University of Utah

Today was our first consultation appointment. He was very nice, he reviewed all of the facts and agreed with the treats the nurse practitioner had just suggested to us. We really only had a few short minutes with him, but he didn't seem rushed. He re-explained everything clearly and his manner was very warm and confident.

Ask questions! If you have a question he will answer it.

He set up a treatment plan for me after they diagnosed me with anovulation. They set up lab work to eliminate any other underlying health issues I might have to determine if I have PCOS. From there, my treatment plan is to start with Metformin and Femara to see if I can ovulate on a more regular basis and if we can time ovulation better. From there they suggested having my husband tested and then having my tubes tested if we are unsuccessful in gettting a pregnancy within 3-4 months. I have tried a similar treatment in the past with my OBGYN, so they would like to start there and then go forward.

Trigger Shot - $100 UltraSound - $200 Office Visit - $200

We have not discussed this yet.

He is very knowledgeable as a doctor and I trust him with my infertility problems. However, I don’t think he specifically knows me and I feel a bit like a number. He is very smart and I believe though him I will be able to get pregnant and that is the most import to me.

If you want a loving doctor that is there for you to spill your heart to, this isn’t your guy. If you want someone that is smart and you feel can get you pregnant and are confident in him then this is a great candidate.

I have yet to get pregnant with him. I am still a patient of his so this isn’t for me specifically. I am doing IVF with ICSI. we also did a sperm biopsy. We will also be doing PGC testing.

11k IVF/ICSI 2.5k sperm biopsy 3-5k Medications 6k pgc testing with natera

N/a

He has a lot of experience and knowledge he was very open with me about his opinions. I felt like he was very trustworthy and optimistic. Overall I have appreciated his communication and concern which has been improved over prior doctors. All of my procedures have gone fairly smoothly with very little pain or side effects.

Be patient. He will want to try multiple things even if you transfer from another clinic, but if you are blunt and tell him what you want and think he will often be willing to compromise.

With IUI we tried the same medicines I had with prior ones, letrozole, and then ultrasounds to monitor growth near ovulation. UCRM also does sperm washing. The first attempt I only had one follicle and it showed early in my cycle so we did times intercourse. Attempt number two with meds I had three and we did and IUI but doctor Peterson was not the doctor on call that day. With my In Vitro we did egg retrieval and a freeze all cycle. We just barely transferred our first frozen embryo and are awaiting results.

The initial consultation fee was 205.00. During the IUI process they would bill for each ultrasound, 230.00 then it was another 140.00 for the actual insemination the day of the procedure. They billed me again to consult with my doctor about IVF specifically but charged us 151.00. We paid 510 for the a Sonohysterogram. Then it was 9300 for egg retrieval (prescription were paid separately bought directly from the pharmacy). Then our FET was an additional 2700.

My doctor is very against transferring more than one embryo due to the risk of multiples in pregnancy. Due to my age and first time with In Vitro he would not budge on this issue.

Megan is the second doctor we have had during our IVF journey. I was nervous at first when our initial doctor transferred to a different practice. I thought that no one could be equal or compare to the doctor we had to begin our journey. We met Megan and I can say that she is amazing. She is very similar to our initial doctor in many ways which was a huge comfort. Megan is very kind, has a good energy about her, and loves what she does. I have always felt she is looking out for me and my best interest. She watched closely the process and steps being taken making sure no changes need to be made in medications, etc. She has also shown compassion during the hard times such as, our miscarriage and our two failed Frozen Embryo Transfers. She has sent me messages expressing her sadness and pain at the different losses we have experienced. Megan has also been supportive when we have taken breaks and given ourselves time to grieve, breathe, and evaluate next steps.

My advice is to be honest about things and ask ALL questions, even if you think they are silly. Megan will not disappoint in her response. She is very knowledgeable and willing to share and ease fears, frustrations, struggles, and educate you on anything.

Estradiol - egg retrieval Estrace -- IVF Gonal F -- egg retrieval Lupron -- IVF - embyro transfer Progesterone -- IVF -- embryo transfer Ovidrel -- egg retrieval Cetrotide -- egg retrieval Menopur -- egg retrieval Saizen - egg retrieval Doxycycline -- egg retrieval-embryo transfer

$23,100 for one canceled round and one full round $2,550 for 7 IUI's $8,240 for embryo transfers $460 for semen/egg test $3,500 + for additional medications, office visits, unexpected procedures

We were completely educated about single vs multiple embryo transfers. From the beginning we came up with an overall plan on how we would move forward in using our embryos. This helped us to know what to expect moving forward. In all the planning an discussion the final approval was left to us as to how and when embryos would be used.

