Ellen Goldstein

Dr. Goldstein is a caring and skilled doctor and I felt like I was in great hands every step of the way. She is clearly very intelligent and well educated, which made me feel comfortable that she was up to date on the latest scientific research and protocols. What I also really appreciated about her is her bedside manner, and her obvious care for her patients. Fertility treatment is a very emotional, challenging process with lots of ups and downs, and I felt like Dr. Goldstein was very present with me throughout the whole experience. I also appreciated that when it came down to the science, she was very straightforward and didn't sugarcoat things, but communicated it in an empathic, caring way. This was helpful for me because it allowed me to really trust her and know that she wasn't going to try and spin things to sound positive just to make me happy, but that she would be fully honest with me. I really felt like I needed an attentive doctor who would sort of hold my hand through the process, but also be very skilled as a doctor and Dr. Goldstein is the perfect combination of both these qualities.

I have DOR, so Dr. Goldstein had me start with estrogen priming for both my retrievals. She then had me on 150iu of Menopur, 225iu of Gonal-F for stimulation of the ovaries. She then prescribed Ganirelix for the last 5 days prior to the trigger shot. She utilized an HcG trigger. This was the same protocol for both my egg retrievals.

Insurance covered my first egg retrieval cycle, medications, PGS testing, and FET in full. We paid for the second IVF cycle (including egg retrieval & FET) out-of-pocket, which was $13,350 plus the cost of medications. We ended up paying about $2000 for PGS testing in addition, plus some smaller fees for anesthesia and cryopreservation of embryos. Then once pregnant I paid $250 per ultrasound for OB care since they were not in-network with my new insurance at that point. IVF treatment is expensive, but it's all pretty on-par with other similar clinics in the area.

Dr. Goldstein is an ideal human and physician. She's kind, patient, empathetic, friendly, and humanistic. She's a great listener and humanistic. She is generous with her time, and available no matter what. Dr. Goldstein did what was best for us every step of the way. She came in when she was sick, when her kid was in the hospital and her husband was out of town. She treated us like giving us the thing we wanted so badly was the only thing in the world that she wanted. She explains everything so clearly. Her vibe is so comforting in an otherwise anxiety-provoking time. She answers all your questions so well. She's a master of her craft. I can go on writing this for days. Words can never suffice, she's really plain incredible.

Absolutely positively go to her, don't waste your time looking anywhere else. Trust her and embrace her, and she'll work miracles for you. Going to her is the best decision you'll ever make in your life.

Dr. Goldstein used the best IVF regimen for my wife's body to help maximize our chances of a healthy baby. She never cut corners or did what would be fastest to get us through the clinic, or make the most money off of us. She used Follistim and Menpour prior to egg retrival, then the following month, timed the embryo transfer to mimic the natural time fertilization and implantation would occur.

I won't get into specifics, but Dr. Goldstein's pricing is very competitive. They walk you through all the numbers in a dedicated financing session, which is really helpful. Worth every single cent.

Dr. Goldstein was so confident in her work, and she deserves to be. Based on our genetic testing, she said our success rate would be high, therefore since we strongly wanted to avoid the chance of multiples, we transferred a single embryo. Dr. Goldstein always does what you want and what's in your best interest. For us, that was a single baby, and that's what she made happen.

A woman in this field who is as humble, caring, brilliant and amazing as Dr. Goldstein is something I didn’t know existed. She is confident in her skills and puts it all out there for her patients. She also specializes in natural transfers which was a GOD SEND. After all the injections of the retrieval, the last thing I wanted to do was inject myself with an intramuscular needle for weeks. You will also always see her at your appointments (minus blood draw appointments). She is your person so there’s no way your information gets lost or miscommunicated. It’s also nice when you’re in such a vulnerable place to be able to see the same friendly face at each visit and not just feel like you don’t know who will be doing procedures that truly emphasize the vulnerability factor of infertility. As I may have stated in another section, Dr. Goldstein’s communication and ability to give a response in a timely matter is top notch. I emailed her at 7 pm one night during my nightly suppository because I had minor spotting and there was an email response within 10 minutes. Any time anything fell through with her nurses, she would just handle it herself. No question was ever too silly, no concern was ever too petty. She addressed all and any questions or concerns I had throughout the entirety of our treatment with compassion and fact based information. I never felt like she didn’t have my back.

Trust her. She will not give you the runaround or try to squeeze you for extra services. She’s the real deal and has your best interest at heart.

I was on Gonal-F, Menopur and then eventually Centrotide for my egg retrieval stims. I used Lupron for my trigger shot. Dr. Goldstein was able to retrieve 31 eggs. Throughout the lab insemination process, the embryologist and Dr. Goldstein diagnosed me with low egg quality. We had already committed to PGS testing on the embryos so in the end 8 went in for testing and 4 came back as normal. For my FET I did a natural transfer cycle so the only meds I was on were Endometrin suppositories a little bit before the transfer. The natural transfer cycle did mean that I had to go into the office considerably more often, sometimes 3-4 times a week, to get my blood drawn and levels checked. Blood draws had to be done in the AM so results would be in same day. FET was normal but a bit uncomfortable due to the full bladder. Transfer went smoothly and now I am pregnant with our first IVF baby.

