Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
2017 - 2018, Unsuccessful
9
8
You will not see her [Dr. Valerie Ratts] for ever visit during an actual treatment cycle. The doctors work on rotation so any of the doctors could be doing the retrieval and transfer. I always fell on a different doctors rotation and absolutely loved them all.... My first cycle was a fresh 3 day transfer. I went in for many visits to monitor egg growth and lining checks. Once I had the retrieval, I was called in for a 3 day transfer to transfer 2 embryos. They gave us the option for 1, but we chose 2 on the doctors recommendations. The cycle failed. The next cycle was a frozen transfer. Not all our embryos made it to day 5. We had 1 left.
Costs for IVF [at Wash U] range from 12-15,000 for a retrieval and fresh transfer. I went through a place in CA to finance and provide cost for 1 fresh, 1 frozen for less than in office. The second fresh, frozen we purchased I lost out on some of the $ I had paid in due to not having any embryos survive to 5 days for a frozen transfer. The clinic had the money but since it was contractually linked to the fresh cycle, it is not allowed to be applied to future cycles.
How was your experience with Valerie Ratts at Washington University School of Medicine?
I love have Dr. Rattes for a doctor. I wish a cycle would have worked, but she continues to look for ways to adjust the cycle. She is a caring human being would will have the difficult conversations when needed.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Valerie Ratts at Washington University School of Medicine?
You will not see her for ever visit during an actual treatment cycle. The doctors work on rotation so any of the doctors could be doing the retrieval and transfer. I always fell on a different doctors rotation and absolutely loved them all.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Valerie Ratts at Washington University School of Medicine?
Dr. Ratts will personally call you following a failed cycle after the team has met. She will answer any questions you have and discuss the next treatment options. Also, during treatment or consultation if my husband and I had questions while we were in the office, she would sit down to help answer them even if our time was over.
Describe the protocols Valerie Ratts used in your cycles at Washington University School of Medicine and their degree of success.
My first cycle was a fresh 3 day transfer. I went in for many visits to monitor egg growth and lining checks. Once I had the retrieval, I was called in for a 3 day transfer to transfer 2 embryos. They gave us the option for 1, but we chose 2 on the doctors recommendations. The cycle failed. The next cycle was a frozen transfer. Not all our embryos made it to day 5. We had 1 left. Cycle was much easier. Took estradiol before and then progesterone after transfer. The cycle also failed. I did a second retrieval, 3rd transfer (2nd fresh). Cycle was much like the First only the stemmed harder to try for more eggs. More eggs were immature and didn’t get to be fertilized. 2 embryos transferred on fresh cycle day 3. Failed. No embryos survived to 5 days.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Washington University School of Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Mary)
Anytime I had any questions at all, I could call and I would hear back with them. They worked with me to figure out if I needed to order extra meds the closer I got to retrieval/transfer so that I didn’t waste a ton of money (it always fell at a weekend). She was great all around. Very helpful and calmed my nerves many times.
Describe your experience with Washington University School of Medicine.
During cycle, you could see any doctor depending who is on rotation. They work together and they work around the patients cycle, not a M-F schedule. For appointments to check lining, eggs, and blood, appts would take maybe 5-10 min. It took me longer to drive there than to actually have an appt. I was always able to go back to work so I wasn’t loosing all my sick days.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Valerie Ratts at Washington University School of Medicine.
Costs for IVF range from 12-15,000 for a retrieval and fresh transfer. I went through a place in CA to finance and provide cost for 1 fresh, 1 frozen for less than in office. The second fresh, frozen we purchased I lost out on some of the $ I had paid in due to not having any embryos survive to 5 days for a frozen transfer. The clinic had the money but since it was contractually linked to the fresh cycle, it is not allowed to be applied to future cycles.