He had great bedside manner even when I was super nervous. He was very kind and gentle. He understood the risks of 2 embryos and explained why. There was nothing he was hiding and was very straightforward of what we were going to experience.

Allow him to get to know you. Be open with him about your medical history.

Doctor Peterson first did a consultation with me. Then I went in for a saline ultrasound to make sure everything looked good. He told me to take ibuprofen to help with cramps on my period and knew that we were waiting for the sperm retrieval. He explained to me the different scenerios about the sperm retrieval and suggested that we do genetic testing for my deafness and asked if that was something we wanted to pass down to our children.

The costs with Doc Matthew Peterson was about 500-2500 with the consultation and saline ultrasound. He also mentioned that the IVF cost was going to be 14000. And that it would need to be paid in full before starting. He understood that we were still waiting for the sperm retrieval. He shares a lab with doctor Hotaling.

He wants to do a single embryo transfer because of my husbands medical situation from when he was born with bladder extrophy. He said twins may increase the chance of extrophy of an organ since it's a genetic thing.

She was very direct and got to the point she seemed younger ( I dont know her age) but she was easy to connect with! She made sure I felt comfortable and made me feel she would do everything she could to make a baby happen for me

If you want action and the process to start she is your girl

Started letrozole took 4 cycles and she explained the risks she explained clomid and how she thought letrozole would be a better fit. I started with 5mg and then was changed to 7.5 mg

They ask you to pay 230$ to see the doctor. They offer a discount for paying upfront because if they bill insurance it’s usually not covered. The price they offer is cheaper then billing insurance. The cost hasn’t been anything crazy

I have not experienced this yet.

he is the nicest guy ever! He pays close attention to you and he makes sure you know you know what options you have and goes with what your most comfortable with. he responds right away or his staff. He never makes you feel awkward and he always tries his hardest and gives his opinion and still lets you decide! He always is kind and NEVER rushes you. I honestly can't say enough good things about him! Everyone who goes to him loves him!!

Don't wait get in now! he is pretty booked but once your in his care he never lets you get forgotten! take your questions and concerns he will listen!

when I first went he put me on metformin and gave me advice on how to take it without bad side effects, then I came back and he started me on chlomid as well as letrozle, and we did quite a few of that rounds then I went crazy on the clhomid and he even agreed not the best choice if we weren't getting our best results so he switched it up and made sure I knew all the risk of the gonal f injections as well as the price. he let me know that IUI is better than timed intercourse at this stage and now we just did the first round of gonal F

He finds way to see if your insurance can cover some like utlrasounds, medicine is anywhere from 12-400 and the iui are 360

I've been seeing Dr. Link at UCRM for over 2 years now. From the very beginning she was so patient, kind and informative. I had a negative experience with a previous RE but Dr. Link has been the polar opposite to that person. Every interaction I have had with Dr. Link she has gone over everything in so much detail (even often making drawings and explaining medical terms and processes to me) and has answered all of my questions. As someone who meticulously researches things, I often have a full list of questions for her (and follow-ups to her answers) and she goes through each and every question with me and ensures I understand while not making me feel like I worry too much or ask too many things. My appointments have never been rushed and she makes sure I leave feeling empowered and ready for whatever is next. Although I have not yet gotten pregnant, she remains very positive while not sugarcoating the situation.

Ask whatever questions you have (no matter how small or detailed they might be) Dr. Link. She is wonderful about breaking things down and making sure her patients feel heard and are informed. Having all my concerns and questions answered has made this long process much easier.

Dr. Link has been aggressive in my treatment but not so much so that I suffered any negative effects. I appreciate her stance on things like only transferring one embryo at a time but I also feel like she would hear me out of I truly wanted something different. My treatment protocol was dialed down as I was responding well and I appreciated this. I did not want to risk OHSS. After my first failed transfer, Dr. Link spend another appointment with me going over everything we did and my results. We talked about a plan of action for the next round and she also was very accommodating when I asked for additional testing and procedures (such as a hysteroscopy, which resulted in a removed polyp).

