Nam Tran

When we first met with Dr. Tran for a consultation, he was very efficient but thorough. He explained our options in a straightforward manner. We received a lot of information that first visit, but we had a fairly clear sense of our path forward, though the question of timing was still a little hard to grasp. We were able to proceed with treatment relatively quickly, and I always felt like I was in good hands with Dr. Tran. I appreciated that I saw him on most visits and that he handled my procedures himself. We had one minor confusion when he told us he thought we could do a transfer before the end of the year, when really January was the actual outcome because of holiday closures, but while that felt frustrating at the time, I'm glad we did the transfer at a time when we could have full access to Dr. Tran and the clinic. On the day of the retrieval, he did a great job putting me at ease, joking about the music playing in the procedure room. We got some bad news after my retrieval - only 2 embryos made it to day 6 out of the original 18 - and Dr. Tran explained that it might be due to the quality of my eggs over the phone. I think that information would have been a little easier to take in person, but I appreciate that he was able to take the time to talk to us about it. While things sometimes felt like they moved quickly with Dr. Tran, I know he's a very experienced doctor with a great track record, so I feel grateful we were able to work with him.

Don't be afraid to ask questions if you have any. Dr. Tran will make time to answer them if he knows you have them.

My partner was diagnosed with male factor infertility before coming to Dr. Tran. We were told IVF with ICSI was our best option by the reproductive endocrinologist we had gotten testing with at Kaiser. Dr. Tran reviewed our results and agreed that IVF with ICSI was our best path forward. Because my results were all within standard range, he said our chances were relatively high, comparatively -- about 60% chance of conception per cycle. I was put on Menopur and Gonal-F to prepare for the retrieval, and we were able to stay the course without making changes to the protocol as the eggs were progressing as expected. I did the trigger injections 36 hours before the procedure, and came in for the retrieval, which resulted in 19 eggs, 18 of which made it to the embryo state. We used ICSI and they grew the embryos to day 6. Only two made it to day 6, both of which we chose to send for PGS testing. One came back as normal, the other was "inconclusive." We would have been allowed to either re-test the inconclusive embryo or transfer it without further testing. When the clinic reopened after the holidays, I went on birth control for about two weeks before starting medication (Letrozole then Medrol) to prepare for the transfer. I was not put on progesterone after bloodwork showed I had appropriate levels. I was given Valium to take the day of the transfer, and no further medication after that. I got a positive HCG result about two and half weeks after the transfer and am currently 14 weeks pregnant.

Dr. Tran strongly recommended single embryo transfer, and given my age and the risks, I was happy with this approach.

Dr. Tran was always honest about our odds of conceiving. He was hopeful that it could work, but didn't offer false hope which I appreciated. He was good at explaining what he was doing and why. He seemed to have a good balance between using evidence-based methods and a willingness to try something else when that didn't work. He is fairly technical and clinical, but I think that's what you want: someone precise and exacting. In the end, we trusted him and when he was optimistic that a second round could yield better results than our first, we agreed. And he was right! Our second round was successful.

Don't expect someone who is touchy-feely. Ask good questions, he's happy to explain things. Trust that his number one goal is to help you conceive and he'll do what he can to make that happen.

Round one: started with lupron then was on 150 menopur, 225 gonal f for 4 days, then 150 of each for 4 days, then 75 menopur/150 gonal f for 1 day. Produced 14 follicles, 9 embryos, all poor quality by day 3. Transferred the best 3 on day 3, resulted in a chemical pregnancy with nothing left to freeze. Round 2: started on Aygestin then was on 150 each menopur and gonal f for 8 days, then 75 menopur/150 gonal f for 3 days, then 75 of each for last day. Also took HGH throughout. Began cetrotide last 4 days. This time he also cultured our embryos differently. This time retrieved 10, had 9 embryos. 3 very good ones and a handful of ok ones. None made it to freeze. Transferred 3 on day three resulted in twins.

Dr. Tran felt strongly that we should transfer 3 based on my age and egg quality.

I absolutely loved Dr. Tran. He was super straightforward, answered all my questions and beyond, and performed all procedures skillfully. He was also very respectful of me and my partner at every opportunity. It is a pretty rare situation that I leave a serious conversation with a doctor feeling pretty good about everything - even if the answer isn't necessarily what i wanted - but somehow he managed to make that happen.

I spend a lot of my time dealing with healthcare advocacy for others, so Dr. Tran's bluntness was a big positive. But if that's not working for you, I would highly recommend Dr. Harris, who I think was my favorite for bedside manner out of all the doctors at Spring that I saw in brief.

