Valerie Shavell

Dr. Shavell is very nice and soft spoken, easy to talk to. We were diagnosed with unexplained infertility though and given a packet of pre-determined steps with none ever working for us. Our care is really left in the hands of nurses, we never hear from the doctor or see her during/after procedures and ultrasounds unless we want to pay out of pocket for another consult.

You're just one of many. She is kind and knowledgeable but don't plan for her to actually be involved in your care unless you're doing IVF.

I've only ever seen Dr. Shavell twice in two years, during consults. She's very sweet, but she has nurses perform IUI procedures (and not very well), a different doctor performed my HSG and any time I place a call or send a message to her directly it's always a nurse that responds.

HSG that came back normal, 3 rounds of clomid, 4 rounds of Femara in attempt to see if any of these things would produce more follicles to increase chances of pregnancy. I was already ovulating on my own and ended up with multiple follicles twice. Also went on estrogen and progesterone to thicken lining when Femara thinned it. No success from any treatments.

All are kind. Very disappointed they are the ones that perform the IUI though. Had two different nurses and neither really inspired confidence, they knew what to do just didn't seem to have much skill in it. Neither IUI worked and it was $1,400 down the drain.

Terrible business hours for anyone that works a regular job and is expected to drive back and forth multiple times a month in the middle of the day for ultrasounds. The staff there also seems to forget everything is being paid out of pocket by most of us and every time we come we're charged hundreds of dollars, and are disapproving when trying to minimize appointments. The front registration staff are phenomenal.

Expensive, my insurance doesn't cover most of it. Ultrasounds are frequent and usually cost $175-250 depending on limited or complete (although even when charging for complete ultrasound the cervix isn't evaluated and a VERY fast sweep of the uterus is performed that's not very diagnostic). IUIs were around 700 each time, the HSG was probably closer to 1000 but I can't remember the exact numbers for sure. Consults are over 100, and then another 50 every time I talk to a nurse in the clinic after ultrasounds.

Not to that point yet

Dr. Shavell has been a supportive, knowledgeable, and honest physician. After being with my OB for fertility treatment, it is refreshing to be with an RE that is confident in her procedures and uses my personal data, blood work, and ultrasound information to make informed decisions about my procedures and next steps. I truly recommend Dr. Shavell to any person looking for their next options in starting a family in the midwest region. My only regret is not visiting this office sooner!

After working with an OB for 5 medicated cycles, Dr. Shavell makes sure you have a fertility panel done (bloodwork, ultrasound, possible HSG test) before starting treatment. This was extremely helpful knowing what my numbers were to these tests and helped me understand my body a bit more. The more information, the better; which is what you will get with Dr. Shavell!

Dr. Shavell put me at ease with her level of expertise and showcasing our options. Her mannerisms are calm, nurturing and supportive - exactly what is needed during such a difficult time. I really appreciate her level of care provided.

When I first began seeing Dr. Shavell, she ordered a fertility panel of bloodwork and an HSG test to see if my tubes were open. Most bloodwork was normal except AMH (very high) and my TSH. My husband also had a semen analysis done which came back normal. I was put on metformin and levothyroxine. After, we began with 5 mg femara. I had no response. She upped me to 7.5 femara. Again, I had no response. I was then put on 10 mg of femara. I responded well and grew 1 mature follicle per cycle. I did this 3 times and did the HCG trigger shot when my follicles were considered mature. After three negative pregnancy tests, we decided to move to a more aggressive approach as 3-4 cycles per medication is the norm. We are currently doing 10mg of Femara, 37.5 iu Gonal F, and the HCG trigger shot. I also use progesterone suppositories 3 days after trigger shot. We have also included an IUI with this more aggressive approach. We have 2 more cycles with this approach before our last option is IVF.

The nurses are the fertility center are simply amazing. They are caring and extremely knowledgeable. This helps put my anxious self at ease! I call the office very frequently with questions throughout each cycle and the nurses are always ready to answer my questions. They are truly so supportive which has been extremely helpful throughout this process.

