University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care
Available Resources
Genetic counseling
Acupuncture
Mental health counseling
Nutrition counseling
Administration of shots
Coordinating at-home nursing
Selling medication
Providing backup medication
Philadelphia - Market
3701 Market St.
Philadelphia, PA 19104
800-789-7366
Philadelphia - Walnut St
800 Walnut St.
Philadelphia, PA 19107
800-789-7366
Radnor
250 King of Prussia Road
Radnor, PA 19087
800-789-7366
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66 assessments
7
9
Age
40 - 42
Treated
2018 - 2020
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Tubal Blockage, Uterine Fibroids
7
9
I liked how quickly and candidly she [Dr. Samantha Butts] delivered information to me and I felt her warm bedside manner which confirmed the previous reviews that I had read about her.However, throughout the process, our communication declined. It became very difficult to get in contact with her directly even when using the portal, most times there were repeated follow ups, and as changes occurred during the process a plan that was initially communicated and agreed upon would be changed with little to no communication /explanation which created further delays.
My nurse was wonderful [at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care]. She answered my questions throughly and those she could not answer she referred to the RE...The monitoring appointments were from 6:45 to 9 am and they were very convenient for my work schedule...2019, Invocell was $6500 and IVF was $8500...The clinic is very organized. The ambiance of the waiting room is not intimidating; it’s like any other Dr’s office. The staff is helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable. If you park in the garage, bring your parking ticket and they can validate it for you.
Age
40 - 42
Treated
2018 - 2020
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Black or African-American
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Tubal Blockage, Uterine Fibroids
7
9
How was your experience with Samantha Butts at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Samantha Butts was recommended to me by my GYN. During our first consultation, she made me feel at ease and answered all my questions in detail. I liked how quickly and candidly she delivered information to me and I felt her warm bedside manner which confirmed the previous reviews that I had read about her.However, throughout the process, our communication declined. It became very difficult to get in contact with her directly even when using the portal, most times there were repeated follow ups, and as changes occurred during the process a plan that was initially communicated and agreed upon would be changed with little to no communication /explanation which created further delays. Once she and I had a discussion about the lack of and difficulties in our communication, it improved immediately and our standards of communication has remained consistent. Furthermore, she offers great medical insights on what may be going on with you and your cycle and makes recommendations based upon these insights which eliminates the cookie cutter response and approach.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Samantha Butts at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
At the initial onset and throughout the process, as needed, express to her your communication needs.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Samantha Butts at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Initially, I felt like a number, but as the process continued I felt like she dealt with me more compassionately.
Describe the protocols Samantha Butts used in your cycles at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
Before starting any process, a hysterosalpingogram was performed and due to the results a laparoscopy followed. Once these procedures were completed, discussions about IVF followed. The IVF protocol I was prescribed was Lupron 10 units & Gonal F 400 units for egg retrieval resulted in 24 eggs being retrieved. This protocol was used because my previous cycle was canceled.The IVF protocol for frozen transfer was Lupron & Progesterone which resulted in a positive pregnancy which was later on miscarried.
Describe your experience with your nurse at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Nicole Houser)
My nurse was wonderful. She answered my questions throughly and those she could not answer she referred to the RE. She was very accessible via telephone and the portal. She performed demonstrations on how to administer the medications and she was present for lining checks and egg counts/progression checks.
Describe your experience with University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
The clinic is very organized. The ambiance of the waiting room is not intimidating; it’s like any other Dr’s office. The staff is helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable. If you park in the garage, bring your parking ticket and they can validate it for you.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
The monitoring appointments were from 6:45 to 9 am and they were very convenient for my work schedule. Your wait time was minimal and you were seen, in and out quickly.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Samantha Butts at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
2019, Invocell was $6500 and IVF was $8500. Both included single embryo transfer, mock transfer, blood draws, ultrasound checks, and storage. IVF transfers were $2500.00. In 2020, IVF transfers are $3500.
Describe Samantha Butts's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
Her approach was elective single embryo transfer for both the fresh and frozen transfer. However, I inquired about multiple embryo transfers due to my age and she discussed with me the pros, cons, and trade offs and she is willing to transfer multiples.
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
8
7
Age
34
Treated
2020
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Tubal Blockage, Uterine Fibroids
8
7
I have been pleased with the rapport I have with her [Dr. O'Neill]. I try to be a good self-advocate and spend a lot of time reading research articles so I can be informed about my own treatment. Dr. O'Neill has always been open to listening to my opinions and helping me interpret what I've read. She listens and remembers my anxieties and fears, and her clinical decisions take into account not just how they will affect me fertility-wise, but also psychologically and emotionally. A various points she's asked me if I would like to take a break. I've also noticed that the admin staff speak highly of her, which is a good sign as she is in a position of power within the clinic environment. I should add the caveat that since Penn is a high volume clinic, the majority of my interactions are with ultrasound te
[Monitoring at University of Pennsylvania Fertility Care is] Very efficient. Never had to wait more than ten minutes and usually in and out within thirty minutes total...My Penn Medicine is actually a pretty amazing portal. Very user friendly. You can look up all the notes your doctor writes about you via the visit summary feature, as well as all of your imaging from major diagnostics (e.g. HSG, surgery) Weaknesses: -Finance is hugely disorganized. You have to stay on top of your bill like white on rice. -Due to high clinic volume, there is usually a 6-8 week wait to get in the cue for a consultation, retrieval, or transfer -They do not upload your bloodwork or ultrasound results to the portal (alt
Age
34
Treated
2020
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Black or African-American
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Operations
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Tubal Blockage, Uterine Fibroids
8
7
How was your experience with Kathleen (Kate) O'Neill at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
I wanted to write this review before we transferred so I could share my experience without bias stemming from success or failure. I have had consultations with three REs and been in treatment with two, so I'm writing about Dr. O'Neill in relation to my general experience of the fertility industrial complex.
PROS:
-willing to listen and try newer diagnostics such as ERA and DNA fragmentation testing, *if you suggest them*
-considers research brought by patients when developing a treatment plan
-will initiate phone calls (vs. portal messages) outside of official consultations for quick discussions on next steps forward
-seems to have a consultative approach and often mentions working with her Fellows and other colleagues to come to a decision on treatment.
-while I would not say she is deeply informed on the role of race in infertility treatment, I was able to bring up the subject and she did not shy away from it
-Genuinely kind and empathetic when you get bad news
CONS (with the note that I think many of these are universal problems in high-patient volume clinics)
-Not so good at communicating with her nurse. On multiple occasions I've gotten one set of medication instructions from Dr. O'Neill, a different set from the nurse, and had to ask her to double check with Dr. O'Neill.
-Can be overconfident when she's incorrect about something - e.g. you believe you are having a procedure to look at X and Y issues, but she only remembers issue Y, so you have to ask her to go dig through your records to find evidence of issue X
NEUTRAL/GENERAL INFO
-Seems to err on the side of slightly conservative measures when it comes to making adjustments in treatment protocols. As mentioned above, she's open to ideas, but when left to her own devices, her style seems to favor treatments with a long track record of success
-Does not give estimated probability of success (I didn't ask for it either)
-Can be blunt and action oriented or warm and sympathetic at turns
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kathleen (Kate) O'Neill at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Dr. O'Neill is my second RE. My first RE was kind but distant. I didn't select Dr. O'Neill intentionally - she was the first appointment available - but I have been pleased with the rapport I have with her. I try to be a good self-advocate and spend a lot of time reading research articles so I can be informed about my own treatment. Dr. O'Neill has always been open to listening to my opinions and helping me interpret what I've read. She listens and remembers my anxieties and fears, and her clinical decisions take into account not just how they will affect me fertility-wise, but also psychologically and emotionally. A various points she's asked me if I would like to take a break. I've also noticed that the admin staff speak highly of her, which is a good sign as she is in a position of power within the clinic environment.
I should add the caveat that since Penn is a high volume clinic, the majority of my interactions are with ultrasound techs and my assigned nurse. However, based on conversations with others at high volume clinics, I still get a level of interaction that is satisfactory, as long as I am intentional and proactive about setting up consult appointments.
Describe your experience with your nurse at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Nicole)
Overall I love the clinic staff. They are very sweet and cheerful in what must be a challenging environment, but don't make false promises. The ultrasound techs will give you as much or as little information about what they're seeing as you request. They get you in and out really quickly for morning monitoring, but also take time to answer whatever questions you might have. The after-hours hotline is also excellent. I've had to call a few times and always respected my experiences of negative symptoms, pain, etc.
Notes specific to my nurse (nicole):
PROS:
-Insanely fast portal responses. If you have not gotten a response, she's probably on vacation
-Overall friendly demeanor
CONS
-Dosing instructions not always given clearly
-Sometimes some things are lost in translation between dr. and nurse
GENERAL INFO
-Very straightforward and business like. She's not mean, but I would not expect her to hold my hand (literally or metaphorically) through anything
Describe your experience with University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
Strengths:
-Monitoring hours are great and can happen at multiple locations on weekdays
-There is an after hours line/on-call service
-As a Penn Fertility patient, you get amazing discounts through the Pennsylvania Hospital Pharmacy. I had insurance but I was quoted a price of $1800 for all of my retrieval meds. Gene the pharmacist there is an absolute saint.
-My Penn Medicine is actually a pretty amazing portal. Very user friendly. You can look up all the notes your doctor writes about you via the visit summary feature, as well as all of your imaging from major diagnostics (e.g. HSG, surgery)
Weaknesses:
-Finance is hugely disorganized. You have to stay on top of your bill like white on rice.
-Due to high clinic volume, there is usually a 6-8 week wait to get in the cue for a consultation, retrieval, or transfer
-They do not upload your bloodwork or ultrasound results to the portal (although you can just take a photo of the patient info screen during monitoring visits)
-You are not allowed to speak to the embryologists
Neutrals
-Penn is a teaching hospital. Fellows tend to be more empathetic and kind because I don't think they have compassion fatigue yet, but when it comes to actual diagnostic procedures, they are clearly not as skilled and take longer.
-Closure from Christmas-New Year's means that they do not schedule anything that might need monitoring during that week.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
Very efficient. Never had to wait more than ten minutes and usually in and out within thirty minutes total. I like that they have soothing images of clouds, etc .on the lights! Each treatment room has its own private bathroom, which is a plus.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kathleen (Kate) O'Neill at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
I had insurance through Aetna (NJ) so most of my costs were covered. I did pay out of pocket for sperm freezing ($350ish/year), embryo storage ($430/yr), and mock transfers ($240)
Describe Kathleen (Kate) O'Neill's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
Dr. O'Neill bases her transfer protocol for untested embryos on anticipated number of euploid embryos by age. For example, if you have three embryos and research estimates 30% aneuploid, she would transfer one embryo, then two, since we'd assume at least one of those embryos would not be viable.
