Brenda Houmard

What I liked about Brenda Houmard in comparison to my last RE was that it felt as though she actively listened to the questions and concerns my husband and I had and then attempted to answer as thoroughly as she could. ... We did ICSI due to previous male infertility issues (which have been resolved), but wanted remove risks of reduced fertilization rates in case there is an unknown issue with sperm penetration capability.

HOWEVER, it's beyond frustrating that they [Seattle Reproductive Medicine] batch all their procedures so you're constantly manipulating your cycle in order to sync up to a timeline with other patients. When I needed a D&C, they couldn't do it because they weren't "in cycle" so their surgery center wasn't operating, that's a time sensitive deal and I can't just wait around for it.

How was your experience with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

What I liked about Brenda Houmard in comparison to my last RE was that it felt as though she actively listened to the questions and concerns my husband and I had and then attempted to answer as thoroughly as she could. I wish she was more active in our protocols but I fit a very general mold that doesn't require extra oversight. Overall I enjoy being her patient because she shows a lot of compassion towards you and you can tell she's genuinely trying to help you succeed.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

As a doctor she's wonderful and will take the time to listen to all your worries.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

In phone conversations with her she's very friendly but there were a few times that I had to correct her on information about my treatment protocol and outcomes as though she didn't thoroughly read my chart beforehand. I don't think she gets to know her patients an a deeper personal level due to the size of the clinic.

Describe the protocols Brenda Houmard used in your cycles at Seattle Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.

I did 9 days of Stims; 225iu of Gonal F, 150iu of Menopur. I also did 5 days of .25mg Cetrotide and 1000mg HCG trigger shot on day 10. I fit a very standard mold with no known issues with egg production which is why I believe they chose this protocol. We did ICSI due to previous male infertility issues (which have been resolved), but wanted remove risks of reduced fertilization rates in case there is an unknown issue with sperm penetration capability. We did not PGS test because Dr. Houmard said we're young and healthy and there wasn't a need. For our FET-they do medicated cycles. I was on Estrace 3x/day for 21 days and PIO shots for 5 days leading up to the frozen transfer. And then continued meds after.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Seattle Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Katie)

I've felt frustrated because often times when I ask a question I get a response along the lines of "I'll have to ask about that". Also due to office protocols, it can be very difficult to get ahold of the nurse in a timely manner. Often you're leaving a voicemail or sending portal messages. It is nice that when your assigned nurse isn't on shift, other nurses will answer your portal messages or voicemails. It seems there's a lack of consistency though, half the time my lab results aren't released in the portal so I can't see my levels and makes me wonder why they have that option if they aren't going to utilize it. The nurses in the surgery center were beyond wonderful and I highly recommend them, they seemed very knowledgeable on all topics and questions.

Describe your experience with Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

My biggest issue with this clinic is that since they're a large organization it's hard to get through to exactly whom you want to talk to. If you want to make an appt, you don't actually take to the scheduling coordinator at your location, rather it's a communal hub of schedulers. I really feel like a number with the clinic as a whole because all their standard operating procedures are so generalized. A positive is that they have several locations and doctors on staff so they can accommodate you slightly easier than other offices. HOWEVER, it's beyond frustrating that they batch all their procedures so you're constantly manipulating your cycle in order to sync up to a timeline with other patients. When I needed a D&C, they couldn't do it because they weren't "in cycle" so their surgery center wasn't operating, that's a time sensitive deal and I can't just wait around for it.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

Egg retrieval and fresh transfer: $13650 IVF Meds: $4500 FET: $4000 FET Meds: $1000

What specific things went wrong at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Failed to call with results

Describe the specific things that went wrong at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

I do a lot of out of town monitoring, which means I usually am contacting my nurse for results or asking for elaboration on things which can get tiring.

Doctor

Brenda Houmard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Spokane Valley

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

2021 - 2022, Successful

Age 35 - 36

3 IUI

European

Income $0 - $49K

Nurse or HC Services

Only Doc Seen

Donor Sperm

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

They [Seattle Reproductive Medicine] were very professional and very fast. Greatly appreciated They were able to get me in the day that I was ovulating and they always seemed to be able to work around my work schedule as well, there was a time on my second IUI that I happened to ovulate on a Saturday, I called them that day and they got me in to do my IUI. Just overall a great office and office staff

How was your experience with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Brenda Houmard was amazing at answering all of the questions that I had leading up to the IUI process. She explained everything that would happen and when things needed to be changed she explained very thoroughly why, and was always open to me asking questions. When I had my labs done, and they determined that I needed to adjust my thyroid medication, Dr. Houmard was there to explain that even though my numbers on my normal thyroid test were normal, that there was one that was not and that if we didn't correct that one then it could potentially leave me with not achieving pregnancy.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Do not be afraid to ask lots of questions. This is a new process and its a big learning experience. She was there to answer any question and would explain it in great detail and in terms that a non medical professional could understand.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

The doctors office was there for all of my needs. Anytime I had a concern or a question they answered it with grace and dignity. They were always very caring of my feelings. I never felt rushed or that I was an inconvenience. when the time came for me to take a pregnancy test and when it came back negative I would inform the office and express my frustration and sadness they were there to offer a warm shoulder and an open ear. They made me feel so much better in my time of sadness that my IUI had not worked at that time.

Describe the protocols Brenda Houmard used in your cycles at Seattle Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.

during my first cycle of IUI we did 2 rounds of ultrasounds to measure my follicles, and when I was ready they had me do a trigger shot. This however did not allow me to achieve pregnancy, my second and third rounds I monitored my ovulation with OPK's and waited for a positive OPK, they did also do ultrasounds to monitor my follicle size on both my second and third rounds. However, I was still not able to conceive.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Seattle Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Tracy)

Both of the nurses that I had during all 3 of my last attempts were amazing, very informative, great bed side manner and were very much open and willing to answer all of my questions about post care after IUI and that it was very imperative to wait that dreadful 2 week wait, before taking a pregnancy test.

Describe your experience with Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

They are always able to get you in the day your a re ovulating to do your insemination. I chose to do natural cycles unmedicated, so I monitored my ovulation with OPK's. So my treatments were always last minute. They were very professional and very fast. Greatly appreciated They were able to get me in the day that I was ovulating and they always seemed to be able to work around my work schedule as well, there was a time on my second IUI that I happened to ovulate on a Saturday, I called them that day and they got me in to do my IUI. Just overall a great office and office staff

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

Doing this I was paying out of pocket for it all, my insurance only covered the diagnostic imaging such as ultrasound. So all of the triggers shots and the IUI and thawing and prep were all out of pocket. However, I spoke with the financial team and they worked with me on making payments. The finance team was also so kind to bill everything to my insurance just to make sure it was not covered.

Describe Brenda Houmard's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

This did not apply to me

Doctor

Brenda Houmard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Spokane Valley

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

2020 - 2022, Unknown Success

Age 34 - 36

7 IUI

2 IVF

Male Factor

Uterine Fibroids

European

Income $200K - $499K

1st of 3 Docs

Donor Sperm

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Dr Houmard is just wonderful! She is kind, caring, professional and smart. I feel like she wants us to succeed almost as much as we want to succeed. She explains everything to us in a way that makes sense, answers all of our questions, and works with us on our goals and desires. I love that she gives us options when she can. I honestly cannot recommend her enough.

The [Seattle Reproductive Medicine] strengths are that all the people are so kind, professional, and smart. The only weakness I can think of is that it’s hard to get a hold of the nurses sometimes on the phone. But, once I started primarily sending portal messages that was just way easier for me anyway. It’s very easy to get someone on the phone in case of an emergency though, any time of day, holiday or weekend, so that’s great.

How was your experience with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

You’re in good hands!

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Dr Houmard (and all her staff) are all so caring. They tailor everything to me and my needs, even down to my blood draws. After the first retrieval Dr Houmard tweaked our protocol to get better results.

Describe the protocols Brenda Houmard used in your cycles at Seattle Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.

I can’t remember all the specifics, but we started with IUI due to my normal range AMH numbers and the fact that our diagnosis is azoospermia. The 4th one worked but ended in MMC at week 6. Then the 2nd one worked but was a chemical pregnancy. All IUIs were done with donor sperm. When we decided to move to IVF, she suggested a TESE for my husband to try for a full biological child. We agreed and we now have one biological euploid embryo. She gave us our first egg retrieval protocol based on my age (35) and my other known health factors. Unfortunately I only had 4 eggs retrieved. But, of the 4 we got one euploid and one LLM embryo. For the 2nd retrieval she suggested increasing one medication and also stimming for one more (or more) days. For the 2nd retrieval we got 9 eggs!! But unfortunately only 3 fertilized and none made it to day 5. She personally called me herself to deliver the heartbreaking news. We have a meeting with her next week to discuss next steps.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Seattle Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Christie, Kate, Katie, Alicia)

I started fertility treatments after Covid, so it has always just been me and the staff. Except egg retrievals. The staff is always so kind and caring. Christie held my hand after she told me I was having a missed miscarriage and I was sobbing on the table. I also greatly appreciate that she can tell me that information without making me wait for the doctor to come in. She is always so good at delivering news, both the good and the bad. She never sugarcoats it. I just adore her and I would have given up on all of this if it wasn’t for her. Alicia has also comforted me while crying. I’m pretty sure every single staff member has at some point. They are all so nice and kind. I feel so grateful to be doing this horrible process with them.