The Fertility Center has been simply amazing as my husband and I go through our fertility journey. This is a difficult journey where you are not sure where it will end, but we have discovered that having a team of physicians and nurses that are knowledgeable, honest and caring has truly helped to put use at ease. On top of having a team that is knowledgable and professional, the facility itself is extremely clean, relaxing (coffee, water, magazines, tv and fish tank in waiting room). The Fertility Center also offers a support group that means once a month that is free to members, as well as discounted infertility yoga that is exclusively for those trying to conceive. The support group and yoga are two excellent features to provide to clients and another reason this center is so extraordinary. They make you feel like they truly care about you and want to support you.

Each visit there is a cost associated with it. Some are covered by insurance where I have a discounted portion to pay (ultrasounds and doctor's visits) while others are not covered at all (IUI, medications): Ultrasounds ($23) IUI ($600) Meeting with a nurse ($23) meeting with a doctor ($180) HCG trigger shot ($90) Femara ($5) Gonal F ($420) Progesterone ($50) HSG ($1200) Various bloodwork combined ($800+) Levothyroxine ($4)

I have not received information on this yet.

Dr. Shavell has always honestly and thoroughly discussed my treatment options with me while demonstrating kindness and compassion. I was impressed by how thoroughly she reviewed and understood my particular infertility history prior to my initial consultation. She keeps in close communication with me and has always made me feel I could speak openly with her about my treatment plan.

Dr. Shavell has a very gentle and patient bedside manner. She has a way of putting the anxious mind at ease and is very accommodating to any special needs.

Dr. Shavell took the time to thoroughly review my fertility history and discuss my options in a kind, yet honest, manner. On multiple occasions she went above and beyond for me, including staying into the late hours of the evening to care for me after my surgery and arriving before her scheduled office hours to evaluate me for bleeding while I was pregnant. As a woman who has gone through several pregnancy losses, the promptness and compassion Dr. Shavell has shown me was invaluable. I am so grateful for all of her help and highly recommend her to anyone seeking thorough and compassionate treatment.

The nursing staff was always friendly and available. They were well-educated and able to thoroughly answer my questions.

The staff is very friendly and compassionate. The nurses are highly trained and a good resource for patients with questions. They usually can get me in for my appointments at my requested time and have always been able to bring me in for same-day evaluations in emergent situations.

Overall we had a great experience with Dr. Shavell. She has a very calming personality which is a huge positive for those undergoing something that is already anxiety-provoking, such as fertility treatments. She is thorough, knowledgeable, and always took the time to speak with us. She answered all questions no matter how big or small. We left every appointment feeling like we knew what was happening. Anytime we didn't get the result we wanted, she immediately came up with a plan of action which left us feeling confident, and in the end, got the result we wanted.

If you are looking for a doctor who is calm, warm, sympathetic, and attentive, Dr. Shavell would be a great fit for you. Her quiet nature is immediately calming and reassuring. If you prefer a doctor who is a little more firm or hard-lined, she would not be a good fit.

Dr. Shavell has a very kind and caring demeanor. She is gentle while knowledgeable. I never felt like I was just another appointment in her book. She never seemed to be in a rush and always took time to answer our questions and give thorough explanations.

We tried a natural cycle for our first IUI. Actually, I miscalculated my ovulation and when we went in for our mid-cycle ultrasound, we learned that I had already ovulated and it was too late. Dr. Shavell reassured us that we could try again the following cycle, which we did. She had me come in earlier, and quite often throughout the week, to track follicle growth to ensure we didn't miss the window of opportunity this time. I was prescribed the trigger shot (Ovidrell) to administer at midnight on a Saturday so that we could do the IUI on a Monday. Dr. Shavell was the one to perform the IUI. It was a simple and quick procedure. Unfortunately we did not get pregnant from that try. A few months later we tried for the 2nd time with similar protocol - ovulation tracking through an OPK in the mornings and then tracking follicle growth via ultrasound as the time grew closer. There was no need for a trigger shot this time; I ovulated on a Thursday morning and went in right away for the IUI (which was performed by a nurse, not Dr. Shavell). The nurse inserted a mesh plug after the procedure. Two weeks later we got our positive result!

The entire staff at TFC were friendly, helpful, and professional. We worked the closest with Fran, who showed great communication and compassion. We really developed a positive relationship with her and felt like she truly cared about us and our journey. Fran was always available via phone or email and would check in with us often.