What specific things went wrong at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Lost appointments
- Failed to order appropriate test
- Provided conflicting information
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Ask this reviewer a question about their experience with Kathleen (Kate) O'Neill at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
9
9
Age
30 - 35
Treated
2014 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
3 IVF
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Tubal Blockage, Uterine Fibroids
9
9
She [Dr. Gracia] is a great RE and has always made me feel that she cared about my treatment and wanted me to have a baby. Be educated and direct about what you would like to try and she is often receptive...For my first cycle an agonist protocol was used. I produced a lot of eggs but only had 1 left on day 5 to transfer. For my next 2 cycles antagonist protocols with human growth hormone (both freeze all and then frozen embryo transfers) were used and these were more successful (4 embryos and then 3 embryos to freeze).
My first cycle [at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care] was about $10,500. My second cycle was $5500 ( and $2000 for an additional frozen embryo transfer cycle). My third cycle was $8500. None of these prices included medications which were an additional $2500-$3500 each full cycle. There are also embryo storage fees that are about $250 every few months...Penn Fertility is competent, caring and responsive when there is a concern. They can be a less aggressive than I would prefer in their approach at times but can usually be convinced to try something when pushed.
Age
30 - 35
Treated
2014 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Black or African-American
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 IVF
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Tubal Blockage, Uterine Fibroids
9
9
How was your experience with Clarisa Gracia at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
I have found Dr. Gracia to be intelligent, responsive and warm. She is generally quite receptive as well but there are times that I feel she could be a bit more open to a different idea or a less studied approach or intervention.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Clarisa Gracia at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
She is a great RE and has always made me feel that she cared about my treatment and wanted me to have a baby. Be educated and direct about what you would like to try and she is often receptive.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Clarisa Gracia at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
She has called me from her personal cell number before when I was worried about a cycle and needed information and reassurance. She also called me back when she was on vacation when I was in the hospital having a preterm delivery and losing my baby at 20 weeks. She greets me with a hug when I have had a hard time or when she hasn’t seen me in a while.
Describe the protocols Clarisa Gracia used in your cycles at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
For my first cycle an agonist protocol was used. I produced a lot of eggs but only had 1 left on day 5 to transfer. For my next 2 cycles antagonist protocols with human growth hormone (both freeze all and then frozen embryo transfers) were used and these were more successful (4 embryos and then 3 embryos to freeze).
Describe your experience with your nurse at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Brenda E.)
Brenda treated me well and was willing to listen to my concerns. She also helped me to figure out the most cost effective way to purchase my medications.
Describe your experience with University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
Penn Fertility is competent, caring and responsive when there is a concern. They can be a less aggressive than I would prefer in their approach at times but can usually be convinced to try something when pushed.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Clarisa Gracia at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
My first cycle was about $10,500. My second cycle was $5500 ( and $2000 for an additional frozen embryo transfer cycle). My third cycle was $8500. None of these prices included medications which were an additional $2500-$3500 each full cycle. There are also embryo storage fees that are about $250 every few months.
Describe Clarisa Gracia's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
My doctor was willing to do either eSET or 2 embryo transfer depending on the situation and my preference.
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
6
0
Age
35
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 Embryo Freezing, IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor
6
0
We felt like I was the only advocate for our treatment [with Dr. Scott Edwards]...didn’t take much time to explain the process or plan... weren’t thorough and I felt I needed to really watch my own treatment plan so things weren’t missed...He is very nice and kind...We always felt overwhelmed and needed more direction and guidance after leaving...IUIs. First we did a natural IUI, the second time I requested I was on a medication so he dose Letroxol
The staff [at Penn Fertility Care] is overwhelmed with too many patients to honestly spend the time needed on each individual so you feel like a person who is being thoroughly cared for...Everything that could have gone wrong did. They booked us the wrong appointments, on the wrong dates. Another time at the wrong location. The finance team doesn’t answer questions, just tells you they will submit to insurance and see what they get back. The nurses would call back at 5 Pm or actually not at all! You will wait on hold a TON and be very stressed. We left, and requested our records to be transferred. This took 2 weeks, 6or more calls to the clinic and 3 calls to the office manager. They didn’t even send all our records. I was livid
Age
35
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Sales Representative
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 Embryo Freezing, IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor
6
0
How was your experience with Scott Edwards at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
He is very nice and kind. The clinic is very busy and I felt like a number. We always felt overwhelmed and needed more direction and guidance after leaving this office. It was stressful. Thanks
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Scott Edwards at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Make sure you ask lots of questions and feel comfortable that your doctor will be overseeing your case. You need to trust your doctor, whoever you choose, for this overwhelming process.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Scott Edwards at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
The clinic is large and unorganized. It was a confusing start to an overwhelming process. The staff was nice, but I felt rushed in and out. They didn’t take much time to explain the process or plan. I felt the NP specifically was cold and quick to tell us things. They often weren’t thorough and I felt I needed to really watch my own treatment plan so things weren’t missed. I hated it
Describe the protocols Scott Edwards used in your cycles at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
IUIs. First we did a natural IUI, the second time I requested I was on a medication so he dose Letroxol
Describe your experience with your nurse at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Erin)
The staff is overwhelmed with too many patients to honestly spend the time needed on each individual so you feel like a person who is being thoroughly cared for
Describe your experience with University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
Terrible. We hated our experience with this group. They screwed up appointments for us, booked us at wrong offices, weren’t watching protocols closely. We felt like I was the only advocate for our treatment. The didn’t even call us back after bloodwork pre IUI!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Scott Edwards at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
IUI procedure, meds, ovadril shot, Monoriting and consults (that you have to book if you ever want to speak or hear from your physician )
Describe Scott Edwards's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
We left the group before IVF
What specific things went wrong at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Lost paperwork
- Lost appointments
- Failed to call with results
- Failed to send your chart to another clinic
- Lost results
- Provided conflicting information
- Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
Everything that could have gone wrong did. They booked us the wrong appointments, on the wrong dates. Another time at the wrong location. The finance team doesn’t answer questions, just tells you they will submit to insurance and see what they get back. The nurses would call back at 5 Pm or actually not at all! You will wait on hold a TON and be very stressed. We left, and requested our records to be transferred. This took 2 weeks, 6or more calls to the clinic and 3 calls to the office manager. They didn’t even send all our records. I was livid
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
8
7
Age
34 - 36
Treated
2017 - 2019
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
4 IUI
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Unexplained
8
7
When meeting with Dr. Kalra, she was kind and went over all aspects of tests that would be done and follow-up work that was needed...While under her care, my husband and I went on two have two more miscarriages and she could not have been more compassionate during that time...we did Clomid and IUI, which failed. I then got my period too soon and thankfully a wonderful NP stepped in and viewed my chart and changed me to Letrozole. We then did three more IUI cycles, all which failed.
After my fourth miscarriage, I had a D&E and sent the tissue away to be tested. Penn said that it would take two weeks and they would call with results. Two weeks has passed and no word from them. with all they deal with, you would think they would understand how much patients are waiting on results. I have even followed up with no response!...The four rounds of failed IUI cost me about $1000 out of pocket...while Penn has great nurses and doctors, some of their processes are delayed. Sometimes you need to pursue them for test results. I just think that when you'e involved in fertility treatments, communication is key, and perhaps Penn could be a little better. All of the staff is great, even when trying to get appointments. Kind and compassionate and helpful!
Age
34 - 36
Treated
2017 - 2019
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Other
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Marketer or PR
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
4 IUI
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Unexplained
8
7
How was your experience with Suleena Kalra at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Dr. Kalra is a very kind and knowledgeable woman. We saw her after two natural miscarriages, and the OBGYN pointed us towards Penn to try and get some answers as to why it happened twice. Dr. Kalra sat down with us and mapped out the next steps and what blood work and tests were needed. She explained the process of pregnancy and why miscarriages happen from time to time. While under her care, my husband and I went on two have two more miscarriages and she could not have been more compassionate during that time. She really felt for us and it showed.
During the course of treatment, often times you will see the nursing staff and not necessarily your doctor. When I did see Dr. Kalra, she was really great.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Suleena Kalra at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
I think it is important to ask questions. While she explained everything to us, asking for clarification or more detail can be very important. Often it is very emotional and overwhelming when receiving all of the details, so come prepared with questions!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Suleena Kalra at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
After having two miscarriages on our own, the OBGYN pointed me towards the fertility clinic at Penn. When meeting with Dr. Kalra, she was kind and went over all aspects of tests that would be done and follow-up work that was needed. She wrote things out in a way that make it easy for a non-medical person to understand. Under her care, I went on to have two more natural miscarriages and she could not have been kinder during these times. She was compassionate and really felt for us. We have done IUI (with no pregnancies), but have not yet moved onto the IVF piece of it.
Describe the protocols Suleena Kalra used in your cycles at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
After receiving the initial testing back, Dr. Kalra told us to try on our own for a few months. We did and it resulted in a pregnancy that then ended in miscarriage (#3). We met with her again and she told us to try on our own. When nothing happened after 4 months, I started Clomid and timed intercourse. The following month we did Clomid and IUI, which failed. I then got my period too soon and thankfully a wonderful NP stepped in and viewed my chart and changed me to Letrozole. We then did three more IUI cycles, all which failed. During this time, I did not have any communication with Dr. Kalra and had it not been for the WONDERFUL NP, I most likely would have left Penn.
Following the IUI failures, we met with Dr. Kalra again and were going to move towards IVF. However, I ended up getting a new job, and we put that on hold for the summer. Low and behold, I ended up pregnant again on my own, with yet another miscarriage (#4). Now we are awaiting results and another doctors visit.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
One of the main reasons I Stayed at Penn was because of the wonderful nursing staff, especially N.P., Kelly Lee. Had Kelly not stepped in and reviewed my chart, I most likely would have sought out a second opinion. The nurses are great and call with results and are so nice and answer any questions you may have! I cant say enough about the nurses here.
Describe your experience with University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
I wish that they knew that while Penn has great nurses and doctors, some of their processes are delayed. Sometimes you need to pursue them for test results. I just think that when you'e involved in fertility treatments, communication is key, and perhaps Penn could be a little better.
All of the staff is great, even when trying to get appointments. Kind and compassionate and helpful!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Suleena Kalra at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
The four rounds of failed IUI cost me about $1000 out of pocket.