Describe your experience with Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

The strengths are that all the people are so kind, professional, and smart. The only weakness I can think of is that it’s hard to get a hold of the nurses sometimes on the phone. But, once I started primarily sending portal messages that was just way easier for me anyway. It’s very easy to get someone on the phone in case of an emergency though, any time of day, holiday or weekend, so that’s great.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

We don’t have infertility insurance coverage. I can’t remember all the costs for IUI but they weren’t bad. IVF is $15k for one cycle or $25k for two retrievals and that covers transfers. PGT testing was $2,500 I think.

Describe Brenda Houmard's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

She will not transfer two embryos at a time. We were told this up front, before starting IVF, and we agreed completely. We still agree with this policy.

Doctor

Brenda Houmard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Spokane Valley

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

2021 - 2022, Unsuccessful

Age 34 - 35

Income $50K - $99K

Accountant

2nd of 2 Docs

7 IUI With Other Docs

Doesn't Recommend

Unsuccessful

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

I never once saw [Dr. Houmard] in person. There was no blood work, no testing, no increase or change in medication...IVF was constantly pushed on us, while we never had a work up to see why nothing was working. It was a simple guess on when we were to take our medication and when the process for IUI would be completed. Every month was always a guess, since my cycles are longer, I would have thought they would have taken that into consideration

The nursing staff at the clinic was fine. They did their job when it came to the actual IUIs...Since SRM is based out of Seattle it was VERY hard to communicate through the phone with them...The actual clinic in Spokane, the one strength they have is the office was never busy, so there was really no wait time to get back to a room...The medication was anywhere from $100-150 a month. The rest of the process was $1200-$1500 a month.

How was your experience with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

There was little to no communication with her. We had two virtual phone calls with her, the first seemed promising and she started our first IUI cycle that day. A little strange to me since the last time I had any kind of work up was back in 2014. She knew nothing about my present history. But set me up to begin treatments. I had no bloodwork, I have nothing saying that all of my reproductive organs were working and open. Again I was just a payment to her.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Ask to be seen. A full work up and blood work so you don’t end up with a broken heart and empty pockets.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

I never once saw the doctor in person. There was no blood work, no testing, no increase or change in medication. I was simply a payment to them. IVF was constantly pushed on us, while we never had a work up to see why nothing was working. It was a simple guess on when we were to take our medication and when the process for IUI would be completed. Every month was always a guess, since my cycles are longer, I would have thought they would have taken that into consideration. I was told that didn’t matter. I am pretty sure cycle lengths would matter as we are trying to perform an IUI at the right time.

Describe the protocols Brenda Houmard used in your cycles at Seattle Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.

There was no strategy at SRM. I was told to take Clomid on day 3 of my cycle and then go in for an ultrasound and when told I would give myself an injection of Ovidrel. I did this for the first 4 cycles and when my follicles stayed the same we have a phone call with her and she suggested IVF. We asked for more time with IUI and she then had us do the same treatment, same dosages, but adding one Menopur injection. We never got any more than one follicle. Very much a let down.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

The nursing staff at the clinic was fine. They did their job when it came to the actual IUIs. Eventually I felt like they were done with me, it wasn’t working, why did I keep going back kind of attitude.

Describe your experience with Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

Since SRM is based out of Seattle it was VERY hard to communicate through the phone with them. Like you would have to go through a call center. There weren’t regular people I would get to talk to . The actual clinic in Spokane, the one strength they have is the office was never busy, so there was really no wait time to get back to a room.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

The medication was anywhere from $100-150 a month. The rest of the process was $1200-$1500 a month.

Describe Brenda Houmard's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

We did IUI no embryo transfers.

What specific things went wrong at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Lost appointments
Failed to order appropriate test
Provided conflicting information
Failed to consider drug intolerance
Scheduled the wrong procedure

Describe the specific things that went wrong at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

There was no structure. We spent a lot of money to feel a lot of regret with no positive outcome. I received an email with some sort of test, so I reached out and it wasn’t for me, but another patient. That’s not professional in my opinion. Fertility is hard enough and takes such a toll on a couple or an individual. I would have liked some compassion. I stopped going to this clinic and no one once reached out to me to see what the problem was. I was just a number to them.

Doctor

Brenda Houmard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Spokane Valley

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

2020 - 2022, Unknown Success

Age 32 - 34

Endometriosis

Male Factor

Tubal Blockage

Income $100K - $199K

Nurse or HC Services

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Dr Houmard has communicated efficiently with me about my anxieties, next steps, what to expect, realistic outcomes of IVF with endometriosis and how it can decrease our chance some. She answered every question I had, and took notes throughout the appointment. She was kind, thoughtful, educated, and really made me feel comfortable in asking any questions I had.

So far everyone that I’ve met [at Seattle Reproductive Medicine] has been really kind, and incredibly helpful. It’s been nice knowing that if or when I do call the clinic, that I’ll be connected with someone who is patient and kind while I nervously explain what I need. The gratitude for this behavior is big, it’s exactly what we need during this unfair (infertility) and overwhelming process.

How was your experience with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

We’ve only just begun the process of IVF, however so far Dr Houmard has communicated efficiently with me about my anxieties, next steps, what to expect, realistic outcomes of IVF with endometriosis and how it can decrease our chance some. She answered every question I had, and took notes throughout the appointment. She was kind, thoughtful, educated, and really made me feel comfortable in asking any questions I had. At the end of the appointment she summarized what we needed to do and told me she would have the IVF team reach out to me with information on next steps and all the specific information we needed moving forward. Within two days I had emails from the nurses, and financial counselor. Both of which offered sincere words of encouragement. It’s important to me that a doctor does what they say they’re going too, and she did just that. I’m excited to move forward working with Dr Houmard.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Write your questions down! It’s so overwhelming going into these appointments, so write your questions down before the appointment as you think of them. It’s so helpful!

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Dr Houmard remembered a few details that maybe didn’t seem important to a doctor, but was important to me. She made the visit personable, we laughed, discussed my fears, talked about next steps and what to expect regarding moving forward with IVF. She did a great job at making me feel comfortable and that I was in a safe place, even over Zoom!

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

So far they have reached out and introduced themselves, and offered the most sincere words of encouragement and offering their support. Even acknowledging how overwhelming it can be and letting you know they will be there for you every step of the way. Great communication with lots of guidance with paperwork and information. I’m excited to see how IVF goes with this team.

Describe your experience with Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

So far everyone that I’ve met has been really kind, and incredibly helpful. It’s been nice knowing that if or when I do call the clinic, that I’ll be connected with someone who is patient and kind while I nervously explain what I need. The gratitude for this behavior is big, it’s exactly what we need during this unfair (infertility) and overwhelming process.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

So far it’s just been re-establishing care, and I have not received the bill but I was forewarned that it would 225$ for the cost of the appointment.

Describe Brenda Houmard's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

Doctor

Brenda Houmard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Spokane Valley

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

2021, Consult

Age 37

Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

Unexplained

Latinx

Income $100K - $199K

Teacher

2nd of 3 Docs

Doesn't Recommend

Unsuccessful

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Dr. Houmard was very pushy about IVF and neither her nor her team did any follow up at all to ask what steps we wanted to take after we said no to starting IVF right away...told us we had a less than 1% chance of conceiving on our own— a statistic based on absolutely nothing because it was obvious she never obtained our medical records or even read our intake forms...Our entire consult was her speeding through a presentation about IVF and essentially saying there was no hope for us because of how old we were (37, which is hardly old and decrepit...

They [Seattle Reproductive Medicine] never bothered to get any of our medical records despite giving them ample time to do so, never followed up with us, and had no clear rationale for why they were recommending IVF when they had apparently zero knowledge of our medical histories...$300+ for the initial 30 minute consult during which she pushed IVF and clearly had not looked at our medical records at all. IVF was quoted at approximately $20-$30k per session not including medicine...