All of my diagnostic costs were covered by my insurance. I paid completely out of pocket for all IVF expenses. My full IVF retrieval cycle was about $9000 (not including ICSI, which we did not do). Medications were another $4000. The clinic does offer a guarantee program which we will be using for our next IVF cycle. I found UCRM's prices to be reasonable but potentially higher than other local clinics. However, UCRM has better success rates, from what I can tell.

Dr. Link prefers not to transfer more than one embryo at a time. She went over her rationale for this and used scientific, research-based statistics for why she wants patients to only transfer one at a time. That said, I do believe that if I pushed for more than one embryo and had the medical rationale for it, she would be receptive to it.

I am frustrated because she never really explained why she thought we were going through infertility. It was just let's try this and then go to the next step. I think everyone who goes through infertility struggles with how long things seem to take, and I felt the same way, but I don't think it had anything to do with her personally. It was just my body and waiting for the next cycle.

Do your research and ask for an OAR test to be done to know where you are starting out.

I had been doing Clomid for almost a year at the recommendation of my OBGYN when I met with Dr. Johnstone. I had an HSG test done before going to see her and my husband had a semen analysis, he had started Clomid about three months before we saw her. She recommended switching to Femara, and then doing an IUI. I got pregnant the first try, and then later miscarried. I then went in later and they found I had some cysts that I needed to get rid of before we did another IUI, so I went on low dose birth control and then two months later was ready to do another IUI, we stayed with Femara 5mg for days 3-7, no triggers shot or anything different for the next four. Two of those, my husband's motility and count were quite low. So that is why we did two more. I then was frustrated and went to see another Dr. and decided to take a break from IUI for a few months before going back in. I am now scheduled to go back in at the end of March to possibly move to IUI with Gonal F and Ovidrel.

My IUIs were either $360 or $370 each, depending on if it happened on a weekend.

He’s incredibly intelligent and very well educated in his field. His been the chief of OBGYN services and definitely knows his stuff. I feel nothing but confidence in him. When I first met him he diagnosed me immediately just by getting my history (wow how many doctors missed that? Later confirmed by bloodwork of course) he’s just an all around good person and fantastic physician.

Sometimes you have to wait. But I promise if you’re patient, it’s worth it. One time he felt so bad about our wait that he offered to take my husband’s stitches out so we didn’t have to drive 20 minutes to go get it done. Anyway, my advice? Wait. And if you can get an earlier appointment, you’ll wait less hahaha but again it’s worth it because he takes his time with you!

Letrozole instead of clomid (I have pcos and clomid will likely create more cysts than good follicles) Hcg trigger shot to have more control over when I ovulate to plan IUI accordingly. Then progesterone starting the day after IUI to thicken lining and promote implantation and prevent miscarriage.

140 for my monthly trigger shot and 360 for each IUI. Plus 30 for my compounded progesterone (monthly)

Not there yet. Meeting with him next month to discuss our next step since the last 3 IUI’s didn’t work.

The only weakness we have is that he is 400 miles away from us. He does come to a Satelite location in st George monthly but a lot of our tests or ultrasounds have to be done with our primary OBGYN. He gave us his cell phone number and calls to make sure we know our plans because we have to travel so far. He also personally called us after we miscarried.

Come with questions! He’s an open book!

I had had a child previously and so we were seeing him for MFI. We had met with his partner, Dr. Hotaling who helped us get my husbands sperm via biopsy and now IVF is our only option with frozen sperm. We then did a “normal” cycle with gonal f, cetrotide and menopur. All was the lowest dose and we ended up with three embryos. We implanted one and it never took. We then did a frozen cycle with our last two embryos and one took and one did not. The one grew until 6 weeks 9 days and we miscarried at 8 weeks 4 days. We have just retrieved again and have 5 frozen embryos! We are so excited for April to come our way so we can implant two more embryos! ❤️

The fresh cycle and retrieval was $10,150. Frozen cycles are $2,750

Our first cycle we did one embryo and then we did two the second time, and we got pregnant with the second cycle with one.

Dr Link is brilliant. She is so smart. She really takes the time to explain what is happening / what may happen. I saw her before my IUIS, after we failed them and now as we wait to start ivf. I feel like she is being as aggressive with my treatment as I allow. She takes the time to hear my concerns as well as take my input. She’s a breath of fresh air. I know she is doing her best to get me the results we want ( get pregnant and carry to term) .

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. She will explain them!

