How was your experience with Sharon E. Moayeri at OC Fertility Clinic?
I have had a wonderful experience so far with Dr. Moayeri. From the very first appointment, I liked her confidence (without being arrogant) and her level of expertise in fertility. She explains tests and procedures really well, and is also good at explaining WHY she is performing any diagnostic procedure. She is also really really thorough, which is something that is really important to me. I also think she is more on the candid side, which I prefer. For example, she did not hesitate or beat around the bush when she recommended that we consider using donor sperm as a back-up plan. However, she was very empathetic and it did not come across as offensive. I sincerely believe that she wants the best outcome for me and my husband.
I'm not sure if this counts as a weakness but I think that most of the detailed IVF information was provided to us through their paperwork that we were given before starting IVF. For example, we didn't discuss statistics, risks, and the details of IVF (what each medication does) with Dr. Moayeri. I think we had a brief conversation about it. However, I know I could have scheduled an appointment to have that discussion with her. The information I already had about IVF was sufficient for me since I also did a lot of research. Their paperwork was also really thorough and complete so I didn't have any questions about IVF when it was time to pay for my cycle. For those of you who need to get your information verbally from your doctor, you may need to ask for that explicitly. I trusted her and did not feel the need to question her about every detail. I had more than enough information.
The one thing I did not do (and chose not to do) was to ask about her success rate (e.g. live birth rate). Some of this information is available online through the CDC website but I know the data is sparse. Dr. Moayeri is with CCRM, which is a renowned fertility clinic. I think there is a good reason why CCRM is working with Dr. Moayeri. Initially, I did have some concerns that I didn't choose the "best" reproductive endocrinologist (someone with the best success rates), but I chose to stick with Dr. Moayeri.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sharon E. Moayeri at OC Fertility Clinic?
Don't be afraid to ask questions if you feel like you need more information or clarification
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sharon E. Moayeri at OC Fertility Clinic?
Dr. Moayeri treated me with respect and answered any questions that I had, both thoughtfully and kindly. Her staff were also warm, kind, always helpful, and really knowledgeable. On the day of my egg retrieval, she was so reassuring and helped put me at ease right before anesthesia.
Describe the protocols Sharon E. Moayeri used in your cycles at OC Fertility Clinic and their degree of success.
I was put on the antagonist protocol which consisted of Menopur, Follistim, and dexamethasone (0.5 mg) for 12 days, Ganirelix starting day 7, Pregnyl on day 12, and egg retrieval on day 14. I went in for ultrasounds +/-bloodwork (did not always need bloodwork), which became more frequent towards the end. There is another doctor at the practice who performed a few of my ultrasounds (because Dr. Moayeri was doing a procedure) but as I neared the end of the IVF cycle, Dr. Moayeri later reviewed the ultrasounds to double check my protocol. They always called me in the afternoon after the ultrasound to let me know if any changes needed to be made. The only change they made was to delay my egg retrieval by one day. Dr. Moayeri was able to retrieve 15 eggs!
As far as side effects go, I had some mild bruising on injection sites, started getting more tired, felt bloated during the final week, and some mild tenderness/pain in what I assume were my ovaries as the follicles got really big.
Describe your experience with your nurse at OC Fertility Clinic. (Assigned nurse: Treena)
Treena is WONDERFUL. She is super organized, explained the IVF protocol in good detail (including med administration), and is incredibly nice. She really helped me feel at ease about the whole process and was so reassuring about everything. She didn't candy coat everything and prepared me adequately. For example, she warned me that Menopur might sting (which it did!). She also gave me a great tip, which was to ice the injection site beforehand so that I don't feel the needle going in. It totally worked! Treena is also super prompt at responding to emails/questions.
Susie, the financial coordinator, is also super nice and really organized. We are paying a lot of money for IVF but the payment process was really simple and clear. She explained the fees in detail with an easy to understand fee schedule. There were no surprises when it was time to pay up.
The rest of the nursing staff were all really great. Blood draws were quick and easy and I had no issues with scheduling appointments. Everyone was really courteous, professional, and respectful. The one negative feedback I have is that a couple of my messages/questions were not relayed to Treena so I had to email Treena directly.
I also wanted to mention that Dr. Moayeri's nursing staff at CCRM Orange County (where they did my egg retrieval) were phenomenal. I was so nervous about getting an IV catheter and going under anesthesia, but the entire process was so smooth. Everyone was so nice. The nurse who took care of me brought me a warm blanket, put me at ease while I got my IV catheter, and brought me a heating pad after the egg retrieval.
It's not just about the doctor, but also the support staff. OC Fertility and CCRM Orange County have a great support staff.
Describe your experience with OC Fertility Clinic.
OC Fertility isn't big. It was smaller than I expected, but I think it's totally sufficient. It did not have the feel of a hospital, which hopefully puts people at ease. It felt more personal. During one visit, there were a lot of patients (which I think is unusual for them) but the clinic didn't feel cramped and they didn't make me feel rushed.
CCRM Orange County was really nice. I was there only for my egg retrieval but the facility was quite shiny and new. Despite it looking so fancy, the people were really personable and friendly so it didn't feel intimidating at all.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sharon E. Moayeri at OC Fertility Clinic.
IVF cycle costs about $15k
Not included in fee to OC Fertility/CCRM
- IVF stim meds (paid to pharmacy directly) - ~$5k for me
- CCS analysis of embryo cells - depends on the number of embryos
Frozen embryo transfer is a separate fee of ~$5k
Describe Sharon E. Moayeri's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at OC Fertility Clinic.
Dr. Moayeri asked me about my preferences and I told her I wanted a single embryo transfer to minimize any risk to myself or the baby. We didn't discuss it further after that. I had already read about the risks of multiple embryo transfer and was also given that information from Dr. Moayeri (via paperwork). I do not know what Dr. Moayeri's preferences or recommendations are in general.