What specific things went wrong at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Failed to call with results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
After my fourth miscarriage, I had a D&E and sent the tissue away to be tested. Penn said that it would take two weeks and they would call with results. Two weeks has passed and no word from them. with all they deal with, you would think they would understand how much patients are waiting on results. I have even followed up with no response!
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
7
10
Age
32
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
2 IUI, IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Unexplained
7
10
Dr Barnhart was very knowledgeable and thorough. He was kind but direct. You could tell that he was passionate about his field and he wants to get you pregnant. After my failed fresh cycle he was supportive and just as eager to try again as I was.... The clinic [U of Penn] is big so I did see a different doctor for each procedure and often times I only saw the nurse or tech. I would get a phone call from his nurse in the afternoon with instructions.
the Clinic [University of Pennsylbania] has early hours they are fast and efficient and the office is clean. I go to the market st location so it is a little annoying having to park but they do validate your parking which is nice....The clinic is big so I did see a different doctor for each procedure and often times I only saw the nurse or tech. I would get a phone call from his nurse in the afternoon with instructions.... The IVF package did not include embryo freezing, testing, or a mov transfer.
Age
32
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Black or African-American, Other
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
2 IUI, IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Unexplained
7
10
How was your experience with Kurt Barnhart at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Dr Barnhart was thorough and caring. The clinic is big so I did see a different doctor for each procedure and often times I only saw the nurse or tech. I would get a phone call from his nurse in the afternoon with instructions. I do feel like he was not that present for my cycles as I am sure he was involved behind the scenes managing everything.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kurt Barnhart at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Know that he isn’t a fluffy guy, he is matter of fact and to the point which I appreciate
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kurt Barnhart at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Dr Barnhart was very knowledgeable and thorough. He was kind but direct. You could tell that he was passionate about his field and he wants to get you pregnant. After my failed fresh cycle he was supportive and just as eager to try again as I was.
Describe the protocols Kurt Barnhart used in your cycles at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
My fresh cycle and retrieval cycle I was on a “high responder” protocol. My stim meds started out low and I used them for 9 days before trigger. I was only on progesterone for yhe transfer and it was not successful. For my frozen transfer I was on an antagonist protocol. I took Lupron during my leutal phase, got a cycle then started estrace, aspirin and started progesterone 6 days before transfer. Currently waiting to see if this was successful
Describe your experience with your nurse at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Demaree)
Demaree is an ANGEL. I would have been lost with out her. She is compassionate, smart and organized. She managed my care and appointments and listened to me. I never felt like I was bothering her and I truly felt like she was in this with me !
Describe your experience with University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
the Clinic has early hours they are fast and efficient and the office is clean. I go to the market st location so it is a little annoying having to park but they do validate your parking which is nice.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kurt Barnhart at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
The IVF package did not include embryo freezing, testing, or a mov transfer.
Describe Kurt Barnhart's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
Dr Barnhart was open to transferring 2 embryos after my failed fresh cycle.
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
10
Age
33 - 34
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
Dr. Mainigi is thorough, communicative, compassionate, and incredibly detail-oriented. During a really vulnerable time, she completely put my partner and me at ease. She knew so many details about my story during each of our conversations and was able to talk about my medical history in detail without even glancing at my chart. She is incredibly prepared for each appointment. She's also very empathetic and completely understands the delicate balance between emotional urgency and cost.
The nursing staff [Penn Fertility Care] have all been wonderful. They've provided thorough answers to my questions and always respond very quickly when I reach out via the online messaging system....Strengths: Incredible staff, limited wait times, and lots of transparency about procedures and associated costs. Weaknesses: This is an issue with fertility treatments generally, but the only weakness I can find is the cost of treatment. Much of that is related to my insurance rather than to this clinic. IUIs with Clomid cost $1000, IUIs with injections
Age
33 - 34
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
How was your experience with Monica Mainigi at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Dr. Mainigi is thorough, communicative, compassionate, and incredibly detail-oriented. During a really vulnerable time, she completely put my partner and me at ease. She knew so many details about my story during each of our conversations and was able to talk about my medical history in detail without even glancing at my chart. She is incredibly prepared for each appointment. She's also very empathetic and completely understands the delicate balance between emotional urgency and cost. Would recommend to anyone -- She's the best!!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Monica Mainigi at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Provide her with as many details as possible, as she takes everything into consideration when creating an individualized plan. She's also incredibly honest and communicative, so you'll get thorough answers to your questions.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Monica Mainigi at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Even if weeks -- or, in one case, months -- go by without an appointment, Dr. Mainigi always cites specific details about my experiences. She maintains eye contact the whole time rather than looking at a screen. This suggests that she both takes detailed notes after each appointment and reviews her patients' charts carefully before each appointment. I have never before had a doctor who is that detailed and prepared.
Describe the protocols Monica Mainigi used in your cycles at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
After my initial testing (bloodwork, ultrasound), I had a hysteroscopy to evaluate whether or not I had a uterine polyp. Dr. Mainigi wanted to take this step after one of my ultrasounds because the alternative was to wait and do a second ultrasound weeks later -- which, in addition to not being efficient, wouldn't have enabled her to treat any polyps if she found them. Post procedure, she recommended that I begin IUI because she knew that I had already been trying for a long time and was eager to move forward as quickly as possible. She was very understanding when I delayed this by a couple of months after finding out that my insurance doesn't cover any fertility treatments, and supported my decision to try Clomid alone for two months. When that didn't work, we started the IUI process. I'm undergoing my first round now -- She generally recommends 3 rounds of IUI before moving on to IVF.
Describe your experience with your nurse at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Nicole)
The nursing staff have all been wonderful. They've provided thorough answers to my questions and always respond very quickly when I reach out via the online messaging system.
Describe your experience with University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
Strengths: Incredible staff, limited wait times, and lots of transparency about procedures and associated costs. Weaknesses: This is an issue with fertility treatments generally, but the only weakness I can find is the cost of treatment. Much of that is related to my insurance rather than to this clinic. IUIs with Clomid cost $1000, IUIs with injections (which I have not had) cost $2000, and a round of IVF is $8000. This is relatively comparable to the costs I've seen at other clinics in this area with the exception of the IUI, which seems to be a bit pricier than other clinics nearby.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Monica Mainigi at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
I had a great insurance plan during my initial visits and hysteroscopy, so I only had to pay $10 copays. Under my new insurance, I've had to pay for everything. The Clomid costs about $16/month (for 10 pills). A round of IUI is $1000 and a round of IVF is $8000. I was also told that IUI with injections is $2000 but I haven't undergone this procedure and don't know very much about it. Those prices do not include associated prescriptions. The one injection for my IUI was around $35 under my insurance plan. I believe I paid around $100 for my most recent consultation.
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
9
Age
26 - 27
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
5 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
PCOS
10
9
Despite seeing several providers for regular visits, Dr. O'Neill has gone out of her way to be my provider for significant moments in my course of treatment, even when she was not the provider-of-the-day. Also, my partner has not been able to make it to many of my appointments, but Dr. O'Neill always thinks to ask how she is doing and how we are feeling in the fertility care process... I appreciate her careful balance between expressing optimism and hope, and being realistic about the process of fertility care. I would recommend her without any hesitation to any of my friends or family members in need of fertility care.
I have PCOS, and was put on letrozole protocol (days 4-8), as it is shown to be more effective than Clomid in PCOS. Given that we have the expense of donor sperm, Dr. O'Neill offered to do monitored cycles with trigger shots to optimize our timing for IUI insemination. She also offered to let us use home OPKs if we preferred to have a less invasive/clinical approach to conception as a lesbian couple without "proven infertility" (by insurance standards). We opted for the monitored cycles, but appreciated her sensitivity to our situation. We have not been successful in our first four cycles so far, and are in the TWW for our 5th.
Age
26 - 27
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$0 - $49K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
5 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
PCOS
10
9
How was your experience with Kathleen (Kate) O'Neill at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Dr. O'Neill has a warm and engaging demeanor. She is thorough and accessible in her explanation of options and procedures. She is understanding of the financial pressures of using donor sperm and makes sure my wife and I are fully on board with the plan at each step of the process. I appreciate her careful balance between expressing optimism and hope, and being realistic about the process of fertility care. I would recommend her without any hesitation to any of my friends or family members in need of fertility care.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kathleen (Kate) O'Neill at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Be open and honest about your needs and desires, and never shy away from asking questions about your treatment. Dr. O'Neill will truly partner with you in this process.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kathleen (Kate) O'Neill at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Penn Fertility Care works on a group practice model, where the physicians rotate coverage for procedures, weekend coverage, etc. Despite seeing several providers for regular visits, Dr. O'Neill has gone out of her way to be my provider for significant moments in my course of treatment, even when she was not the provider-of-the-day. Also, my partner has not been able to make it to many of my appointments, but Dr. O'Neill always thinks to ask how she is doing and how we are feeling in the fertility care process.
Describe the protocols Kathleen (Kate) O'Neill used in your cycles at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
I have PCOS, and was put on letrozole protocol (days 4-8), as it is shown to be more effective than Clomid in PCOS. Given that we have the expense of donor sperm, Dr. O'Neill offered to do monitored cycles with trigger shots to optimize our timing for IUI insemination. She also offered to let us use home OPKs if we preferred to have a less invasive/clinical approach to conception as a lesbian couple without "proven infertility" (by insurance standards). We opted for the monitored cycles, but appreciated her sensitivity to our situation. We have not been successful in our first four cycles so far, and are in the TWW for our 5th.
Describe your experience with your nurse at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Amy)
Amy has been available to answer any questions along the way and to clarify timing for treatments. Any questions she cannot answer she passes up the chain to Dr. O'Neill.
Describe your experience with University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
Clinic runs very efficiently for monitoring appointments in the morning. It would be nice if they had even earlier monitoring appointments available since so many of their patients work in healthcare fields and are likewise expected to be at work at 7 am. All of the clinical staff have been appropriate regarding our care as a same-sex couple, but some of the front desk employees consistently ask after "my husband" when I check in for appointments. One thing to be aware of is that children are allowed in the waiting area, which is understandable for couples trying to conceive a subsequent child, but can be painful for those of us struggling to conceive our first.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kathleen (Kate) O'Neill at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
IUI cycles are $1000 plus meds
Describe Kathleen (Kate) O'Neill's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
N/a
What specific things went wrong at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Lost paperwork
- Failed to call with results
- Provided conflicting information
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
10
Age
34 - 36
Treated
2017 - 2019
Success with this Doc
13 Eggs Frozen
Treatment
4 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
10
10
Dr. Butts was extremely thorough when developing my treatment protocol. She requested surgery records from my OBGYN and used all the information gathered to give me predictions of my chances of success with retrieval cycles and my overall chances of conception in general. As a patient who tends to worry, Dr. Butts was able to assuage my fears with evidence based information and years of experience. I truly felt that we were in this journey together and that she would be willing to do whatever possible to help me achieve success.