We started with letrozole. Maybe 5 mg on days 3-7. I responded for a while and then didn’t. So we increased it to 7.5 and stayed steady there. I always ovulated . Then again I stopped. At this point we were just doing TIC. I’d go in for an ultrasound on day day 11-13. After a few more months I stopped ovulating even with the 7.5 mg letrozole and the metformin. We added clomid to the mix and lowered my letrozole. My side effects ( hot flashes) were so bad I asked to be taken off. We finally are up to 10 mg letrozole and 1000mg metformin. I triggered for 1 of our TIC and for al 4 of our IUIs with ovidrel. Always 36 hours before procedure. I added progesterone only to my last IUI.

In Utah fertility treatments are not covered by insurance. However this clinic offers a self pay discount. I think it’s around 30% There’s the cost for ultrasounds IUI Hsg Semen analysis Ovidrel letrozole. It adds up but the discount helps. Luckily the meds aren’t too pricey aside from the ovidrell

My docs prefer to do eset. They believe it’s safer and that the outcome is more viable than multiple transfers

Dr. Stanford is an expert in dealing with infertility in a way that works cooperatively with your body through the use of NaPro technology, which is a restorative medicine approach to working with infertility and other issues. This respects woman's bodies and helps treat the underlying issues. It's beautiful and it works! He is so kind and really cares about you as a patient and works to help meet you where you are to accomplish your goals. Highly recommend!

Be open to working with other treatments that you might not be familiar with. It's not IVF but works to treat the underlying issues of what is causing your infertility. It's so worth it! So be patient!

I took progesterone in the second half of my cycle due to a luteal phase defect. I was on low dose naltrexalone (which I forget exactly the reason but something about it being an anti-inflammatory for endometriosis?)

My first visit with Dr. Stanford was scheduled half with my husband and half with me. It was around $600 for the whole consultation. My last visit was a follow up since the birth of my daughter and was $200. I've emailed him on the portal so many times since though and he's managed a lot of my care and pregnancy prescribing progesterone that I didn't have to pay for.

Dr. Stanford is empathetic and he takes his time to answer all your questions and concerns. He treats his patients as individuals and you can tell he cares for you. He gets back to quickly in my chart and calls to check on you. He is thorough in his diagnosis and treatments and he includes the patient and their partners.

This is the most thorough doctor you will ever find and his turn around time and follow up is most impressive. You will not regret doing fertility with Dr. Sanford.

He looks into all avenues and lets you be apart of the choices you make. He empowers you to be in charge of your treatment options. He uses natural approaches and the Creighton model.

$200

I didn’t feel like he addressed my specific issues. There wasn’t much testing done to diagnose anything. He did sit down make sure to answer all questions, if you actually got him in person. He is also a very conservative Dr. and didn’t want to too many eggs for IUI.

You need to learn early how to work the system to be able to communicate with him, which is through his nurse. His focus is on getting you pregnant, not figuring out why you are not.

On my first IUI I was successful with 2.5 mg letrozole ( 2 eggs)On IUI number two I miscarried after 2.5 mg letrozole ( 2 eggs). Trigger shot ( Ovidrel) was used in both of these about 34-36 hours prior to IUI. Then I had a D&C.I was unsuccessful on IUI’s 3-4 ( 2.5 mg letrozole/trigger), had an SIS done. Dr. P changed my protocol after #4 to add gonal F injections along with letrozole 2.5. I was unsuccessful with IUI #5 with the new protocol and am currently miscarrying after IUI #6 with same protocol. He wanted to keep trying IUIs because I was able to have my son with IUI #1 and could technically get pregnant with IUI #2.

Out of pocket IUIs $370 each Letrozole and Ovidrel trigger shots ( $150+) gonal f=75/ shot, ultrasounds $200 after insurance, SIS $ ??

Dr Link was always professional and took the time to sit down with me and explain everything that came up. I have spent 3 years under her treatment with multiple failed cycles of iui and timed intercourse. Throughout all the procedures and unexpected outcomes, Dr Link was always there to talk me through the next steps and to remain optimistic. Dr Link wasn't able to do the iui procedures due to timing of my cycles but she always sent me the follow up results.

It takes awhile for a new patient appointment but it's worth the wait. Dr .Link will take great care of you.