I had failed multiple IUI cycles elsewhere already. Based on my ethnicity and a combination of PCOS and unexplained infertility, and with some other considerations (like limited sperm vials to work with) I was recommended an antagonist protocol for a freeze-all cycle and FET. We opted for PGS just because we could. We ended up having to adjust medications downwards because I was responding too well. Got more of everything than estimated - eggs, fertilized #, day 3, day 5/6. FET was a letrozole-assisted cycle and succeeded on the first try.

18k for stimulation/retrieval including icsi and pgs. around 4k for medications. 4500-5000 for FET. then $950 for saline sono and $450 for the last appointment to confirm pregnancy before graduating to my regular OB.

He had a VERY, very, very, very strong preference for eSET due to my age and PGS-tested AA grade embryos.

The proof is in the pudding. I'm a 42-year old woman, using my own eggs and husband's sperm, and am currently 20-weeks pregnant after a single embryo transfer! Dr. Tran is matter-of-fact and VERY data-based meaning he doesn't waste time with frivolous treatment without proven efficacy. After two failed transfers in LA, my doctor there had me going down rabbit holes. Not so with Dr. Tran! He reads all of the studies so you don't have to. At the same time Dr. Tran really, really cares about your outcomes. I have video of Dr. Tran in our first ultrasound, grinning from ear-to-ear. As we're all first laying eyes on our baby to be, Dr. Tran is ecstatically exclaiming "you've got a one good one!"

Don't be afraid to ask questions and be open to data-based answers. Like I said, he's not going to waste your time with un-substantiated rabbit holes.

The one key decision, which was different from my past (unsuccessful) transfers with my 1st doctor: unmedicated transfer cycle, using my own body's natural cycle to guide transfer timing. I believe that made all the difference in my outcome! That meant that the stuff I had to do before my other (unsuccessful) transfers - endometrial scratch, ERA testing, daily injections with progesterone treatments - were not necessary.

We chose eSET because of my risk factors: age and two previous ectopic pregnancies. That was absolutely the right thought process and decision!

Dr. Tran is an intelligent, competent doctor, but there's a lack of emotional IQ to balance his intellectual IQ. Infertility is an emotional journey, and we look to our doctors for support. Many times during my care I felt like he didn't have enough capacity for me, and he was taking on too many patients. In the worst of times, I felt abandoned by him as my doctor. He is present at appointments, but his time is rushed. Appointments have become difficult to schedule due to his split time between Redwood City and SF offices, and I have even had major procedures rescheduled last minute to accommodate his busy schedule.

Get to know your nurse, because Dr. Tran will not be available to you beyond your appointments. Be direct in your questions. Don't let yourself get rushed, or brushed off - speak up for yourself. You may need to ask questions multiple times to get the answer you need. Find a good therapist to help with the emotional stuff - you will need it.

I found Dr. Tran to be very conservative in his approach vs. other docs, which may be due to his background at UCSF (teaching hospital). He will not perform an ERA, or other new procedures, unless they have tons of data back them up. He won't order blood-tests or recommend aggressive treatments unless absolutely necessary. He isn't super proactive - which may be partially due to his lack of time. If you're looking for a doc that will be extremely thorough, and give you all the bells and whistles, he many not be the doc for you.

We had some insurance coverage, but about $46-50k for retrieval, $6k for transfer, $800 for meds

I wasn't given an option - single embryo transfers only

What I mostly appreciated about Dr. Tran was his willingness to listen and adjust the treatment as new information came in and we wanted a change in direction. I think there's a lot of ego in this field and his flexibility was refreshing. He is very keep on the mid-luteal protocol. At the beginning he was reluctant to share what approach he'd take, stating that he doesn't care what the protocol is called, but whether it is appropriate for us, but ultimately took the approach he seems to be known for. We experienced a setback with unusually high drop in embryos in the lab (b/n D3 and D5/6). He was upfront about how unexpected that result was and presented a solution, without throwing the stats based on my age in my face, which I appreciated. Ultimately, we didn't get to an embryo transfer with him. He very candidly shared his opinion that our embryos had a better chance in my uterus, which is what we came to realize, and showed that he had our interest at heart. This is not where the clinic makes money, so he won my full trust with this recommendation.

Be prepared with a list of questions to get the most out of your visits with Dr. Tran. We had most of our monitoring visits with him personally, but they're routine in nature and quick, so I found myself following up with the nurses with follow-up questions I didn't get to or didn't think of during the visits.