TFC is a wonderful clinic. All of the staff are attentive and professional. The clinic itself is clean, organized, and welcoming. As my wife and I are a same-sex couple, we are always a little apprehensive about how we will be treated but this was absolutely a non-issue at TFC (thanks for the rainbow flag at the front desk!). We never had to wait too long for our appointments. Whether we were having a financial consultation, a sperm donor consultation, an ultrasound, or the procedure itself - we felt well taken care of and had an overall great experience.

We used all of the money from our wedding to cover our costs, so we did not have to pay out of pocket. If I had to do an overall estimate of the total cost, it would be about $10,000.

As a patient, I would highly recommend her. She is well educated and compassionate. She has an awesome bed sideanner and you truly feel like she is listening. She also has so e a great job of trying to figure our case out by tapping into the knowledge of her partners and other fertility clinic.

When you do get time with her, ensure you write down all of your questions before hand so you don't forget anything. She is great but you don't get a ton of one on one time with her.

Dr. Shavelle is super compassionate. You can also tell that she wants to hear from you, how you are feeling and what your concerns are. She will take what you are saying and will fully consider how it could potentially be affecting your treatment. I also feel as if she has never given up on us, even though we have not yet been able to concieve. She continues to sign to try to figure it out.

Round 1 -Egg retrieval and fresh transfer using Gonal F, Menpur, and Cetrotide. - chemical pregnancy Round 2 Frozen embryo transfer using Lupron, Estrace, Progesterone. - negative Round 3 - Frozen embryo transfer using Lupron, Estrace, and resistant uterine protocol of ibuprofen, Xanax, prednisone. - negative Round 4 - Frozen embryo transfer, stimulation cycle using gonal. Thought was that I responded better to stimulation rather than suppression - negative Round 5 - Did an Endometrial Receptivity test prior to frozen embryo transfer. Showed I needed 12 less hours of prednisone if following previously used stimulation protocol. Negative Round 6 - Full retrieval with PGS testing of embryos followed by a frozen embryo transfer with previously suggested protocol from ERA. Negative Round 7 - yet to transfer. We are on our second round of testing through Yale doing the Endometrial Function Test. First round showed potential endometriosis and that I was taking too much progesterone. With this second round of testing we are treating the endometriosis by doing 2 months of Lupron prior to testing month. We are also adjusting estrogen and progesterone doses.

For the most part the nurses in the office are nothing but excellent. There have been times however where I have felt as if they were not familiar with my case or where I was with my protocol. When I would ask questions I felt as if rather than reviewing my filing and getting be solid information, I would receive some guess work. This has only happened a couple of times. For the most part they are on the ball.

When I first started going to the clinic it felt unorganized. Since then, I have noticed that they have done a good job about putting out surveys and I feel as if they have really taken the information and made changes. The last couple of years have been much better.

For all treatment thus far, we have spent almost $80,000.

Dr. Shavelle has always been very honest about how many embryos are recommended. It seems that the office has protocols as to how many they are willing to transfer in which situations.

When we met with her the first time, we were impressed by her professional manner and knowledge of the process. She was very good at answering the questions that we both had, as well as making questions of us. She made us feel hopeful about our ability to be able to eventually conceive and made us feel like we had many options and possibilities yet to pursue. She has a very calming demeanor, which for me was maybe a little too clam. Where I definitely appreciate that you need to exude peace in what can be a stressful situation in people's lives, I personally love when doctors can make you feel like they understand the particular situation that you're in and still express an upbeat fun attitude. That being said, she was very nice and gentle with the way she talked and discussed different treatment options with us.

Be prepared to feel like you have a wealth of possibilities that you gain from her knowledge. You'll definitely feel like your being cared for and helped, but don't expect an excess of laughter or jokes. She seems to be very calm, steady and even keeled.

She took the time to both ask and answer questions about my husband and I. We both felt valued and hopeful after having our consultation visit. She knew exactly which steps we should take next and we both felt confident in her knowledge, abilities and understanding of where we were currently at in our infertility journey.