Dr. Link began with me having the transvaginal ultrasound and the fallopian tube test. Both came back normal. We continued with Clomid with no luck and then added lettazole. I began growing eggs slowly and after several rounds and dose increases we were able to try our first IUI. Everyone was very optimistic however it didn't work. We restarted more oral meds but with the continued use of clomid at high doses my lining never got thick enough. We then had a long discussion and decided to try the gonal f injection. Labs were checked every few days as well as having multiple vaginal ultrasounds. We had one round that produced the right conditions and we again tried IUI. That too, failed. Dr Link then sat down with me and explained my options. We decided to hold off on any more cycles and focus on preparing for IVF. This is where we are currently.

So far the cost has been about 20,000 which includes all labs, ultrsounds, medications, septum takedown, sonograms, diagnostic procedures

We discussed this briefly but haven't really gotten to the point of having a in depth conversation. She did mention possibly doing 2 but she was a little hesitant about doing so.

She is fair, blunt, and informative. She can come across as slightly scripted sometimes, which rubs some the wrong way, but she diverts from the script as needed. I have requested some unique accommodations, and she has done everything she can in that respect without making me feel stupid. I've never felt rushed or like I'm asking stupid questions. She is brilliant, which is a little intimidating. I do wish she'd try to get to know me as a person a little bit more.

Come armed with questions, knowing she will answer them but might not think to initiate that train of thought.

For our one IUI, I took femara for a few days and tested for ovulation at home. When positive, I scheduled the procedure for the next day and had a nurse do the IUI. For the egg retrieval, I took 112.5 IU gonal-F and one vial of menopur each day for 10 days. The dosages were conservative because my amh is 7.4 and there were concerns about OHSS. I started cetrotide on day 6 and took it for five days. I triggered with a hybrid lupron and hcg. Egg retrieval resulted in 20 eggs. Of those, 15 were mature and 14 fertilized through ICSI. Four made it to freeze on day 6. I did not receive good a good explanation about the extreme dropoff or slowness to reach blast. Three were rated good/fair and one poor. Our doctor did not recommend testing on the embryos, primarily because of the cost (about $4,000). FET #1 started with birth control pills. After two weeks, I added 10 IU lupron. I stopped BCP a week later and decreased lupron to 5 IU after 10 days. Also on that day, I added 1 mg estrace twice a day. A week later, I increased estrace to 2 mg, three times a day. On week four of lupron, we did a lining check ultrasound. It was over 10 mm and trilaminar. Two days later, I stopped lupron, decreased retrace back to 1 mg 2x daily and started 100 ml of progesterone in oil. Five days later, we transferred one embryo. It did not thaw well and was rated poor at the time of transfer. I was given one lupron dose day of transfer. I stayed on the same estrace and PIO protocol for 10 days, until we had a negative beta. FET #2 had the exact same protocol with drugs and the same problem with the thaw. Our doctor still recommended transferring it and said she sees a lot of babies come from poorly rated embryos. She said she doesn't put as much stock into ratings as other doctors and added that the rating at the time of freeze is more critical than at the time of transfer. I'm now 8 days past transfer and testing negative at home. Our doctor did recommend transferring our two remaining embryos at the same time in our next attempt. She'll probably also provide the option of an endometrial scratch but didn't sound super confident about the research around it.

It was efficient and fast. I always got in fast and was never kept waiting in the room. I wish the time window was longer. (It was 7-9 a.m. and I live 90 minutes away.)

IUI was $500. IVF egg retrieval freeze-all was $9750 with ICSI Meds for egg retrieval were about $4000 FET is $2720 Meds for FET were $400

She seems to operate by what the research says is best for my age.

Dr. Peterson is really smart, and I trust him to know the appropriate treatment for me. He is always very patient in answering my many questions, and always presents the information in a way I can understand. I like that he doesn't sugarcoat things, but also presents I options in a hopeful manner. His drawbacks include working on a kind of macro level- he doesn't seem interested in helping me optimize my health to increase chances of conception...he told me once that rates don't change much by chasing down every little problem. He hasn't done any labs on me since my first consultation (with another Dr. 2 years prior to my visit with him). I also feel that I he has somewhat neglected my husband throughout this process, despite pretty serious MFI. We lost a few months due to not knowing what was going on.

Advocate for yourself. Make sure he's looking at all the results, and doing the tests you need.