We had to IVF cycles with mid-luteal protocol, with moderate to low doses. I had 8-9 follicles at baseline, and given that there wasn't much potential beyond that, it was important for me to not get overly medicated (some other fertility doctors we consulted with in our research mentioned "aggressive" protocol, which was a big turnoff). Dr. Tran took a moderate approach and adjusted down given my good response in the first cycle. The meds were 225 IU Gonal-F and 150 IU Menopur. Great response initially - of 8 follicles we retrieved 8 mature eggs, 7 fertilized with ICSI. Second time less so - of 9 follicles, we retrieved 4 and only 2 mature eggs which were fertilized. "0" embryos at Day 5/6, however, and the whole reason we did IVF was the genetic test at D5/6 so we can minimize the risk miscarriage. The mid-luteal protocol didn't allow for a Day 3 transfer. Seems like our embryos can't make it beyond that in lab environment.

We went through insurance as we had some coverage (with a lifetime max). Still unsure of the total out-of-pocket costs for either cycle due to the messy billing. Dealing with the billing department at Spring was the most stressful and painful experience, an unwelcome one too given how taxing the IVF process already is. Inquires required multiple follow-ups before Spring would respond (sometimes 2-3 weeks later). They simple didn't address/ignored some direct questions. Last but not least, they said they'd do the billing in a certain way for our second cycle, but didn't do so despite the agreement we had reached on that. Super frustrating experience, and I am still entangled in this two months after treatment.

eSET was the considered approach but we didn't have a single embryo for transfer.

I have only ever seen Dr. Tram in person once, at my initial consult. My IUIs were done by different doctors, and all other information has been conveyed through nurses and my patient coordinator. However I feel like I’m getting the care I need, and if I move on to IVF, I believe I will see him more.

His primary focus is IVF, so if you are starting with IUI, you might not see him for many of your appointments. However he will still be involved in your care, and it’s easy to get answers to questions via your patient coordinator.

I am early 30s with good stats, and his strategy was 3 unmedicated IUIs, then (if no pregnancy) 3 medicated IUIs, then potentially move on to IVF. I have had three unsuccessful IUIs. I am now going to have an HSG test. I elected not to have one before beginning initial treatment, but now that I have had 3 unsuccessful IUIs, Dr. Tran thinks I should do one before beginning the more involved and expensive process of medicated IUIs. Depending on the results of the HSG test, I will either move on to the planned medicated cycles, or look at IVF.

Monitoring ultrasounds—$400 IUI— Around $800

From a scientific and IVF protocol I completely trust Dr. Tran and his decisions. He is very accurate in his assessments and his protocol is always adjusted and designed to fit my individual needs. He is straightforward and sets realistic expectations which is exactly what you need in this process so you are not giving an unrealistic sense of hope; with this approach it can lack a little bit of warmth in his messages but in the end you leave his office with a real sense of understanding for the future.

Be patient with the process and trust Dr. Trans decisions as he shares the same desired outcome.

I did two retrievals using Lupron, Gonal-F, Menopur, Cetrotide and Novarel. Both retrievals resulted in a desirable amount of eggs; my particular problem is in growing the embryos to day 5. The number of embroys drastically dropped during this time. First retrieval results in 2 embryos that both came back normal after genetic testing. The second retrieval resulted in 1 embryo that came back abnormal. I then did a FET immediately following the second retrieval that resulted in a healthy pregnancy. I did a second transfer Sept 2019 with the remaining embryo from first retrieval that did not result in a pregnancy. I am currently undergoing preparation for another retrieval.

The first two retrievals and transfer were covered by insurance. Second transfer was around $6,000 and current retrieval will be around $25,000

I agree with Dr. Tran's approach of eSET as I highly risk adverse to having multiple babies at my age.

I trusted that he was well educated and believe that he made decision in our treatment that he thought would result in the best outcome. I felt that he set our expectations for success once we moved on to IVF too high. Sometimes I would have to push him to make changes to my course of treatment after multiple failures because he did not believe changes were needed. I'm not a fan doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome.

If a doctor with a really good bedside manner is important to you, chose one of the other doctors at this clinic. Dr. Tran can be a little "cold", but that was not something that bothered me.

IUI cycle - $1,500 plus cost of meds IVF retrieval + PGS - $17,500 plus cost of meds Frozene Embryo Transfer - $4,500 plus cost of meds

Dr. Tran was very adamant about not transferring more than one embryo.

