Dr. Bush did a great job of explaining all of our options up front. He told us what he recommended but that we didn’t have to do what he recommended in the order he recommended it. He let us choose which route would be best for ourselves emotionally and financially. He answered all of my questions during our consultation appointment. We felt like he genuinely wanted us to get our baby.
[Conceptions Reproductive Associates] Strengths: easy to contact, easy to get an appointment, very accommodating for working schedules, super friendly and compassionate nursing staff, very knowledgeable embryologists, really helpful IVF class that got us ready to dive into IVF. Weaknesses: honestly the only weakness I can come up with would be Dr. Bush’s blunt and clinical nature-I can see how that would be off putting to some people. We were successful on our first round of IVF, which I know isn’t always the case, so we were overly thrilled with our experience.
How was your experience with Mark Bush at Conceptions Reproductive Associates?
Dr. Bush was prompt and efficient. When we first met with Dr. Bush we had already gone through 3.5 years of trying on our own and a year of Clomid and other measures with my OBGYN. Dr. Bush reviewed all of our screenings and tests before our initial consultation so we felt like our time wasn’t wasted. He was very clinical and frankly quite blunt but we actually appreciated that approach. We weren’t looking for someone to beat around the bush at this point. Dr. Bush was very confident that despite a diagnosis of unexplained infertility he would get us a baby of our own. He was very proud of his clinic. The initial impression definitely came off a touch cocky, honestly. But we were glad to know we were with a doctor who was very confident in his practice. In our consultation appointment, I came with a full list of questions and he actually took the page from me and went down and specifically answered every single question. We felt very confident in his ability to treat our case. We felt like he genuinely wanted us to be successful.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Mark Bush at Conceptions Reproductive Associates?
Don’t be turned off by his clinical nature. Despite a blunt delivery, he truly cares about his patients’ success.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Mark Bush at Conceptions Reproductive Associates?
Dr. Bush did a great job of explaining all of our options up front. He told us what he recommended but that we didn’t have to do what he recommended in the order he recommended it. He let us choose which route would be best for ourselves emotionally and financially. He answered all of my questions during our consultation appointment. We felt like he genuinely wanted us to get our baby.
Describe the protocols Mark Bush used in your cycles at Conceptions Reproductive Associates and their degree of success.
Dr. Bush recommended going straight to IVF. Due to insurance and financial matters, we opted to try IUI first. We did three rounds of IUI. I honestly don’t remember our IUI procedure other than doing a trigger shot 24 hours before the IUI.
We moved on to IVF after 3 unsuccessful IUIs. IVF protocol started with birth control. Due to my chronic hypertension, I can’t birth control pills so I requested an alternative option. I was able to use NuvaRing instead of the pill prior to egg retrieval and transfer. I did 9 days of stimulation prior to egg retrieval. I took Menopur, Omnitrope, and Gonal-F every day. I was also taking synthroid and vitamin because some test results showed I had low thyroid and vitamin d levels. I took a trigger shot before egg retrieval. They retrieved 18 eggs, 10 were mature, and 5 were successfully fertilized using ICSI. By day 5 only 3 were ready for freezing. We did PGT-A testing and 2 came back normal.
After retrieval I had a trial embryo transfer and hysteroscopy. The TET went very well but the hysteroscopy showed that I had several uterine polyps that would have to be removed before transfer. I chose to have this done with my OBGYN because of insurance/financial reasons. After polyps were removed we were cleared for transfer. Then COVID-19 happened and our clinic was forced to shut down which canceled our transfer. We were able to get rescheduled 2 months later when the clinic reopened. I did a normal transfer protocol plus omnitrope. I asked about intralipid infusions but Dr. Bush said he didn’t think it was necessary. I heeded his recommendation here and we did not do the infusions. I did do acupuncture for three weeks leading up to transfer, immediately before and after transfer and for three weeks following transfer. Our embryo went through thawing and assisted hatching before transfer. Our transfer was successful and I gave birth to our healthy baby boy in February 2021!
Describe your experience with your nurse at Conceptions Reproductive Associates. (Assigned nurse: Veronica (IVF) and Jessica (Transfer))
I can’t sing enough praises for Veronica and Jessica and the other nursing staff at Conceptions. Veronica and Jessica both were exceptional communicators. They answered my millions of emails promptly and with compassion. Veronica and explained all of the medications and when to take them very well. Jessica even showed us exactly where to do the PIO shots. The phlebotomist at the Lone Tree location was so sweet and I felt like she was as invested in this journey as I was. The phlebotomist at the Littleton location could be a little chatty and sometimes shared too much.
Veronica and Jessica are on our favorite people list.
Describe your experience with Conceptions Reproductive Associates.
Strengths: easy to contact, easy to get an appointment, very accommodating for working schedules, super friendly and compassionate nursing staff, very knowledgeable embryologists, really helpful IVF class that got us ready to dive into IVF.
Weaknesses: honestly the only weakness I can come up with would be Dr. Bush’s blunt and clinical nature-I can see how that would be off putting to some people.
We were successful on our first round of IVF, which I know isn’t always the case, so we were overly thrilled with our experience.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Conceptions Reproductive Associates.
I was able to make all of my monitoring appointments at the beginning of our egg retrieval calendar. All of the monitoring appointments had to be in the morning and I was able to get them scheduled before work which was helpful. I was in and out within 15 minutes and the ultrasound tech and phlebotomist were the sweetest!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Mark Bush at Conceptions Reproductive Associates.
Initial consultation: $450
Three IUI procedures: $3,600
One round of IVF cash pay: $17,388.50
This included monitoring, egg retrieval, ICSI fertilization, freezing, thawing, assisted hatching, and first transfer.
IVF coordination of care: $986.50
Anesthesia for egg retrieval: $400
IVF meds: $4,122
PHT-A testing: $1,500
Transfer meds: $1,353.54
Polyp removal surgery: $200
I don’t remember costs of acupuncture but I think it was around $2,000 for all sessions.
Describe Mark Bush's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Conceptions Reproductive Associates.
We agreed with Dr. Bush’s recommendation of transferring one embryo because he and his team showed pretty convincingly how their high rate of pregnancy could lead to a high rate of multiples. And we definitely were not trying for multiples.
What specific things went wrong at Conceptions Reproductive Associates?
- Failed to consider drug intolerance
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Conceptions Reproductive Associates.
Because of my chronic hypertension, I cannot take birth control pills. I had to ask for another birth control option.
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Clinic
Conceptions Reproductive Associates
Littleton