After our consultation visit, she decided to do some more lab work that we hadn't previously had yet...testing the ovarian reserve, my thyroid levels and a couple other things that I can't remember. She also decide to increase the dose of Clomid that I had previously been taking from my OB/GYN. (Which is where we started out in this process.) We went from 50 to 100. She also had me schedule a mid cycle ultrasound to measure the developing follicles and thickness of the uterine lining. By upping the dose, she was hoping to stimulate a better response from my follicles than what I had been getting on just the 50. I was also told about the trigger shot ovidrel, and used that to push ovulation. The first Cycle like that we did with just timed intercourse. The next cycle she bumped my clomid dose up to 150 because it still wasn't helping the follicles to develop any sooner or bigger than it had at the 100. That definitely worked. At the next middle ultrasound, I had three good sized follicles instead of only one small one. We moved on to an IUI that cycle...still with the Ovidrel. A nurse in the office actually performed the IUI, not the doctor herself. That both of those cycles ended with a negative pregnancy test. We are currently coming to the end of our third cycle with this Doctor and office. This cycle we did all the same things, 150 cComid, Ovidrel, IUI. (Just one follicle this time, but still on the bigger side.) The only thing that changed this time is that during the mid cycle ultrasound it was noticed that my lining was on the thinner side, so I was prescribe esterase tablets to take vaginally to help thicken the lining. I started taking them cycle day 12 and am still taking them now on cycle day 19. I was advised to take them until I take a pregnancy test..which will be soon. That being said, we don't know the results yet of this current treatment cycle.

The nursing staff at the fertility center are incredible. They are overflowing with compassion. I was almost shocked by the amount of care and concern they showed the first time I had to call in because I had started my period after our first treatment cycle. I felt very cared for and even comforted. For the most part, all of the nurses are warm, compassionate and fun. They are also very knowledgeable and confident in helping you or answering any questions that arise. The nurse I had for my first IUI was so great and talking me through the process and calming any nerves that I had. Great nursing staff!

This Clinic knows their stuff! They are also just incredibly personable, friendly, compassionate, upbeat people. I definitely felt well guided and cared for during any treatment that I've received there. They help cultivate hope for your situation. I feel very relaxed at this clinic.

My insurance only covered half the cost of ultrasounds and lab work only if it was done somewhere else and then sent to the Fertility center. The fertility center has been super helpful in letting me get lab work done at a place covered by my insurance, so that im not incurring unnecessary costs. They also recommended a cheaper pharmacy that I could get the Ovidrel shot from.(It wasn't covered by my insurance.) I went from paying $170 for the shot to $90. The ultrasounds cost me about $100 after the insurance and the IUIs that I've done were each $600 out of pocket.

Dr. Shavell was very thorough from the very first consultation. There was a lot of information to take in but it provided me with everything I needed to know and to further research myself. Any questions resulting from my research and conversations with others in similar situations were always received positively and answered appropriately no matter how silly some questions may have sounded. She was more available to the nurses than me, however. She did not conduct the 7 IUIs but still communicated with the nurses before starting the next round. Although she was not available to conduct my laparoscopy, she did my pre-op and post-op and made sure I was very comfortable and doing well. Most recently she did my sonohysterogram and mock embryo transfer and was very gentle and calming through the discomfort. She ensured all parts were in working fashion to proceed with IVF in the coming month.

If you feel like you need a face to face meeting, do not be scared to call and make the appointment. It can be difficult playing phone tag with the nurses who have to communicate with the doctors and then back to you. It can be time consuming, especially if you miss phone calls due to work or other daily activities.

Dr. Shavell was always kind and sensitive to the nature of our conversations. When it was time to delve into the more difficult news, the information was provided in an informing and caring manner. Our meetings weren't rushed. After providing a certain amount of information she always asked if I had any questions instead of dumping a ton of information at once and waiting until the end to ask if I had questions. It is always difficult to remember so much, but with the breaks for questioning between information, it made it feel more human and personable.