How was your experience with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Dr. Houmard told us we had a less than 1% chance of conceiving on our own— a statistic based on absolutely nothing because it was obvious she never obtained our medical records or even read our intake forms. She pushed IVF and invasive testing from the start and I had financial counselors in my inbox in less than 24 hours. She showed absolutely zero compassion or a logical basis for her recommendation of IVF. It was obvious we were just a number to her and that IVF was the best way to get money out of us. Our entire consult was her speeding through a presentation about IVF and essentially saying there was no hope for us because of how old we were (37, which is hardly old and decrepit). I expressed hesitance about doing IVF and asked for other options and not once did she follow up with us, and neither did her staff. I am completely perplexed as to how anyone would find her warm caring. To me, she was incredibly not compassionate, offered no reassurance, and was very pushy that IVF was our only option—again, without even having looked at our intake forms, much less reviewing our medical records despite there being ample time to do so. We met with her once and were completely ignored after that. It felt more like a timeshare presentation or a car sales pitch than the professional, compassionate care I hoped to get. She rushed through our appointment and had us rehash information that I’d already shared on our many intake forms—but she sure wanted us to start IVF immediately.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Good luck, and have some Kleenex nearby because her cold bedside manner and pushy IVF campaign will be hurtful during a vulnerable time. Have a support system around you because she will not follow up with you should you not jump at the idea of invasive testing and medication leading up to IVF. If you are looking for someone to give you a listening ear and present you with different options based on your situation, she is not the one. If you have an unlimited fortune to spend on IVF and are already versed in the risks, your mileage may vary.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Dr. Houmard never bothered to even get our medical records before our consult, and despite this and having no knowledge of our health, she very confidently told us we had a less than 1 % chance of conceiving on our own because of our age (37!) I had SRM financial counselors sending me messages within a day, asking me to sign a contract for IVF. The moment I said it wasn’t for us, the clinic ghosted us completely. Dr. Houmard was very pushy about IVF and neither her nor her team did any follow up at all to ask what steps we wanted to take after we said no to starting IVF right away.

Describe the protocols Brenda Houmard used in your cycles at Seattle Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.

Her strategy was to get us to do IVF within the next few months because she considered us to be too advanced in age to conceive on our own and my eggs to be too unhealthy—at age 37, simply based on me having had two miscarriages. She never recommended labwork or bloodraws to check my hormone levels or anything like that first, just went straight into wanting my husband to do a sperm analysis and for us to start the IVF process. Her rationale? Probably wanting a nice IVF paycheck. Had I been more rationale and not so heartbroken by her “expert” opinion in that vulnerable moment, I probably could have saved myself endless emotional turmoil. Where she got the “you have a less than 1% chance of conceiving” statistic is beyond me.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

The nursing staff were slightly more available than Dr. Houmard and were able provide more rationale for why she wanted us to jump into IVF right away (to select the best embryo because surely we were producing genetically defective ones, which turned out to NOT be the case). However, they still ghosted us after I expressed that IVF wasn’t something I was ready for, and I had several different nurses who didn’t seem to have read our medical records either.

Describe your experience with Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

If you are looking for professional, compassionate care, the Spokane branch is not it. You will be treated like a bank account number and spit out when they can’t get IVF money from you. The fact that Dr. Houmard has a presentation ready to go that tells people they have a “less than 1% chance” of conceiving on their own speaks volumes.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

$300+ for the initial 30 minute consult during which she pushed IVF and clearly had not looked at our medical records at all. IVF was quoted at approximately $20-$30k per session not including medicine.

What specific things went wrong at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Lost paperwork
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 Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

They never bothered to get any of our medical records despite giving them ample time to do so, never followed up with us, and had no clear rationale for why they were recommending IVF when they had apparently zero knowledge of our medical histories.

Doctor

Brenda Houmard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Spokane Valley

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

2020, Successful

Age 21

4 IUI

1 IVF

Male Factor

Income $50K - $99K

Teacher

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Dr Houmard was caring and always made sure I was informed very well on each step of the process. After every appointment I always felt comforted and had knowledge of what was happening next. I never felt like a number with her and I always felt important...Most of my IUIs I didn’t see Dr Houmard and I saw the nurses there...

Everyone you meet there [at Seattle Reproductive Medicine] is super nice. When arriving in the waiting room you are greeted by the ladies that work at the front desk who are super nice too. When waiting your never waiting to long most of the time your in when your suppose to be...Each and every nurse I worked with was super compassionate and always made me feel comfortable. They showed how caring they were through each and every appointment. They always explained things to me so that I understand and had no problems ever answering my questions

How was your experience with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

During the process if your either doing IUIs or IVF always ask questions if you don’t feel comfortable on a certain topic she will always explain it to you until you understand.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Most of my IUIs I didn’t see Dr Houmard and I saw the nurses there which were always super nice and comforting. But when I had my other appointments with Dr Houmard she always made me feel important and when I had my egg retrieval and embryo transfer she made sure I was comfortable and showed she really cared for me.

Describe the protocols Brenda Houmard used in your cycles at Seattle Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.

When I first had an appointment we decided to do start with IUIs since it was a male infertility factor. I took clomid and then when the time was right they had me trigger. We ended up doing 4 IUIs with each of them failing. It started becoming to hard on my mental health. Since Dr Houmard was confident in an IVF cycle we decided that was our nest step. I started with Gonal-f 150 IU and menopur 150 IU injections and then started cetrotide up until I was told to trigger. On egg retrieval day they retrieved 11 egg 8 fertilized and we did a 5 day embryo transfer. After the 5 days we had 6 healthy embryos. We decided to only transfer 1 just because Dr Houmard thought I had high chances because of the quality of my embryos. After a long 2 week wait period I finally went in for my blood test and a few hours later Srm called and was told my IVF cycle was a success and I was pregnant!

Describe your experience with your nurse at Seattle Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Katie Huddleston )

Each and every nurse I worked with was super compassionate and always made me feel comfortable. They showed how caring they were through each and every appointment. They always explained things to me so that I understand and had no problems ever answering my questions.

Describe your experience with Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

Everyone you meet there is super nice. When arriving in the waiting room you are greeted by the ladies that work at the front desk who are super nice too. When waiting your never waiting to long most of the time your in when your suppose to be.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

IUIs were around $1,000 each time for medications, ultrasound, and the insemination itself. IVF costed around $18,000-$20,000 for medications, monitoring, egg retrieval, and embryo transfer.

Describe Brenda Houmard's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

Dr Houmard thought that we should only transfer one embryo due to a few things one it was a male infertility issue so she said we had good chances on success. Another reason my age and the quality of my eggs. The final reason is because we had super healthy embryos.

Doctor

Brenda Houmard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Clinic

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Spokane Valley

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

2020, Successful

Age 29

1 Fertility Medications

Anovulation

Income $50K - $99K

Teacher

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

I had problems with long cycles and not ovulating, I gave her [Dr. Houmard] a list of all of my documentation and notes about my cycles. This mostly included the dates and how long my cycles were, and any strange symptoms that contributed to my infertility. She said that was helpful and with that data was able to quickly see I had some kind of a hormonal problem preventing me from ovulating properly.

Bill pay and scheduling was easy when done in person- it was harder to get an appointment over the phone. The clinic is very clean and welcoming. They communicated quickly and I had a great experience every time I visited...I went in for many blood draws and they were always so fast and easy. They were very friendly and kind throughout everything going on!

How was your experience with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

We met twice- once for a virtual orientation meeting and another time during my first ultrasound so she could give a second opinion about something on the screen. When we found out it was twins, she was very knowledgeable and let me know what was going on.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

I had problems with long cycles and not ovulating, I gave her a list of all of my documentation and notes about my cycles. This mostly included the dates and how long my cycles were, and any strange symptoms that contributed to my infertility. She said that was helpful and with that data was able to quickly see I had some kind of a hormonal problem preventing me from ovulating properly.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

My nurse team was fantastic and was very fast to respond to emails with questions. They were always happy to see me when I came in and remembered little details I would tell them.

Describe the protocols Brenda Houmard used in your cycles at Seattle Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.

I had a slightly elevated prolactin level keeping me from ovulating- she prescribed Cabergoline. Then after two months, we checked and my levels went to a normal range. She then prescribed letrizole (25mg) and also gave me medication to induce a period of I didn’t fall pregnant. I never used the second as one round of letrizole worked!

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

I went in for many blood draws and they were always so fast and easy. They were very friendly and kind throughout everything going on!

Describe your experience with Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

I have decent insurance, I would estimate the cost of treatment out of pocket with everything said and done was around $550

Doctor

Brenda Houmard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Clinic

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Spokane Valley

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

2020, Unknown Success

Age 35

Endometriosis

PCOS

Tubal Blockage

Income $100K - $199K

Nurse or HC Services

Only Doc Seen

Fertility Medications With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Dr. Houmard very clearly explained that he next steps in detail. I’ve known what to expect every step of the way thus far. She feels more like a partner in this journey than a just a doctor dictating a plan...She called me on a Sunday after I had undergone surgery the previous week to give me important information. It was then that I truly felt that she takes my fertility as seriously as I do.

All staff [at Seattle Reproductive Medicine] are friendly & compassionate, they operate very well as a team...From my first consult she [Dr. Houmard] was kind and welcoming, she listened to my story & concerns. Her office had already obtained & thoroughly reviewed all of my previous records & were very well prepared for a productive visit.