Dr. Tran is seriously smart and on the cutting edge. Creative yet evidence-based and doesn’t recommend a bunch of things you don’t need. He is a scientist and straightforward but compassionate, and has some good deadpan humor! He does explain things quickly so write down and bring your questions and don’t hesitate to send up a follow up question. I most appreciate that Dr. Tran is willing to keep working with poor prognosis patients—some clinics want to move on to donor eggs to boost their numbers but not the case here. We were initially devastated after our first two cycles led to no transferable embryos likely due to poor egg quality and me being a poor responder to meds. At that point he recommended proceeding with minimal stimulation ivf which worked really well for us and ended up giving us a better blast yield per cycle and ultimately leading to success for us. Not all clinics do mini IVF so I was grateful Spring offers this as other clinics would have either proceeded with full stim (high expense for low yield) or pushed donor eggs.

Write down your questions and don’t hesitate to send the team a follow up question!

1 letrozole flare 1 mid-luteal start 3 mini IVF with clomid and gonalF/menopur

Pricing is transparent and up front. Comparable to other clinics in the area. Mini IVF cycles can be packaged which makes the cost about 50% of a regular IVF cycle

They recommend eSET for PGS tested

I cannot say enough good things about Dr Tran and our treatment is still going. We are awaiting our FET having undergone an egg retrieval and PGS testing we have 6 healthy embryos waiting for us. He predicted we would have 3 but would do everything he could to make it more and he did just that. He did all of my ultrasounds, he was supportive and thorough and is clearly a leader in his field. I never questioned him because I had full faith he knew what he was doing and I was in the best hands possible.

Dr Tran has a dry sense of humour and is not the warm and cuddly type- he is a wildly clever doctor so don’t expect cuddles and a shoulder to cry on. He is fact driven, experienced and knows best so trust him. He was literally at the clinic every single time I went- 7am in the morning, Sunday’s, he was there. That’s what I want in a doctor.

I did 14 days of stims using menopur and cetrotide. I had 7 monitoring visits before my egg retrieval and after each visit my dosages were changed to suit my blood results.

So far we have paid $18,750 for egg retrieval, $4400 for meds, $900 for additional embryo biopsy, and I believe FET will be $4500. All up it will cost well over $30,000- more if our FET is unsuccessful.

I am yet to transfer but Dr Tran has said from the very beginning I will only be transferring one embryo. I am happy with this as I don’t want to put my body through any undue stress.

Dr Tran is not going to sit there and give you a cuddle, if you are looking for a doctor to look you in the eyes and tell you everything is ok- that is not Dr Tran. He is smart, fast and to the point and I absolutely appreciated that about him. He did every ultrasound I had, including first appointments of the day and on sundays. He must work 7 days a week, fertility and his work are clearly his passion and I felt so confident in his abilities at every step of the process.

Dr Tran will get you results, but don’t forget that this is a business and he’s a busy man. Expect the best service, honest answers and world class care.

Having done 4 unsuccessful IUIs with Kaiser and being very unimpressed with the care I received there, we moved to spring. I knew Dr Tran was our doctor and within 2 weeks of our first appointment I was starting injectables. I did a combination of menopur, gonal f and certitide for 13 days. My doses were adjusted each day depending on my daily ultrasound and blood results.

Egg retrieval- $18,500 Additional 2 embryo biopsy - $900 FET - $4500 Meds - $4400

I am yet to have my FET but have PGS rested embryos ready to go, our recommendation has been to transfer one embryo.

As we have only seen Dr. Tran for a consultation, I cannot speak to his care going through the IVF process. However, just based on our consultation, I know we have made the right choice. We came in fully knowing we want to do IVF after 12+ years of unexplained infertility and a previous pregnancy loss. He was thorough answering all of our questions and laying out the course of treatment as clearly as possible. Of course, things can change as you go through the cycle, and we are not quite there yet. Dr. Tran is after eggs of great quality that will create embryos of great quality. He expressed that he does not want us to go through more than one egg retrieval if we can help it. His goal is to help us get pregnant as soon as possible. I really do feel he has our best interest in mind.

I would say to have your questions ready, and know that he speaks very scientifically. I got the feeling that Spring clinic really nerds out on the science behind IVF, and I love that because it's not something I want to have to deal with! I'm more than happy to put my eggs in their hands so that they can create lab magic. Expect to hear a lot of statistics.

As we have not done a cycle yet (most likely will start in June), I can only speak to the protocol we have been given. I was so elated to learn that I will not take birth control to start my cycle, but will begin injections about 3-6 days after ovulation of the cycle before egg retrieval. I am to call on first day of my period, go in for an ultrasound, and then return once I have a positive ovulation test for another ultra sound. From there, my treatment protocol will be personalized.