Penn is a busy clinic. Because of that there is a whole team involved in your care and you may not see the same doctor for every appointment or procedure. I had two other doctors for two of my retrievals,and both were excellent. One weakness, if I had to name one, was that it was rather difficult obtaining medical records when they were requested from the office. They outsource to a company called MRO, but this company did not send the complete records that I had requested.
Age
34 - 36
Treated
2017 - 2019
Success with this Doc
13 Eggs Frozen
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Doctor
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
4 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
10
10
How was your experience with Samantha Butts at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Dr. Butts was extremely thorough when developing my treatment protocol. She requested surgery records from my OBGYN and used all the information gathered to give me predictions of my chances of success with retrieval cycles and my overall chances of conception in general. As a patient who tends to worry, Dr. Butts was able to assuage my fears with evidence based information and years of experience. I truly felt that we were in this journey together and that she would be willing to do whatever possible to help me achieve success.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Samantha Butts at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
As with any doctor, develop a list of questions and feel free to ask for explanations as often necessary. As a difficult to manage case, I had many concerns along the way, but Dr. Butts was always responsive and able to provide answers to my questions.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Samantha Butts at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Dr. Butts took the time to review my complicated medical history, including ovarian cyst removal surgery, prior to developing my individualized treatment plan. She was always focused on the details of my specific case rather than treating me with a generic standard protocol and approach to treatment.
Describe the protocols Samantha Butts used in your cycles at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
Initially we tried estrogen pill priming, then a course of daily Gonal-F and Menopur with ganirelix added at the end of the cycle. The outcome was initially as expected. For the next cycle, Dr. Butts suggested a different protocol with estrogen priming, then twice daily micro dose Lupron and daily Gonal F. We saw improvement in results the second time, which really boosted my confidence is Dr. Butt’s ability to alter the protocol using information gained from previous cycles. We used he second protocol for the third cycle as well which was successful.
Describe your experience with your nurse at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Amy)
Amy was very compassionate. Whenever she would call with results she would focus on the positive “growth is happening!” and “don’t worry, we will get some eggs this time” which I needed at times when I feared the treatment would not work on me as a poor responder.
Describe your experience with University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
Penn is a busy clinic. Because of that there is a whole team involved in your care and you may not see the same doctor for every appointment or procedure. I had two other doctors for two of my retrievals,and both were excellent. One weakness, if I had to name one, was that it was rather difficult obtaining medical records when they were requested from the office. They outsource to a company called MRO, but this company did not send the complete records that I had requested.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Samantha Butts at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
All costs were paid out of pocket. Fees for an egg freezing cycle were extremely reasonable. Penn gets a drug discount that is passed on to the patient. I paid 1/3 the cost of medications compared to what I would have paid at another clinic, saving me thousands of dollars. Of course I would have paid full price is necessary, but getting the same medications for less was a nice benefit.
Describe Samantha Butts's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
I have not gotten to this stage yet.
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0
1
Age
33
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
0
1
Dr. Butts is knowledgeable and well-intentioned. She is flexible, and was willing to change my plan based on new information. But either she is pulled in too many different directions or she does not have sufficient time to spend with patients. I felt like I was a burden to her through my care cycle. She would express exasperation when faced with questions - rather than viewing patient questions as an opportunity to clarify and solidify the plan, she was defensive and vague with her responses. She expressed confidence that she knew my case very well, but frequently brought up factually incorrect information related to the medications I should have been taking and my medical history.
The Penn fertility nursing staff is highly variable. Some are very organized and compassionate, but mistakes occurred because different nurses will call with results and not have an understanding of specific cases. I frequently had to chase down results and information. One time I drove out for an hour to a specialty pharmacy just to find out that the prescription had not been sent in. These issues are due to organizational challenges around care coordination.
Age
33
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Prefer not to answer
Income
—
Occupation
Doctor
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
0
1
How was your experience with Samantha Butts at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Dr. Butts is knowledgeable and well-intentioned. She is flexible, and was willing to change my plan based on new information. But either she is pulled in too many different directions or she does not have sufficient time to spend with patients. I felt like I was a burden to her through my care cycle. She would express exasperation when faced with questions - rather than viewing patient questions as an opportunity to clarify and solidify the plan, she was defensive and vague with her responses. She expressed confidence that she knew my case very well, but frequently brought up factually incorrect information related to the medications I should have been taking and my medical history. She was difficult to reach and often unavailable. She did not express compassion for miscarriages and other challenges that I faced during my time in her care. I did not feel that she truly cared about or was invested in my fertility outcomes.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Samantha Butts at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
I would recommend for patients of Dr. Butts to be prepared to advocate for themselves.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Samantha Butts at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Dr. Butts did not spend time getting to know me. She had poor knowledge of my medical history, and in communications would recount factually incorrect information about my history, my current medications, and my plan.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
The Penn fertility nursing staff is highly variable. Some are very organized and compassionate, but mistakes occurred because different nurses will call with results and not have an understanding of specific cases. I frequently had to chase down results and information. One time I drove out for an hour to a specialty pharmacy just to find out that the prescription had not been sent in. These issues are due to organizational challenges around care coordination.
Describe your experience with University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
Penn Fertility will always have a lot of patients because some large employers in the Philadelphia area cover services there. It is a well-respected program and most of the physicians I interacted with are excellent. However, the clinic does not care at all about patient satisfaction or patient experience. The financial coordinators are particularly difficult to work with - they are rude, don't return calls, and are unwilling to help unless they are chasing you down for a bill. If this clinic is the only one covered by your insurance, you will likely get what you need. But if you are paying out of pocket, I would think about going elsewhere.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
Monitoring appointments were convenient with relatively short wait times.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Samantha Butts at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
Approximately $5,000 out of pocket costs with insurance coverage including required mock transfer (out of pocket only), medications, and co-pays/deductibles.
What specific things went wrong at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Failed to call with results
- Provided conflicting information
- Failed to convey critical information
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
10
Age
28 - 32
Treated
2014 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 Embryo Freezing
Diagnosis
Anovulation, Endometriosis, PCOS, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
10
10
Dr. Sondheimer and his nurse would personally call me back when I called with questions. He was so incredibly kind, especially after my first miscarriage, which was before I was in treatment with him. When I had to leave the practice due to insurance changes and a move out of the area, he called to tell me that he would always be there to support me in what I needed, and that he would love to keep in touch about life, good news, and my professional career
This clinic [U of Penn] has many strengths, in my opinion. It is relatively easy to get an appointment within a reasonable timeframe for consults, and they are flexible with scheduling for labs and ultrasounds. They have a very knowledgeable financial counselor who works with insurances to get coverage when possible. They do all of their labs in-house, and results are reported relatively quickly. They have their own embryology labs directly connected to the OR's where they do retrievals, which is great.
Age
28 - 32
Treated
2014 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European, Ashkenazi Jewish
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 Embryo Freezing
Diagnosis
Anovulation, Endometriosis, PCOS, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
10
10
How was your experience with Steven Sondheimer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Dr. Sondheimer is very kind and compassionate. He takes the time to fully understand your story and your goals. I felt like I was very prepared for all of my procedures (HSG, IUI, egg retrieval), and knew I was in good hands. After my first miscarriage, he called multiple times to see how I was doing, both physically and mentally. I never felt like he was rushing me out of his office, and he treated me like family.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Steven Sondheimer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Ask every question you have! Write them down and take your list with you. He will take all the time he needs to answer them.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Steven Sondheimer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Dr. Sondheimer and his nurse would personally call me back when I called with questions. He was so incredibly kind, especially after my first miscarriage, which was before I was in treatment with him. When I had to leave the practice due to insurance changes and a move out of the area, he called to tell me that he would always be there to support me in what I needed, and that he would love to keep in touch about life, good news, and my professional career (I'm a physician). I never felt rushed with him, and he made sure I felt cared for at a very vulnerable time in my life.
Describe the protocols Steven Sondheimer used in your cycles at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
I did a stimulation protocol as follows:
1. Lupron for 10 days
2. Start Gonal-F
3. Add Menopur
4. hCG trigger shot
I had monitoring appointments daily during stimulation. I have PCOS, so there was a slight concern of OHSS. My doctor retrieved 23 eggs, 19 of which fertilized. 8 of those matured, 5 were frozen on Day 5, and 3 were frozen on Day 6. I don't recall the exact grading, but my doctor assured me that they only ever froze embryos they thought would be successful as FET's.
Describe your experience with your nurse at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Madeline)
Madeline was the best! She fully explained everything and called me daily with updates to my medications and treatment plans. The rest of the nurses with whom I interacted in the office were also great. They were all very friendly and helpful.
Describe your experience with University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
This clinic has many strengths, in my opinion. It is relatively easy to get an appointment within a reasonable timeframe for consults, and they are flexible with scheduling for labs and ultrasounds. They have a very knowledgeable financial counselor who works with insurances to get coverage when possible. They do all of their labs in-house, and results are reported relatively quickly. They have their own embryology labs directly connected to the OR's where they do retrievals, which is great. They require IVF education sessions before beginning a cycle, which is really helpful for getting questions answered about the process in general and what to expect. At the Market Street location, there is street parking, but there is also a garage and they will validate your parking so it's only $5, which is great for Philadelphia! I have not been to the other 2 locations.
The only weakness that I can report is that your primary doctor may not be the one doing all the procedures. They do have fellows there who are training, but they are well-supervised by the attending physicians.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Steven Sondheimer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
I was very fortunate to have insurance that covered fertility treatments entirely. I paid copays for my appointments. The embryo storage fee I believe was $550 for the initial freeze + 3 months, and then $225 billed quarterly after that.
Describe Steven Sondheimer's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
I did not have an embryo transfer yet, but my doctor usually recommends single embryo transfer, because transferring 2 doesn't significantly increase your chance of pregnancy, and also to avoid the risk that comes with carrying multiples.
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
10
Age
31 - 36
Treated
2013 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
3 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Unexplained
10
10
Dr Butts wants me to have success. She listens to my questions/concerns/needs and has always agreed not to give up until I felt I was finished. When everything we had tried wasn’t working, she would consult with colleagues and come up with a new plan. She makes every effort to be the one to perform all of my procedures, and calls me personally to discuss any outcome or treatment plan.