How was your experience with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Dr. Houmard has been more than my highest expectations. From my first consult she was kind and welcoming, she listened to my story & concerns. Her office had already obtained & thoroughly reviewed all of my previous records & were very well prepared for a productive visit. She confirmed what I had already suspected, but shared science & fact driven data that made me feel hopeful. I knew I had finally found the place I was meant to be to help solve our fertility issues. Dr. Houmard very clearly explained that he next steps in detail. I’ve known what to expect every step of the way thus far. She feels more like a partner in this journey than a just a doctor dictating a plan. I feel deeply cared for, that she is invested in me & my husband and our success. I never feel rushed or that my concerns or questions are not valued. I was also impressed with the game plan: we got right down to business & I felt like we were able to accomplish so much right away. I’ve waited years for someone to add some urgency to my care & Dr. Houmard did just that! No more waiting!

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Don’t wait! Make an appointment ASAP. I only wish I’d found her sooner!

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Dr. Houmard at every visit comes out to greet me & my spouse. She shakes our hands & greets us warmly as friends. She called me on a Sunday after I had undergone surgery the previous week to give me important information. It was then that I truly felt that she takes my fertility as seriously as I do. I felt like priority #1, though I know she’s got equally as important patients waiting for similar information. I have always felt human & valued as a patient of Dr. Houmard’s!

Describe the protocols Brenda Houmard used in your cycles at Seattle Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.

Saving for IVF treatment (our only option for our fertility situation) we haven’t yet begun any cycle treatments. Though I will say based on all of my diagnoses, Dr. Houmard was able to give me a clear explanation of why IVF is our only option & why in a way that was very easy for my husband & I to understand.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Seattle Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Destiny )

All staff are friendly & compassionate, they operate very well as a team.

Describe your experience with Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

I would say that the woman at the front desk could be more outwardly welcoming. She’s nice, but doesn’t really say much other than very basic check in banter. The nursing/ CMA team is wonderful, very cheerful & engaging. The finance department is also excellent, very knowledgeable & spot on thorough!

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

He was wonderful, very knowledgeable, efficient & thorough.

Describe Brenda Houmard's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

We briefly discussed this. I appreciate her sentiment that my dream is to have a healthy child, her job is to make that happen & the risk of multiple, unhealthy children is not in anyone’s best interest.

Doctor

Brenda Houmard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Spokane Valley

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

2019 - 2020, Unsuccessful

Age 35 - 36

5 IUI

1 IVF

Unexplained

European

Income $100K - $199K

1st of 2 Docs

2 IUI With Other Docs

Neutral

Unsuccessful

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

[Dr. Houmard had] Good bedside manner...Gave good explanations and advice. One area where I struggled was with getting the full weight of the decision to do a fresh transfer (my preference) and how that impacted the remaining course of our round of IVF. She did communicate well and delivered bad news with grace...tried several rounds of medicated rounds followed by several rounds of IUI before doing our one and only round of IVF...

It’s a very efficient clinic. [Seattle Reproductive Medicine] Very clean and well maintained...Seemed like they would charge for every little thing they could. They were hyper focused on payment and that is the main downside to the overall experience...They [nurses] called me back reasonably fast and if I had a question they would help me find an answer...

How was your experience with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

She was great. Gave good explanations and advice. One area where I struggled was with getting the full weight of the decision to do a fresh transfer (my preference) and how that impacted the remaining course of our round of IVF. She did communicate well and delivered bad news with grace.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Ask all your questions.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Good bedside manner

Describe the protocols Brenda Houmard used in your cycles at Seattle Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.

We tried several rounds of medicated rounds followed by several rounds of IUI before doing our one and only round of IVF. We opted for a fresh transfer not knowing what the quality of the embryos would be. We transferred one embryo and genetically tested the remaining ones. The transfer resulted in a negative pregnancy test and the genetically tested embryos were not viable.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

I don’t remember a whole lot of specific details but they were nice. They called me back reasonably fast and if I had a question they would help me find an answer.

Describe your experience with Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

It’s a very efficient clinic. Very clean and well maintained. They do seem hyper focused on payment. Some of the yearly tests they require seem unnecessary and a way to make extra money off of their patients.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

Seemed like they would charge for every little thing they could. They were hyper focused on payment and that is the main downside to the overall experience.

What specific things went wrong at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Provided conflicting information

Describe the specific things that went wrong at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

As a person with unexplained infertility we assumed IVF with a fresh transfer would be a good possibility. We did not know the weight of that decision. Getting lower doses of medications to prevent ovarian hyper stimulation that would have put our fresh transfer in jeopardy. More medication could have yielded more embryos for future frozen transfers. Plus, doing a frozen transfer would have allowed my body time to fully recover from egg retrieval.

Doctor

Brenda Houmard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Spokane Valley

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

2019 - 2020, Successful

Age 26 - 27

2 IUI

1 IVF

Male Factor

European

Income $100K - $199K

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

After two IUI’s, Brenda told us it was unlikely to work due to my husbands sperm issues, he had dual verioceles. We trusted her and moved onto ivf when we were ready about 9 months later. Luckily our ivf round was extremely successful. We transferred one embryo and froze 9. We were successful with our first transfer and I am currently 7 and a half weeks pregnant ... 200 mg of Gonal-f, and 200 mg of menopur for 10 days, the last three days we also did morning shots of centrocide in addition to the others. I did 11 days I think of injections prior to trigger shot, and then after the retrieval I had my transfer 5 days later (fresh transfer)

Overall it was a great experience everytime ... Our clinic [Seattle Reproductive Medicine] did our treatment during covid and my husband was not able to come with me. When I did my 7 week ultrasound to see the heartbeat I had to go in alone. I don’t know how the experience would have been if he had been abele to be there with me or if it was not during a pandemic. ... We were able to send questions via the portal and received answers very quickly ...

How was your experience with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Come with questions and be honest about what treatments you are willing to do. We were not willing try 5 iuis with a 5 percent chance of success and we told her that

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Dr Houmard was very caring along the way. We treated with her for over a year before our successful ivf transfer

Describe the protocols Brenda Houmard used in your cycles at Seattle Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.

200 mg of Gonal-f, and 200 mg of menopur for 10 days, the last three days we also did morning shots of centrocide in addition to the others. I did 11 days I think of injections prior to trigger shot, and then after the retrieval I had my transfer 5 days later (fresh transfer)

Describe your experience with your nurse at Seattle Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Kate)

We were able to send questions via the portal and received answers very quickly

Describe your experience with Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

Our clinic did our treatment during covid and my husband was not able to come with me. When I did my 7 week ultrasound to see the heartbeat I had to go in alone. I don’t know how the experience would have been if he had been abele to be there with me or if it was not during a pandemic. Overall it was a great experience everytime

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

Our insurance covered a huge chunk of ivf. I think without insurance it would have been around 23,000 with meds. I paid around 4 or 5,000 after insurance for meds:treatment

Describe Brenda Houmard's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

Our doctor recommended one embryo, and we agreed

What specific things went wrong at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Provided conflicting information

Describe the specific things that went wrong at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

Our insurance had approved ovidril for the trigger shot but my nurse instructions were for something else so I was worried. I had to call my pharmacy to confirm they were the same ingredients

Doctor

Brenda Houmard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Spokane Valley

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

2017 - 2019, Unsuccessful

Age 25 - 27

3 IUI

Anovulation

PCOS

European

Income $0 - $49K

Nurse or HC Services

2nd of 2 Docs

3 IUI With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Unsuccessful

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Dr. Houmard is always understanding and compassionate as she goes through the process of determining the right treatment plan. When there is a bump in the road, she regroups quickly and gives honest feedback. She let's you know the risks and truly cares about your OVERALL health during the whole process...I begin the cycle by taking Provera to jumpstart a period, then letrozole to get ovulation going...

[nurse of Seattle Reproductive Medicine] They are professional, honest, kind, and they are genuine...[staff]They wanted to find the source of the issue and then a way to work with it to get you pregnant...They did great to comfort me and let me deal with it in my own time...We spent roughly 650 on the IUI with Houmard, but had extra cost of meds which put the total to about 1200

How was your experience with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Do it. Jump feet first and let her help you. She doesn't give up, and she will fight for your dream as hard as you do.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

They have always been warm, understanding, and have always treated me like I am the only patient even though they have a lot of other patients. Very focused on the issues and trying to make your dream come true.

Describe the protocols Brenda Houmard used in your cycles at Seattle Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.

I begin the cycle by taking Provera to jumpstart a period, then letrozole to get ovulation going. From there I take gonal-f for maturation. Houmard then has me do ultrasounds from day 12 until the follicle is ready and at the ideal size. If the follicle is ready, I take an hcg trigger shot and the IUI is preformed at the appropriate time. The first time I had an IUI with Houma and her team, I became pregnant but it resulted in a miscarriage. We tried another 2 times, but they did not result in any pregnancies.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Seattle Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Stephanie)

They are the warmest people I have ever met. They are professional, honest, kind, and they are genuine. I don't think they have a downfall.