Our consultation was paid for by insurance as we have some infertility coverage. I believe the appointment was around $400, plus additional lab fees for blood work. We received our workup for our IVF treatment, and it's around $18,000 for monitoring, egg retrieval, ICSI, assisted hatching, taking sample of cells for PSG and sending them off. Meds are estimated to be an additional $4000 and then the FET is estimated to be another $3500-5000. This does not include the actual cost of the genetic testing. I think that is another $3000-5000.

Dr. Tran's approach is single embryo transfer as often as possible. He did not mention multiple embryo transfer, so I'm sure if he does it, it's on a case by case basis. As someone who has lost twins, I appreciate that our transfer will be a single one.

Dr. Tran was warm, friendly and to the point. I really appreciated his ability to balance clear, candid and accurate information well also being super nice. He took the time to learn my goals, tailor the treatment, and set realistic expectations. My favorite part was that if my personal fertility goals had been different, he would have actually not recommended egg freezing. I love he was willing to turn away business if it wasn't in the best interest of his patient.

Nothing! You're in great hands at Spring. The whole experience is incredible with great customer service, support and facilities.

I elected to freeze my eggs for later use. I was given a tailored protocol of menopur, gonal, and later cetrotide. We used a lupron trigger to help avoid OHSS. Spring adjusted my dosages almost daily for the last half of my injects to help prevent OHSS (which they did!) and provided clear communication on their online portal about medications.

Progyny and my primary insurance handled all costs and billing. My out of pocket costs were minimal and covered by my yearly out of pocket maximum for all health coverage.

I had one of the worst experiences ever at Spring. The only time that I ever saw Dr. Tran was during my initial consultation which he only spent 15 minutes with my husband and me. You are simply a number to Dr. Tran, and he does not customize your plan or treatment in anyway. It is all handled by the nurse, Ursula. None of my ultrasounds or IUI's were performed by Dr. Tran, nor did he ever provide me with any information on any of the results from our previous unsuccessful rounds of IUI. Dr Tran is not compassionate, warm, and thoughtful in his practice of medicine. In addition, my sister in law was identified with stage 4 endometriosis which was not identified or communicated to her in the year that she was under the care of Dr. Tran. Due to our unsatisfactory experience, we have switched from Dr. Tran's care and have received much better, personalized care with new doctors.

Ask how involved he is with his patients and what his level of care of will be for your particular plan.

2 rounds of natural IUI as I had 2 successful pregnancies, 1 round of medicated IUI with Clomid. When I went to see my new doctor, she said that my lining was too thin on Clomid and that it would not have likely resulted in a positive pregnancy. Since he was not involved in my care and never reviewed my results, he was not able to make informed decisions and would have recommended another round of Clomid had I not switched doctors.

$850 for each round of natural IUI, $1500 for each round of medicated IUI

I worked with Dr. Tran to conceive my son via IUI when he was at a different practice. It happened on the first try. I remember being impressed with how realistic and almost sober he was about the expected outcome, but how precise he was with my treatment. And it worked - we got pregnant on our first IUI and had a healthy child. Three years later, after several failed IVF cycles at that same practice in an effort to conceive a second child, I learned that Dr. Tran had actually founded his own practice in the city. I switched and began working with him. We are still in progress with the first IVF cycle at Spring, transferring the embryos from my first retrieval. Unfortunately we have had two frozen transfers that have been unsuccessful so far. I do understand that I have egg quality issues due to age that are limiting my chances of success. However, my previous fertility doctor offered no new ideas after each failure and only suggested that we repeat the same thing over and over. I trust Dr. Tran more to guide us through the process, taking into account each setback and adjusting the approach accordingly. He is very precise and seems to pay attention to each small detail of my hormone levels and responses to different medication, more so than my other doctor. Plus I somehow feel like he is more invested in the success of my outcome. I trust him to do the very best for me.

Dr. Tran is very candid about what a patient can expect from treatment based on age and other contributing factors. His approach is kind but verges on being blunt. I actually appreciate it and prefer it to the vague politeness of my former doctor. However I can see how very sensitive patients who may be new to the process could potentially not respond as well.

In my successful IUI cycle with Dr. Tran, we used Clomid and a trigger shot injection (can't remember which). I remember thinking that the Clomid dose sounded high and questioning it with the nurse, but obviously it was the right dose because it produced a successful outcome. In my current IVF cycle with Dr. Tran, we used Aygestin, Gonal-F, Menopur and Cetrotide with a Novel trigger shot for the retrieval. We did not do a fresh transfer the first time because my progesterone levels were too high for a successful outcome. With the embryos from that retrieval we've done two frozen transfers with a protocol of birth control pills, Lupron and Vivelle patches. Unfortunately neither have been successful. We have one more embryo to transfer to finish out this cycle.