Dr. Goldstein knew all the verbiage surrounding treatment of members of the LGBTQ community. She always treated me and my partner with respect and love. She also let us know certain extra legal steps we might want to take advantage of since both of our genetic material would not be used during our treatment.

A complete IVF cycle totaled $20,175. That included her professional fee, Anesthesia, Operating room, ICSI, Assisted Hatching, Embryo biopsy, PGT test on up to 8 embryos, Cryopreservation (freeze) for any remaining embryos, Embryo thaw, and Frozen embryo transfer cycle.

I love Ellen and everything she has created for people like me at Beverly Hills Fertility. She represents everything that for me was missing from such vulnerable treatments around fertility. Ellen spent an hour with me during my initial consultation listening to me and my concerns and desires and never pitching me or selling me. She was equally as proficient in her medical expertise as she was in the more emotional vulnerable aspect of the process. I didn’t come back to start the process until months later and she never doubted why I took time to decide or pushed me to do it before i was ready. She ALWAYS replies to emails personally and/or calls if you need something. I always felt cared for and taken care of in every single visit, and even in every email and communication. She is a true, honest, straightforward yet warm doctor who is extremely knowledgeable in her field and I trust her 100%

Once you communicate what is important to you and share what you need from the process, let go and trust her in all of her guidance (even if it is different from what other doctors have said or you have read online). Just let go and trust that she makes special protocols for YOU with everything you have come with in mind and her team will take care of you

I shared the last 2 protocols i had with other doctors with Ellen including the results from both. We discussed them and what we thought could improve from the other cycles. She then decided to give me estrogen pills before the cycle which i had never tried before, given my eggs had grown to very different sizes in other cycles. She then had me on 20 units of Lupron morning and night as well as 150 IU menopur in mornings and 300 units or gonal at nights. My eggs grew to much more similar sizes so her hypothesis was correct.

The egg freezing cycle was $8000 which included all of the ultrasounds, blood drawn during monitoring, visits and procedure. The $300 consultation fee i don’t recall if it goes towards that… if it does I didn’t get the credit because I forgot to ask. The medication was probably $4000 more for me.

Dr. G was the only doctor who met with me in person, although in a post Covid world, it seemed important to me that the doctor would want to talk to me face to face as well as perform their own ultrasound for a proper assessment to base their plans on. Where the other doctors once again pushed for IVF and donor eggs, Dr. G took a piece of paper and mapped out her plan for me and explained why she would not go the IVF route based on my entire fertility picture. Dr. G makes herself available via email to the patient and never let more than an hour elapsed before responding to any concern or test result, which was so comforting when you are going through this journey. She is truly dedicated to her patients, coming in on a Saturday or Sunday if that’s the day that is best for the patient’s procedure. Alondra, my clinical coordinator, was so kind, empathetic and knowledgeable in guiding me through the day to day of each cycle and in coordinating all my medications. The entire staff, including Erica, someone I saw a lot, were so supportive in my 3 cycles of IUI. They were all so genuine in hoping each cycle was the one. Dr. G was very attentive with each scan, making small changes to meds to achieve the best outcome. She was also very mindful of cost, and always looked for ways to save me money with medications or treatments which I appreciated in an expensive venture. I can’t say enough kind words about this practice, I felt truly cared for. I can see that each person who works there wants success for every patient, and they take the time to talk when a cycle doesn’t work out or the journey gets difficult.

Know that Dr.G will always be honest and work with you to achieve your goal in the way she thinks you can actually get to the goal.

Dr. Goldstein is something else. She is heaven sent for anyone going through infertility. She made us feel seen, she gave us her time, took the time to answer our 1 million questions, was willing to do what we were comfortable with without any judgement. She made herself available to answer my 1000 million questions, even when I would sent silly questions late at night she responded in 5 minutes. She cares. She would see me happy and get happy, she would see me nervous and reassure me. She would see my excited and set my expectations realistically. She took the best care of us, all while keeping us realistically hopeful the entire process. I couldn't rave enough.

I would say to trust Dr. Goldstein. She really knows what she's talking about and what she's doing, trust her. I'm very into research myself, and would go research the advice or things she'd tell me and see that she really knows what she's talking about.

My husband and I didn't want to do IUI. The low success rate didn't feel like something we could handle, and she was supportive of our decision without pushing in any direction. We did a relatively normal IVF cycle, where she kept close track of my ovulation to determine the length of time to do the stims, and under ordered my medication so I wouldn't have to pay more than necessary. She ended up saving me so much money, because my stims were relatively short. We did the transfer in the next cycle with minimal hormonal intervention which was refreshing, no trigger shot or anything (which was great because that first trigger was so hard on my body). I got pregnant the first round of IVF thanks to Dr. Goldstein's magic.

They had to be within a certain time frame when blood work was involved, in order to get results back that day. But if it was just an ultrasound, the timing was more flexible than that

I think the treatment was around 14k for IVF, and an addition 4500 for genetic testing. I could be wrong, don't quote me.

I was strongly against having twins ( I don't think I can handle two at once, but more power to those who can). She was supportive of my decision, and instructed us when to use protection to prevent twins as well as only impanting one embryo.

Dr. Goldstein is a true girl boss – fabulous, knowledgeable, down to earth, has an amazing team, and most importantly, she balances reality with optimism. I always felt that I was in such great hands, and as someone who likes to do her research, I could then just clarify or validate things with her or her team at any time. This also allowed me to just focus on myself and the journey towards egg freezing. She’s also extremely research, fact, and digitally minded, so I personally felt like all decisions were up to date and never needed a second opinion.

