Geraldine Ekpo

After moving to San Francisco from Europe I was so new to the US health system and I was scared to trust any fertility doctor. I didn't know where to go but having read good reviews about Doc Ekpo online, we decided to give it a try. We ended up spending 20 months under her care. During the first visit, I explained my situation, already assessed in Europe (Premature Ovarian Failure) and that our first IVF didn't produce a single embryo to transfer. I told her that many doctors in UK recommended me to go for donor eggs. She carefully listened and set up 2 treatments with my own eggs we could discuss. Unfortunately after a couple of ultrasounds it turned I had a polyp so before doing any ivf we had to remove it. I was operated by Doc Ekpo herself at CPMC some months after. She was excellent in her job (removed 2 polyps), no post operational issues, pains or bleeding, and very sweet looking after me and my worries. Our journey was just started though. We started a treatment and were ready to transfer in mid Sept but she went on maternity leave. The treatment seemed to work better than the one I had in London and I produced 2 eggs of which only one resulted in 1 embryo. Doc Smikle transferred it but it didn't work. After some months, Doc Ekpo was back to work and we tried again the treatment. This time 3 eggs and 2 embryos. We were so happy but during the transfer she realized that there was a "false passage" in my uterus that was sending the catheter the wrong way. So she honestly told me she would make a disservice as a doctor if she used that false passage for the embryos. She asked me to be still more patient as we needed to do another diagnostic test, something similar to a hysterosalpinogram (don't remember) and with that Doc Ekpo managed to assess carefully my situation for the next transfer. We transferred 2 frozen embryos in late January 2019, but again it didn't work. I started to feel very sad and hopeless at that time (4 failed ivf in total since 2017). We had a very honest chat where she told me that my case was a bit of a lottery, and that we knew we were doing the right treatment but my number will always be quite low doing to my amh at 0.4 (I'm 36). Being the numbers low, we were never able to reach the blasto stage at the lab because it was safer to transfer the embryos after 1-2 days. So we were never able to test the quality of the embryos. She started mentioning donor eggs, we also have discussed it when we first met, and went a lot into detail, explaining us how it works, the chances, the procedures. I took 5 months break from IVF to enjoy life and think about donor egg. We then made up our mind and tried it. We bought 8 eggs of which, 6 thawed well and 4 fertilized. 2 were transferred and one is still inside me, after 21 weeks :). Still I had to face the scare of a subchorionic haematoma during week 6 and 7, while we were still under Doc Ekpo's care. I had two very scary episodes of bleeding. We were supposed to travel overseas around that time and she strongly recommended not doing it. We listened to her advice and continued being visited every week (!) by Doc Ekpo until the haematoma luckily resolved and she happily told us: "my job is now done, I wish you all the best"! I can't be more thankful to have met her, not only because we managed to get pregnant but because she was always a professional and kind human being, really caring about our case through all the 18 months we spent under her care. After some months of being with her, mostly after the polyps operation, I really started to trust her advice and recommendations, they were genuine and professional.

As every doctor, she may seem quite cold at the beginning, but she actually is a professional and wants to listen carefully to assess your case. She's been very good managing my situation and after the first 2/3 appointments she started showing her genuine care and empathy.

I have explained it some paragraphs before!

I was lucky to be under Progyny fertility insurance so they were the ones dealing with it.

Due to the poor numbers (with amh 0.4) we've never been able to reach the blastocyst stage, so we had to put the embryos back soon after the retrieval. She has always recommended a 2 embryo transfer.

I am about to start my first transfer cycle with Dr. Ekpo, and I feel really well prepared. She was willing to hear end answer all my questions - I never felt rushed or dismissed. She was also very candid about the risks and potential outcomes, while maintaining a positive outlook.

Embrace her candor as a positive. If you want to be an informed patient, great - because she probably won't sugar coat things.