My IVF retrieval was approximately $12,000, and each transfer has been approximately $3750 (with a self-pay discount).

When we were with our former practice, we insisted on transferring one embryo at a time because we want to avoid twins. Dr. Tran on the other hand educated us up-front on the statistical probabilities of different outcomes for me. It helped my husband and I see that due to our ages, transferring single embryos is unlikely to result in a successful outcome. When explained in terms of the statistics, this helped us get more comfortable with transferring several embryos at one time.

Dr. Tran is an excellent clinician and scientist. He is well-informed in his craft, careful, and practices strong, evidence-based medicine. I trust him completely to get the best outcome for us, and I feel very secure that I'm getting the best treatment I can from him. I also think he is sensitive to patients' resources, and doesn't recommend a lot of extra bells and whistles if he doesn't think they're necessary. That said, he is lukewarm about newer treatments (ERA, HGH) because they don't have as much evidence behind them, and if you're looking for a kitchen-sink approach, he may not give you what you want (or he may only do so after you do some convincing of him yourself). He is not the strongest on bedside manner (which doesn't matter to me), but if you're looking for a warm-and-fuzzy doctor type, you might consider one of the other doctors at the practice. He is also incredibly busy, so don't expect him to spend a ton of time with you. That said, I felt like I got all the time I needed to have good care (just not one second more).

Go in to appointments with a list of questions ready. He will answer them, but you need to be prepared to know what you want out of the visit. I even went into monitoring appointments with a single question on a post-it so I could be ready to ask him as I was getting an ultrasound!

Dr. Tran started me with a mid-luteal start antagonist protocol, which he seems to really like, especially for DOR patients. This involves having a baseline 5 days after you ovulate, then you do a standard antagonist protocol (Gonal-F and Menopur, with Cetrotide added 5-7 days in). The rationale behind this protocol, as I understand it, is to catch the antral follicles before they start to develop at the beginning of your next cycle. I had expected results for my biology, and I am using the exact same protocol for my second cycle, but with a controlled start after a short course (10-day) of birth control.

Egg Cryo Cycle (2018 price) - $8,750; subsequent cycles are 10% off.

Dr. Tran strongly prefers a eSET for me, due to previous surgery on my cervix. He has encouraged us to do PGS testing and to transfer one embryo at a time, when we get there.

Dr. Tran is extremely experienced and well-respected. However, there are times when I didn't understand the drug protocol or certain choices he made and I felt like I had to really push him or the nurse to explain to me what the drugs were supposed to do, why I was being prescribed certain things, if there were risks or side effects with the drugs or procedures. It's important to be vocal with him in order to get questions answered.

Come to the appointment with a list of questions, be prepared to push to get your questions answered. He is respectful of questions but can come off as dismissive. This isn't personal, it's just his manner. He believes in evidence and facts, he isn't swayed by hearsay, paramedical advice and naturopathic solutions.

Prior to Spring, I had one live birth (10 yr old daughter) and two miscarriages (at approx 6 weeks). Spring put me through the normal regimen of tests and scans which revealed my right tube is blocked from an appendectomy when I was a teenager. Dr Tran's advice was to try IUI first. We did one IUI which resulted in a negative and another IUI was cancelled as I was ovulating on the side that was blocked. My husband and I decided to proceed more aggressively with IVF (I'm 39, he's 42). Our first retrieval was smooth, we got 6 mature eggs, all fertilized and grew to day 6. PGS, returned 3 normal embryos. We had the option to know the gender but decided not to find out. Dr Tran gave me a 70% chance of live birth. We did two FETs with one embryo each (Spring is firmly against transferring more than one Day 5 PGS tested embryo). Understandably, we were very very disappointed when both failed. One negative and one chemical pregnancy. I pressed Dr. Tran for answers. He didn't see any reason to change the FET protocol. I asked for an ERA, but he disagrees with this procedure. He offered to do an endometrium scratch, which I went through with but don't know that it helped much since the second FET also failed. With only one embryo left, we did some research and asked him to do another retrieval and FET at the same time (something they call a Switcheroo - not the medical term). We're currently heading into our second retrieval. He has prescribed Lupron, the Gonal F/Menopur and Omnitrope.

Retrieval is approximately $17,500 + $5,500 for medication. (Includes PGS testing). FET is approximately $4,500. IUI is approximately $1,500. Saline Ultrasound $950. HSG $900. Endometrium Scratch $300. Office visit $175 (if it's an additional visit)

Dr. Tran was very clear that multiple embryo transfer presents many risks and he'd prefer to only transfer one embryo. We agreed so we didn't ask for more specific information.