Figure out what you want to do, why things have or have not worked, and come prepared with any questions (you also don’t need to have any). I saw all this because once you’re in, the clinic is such a well-oiled machine that things can happen on Day 1! It’s incredibly exciting, and so if you need more time to think, do your research prior and learn as much as you can. Also, depending on what your purpose of visit is, find the 3-4 attributes that you’re looking for in a doctor / clinic. Once I identified mine, I only chose Dr. Goldstein (vs. talking to a few doctors), and I already knew that I wanted to work with her after doing my research, and I’ve never looked back.

I had an ultrasound and bloodwork as an initial step for follicle count and other important baseline measures. Based on those results, you get a rough schedule about your personalized plan. Once we had my target start date, I ordered my medicines, and you get an onboarding of the medication. Throughout the days you’re on medication, you have ultrasounds, bloodwork, and then once ready, you have your trigger shot (36H prior to retrieval). Then, I had my retrieval. It took a few days to recover and about two weeks to fully feel back to normal. It was a success!

My total costs for egg freezing were about $13K. Costs are basically divided into two main buckets: (1) procedure-related fees and (2) medicines. (1) is the clinic’s fixed fee and (2) depends on how your ultrasounds go. Regardless, Dr. Goldstein is very intentional about not over-ordering for medicines, minimizing any unnecessary costs and medicine waste. My insurance paid for a little more than 50%. It’s important to set a budget for the total costs and confirm things with your own employer / insurance so you know what you’re in for. Dr. Goldstein’s team does an amazing financial onboarding session, which happens right before finalizing everything. If you’re reading this far, just go for it. The entire process is life-changing, and I will forever be grateful for Dr. Goldstein and her team!

N/A

Dr. Goldstein is a wonderful doctor and human. This was my second round of egg freezing and some things stood out about my experience with her: 1. She saw me at every visit (as opposed to another clinic where I only saw my doctor for the consultation and retrieval). 2. She gave me realistic expectations and checked those with every visit as the process progressed. 3. She sincerely cared about how much money I spent on meds. She timed everything perfectly so I wouldn't have extra meds but also recommended upping the dose when it made sense. 4. She let me know from day one that she was available to answer any question as it came up and not to hesitate to reach out. Emailing her, even late at night, received a speedy response.

Be honest and upfront with your questions. Do research so you know which questions to ask. She'll answer them and give you all the information you need to make personal decisions.

I started with estrogen pills 7 days after ovulation. Days 1-4: 225 follistim, 150 menopur Days 5-11: upped to 300 follistim Days 8-12: ganirelix Day 12: trigger shot + what was left of follistim (about 275) Day 14: retrieval 13 eggs retrieved, 10 mature

$8000 for doctor visits and procedure $500 for anesthesia $4000 (approx) for meds (I believe the range is 3-5k) 1st year of storage is included

Dr. Goldstein is an exceptional doctor that is very knowledgeable and confident in what she does. As a patient, I never questioned her judgement and always felt safe and secure in her decisions for our course of treatment. She is responsive and easy to get ahold of if I ever had/have any questions. I never doubted for a minute that with her by our side during this process, we would absolutely achieve the family my husband and I always dreamed of.

Trust in her experience and knowledge! The infertility process can have ups and downs and unforeseen twists. And if something is not going as planned, she undoubtedly will adapt and problem solve in a way that will be best for you in the long run. I never doubted anything she recommended during our journey for a minute.

For our transfer, we decided to do frozen and attempt a natural cycle. Through consistent daily blood work, she discovered that my hormones were out of whack and made the decision to cancel the cycle. For the next cycle, she recommended a medicated cycle with estrace and PIO shots. This would guarantee more control over my levels. It proved true, as I am currently pregnant!

I was always able to schedule my monitoring appointments with no problem. Dr. Goldstein worked around my work schedule to avoid me having to miss too many days. They were amazing at fitting me in during times that were more convenient for me.

Dr. Goldstein is absolutely amazing and I would highly recommend her to anyone struggling with fertility. She took time to answer questions and evaluate treatment options. We would not be pregnant now without her assistance. Overall it took 4 months - 2 months with IUI then a cyst occurred we needed to take a break. We had 1 more IUI after and now have a successful pregnancy! Dr. Goldstein took into consideration our goals and finances and worked with us to find a treatment plan that was perfect for our needs. Dr. Goldstein also was always available between visits by email or a phone call. I feel completely comfortable in her care and know that anyone going to her is in good hands.

I would recommend lots of open communication. The more you communicate the better Dr. Goldstein knows you and gets a feel for your needs. Be open and honest with her.

The first 2 treatments we used letrozole and IUI. The last (successful( IUI we used a combination of letrozole and gonal F.

Dr. Goldstein was the second doctor I went to in my fertility journey, and the experience was night and day different. She was kind, took time to explain everything and set realistic expectations given my body's limitations, and always answered questions quickly via email. I'm so sad it took me 3 cycles to find her - always go with your gut, and find another doctor if you don't feel like your first one cares enough!