Prep for a Donor FET Cycle: oral estradiol, PIO injections 6 days before transfer depending on lining thickness. Mock transfer cycle to take place before actual transfer. As this is my first cycle, she's starting from the basics - nothing out of the box yet. No outcomes to share yet, but she estimated I have a 40-50% chance of success on this cycle.

Costs are very transparent! Total costs for my upcoming FET Cycle will be $3590, plus $550 for MET, plus meds. They recommend that patients plan on $250-600 for medication.

She recommends a single transfer to avoid twin pregnancy. She was pretty firm about this because I and my egg donor are both quite young - but didn't make me feel judged for asking about multiple transfers

Dr. Ekpo always went over my options with me. She answered all my questions and went over my concerns. I never had to wait long to see her. Dr. Ekpo spent an appropriate amount of time with me at each appointment.

Nothing- she is a great Doctor. Although I did not get pregnant with my IUI or my 3 rounds of transfer I would still recommend her. I would not have left Laurel, but United Healthcare ended the contract with Laurel. I think best thing to do for choosing any clinic, is get referrals AND check SART reports. Ask the Doctors at the clinics to go over theirs with you.

We did 1 IUI just to see. We went more aggressive afterwards. Secondary infertility is quite challenging. I had 1 egg retrieval and got 9 eggs. 6 became 5 day blastocysts. I had 3 failed embryo transfers. Our last talk, Dr. Ekpo said she would change the medications and protocol. All 3 were antagonist protocols.Dr. Ekpo highly recommend PGS. I was not told the correct billing information on that, so we decided against it. The embryologists said it was okay. Who knows.... I say to also ask for embryo grades. I never go them, wish I had.

Paid 20% of all appointments and procedures. Paid $100.00 a month for storing frozen embryos. We paid about $6,000 in total. Our insurance covers up to $10k for fertility treatments

None.

Dr. Ekpo was very thoughtful, considerate and supportive through my IVF procedures. She was very hands on with me. I would encourage others to work with her even though my two egg retrievals were unsuccessful.

Ask as many questions as possible, to ensure you are comfortable with everything.

I don’t remember the exact dosages I took but I I remember using injectable hormones - Menopur, Pregnyl, Gonal F and Ganirelix.

It was an efficient, well-oiled operation.

I was lucky that majority of the cost was covered by my insurance.

Dr. Ekpo was comfortable with transferring up to 2 to 3 embryos because of my age.

At first I really liked Dr. Ekpo. She was blunt but kind, and seemed knowledgeable about the the entire fertility field. My ultimate dislike and distrust came after my 2nd and 3rd IUI with Laurel Fertility. One thing off the bat, the online calendar and app is just terrible. Very difficult to access and with all the medications and timing needs, this was frustrating. My first cycle they measured my lining at around 3.5 mm, but still went forward with the IUI. At the time, I just put my blind trust in the doctors and figured they would do what they thought would be most successful-NOT TRUE. Any other Dr. will tell you that you want your lining to get to 8mm to have a decent shot at pregnancy, and I wasn't even halfway there. I feel it was morally irresponsible for them to perform 3 IUI's on me when my lining was less than 5 each time. Also, my cycles required LOTS of monitoring ultrasound appts, and at $490 per appt, this became ridiculously expensive. These utlrasound appts were 5-10 minutes, for $490!!! insane. They didn't make any attempts to get my insurance to cover it as a diagnostic tool, so I had to pay out of pocket for everything. Dr. Ekpo also straight up lied to me about a certain procedure which is what ultimately makes me feel I would NEVER recommend anyone go there. She told me there was no way to do a HSG dye test in the same cycle as an IUI, and it just isn't true. Many other doctors do this and I believe the only reason she told me I couldn't was to get more money and more visits out of me.

Do your research and don't go with a private clinic because you think you'll receive better care, it just isn't true.

