Asima Ahmad

From my previous description- I have had minimal interactions with her. She is well put together, friendly, and knowledgeable. I was assigned to her after my original RE left the practice and she made the transition seamless- there was no break in my treatment. She was highly recommended from my previous RE. I only met her before my 3rd IUI failed when we were to discuss next steps. She was straightforward but I felt she was still somewhat of a complete stranger though she knew so much about my history. I wish we could have had more of an introduction prior to that meeting or that during that meeting there was a moment of getting to know each other. She had stated a 4th IUI could be done but I was set on my previous REs recommendation of moving on after 3 IUIs. She heard what I said and switched gears immediately jumping right into discussion of IVF. I left feeling nervous but heard by her. I am looking forward to getting to know her as we begin IVF treatment. I am fully confident in her ability as my RE I just want to get to know her more.

Make sure you set time to get to know your RE more than just medical jargon and stats. You will be working very closely on an intimate subject with this person so being completely comfortable is key!

For my first IUI 2.5 mg leteozole for 7 days followed by ovidrel shot and insemination was done. At my first monitoring appt it was found that 2.5mg wasnt enough so she upped it to 5mg letrozole. I ended up growing 3 mature follicles - her nurse told her to tell me to consider cancelling due to risks but if I wanted to we could proceed. My husband and I were fine with it and proceeded. That ended with negative pregnancy test. For our 2nd IUI we did 5mg letrozole right from the start for 7 days followed by ovidrel and insemination. My follicles were growing more slowly this time around - no reason was given as to why. I had one mature follicle. This resulted in another negative pregnancy test. For my 3rd IUI the protocol again remained the same 5mg letrozole for 7 days followed by ovidrel. this time 2 follicles grew to be mature but also ended in negative pregnancy test

Office visits before insurance were around 235 for 15 minutes or a half hour I believe. My IUI including medication was around 800-900 that's with insurance. For IVF I was quoted 7300 not including medication and outside lab fees. I chose genetic testing which they have a flat fee of 2600. Freezing sperm is a flat fee of 600 followed by quarterly payments of 200. Freezing and storing embryos is a flat fee of 1500 for the first time/year.

The doctor is wonderful, she is very kind and easy to talk too. She always explains each step in detail and is quick to answer all my questions. She preformed my embryo transfer and also did the IUI, but did not do the egg retrieval. I like her as a person and as a doctor and feel very comfortable speaking to her about my situation and asking her questions.

Ask to speak directly to her when they call you. As I stated earlier the nurses handle the majority of the phone calls and regular visits which I understand, but she seemed much more compassionate and involved then the nurses, and I think asking to speak with her directly would make a patient feel more comfortable and confident with whats happening.

I started this process with medication and trying timed intercourse which did not work. We then moved onto one IUI cycle which also failed, and the doctor recommended moving right to IVF because IUI's didn't seem very likely to work with my situation (I have PCOS). I then started the IVF cycle and had the retrieval done and we got 17 eggs, 6 of which turned into embryos. I had a fresh transfer done which unfortunately failed as well. I have had 2 cancelled IVF transfers now one due to a change in insurance and the second one cancelled because my body quit responding to the medication and my lining wasn't thick enough. After that I went back in and had a consultation with the doctor and we are going to try a different medication protocol using only injectables and then doing the frozen transfer.

I've spent about $5,000 so far. I don't know an exact amount.

For my situation my doctor has so far recommended only transferring one embryo at a time. She told me I have a very high risk of conceiving multiples and she wanted to cut down on that as it can be dangerous for myself and the babies. If this next frozen transfer does not work I will have some tests done and then we will discuss transferring 2 embryos.

Dr. Ahmad is extremely professional and intelligent, but is able to educate regarding the details of the entire fertility process. She explains plan of care in a way that is well understood while providing options to those who might be limited due to financial constraints. She truly wants you to succeed in your outcomes while providing realistic expectations.

If overwhelmed, feel free to write down questions in advance so you are able to discuss them during your meeting with Dr. Ahmad

Underwent three failed IUIs, with the one first one in the downtown office and the final two at my home office in Warrenville. After this, I underwent an egg retrieval that resulted in a freeze all due to high estrogen levels because of PCOS. Dr. Ahmad wanted to wait before an embryo transfer due to the risk of OHSS. Underwent a frozen 5 day embryo transfer using Lupron protocol, which resulted in failed IVF #1. After that, underwent a 2nd frozen 5 day embryo transfer following estrogen protocol which resulted in a positive pregnancy test.

