only have assured program which many don’t qualify for.
+ Read more
Age
35
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Prefer not to answer
Income
—
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Diminished Ovarian Reserve
8
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
I was able to start treatment the day of my consultation. The staff is caring and kind and mostly runs on time. They do not batch patients and office runs 7 days a week.
It would be nice if there were more morning appointment times for ultrasounds, they also need a program for those paying out of pocket. Only have assured program which many don’t qualify for.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
The way the clinic runs, I don’t see my actual Primary RE often except for consultations and if he happens to be doing the retrieval I will see him. The IVF nurses are my main contact. I would feel more supported If I had more contact with Dr. Young and received more follow up.
Describe your experience with your nurse at The Fertility Center of Michigan. (Assigned nurse: Amy)
The staff is wonderful, usually runs on time, good communicators and are very caring. They do their best to have my primary nurse see me and call.
How was your experience with James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Young is very intelligent and explained everything slowly and in depth, answering all questions. He used evidence based information and cited/provided studies. He’s not the warm and fuzzy type but I don’t need that in a provider. My main critique would be for more follow through from Dr. Young himself but I also understand that’s not possible with how the office is run. I always hear from the nurses who are wonderful but don’t always receive the details I want.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
He will do everything he can to customize the protocols to your needs and to meet your requests. While he isn’t the warm and fuzzy type, he’s professional, intelligent, and experienced. I would suggest to anyone to bring a list of questions to a consult and i my experience he was happy to explain discuss all my questions and concerns.
Describe the protocols James Young used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
I did 2 rounds of clomid and 4 with femara doing timed intercourse, followed by 3 IUI’s with femara (none with injectables d/t lack of insurance coverage. Currently undergoing micro flare IVF. Microdose lupron with gonal -f. I have DOR.
Describe the costs associated with your care under James Young at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
IUI -$500 without meds
IVF >$10,000 not including ultrasound, blood draws, HSG, Mock embryo transfer, and meds meds are usually $3,000-$6,000 each US about $250 each E2 $115 each progesterone draw $115.
Describe James Young's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
I haven’t transferred yet, but the office provides information with studies on the topic and Dr. Young discussed it at length in the consultation as well as the IVF nurse in the prep prior to starting IVF.
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8
Age
28 - 29
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
6 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
—
8
The two ladies that I interacted with seem to be very kind and understanding. It's difficult to be in the office surounded by pictures of babies that this Clinic [Fertility Center of Michigan] has helped to bring into the world for other women when you still don't have your own. So I find myself crying a lot. And they are all very sweet and compassionate women that I've dealt with... Overall it is a wonderful place to go for infertility treatments.
+ Read more
Age
28 - 29
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Operations
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
6 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
—
8
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
There really isn't anything else I would say about the clinic that I have not said about the doctors and nurses. Overall it is a wonderful place to go for infertility treatments. The only thing I wish that this Clinic offered was invocell. I've heard that it is a new like IVF treatment but it is substantially cheaper
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Had decent beside manner, and didn't seem to rush us out the door. Took time to explain everything we were going to do
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The two ladies that I interacted with seem to be very kind and understanding. It's difficult to be in the office surounded by pictures of babies that this Clinic has helped to bring into the world for other women when you still don't have your own. So I find myself crying a lot. And they are all very sweet and compassionate women that I've dealt with
What specific things went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
He seems like a very nice man. He had a sense of humor that was refreshing. He is the second doctor that I've seen for infertility, and I would definitely say that he was the better of the two. He explained everything that we were going to be doing. The blood work that he wanted me to get done. He put me on thyroid medication to try and correct my levels even though they were only slightly off. He laid out a plan for what we were going to do what days I needed to call the clinic, what days I would be taking my pills, what days I would be taking my shots. Everything was well planned out. Overall I would say that he's a great doctor.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
I would say that he is not going to lie to you so don't go in there expecting to hear exactly what you want to hear,because he's going to tell you the truth
Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
The doctor I saw before William. Put me on Clomid for four Cycles. So when he saw that he decided that he would put me on Fermara. And I took that for one cycle I believe it was days 3 through 7. I came in to have an ultrasound done and my follicles measured and I can't remember what day that was. The day after I had my ultrasound I was instructed to use a trigger shot to force ovulation and I was instructed to have intercourse once every 24 hours for the next three days. No pregnancy resulted from this round of femara, so I went to Grand Rapids to have dye injected into my uterus and x-rays done to see if my tubes are blocked which they were not. I had some blood work done but I can't remember what that was for. Our next step is going to be IUI next month.
Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
They submit everything through my insurance even though my insurance doesn't cover infertility. So I have yet to receive the bill
Describe William Dodds's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
We have not discussed this yet
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8
Age
33 - 35
Treated
2016 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
5 IUI
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Male Factor, Uterine Fibroids
8
My number one strength [Fertility Ctr of Michigan] is location. It's perfectly located not too far out of town but far enough where they have they're own parking, which can be key for comfort! It is also a very clean facility with, what seems like, new equipment. Weaknesses, wait times can be excessive; in the waiting room or in the patient rooms.... They are all very friendly! I cannot stress that enough. I love them personality wise, especially the front desk and the ultrasound technician. They are amazing. However, there were times when I called (almost always have to leave a message and a call was returned) where I felt hurried on the phone.
+ Read more
Age
33 - 35
Treated
2016 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
5 IUI
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Male Factor, Uterine Fibroids
8
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
My number one strength is location. It's perfectly located not too far out of town but far enough where they have they're own parking, which can be key for comfort! It is also a very clean facility with, what seems like, new equipment.
Weaknesses, wait times can be excessive; in the waiting room or in the patient rooms. Also, when my husband goes to drop off his specimen, I wish it was a little quicker for him. He has a very time structured job and gets frustrated that he has to sit there for 15 minutes before the lab calls him back. I think that should be explained better, the whole home to lab process.
I would tell a new patient to ask all the questions, nothing is too much when it comes to treatment. Do not expect them to go over every detail with you. If you Type A like me, you'll leave frustrated and feeling like nothing was accomplished.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
I don't think, in the beginning, the treatment was custom to my issues. I think they take standard protocol and go through the motions. I had to start fighting for what I wanted. They also are not exactly forthcoming on information. I had to ask a lot of questions I learned through podcasts and others who have gone through it all before.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
They are all very friendly! I cannot stress that enough. I love them personality wise, especially the front desk and the ultrasound technician. They are amazing.
However, there were times when I called (almost always have to leave a message and a call was returned) where I felt hurried on the phone. I also felt like the communication between the team wasn't all that great, where one would tell me one thing about my treatment but the next person I talk with didn't have that same information. That was a little frustrating. I also had to make sure I had all my questions ready to ask, otherwise I wasn't informed of any "extra" information.
Honestly, I love the staff, I just worry a little about their efficiency/organization.
What specific things went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
- Provided conflicting information
How was your experience with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Shavell is very nice. She's a little too soft spoken at times; meaning her demeanor is almost too sympathetic. I want answers, I want to take comfort knowing you (the person I am trusting) has a plan of action specifically designed for me and that we aren't just going through the motions. There were times where I felt she was more focused on me thinking she cared than her actually trying to fix any issues. I also feel she is not very available when needed.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Ask her to give it to you straight. Also, request a full description of treatments with all the why's explained.
Describe the protocols Valerie Shavell used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
After my HSG, I had to have a polyp removed. Then we started on 50 mg clomid because that's the starting point, which I responded well to but nothing came of it. We did four cycles on this with the HCG (Ovidrel) shot. Then we moved onto letrozole and Gonal-F. I can't remember the specific dose of letrozole but the injections were 300. I did not respond as well to the letrozole as we had hoped. I am currently going to do one timed cylce of 100 mg of clomid (back to clomid after under-performance of letrozole) while we wait for insurance pre-authorization. If that is approved (different insurance company than the last round) I will have one last IUI cycle of 100 mg Clomid and Gonal-F 450 injections. IF this does not work, we will immediately be moving on to IVF.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Each IUI is $500 (sperm wash and procedure) plus the ultrasound and office visit.
