Adrienne Neithardt

Dr. Neithardt was the best thing about working with this clinic. It's rare that I've found a doctor so respectful and happy to work with her patient (participatory medicine) as her, even when I consider non-fertility related areas of medicine. It is very important to me to fully understand my treatment plans and how each piece works. I also want my own ideas to be fully considered and either incorporated into the plan, or to have someone explain why that idea does not apply. Furthermore, I have run into some complications which cannot be fully explained by any of the testing performed, and Dr. Neithardt had the experience as well as the common-sense approach to work with me on how to approach these things - most doctors, in my experience, will not do this if they cannot see conclusive objective proof (such as a lab test result).

Ask every question you can think of and keep asking until you get an answer that makes sense to you. Take advantage of working with a doctor who will make sure you understand and are on the same page.

Dr. Neithardt always clearly remembered all relevant details of my history and treatment plan whenever we met. Additionally, she took every concern or question I had seriously and treated me as a partner in my care, not a subject under her rule.

I have done one retrieval cycle with Dr. Neithardt. This was a light stim, because I had some indicators that I would be a good responder (age and ovarian reserve were in my favor). On this protocol I only did about half the dosages, injections once a day instead of twice, etc. We wanted to avoid having a large number of "extra" embryos so this approach worked for us. In the end we still had a high number - 21 mature eggs, 19 fertilized, 15 made it to day 5/6 blastocyst. Having had a trisomy miscarriage in the past, we chose to freeze all embryos and do PGS testing. Due to cost, we could only afford to test 8 embryos at the time but had the remaining 7 biopsied for later testing if needed. Of the 8, 2 came back non-viable which is typical. I needed a hysteroscopy before transferring, so about 2 months after retrieval I was able to do my first FET. We used a Lupron protocol. I did have to push back the transfer by one week because my lining was not thick enough at the first check, but we added a half pill of estrogen vaginally (in addition to the oral doses) and it was ok a week later. That transfer resulted in my daughter. I went for weekly ultrasounds through week 10 or 11 at the clinic then fully transitioned to my OB. About a year and half after having my daughter we were ready to try again. We worked with Dr. Neithardt, repeating a saline sonogram and mock transfer. We agreed to follow the same protocol that worked the first time, the only change was adding the vaginal estrogen earlier since we knew I needed it before. I became pregnant but the numbers / trends were all over the place and I ultimately miscarried. We had a D&E done to test the fetal remains and unfortunately could not find a clear cause. The fetus was genetically normal and no physical causes could be found. This is where I really appreciated Dr. Neithardt - I have a complicated medical history including several autoimmune diseases. We retested for additional diseases that would be known to cause this type of problem, and the results were negative. However, Dr. Neithardt and I trusted our gut instincts that this is somehow related and discussed how we might change the protocol. We theorize that my body is rejecting the pregnancy and cutting off bloodflow, causing it to terminate. It took a few months for my body to be ready for another try but we eventually began another cycle. This time we added prednisone to further suppress my immune system. I again became pregnant and the numbers all appeared robust. Unfortunately, at my 6 week ultrasound we discovered the gestational sac had continued growing but the fetus had not. I had another D&E but this time I could not emotionally handle doing more testing on the fetal remains. Dr. Neithardt agreed with my husband and I that there wasn't likely any information to gain from testing any remains, if any could even be identified, which gave us a modicum of peace on the issue. She still feels that this may be an autoimmune response (as do I) and suggests another cycle include both the prednisone as well as Lovenox, a blood thinner to try to prevent clotting to the fetus. However, at that point I was relocated for work to another state and we have not yet decided if we or when we will pursue more transfers.

Most of the nursing staff at this practice is very nice to work with. There are always the exceptions - a new nurse who told me to go to the bathroom before my appointment then found out I needed to provide a urine sample before we could perform my test that day which caused a delay, for example. My most frequent frustration was when a nurse would answer a question based on the typical protocol even when I knew there was an unusual factor in my case and I wanted to escalate the question to my doctor. I eventually was given instructions for how to handle those questions to my satisfaction. The staff was interested in my comfort, tried to answer my questions fully to the best of their knowledge, and tried to be as comforting as they could when we discovered my losses. That experience in particular stuck with me because my first loss had been when I was seeing a different provider and they had been very distant and clinical when I was completely disoriented and heartbroken.