Describe your experience with Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

The way they handle themselves and the patients care is above and beyond what I have experienced anywhere else. They want b to find the source of the issue and then a way to work with it to get you pregnant. There was only one occasion that I had a difficult time with them, but it was more of an emotional issue within myself. I didn't want to believe that after 7 years of trying and finally becoming pregnant, that it was all going to end. They did great to comfort me and let me deal with it in my own time.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

We spent roughly 650 on the IUI with Houmard, but had extra cost of meds which put the total to about 1200

Doctor

Brenda Houmard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Spokane Valley

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

2019, Unknown Success

Age 30

2 IUI

Unexplained

European

Income $100K - $199K

Nurse or HC Services

2nd of 2 Docs

6 Fertility Medications With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Dr Houmard has done only one procedure but we met with her for our consult and she was great. She went over all our test results and laid out all of our options. She made us feel like we had some control over the situation and she gave us the facts in a straight forward but gentle way...We proceeded with IUI nearly or first month after our consult...I went in for an ultrasound to look at the follicles. The first month we had 3 follicles so they explained the risk of multiples but we decided to proceed. I did a trigger shot of Ovidrel and went the next day for IUI. My husband's sperm sample was excellent but it was a failed round. The next month was very similar but we had 4 follicles and proceeded.

Christie [nurse at SRM] did my HSG and I was a wreck. I had heard it was a painful procedure and of course I was just emotional from the process of infertility. I started sobbing before she began and she was so kind, she walked me through the whole thing and empathized with my situation. She's done a few other exams and procedures and I always feel very comfortable with her...IUI is about $1000 per cycle. Our consult was about $300.

How was your experience with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Try to be patient and kind to yourself during this process. It is a long and difficult process so surround yourself with as much support as you can get.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Clinic is always running on time, my nurse care manager always calls back the same day to answer any questions I have, and they always take their time and strive to make us as comfortable as possible.

Describe the protocols Brenda Houmard used in your cycles at Seattle Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.

We proceeded with IUI nearly or first month after our consult. I took 2 250mg tablets of Clomid for 5 days starting CD3. CD12 I went in for an ultrasound to look at the follicles. The first month we had 3 follicles so they explained the risk of multiples but we decided to proceed. I did a trigger shot of Ovidrel and went the next day for IUI. My husband's sperm sample was excellent but it was a failed round. The next month was very similar but we had 4 follicles and proceeded.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Seattle Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Christie Hume)

Christie did my HSG and I was a wreck. I had heard it was a painful procedure and of course I was just emotional from the process of infertility. I started sobbing before she began and she was so kind, she walked me through the whole thing and empathized with my situation. She's done a few other exams and procedures and I always feel very comfortable with her.

Describe your experience with Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

I would say the only weakness so far is that I'm not pregnant but that's not their fault. Strengths include great communication, flexible scheduling (even the day before for procedures), limited Saturday hours, and a kind staff.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

IUI is about $1000 per cycle. Our consult was about $300.

Describe Brenda Houmard's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

N/A

Doctor

Brenda Houmard

Humanity

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Spokane Valley

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

2015 - 2019, Unknown Success

Age 24 - 28

1 IUI

Anovulation

Tubal Blockage

European

Income $50K - $99K

Operations

2nd of 2 Docs

LGBTQ

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

I do not ovulate on my own, so [Dr. Houmard] used femera. The first portion of my cycle I didn't respond as well as we thought I would, so we did 5 more days of femera and my eggs successfully grew. I had a lot of nausea with the femera but nothing anti nausea meds didn't fix...does everything possible to know you are cared for and she wants to see the best outcome possible...She has a very warm heart and you can tell that this was her calling in life. She is very up front and wants you to know everything that is going on. There hasn't been a time that I've came to her with a question or concern and she has not been able to address it in a timely manner, if not right then and there.

Overall the clinic [Seattle Reproductive Medicine] is pretty relaxing, for as intimidating as this process can be. Whether you are new to going through all of it, or a long time member of this journey, everyone at the clinic is very supportive. The only drawback I have had, is I do have insurance that covers infertility and I have to always make sure that they are billed, not that we are surprised with a huge up front amount.

How was your experience with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

She has a very warm heart and you can tell that this was her calling in life. She is very up front and wants you to know everything that is going on. There hasn't been a time that I've came to her with a question or concern and she has not been able to address it in a timely manner, if not right then and there.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

You need to have an open mind and know that she has the best intentions when treating you.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Dr.Houmard does everything possible to know you are cared for and she wants to see the best outcome possible.

Describe the protocols Brenda Houmard used in your cycles at Seattle Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.

I do not ovulate on my own, so we used femera. The first portion of my cycle I didn't respond as well as we thought I would, so we did 5 more days of femera and my eggs successfully grew. I had a lot of nausea with the femera but nothing anti nausea meds didn't fix.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Seattle Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Stephanie)

Everyone in the staff is a thousand times more compassionate that I could ever ask for. We have had some bumps in the road, but any time we have ever needed an answer to something, we get a response very quick. Any time labs are completed, 4/5 times we get the results the same day. Stephanie is just the most amazing nurse on the face of the Earth!

Describe your experience with Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

Overall the clinic is pretty relaxing, for as intimidating as this process can be. Whether you are new to going through all of it, or a long time member of this journey, everyone at the clinic is very supportive. The only drawback I have had, is I do have insurance that covers infertility and I have to always make sure that they are billed, not that we are surprised with a huge up front amount.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

The initial evaluation is about $300.00 (covered by insurance), HSG procedure was approximately $700 (all but $100 was covered by insurance), IUI procedure is $375 (covered by insurance) and washing of sperm was $125 paid OOP.

Doctor

Brenda Houmard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Spokane Valley

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

2019, Unknown Success

Age 29

Anovulation

Endometriosis

PCOS

Tubal Blockage

European

Income $50K - $99K

Nurse or HC Services

1st of 3 Docs

1 IUI With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Dr. Houmard wanted to know my husband and I as people before she looked at our diagnosis’s. She went over every aspect of our charts and made notes as she talked with us. It was so refreshing that she didn’t just look at our problem list and assume she knew us based on that. I left with visit feeling so informed and hopefully for the first time in a very long time.... She spoke to us as people. She explained everything in great detail and was able to decipher medical terminology for us.

This clinic [Seattle Reproductive Med] is so awesome! It’s so cool to see how they are all integrated. As patients we have a financial counselor, behavioral health counselor, nurse practitioner and nurse at our disposal. When we established we got to meet everyone and learned our they impact our care....The cost is substantial obviously when your dealing with infertility but our financial counselor went over all our options including what our insurance covered and different payment options.

How was your experience with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

She is very intelligent, knowledgeable and kind. She never assumed anything about us or what we might already know. She spoke to us as people. She explained everything in great detail and was able to decipher medical terminology for us.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Be open and honest. You are a person to her, not just a person struggling to have a child

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Describe your experience with your nurse at Seattle Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Stephanie )

Our nurse Stephanie is absolutely wonderful! She answers whatever questions we have in detail, with compassion and promptly. She is so good to us.

Describe your experience with Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

This clinic is so awesome! It’s so cool to see how they are all integrated. As patients we have a financial counselor, behavioral health counselor, nurse practitioner and nurse at our disposal. When we established we got to meet everyone and learned our they impact our care.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

The cost is substantial obviously when your dealing with infertility but our financial counselor went over all our options including what our insurance covered and different payment options. Best of all we have a great handout as to what everything would cost us and he went over it in great detail. It’s very overwhelming but having all these tools at our fingertips was definitely helpful

Describe Brenda Houmard's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

Dr. Houmard was very honest about our options. She let us know the risks to the babies and myself. She left it completely up to us. We felt very informed and comfortable making a safest decision for our family

Doctor

Brenda Houmard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Spokane Valley

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

2018 - 2019, Unknown Success

Age 29 - 30

Unexplained

European

Income $50K - $99K

2nd of 3 Docs

4 Fertility Medications With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Same as before, Brenda [Houmard] really took the time to explain things to us. She found it frustrating that they didn’t have a straight answer for me as to why I could get pregnant but not carry. She even went as far as drawing pictures to help us understand. ... she took the time to really explain things to us to help us understand what they could find was wrong or going on with me.

Front desk [SRM] wasn’t as friendly as the rest of the staff. She wasn’t terrible by any means. But her demeanor didn’t seem the friendliest. ... Everyone from the nurses, to the phlebotomist, to the financial counselor was absolutely wonderful. I felt at home in this clinic. Like a person and not a number. ... Not only did Dr. Houmard’s staff go above and beyond, but she took the time to really explain things to us to help us understand what they could find was wrong or going on with me.

How was your experience with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Same as before, Brenda really took the time to explain things to us. She found it frustrating that they didn’t have a straight answer for me as to why I could get pregnant but not carry. She even went as far as drawing pictures to help us understand.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Make sure you have all of your questions ready and don’t be afraid to give her a heads up or write a little letter explaining yourself. I went from seeing a doctor who acted like I was just a product on a conveyor belt to someone who truly seemed to care about our situation.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Not only did Dr. Houmard’s staff go above and beyond, but she took the time to really explain things to us to help us understand what they could find was wrong or going on with me.