They [University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care] are busy in the mornings with routine monitoring appointments, but they always get patients through in a fairly quick time, while also taking the time necessary with each patient so you don’t feel you are being rushed. I’ve never had a problem scheduling an appointment when I needed one. All of the staff are very friendly and courteous...I was always called by my doctor or my nurse with results, instructions, etc. They always made me feel like they were taking a personal interest in my case.
Age
31 - 36
Treated
2013 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Unexplained
10
10
How was your experience with Samantha Butts at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Dr Butts wants me to have success. She listens to my questions/concerns/needs and has always agreed not to give up until I felt I was finished. When everything we had tried wasn’t working, she would consult with colleagues and come up with a new plan. She makes every effort to be the one to perform all of my procedures, and calls me personally to discuss any outcome or treatment plan.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Samantha Butts at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Try to research everything you can to find out what’s going on with your body. And don’t be afraid to have opinions or suggestions and stick up for yourself if you feel something isn’t right.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Samantha Butts at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
I was always called by my doctor or my nurse with results, instructions, etc. They always made me feel like they were taking a personal interest in my case.
Describe the protocols Samantha Butts used in your cycles at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
I did 3 IVF cycles using a combination of lupron, menopur and follistim. I have low AMH/DOR and a thin lining. I was only able to produce 9 eggs on my best cycle, and 4 eggs on my worst. Those 3 cycles resulted in 2 total embryos that were frozen for later FETs.
Describe your experience with your nurse at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Dawn )
I would receive update phone calls from my nurse Dawn whenever Dr Butts was unable to call me herself. She was conscious of the hours I worked and always called at a reasonable time. She knew I wanted all the details and results of any tests or labs done. She was able to answer any questions I had and was knowledgeable about my case throughout the process.
Describe your experience with University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
They are busy in the mornings with routine monitoring appointments, but they always get patients through in a fairly quick time, while also taking the time necessary with each patient so you don’t feel you are being rushed. I’ve never had a problem scheduling an appointment when I needed one. All of the staff are very friendly and courteous.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Samantha Butts at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
Costs were minimal because I work in that health system and my insurance covered nearly everything in network. Once I hit my IVF insurance cap I had to pay $5k-$8k on remaining meds.
Describe Samantha Butts's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
My doctor was willing to transfer multiple embryos if the quality wasn’t great. But in my case I only had 2 to work with so we did 2 separate single embryo transfers.
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
5
Age
27 - 29
Treated
2016 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
2 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
5
Dr. Masson performed 2 TESEs for my husband and he recommended that he take Ubiquinol, Vitamin D and Ester C for a few months prior to the procedure. The first time, my husband was not aware of these recommendations but the TESE did yield viable sperm. He DID take the recommended supplements before the second TESE, which yielded sperm of approximately the same quality as the first time. So I can't say whether or not the supplements helped, but both procedures did yield useable sperm.
Though we were happy with our doctors, we were not happy with the clinic [UPenn-Market] as a whole and have since left the clinic. We felt that we rarely saw our doctor. In over a year Penn Fertility Care, we saw our official IVF doctor maybe three or four times total, including consultations.... The charges associated with my husband's TESE were extremely unclear. We got multiple bills that we were not expecting and they do not inform you about costs associated with sperm storage.
Age
27 - 29
Treated
2016 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European, Ashkenazi Jewish
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 3 Docs
Treatment
2 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
5
How was your experience with Puneet Masson at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Dr. Masson's biggest strength is his communication. We felt like he was genuinely invested in our care and made every effort to ensure that our other fertility specialists were aware of our needs. He was compassionate and called my husband before and after each procedure.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Puneet Masson at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Don't be afraid to call his office to speak to him directly! His office staff was great about helping us get in touch with him.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Puneet Masson at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Dr. Masson was very thorough and honest about our prognosis. He answered all of our questions and we never left appointments feeling confused or unsure of what to expect. We never had a hard time getting a hold of him directly and he called my husband numerous times regarding procedures, appointments, etc. I wish all of our doctors communicated like he does!
Describe the protocols Puneet Masson used in your cycles at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
Dr. Masson performed 2 TESEs for my husband and he recommended that he take Ubiquinol, Vitamin D and Ester C for a few months prior to the procedure. The first time, my husband was not aware of these recommendations but the TESE did yield viable sperm. He DID take the recommended supplements before the second TESE, which yielded sperm of approximately the same quality as the first time. So I can't say whether or not the supplements helped, but both procedures did yield useable sperm.
Describe your experience with University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
Though we were happy with our doctors, we were not happy with the clinic as a whole and have since left the clinic. We felt that we rarely saw our doctor. In over a year Penn Fertility Care, we saw our official IVF doctor maybe three or four times total, including consultations.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Puneet Masson at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
The charges associated with my husband's TESE were extremely unclear. We got multiple bills that we were not expecting and they do not inform you about costs associated with sperm storage.
What specific things went wrong at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
- Failed to send your chart to another clinic
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Ask this reviewer a question about their experience with Puneet Masson at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
8
9
Age
38 - 39
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
3 IUI, 1 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Male Factor
8
9
Dr Senapati explained the entire process in great detail...When I first went to see Dr Senapati I didn't know what to expect. She explained all the procedures such as IUI and IVF in great detail. I believe she could come off a little more compassionate as some of the other doctors I've met in the practice....Dr Senapati throws a lot of information at you at once. Make sure you bring your questions and you take down notes....
All staff [Upenn- Market] is very friendly and willing to answer any questions....My nurse Madeline was excellent. She showed me and my husband how to take the shots during our consultation. Madeline called me every evening to tell me my levels, what dose of medicine to take and how my follicles were progressing....Make sure you check in when you get to the desk. I went there one time and the receptionist didn't check me in and they called my phone asking where I was
Age
38 - 39
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
South Asian
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Sales Representative
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 IUI, 1 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Male Factor
8
9
How was your experience with Suneeta Senapati at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
When I first went to see Dr Senapati I didn't know what to expect. She explained all the procedures such as IUI and IVF in great detail. I believe she could come off a little more compassionate as some of the other doctors I've met in the practice.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Suneeta Senapati at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Dr Senapati throws a lot of information at you at once. Make sure you bring your questions and you take down notes.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Suneeta Senapati at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Dr Senapati explained the entire process in great detail. If you have a question, my nurses got back to me the same day. When I went in to see my doctor or for blood work and sonogram I was seen within 15-20 minutes. All staff is very friendly and willing to answer any questions.
Describe the protocols Suneeta Senapati used in your cycles at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
I began birth control for a few weeks and then went on 10ml of lupron. On the second day of my period I had a baseline ultrasound to check my ovaries and lining. I started injections (5ml lupron in the morning and 375ml Gonal F in the evening). I had bloodwork and ultrasounds to check my hormone levels and follicle development 4 days later and my dose changed to 5ml Lupron, 300 Gonal F and 150 menopur for the rest of the days. I took my HCG trigger shot on day 11 and had my egg retrieval on day 13 (36 after my trigger shot.)
I sent my embryos out for PGS testing and i'm waiting on the results.
I don't know the strategies behind or rational because I just did what the nurse told me to do.
Describe your experience with your nurse at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Madeline)
My nurse Madeline was excellent. She showed me and my husband how to take the shots during our consultation. Madeline called me every evening to tell me my levels, what dose of medicine to take and how my follicles were progressing. After my eggs were retrieved she called and gave me updates.
Describe your experience with University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
Make sure you check in when you get to the desk. I went there one time and the receptionist didn't check me in and they called my phone asking where I was. Ask questions about what is your next step.
The wait time is under 15-20 minutes. The staff is very friendly.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Suneeta Senapati at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
From June 2017 until now $62,567 in medical expenses not including prescription drugs. I still have to do the IVF transfer after the PGS results come in.
What specific things went wrong at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Describe the specific things that went wrong at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
My nurse forgot to call in a script. When I called her, she called it in right away.
The receptionist forgot to enter in the computer that I was there for my IUI appointment. My IUI was done 37.5 hours instead of 36 hours after my trigger shot.
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
9
9
Age
35 - 36
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
9 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
PCOS, Unexplained
9
9
Dr. Sondheimer puts a lot of personal thought into every stage of care, and is both flexible and direct with his opinions. I truly feel like he cares, even though I haven't yet become pregnant... been in this field for a very long time. He is good at direct communication, and I feel that I am in the hands of an expert. He makes himself available as much as possible, and when he is not able to he makes sure I am in good hands with his colleagues. He sometimes seems rushed, but he is always concentrating on me.
After a couple of failed letrozole IUIs, I tried a few rounds of clomid IUI [at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care]. When that didn't work, I added injectables (Follistim). All of those were with Ovidrel trigger. After round 9, I moved to IVF using Gonal F, Menopur, Ganarelix, and Novarel trigger...All have this has been with donor sperm, as my partner is another woman...She [nurse] always calls me when she says she will, and always answers all of my questions. I feel I am in good hands.
Age
35 - 36
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European, Ashkenazi Jewish
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
9 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
PCOS, Unexplained
9
9
How was your experience with Steven Sondheimer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
He is a caring man who has been in this field for a very long time. He is good at direct communication, and I feel that I am in the hands of an expert. He makes himself available as much as possible, and when he is not able to he makes sure I am in good hands with his colleagues. He sometimes seems rushed, but he is always concentrating on me.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Steven Sondheimer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Ask all your questions, even the very minute details. And be prepared to not see him all the time.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Steven Sondheimer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
The practice itself can be a little overwhelming, in terms of the number of patients and providers-- so in that way sometimes I feel like a number. But Dr. Sondheimer puts a lot of personal thought into every stage of care, and is both flexible and direct with his opinions. I truly feel like he cares, even though I haven't yet become pregnant.
Describe the protocols Steven Sondheimer used in your cycles at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
After a couple of failed letrozole IUIs, I tried a few rounds of clomid IUI. When that didn't work, I added injectables (Follistim). All of those were with Ovidrel trigger. After round 9, I moved to IVF using Gonal F, Menopur, Ganarelix, and Novarel trigger. My retrieval is tomorrow. I have 7 follicles right now. We discussed switching to IUI but Dr Sondheimer didn't recommend it. I am hoping for at least a few embryos. All have this has been with donor sperm, as my partner is another woman.
Describe your experience with your nurse at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Madeline)
She always calls me when she says she will, and always answers all of my questions. I feel I am in good hands.
Describe your experience with University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
They are very efficient. They see a LOT of patients, so you may not get as much time with any particular provider as you might want. You will meet a lot of different doctors. I like all of them, and have had a very good experience. But if you are looking for a more homey atmosphere or touchy feely experience, it's not the place for you. Also it is super convenient to my work-- this is probably the #1 important thing to me, since I have to go so often.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Steven Sondheimer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
My insurance covered everything for IUIs except for Ovidrel ($35), and donor sperm washing ($150). For IVF most things have been covered. I think genetic testing (PGS) will be around $1850
Describe Steven Sondheimer's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
He has a strong preference for only transferring 1 frozen embryo at a time. If I do a fresh transfer, he will put in 2.