I had only positive things to say about this clinic after my first experience with them (IVF stimulation & retrieval and one FET). They worked well as a team, tried to accommodate my needs as much as possible, were always friendly, etc. By the time I was working with them again 1.5 - 2 years later, there had been some changes in their internal structure and processes which unfortunately caused a few problems for me as a patient. They were still friendly and usually accommodating, but their internal communications had broken down at times. This caused me some frustrations trying to reconcile the plan my doctor and I had laid out with the actual steps being performed as well as some issues after my losses regarding medication decisions (due to other medical issues, I wasn't doing well with the "normal" protocol and needed my doctor to give personalized instructions). It was not a terrible experience, but when it happened twice in the span of a few months even after I discussed my concerns with everyone involved, I began to question how well I could work with them if we decide to try again in the future.

I was lucky to have excellent insurance so my only costs were for genetic screening, medications, freezing and thawing costs, and $10 visit copays. I paid about $450 plus copays for a frozen transfer cycle. I no longer have this insurance, and when I inquired about the out of pocket costs I was told that their fee is $4,500 for one FET cycle (not including retrieval which I had done previously).

I was only willing to transfer one embryo at a time anyway, as were my other care providers, so this was not an issue for me.

Dr. Neithardt was amazing. She took time to explain all procedures, including pictures, and answer any questions. She always came to the waiting room to greet us and was as honest as she could be knowing all that she did. With all of the appointments that we had, she could not be present for all of them, but the staff was sure to mention any discussions they had with the doctor in the meantime. It made me feel like she really cared and wanted to do right by us, whether she could see us face to face or not.

One piece of advice I would give would be to be upfront and honest with her about everything. Medical history, mental and emotional state, hopes and fears, they are all important. Dr. Neithardt wants to know these things in order to best care for people.

I felt like a human. DR. Neithardt always used my first name when addressing me. She was always friendly and reassuring while still maintaining a realistic outlook. She remembered me, or at least took the time to review my chart, after not seeing her for about 6.5 years. There was no judgment or condescension. She was professional and respectful of my wishes to expand our family. I would highly recommend her to anyone I know.

Dr. Neithardt was concerned about hyper stimulation during IVF. She used a mini stimulation protocol that started with clomid. It worked for us because we did not stimulate too much and were able to do a fresh transfer.

They staff always talked to me as if we were old friends. They were upfront and honest and relied on medical information and team decisions to guide my treatment. My coordinator was fantastic and timely with all responses and scheduling. Being able to leave any member of the staff a message over their portal not only gave me reassurance but also confidence in the knowledge of the staff. They always responded in a timely manner with as much information as possible.

The clinic is large with many nurses, techs, doctors, and patients. I would tell people to not let that intimidate them. It’s large because they are the BEST! There is always someone there to take care of your needs. Smiles and friendly faces are around every corner. The practice does what is best for you; whatever will keep you and your fertility safe and sound. They can be conservative but in a good way. Whatever decisions are made, are done as a team and you know they have your best interests at heart.

Honestly, we were concerned with cost about everything but it was manageable and comparable to other clinics. They were always good about trying to make connections and coverage happen with insurance or any possible discounts.

I understand why doctors perform single transfers rather than multiple. Our practice only did single transfers unless you completed multiple failed Trabsfer attempts. I appreciate the concern for me all while trying to help me get pregnant in the safest way possible.

Dr. Neithardt is patient, honest, compassionate, and knowledgable. She takes the time to explain everything in a way that can be understood. She makes sure her patients are as comfortable as they can be in stressful circumstances.

Be open and honest with her, she is willing to listen.

She took the time to answer all questions, no matter how small or silly. She made small talk and really acted like she was invested in our success.

We tried clomid, then letrazole (I think) initially, but my body wasn’t properly responding, so we cancelled the cycle. Because we were self-pay at the time, she explained that we could keep trying with the medications or potentially try IUI, but the likelihood of success was small and we would quickly exhaust our funds. She recommended IVF at that point, which we agreed was the best course of action. Based on my age and health, we did mini-stim IVF. After the egg retrieval, my body wasn’t responding appropriately, so we reset while my embryos were frozen (5 day). A couple months later we did the transfer and it was successful. I’m currently in a new cycle. I had the transfer one week ago and am waiting on the results.

Sometimes the wait was a bit long, but every person I encountered was friendly, caring, and went out of their way to make me feel comfortable.

They have a lot of patients, and sometimes you have to wait a while after your scheduled appointment time. Besides that, however, I have never once felt like “just a number”. I think the wait time can be long because they are taking their time with patients.

See previous comment on the clinic.