Describe the protocols Brenda Houmard used in your cycles at Seattle Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.

All of our previously medicated cycles were with our first RE. So far we have planned IVF with Dr. Houmard twice. The first Time was cancelled because we were able to conceive naturally however lost that 4th pregnancy early like all the rest. We are set for meds to start the beginning of March and retrieval at the end of March.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Seattle Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Stephanie, Alli, Summer (there have been so many) )

Everyone from the nurses, to the phlebotomist, to the financial counselor was absolutely wonderful. I felt at home in this clinic. Like a person and not a number.

Describe your experience with Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

Front desk wasn’t as friendly as the rest of the staff. She wasn’t terrible by any means. But her demeanor didn’t seem the friendliest. Maybe needs some time to warm up to patients? But as front desk, they are the face of the company. They should be warm and friendly when you first arrive. Won’t stop me from going though!

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

Cost with all appointments at Brenda’s office was quoted a base price of $18,500. If my monitoring appointments were done in my home town in a Montana, our cost went down to around $12,500 with her office.

Doctor

Brenda Houmard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Spokane Valley

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

2019, Unknown Success

Age 29

Unexplained

Income $100K - $199K

Nurse or HC Services

Only Doc Seen

IUI With Other Docs

Neutral

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

She [Dr. Houmard] talked to us specifically based on our situation. She asked us multiple times about our thoughts and made sure we understood her explaination while never making us feel dumb.... She made a diagram of the reasons a couple could have trouble getting pregnant and crossed out categories based on our medical history. It gave us a clearer picture to move forward with treatment. I never felt pressured to choose one type of treatment versus another.

When we had our consultation each staff member [Seattle Reproductive Medicine] took us to the next and introduced us as well as a summary of our situation. The hours are not great considering we like about 40 miles away from the clinic... Genetic testing for carrier status was $350 ( mine was negative so we didn’t need to test my husband. Consultation was about $250. HSG was $850. Semen anaylsis was $125. HCG trigger shot was $70. Clomid was $20. Follicle scan was $300. And the IUI with sperm washing is $650

How was your experience with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

She made a diagram of the reasons a couple could have trouble getting pregnant and crossed out categories based on our medical history. It gave us a clearer picture to move forward with treatment. I never felt pressured to choose one type of treatment versus another.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Ask questions. She did a great job explaining our options

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

She talked to us specifically based on our situation. She asked us multiple times about our thoughts and made sure we understood her explaination while never making us feel dumb.

Describe the protocols Brenda Houmard used in your cycles at Seattle Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.

I am still currently in my first IUI cycle. We started with clomid 100mg days 3-7. We did a follicle scan on day 12 and I had one follicle on each ovary. One measured 12mm and the other 9mm. I have to go back in on cycle day 16 for another US because the want at least only follicle greater than 20mm to do the trigger shot. Still waiting to get my second US.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Seattle Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Steph)

She was very welcoming when we met with her. She was prompt when responding to portal messages and gave me option when I was having a hard time getting records to her.

Describe your experience with Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

When we had our consultation each staff member took us to the next and introduced us as well as a summary of our situation. The hours are not great considering we like about 40 miles away from the clinic

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

Genetic testing for carrier status was $350 ( mine was negative so we didn’t need to test my husband. Consultation was about $250. HSG was $850. Semen anaylsis was $125. HCG trigger shot was $70. Clomid was $20. Follicle scan was $300. And the IUI with sperm washing is $650

Doctor

Brenda Houmard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Spokane Valley

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

2019, Unknown Success

Age 31

Endometriosis

Male Factor

Unexplained

European

Income $200K - $499K

Marketer or PR

Only Doc Seen

IVF With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

[Dr. Brena Houmard] was exactly what we were hoping for during our initial consultation. She listened, reviewed our records and provided us with her honest recommendation for action...She showed compassion. was honest and respects our timeline and interest in fast-tracking the process. She is flexible and her team is super communicative in answering all of our questions and taking their time to speak with us - we never felt rushed...She showed compassion. was honest and respects our timeline and interest in fast-tracking the process. She is flexible and her team is super communicative in answering all of our questions and taking their time to speak with us - we never felt rushed.

Everyone in the office [of Seattle Reproductive Medicine] is friendly and available. The location of the office is super easy to get to and is very clean and organized. For being the only facility in the Spokane area that my insurance was aligned to, I am extremely satisfied with my selection... They are flexible with scheduling, speaking and providing next steps. I am extremely happy with our decision to work with SRM Spokane Valley...I have been diagnosed with Endometriosis and after agreeing with Dr. Houmard that IVF would be the best next step in our infertility journey, she recommended that I get back on birth control as soon as possible, to alleviate my pain from the Endometriosis symptoms. We then both got our blood work tested for genetic disorders and are now on our way to preparing for our egg retrieval.

How was your experience with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Brenda was everything that you could hope for as your doctor. She showed compassion. was honest and respects our timeline and interest in fast-tracking the process. She is flexible and her team is super communicative in answering all of our questions and taking their time to speak with us - we never felt rushed.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Make sure that you can bring along all of your records, do your research ahead of time and let the doctor review and share their perspective. You might be surprised that you're both on the same page.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Brenda was exactly what we were hoping for during our initial consultation. She listened, reviewed our records and provided us with her honest recommendation for action.

Describe the protocols Brenda Houmard used in your cycles at Seattle Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.

I have been diagnosed with Endometriosis and after agreeing with Dr. Houmard that IVF would be the best next step in our infertility journey, she recommended that I get back on birth control as soon as possible, to alleviate my pain from the Endometriosis symptoms. We then both got our blood work tested for genetic disorders and are now on our way to preparing for our egg retrieval.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Seattle Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Katelyn Long)

Everyone in this office is friendly. They are flexible with scheduling, speaking and providing next steps. I am extremely happy with our decision to work with SRM Spokane Valley.

Describe your experience with Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

Everyone in the office is friendly and available. The location of the office is super easy to get to and is very clean and organized. For being the only facility in the Spokane area that my insurance was aligned to, I am extremely satisfied with my selection.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

These are still being reviewed by my insurance, Progyny.

Describe Brenda Houmard's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

This is still being considered by both sides (Dr. Houmard and us). We have heard the statistics are are currently deciding on our approach.

Doctor

Brenda Houmard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Spokane Valley

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

2018, Unknown Success

Age 33

1 IVF

European

Income $100K - $199K

Entrepreneur

2nd of 2 Docs

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

I appreciate her [Dr. Houmard] big smile. Honestly her energy is important to me and she has a caring presence. Even when she has had to share "bad news" she has done so in a honest but sensitive way. She is informative. My only concern or upset is that she only presented positive information about PGS testing not the drawbacks or conflicting research. I wish we had not done PGS testing as a part of our treatment plan.

They were professional, timely, caring, and overall great communicators. Changing to SRM was the best decision we've made in our IVF journey. It was more expensive but honestly it is worth it to know they are working promptly and trading great care of my and my embryos. I'm not just a walking dollar sign at SRM. They truly care....The staff at SRM is really really great. They communicate well with me but also with each other. They are quick to respond and that was important to me. They explain options and protocols very well. They make this process a bit easier.

How was your experience with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

I appreciate her big smile. Honestly her energy is important to me and she has a caring presence. Even when she has had to share "bad news" she has done so in a honest but sensitive way. She is informative. My only concern or upset is that she only presented positive information about PGS testing not the drawbacks or conflicting research. I wish we had not done PGS testing as a part of our treatment plan.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Nothing to share. She's awesome.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

They don't over book. Every time I'm there the attention is on me. The staff and Dr. Houmard are kind, attentive, quick to respond, and skilled.

Describe the protocols Brenda Houmard used in your cycles at Seattle Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.

I took bcp to start, then after suppression I started with 325 iu if follistim, 1 menopur powder and eventually added ganarelix/centrotide. I stimmed for 9 days, triggered with Lupron cd10, and retrieved on cd12. We retrieved 8 eggs. 6 were mature. All fertilized with icsI and 5 became blastocysts. We had great results with embryology. Very pleased.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Seattle Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Alli and Summer )

The staff at SRM is really really great. They communicate well with me but also with each other. They are quick to respond and that was important to me. They explain options and protocols very well. They make this process a bit easier.

Describe your experience with Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

SRM in Spokane is the best option in the inland northwest. I started my treatment at a different clinic in town and it was a bad experience. When coming to SRM the difference was clear. They were professional, timely, caring, and overall great communicators. Changing to SRM was the best decision we've made in our IVF journey. It was more expensive but honestly it is worth it to know they are working promptly and trading great care of my and my embryos. I'm not just a walking dollar sign at SRM. They truly care.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

Egg retrieval with icsi including monitoring was $13,715 We paid $3500 for each FET

Describe Brenda Houmard's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

She preferred to transfer one embryo at a time which is also or preference.

What specific things went wrong at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Provided conflicting information

Describe the specific things that went wrong at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

I got a bill for charges that weren't correct. It was fixed quickly by Cameron.

