How was your experience with Ania Kowalik at Fertility Solutions of New England?
Dr. Kowalik was wonderful from the first time we sat down with her. She was very kind, empathetic and gave us hope. I had a lot of fear about pursuing fertility treatments, but she made sure we addressed them together before we got started. I appreciated that she took the time to make sure I knew what was happening before we moved forward.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Ania Kowalik at Fertility Solutions of New England?
I can be a bit hysterical/irrational sometimes and I think Dr. Kowalik sometimes might have thought I was a bit looney, but she was never anything less than empathetic, supportive and kind to me. I think she is just a very rational, intelligent, straight-forward person, and thank goodness for it! She is a good mix of empathetic, hopeful and straightforward.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Ania Kowalik at Fertility Solutions of New England?
I was pretty upset after having suffered from infertility for a number of years and it was affecting my mental health. I was very afraid to pursue fertility treatments because I knew it could be a long, difficult journey, but I magically had some insurance coverage for it that year and was at my wits end trying it naturally. The first thing Dr. Kowalik did was sit down and go over each and every fear my husband and I had. I was always treated with empathy and respect, from every person I dealt with at the clinic.
Describe the protocols Ania Kowalik used in your cycles at Fertility Solutions of New England and their degree of success.
We started with an IUI, with clomid (if I remember correctly). Because I had been trying naturally for 3.5 years and was at my wits end, and because of possible endometriosis we both decided to go ahead with IVF for the next cycle.
I was ovulating regularly so I think they started me on a low dose of the fertility meds. I know I was given birth control pills to control/suppress ovulation until they were ready, then used a Gonal-F pen to stimulate egg production, then cetrotide to stall it for a bit (I think?). All the while they were measuring my blood hormones and checking with ultrasound every few days to see the eggs developing in the follicles. Once they were developed and I was almost ready to ovulate, I gave myself a trigger shot, so they knew that the next day they could retrieve the eggs. They got 7 eggs out, 5 were mature and 5 made it to day 5 when I had my embryo transfer where they transferred one which implanted! I had a positive pregnancy test result 10 days later and continued taking endometrium (a progesterone supplement) for a few more weeks.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Fertility Solutions of New England.
I was so nervous about my egg retrieval and embryo transfer, but Dr. Huang and the nursing staff at the clinic in Dedham (where these procedures are performed) could not have been kinder or more supportive. They were very patient and made sure I understood exactly what would happen and how to take care of myself afterwards. I am such a hippie and was sad to be needing medical intervention to get pregnant, but they were so great that the process still seemed very personal and meaningful and special - plus it's really cool science and I'm endlessly grateful it exists.
Describe your experience with Fertility Solutions of New England.
I can tell that Fertility Solutions of New England has put a lot of thought into making fertility treatments as affordable and convenient as possible without sacrificing personal service or quality of care.
I was so grateful to be able to visit my local clinic and see my own doctor for most of my visits. I would get blood drawn on my way into work and barely missed any time. The Dedham office where the major procedures are done, was beautiful and calming.
There were times I did feel a bit confused about what was expected of me during my IVF cycle, but only because the drugs and treatments were new to me and I tend to get overwhelmed following directions sometimes. But help was always a phone call or message away. They try to make it as easy as possible for you, posting your instructions on the online portal and it wasn't hard to get the hang of things.
Again, I was lucky because things worked quickly, but I really can't say enough about how wonderfully I was treated.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Ania Kowalik at Fertility Solutions of New England.
I know I am incredibly, incredibly lucky and I feel awful that this isn't the case for more people suffering from infertility, but my care was covered almost 100% by my state employer. I am now getting some bills (months after the procedure as it gets worked out with my insurance) so I think in the end I will end up paying almost $1000.00 total which I know is nothing. I wouldn't have been able to afford treatment otherwise and I can't imagine how awful that feels.
What specific things went wrong at Fertility Solutions of New England?
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Fertility Solutions of New England.
There was just one minor error where I didn't have a blood draw scheduled when I had been told to go in and get it done (it might have accidentally been scheduled at another location, or it could've been my error). But the amazing nurse at the Providence clinic, Katrina fixed it quickly and I only had a wait a few extra minutes while she confirmed.