What specific things went wrong at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Describe the specific things that went wrong at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
Just a small error, they forgot to call in one of my meds-- it was caught quickly.
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0
2
Age
34 - 35
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
2 IUI, 4 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
0
2
She [Dr. Kalra] will not ask you to do some tests like HSG, hystroscopy etc which at times could be helpful in diagnosing the problem and prevent you from going towards IVF...3 cycles of Clomid (100mg) and timed intercourse. No rationale, just trying if it works...I felt like a number, she had no good bed side manners...was great in describing you the basics of how hormones talk to ovaries, egg are produced etc. But she is not interested in listening to your concerns. She would like to push her agenda on you for treatment. I did not like her approach of the way she treats her patients. She can be more compassionate.
the Penn nursing staff is great for bloodwork and US. you receive call about your results...The clinic are clean. They will not transfer your medical records to new practice. so try to get all records when you are their patient. It is well run clinic as it is part of Penn fertility care. They run many centers in Philadelphia region, so you can go to Market st, Wash. Sq and also in Radnor. Wait time at clinic can be long and weekend lab work is only done in Market st. location.
Age
34 - 35
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
No
Race
South Asian
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Professor
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 3 Docs
Treatment
2 IUI, 4 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
0
2
How was your experience with Suleena Kalra at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Dr. Kalra, was great in describing you the basics of how hormones talk to ovaries, egg are produced etc. But she is not interested in listening to your concerns. She would like to push her agenda on you for treatment. I did not like her approach
of the way she treats her patients. She can be more compassionate.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Suleena Kalra at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
She is doctor who runs by numbers, I mean that they want to have good success rates and will take only patients that they think will have better IVF success rates. So if you have DOR, other complications, I will suggest to stay away for her. She will not ask you to do some tests like HSG, hystroscopy etc which at times could be helpful in diagnosing the problem and prevent you from going towards IVF. As I said she wants to IVF and for that she doesnot need fallopian tubes and uterus etc. So stay away from her practice if you want to find diagnosis to your infertility/DOR.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Suleena Kalra at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
In the beginning when I consulted her for irregular periods and not getting pregnant, she quickly jumped to conclusion that I had PCOS. Later after my blood work hormones results came, she changed her initial diagnosis to DOR (I had low AMH). She did not went further in understanding the root cause of my irregular periods and wanted to start Clomid asap. I did 3 cycles of Clomid with timed intercourse. During all 3 cycles, I was seen by her junior staff and she never contacted me and talked about the failed cycles or trying other medications. After 3 Clomid cycles, she directly wanted to jump to IVF and when I told her that I would need more time, she lost all her interest in me. It felt as if she was trying to push me to do IVF and when I pushed back, she was not amused. After 6 months, I went back to her to get opinion on what next steps we should take to get pregnant, she was not interested at all to take our case owing it to loss AMH and importantly we went for a second opinion to another doctor (which she did not liked). In my opinion she took things personally, rather then helping her patient in getting pregnant. Also I felt like a number, she had no good bed side manners.
Describe the protocols Suleena Kalra used in your cycles at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
3 cycles of Clomid (100mg) and timed intercourse. No rationale, just trying if it works
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
the Penn nursing staff is great for bloodwork and US. you receive call about your results
Describe your experience with University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
The clinic are clean. They will not transfer your medical records to new practice. so try to get all records when you are their patient. It is well run clinic as it is part of Penn fertility care. They run many centers in Philadelphia region, so you can go to Market st, Wash. Sq and also in Radnor. Wait time at clinic can be long and weekend lab work is only done in Market st. location.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Suleena Kalra at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
was covered by insurance
What specific things went wrong at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
- Failed to send your chart to another clinic
- Lost results
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
7
9
Age
30 - 32
Treated
2015 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
7 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
7
9
Doctor Senapati is very good at clearly and patiently explaining things, and takes a very matter-of-fact approach...The only reservation I had about her was that my husband and I chose to take a less conventional approach to IVF for religious reasons. We elected to inseminate only a small number of eggs to reduce the chances of excess embryos. We didn't feel like Dr. Senapati always fully understood how important this priority was to us, and we knew she didn't agree with our approach.
Penn Fertility Care is a huge, efficient practice. Almost everyone I encountered was very warm and kind, but it did mean that almost every visit involved a different practitioner who wasn't familiar with me and my history. My doctor was always available to me by phone, and I knew she was always making the key decisions about my care, but I seldom saw her in person. The biggest downside is that occasionally someone would communicate inaccurate or inconsistent information to me, so I really had to be on top of my own care and advocate for myself
Age
30 - 32
Treated
2015 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Marketer or PR
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
7 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
7
9
How was your experience with Suneeta Senapati at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Doctor Senapati is very good at clearly and patiently explaining things, and takes a very matter-of-fact approach. I always felt very comfortable asking questions, and she never made me feel rushed when we were discussing my care. I always felt like I had a good grasp of the steps we were taking and the reasons behind them.
The only reservation I had about her was that my husband and I chose to take a less conventional approach to IVF for religious reasons. We elected to inseminate only a small number of eggs to reduce the chances of excess embryos. We didn't feel like Dr. Senapati always fully understood how important this priority was to us, and we knew she didn't agree with our approach. In the end, we took a path we were comfortable with, but not before we experienced some (respectful) pushback.
In summary: If you've got personal ethical concerns about fertility treatments/IVF, consider another doctor who might better understand where you're coming from. If what you want is an expert walking you through your care step by step, she's a great choice.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Suneeta Senapati at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Don't hesitate to ask questions at any point! She's going to explain a TON of information to you, which can quickly get overwhelming and make decisions difficult. So ask about anything that's unclear, and request to go over something again if you didn't fully grasp it the first time. She'll never make you feel dumb for asking more questions.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Suneeta Senapati at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Penn Fertility Care is a huge, efficient practice. Almost everyone I encountered was very warm and kind, but it did mean that almost every visit involved a different practitioner who wasn't familiar with me and my history. My doctor was always available to me by phone, and I knew she was always making the key decisions about my care, but I seldom saw her in person. The biggest downside is that occasionally someone would communicate inaccurate or inconsistent information to me, so I really had to be on top of my own care and advocate for myself, which could get tiring.
Overall, I was comfortable with Penn Fertility Care because I trusted that they had the best resources and expertise available, but someone who would be bothered by the level of personal attention might want to consider a smaller practice.
Describe the protocols Suneeta Senapati used in your cycles at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
Dr. Senapati understood that I wanted to avoid IVF if at all possible, so we exhausted every approach to IUI first. Unfortunately, my extremely sensitive ovaries made this difficult. After I overreacted to even the lowest dose of Clomid, we switched to Letrozole cycles. After I underreacted to even the highest dose of Letrozole, we switched to a hybrid Letrozole+Gonal F cycle. When that didn't work, we used exclusively Gonal F because the dosage can be calibrated so precisely. In the end, we did 14 hormone cycles, with 7 cancelled cycles and 7 IUIs. At that point she recommended we discontinue IUI, so we switched to IVF and I got pregnant after my first embryo transfer.
Describe your experience with your nurse at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Erin)
Erin is great at explaining things and demonstrating medication protocols in a way I could understand. Overall, the nursing staff at Penn Fertility Care made me feel very comfortable and taken care of.
Describe Suneeta Senapati's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
Dr. Senapati's preferences for single embryo transfer aligned with my own, so we didn't have to discuss it much. From what we did discuss, I felt confident that it was the best choice for my health and for my pregnancy goals. I also felt that the choice was my own and I could have gone a different way if I'd wanted to.
What specific things went wrong at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
During my IVF cycle, a nurse did not order one of my medications from the pharmacy correctly, and I didn't realize I was missing it until hours before I was supposed to take it. This could have been a crisis, but the care team worked with me to get me a replacement, so it all worked out.
This was the only major, avoidable problem I had in a year-plus of treatment, so overall I can say that they're a very well-run and organized practice.
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
8
9
Age
31 - 35
Treated
2013 - 2017
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
9 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
PCOS
8
9
Dr Butts diagnosed me with PCOS and then continued to treat me...I did a few IUIs with her...I used letrozole alone for the first one, but my ovulation was hard to predict. On the second (and third?) I used letrozole and Ovidrel. Unfortunately none resulted in a pregnancy...She can be a quick talker, so be sure to write down all your questions to be sure that you fit them all in. She'll spend as much time with you as you need.
If you need a lot of personal attention from your primary physician [University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care] probably isn't a good place for you-- but if you can handle having many providers, with your primary driving the decisions, it's great...It can feel a bit like a factory, just with the number of providers and patients. But I liked all the providers very much, and trusted their communication with me and with each other.
Age
31 - 35
Treated
2013 - 2017
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European, Ashkenazi Jewish
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
9 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
PCOS
8
9
How was your experience with Samantha Butts at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
I saw Dr. Butts for general gynecology, because I knew that once I started trying to conceive I would have difficulty based on my irregular periods. Dr Butts diagnosed me with PCOS and then continued to treat me. When I started trying to get pregnant, I had a few (3?) IUIs with her and then she went on sabbatical. At that time I switched to a different provider. I found Dr Butts to be very knowledgeable, very up to date with research, and very approachable. Had I not gotten comfortable with a different provider during her sabbatical, I would have stuck with her.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Samantha Butts at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
She can be a quick talker, so be sure to write down all your questions to be sure that you fit them all in. She'll spend as much time with you as you need.
Describe the protocols Samantha Butts used in your cycles at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
I did a few IUIs with her-- either 2 or 3. I used letrozole alone for the first one, but my ovulation was hard to predict. On the second (and third?) I used letrozole and Ovidrel. Unfortunately none resulted in a pregnancy.
Describe your experience with your nurse at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Madeline)
Great communicator, always on top of things, very compassionate.
Describe your experience with University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
It can feel a bit like a factory, just with the number of providers and patients. But I liked all the providers very much, and trusted their communication with me and with each other. I also have a lot of trust in the Penn medical system. If you need a lot of personal attention from your primary physician this probably isn't a good place for you-- but if you can handle having many providers, with your primary driving the decisions, it's great.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Samantha Butts at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
It was just about all covered by insurance, besides a $150 sperm washing fee.
Describe Samantha Butts's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
n/a- I did not do IVF with her
What specific things went wrong at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Describe the specific things that went wrong at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
Just a small error in ordering meds, it was quickly resolved.