Each visit was a co-pay amount.
Hybrid cycle had an extra ultrasound (echogram) which was more than the ultrasound.
Medications were all based on what insurance would cover; most of it out of pocket.
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6
Age
32 - 35
Treated
2015 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
5 IVF, 5 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Male Factor
6
Great nurses & office staff [The Fertility Center] at the Kakamazoo branch. They take time to answer our questions & acknowledge how horrible this entire situation is. We have been less pleased with the Grand Rapids staff. We feel like cattle passing through bc the clinic is so large....One of my mini IVF extraction was cancelled bc they waited a day too long....My nurses were much more invested in getting to know me....$50,000ish after 7 cycles...
+ Read more
Age
32 - 35
Treated
2015 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
5 IVF, 5 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Male Factor
6
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Great nurses & office staff at the Kakamazoo branch. They take time to answer our questions & acknowledge how horrible this entire situation is. We have been less pleased with the Grand Rapids staff. We feel like cattle passing through bc the clinic is so large.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
My nurses were much more invested in getting to know me. My doctor never looked at my chart until he entered the room. He is always running late & rushing to see the next patient.
Describe your experience with your nurse at The Fertility Center of Michigan. (Assigned nurse: Julie S & Ashley )
My nurses have been AMAZING.
What specific things went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
- Failed to order appropriate test
- Canceled a cycle due to clinic error
How was your experience with William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
He is clearly very knowledgeable, but lacks an ability to connect with his patients. He never took the time to learn my husbands name over the 5 years we worked with him. I never felt like he prepared ahead of time when meeting with us. He spent the first ten minutes reading through my chart getting familiar with my case. I know other couples who did feel a connection with him & have great things to say about him.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Make a connection with your nurses & advocate for yourself.
Describe the protocols William Dodds used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
I did a traditional long stim protocol the first round because everything was completely normal with my blood work & ultrasounds. They transferred the only 2 embryos 2 days after my extraction. I had a negative result. For our second round they did a hyper stim flare protocol since I didn’t produce the amount of eggs they were expecting. We ended up with 2 embryos again despite the hopes of getting much more. We did a FET 2 months later & had a positive result. 2 weeks later we lost. We them moved forward with 5 mini iVF’s in the hopes of getting high quality eggs. 2 of the 5 extractions were cancelled due to a dominant follocule & a possible missed ovulation. We ended up with 3 frozen embryos after undergoing the mini IVF’s. We did a FET with an angry uterine protocol (intrauterine HCG injection)& transferred 2 & had a neGative result. We did another FET (also angry uterine/HCG injection)with our last embryo & received a positive. This pregnacy ended in an ectopic pregnancy which was treated with methotrexate. I completed an endometrial receptivity assay & the results indicated I needed a transfer 24 hours after the norm. We are beginning another round of the hyperstim flare protocol in May with the angry uterine protocol/HCG injection for the FET.
Describe the costs associated with your care under William Dodds at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
$50,000ish after 7 cycles
Describe William Dodds's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
For my case, Dodd’s indicates that multiple embryo transfer is best bc the hormones supplied by the additional embryos may support the strongest embryo.
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10
Age
27 - 28
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
7 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
My husband had a nasty encounter with one of the insurance / billing people [at The Fertility Center of Michigan] so that made things very frustrating but other than that I liked everyone there. They are all so welcoming and inviting. I never got a real good explanation of WHY I wasn't getting pregnant. I had never been through something like this and didn't really feel prepared to be doing all the things they were doing. I don't know if that's a lack of educating on their part or a lack of me not asking enough questions. I think sometimes the staff kind of assumes you "know the drill" and don't always go in to as much detail as they should. Just be your own advocate and you will be fine!