Dr. Ahmad recommended single embryo transfers due to my age and infertility cause.

Dr. Ahmad is like no other doctor my husband and I have ever met. She comes off as very genuine and down to earth. Every time we have met with Dr. Ahmad whether the news was bad or great, we know that she truly did all that she could to give us the best outcome. My first round of shots ended with not being able to go to retrieval due to the follicles not growing at the same rate. Though that news was upsetting, she spoke openly to us and explained why and how we would have a better outcome especially knowing how my body now reacted to certain medicines. The news that she had to present to us was difficult but by her telling us straight forward yet being empathetic made my husband and I proceed further with her. The second round of IVF I made it to retrieval yet after genetic testing all came back abnormal. We talked to her about how upsetting the news was and it was by talking to Dr Ahmad that made us proceed again. We took about a month to mentally take a break, but it was her that made us feel good about trying again. Recently I just had my retrieval with a great outcome of 6 embryos that came back normal from genetic testing! My husband and I are truly grateful to have Dr Ahmad with us throughout this difficult journey that we have been on.

Dr Ahmad is a very informative doctor that will talk to you in a way that most doctors are unable to. She has an easy going personality but is very determined to assist you with having a great outcome. You will feel this way your first time meeting her. She has a big heart and is very passionate about her work.

Per my first retrieval I used Gonal F whereas on this second retrieval I used Follistim which produced a positive outcome of 6 embryos. She watched closely to all my levels, especially estrogen. Estrogen was something that kept increasing and i had to change the units per medicine at times.

During our second round of IVF my husband was laid off. We are still paying cobra for both of us due to his insurance covering some of the costs. Due to our personal issue Dr. Ahmad and Sahar have and are assisting us with medicine. Their generosity is what helped us be able to move onto the second IVF retrieval.

Yes my husband and I were educated on both single versus multiple embryo transfers. We are currently in this stage.

After several rounds of nothing working, she ended up telling me that she was out of options for me. My amazing nurse, Shanon, actually came up with my protocol and it worked! Dr. Ahmad is very sweet and seems very caring, but when it came time for me to ask my questions, I think she responded poorly many times...not always, but often she would laugh or just give a quick answer that made it seem like what I brought up wasn't really a valid point. I would also like to feel more secure in her drive to get me pregnant...I'm not sure how motivated she is. I would also like to see statistics specific to someone with my conditions and she work with such patients as far as what I might expect and what results I may see.

Be sure to do your research and push to get your questions answered relevantly.

I tried Gonal-F shots for 2 rounds, but my follicles never grew. Then I did 5 days of Femara and 2-3 days of Menopur (150iu) and was able to get my follicles to grow. I did that 3 times for IUI, but they all failed. Now I'm on to IVF.

Dr. Ahmad was amazing to work with! She was caring, compassionate and truly made us feel like she was there to help us meet our end goal of starting a family. She was very thorough in explaining all testing, treatment options and her best recommendations. She took the time to listen to our concerns and was always more than willing to answer ALL of my (many) questions. She is personable and never once made us feel like we were just another patient or "number". She was a cheerleader for us throughout this process. I would 100% recommend Dr. Ahmad to anyone who is going through infertility- you are in good hands.

Work with her- she is one of the best!

We did two IUI's one using Clomid the Second using Letrozle- both were unsuccessful. We did 1 egg retrieval which brought us 5 embryos and 1 successful fresh transfer- current pregnancy.

Very efficient, well-oiled machine. Typically always on time and you were in and out in no time.

Organized- we worked with an IVF and Insurance Coordinator

Dr. Ahmad is a caring doctor who takes the time to listen to your concerns and make you understand the whole process. She is honest to how the treatment goes so you know what to expect. She also made us feel like we could relate to her as she informed us about her fertility issues,which made her more human.

Bring all your questions.

Dr. Ahmad listened to us and told us how many iuis we should try before moving on, we did letrazole with our iuis. For ivf we did menapur, gonal f and ganareliz. She chose this as I had good egg reserves I am going and have had a natural pregnancy before. I did have good egg Production

I had a financial person keep in touch with me

She recommends single embryo as the risk of multiples can be a high risk pregnancy.

I hardly ever saw her so I am not sure if she actually knows our infertility problems beyond the initial testing and the fact that our IUIs didn't work. I suspect I might have PCOS but she never looked much into it.

Become friends with your nurse. Our nurse has been super helpful when it comes to questions and concerns.

IUIs using Femera. Currently using Lupron, Menopur, and Follistim for IVF. I have never received a reasoning why she chose these protocols.