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6
8
Age
32 - 33
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
—
6
8
My impression of Dr. Kalra is that she is incredibly smart and incredibly busy. I only saw her during consultations. All my other procedures and monitoring appointments were done by someone else (Dr, technician or resident). I did not get a "warm and fuzzy" vibe but, in the end, that was not the most important thing to me. I think the protocol she chose was best for me and when it did not work, she adjusted it.
The clinic [UPenn Fertility Care] has weekend hours which are great. I wish there was more flexibility with monitoring appointments. Having them in the morning only at a certain time is inconvenient if you don't have a traditional 9-5. I have also experienced incredible wait times for appointments. For instance, I was told to show up with a FULL bladder for an IUI and ended up waiting an hour for the procedure. Also, we had a lot of trouble with the financial department in getting set up for IVF. No one would call us back and when they did we got different answers. To this day, we do not know what it will cost us up front or in total.
Age
32 - 33
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
—
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
—
6
8
How was your experience with Suleena Kalra at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
My impression of Dr. Kalra is that she is incredibly smart and incredibly busy. I only saw her during consultations. All my other procedures and monitoring appointments were done by someone else (Dr, technician or resident). I did not get a "warm and fuzzy" vibe but, in the end, that was not the most important thing to me. I think the protocol she chose was best for me and when it did not work, she adjusted it.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Suleena Kalra at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Come prepared with all your questions because she is impossible to reach outside of specific office visits.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Suleena Kalra at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
The office has set times for monitoring appointments and a protocol that is rather inflexible. Except for specific consultations, you see whoever is free that day. I also felt that most appointments were rushed.
Describe your experience with your nurse at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Erin IUI, Roohi IVF)
The nurses always got back to me when I called with a question. I felt they were more compassionate and understanding than the doctors.
Describe your experience with University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
The clinic has weekend hours which are great. I wish there was more flexibility with monitoring appointments. Having them in the morning only at a certain time is inconvenient if you don't have a traditional 9-5. I have also experienced incredible wait times for appointments. For instance, I was told to show up with a FULL bladder for an IUI and ended up waiting an hour for the procedure. Also, we had a lot of trouble with the financial department in getting set up for IVF. No one would call us back and when they did we got different answers. To this day, we do not know what it will cost us up front or in total.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Suleena Kalra at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
Mostly covered by insurance. Trigger shot was $30. Clomid/Femara $10. Bloodwork $50. HSG $180. IVF ???? likely in the neighborhood of $7-10k
Describe Suleena Kalra's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
I was told that, due to my age, only one embryo is recommended. I was not given an option for multiples.
What specific things went wrong at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
- Failed to call with results
- Provided conflicting information
- Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
There were some other errors which I considered minor. For instance, not calling in a medication which caused me to wait. I also received conflicting information on when to have timed intercourse during our first IUI cycle.
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0
0
Age
34
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
2 IVF, 2 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
PCOS
0
0
rom the beginning, Dr. Butts was rude and treated me more as if I was an annoyance than a patient. On my first appointment, she had me wait over 1 1/2. When I finally met with her, she didn't even apologize or acknowledge the wait. She treated me as if I was dumb, yet was visibly annoyed when I asked her to explain anything. She also was unwilling to give her opinion on anything and when I asked her what she thought about PGS, all she would ask was "how do you feel about it?"
[UPenn has a] long wait, but everyone was nice enough. they did not have a dr doing the ultrasound, but an ultrasound technician. my next clinic ahd a dr doing it.... Dr Butts made me wait over an hour each time I met her. When I would see her in the clinic when I was there for bloods or ultrasounds, she would walk right by and had no idea who I was- not even a smile or tilt of the head in acknowledgment. In appointments, she clearly did not recall any details about me.
Age
34
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Prefer not to answer
Income
—
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
2 IVF, 2 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
PCOS
0
0
How was your experience with Samantha Butts at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
From the beginning, Dr. Butts was rude and treated me more as if I was an annoyance than a patient. On my first appointment, she had me wait over 1 1/2. When I finally met with her, she didn't even apologize or acknowledge the wait. She treated me as if I was dumb, yet was visibly annoyed when I asked her to explain anything. She also was unwilling to give her opinion on anything and when I asked her what she thought about PGS, all she would ask was "how do you feel about it?" This is not a therapy session- i wanted her actual opinion.
I figured bad bedside manner would be ok if there were results. There were not. I have PCOS- having eggs is not my issue. Dr. Butts cancelled my egg retrieval after 14 days of injections. I believe I was not monitored closely enough and was given a "cookie cutter" cocktail of meds and not one geared towards my body. To give you an idea, my next doctor retrieved 17 mature.
I found out that my cycle was being cancelled after 14 days from her nurse. Dr. Butts did not call or reach out. After I called Dr. Butts several times, she finally called me back after hours so that when I missed her call and tried to call back, I had no way of reaching her. When we finally did call, she showed no compassion, did not explain anything, was arrogant and was frankly annoyed that I wanted to speak to her to understand why she cancelled my cycle.
When I called Penn and said that Dr. Butts was my dr and i wanted at least a partial refund, they were not surprised to get my call. I can only guess that they were used to it.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Samantha Butts at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
find a new Dr. immediately.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Samantha Butts at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Dr Butts made me wait over an hour each time I met her. When I would see her in the clinic when I was there for bloods or ultrasounds, she would walk right by and had no idea who I was- not even a smile or tilt of the head in acknowledgment. In appointments, she clearly did not recall any details about me.
Describe the protocols Samantha Butts used in your cycles at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
She does not monitor you closely enough. I was on menopur, ganirelix, and I forgot the name of the third one- starts with an F and is the pen shot. After I started ganirelix she waited over 48 hours to run my bloods. I have since learned that ganirelix commonly can have an adverse impact on people's estrogen and they need to be monitored closely when started to see if other drugs should be increased to offset the effects. That did not happen with Dr Butts
Describe your experience with your nurse at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Dawn)
nice enough but dr butts threw her under the bus. forgot to order my meds when i was supposed to start
Describe your experience with University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
long wait, but everyone was nice enough. they did not have a dr doing the ultrasound, but an ultrasound technician. my next clinic ahd a dr doing it. i have nothign else to say but it wont let me click next until i hit 200 characters
Describe the costs associated with your care under Samantha Butts at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
pricey but not terrible
Describe Samantha Butts's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
didnt get that far
What specific things went wrong at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Failed to call with results
- Failed to order appropriate test
- Failed to send your chart to another clinic
- Provided conflicting information
- Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
failed to call in meds, messed up appts, didnt get me medical records
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
10
Age
18 - 30
Treated
2004 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
PCOS
10
10
He [Dr. Sondheimer] spent a vast amount of time counseling me and my husband, praising our strength and courage, and supporting us throughout the entire process...He is caring and extremely knowledgable and very methodical in his investigative process when trying to root cause infertility. I've been under his care for 14 yrs as a routine gyn patient due to my PCOS. He was on sabbatical when we ended up doing our retrieval and transfer but he routinely checked in with his RN to see how things were going because he wanted to make sure all was going well. He truly cares about his patients and goes above and beyond as a physician...
Front desk staff [at Upenn - Market] can be a little temperamental and can make you feel likes bother. Overall all of the staff at the clinic, however, are fantastic. Parking is a pain and can be expensive...[Nurse] Rie is fantastic. She always ensured I was comfortable and understood everything. She returns phone calls promptly and spends as much time needed to explain things and a set questions. She personally calls to check in and even to follow up after her weekend off if you had anything done during that time. She came down to check on me after my retrieval as well, even though she wasn't in the OR and was in the office that day...
Age
18 - 30
Treated
2004 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 5 Docs
Treatment
1 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
PCOS
10
10
How was your experience with Steven Sondheimer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Dr. Sondhiemer is a superb physician at this clinic. He is caring and extremely knowledgable and very methodical in his investigative process when trying to root cause infertility. I've been under his care for 14 yrs as a routine gyn patient due to my PCOS. He was on sabbatical when we ended up doing our retrieval and transfer but he routinely checked in with his RN to see how things were going because he wanted to make sure all was going well. He truly cares about his patients and goes above and beyond as a physician.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Steven Sondheimer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
He can be very straightforward, but not in a blunt manner.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Steven Sondheimer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
He spent a vast amount of time counseling me and my husband, praising our strength and courage, and supporting us throughout the entire process.
Describe the protocols Steven Sondheimer used in your cycles at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
My protocol was the hyperstimulation protocol due to my PCOS. I was very carefully monitored and was lucky to have no adverse side effects and a very successful round of stimulation and retrieval.
Describe your experience with your nurse at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Rie Drinker)
Rie is fantastic. She always ensured I was comfortable and understood everything. She returns phone calls promptly and spends as much time needed to explain things and a set questions. She personally calls to check in and even to follow up after her weekend off if you had anything done during that time. She came down to check on me after my retrieval as well, even though she wasn't in the OR and was in the office that day.
Describe your experience with University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
Front desk staff can be a little temperamental and can make you feel likes bother. Overall all of the staff at the clinic, however, are fantastic. Parking is a pain and can be expensive.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Steven Sondheimer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
Approx $6800 for 1 fresh and 1 frozen cycle, retrieval, all monitoring. Meds not included. They cost about another $2000 given my particular insurance coverage (or lack there of)
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
10
Age
26 - 36
Treated
2006 - 2016
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 Egg Freezing, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Unexplained
10
10
Sometimes he [Dr Steven Sondheimer] can seem rushed, but I find that asking questions gets me a long way. He's very willing to explain everything. I'm on the road to motherhood on my own and he couldn't be more supportive. He's very caring and made sure that I had a good supportive network before I started the process. I went through egg freezing a few years ago and he was great through that also.
The only weakness [at Penn Fertility Care] is that because it's a large teaching hospital, you someone different for your monitoring appointments. My annuals and consults were always with Dr Sondheimer....Ree is like having the sweetest Mom or Grandmom by your side. I can't say enough nice things about her. She is the mellow calming force to the whole process. The rest of the nurses have been super supportive and caring through the whole process. They know me and even if they aren't part of my care that day they always ask how I'm doing and wish me luck.
Age
26 - 36
Treated
2006 - 2016
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 Egg Freezing, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Unexplained
10
10
How was your experience with Steven Sondheimer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Sometimes he can seem rushed, but I find that asking questions gets me a long way. He's very willing to explain everything. I'm on the road to motherhood on my own and he couldn't be more supportive. He's very caring and made sure that I had a good supportive network before I started the process. I went through egg freezing a few years ago and he was great through that also.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Steven Sondheimer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Ask questions!!!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Steven Sondheimer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Even though I see someone different all the time through the fertility process, I know Dr Sondheimer is leading my team an available whenever I need him to be. He is straight forward and honest; I also find him to be warm and understanding. He lets me know that I'm the one in control and I ultimately make the decisions. The nurses are wonderful!!! I am (trying to be) a single mom by choice and not only is Dr Sondheimer supportive, the staff is also pulling for me every step of the way.
