How was your experience with Pasquale Patrizio at Yale University?
Dr. Patrizio is friendly and easy to talk to and will be straight forward. He tells you what he thinks the best course of action is, but will let you make your own decisions. For instance, he clearly laid out why we should only transfer one embryo, but let us make the final decision. He did not perform my IUIs, but he was adamant that he would be the one to perform the egg transfer as he says that is the most important part. The one thing I did not like was that I felt like he gave us false confidence with the IUIs. Because I have unexplained infertility, he was very sure that an IUI would work and when it didn't, I was even more devastated. In the end, we achieved a live birth with only one round of IVF, which was still pretty good.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Pasquale Patrizio at Yale University?
Don't expect someone meek and sympathetic - though he is friendly, he's not there to be a therapist, he's there to get you a baby.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Pasquale Patrizio at Yale University?
Dr. Patrizio recognized us and made small talk with us at our visits and didn't just dive into the treatment, though that was the focus of our visits. He is to the point, but friendly.
Describe the protocols Pasquale Patrizio used in your cycles at Yale University and their degree of success.
Because we had unexplained infertility, Dr. Patrizio suggested we began with 3 IUIs because they were cheaper and I am young, so the likelihood of them working was good. Coincidentally, we also needed to do 3 IUIs for our insurance to cover IVF. After I failed to conceive following each of these, we did a fresh IVF cycle that produced my son.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Yale University. (Assigned nurse: Marie)
The nursing staff was very nice and would answer my questions, but I got the impression that they were very busy. There was one occasion I specifically remember that I did not like. On one of my early visits I told the nurse that I had been tracking my temperature to see when I ovulate and she said, "Aw, that's cute. You don't have to do that anymore." It made me feel very stupid.
Describe your experience with Yale University.
The clinic is clean and the front desk staff is helpful and friendly. I haven't had problems making appointments if they aren't last minute. I am often late and they were graciously accommodating of me multiple times.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Yale University.
There was a monitoring window every morning from 7 -8:15 or so. When you arrived, you were given a number and taken on a first come, first served basis. Sometimes I was taken right away, other times I waited over an hour. It was luck of the draw. I did arrive after the window a few times and they still monitored me, which was much appreciated.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Pasquale Patrizio at Yale University.
My insurance fully covered the care, so I'm not sure.
Describe Pasquale Patrizio's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Yale University.
Dr. Patrizio is all for single embryo transfer when possible, but will do what you ask. He personally looks at all the embryo grades and picks the order best for transfer.