I started on metformin 1500mg for 3 months, while my husband started on clomid 50mg for 3 months. Did an SIS to endure everything was good anatomically. Then I started letrozole 5 mg, which I didn't respond to. Used Provera to induce a period, then did 7.5 mg letrozole. Didn't respond. That same day, started 50 mg clomid plus 7.5 letrozole. No response by day 13. Started 5 mg letrozole and 100 mg clomid. No response. Told then I could move to injectibles, or lose weight. Chose to lose weight. After 4 months, I responded to 5 mg letrozole. Tried 3 natural cycles with the letrozole. Then moved to IUI. First was 5 mg letrozole and trigger with ovidrel. No success. Next three IUIs were 7.5 mg letrozole (to try and ovulate earlier than day 19) and ovidrel trigger. CP on second IUI, and then 2 failures. After 4th fail, recommended to do IVF with ICSI.

I believe the initial consultation was around $200. Each ultrasound was around $350. IUIs are $370 total. My copay for each Dr. Visit was $25. I pay about $20 for a 3 month supply of letrozole, $10 for metformin, and $18 per syringe of ovidrel.

Dr. Peterson is not only a great doctor and highly professional and qualified in his line of work but also a great human being. He has so much compassion and understanding for every patient. He keeps you feeling motivated and hopeful even when things go unexpected!

Don’t be afraid to ask questions, even after the appointment.

We started with Femara(7.5) and timed intercourse after being diagnosed with PCOS. We then moved onto a high dose and eventually added in 75u of Gonal F until a follicle developed large enough for ovulation. I then triggered and we either did timed intercourse or IUI. We have been doing this for al cycles. The Femara gets my follicles to produce a dominate one and the gonal f for a few days finishes maturing it.

We spent about $5000 per pregnancy. Our cost is about $500-$1200 a cycle.

I honestly loved Dr. Petersen and my experience with him. He has good bedside manner but also is direct about the risks you face and the steps that need to be taken. I always felt like i could trust him and the treatment plan he recommended. My only complaint would be that i saw him for the first few months and now i don't really see him at all. I see mostly the nurses or clinic staff but i understand thats is probably common with this field of work.

Just to trust him and try to have faith in the process. Also, to make sure to ask as many questions as you want! Sometimes the treatment plan can be lengthy and detailed and i always felt a little overwhelmed. Demand the time you need to ask questions and go over everything slowly.

The first few cycles i went on letrozole (an alternative to Clomid) , triggered ovulation with ovidrell and did timed intercourse. That was not successful so we wanted to attempt IUI. However, due to my particular anomaly, i cannot have twins. Therefore, if there were multiple follicles present, the risk for twins being higher, we were recommended to cancel that cycle (which we did). We reduced my letrozol dosage to try to get just one follicle and have been able to complete IUI Since (1 failed attempt) Im currently in the waiting period of my 2nd attempt. If not successful, we will attempt IUI one more time before possibly discussing Invitro

i have insurance that is copay of $80 per visit due to seeing a specialist. The medications were usually around $150 per cycle and IUI was around $400 each cycle

NA

Erica is great at providing all the information and being forthcoming with both the good news and that bad, but does so in a way that is kind and gentle. She remains up to date on the recent breakthroughs and studies going on and in turn provides that information to her patients. Working with Erica always feels like you're working with a team and you are included in the decisions in your health care.

Do not be afraid to ask her questions or have her clarify information. She is not someone that will ever feel like less of a person because you do not fully understand what is going on.

My endometriosis was first treated to help reduce inflammation and to reduce the toxic environment that was created as a result. First a laparoscopy was performed to remove extensive endometriomas that had formed. Then I was provided with 3 months of depot lupron injections to reduce the size of the other endometriomas that could not be removed. We then moved on an IVF cycle using a moderate level of dosing of injectables for this procedure. I did respond well and 9 eggs were retrieved and all fertilized. 2 embryos were implanted, though none others survived to freezing. This resulted in the live birth of a singleton. The dosing for medication was based on my age and AMH testing.

There is often little wait for these appointments and things are moved through efficiently and effectively. Monitoring or ultrasound appointments are scheduled during certain parts of the day, but they usually have a few times available to try and accommodate your schedule.

The IVF cycle had a flat fee of $8900, which included things like assisted hatching, egg retrieval, ultrasounds, etc. Medications were obtained through a separate pharmacy, but because we were able to meet with Dr. Johnstone in a hospital setting, we did receive a small reduction in cost. Medications cost about $3500. We have also completed IUIs with Dr. Johnstone and these cost a flat rate of $360.