Doctor

Brenda Houmard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Spokane Valley

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

2017 - 2018, Unknown Success

Age 31 - 32

1 IVF

Endometriosis

PCOS

Income $0 - $49K

2nd of 3 Docs

3 IUI With Other Docs

1 IVF With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Not sure

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

The moment I met her [Dr. Houmard] my husband and I knew she was amazing and we were so thrilled to be her patients! She is so smart and so kind she really helped us through our journey. She cares about her patients and it shows. I wouldn’t want another doctor now I am so happy with my care from her!... I have PCOS and my first round with a different doctor a lot of my eggs weren’t fully matured they were smaller so Dr Houmard chose to have a longer protocol for me and she waited until the exact time to have the best quality eggs.

They [SRM] have a patient portal which is so amazing, if you have a small question you just send it through the portal for a response. Your results are also on your portal and easy to access. They have extra meds available in case your protocol is extended, which mine was into a weekend and they gave me meds so I didn’t have to try and order. They call promptly, the doctor calls you herself at times as well as your main nurse. They are very organized and clean and it’s an amazing environment.

How was your experience with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

I was seeing her partner the first round and he moved away and I was transferred to her service. I was nervous at first because I loved her partner as a doctor and hadn’t met her yet. The moment I met her my husband and I knew she was amazing and we were so thrilled to be her patients! She is so smart and so kind she really helped us through our journey. She cares about her patients and it shows. I wouldn’t want another doctor now I am so happy with my care from her!

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

I would recommend her and let them know they will be treated with the utmost respect and feel as though they’re her only patient because of the care she gives you.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

She is very kind and she explains things to you so you can understand them. She holds your hand through it all and is extremely knowledgeable as well as personable.

Describe the protocols Brenda Houmard used in your cycles at Seattle Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.

I have PCOS and my first round with a different doctor a lot of my eggs weren’t fully matured they were smaller so Dr Houmard chose to have a longer protocol for me and she waited until the exact time to have the best quality eggs. It got pushed back a couple times because she wanted them to grow a little bit longer which was great. I was on an antagonist protocol. My medicines were menopur, gonal-f, oral estrace, endometrin.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Seattle Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Kelly Walker)

My nurse is beyond exceptional. She actually stepped back and isn’t in charge of patients as much now but I consider her a huge part of my life and am so thankful for her. The entire nursing staff is amazing. They all know you and care to. They cheer you on and help with any problem or question you may have. They are kind and amazing at their jobs.

Describe your experience with Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

They have a patient portal which is so amazing, if you have a small question you just send it through the portal for a response. Your results are also on your portal and easy to access. They have extra meds available in case your protocol is extended, which mine was into a weekend and they gave me meds so I didn’t have to try and order. They call promptly, the doctor calls you herself at times as well as your main nurse. They are very organized and clean and it’s an amazing environment.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

They have an option to buy with an outside program called Attain. I chose to do this because I did the buy 3 refund option where if I don’t bring a baby home I am refunded all of my money, for $27,500. Also medication each round varies from 1,000-4,000.

Doctor

Brenda Houmard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Spokane Valley

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

2017 - 2018, Unknown Success

Age 35 - 36

3 IUI

PCOS

Unexplained

Income $50K - $99K

Nurse or HC Services

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Not sure

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

We don’t see Dr. Houmard every time we have an appointment but when do she is very knowledgeable and takes the time to answer our questions. She oversees each cycle and adjusts things as needed each time. We do see her for follow ups every few months and so far I am happy with our decision to use her as our doctor.... After she diagnosed me with PCOS, the first thing she wanted to do was to make sure I ovulated because I hadn’t had a period in 6 six months at that point.

Strengths would be that they [Seattle Reproductive Medicine] don’t treat you like a number and they genuinely care, and we never usually have a long wait when we go in. Weakness would be that there are a lot of people (nurses, assistants, nurse practitioner) that are involved in your care.... Ultrasounds I believe are about $100-200 give or take but only about $20 out of pocket. Meds (not including injections) are less then a dollar out of pocket. Injections are not covered by our insurance but the pharmacy they come from give us a discount because we go to SRM.

How was your experience with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Don’t except to see her with every single visit.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Dr. Houmard and her entire staff are very friendly and personable. They treat us like we are their only patients every time we are in the office!

Describe the protocols Brenda Houmard used in your cycles at Seattle Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.

After she diagnosed me with PCOS, the first thing she wanted to do was to make sure I ovulated because I hadn’t had a period in 6 six months at that point. She started me on a med that I can’t remember the name of but it gets you to start your period. I haven’t had to take this med again since then because my body has started on its own. Then she has me take 10mg of Letrozole for five days and then a couple days later in my cycle I give myself an 150 of GonalF that is suppose to trigger your follicles to grow. I usually will go in around cycle day 15 for an ultrasound to see if there are a follicle that is at the right size for for the next injection called Ovidrel which triggers your bony to ovulate. This is also all in conjunction with times intercourse. Three of my cycles we also did an IUI. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to get pregnant yet but I can tell that my body is working correctly now and that gives me hope that it will happen eventually.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Seattle Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Sarah)

They are wonderful, friendly, kind, and compassionate. I couldn’t ask for a better office to be a patient at.

Describe your experience with Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

Strengths would be that they don’t treat you like a number and they genuinely care, and we never usually have a long wait when we go in. Weakness would be that there are a lot of people (nurses, assistants, nurse practitioner) that are involved in your care.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

Our insurance actually covered a lot more of our coats then I expected but it’s not cheap by any means. Ultrasounds I believe are about $100-200 give or take but only about $20 out of pocket. Meds (not including injections) are less then a dollar out of pocket. Injections are not covered by our insurance but the pharmacy they come from give us a discount because we go to SRM. They are still about $160 for both the GonalF and Ovidrel. Semen analysis is only about $40 out of pocket. IUIs are not covered for us and we’re about $700 each. We are currently saving up for IVF that will be about $18,000 but will also be applying to finance about half of it.

Doctor

Brenda Houmard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Spokane Valley

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

2017 - 2018, Successful

Age 35 - 36

1 IVF

Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

Unexplained

Income $100K - $199K

3rd of 3 Docs

1 Fertility Medications With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Dr Houmard was professional and personal. ... I found Dr H to be just what I was looking for- compassionate but honest. She didn’t sugar coat issues or lead us to believe a live birth was an absolute but she set realistic expectations- having suffered 8 miscarriages previously this was our last shot and she was on board with that and supported us the way we wanted and needed to be supported.

Able to get in quickly and often, fast service, clean, appeared organized, connected to community Sara the nurse was the worst. Financial info could be stronger, and I’d like to see them [Seattle Reproductive Medicine] be more welcoming of husbands/dads- it appeared as though i as the woman had to do everything- which wasn’t good considering I was very emotional. My husband often felt like an outsider even though he was very involved. I think fertility clinics and docs need to make a conscious effort to include fathers in all aspects

How was your experience with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

I found Dr H to be just what I was looking for- compassionate but honest. She didn’t sugar coat issues or lead us to believe a live birth was an absolute but she set realistic expectations- having suffered 8 miscarriages previously this was our last shot and she was on board with that and supported us the way we wanted and needed to be supported.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Be honest!!! Tell her everything- your history, experience, expectations, fears, needs, etc

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Dr Houmard was professional and personal. She’s a member of my community and had things in common with my husband and I. She is also friends with both our former fertility doc and our current ob

Describe the protocols Brenda Houmard used in your cycles at Seattle Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.

We had already had several consultantatuons with other docs in Seattle and were familiar with what would be suggested for our treatment, retrieval, icsi, ohs, fet, and potential gestational carrier for future. Rpl and unexplained infertility, we knew that there could be no explanation and a bad outcome- dr H set these scenarios for us as well

Describe your experience with your nurse at Seattle Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Sara)

Sara was bad. Made some comments that weren’t appropriate for our experience, looked unprofessional, and ultimately sent the wrong order For my medications so I Over ordered and over paid which was bad. I asked to get a new nurse which SRM complied and apologized

Describe your experience with Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

Able to get in quickly and often, fast service, clean, appeared organized, connected to community Sara the nurse was the worst. Financial info could be stronger, and I’d like to see them be more welcoming of husbands/dads- it appeared as though i as the woman had to do everything- which wasn’t good considering I was very emotional. My husband often felt like an outsider even though he was very involved. I think fertility clinics and docs need to make a conscious effort to include fathers in all aspects

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

Around $30k total

Describe Brenda Houmard's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

What specific things went wrong at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Provided conflicting information

Describe the specific things that went wrong at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

Sara my nurse was poor- sent wrong info to speciality pharmacy

Doctor

Brenda Houmard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Spokane Valley

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

2017, Unsuccessful

Age 36

1 IVF

Anovulation

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

Male Factor

European

Native American

Income $50K - $99K

Nurse or HC Services

2nd of 3 Docs

2 IUI With Other Docs

2 IVF With Other Docs

Doesn't Recommend

Unsuccessful

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

I think she [Dr. Brenda Houmard] is a compassionate doctor. She tried to help our very severe infertility problems. However, she did more harm than good, because she refused to vary her protocol which was not working for us, didn't draw labs to check things during treatment and also proceeded forward with ivf stims without baseline labs or ultrasounds. All things that caused us to waste money on unsuccessful treatment. We attempted 6 mini IVF cycles and only made it to retrieval on the 6th one. One egg was retrieved, but was found to be overmature. There was no labwork done to check my E2 levels, or my LH levels, so it was a very risky thing to proceed to retrieval at that point.