Dr Tran was very nice on the first visit. It went thoroughly with us on the treatment possibilities and we felt comfortable in proceeding with IUI treatments. He advised us for me to check the Fallopian tubes to check that was not a reason for infertility and also did an ultrasound to check that my uterus was well. The next time I saw him was during the Fallopian test, he was very kind and give me comfort knowing how uncomfortable and painful the test could be. The first IUI he wasn't available so his collegue performed the IUI, which he was nice, reassuring and careful. I am hoping to see Dr Tran on the next IUI.

Dr Tran was knowledgeable and honest on what to expect from the treatments and very nice to start with. However, if things go wrong as it happens to us, it seems like they have more patients than doctors in the clinic, so their follow up protocols lack in attention, so you have to make sure to follow up when you feel you need answers. Be prepared for the journey to be emotionally draining and don't expect emotional support from Spring.

IUI with Clomid. He decided to do IUI vs IVF as he thought it was a good point to start based on our history and the results from the blood and sperm test they run. The IUI was negative and I had a cyst , they told me that Clomid could produce cysts. I also didn't get my period for 2 months. I am in the middle of my 2nd IUI with Letrozole , which I suggested myself as to use something different from Clomid.

Initial Consultation $560 Blood test /Sperm $100 (with Insurance) Genetic test $1000 IUI $600/IUI Ultrasound $400/ ultrasound

I sought to do one round of egg retrieval/ cryopreservatuon because my insurance doesn’t cover and it is all I can afford. I am 41 years old and have one child who is 1 years old. I am not in a relationship but I want to preserve my fertility for the chance to have a biological child with someone down the road. I was upfront with Dr Tran about my expectations, which are low due to my age. He was honest without being patronizing (as I’d maybe expected?) and he was even optimistic given my healthy prior AMA pregnancy. It should be mentioned that spring’s financing plan is what drew me to the clinic; but once there and after meeting Dr Tran I was very confident I was at the right place.

I think his bedside manner speaks for itself. He is approachable and kind.

Dr Tran did a mid-luteal retrieval— I began injections midway into my cycle, so my body was in a suspended state of ovulation when he did the retrieval. As I understand it, this is a new protocol that was previously used in extreme cases (I.e., cancer patients) but has had great results. We did, in fact, get good numbers (10 mature eggs retrieved).

$15k over three years. Financing plan with 0%apr including freezing.

N/a

With my other healthcare professionals, I call him my favorite nerd. He goes into so much detail if you ask questions and explains everything we want to know. He gets excited about how the numbers progress and even has little jokes about what is going on. I really appreciate his approach and expertise in the area. From our first meeting, I knew he was the right doctor for us. He is so knowledgeable and easy to talk to. There aren't many doctors that we interviewed that make you feel comfortable in an IVF clinic. Dr. Tran does that. He just sits back and listens when he needs to and asks probing questions when necessary. When our transfer didn't work, he called to check in and was sympathetic to our needs at that time. He took the time on a Friday night to explain what our next choices were and what we could do vs. what he suggests we do. I feel very well taken care of with Dr. Tran.

Be honest with him. He will, without a second thought, tell you what he thinks. I really appreciate his honesty.

Dr. Tran is a big believer in "less is more". We had a low dose of Menopur and Gonal-f for our stim cycle. He worked with my teaching schedule to plan our retrieval during my Christmas break. I felt less sick during my IVF cycle than I did on some of my IUI cycles. He would rather get 10 really great mature eggs and have all of them make it to freeze than 20 eggs, and an uncomfortable, broke patient, with similar results. We had a little set back when we began our cycle, I had two cysts and he immediately said it would impact our numbers and he was right. We were originally expecting 14-16 at retrieval. He explained to me how the cysts would impact the cycle and asked me how I would like to proceed. I always let him make the decisions as he's the expert we want to control our cycle. He went along with our cycle and we had 12 follicles, 10 mature, 8 fertilized-freeze. We transferred one at day 5. We still have 7 frozen and are going through a "natural" transfer cycle again on my timelines for spring break. He's amazing!

$14,500 for IVF then a $1000 teacher discount. They handled our medication package which was $3700 since I respond well to meds through Alto so it gets delivered same day. Our current FET costs $3250 with a discount because our previous failed fresh transfer.