Doctor Johnstone always responded promply to emails. She responded within 24 hours as advertised, but usually lots sooner. I had some bleeding early on with my first pregnancy Dr. Johnstone adjusted her schedule and got me in that morning and checked me out personally. Dr. Johnstone is a wonderful doctor and has spoiled me for other doctors. I have gone to other doctors expecting the same care and it just doesn't happen. There are few doctors as good as doctor Johnstone. I always felt like she really cared.

Go in prepared to ask questions. Doctor Johnstone will take the time to answer your questions. If you just feel clueless that is ok too. Doctor Johnstone explains things very clearly and does all that she can to make sure you understand your options and what is going on.

We started out trying IUI with clomid. My AMH levels were good so we tried this first. I responded well to clomid so we tried IUI's 3 times all resulted in negative pregnancy tests. We went on vacation and just did a clomid round that month with was also negative. The next two months we did IUI's with clomid and a couple of days of injectable medication follow by a trigger shots. Both months ended with negative pregnancy tests. A few months later I started IVF with a lupron down regulating prior to start IVF fertility meds. Also my AMH levels came back poor which resulted in me using high levels of fertility meds. When I went to my lining check most of my folicals had disappeared depite the high levels of fertility meds. That cycle was canceled and I just went in for another IUI. That cycle resulted in another negative pregnancy test. We did another IVF round this time Dr. Johns didn't have me use lupron. The cycle was much more natural, but I still used very high levels of fertility meds. They were able to retrieve 11 eggs, 10 of which fertilized, but only one made it to be a day 5 embryo. The one embryo was transferred, but still resulted in a negative pregnancy test. Following this we looked into adoption and also embryo donation. We went to another state and tried two rounds of donor embryos under another doctors care. Dr. Johnstone helped us out with all of the testing and lining checks before each frozen embryo transfer with the other doctors in another state. Doctor Johnstone was still very supportive while we worked with another doctor. One donor embryo cycle was negative and the next one ended up being a chemical pregnancy. Following that we returned to Doctor Johnstone to do IVF with donor eggs. We qualified for a guarantee program and decided to participate in it. Our first donor cycle ended before the transfer date. None of the embryos made it. We chose a second donor who backed out a few days before we started medication. We made it to our transfer date with our third donor. We had 6 five day embryos on the transfer date. We decided to transfer 2 embryos which resulted in our twins. We were able to freeze the other 4 embryos. Recently we we t back for a frozen embryo cycle which resulted in positive pregnancy tests. Right now I am taking meds and waiting for my viability scan when I reach 7 weeks pregnant. We are excited and hoping for the best. We are so greatful for all of doctor Johnstones help and support though out this journey.

IUI $1,400 IVF about $9,000 IVF meds $1,500 - $5,000 Frozen embryo transfer $2,720 IVF with egg donor about $20,000

Our doctor encouraged us to only transfer one embryo when we used donor eggs. We got a little anxious once we had to choose a third egg donor and chose to transfer 2 embryos instead of the recommended 1. It was a very difficult pregnancy and doctor Johnstone was right to suggest only transferring one embryo. However, they were supportive when we chose to transfer 2.

Dr. Johnstone has been amazing. I was so frustrated when I first went to see her because it felt like we had been trying to get pregnant on our own forever. She met with us to create a plan and explained what to expect during our journey. She was very matter-of-fact, but also sensitive to how we were feeling about each step. Infertility is a scary journey, but I felt very comfortable in her care.

The doctor will provide options for your journey, but you will need to be prepared to make decisions on how aggressive you want to be.

Dr. Johnstone first suggested surgery to fix my bicornuate uterus. She thought that this may have been a cause of our infertility, especially if there wasn't sufficient blood flow to the top of the uterus. I have always ovulated on my own and never had problems with my cycle, but she prescribed Clomid to increase the number of eggs that would be released, in hopes that this would increase the chance that one would be fertilized. Since we wanted to be more aggressive, she coupled this with IUI. My side effects from the Clomid were not ideal, so she switched me to Letrazole. Unfortunately, no one of the IUIs worked, but she gave me all of the options possible to maximize my chances of getting pregnant.

My insurance was not accepted by the UofU, so we had to pay for surgery ($1,000), IUIs ($400 x 3), etc., out of pocket. Fertility treatments are usually not covered anyway, so this was not hugely different than if we went somewhere else.

Not applicable.