No advice

I have diminished ovarian reserve, so we started hormone treatment on the first day of my period, after I came in for an ultrasound. The first cycle was cancelled due to a cyst, but it was gone the next month. I did 11 days of 150 iu Gonal-F plus 2 powder vials of Menopur per day, 4 days of Cetrotide at the end of the cycle to slow the bigger eggs, and got 10 eggs retrieved (9 frozen). The previous two cycles, I got 6 and 3, respectively, so this was a much better response.

$5800 for the retrieval and ultrasound appts; $3000 for the drugs, and still waiting on the anesthesia/procedure clinic bill. My insurance didn't cover this round at all.

Dr. Goldstein stays on top of the latest scientific research, which is always changing in the field of ART, thus something I find valuable. When I asked about supplements or various treatments I had read about, she would answer honestly as to whether or not she felt data on that particular topic was persuasive or not. She is highly attentive to patient results as they unfold, conducted all ultrasounds directly, and called me with bloodwork results herself. I feel very much that she cares sincerely about her patients' outcomes, and prides herself in providing excellent care. It is clear she is rooting for each individual to have ideal outcomes (given the realities of the data). While it is a plus to have a female RE, there were other female RE's that I did not want to work with, based on reviews. Dr. Goldstein's reviews are stellar, and were ultimately the reason I switched RE's just before starting ER 1. I had already done my AMH and Consult with another clinic (with good reviews), but my gut said to go with Dr. Goldstein. My first ER (of 2 planned) began with a sub-optimal reaction to one part of the protocol. I decided to continue forward and Dr. Goldstein was supportive of the decision. She ultimately left it up to me since there were upsides/downsides to canceling vs. continuing. Since your first Cycle always has a Diagnostic element to it, I chalked it up to "this is all part of it", and continued with Stims, hoping for the best.

Definitely meet with her. Do your research and interview several RE's, but she is worthy of your shortlist! If you have underlying health issues that affect fertility, be forthcoming, as well as reading about your individual circumstances. Your consult is a great place to get a feel for how your questions, concerns, treatment, and interactions will continue. Do your homework, then go with your gut. Good luck!

First ER: Microdose Leuprolide Protocol, Gonal-F (or Follistim, same thing), Menopur. Pregnyl 10000 Trigger shot. Additionally, we discussed BCP or Estrace priming to line up the follicles. I went with Estrace, because it tends to suppress for fewer patients. Second ER m: same, minus Estrace, as I happen to have a sensitive system, and Estrace did not work well for me compared to most patients. We also discussed alternately trying Antagonist protocol, but since the initial protocol seemed to prompt a good response (minus Estrace) and minimal side effects for my body, we will likely repeat same with the one omission. Additionally (*not per her protocol*), I chose to do Acupuncture 1x/week in the 5 weeks leading up to ER, and 1x/month prior to that for about 6-months. I started supplements about 6-months before (not rigorously, but occasionally, and at lower doses early on). Then upped to daily supplements in the 5 weeks leading up to ER. Most of the supplements came from "It Starts with the Egg" or lists I read about from similar recommendations, forums, or friends' RE's. Per Dr. Goldstein, CoQ10 is the one that is most impactful (and if you do a lot of reading, that is the one that has the clearest science), so she said whatever I wanted to take outside of that was up to me.

I paid upfront Professional Fees for 2 ER cycles, which was discounted more than paying for 2 Single ER Cycles separately. This part of the fee was comparable to other LA clinics. Surgery/Anesthesia/Storage line items higher than other LA clinics I compared with. Cancellation of Cycle Fees more strict than some other Clinics I compared to. Fees for everything *after* Egg Retrieval (ICSI, PGT, Thawing, Assisted Hatching, Implantation) higher than the other clinics I compared to, but my upfront Egg Retrieval seemed slightly lower if I paid for 2 cycles. Long term, I will end up paying more than the other 2 clinics I narrowed to, but my upfront costs for 2 ER retrievals were comparable, so I am kind of caught in the middle, as you generally are safer staying with same clinic for thawing, embryos, PGT, and implantation, but I noticed that the Lab fees, Storage, and all individual line items AFTER ER are higher. Everything except the initial professional fees run a bit higher. One surprise cost was that the Lab (where surgery is done) charges another $750 ($712.50 on auto-pay)/ year, beyond the $1200 fee that is already listed in the line items for the ER. That said, I think they are comparable with many well-rated LA clinics. Not necessarily the highest end of the spectrum, but within the mid-to-above middle range. The tough thing about fees for Fertility Services, is you don't really get a full menu of rates for everything you need (until the very end of the line) from any clinic. Rare exceptions to this rule are CNY (obviously a budget place), and maybe KindBody who seems to be more upfront about pricing. I noticed friends who did this procedure in NY city had lower costs, but maybe IVF/Egg Freezing just costs more in LA than NY (rare for most costs).

We haven't gotten that far yet, but I believe I have read here that she believes in single embryo transfer. Again, I have not had this discussion with her, just what I believe I read online, so please verify yourself directly.

Dr Goldstein is the perfect balance of optimism and realism - I am someone who needs the facts and needs to understand exactly what is going on with me, and Dr Goldstein encouraged my questions (and after hours emails!) at all times. I truly believe she accurately predicated why I was having fertility issues and was able to resolve them ON THE FIRST TRY. Appointments with Dr Goldstein are on time, not too long, not too short and always a pleasure. We always have a laugh.