IUIs were around $3000-$4000. IVF is about $15000 with about $8000 in medications.

She prefers to do one with us since we are young.

Dr. Ahmad is interested in your story and if she can give us all babies she would. She upfront and would try her hardest with hope of making your dreams of motherhood come true. She keeps a warm smile on her face that is inviting and is needed for such a delicate situation.

Be upfront and honest with her because she really wants to help.

She made sure that we understood what was going on when we would see her for a visit. She made sure that we were comfortable with what we were doing and made sure that if we had any questions, that she would answer them for us. She made us feel very welcome and made us feel good while going through the procedures and processes we did.

Trust her judgement. Don't be afraid to ask questions

I did overstimulate for the egg retrievals so she understood what to do if we have to do it again. She would adjust the other medicines/shots I was on to what they needed to be so we didn't over react to the meds. It was up to us to do the 4 rounds of IUI and she helped us every step of the way. Even tho the IUI's did not result in a positive pregnancy, she never let us down and help us with the IVF procedure. She did not make us feel like we were failures. She made us feel very positive.

I liked that I could go in before work and they open at 6:30 AM. The only thing is that when I would do the 6:30 appointments, they were not always ready and I would have to wait at least 10 minutes before being seen. I had to get to work so I was on a tight schedule as to it is a half hour from my work.

My insurance actually covered almost all of the procedures/meds.

They did want us to do 2 embyro transfers instead of 1 but they did not hesitate tho and push us to change our mind when we only wanted to do 1.

She was very knowledgeable and kind. She knew a lot about PCOS which made me feel very comfortable. She actually did my Sonohysterogram procedure herself which I liked because my other clinic had nurses doing all of the procedures including the IUI.

No advice. Just be prepared emotionally anytime you go to a fertility clinic. It is a tough situation that can bring a lot of hope but also a lot of heartache.

We were only doing diagnostics

Out of pocket around $500 for diagnostics only

She was very personable and compassionate but she was not an endometriosis expert and should have referred me instead of trying to handle my extreme case herself without the knowledge or experience. She also does not do surgeries which is a red flag because she can’t physically diagnose endo, you have to go to another doctor to have surgery.

Do not go to her if you have endometriosis. Trust your gut. Advocate for yourself!

$14,000

She explained things in a way I would understand. She was very understanding and helped me in every step of the way. The mood was always light and not so serious, which helped me to relax in such a stressful situation.

You would be in great hands and don’t stress! She will help in anyway possible!

We just finished the evaluation. The outcome for us would be iui or Ivf.

Paying out of pocket

Dr. Ahmad has a wealth of knowledge and completely took the time to explain the process to my husband and I. During my miscarriage she called me every day to ensure I was physically okay which meat alot to us. I am grateful for her level of support to our difficult time.

Ask as many questions as you like because she will take the time to explain what you need to know.

My experience as a patient with Dr. Asima Ahmad was amazing. I have took time out to choose the doctor myself and Dr. Ahmad was the best doctor for my partner and I. I took time to read her profile entirely to ensure I have a clear understanding of who she was, her educational background, why she chose this field, and her passion to working within the fertility area. I love how passionate Dr. Ahmad is about her profession and what she do. At first I was kind of nervous about everything, from the consultation to the procedure. After reviewing her profile, she gave me a lot more confidence. Dr. Ahmad has a strong mind in everything. Her knowledge on every procedure that she has come across is quite powerful. With certain questions asked, she's able to tell you what procedure works best for you and your partner. She have strong beliefs of family planning and helping those who wants to start/complete their family. My partner and I have been planning to complete our family for about a year now. We are a couple of the same sex. I have done plenty of research on the different procedures offered. I came upon two different procedures that inspired me. One of the procedures was "IVF reciprocal" and the other is called "InvoCell." I read about these procedures on the Fertility Centers of Illinois. Although, both procedures helps in the same way, the InvoCell offers a more natural way. During my consultation with Dr. Ahmad, she gave detailed information and helped me understand the difference between the both. She answered questions and concerns from my partner and I with no hesitation or doubts. Dr. Asima Ahmad is a very strong individual. Her deliverance is exceptional. Her personality is amazing as she welcome her patients and help them throughout their journey. She also have a strong educational background and her passion for working in this to help those that may feel like it's impossible. Dr. Ahamd makes it possible. She a great coach. She gave my partner and I helpful resources to help guide us through our journey. I don't feel like Dr. Ahmad had any weakness. Everything about her and what stands behind her name is STRONG! Dr. Asima Ahmad was simple amazing!

