Suleena Kalra

I often felt like I was bothering her when I asked questions. It's clear she was busy but also I was a patient of hers for a long time and it really never felt like we made a connection. It always felt rushed and like she was talking to a child. I work in women's health and reproductive health research, I understand a lot more because of my line of work and it still felt like she dodged some questions when I asked about more scientific or specific things.

You might want to wok with Dr. Kalra is you really don't want anything sugar-coated. We found her bedside manner to be cold and not sympathetic for two people who are trying to keep hope alive after a lot of failure and much heartache. Ultimately, this is why I asked to be reassigned to another doctor within the practice.

Dr. Kalra was thorough but we never felt she was warm or like she really had time for us. If I had a question that required speaking to her, I often felt like I was bothering her. She also sprung the need for ICSI on us on the morning of my retrieval (while I was gowned up and waiting for my IV placement) and it didn't really feel like she took the time to explain why she changed her mind.

I did 6 medicated (clomid/letrozole) rounds and IUI before we were approved for IVF. All were negative. I went throw two egg retrieval rounds with her. We were lucky enough to have insurance coverage so we asked that she be as aggressive as possible because we didn't want to waste the coverage. She said she "was" but then after our first retrieval all embryos arrested after 5 days. The next time around she changed the medication, added in a course of HGH and we ended up with 6 embryos after 6 days of development. I did one fresh transfer which was negative and then one additional frozen transfer with her which resulted in a chemical pregnancy. After that point my husband and I both felt we didn't want to work with her anymore and asked to switch to a different, warmer doctor within the clinic.

I worked primarily with Dawn during the course of my treatment. Up until the end she was very helpful. Every time there was a negative result, she was right there working with me to schedule a follow up, and keep on the horse for next time. The main issue is take is that after my last transfer (which did result in positive rising HCG levels) but ultimately ended in miscarriage after the 6-week ultrasound, Dawn knew we didn't have any embryos left and also knew we weren't in a position to continue with more treatment at that time (after 6 IUIs, 2 retrievals and 6 transfers). The day we found out at the ultrasound that it wasn't viable I emailed later saying we were going to wait and see if the miscarriage would happen naturally but also asked her to check on the insurance coverage for the anesthesia for a D&C. She did not answer my email. 2 weeks later I finally followed to up to say that it had happened and i was fine. She responded that my message must have been lost by the surgical team and that was it. No sympathy, no apology for not responding and certainly no push to come back in for another follow up. That really made me feel like a major dollar sign (or lack there of) with Penn Fertility Care and one of the main reasons I would never recommend them to anyone looking for care in Philly.

The positives of Penn is that if you work there, the insurance coverage is fantastic. We received 6 covered IUIs, 2 retrievals and three transfers all through my insurance plan. They also have several locations and you can go to any one you want depending on whats most convenient for you. Most of the time, for the early morning blood draw/ultrasound visits leading up to IUI or retrieval, they are mostly on time. On the other side of the coin, the process for getting "bad news" isn't great. Usually the ultrasound tech just says everything is fine but if it's not then they literally don't say anything and on the way out say "the doctor will come in and speak to you." It just was very anxiety provoking. Maybe this is true of all clinics, I don't know, but I really didn't like how it was handled. Additionally, the weekend appointments sometimes ran 90 minutes behind for a simple blood draw and/or ultrasound. I also very much felt like a dollar sign. The financial person was entirely unprofessional and had no empathy at all for us. Even though we had mailed a check which had not yet been received she basically threatened to cancel our embryo transfer if we didn't pay the bill for our embryo storage. We had literally received the bill earlier that week and mailing a check was the only option for payment. It wasn't an issue with being able to pay or not wanting to pay - they just literally hadn't received it yet. I never really felt connected to my care team or like anyone really cared about us (for the most part) and I was under their care for almost 3 years.