Book now. Do not delay. Trust her advice and list of practitioners (especially for the HSG test which can be painful but was made a good experience due to her thoughtful referrals) and you're set. Don't wait. Do it now. Fertility is a very tenuous thing, and I wish I had of seen Dr Goldstein years earlier.

1. Blood tests for genetics diseases and STI's for both me and hubby 2. HSG dye test at referred clinic (thank god I went there - this procedure can be overly drawn out and painful but the Dr was amazing and we were done in minutes.) 3. Monitoring of egg production via ultrasound while on clomid for 5 days 4. Ultrasound before insemination reveals clomid produced eggs but thinned out my uterus, Dr Goldstein was very honest in saying this round might not be optimal, BUT if we do get pregnant it would not impact the pregnancy. Told me that next round we can use different drugs so left feeling hopeful and not defeated. 5. Arrived for sperm collection and IUI. Clinic saw us on a Saturday which was AMAZING! Dr again stressed that this could be a practice round - very good job managing my expectations 6. Blood test to check pregnancy two weeks later 7. PREGNANT! Dr Goldstein shared my joy 8. First scan - TWINS! Over the moon. She made a dream come true for us. Little heartbeats present.

Totally covered by insurance AND the patient coordinator made the call to check this for me, AND got it in writing from my insurance, so when the insurance tried to charge me for labs, I had the email and BOOM charges gone. I only pay a co pay for any additional appointments not related to IUI and even then it's only $35 a pop. Ultrasounds free under insurance.

I did not do this procedure

Dr. Goldstein is extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and very easy to talk to. We never felt pressured into one treatment or another; she made it very clear she was there to support whatever we needed. When we had questions we could email or call her, and we received responses usually within an hour, and this was even after hours. We could not have been more happy with our choice of doctor.

Go with Dr. Goldstein. She was fantastic and very willing to answer all questions we had. It is extremely obvious she valued us as people, not just as a source of income.

The primary issue we had with getting pregnant was male factor infertility. Dr. Goldstein's examination of my wife showed no problems on her side, and that we were ideal candidates for IVF (while my sperm count was a bit low, it was well over what was needed for IVF). She offered IUI, but given our ages we opted for the highest chance of success with IVF. She used a natural cycle approach, so we timed the medication the injectable medication in accordance to when her last cycle was. While taking the full round of injections we visited Dr. Goldstein at least twice a week for ultrasounds (which she herself conducted) and blood testing. At all times we could tell how the eggs were growing where she was. After the "trigger shot", there was the egg retrieval, which again was done by Dr. Goldstein. The eggs were fertilized and frozen in preparation for my wife's next cycle (again, in accordance with her natural cycle approach). A couple weeks (I believe) after the next cycle, we went back in for the transfer. Again, Dr. Goldstein did this. I was able to join my wife in the room while this happened, and she even provided us a picture of the embryo prior to implantation. After the transfer, we continued following up with Dr. Goldstein, and we were scheduled to come back into the office to test and see if the transfer was successful. My wife and I were very excited though so we took at home test -- success. We emailed Dr. Goldstein, and she replied within a few minutes (which was typical for her) with a very excited email and we moved up the visit to confirm. The first ultrasound that occurred after this period we were in for a surprise. Though Dr. Goldstein had implanted only one embryo, there were now two babies growing. Dr. Goldstein had been very clear that there was an increased chance for this to happen prior to the beginning of treatment due to "assisted hatching". Throughout the first 10 weeks after implantation Dr. Goldstein continued to have us come in weekly to check on their growth As we continued through the 10 weeks, we also did a genetic screening test using my wife's blood (non-invasive for the babies) and the results came back that they were genetically normal and that they were identical baby boys. Dr. Goldstein was always careful to check with us before she told us the sex to ensure we wanted to know. After the 10 weeks, we transferred to the OB doctor who will be delivering the twins.

I believe it was about $20K for the full freeze / transfer cycle and associated medications. However, I had an absolutely amazing fertility benefit called Progyny so my portion was only around $2K.

Dr. Goldstein had all the embryos tested and ranked according to how well developed they were. Her strong opinion was that we start out with only one embryo transfer, and so this is what we did. The embryo that we chose was the "healthiest" one available.

Dr. Goldstein took a thorough history for both me and my husband, and explained well to us what could be contributing to our recurrent miscarriages. She ran tests on what she thought were all necessary rule outs (noting that the likelihood was simply poor egg quality, but testing for other possibilities) without testing for things that she thought were frivolous--though I got the impression that she would run other tests if I requested them. We made the decision to do IVF with eggs I had frozen a few years ago, and she explained what that process and all the risks would be for that. However, during the process of getting started with those eggs, I got pregnant again. I emailed her on a Sunday to tell her--but I was not hopeful at all given our history. She was immediately responsive, and positive but not annoyingly so given my emotional state. I asked her if I should use progesterone supplements because I'd read about that for women with recurrent miscarriages. She said she did not think there was evidence that I needed it yet and I should get tested for HCG/progesterone the next day, but offered to write the prescription anyway if it would help me feel better because it wouldn't hurt. I've never experienced that from a doctor before--I've been told no each time I asked an OB. I took her up on the offer and started the sups, and did HCG beta testing the next day. She called me personally with results as soon as they came in. Because the pregnancy seems viable so far, we paused on the process for IVF but are keeping the door open. I didn't feel any pressure from her to press forward with the embryo making...I've felt supported the whole way, and if this doesn't go positively, she is someone I would feel incredibly safe doing the next step of this process with.