Each IUI cycle I was on Letrazole, with lots of monitoring ultrasounds to see how my follicles and uterine lining were developing. The first two were about the same-letrazole, trigger shot, IUI. The third one they added estrogen injections mid cycle to try and boost my lining since I never got past 4mm with previous two cycles, then another trigger shot and another failed IUI. I wasn't given any other alternatives except for IVF which they began pushing on me after the first failed IUI.

$490 PER ULTRASOUND! And during all my cycles with Dr. Ekpo, I needed 4-6 ultrasounds before the IUI. It was absurdly expensive. Around 2k for the actual IUI, and several hundred dollars for medications. My bloodwork was covered by insurance.

She was great and very patient. The one thing I was very pleased with her was on the medications. She explained to me that they will make me a little bit emotional. She was so correct, I came into the office a few times crying She comfort me told me not to worry it was just the medication. She also talk to my husband and explain to him the whole process for more understanding which was great I really appreciated that

You always wanna Doctor Who is willing to explain the process , this process can be very emotional and she’s the type of doctor that shows true compassion in her job.

Pregnyl 10,000 IU Follistim AD 600 IU- Leuprolide Progesterone in sesame oil 50 mg

around 9,000.00

Pros: Very thorough, knowledgeable, articulate, and has a good bedside manner. Explains concepts very well. I never feel rushed ever. She makes sure all of my questions are answered. Cons: In the very beginning, we felt a little in the dark about all of the steps in the process and the time everything would take, before we proactively asked.

There's a LOT of information when it comes to IVF. Do your research and ask lots of questions. Make sure to double check all matters pertaining to insurance yourself.

We paid $2k for PGS through a 3rd party provider and just a few hundred dollars for medications not covered fully by insurance. Other than this, all costs were covered by insurance.

My husband and I are so incredibly grateful we found Dr. Geraldine Ekpo and her team. Dr. Ekpo was extremely understanding, patient and up beat throughout a process that otherwise would have been very unpleasant. She always clearly explained every single procedure, listed to our concerns and questions as well as took our input and always made us feel as if we were part of the decision making process. Dr. Ekpo is very knowledgeable about IVF and genetic testing.

No advice, you will love her.

I did an IVF procedure with mine and my husbands day 5 embryos, we transferred 2 and now I am 10 weeks pregnant with 1 baby girl. I will continue to take endometrium and estradiol until the end of my 1st trimester.

I have medical insurance, that cover fertility treatment and drugs, however I believe I spent ~$6,500 out of pocket, which includes copays, vitamins, blood tests, fertility drugs, embryo freezing and a service to administer shots.

Doctor had a preference to transfer 1 embryo due to my age and family history of twins but allowed me to make the final decision. I transferred 2 embryos.

Dr Ekpo is so smart and gracious and beautiful, I can't recommend her enough. I never felt bullied or uncomfortable (which is how I felt with my first fertility doctor). Dr. Ekpo always went over my options with me and we made decisions together, she always made me feel comfortable/reassured. I never had to wait long to see her, she wouldn't rush me out and always spent an appropriate amount of time with me. She would see me on the weekend when necessary and give me a heads up on who would be her coverage if she was going to be away.

Go see her.

I have PCOS - irregular/no periods - I went through several unsuccessful cycles of IUI using Letrozole and Ovidrel. Then we added Gonal-F in with an increased dosage of Letrozole but it made too many follicles so we switched mid-cycle to IVF and I had to add more Gonal F and Ganirelix and HCG. Then I had my egg retrieval. Then I was on Estrace and Endometrin before my transfer through 8 weeks into my pregnancy then kept taking the Endometrin up until 10 weeks pregnant.

I only paid co-pays for my visits, everything else went through insurance.

I chose to transfer 1 embryo and she did not advise differently.

Dr. Ekpo performed all of my procedures, and we went through the process slow and steady, step-by-step together. She recommended a holistic and comprehensive treatment that involved supplements, dietary adjustments and acupuncture. Throughout the process, I felt like I was getting the best care possible.