I was very lucky in that we had 6 IUIs, 2 retrievals and 2 transfers covered by our insurance. We had to pay for ICSI out of pocket as well as for embryo preservation. Those costs were reasonable but also weren't totally disclosed to us up front. We didn't realize that certain things were covered by insurance and others were not. ICSI was decided on the day of our retrieval so we were hit with a bill later which we were not expecting. It was okay for us but I could imagine for many couples it would not be.

She was very set on eSET but this was also preferred by my insurance so we did follow through with two single transfers with her.

She is always very kind and took the time to answer all my questions, especially when I had bad results. I have since learned that I didn’t always get all the details I would have needed, and I think she was less inclined to think outside the box regarding m case (i.e. taking supplements, knowing my hormone levels and what those meant), but she was a great person and I think for more cut and dry cases, she is fabulous.

Read up about infertility before you go in and ask her all the questions you have regarding things like antral follicle count, hormone levels, etc., so you can track them and also understand where you fit. Chances are she has the info but she doesn’t always share it unless you ask.

She always remembered me and spoke to me kindly even if it had been a while since I saw her, and even when the news wasn’t good.

After a few Clomid/IUI cycles where many were canceled because my right ovary was working but my right tube had been removed, we moved onto IVF. The first protocol was the high dose protocol of Gonal F and Menopur with a Lipton primer. It was canceled due to poor response. My second cycle was the Lipton flare protocol. We went to retrieval expecting 2 eggs but the one follicle was empty and the other fell apart overnight. I have never been pregnant. Since then, I had my endometriosis removed and have read about low stimulation protocols working better in patients with DOR. I spoke to her about that and she didn’t agree and said donor eggs would be my best bet. She may be right, but I’m not ready to give up on myself yet, so I am switching clinics.

Always very nice/compassionate, but also seemed very rushed any time we spoke on the phone, which is usually when I had questions.

Strengths: all staff I met with were kind and compassionate, remembered me when I had appointments even after some time off, and held friendly conversations. Also, their pricing is much more reasonable than other area clinics. Weaknesses: As a result of being such a large clinic, there were times that the level of care didn’t feel personalized, and didn’t include out of the box thinking. I think there could often be a lot of assumptions that the patient knows more than they do. Advice: arm yourself with information and questions before you go in, and continue to advocate for yourself and for more information. They are always responsive when you ask, but if you don’t ask, they won’t tell you.

IUI was covered by insurance, so I’m not sure if that. One complete IVF cycle - $8,000 plus approx $4K in meds

N/A - I never had an embryo to transfer

My impression of Dr. Kalra is that she is incredibly smart and incredibly busy. I only saw her during consultations. All my other procedures and monitoring appointments were done by someone else (Dr, technician or resident). I did not get a "warm and fuzzy" vibe but, in the end, that was not the most important thing to me. I think the protocol she chose was best for me and when it did not work, she adjusted it.

Come prepared with all your questions because she is impossible to reach outside of specific office visits.

The office has set times for monitoring appointments and a protocol that is rather inflexible. Except for specific consultations, you see whoever is free that day. I also felt that most appointments were rushed.

The nurses always got back to me when I called with a question. I felt they were more compassionate and understanding than the doctors.

The clinic has weekend hours which are great. I wish there was more flexibility with monitoring appointments. Having them in the morning only at a certain time is inconvenient if you don't have a traditional 9-5. I have also experienced incredible wait times for appointments. For instance, I was told to show up with a FULL bladder for an IUI and ended up waiting an hour for the procedure. Also, we had a lot of trouble with the financial department in getting set up for IVF. No one would call us back and when they did we got different answers. To this day, we do not know what it will cost us up front or in total.

Mostly covered by insurance. Trigger shot was $30. Clomid/Femara $10. Bloodwork $50. HSG $180. IVF ???? likely in the neighborhood of $7-10k

I was told that, due to my age, only one embryo is recommended. I was not given an option for multiples.