Dr Goldstein is attentive to every detail. She is careful and calculated and I trust her medical decisions completely. She carefully monitored and titrated my medications throughout my more complicated IVF cycle to ensure that I did not get PCOS. She called and checked in on my multiple times throughout the process. Any concerns and she made the time to talk it through with me. She was always professional and pleasant at each appointment. Dr Goldstein is always available and I didn’t need to search google for answers because she was always right there with the answer and a return email was often received faster than any google search would have even answered it! She really cares about me as a person and I feel deeply connected. She is part of my team, rooting for me and working with me step by step in this emotional journey. I couldn’t have done this without her (she was the 3rd provider I tried) and thankfully I found her! Every practice has its strengths and I feel that Dr Ellen is the perfect mix of all! Superb medical knowledge and understanding of statistics mixed with the human and faith aspect of knowing that we will do all we can and hope is never lost as it will only take one embryo to have your miracle. And she really gave me hope and continues to. Hopefully we will have our baby soon.

Dr Goldstein was so supportive of me and my husband and gave us all the time in the world that we needed in our initial consultation - highly recommend that you meet with her for an in person consultation! She also is careful about how much of each medication she orders and she watches her spending carefully so that you pay the minimum needed for a successful IVF cycle. If anything comes up, email has been the easiest way for us to reach Dr Goldstein and also by far the fastest.

Dr Goldstein used as little medication as possible and worked to meet my timing needs for the IVF cycle and retrieval. She also was able to meet my needs and special accommodations due to my anxiety and PTSD.

~$21,000 for IVF cycle Not sure of the IUI but it was about 175 for ultrasound and consultation

Haven’t had this as part of my treatment

Dr. Goldstein's communication and bedside manner are unmatched. She has this way of putting you at ease. She has genuine care and compassion and adjusts treatment based on what's best for you, understanding it's not always the outcome or information you want to hear. In my first cycle, I was not responding to the medication as we had anticipated. At my consult, I had I believe 17 follicles showing. On day 5, I had only 9 follicles and they were all growing very small. She expressed I might be a rare case that she might recommend cancelling. Because finances were not an issue for me regarding medication, she encouraged us to wait two more days to see the results and for me to de-stress as much as possible. I did and when I came back, my numbers had made a pretty significant rebound. We did have to adjust my number of days of stimulation but we ultimately ended up with 12 frozen eggs. Going from a potential cancellation to 12 eggs was just incredible and I'm thankful for her expertise and glad we held out. I wanted to do two back to back cycles but my numbers just weren't looking great so while we could have in theory proceeded, she advised me to wait and give myself a break. While disappointing, I appreciated her advice and the second cycle eventually occurred with another round of success.

Come prepared with your questions, but don't stress if you don't know what to ask. She will educate you every step of the way and you can trust she's not out to just get money. She will always recommend what's best for you, but also understands this is a physical, mental, and financially tolling process. Based on your needs in each of those spaces, she will tailor her approach to how you address if things don't go as planned. I no longer live in LA but would happily fly back if I do another round or need to go through IVF in the future - she's that good.

First round: Birth Control Menopur Gonal F Cetrotide Novarel Second round (I think this is what I took - might be off on one of these): No birth control (it suppressed my ovaries too much) Menopur Gonal F Lupron Pregnyl Rationale for changing up the second round is that the birth control seemed to suppress my ovaries and my eggs were not all grow at the same size (there was one too large from very early on). The second round, all my eggs grew at the appropriate sizes and together. We suspect the stress of Covid, BLM, and having to start/stop treatment and unknowns related to covid played a factor in my slightly lower than expected numbers (when I destressed, numbers went up). She also recommended some great therapists to speak with since I was suddenly alone, in lockdown, doing this challenging alone. I found an incredible and experienced fertility therapist who really helped as well.

Single egg freezing treatment: $5100 Anesthesia: $500 Operating Room Fee: $1500 Cryopreservation of egg: $1200 Per cycle

My husband and I sought treatment from Dr. Goldstein after experiencing our third consecutive miscarriage. We were heartbroken, exhausted, anxious - all the feelings that accompany loss of this magnitude. Dr. Goldstein gave us hope, and helped me to find the courage necessary to continue our journey. I am so deeply thankful to have found her, and cannot emphasize enough how comfortable I was throughout my IVF journey thanks to her outstanding care. First and foremost, Dr. Goldstein took the time to ensure that my husband and I were active participants in our care. She completed a very thorough diagnostic workup that covered all bases. She discovered a small amount of scar tissue in my uterus, and recommended a hysteroscopy to remove it. My husband and felt comfortable and confident going into the surgery, and it went beautifully. After the hysteroscopy, we decided we wanted to pursue IVF, and Dr. Goldstein walked us through what the process would look like. She provided expert medical recommendations, but never pushed us in a specific direction. Instead she made sure we had the knowledge we needed to determine what course of action we were comfortable with, and supported us in our decision. Throughout the entire process, Dr. Goldstein was very hands-on. I saw her for every one of my appointments, and she preformed all my procedures. Her communication was exemplary; far above and beyond that of any other physician I’ve had. Dr. Goldstein personally responded to all inquiries quickly, including those I had on evenings and weekends. She also proactively reached out with frequent updates so we were always very well informed about where we were in the process. Dr. Goldstein and her office were also flexible, and I was always able to find an appointment time that worked well with my schedule. Our IVF cycle was very successful, and thanks to Dr. Goldstein’s communication and compassion, I felt at ease and comfortable throughout the entire process. I always knew what to expect, and as a result the stress level was very low. We are incredibly grateful to have 11 beautiful, genetically normal embryos.