Without insurance, we paid $10,000 for potential multiple cycles until pregnancy. The cost did not include medications, but did include monitoring, ultrasounds, and the pregnancy bloodwork. My new insurance is covering my second round, and I paid an approximately $1,400 copay, not including medication, which came to about $30.00

We weren’t given a choice; RAD only performs single embryo transfers. I would have liked a choice after the risks were explained, although I understand their approach.

Dr. Niethardt is extremely smart and likable. It was always pleasant to see her though I didn't often see her as much as I would have liked. Her office is in Wilmington but nearly every appointment after consultation is in Newark. She was compassionate and checked in occasionally.

You must write down and ask all the questions you have. This process can be very confusing.

The cycles are set up to create ease for the clinic, not the patient. Everyone is on the same schedule and begins IVF at the same time. This can sometimes feel impersonal.

Medicated IUI with clomid three times IVF with 450ml Gonal daily and Cetrotide and low dose HCG IVF with 100 clomid and 300 Gonal

The staff is overall very welcoming and warm. I felt at ease to ask questions.

You will be in a group cycle. You will meet with and talk to many different doctors, PA's and nurse practitioners. The earliest walk in appointment is 6:30am for monitoring. The clinic is organized and everyone uses the patient portal. If you call in the phone it is very hard to reach a live person so plan rouse the portal and you can usually expect a message back that day .

Monitoring was difficult because I begin work at 7am and the earliest hours were 6:30am. There would often be people lined up at 6:20am for monitoring.

IVF with 20% coinsurance cost approximately $2300. Out of pocket transfer $4200. Medications per cycle between $1000-2500

We were told they would only implant one embryo at a time.

Dr. N was extremely warm, friendly, and compassionate. She listens to your every concern. She answers all your questions. She looks you in the eye during all of it instead of charting while talking. A mid level performed the IUI portion of the process.

Get on her books as soon as you can! Come prepared with questions and she will be happy to answer them!

Dr. N treated me like I was a close friend. She really connects with her patients and takes our concerns as a priority. We are returning patients and she even remembers my husband and I from two years ago.

My husband had varicocele repair. 3 months post op we were eligible for IUI. We did two IUIs with femara. The first cycle failed. The second cycle resulted in a singleton live birth.

Most nursing was responsible to portal communication. I got a little discouraged when I waited all day for a phone call for a positive or negative result for the 15 day post iui pregnancy blood test.

Strengths are positive outcomes. All staff are extremely responsive to portal messages. Billing doesn't hound you for payments as long as you're prompt. I loved the convenience of the in-house lab. Weakness: limited dover hours. No dover procedures, all must be done in Newark. No specimen transport medium for those traveling from Kent or Sussex County.

Insurance did not cover anything. We've easily spent $5,000 thus far.

Very patient and knowledgeable. She gave advice without being overbearing. She seemed like a genuine and kind person. I was very upset throughout the process and she totally understood that. She gave me a very good idea what to expect and I knew she was always there if I needed her.

Not to give up hope and that it’s liekli she can help you conceive!

I cannot say enough good things about her. She got to know me very well and I could tell she cared. She was very patient and great at explaining everything.

We did 4 rounds of clomid and I initially responded well. During the 4 cycle the stimulation was taking longer and my body was not reacting as well. At that point she told me she thought ivf was my best bet and she thought my chances of success would be very high. She was right!

Caring, empathetic and knowledgeable

I think their billing practices leave a lot to be desired. I feel like I didn’t always know what to expect as far as how much money was due and when. As far as appointments and scheduling there were good.

I think the grand total of all the clomid, iui and mini ivf was between 15-17k

Dr. Neithardt was very knowledgeable with the information she gave me and always made sure I understood the process. Only downfall is when I couldn't come up with all of the money I needed for my procedure I wasn't given any other options.

If you come into a jam ask about your other options even if you have agreed on one set treatment

My doctor made sure that I understood every part of my process and made me feel comfortable

My coordinator was very organized and showed compassion and her own personal experience. Sometimes I could not get an answer from her and had to contact someone else

I loved the clinic and all the staff were very friendly. The only thing I didnt like is when I couldn't come up with the rest of the money for ivf I wasn't given any orher options as to another treatment and that made me a little upset

After insurance I had to come out of. Pocket roughly $8000

I wasn't given the option to have more them one embryo transfer

She was extremely informative and kind. The best doctor I could have asked for.

She has amazing bed side manner and you will feel heard.

She is so warm and comforting but tells you like it is at the same time. She always takes her time and you never feel rushed.

Can be hard to get an apt late in the day, the latest is typically 3:30pm