Describe the protocols Steven Sondheimer used in your cycles at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
I don't remember all the medications for the egg retrieval. I know I started on bcp, was on follistim, menapur and I believe Gonal-F.
For the IUIs, I do an ultrasound and baseline bloodwork on Day 3 of my cycle, 50 mg of Clomid days 4-8, another ultrasound on Day 12 to check the follicles. The first IUI I did the trigger shot (Ovidrel) the night of CD 12 and had the IUI morning of CD 14. The second time, they did bloodwork on CD 12 to check for an LH surge which I was starting so I triggered as soon as they got the blood results back, 3pm CD 12 and had the IUI the morning of CD 13. I take an at-home pregnancy test two weeks later and call the office with the results. Due to my low AMH and single ovary, if this cycle doesn't work I'll likely move to IVF.
Describe your experience with your nurse at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Ree Drinker )
Ree is like having the sweetest Mom or Grandmom by your side. I can't say enough nice things about her. She is the mellow calming force to the whole process. The rest of the nurses have been super supportive and caring through the whole process. They know me and even if they aren't part of my
care that day they always ask how I'm doing and wish me luck.
Describe your experience with University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
The only weakness is that because it's a large teaching hospital, you someone different for your monitoring appointments. My annuals and consults were always with Dr Sondheimer.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Steven Sondheimer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
I don't recall the costs for egg retrieval. IUI is covered by my insurance.
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
8
8
Age
27 - 28
Treated
2015 - 2016
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Male Factor
8
8
Dr Kalra is compassionate but also honest. She tells you the truth about the odds of success. She listens to all of your questions and lets you voice your concerns...Dr Kalra was a great doctor. However, if you're looking to build a close relationship with your doctor this may not be the best place for you. I didn't get to do any of our IUI's or IVF transfers with her. I basically saw her at our consult appointments and when we were discussing our plans. If you got to this practice you will end up with whatever doctor is available at the location that day. It can sometimes feel a bit impersonal.
Like I said previously, the clinic may leave you feeling like you don't have a personal relationship with your doctor. However when I did have appointments with Dr. Kalra I always left feeling confident in our plan and next step. She communicated great and listened and was concerned with how you were dealing with everything mentally as well. They were prompt with the early morning monitoring appointments. The staff was friendly.
Age
27 - 28
Treated
2015 - 2016
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 3 Docs
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Male Factor
8
8
How was your experience with Suleena Kalra at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
I had a good experience overall at Penn Fertility. Dr Kalra was a great doctor. However, if you're looking to build a close relationship with your doctor this may not be the best place for you. I didn't get to do any of our IUI's or IVF transfers with her. I basically saw her at our consult appointments and when we were discussing our plans. If you got to this practice you will end up with whatever doctor is available at the location that day. It can sometimes feel a bit impersonal.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Suleena Kalra at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Dr Kalra is compassionate but also honest. She tells you the truth about the odds of success. She listens to all of your questions and lets you voice your concerns.
Describe the protocols Suleena Kalra used in your cycles at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
Dr Kalra used all of our day 3 testing results to decide which protocol to use. She said my AMH was within normal range so she used what they called a high responder protocol. It worked and we had a smooth and successful retrieval with embryos to freeze. Our first transfer was unsuccessful but our frozen embryo transfer gave us a BFP.
Describe your experience with your nurse at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Roohi)
You are assigned a nurse at the clinic. My nurse was fantastic. She always called when she said we would. She spoke slowly and made sure that I always understood the directions and doses during stims. Roohi always called me back promptly whenever I had a question.
Describe your experience with University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
Like I said previously, the clinic may leave you feeling like you don't have a personal relationship with your doctor. However when I did have appointments with Dr. Kalra I always left feeling confident in our plan and next step. She communicated great and listened and was concerned with how you were dealing with everything mentally as well. They were prompt with the early morning monitoring appointments. The staff was friendly.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Suleena Kalra at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
IUIs were 1000 each not including trigger shot and clomic
IVF was 6775 for retrieval and 2 transfers (I ended up doing 1 fresh and 1 frozen)
My meds for stims were 1800
Meds for FET 350
Overall they are extremely affordable in comparison to many other clinics
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9
9
Age
31 - 35
Treated
2012 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Anovulation, PCOS, Uterine Fibroids, Unexplained
9
9
Dr Dokras seems very knowledgeable, but she is conservative (self-admitted) in her approach - both with medications/dosages and with risk factors (testing required for any existing health issues prior to IVF treatments and number of embryos transferred).
Wait times [at UPenn Fertility Care] or appointments can vary anywhere from 5 to 45 minutes. The staff have always been very apologetic if the wait time was on the longer side. Front desk staff have always been polite and pleasant....We were lucky to have IVF coverage through our insurance and only had to pay 10% deductible and co-pays. The financial counselors at the clinic were very helpful in confirming our insurance coverage and explaining to us what our remaining cost would be for each procedure before starting that treatment.
Age
31 - 35
Treated
2012 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Operations
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Anovulation, PCOS, Uterine Fibroids, Unexplained
9
9
How was your experience with Anuja Dokras at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Dr Dokras seems very knowledgeable, but she is conservative (self-admitted) in her approach - both with medications/dosages and with risk factors (testing required for any existing health issues prior to IVF treatments and number of embryos transferred).
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Anuja Dokras at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Ask as many questions as you need and do you own research, but trust your doctor while in the middle of treatment - they do have a plan even if you don't understand all aspects of it!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Anuja Dokras at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Dr Dokras always asked how we felt about our options or next steps that we just discussed and if we were comfortable with them before ending the appointments.
Describe the protocols Anuja Dokras used in your cycles at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
I was on a hyper response IVF protocol due to having PCOS (my understanding of it is that lower doses of injectible meds are used to avoid overstimulating the ovaries). My stimulation phase took several days longer than expected, which meant having to order additional meds, but the eggs produced were very good quality even though the total number was not as high as might be expected with a regular IVF cycle. We ended up with 6 high quality 5 day embryos from that cycle.
Describe your experience with University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
Wait times for appointments can vary anywhere from 5 to 45 minutes. The staff have always been very apologetic if the wait time was on the longer side. Front desk staff have always been polite and pleasant.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Anuja Dokras at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
We were lucky to have IVF coverage through our insurance and only had to pay 10% deductible and co-pays. The financial counselors at the clinic were very helpful in confirming our insurance coverage and explaining to us what our remaining cost would be for each procedure before starting that treatment.
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9
10
Age
33 - 36
Treated
2012 - 2015
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
3 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
9
10
He [Dr. Steven Sondheimer] was honest and I felt kept me prepared for a setback or a success. I felt like I always had a plan "B" after each visit so I never really had "false hopes". I also liked that he consulted with other top doctors regarding my care at Penn. He told me their opinions as well and what the plan would be moving forward.... I was a DOR patient based off of egg counts and my AMH level so they treated me very aggressively in my first cycle.
[UPenn's] Strengths- many great doctors that collaborate on cases. Cutting edge research. Ease of appointments. I was always made comfortable, informed and I felt that I was in great hands. You will see a Fellow most likely for ultrasounds (many other practices have techs and don't tell you what is going on while it is happening) Weaknesses- this turned out to be a strength for me personally in hindsight but you see many different fellows/doctors for ultrasounds, IUIs anything but consulting appointments. Your main doctor will be the primary decision maker but you won't see them for every appointment. I wish I knew that upfront and it bothered my during my first cycle but when I came back for the second cycle- I was aware and embraced it and asked many different doctors questions.
Age
33 - 36
Treated
2012 - 2015
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
9
10
How was your experience with Steven Sondheimer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
He was honest and I felt kept me prepared for a setback or a success. I felt like I always had a plan "B" after each visit so I never really had "false hopes". I also liked that he consulted with other top doctors regarding my care at Penn. He told me their opinions as well and what the plan would be moving forward. I felt like they genuinely cared whether I got pregnant and would try anything to get me there!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Steven Sondheimer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Ask a lot of questions and request to see him at major appointments. If you aren't comfortable seeing other doctors or fellows, this might not be the practice for you.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Steven Sondheimer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care?
Dr. Sondheimer and his nurse, Rie were incredible throughout my journey. He personally called me back with answers to questions.
Describe the protocols Steven Sondheimer used in your cycles at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
I was a DOR patient based off of egg counts and my AMH level so they treated me very aggressively in my first cycle. I forget the name of the protocol but I think it was "mini Lupron". I got canceled after my first ultrasound after having a lead egg (I can't remember the terminology!) so they converted it to an IUI.
After that, Dr. Sondheimer treated me with a typical cycle instead of one more used for DOR patients. I used high dosages of Follistim though. I had 6 eggs at my baseline and had 7 mature. They retrieved all and 4 made it to Day 5 embryos. We transferred 2 the first round and I had a singleton (now 4). We transferred two frozen 2 years later and my twins are now 2.
Describe your experience with your nurse at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Rie - she has since retired)
Rie was incredible. She listened to my 100s of questions, was always calm and assuring and kept me so prepared. She was an angel!
Describe your experience with University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
Strengths- many great doctors that collaborate on cases. Cutting edge research. Ease of appointments. I was always made comfortable, informed and I felt that I was in great hands. You will see a Fellow most likely for ultrasounds (many other practices have techs and don't tell you what is going on while it is happening)
Weaknesses- this turned out to be a strength for me personally in hindsight but you see many different fellows/doctors for ultrasounds, IUIs anything but consulting appointments. Your main doctor will be the primary decision maker but you won't see them for every appointment. I wish I knew that upfront and it bothered my during my first cycle but when I came back for the second cycle- I was aware and embraced it and asked many different doctors questions.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
The appointments were in the AM (I would go before work) so they could also draw blood (if necessary) and it would leave time for the doctors to review results and adjust your meds if necessary.
It was a well oiled machine that ran very smoothly.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Steven Sondheimer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
I was fortunate to have been covered by my insurance.
Describe Steven Sondheimer's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at University of Pennsylvania Penn Fertility Care.
The practice encouraged me to transfer 2 each time. I was hesitant during my frozen transfer but I listened and had a multiple pregnancy. Looking back, I wouldn't change it but it was a shock to the system when I found out both took.
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.