Dr. Goldstein is the first doctor that took the time to explain why I am having difficulty conceiving. She has the prefect marriage of honesty and compassion without making you feel dim-witted. Within the first week of meeting her she scheduled a saline ultrasound that allowed her to see that I had polyps in my uterus. I feel like I have moved forward and have gotten so much accomplished within four months of knowing and working with her.

I'd say meet with her. She does have your back. I was so vulnerable our first meeting and she has shown me that I can trust her.

I had a Hysteroscopy to remove the polyp in my uterus. This step was done first before I started my IUI cycle.

I was fortunate that I only had to pay out of pocket for one procedure, hysterscopy. I called many hospitals in the area and found paying the $3,000 was the best option, financially.

I could not be happier with Dr. Goldstein. I first saw her in 2017 at Kaiser after two other IUIs and a miscarriage. Despite Kaiser’s protocol, she decided to adjust the approach (gonal-f vs another menopur cycle) based on my history and risk factors, which resulted in my beautiful baby girl. After multiple failed IUIs at Kaiser in 2019, I decided to pursue IVF with Dr. Goldstein at her private practice. At that point, significant inflammation was noted on endometrial biopsy and I was diagnosed with chronic endometritis, thought to reflect infection from prior IUI. Dr. Goldstein did everything possible to ensure a good outcome despite this complication (e.g., researching, consulting, working with lab techs to figure out a way to culture my samples to obtain more information for better treatment planning). She explained all my options thoroughly and with empathy, every step of the way. When it became more apparent that my inflammation was likely an autoimmune response (as opposed to infection), she consulted with colleagues from across the nation to develop an immunosupression plan for my FET. I am now almost 8-weeks pregnant (strong heartbeat, on-track development).

IVF is scary, so share any and all of your worries with Dr. Goldstein - she never makes you feel judged, instead providing reassurance and answering questions with warmth and empathy.

2017: Gonal-f IUI - she chose Gonal-f (vs menopur) since my body did not respond well to menopur (my lining was very thin and I ended up miscarrying at almost 7-weeks during the previous cycle). This was at Kaiser, so I was not always scheduled to see her, and when another doctor told me I had to try another cycle with menopur first (as per Kaiser protocol), I asked for Dr. Goldstein and she advocated for me. This resulted in my daughter. 2019: Egg retrieval, FET (5-day) - as I described earlier, my case was complicated by chronic endometritis with significant inflammation and Dr. Goldstein tailored the approach to ensure the best possible outcome (I only had two viable embryos, so it was important to do everything possible for a successful transfer). Ultimately, I underwent immunosuppression leading up to and following the transfer and am now almost 8-weeks pregnant.

Dr. Goldstein highly recommended eSET for me for several reasons. My first pregnancy was complicated (my daughter was born preterm and with low birth weight following a rare placental abnormality) and a multiple pregnancy would increase my risk of complications this time around. With the chronic endometritis, we also did not want to transfer both of my viable embryos together, in case the inflammation interfered with implantation, etc. (better to have a second chance than losing them both at once).

Dr. Goldstein is very knowledgeable and thoughtful about her approach to infertility. She really does take each case individually, and takes time to make decisions that she thinks would be best to give you the best results. I always felt like she tried to provide me with the best possible solutions/medications/strategies to help us conceive. I always saw Dr. Goldstein when I came for my appointments, and she even came early at 7:30 am because she knew my work day started so early. She always followed up with me herself - not through a nurse - even letting me know I could call her in the evening if I had questions about a new medication/dosing procedure. She's fantastic. I can't say enough good things about my experiences as her patient.

Don't look anywhere else - she's an amazing physician who is ALWAYS looking out for you and your best interest.

I remember that for my first IVF cycle, I wasn't taking anything except my usual prenatal pills, folic acid and calcium supplements. For my next cycle, she recommended that I take an additional 4- 5 supplements which she said might produce better follicular counts. In addition, she slightly changed the medications I used from one cycle to the next, again, because she believed they would produce better results for me.

I don't have the exact figures, but they were running a promotion at the time we first started seeing the clinic. I believe for 3 IVF cycles (one had to be converted into an IUI because I didn't have too many follicles that cycle), it was roughly $30K. Please note: we already had 80% of our medications, so we only had to buy 20%, and that is not included in the $30K figure.

After we saw Dr. Ellen, we became pregnant two times on our own without medical intervention and sadly suffered devastating miscarriages at 8 and 13 weeks respectively. Dr. Ellen was consistently involved, present, and intimately involved with the entire care team to review results and develop a course of action for both my reproductive future and my health. Following the second miscarriage, Ellen successfully diagnosed me as suffering from a rare condition known as anti-phospholipid syndrome. With that she developed treatment options while also providing an immensely caring resource to help my husband and I through this tragic period. She was warm and emotionally involved throughout my entire medical saga using her emotional intelligence and vast medical knowledge.