+ Read more
Age
27 - 28
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
7 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
Overall I don't have many complaints about the Fertility Center. My husband had a nasty encounter with one of the insurance / billing people so that made things very frustrating but other than that I liked everyone there. They are all so welcoming and inviting. I never got a real good explanation of WHY I wasn't getting pregnant. I had never been through something like this and didn't really feel prepared to be doing all the things they were doing. I don't know if that's a lack of educating on their part or a lack of me not asking enough questions. I think sometimes the staff kind of assumes you "know the drill" and don't always go in to as much detail as they should. Just be your own advocate and you will be fine!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
She was very sweet and seemed to care a lot about us.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The nursing staff at the Fertility Center make the office! They are all so great. They take a deep interest in your care and success and are genuinely on your team! It took us over a year of treatments at the Fertility Center to get pregnant and we got to know so many of the nurses it felt like family!
What specific things went wrong at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Failed to call with results
- Provided conflicting information
How was your experience with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Shavell is super nice and well educated. Our personalities are just very different. She is very, very soft spoken and serious. My husband and I appreciate a more laid back approach. I honestly preferred speaking with the nurses instead of her directly. There was nothing wrong with the way she treated me or anything, our personalities just did not click.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
If you don't mind soft spoken, cut and dry, then you will like her.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan.
An IUI procedure was $268 (my insurance would cover in full but I had to submit for reimbursement). My insurance covered all office visits after meeting my $125 deductible. The IVF procedure cost around $8000 in just the center costs - not including medications.
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10
Age
30 - 31
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Tubal Blockage
10
Nurses [Fertility Ctr of MI] were very close compassionate- I felt listened too, but also had a clear understanding of next steps....At first, you do feel “like a number” because they are very focused on fixing your fertility issues- not too many personal questions were asked of us outside of fertility. However, this was more of a comfort for me because I felt that they wanted to treat my issues ASAP and that I wasn’t alone (many people also experiencing fertility issues right along with me!)
+ Read more
Age
30 - 31
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 3 Docs
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Tubal Blockage
10
Describe your experience with The Fertility Center of Michigan.
At first, you do feel “like a number” because they are very focused on fixing your fertility issues- not too many personal questions were asked of us outside of fertility. However, this was more of a comfort for me because I felt that they wanted to treat my issues ASAP and that I wasn’t alone (many people also experiencing fertility issues right along with me!)
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Dr. Shavelle stayed on topic- didn’t ask too many personal questions outside of the topic of fertility issues. Very matter of fact and to the point. However, I felt that she was definitely on a mission to help us achieve our dreams. Also, I didn’t mind “feeling like a number” at some points. It made me feel not so alone- that other people had issues just like we did.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
Nurses were very close compassionate- I felt listened too, but also had a clear understanding of next steps.
How was your experience with Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
As stated earlier- she is to the point, but caring and “on your team”. She explains procedures well, and seeks to answer any and all questions clearly. During consultation appointments, my husband and I never felt rushed or like we were taking up too much of her time. She didn’t ask too many personal questions outside of the medical/fertility issues, but I believe that’s because she’s very focused on getting you treatment as quickly and efficiently as possible. I fully trusted her.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Shavell at The Fertility Center of Michigan?
Come with questions ready to go at appointments, but don’t hesitate to call the office if you have questions after the fact. She and the team are all very helpful.
Describe the protocols Valerie Shavell used in your cycles at The Fertility Center of Michigan and their degree of success.
I did 3 rounds of clomid with ultrasound monitoring appointments and times intercourse. This did not result in pregnancy. Then, after another consultation appointment, I did 2 rounds of Gonal-F injections with IUI (I requested IUI). On the third (and what would have been last round before proceeding to more aggressive treatment) I did injections and no IUI (it was cancelled because follicles were believed to be on blocked side), and I ended up with a positive pregnancy test!
Describe the costs asso