I loved Dr. Kalra the first time my husband and I met her. She was kind and honest. She never sugarcoated anything, but she wasn't all doom and gloom either. I had liked my previous RE (and the main reason I switched was because IVF wasn't covered by my insurance, and Penn was far more affordable), and he was very nice. BUT he had given me false hope. He seemed certain that the IUIs would work. He even called my OB/GYN to tell him to expect to see me pregnant within the next couple of months (which did not happen). Dr. Kalra never did that. She told us our chances right up front. As I stated before, Penn was a busy place, so you would often see other doctors for procedures (all of them were excellent). Dr. Kalra did my second embryo transfer (but not my first), and that was the transfer that resulted in my beautiful baby girl.

If you are concerned about a recommendation or how treatment is going, don't hesitate to call Dr. Kalra to discuss it with her. Someone else may deliver the news, but you are always welcome to talk it over with her to make sure you're making the right decision or doing what's best for you.

Penn Medicine is a very busy place - far busier than the fertility clinic I went to previously. Yet, despite that, everyone I dealt with treated me so well that I never felt like a number. They were kind and compassionate, and they always listened to me. I honestly received excellent care there.

Beth was excellent. She always returned my calls and answered all my dumb questions. She made sure I was clear with everything. And everyone else who assisted was fantastic as well.

You will receive excellent care here. It's a busy place, busier than the first clinic I went to, but there's a reason for that! Affordable great care. So you may have to wait a bit at each visit. Fortunately my work was understanding if I was late, but I know this could be an issue for some people.

We purchased a package deal, only $6,750 for one egg retrieval and 2 transfers, whether fresh or frozen. We were able to take out a loan from Arc Fertility. We bought the medications at the pharmacy onsite and saved a ton of money. We probably spent close to 2 grand, but that's a bargain.

On the first cycle, she recommended transferring one embryo. It was an easy decision to make; it was our first cycle, we had seven frozen embryos (all good quality), and we were in our early thirties. When our first cycle didn't work, she recommended we transfer two embryos on the next cycle. My husband and I were very torn about it; we were concerned about the risks with twins (for the babies, myself, and the financial strain). When she knew I was having a hard time with this recommendation, she spoke at length with me on the phone. She assured me that there was nothing wrong with my embryos (which was my concern), but they recommended two simply because the first round didn't work. There was no other reason why; they just wanted to up my chances. She told me she was cautiously optimistic and didn't feel that we needed to change anything else just yet, so if we were more comfortable with transferring one, that's what we should do (and what we ended up doing with success).

I could not have asked for a better experience with Dr. Kalra. She was knowledgeable, direct, and I always left appointments feeling like there was a plan or next step. I truly believed she cared about me as a person and was looking out for my best interest. She was trustworthy, compassionate, and just overall a wonderful person to be around during a process that is otherwise very emotionally draining.

Ask questions. She was always willing to take extra time with me if I had more questions or wanted to talk anything through.

While Penn Fertility is a larger clinic, Dr. Kalra always took her time during my appointments and made sure my husband and I were comfortable with each step during the process.

Given my issue was ovulation and PCOS, Dr. Kalra put me on a high-responder protocol which worked well. While she warned me about OHSS and said up front they might have to do a "freeze all" given the amount of follicles I had, because of the protocol, we received 26 eggs and I was able to do a fresh transfer. leading up to the retrieval I was in the office every day and she did my final ultra-sounds herself (instead of the ultra sound tech) and gave me rational for why she wanted to wait one more day and then ultimately when I was ready for my trigger. I feel as though her care leading up to my transfer was why I was able to recover quickly and was able to have the transfer 5 days later (which ended up as a BFP :))

The entire nursing staff was so wonderful through the whole process. Erin always called me on time and when she said she would, and took time to answer any questions I had.

Penn Fertility Care is one of the leading fertility clinics in the country and the doctors in the practice are some of the brightest minds in the field. It is not a small practice, however, and so you have to be willing to be a bit flexible and potentially see other doctors than your primary, and be willing to wait sometimes for appointments. At the end of the day, I wanted top care from the smartest doctors, and I felt Penn Fertility delivered me that.