I would unconditionally recommend Dr. Ellen Goldstein to any patient who is looking for a charismatic, exceptionally bright, and compassionate doctor to handle the most complicated of medical cases. She is highly trained, incredibly experienced, and approaches each patient with the utmost determination. I would advise all of her patients to approach Dr. Ellen with an open transparent attitude and a cooperative desire to build their team for their reproductive future.

We started to get pregnant on our own following our workup and Ellen's close monitoring. Sadly for our case of unexplained fertility and recurrent pregnancy loss stemming from undiagnosed LUPUS, anti-phospholipid syndrome, and what would later become the most severe form of preeclampsia, HELP syndrome in which I lost my 3rd pregnancy and nearly died. Had it not been for Ellen, I would have died. She was the leader of of OBGYN team, and was constantly involved with 65 specialists from 15 specialties at UCLA Ronald Reagan as they fought for my life. Even as I spent 7 days in ICU, Dr. Ellen was constantly involved, watching my medical data and providing feedback, leadership, and support to my family and husband as I was incapacitated.

We didn't do treatment and got pregnant on our own.

We did not do IVF. We no input on this.

Dr. Goldstein is an RE that whispers the word “intercourse.” She made me feel like IUI would solve all or problems. But she also didn’t pay attention to where we were at in our allotment of partially covered IUIs. I feel like I wasted time and wasn’t given all the information I needed to make wise decisions. I almost never saw her directly or got to speak with her directly until I refused to speak to anyone but her. She was kind at that point and called me saying she didn’t realize that I felt communication was lacking. And after that cycle failed, I never heard from her again. Despite having one more IUI I could try. I will skip that because I would do anything not to go back. I know she has her own clinic outside of what my insurance covers, but I would never choose her as a physician.

First, ask for someone else. Second, if you must see her, make sure she communicates all the details. That she explains medications, side effects, what you can expect. Find out how involved she will be and request that you see her. Be your own advocate.

I don’t think there was a strategy. I think I was always an after thought. They allowed me to start off with unmedicated cycles, but didn’t pay attention to how many had been done that way. I did three of my six unmedicated, and then heard from Dr. Goldstein that if she had realized it was my third that she would have recommended medication. So, I feel like that one was a waste. She never knew what was happening or who I was when I came in the clinic if I was not assigned to see her that day. The dosage of clomid did nothing for me but thin my lining. I was then moved to menopur injections which also didn’t seem to have much of an effect. I never knew what was to be expected. How many visits I might have, etc. I truly felt there was no protocol for me specifically.

My insurance covered 50% of my care. Every visit just to the office was about $150. The last IUI with injectables cost about $3,000 all together.

No IVF with her.

I have had a generally good experience overall. Even with all the stresses with the ups and downs of IVF, Dr. Goldstein has done a good job keeping our expectations real and stress to a manageable level. My egg retrieval went smoothly, and we had a successful transfer. She took the time to walk us through the benefits of freezing our embryos to do a natural cycle transfer. And she personally calls to check in when needed.

Just be patient and try to keep stress to a minium

A discussion of doing a frozen transfer vs a fresh transfer, of which we chose a frozen transfer. Dr. Goldstein wanted to be careful to avoid hyperstimulated ovaries. We froze 10 embryos, then did a transfer a month later during a natural cycle using a ovalution kit. She walked us through the process, and we liked how most of the IVF drugs would be out of my system for the transfer.

Our fees and costs were itemized: Doctor fees, medications, labs fees, egg retrieval, embryo creation, freezing, hatching, transfer

Dr. Goldstein has a strong preference for single embryo transfers given my age (35) and desire for one child. She said we can talk about 2 embryo transfers if we have trouble with implantation or carrying, at a later date if we choose.

SHE WAS GREAT BUT HER PATIENT LOAD THAT KAISER PUT ON THE FERTILITY DEPARTMENT PREVENTED HER FROM TAKING EXTRA TIME DURING PROCEDURES OR EXAMS TO SPEND EXTRA TIME WITH HER PATIENTS. SHE TOOK EXTRA TIME TO ANSWER QUESTIONS DURING THE CONSULTATIONS AND TO GO OVER TEST RESULTS.

SHE WILL DO HER BEST TO HELP YOU MEDICALLY TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL PREGNANCY AS WELL AS BEING HONEST WITH YOU WHEN THERE IS NO CHANCE AS WITNESSED WITH MY WIFE'S INFERTILITY.

EVERY UNSUCCESSFUL IUI SHE WOULD ADD/CHANGE MEDICATION AND TEST STRATEGIES TO HELP GIVE IT THE BEST CHANCE POSSIBLE EACH TIME. WE WERE USING DONOR SPERM FROM THE CALIFORNIA CRYOBANK, SOMETIMES IT IS MORE SUCCESSFUL WITH IUI'S USING LIVE SPERM.

EACH CYCLE ENDED UP BEING ABOUT $1450.00. ~ 5 VISITS $40 COPAY, $250 FOR MEDS & $1000 FOR SPERM. SO FOR 5 CYCLES IT WAS APPROX $7250. NOT COUNTING THE TIME OFF WORK AND THE GAS DRIVING TO THE KAISER FACILITY ON SUNSET FOR EVERY APPOINTMENT.

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