The clinic [Seattle Reproductive Medicine] is very new and clean. They only have an embryologist part of the month so must do batching for IVF. Appointments are easy to get. Billing is a nightmare and extortionistic. I had to call 7 times to get an itemized bill. They held on to $13,000 for several months and it took weeks to get a refund. When I was transitioning from a patient to a monitoring patient, despite the fact that I had been a patient there for 2 years they wanted to charge me "to set me up as a tech patient" plus charge for sending results to my new doctor. I was told "they have to make money somehow".

How was your experience with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

I think she is a compassionate doctor. She tried to help our very severe infertility problems. However, she did more harm than good, because she refused to vary her protocol which was not working for us, didn't draw labs to check things during treatment and also proceeded forward with ivf stims without baseline labs or ultrasounds. All things that caused us to waste money on unsuccessful treatment. We attempted 6 mini IVF cycles and only made it to retrieval on the 6th one. One egg was retrieved, but was found to be overmature. There was no labwork done to check my E2 levels, or my LH levels, so it was a very risky thing to proceed to retrieval at that point. Unfortunately as the patient at that point in time I did not know that those were routine things done at most practices to prevent poor outcomes. Perhaps if you are doing standard IVF or IUI with her, your treatment outcome might be better, but I do not recommend for those with more difficult problems to overcome. They lower the price of mini IVF, but don't actually do enough monitoring to make you successful.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Don't do mini IVF with her.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Dr. Houmard was empathetic throughout treatment until the last cycle. She was clear that due to diminished ovarian reserve treatment options with own egg might be limited. She was willing to treat us though she never offered to vary from one protocol. She also a few times gave extremely devastating information either via email, or over the phone without offering any followup.

Describe the protocols Brenda Houmard used in your cycles at Seattle Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.

Mini IVF- No baseline ultrasound or labs. Letrazole 5mg CD 3-7, Follistim 150 units CD 6-8. Start Ganirelix CD 8. No labs checked, ultrasound CD 9. Zero labs checked prior to retrieval. Ultrasound to measure follicle size only. Birth control pills for cycle batching (also bad for DOR). Results = all dismal.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Seattle Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Kelly)

The nursing care at the clinic was amazing. Very organized, always available. Very helpful in trying to explain the physician's rational if there was something I didn't understand.

Describe your experience with Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

The clinic is very new and clean. They only have an embryologist part of the month so must do batching for IVF. Appointments are easy to get. Billing is a nightmare and extortionistic. I had to call 7 times to get an itemized bill. They held on to $13,000 for several months and it took weeks to get a refund. When I was transitioning from a patient to a monitoring patient, despite the fact that I had been a patient there for 2 years they wanted to charge me "to set me up as a tech patient" plus charge for sending results to my new doctor. I was told "they have to make money somehow".

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

Mini IVF cycle was $13,600, ultrasounds $330 unless you are a tech patient then they are $400.

Describe Brenda Houmard's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

N/A

What specific things went wrong at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Failed to order appropriate test

Describe the specific things that went wrong at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

The first physician that I saw there never ordered baseline labs, AMH or FSH. He kept telling me I was 'young' and had plenty of time. When my AMH was finally tested in prep for my first IVF cycle it came back at 0.02. This was 18months after I started seeing them for known MFI. If he would have tested my AMH in the beginning we would have taken a different course altogether.

Doctor

Brenda Houmard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Spokane Valley

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

2018 - 2019, Successful

Age 29 - 30

2 IUI

European

Income $50K - $99K

Only Doc Seen

Donor Sperm

LGBTQ

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Brenda Houmard helped me track my cycles, ensured my fallopian tubes were open, prescribed me a trigger shot, and oversaw my IUI injections until I was pregnant!...was fabulous and very articulate. It would have been nice to see her a little more, but altogether we were very pleased with her. She is a great doctor and helped our family grow! I appreciated her honesty and willingness to save us money while also helping us have babies!

The staff [at Seattle Reproductive Medicine] walked us thru the process and helped us feel welcome. We contacted them several times and they always got back to us in a timely manner. When necessary, they worked weekends to help match my cycle. Loved them!...The nursing team helped ease my concerns, they were very communicative, and extremely friendly, which helped when we were anxious about getting pregnant. We liked them a lot.

How was your experience with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Brenda was fabulous and very articulate. It would have been nice to see her a little more, but altogether we were very pleased with her. She is a great doctor and helped our family grow! I appreciated her honesty and willingness to save us money while also helping us have babies!

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

In reference to your future treatment, be prepared for anything. Not everything will go your way, but the staff will do what they can to help you.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

The staff walked us thru the process and helped us feel welcome. We contacted them several times and they always got back to us in a timely manner. When necessary, they worked weekends to help match my cycle. Loved them!

Describe the protocols Brenda Houmard used in your cycles at Seattle Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.

Brenda Houmard helped me track my cycles, ensured my fallopian tubes were open, prescribed me a trigger shot, and oversaw my IUI injections until I was pregnant!

Describe your experience with your nurse at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

The nursing team helped ease my concerns, they were very communicative, and extremely friendly, which helped when we were anxious about getting pregnant. We liked them a lot.

Describe your experience with Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

The clinic was very friendly and even offered us a counselor to talk to prior to attempting to get pregnant. The process was long at first, but it was all worth it in the end. We would definitely return if we decide to have another child.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

Not including the price of sperm, each attempt at IUI was approximately $1,200. Checking to ensure my fallopian tubes were open was about $700. Other small routine things were $250 or less.

Doctor

Brenda Houmard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Spokane Valley

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

2018 - 2019, Unknown Success

Age 35 - 36

1 IUI

1 IVF

Unexplained

European

Income $200K - $499K

Doctor

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

We did PGS testing so multiple embryo transfer was only recommended if we wanted to try for twins. She [Dr. Brenda Houmard] strongly recommended single embryo transfer otherwise...has a very warm bedside manner. Before going in to my egg retrieval she put on the music of my choice in the OR and made sure I felt safe and cared for...She is very intelligent, professional, she is also very warm and caring. She put the music of my choice on in the OR prior to my egg retrieval and made sure I felt safe going in to the procedure. She personally gave us our results after the retrieval and called us directly with genetic testing results.

the nurses [at Seattle Reproductive Medicine] work as a team to answer my questions. There have been a few things that got dropped (forgetting to attach a treatment schedule or sending prescriptions to the wrong pharmacy) but overall the nursing staff communicates well and is very caring...There is a nice flow to the clinic. You rarely see other patients outside of the waiting room probably for privacy reasons. Everyone from the MAs, RNs and nurse practitioners are very friendly and make sure you know where to go next. The front desk staff is professional and kind.

How was your experience with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

She is very intelligent, professional, she is also very warm and caring. She put the music of my choice on in the OR prior to my egg retrieval and made sure I felt safe going in to the procedure. She personally gave us our results after the retrieval and called us directly with genetic testing results.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brenda Houmard at Seattle Reproductive Medicine?

Dr. Houmard has a very warm bedside manner. Before going in to my egg retrieval she put on the music of my choice in the OR and made sure I felt safe and cared for.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Seattle Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Destiny)

My first nurse changed to per diem and then I was not to my knowledge assigned a new primary nurse but the nurses work as a team to answer my questions. There have been a few things that got dropped (forgetting to attach a treatment schedule or sending prescriptions to the wrong pharmacy) but overall the nursing staff communicates well and is very caring.

Describe your experience with Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

There is a nice flow to the clinic. You rarely see other patients outside of the waiting room probably for privacy reasons. Everyone from the MAs, RNs and nurse practitioners are very friendly and make sure you know where to go next. The front desk staff is professional and kind.

Describe Brenda Houmard's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Seattle Reproductive Medicine.

We did PGS testing so multiple embryo transfer was only recommended if we wanted to try for twins. She strongly recommended single embryo transfer otherwise.

Doctor

Brenda Houmard

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

Spokane Valley

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brenda Houmard Seattle Reproductive Medicine

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Brenda Houmard

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

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Seattle Reproductive Medicine
Rated 8.7

55 patient reviews

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Brenda Houmard

Seattle Reproductive Medicine

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How Doctor Communicates

Seattle Reproductive MedicineRated 8.7Strongly recommend: 72%Neutral: 16%Don't recommend: 11%8.7

55 patient reviews

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Seattle Reproductive Medicine
Rated 8.7