She knows the science and latest research and you will be in good hands. She is straightforward, thorough, and comprehensive.

We went directly to IVF, due to my diagnosis and hormone levels. I was on a cocktail of Gonal F, Menopur and Lupron. I was also on a number of supplements plus estrogen followed by progesterone. And, there were some dietary restrictions and acupuncture recommendations.

I went in for monitoring according to my schedule and the process was quick and efficient. Dr. Ekpo handled all of my monitoring and ultrasounds, and we debriefed after each appointment. My meetings with Dr. Ekpo were followed with check-ins with the nurses about the protocol/medicines/etc. and then someone would call me with the blood test results. Everything was very well-organized.

I think the all-inclusive number was around 15K - but insurance ended up covering the majority of the cost.

Yes - Dr. Ekpo strongly recommended a single embryo transfer approach for my first transfer.

Dr. Ekpo is incredibly knowledgeable. She went through what my partner and I were dealing with, and was very thorough. She answered each message and call directly, and never hesitated to offer more information.

Dr. Ekpo is not going to give you sunshine and roses if it's unrealistic. She's thorough, but she's going to back up her claims with science.

IUI with Letrozole, with an Ovidrel trigger. Negative pregnancy test, but this was to be expected with our diagnosis. IUI was basically a required step for our insurance to cover IVF, so we did not expect a pregnancy.

Simply the office visit co-pays and prescription co-pays. For an IUI, that was about $80.

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She was very warm from the first visit she was optimistic. She explained everything she always made herself available via phone or email. I cannot express enough how amazing she is. She felt more like a friend of the family then my doctor. Amazing bedside manner. If we have to go this route for the next baby I hope to use her again.

My experience as a patient was delightful. Dr. Epko was kind and honest. I went through three cycles, but she always had a different plan. Unfortunately, Dr. Ekpo left to a different clinic before my transfer.

Dr. Ekpo is no longer with Laurel Fertility but I would say that she was an amazing doctor.

1st Cycle Birth control pills Gonal 300 IU Menopur 75 IU DAILY Cetrotide kit days Pregnyl 10,000 IU 2nd Cycle Lupron 10 IU Dexamethasone 1 mg Gonal 300 IU Menopur 150 IU Novarel 10,000 IU 3rd Cycle Birth Control Pills Lupron 10 units Dexamethasone 1mg Gonal 225 IU Menopur 225 IU Pregnyl 20,000 IU

I had Progyny and it covered for 2 and half cycles. I had to pay a little over 11,000 out of pocket because I had a total of 3 cycles.

Dr. Ekpo was going to multiple embryo becauseof my age, but my embryo quality was poor so we did not have that option.

Doctor was very straightforward with your treatment. She won’t sugar coat anything and is very direct with her expectations. Nurses weren’t as knowledgeable as her but if we needed an answer, the doctor always made sure we were taken care of.

Don’t expect the soft and over friendly doctor. Be prepared for straight answers based on your specific situation.

Iui was very basic and had a sperm sample 3 times and had 3 separate iui placements. We used letrozole and the trigger shot to help time the iui transfer. IVF was a common stims injection protocol and egg retrieval was as expected. We had leftover day 5 embryos but didn’t succeed with 2 first two. Next protocol will include 2 day 5 embryos transfer.

$800 per iui cycle. $10,000 for ivf and egg retrieval and around $3000 for each transfer.

We were given the option each time 1 vs 2 but they gave us their recommendations off the bat. After failing 2 single transfers, we are planning a double embryo transfer next.