Dr Tran is one of the most brilliant doctors I have ever met. He is truly gifted in his area of care. I have several other friends who have seen him and none of us have had the same protocol, yet we have all been successful with him! He is up to date on all the latest advances, and truly treats every patient as an individual. He really assesses each persons situation and comes up with the best protocol to suit them. I always felt that he really cared about me.

He’s super direct, and you should appreciate that about him. He always gives it to you straight. Also, be super straight with him too.

We did a straight start with no priming or any kind. For a dor patient like me, he didn’t think priming was necessary, and he was right! I did a cycle at a different clinic with estrogen priming and max meds, and only got 2 embryos. With dr tran, he started me off with medium doses of follistim and menopur, and slowly reduced them as the cycle went on. I ended up with 9 eggs, but got 7 High quality blastocysts!

Honestly, I still haven’t received my final bill yet.

Dr Tran strongly suggested single embryo transfers, which we agreed was he best option. However, I ended up having 3 failed embryo transfers. I sought immune treatment and also requested to have 2 embryos transferred for my 4th transfer. Although Dr tran still advised us to do a single, he listened to us and went with our decision to do 2. We wanted to do 2 because of the cost and chance of higher success.

I first saw Dr. Tran when he was still practicing at UCSF and I was living in San Francisco. I went in to ask him if I had a fertility issue because I had had two miscarriages and was having very light periods. He assured me that I did not have recurrent pregnancy loss and that I had a lot of follicles so didn't have to worry about timing yet. I was subsequently diagnosed by another doctor in Dallas (where I moved to next) with Asherman's Syndrome (intrauterine scarring caused by a D&C after my first miscarriage). I flew back to San Francisco twice to have Dr. Tran perform hysteroscopies to remove the scarring. After I had my first child and was again diagnosed with Asherman's Syndrome (possibly recurring from a c-section or never fully resolved) and was living in DC at the time, I AGAIN went back to see Dr. Tran for yet another hysteroscopy because I love and trust him so much. I sometimes still wish I lived in San Francisco so I could go see him. He has also consulted with me over email and the phone about my thin uterine lining issues and saw me for an emergency ultrasound when I happened to be in San Francisco during my pregnancy and was having a lot of bleeding. He is my gold standard of doctoring. His office sent our family a holiday card and I put it up on my fridge because I like looking at him. He provided hope to me when a doctor in Dallas told me there was nothing he could do for me and I needed a gestational carrier (in a twist of fate, I am now pursuing the gestational carrier route for a second child!). I really cannot say enough good things about Dr. Tran.

If you don't understand what Dr. Tran is saying, ask him to repeat it or write it down. He actually made me a really cool diagram of what was going on once and I kept it for a long time. He's very patient so don't feel like you can't ask your questions.

I think I covered this previously. Dr. Tran has tried to help me over the years with my intrauterine scarring issues (Asherman's Syndrome) and my resulting abnormally thin lining issue. He performed three of the six total hysteroscopies that I have had to date. After the first three hysteroscopies (one from a doctor in Dallas and two from Dr. Tran), I actually conceived my first child (using a protocol set in place by another doctor). Dr. Tran was the doctor who said my lining looked good enough to try getting pregnant again and he was right because I did get pregnant on my first try using injectables and timed intercourse. For baby number two, I am pursuing a gestational carrier because after three more hysteroscopies (one of which was performed by Dr. Tran and two of which were performed by a doctor in New York) and two failed FETs, I am worn out by the whole process and my lining is both abnormally thin and fluid filled - both things that are hard to treat. Plus there are a number of other risk factors from the first pregnancy. In short, results are mixed because I had a successful pregnancy after two hysteroscopies plus estrogen therapy under Dr. Tran's care, BUT I am now pursuing a gestational carrier because I don't think anyone, including Dr. Tran, is able to fix my lining this time.

Most of my treatments with Dr. Tran were medical treatments covered by my insurance (as opposed to fertility treatments that are often capped or excluded). So the costs were not a big deal. I think my first two hysteroscopies with Dr. Tran were totally covered. My third one was out of network and I think I paid $1,000 for it.

I didn't see Dr. Tran for this issue, but I can tell you that he is pro eSET. My successful pregnancy was a triplet pregnancy resulting from taking injectables plus doing timed intercourse. It was a dichorionic triamniotic triplet pregnancy (identical twins sharing a placenta and a singleton) and Dr. Tran very strongly counseled me to have a multi-fetal pregnancy reduction of the identical twins due to the risks of multiples and particularly multiples in this configuration. So I cannot imagine him promoting multiples! Obviously these questions depend on age and quality of the embryos, but I'm pretty sure he would encourage singletons.