I have good insurance so IVF was covered at 80% for me. I was also able to get them to cover a large portion of the medications needed for stimulation so I believe it was around $1200 total.

I had a good experience overall at Penn Fertility. Dr Kalra was a great doctor. However, if you're looking to build a close relationship with your doctor this may not be the best place for you. I didn't get to do any of our IUI's or IVF transfers with her. I basically saw her at our consult appointments and when we were discussing our plans. If you got to this practice you will end up with whatever doctor is available at the location that day. It can sometimes feel a bit impersonal.

Dr Kalra is compassionate but also honest. She tells you the truth about the odds of success. She listens to all of your questions and lets you voice your concerns.

Dr Kalra used all of our day 3 testing results to decide which protocol to use. She said my AMH was within normal range so she used what they called a high responder protocol. It worked and we had a smooth and successful retrieval with embryos to freeze. Our first transfer was unsuccessful but our frozen embryo transfer gave us a BFP.

You are assigned a nurse at the clinic. My nurse was fantastic. She always called when she said we would. She spoke slowly and made sure that I always understood the directions and doses during stims. Roohi always called me back promptly whenever I had a question.

Like I said previously, the clinic may leave you feeling like you don't have a personal relationship with your doctor. However when I did have appointments with Dr. Kalra I always left feeling confident in our plan and next step. She communicated great and listened and was concerned with how you were dealing with everything mentally as well. They were prompt with the early morning monitoring appointments. The staff was friendly.

IUIs were 1000 each not including trigger shot and clomic IVF was 6775 for retrieval and 2 transfers (I ended up doing 1 fresh and 1 frozen) My meds for stims were 1800 Meds for FET 350 Overall they are extremely affordable in comparison to many other clinics

Amazing! She is aware and sensitive to the financial costs of using donor sperm. She is optimistic that IUI will work but understand to our desire to have a baby soon; willing to compromise on the treatment plan. She is honest and caring and always available to answer question or explain something to us. She was very accommodating when my partner had to call into one of our first appointments due to a business trip.

Listen to Dr. Kalra and believe that she has your best interest in mind. The process can be very overwhelming and emotional.

Always available to talk about steps, what to expect, when to change courses, and answer general questions.

Frequent ultrasounds and blood work for baseline and process tracking in each cycle.

They are excellent. No one judged our relationship status or desire to expand our family. Everyone on the team is compassionate and optimistic for you! It's like having an extra 3-4 people crossing their fingers every month.

Professional and clean. Typically appointments run on time. Only do ultrasounds and IUI's in the morning which is difficult for someone who doesn't work a traditional schedule.

We're lucky to have it all covered by insurance once meeting our deductible

Dr.Kalra is very understanding and honest with all reports and options. She takes her time to go over all options during all visits. Thank Dr.Kalra for all of her services. Look forwards to continuing my fertility treatment with this office.

Dr.Kalra is very kind and understanding. She will assist you with whatever your concern may be.

Nurse Nia was very compassionate and respectable. Always checking in on patients and making sure they are receiving all necessary medication as well as being prepared for each procedures or testing.

The clinic is very well-mannered and asks if their anyway they can assist you while waiting to see the doctors. Sometimes they can be a bit busy and don't have time to spark a conversation. Most of the time they too, make sure you leave with an updated appointment or notes from the doctors. Thank you for your services.

I wish I did see her more but she is split between 2 offices- now that I'm in ivf monitoring I can't choose my day since it's as needed. When I do see her she's very warm and considerate. See seems really involved

To trust your dr. I think a ton of people try to dictate their treatments.. doctors know best and if they are taking a slow approach it's for a reason

She is always warm, always remembers me: I do see her when I'm there but usually half the appts

3 iuis and then ivf. For ivf she did long Lupron, honestly I'm not sure why!

They remember you and get very involved with you. You feel like you're their only patient

I wish my nurse would be more throughrough in why my protocal was chosen and expectations and next steps

So far insurance coverage

I'd love more insight on why a protocal was chosen for me