Dr. Ekpo. She and their nurse Donna are the ones who took care of me. They are attentive and always listened to any of my concern/ questions. Mostly they get back at my phone calls and emails on the same day. They also have an online patient portal where you can communicate to them, see all your lab test results, instructions, documents, and messages from the staff. During our first consultation Dr. Ekpo took her time listening to my situation, laid out a plan and suggested HSG procedure, lab tests, and semen analysis. Luckily after HSG procedure I finally conceive . I Highly recommend them to anyone who wants to be treated with care and professionalism. THANK YOU DR. EKPO, nurse Donna, and to LAUREL FERTILITY CLINIC modesto/ san francisco for all your help. Me and my husband appreciates everything you guys did for us

You will be treated with care

She recommended Hsg procedure, lab tests, semen analysis, the results were successful

Dr. Ekpo is compassionate, direct, caring, and understanding. I saw her every visit and she was usually on time. She gave her professional and personal opinion. She was helpful with decision-making. I would have liked more communication on why certain issues came up and how best to maneuver them for next time.

Gonal F, Menopur, Metformin for egg retrieval. Stims protocol for FET after estrogen priming did not work (2 cancelled transfers).

$18,000 for IVF, PGS, ICSI, FET

Originally she agreed that a single would be best, but after 2 cancelled transfers when we mentioned transferring 2, she said that makes the most sense with 3 day embryos.

I decided to leave behind my frustrations and anger with Laurel Fertility back in 2019 when I received their treatments. But now that I received a collections bill for nearly $400 a year and a half later, I am beyond pissed. I too have received no letter in the mail, and no notification in my email or portal of an outstanding balance before it went to collections. I called their office several times trying to get in touch with someone who could explain the bill to me, with no avail. Sadly this is just a further reflection of a clinic that's clearly in disarray. Back in mid-2019, feeling desperate after trying for a couple years and getting a recommendation from a friend, my husband and I got in touch with Laurel Fertility. Dr Ekpo made us feel very comfortable, and the pricing felt reasonable. After a few tests and an ultrasound, she diagnosed my situation as "unexplained infertility". We opted for the IUI treatment and went through the process. A few days after the procedure, I came down with very concerning symptoms. I felt extremely faint, and had diarrhea and heavy cramping. I called Laurel fertility to alert them of these symptoms. They didn't put my concerns at bay, or care to explain what was happening to me. They just told me very impatiently to see if the symptoms go away after a few days. It was through an emergency appointment with my primary doctor where she explained that the symptoms are likely a swollen cyst from the clomid treatment. If the symptoms persist and get worse, it could mean a fatal ruptured cyst. At this point I felt very neglected and angry that Laurel fertility did not provide me with the information and care I needed. Thankfully I recovered, and was hopeful that the treatment would result in a pregnancy. But that window came and passed. I never received a call from Laurel Fertility about how I was managing after my symptoms scare, no less inquire if the treatment was successful or not. Back to the diagnosis of "unexplained fertility" I received- some months later I'm referred to a wonderful gynecologist named Dr. Mona Orady. Five minutes into my ultrasound she suspected I had severe endometriosis which was the explanation to my infertility. I had surgery to remove the endometriosis, and am now 25 weeks pregnant! I'm delighted that I finally found the answer, but this should have been with Laurel Fertility. I have experienced neglect, mis-diagnosis, poor treatment, and a shady $400 mystery bill from collections. I never bother to write negative reviews, but for a business that has this type of emotional component and medical responsibility, I implore you to take your business elsewhere and save yourself the anguish.

The cost was reasonable and we paid upfront, but then received a $400 bill from collections a year and a half later, with no notification from the clinic that we had an outstanding balance.

It was overall quite positive - though I've only seen her once so far, I would prefer to see her than another doctor I went to because she was more compassionate and caring about my circumstances. She took the time to answer the questions and was thorough in my review.

Be prepared to ask all the questions you have and have a good understanding of procedures you've already done.

So far, we're just getting a HSG test to make sure the tubes are open. Then, potential clomid rounds to make sure ovulation is happening.

Only $35 copay so far

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Dr. Ekpo was wonderful very helpful, sweet and attentive. I was able to see her on all my visits which was wonderful she explained each situation and always responded to any questions I had through patient portal and every step of the way.

Always ask questions.

$14,000 as insurance paid some