One piece of advice that I would give a prospective patient is that Dr. Ahmad is the best. Her knowledge about what she do is very clear. She knows her stuff! I would highly recommend Dr. Ahmad to anyone who seeks help within fertility. She very warm welcoming and is 100% there for her patients.

I have not had any treatments just yet. Dr. Ahmad did give me detailed information about the strategies and protocols used in each procedure (IVF/InvoCell).

The different components of the cost of treatment for the procedure is IVF($10,000-$15,000) and Invocell($7,000). Invocell is more cost efficient because it a more natural way. Not so much of in laboratory work. IVF requires more laboratory work, doctor visits, and more medications.

Dr. Ahmad had a strong preference on multiple embryo transfer. She stated that although some embryos are mature enough to be placed inside the uterus, some things can possibly happen where it can lead to not being able to fully develop. If you consider using a single embryo in this situation, the worst case is that you would have to go through the procedure all over again. If multiples are placed, one may be more mature than the other giving a higher chance of a positive pregnancy and/or a chance of multiple births.

Dr. Ahmad has a very sweet personality. Every time I’ve seen her she always has a smile on her face. I’ve had to bring my son in with me one I’ve had a procedure done and she was talking to him and just being very friendly while doing my procedure. This second transfer I just did, Was unsuccessful so I go in next week to meet with her to see where we go from here. I can’t honestly point out any weaknesses just yet.

I always tell my friends that I’m referring to be upfront and honest and ask any question that comes to mind. If the doctor your are dealing with does not answer your questions throughly or gives you the vibe that they aren’t taking you seriously, you need to move on. This process is way to draining and to end up with a doctor you are unsure about or doesn’t give you good vibes is just not worth it. Find your match. I can honestly say so far I feel very comfortable with my decision of seeing Dr. Ahmad.

So this past transfer Dr. Ahmad used to the same protocol as my last Dr. because it was successful. I started on BC for a few weeks then started Lupron shots( dosage was different /lower from my first transfer. Im unsure why but I plan on asking next week). Then from that we started estrogen patches and vaginal inserts along with progesterone inserts. The week of transfer we started progesterone in oil. It was a lot but because it worked my first transfer we figured we would try it again, but we were unsuccessful this time.

I think this last round of treatment was just under $3,000.

Because I was able to get pregnant I was just miscarrying because of genetic issues with embryo, they only recommended transferring one embryo. With my first successful pregnancy I ended up with severe preeclampsia at 35 weeks which resulted in an emergency c-section. I totally understand why they one want to transfer one rather then two embryos in my case.

Dr.Ahmad was compassionate, caring and positive. She made an unpleasant experience much more pleasurable. She was thorough in her diagnostic tests. She went out of her way to help us knowing we were self pay patients.

Feel free to ask her a lot of questions, sure never made me feel rushed.

I was a part of a study. I used the protocol mandated by the pharmaceutical company.

There are certain hours it must be done within but I never had a problem getting in during the time I wanted. Monitoring begins early for people who need to get in before work.

I was a part of a study so I only paid for cryopreservation.

Dr.Ahmad only transfers one embryo for people with my age/diagnosis.

Dr. Ahmad was professional, patient and knowledgable. She was relatable and easy to talk to. She allowed time for questions. The visit did not feel rushed. My anxiety was greatly reduced after meeting with her.

Come with questions because she is ready to answer them.

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Initial work-up was covered by insurance. All treatment is self-pay. Financial options were made available.

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We had already gone through two miscarriages and then experienced one with her. She was so caring and her nurse was amazing too. I honestly have no complaints. I’m excited to move forward onto IVF and work closely with them.

Be patient and try to stay positive. It’s hard but good things will come.

We have not yet gone through IVF but she did perform a d & c when we had a miscarriage.

We are not at that point but we were told our situation would be under 20k

We just want a healthy and successful outcome.

We couldn't have asked for a better doctor to help us. She is wonderful and is everything we would look for in a doctor (caring, informative, responsive and personable). She is very detailed in the plan and has adjusted it accordingly to help us the best way possible.

none

IUI although her recommendation is IVF due to my wife's age and the better chance of screening. We unfortunately can't use IVF because military insurance doesn't cover it and we can't afford it.

They are reasonable but I guess it would rely more on the insurance that the patient has.

She did a great job educating us on the strength of the medication and the goal to not have too many eggs for the IUI. she wanted to balance the strength of the treatment with the likelihood of pregnancy.