How was your experience with Paul Bergh at RMA of New Jersey?
I saw him only at the beginning of each cycle, as well as when one embryo miscarried. He was compassionate throughout. It was always clear that he was the guiding force behind all the decisions. All decisions were made by him, even if he didn't see me and was using other doctor's notes to make those informed decisions. My actual meeting with him was lengthy and comprehensive, and I felt listened to.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Paul Bergh at RMA of New Jersey?
He is a great doctor and very knowledgeable and you will be in good hands.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Paul Bergh at RMA of New Jersey?
Dr. Bergh took the time to discuss all options and answer my questions patiently. I was assigned a specific nurse who was always available for me specifically. I felt very much like my team knew me and my situation.
Describe the protocols Paul Bergh used in your cycles at RMA of New Jersey and their degree of success.
We went through IVF with ICSI. The retrieval was successful but Dr. Bergh was concerned that I would hyperstimulate, so he took the time to explain why he wanted to freeze all the embryos and do a frozen transfer in 6 weeks. Though it was disappointing to me, he really helped me understand why. And then the transfer of two embryos was successful, though one miscarried at 5 weeks, and Dr. Bergh was there to help me. The first frozen cycle used Lupron to set up the cycle. The second cycle went with my natural period. Both transfers resulted in a live birth. I have a son and a daughter now and we are very thankful.
Describe your experience with your nurse at RMA of New Jersey. (Assigned nurse: Rhonda Minot)
The nurses are assigned to each patient, so you feel like a person, not a number. My nurse was patient with me and tried to do what she could to help me.
Describe your experience with RMA of New Jersey.
RMA NJ has many satellite locations, which makes it easier to get to. The main location in Basking Ridge is beautiful and the rooms are very private, which is nice. They offer complementary protocols, like acupuncture, during the transfer, which makes it easier. The waiting times can be long if it's a busy morning, though if you get there really early, you can avoid that. They have great success rates and will work with you to make it financially feasible.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at RMA of New Jersey.
I sometimes waited a long time to be seen. If I got there early, I got seen earlier. They did try to hurry things along by getting blood done and then waiting for ultrasound after, but if it was a busy morning, I waited for over an hour.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Paul Bergh at RMA of New Jersey.
At the beginning of my first IVF cycle, I signed up a special program through ARK, where I paid roughly $21,000 for 2 fresh and 2 frozen cycles until I conceived. It was so relieving to know that if one didn't work, I wouldn't have to shell out tons more to try again. In the end, we used one fresh and one frozen cycle for my son. I think we spent another $4500 for PGD, which was fortuitous because of my 15 embryos, 5 were abnormal and I am so relieved I didn't have to live through a miscarriage from transferring an abnormal embryo.
Describe Paul Bergh's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New Jersey.
Dr. Bergh encouraged one embryo though he allowed me two in my first transfer. He said he would pick the best embryo from those available to make it most likely to succeed.
What specific things went wrong at RMA of New Jersey?
- Provided conflicting information
- Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at RMA of New Jersey.
In my third attempt to start a cycle, I went on birth control pills to bring on my period. My period came and I went for monitoring but my numbers weren't right. I went a few more times and no one explained why the numbers kept being wrong. Finally, after my fifth visit, another doctor told me that I was clearly in the wrong part of the cycle and there was no point to come back until I had another period. I wish that the other doctors or the nurse had told me that earlier on. I had to travel from my summer home and it was an expensive waste of time. Dr. Bergh had wanted me to follow even after that, but I felt burnt out by that time. Still, this was a minor mishap and I am very grateful to them for the good they did.