Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
2019 - 2020, Successful
10
10
Dr. Jonathan Kort's exceptional care from the initial consultation to egg retrieval...He called me the evening before my appointment just to check in with me about how I was feeling...explaining every single part of IVF to us—even going so far as to draw scientific diagrams on a whiteboard...For both egg retrievals, I was on around 450 units of Gonal F...I had 40 eggs total (from two egg retrievals), 37 of which were mature, 34 were fertilized, and 12 made it to the blastocyst stage.
The nursing staff at RMA is just incredible. From doing quick and painless blood draws to providing clear explanations and demonstrations of preparing and administering injections...My insurance covered nearly everything except for egg freezing, ICSI, and genetic testing. We paid about $10k out of pocket for each retrieval...you will always get to speak to an actual person—same day...They use an app called Spruce to communicate
How was your experience with Jonathan Kort at RMA of Northern California?
I have nothing but the highest praise for Dr. Kort. From the minute my husband and I walked into his office, we knew we were in the most capable hands. Dr. Kort spent so much time, more than should be expected of a doctor, explaining every single part of IVF to us—even going so far as to draw scientific diagrams on a whiteboard, which my husband (a scientist) appreciated. He personally called me several times throughout IVF just to ask me how I was feeling. He was available to directly to every single day, either through phone call or text. It actually made me worry about his work/life balance—I've never met anyone so completely dedicated to his work. One of the things I appreciated most about him was that he listens to and believes women about their experiences; when I told him my fears about pain and trauma from all the parts of IVF (the needles, the egg retrieval, the HSG test, etc.) he listened with compassion and ensured I wouldn't ever be too uncomfortable—and I wasn't! I had a relatively pain-free IVF if you can believe it. He was there for us, really and truly there for us, every step of the way, from consultation to the creation of our embryos, and the eternal wait for the results from the genetic testing of our embryos. We ended up getting over 40 eggs, 3 of which turned into healthy high-grade embryos that are now frozen for implantation post-pandemic. We can't wait to continue our parenthood journey with Dr. Kort once it's safe again.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Jonathan Kort at RMA of Northern California?
Know you are in the best hands possible. Trust, relax, and rejoice about the path you're about to embark on. IVF doesn't have to be scary and stressful.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Jonathan Kort at RMA of Northern California?
I have nothing but the high enough praise for Dr. Kort's exceptional care from the initial consultation to egg retrieval. Of the many wonderful anecdotes I have to share, one stands out in my mind—I had heard that the HSG test was horrifically painful and so was terrified to have the procedure, which Dr. Kort knew. He called me the evening before my appointment just to check in with me about how I was feeling and assure me that if I was in pain at any point during the procedure, we would stop and find another way forward. That call helped me to trust him and dispel my anxiety. Despite my blocked tubes, the HSG ended up not being that painful because he was very gentle and quick during the procedure.
Describe the protocols Jonathan Kort used in your cycles at RMA of Northern California and their degree of success.
For both egg retrievals, I was on around 450 units of Gonal F, 20 units of low dose HCG and 1 vial of Centrotide for around 9 days before my trigger shot, which was Lupron both times. We used ICSI to inject sperm into the eggs. I had 40 eggs total (from two egg retrievals), 37 of which were mature, 34 were fertilized, and 12 made it to the blastocyst stage. Of those, we ended up with 3 healthy (determined by genetic testing) high-grade embryos to freeze for implantation. I'm very happy with these results!
Describe your experience with your nurse at RMA of Northern California. (Assigned nurse: Luciana Svilpa)
The nursing staff at RMA is just incredible. From doing quick and painless blood draws to providing clear explanations and demonstrations of preparing and administering injections, the level of communication, attention, and care was outstanding. During my HSG test, one nurse held my hand throughout, keeping my attention directed at her rather than on the uncomfortable procedure, distracting me with light conversation. She was an angel.
Describe your experience with RMA of Northern California.
RMA Northern California is a state of the art clinic with world-class doctors and staff. They are highly communicative—you will always get to speak to an actual person—same day. They took care of dealing with my insurance, which was a huge relief, and were completely transparent about billing. There were no hidden fees or financial surprises afterward. They have plenty of nurses so wait times are never too bad, and very flexible hours to accommodate work schedules. They use an app called Spruce to communicate, which was one of the things I loved the most about being an RMA patient. Any question, no matter how small, is answered right away.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at RMA of Northern California.
Monitoring appointments at RMA were an efficient well-oiled machine—easy in, easy out.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Jonathan Kort at RMA of Northern California.
My insurance covered nearly everything except for egg freezing, ICSI, and genetic testing. We paid about $10k out of pocket for each retrieval.
Describe Jonathan Kort's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of Northern California.
I have not had embryo transfer yet; it was canceled due to COVID-19.