The first test I had completed was an HSG. Everything looked perfect with no signs of obstructions. Dr. Shavell mentioned there is some research showing women getting pregnant in the following three months. Unfortunately that was not the case for me. We started a cycle of clomid in December 2017 with a trigger shot of Ovidrel followed with an IUI. A negative pregnancy was the result. We continued with the same protocol for 3 more IUIs. Dr. Shavell provided statistics that show IUIs increasing positive outcomes after 3 IUIs, again they all resulted in negative pregnancy tests. We had a meeting with Dr. Shavell to discuss the next steps. She stated she would like to see my egg quantity and quality response with a protocol of pills and injectables with IUI. We switched to letrozole pills as I started having very bad headaches and long lasting nausea with clomid, and added Gonal F 75 IU daily, triggered with ovidrel followed with IUI. We did this for 2 rounds and both resulted in negative pregnancy tests. However, there was an increase in the number of follicles and size. At this point I could not continue to see negative tests and chose to take a month off. We met again and discussed having a laparoscopy to inspect the outside of my anatomy. We had a good pre-op conversation consisting of laparoscopy information and IVF information. The laparoscopy resulted in finding and removing stage 2 endometriosis. Dr. Shavell wanted to try IUI again now that we found a potential cause. We did IUI with letrozole, gonal f, and ovidrel. Another negative pregnancy test. That was the final IUI. Being that I was provided with IVF information a few months prior, I decided to schedule an IVF consultation in January 2019. The meeting was with an IVF nurse and she provided all the procedures,medication, and protocol information Dr. Shavell wants me to do. I was scheduled for a Sonohysterogram and mock embryo transfer with Dr. Shavell February 7, 2019. Here she wanted to get a better view of inside the uterus to ensure there weren't fibroids, polyps, scar tissue or other abnormalities that would prevent implantation. Everything looked just fine for implantation and the mock transfer went smoothly as well. Dr. Shavell will carry out my egg retrieval and embryo transfer in March 2019.

The nursing staff was fairly easy to communicate with. In most cases I left voicemails for them and they would call back. Some of my messages may have been long and it seemed like they may not have listened to all of it at times. Regardless, they still answered my questions after getting them on the phone and mentioning it again. The nurses carried out the IUIs and were as gentle as possible and comforting. They were able to provide information regarding the seman sample prewash and postwash prior to the IUI. The IVF nurse who did my IVF consult was very thorough and informative.

The clinic has a lot of staff so you may not always be familiar with who you are speaking to. The billing department and front desk staff have had billing miscommunications within their computer system. The front desk staff would have us pay off our entire balance and then I'd receive a bill for services we already paid for and they would say what we paid must have been applied to a different procedure balance. No one could actually identify the issue so we just paid what they said we owed and we haven't had a problem since. The clinic is very clean and well organized. Be aware, that some fertility clinics have separate areas for those with no children and not pregnant and those who have children or currently pregnant, this is not one of those clinics. You will frequently walk into the waiting room where there are multiple children per family. Anyone of the more sensitive nature may feel uncomfortable.

We do not have infertility insurance, however we do have coverage for monitoring and some procedures such as the HSG and laparoscopy which resulted in significant savings. Ultrasounds performed at one of their smaller locations (Mason) were typically $180 or $75 after insurance. However, if it was one of the Doctors that did the ultrasound as an ultrasound technician wasn't available, an extra $30 was added. If they were done at the Grand Rapids office, regardless of who did it, an extra $30 was tacked on. The bill would show it as a meeting, even though no meeting took place, it was just the ultrasound. IUIs were out of pocket. For the semen wash and the procedure it was $500 per IUI, we did this 4 times. Pricing changed and the IUIs were then $600 per, we did this 3 more times. The laparoscopy was a reasonable and fair price. For IVF, we will be paying $9,867 just for the procedures. This price includes the $1,850 we paid for a case management fee. We have a $8,017 balance due at the end of February 2019.

Dr. Shavell provided statistics on the success rates of single vs. Multiple embryo transfer along with specific criteria as to why a two embryo transfer is ideal for me. As I do not meat criteria for increased high risk pregnancy, we both agreed a two embryo transfer is ideal. She made sure to discuss the possibility of selective aborting if there were more than 2 or 3 developing babies.

Valerie has always been very warm anf compassionate. In the beginning we did state we wanted to do embryo adoption right off the bat and were told to do 3 iuis first, which all failed which was discouraging. We wasted a lot of money and time for it not to work. But shavell has always been reassuring and positive!

She is almost overly kind sometimes, but thats important when dealing with such sensitive topics.

Valerie always made time to talk with us, in person or via phone. She was kind and compassionate and never was trying to answer questions quickly just to get us iut the door.

First IUI was a natural cycle and it failed. Second cycle we used clomid and trigger shot, it was very hard to get through my uterus and ended up having to do an ultrasound, that cycle failed. Third cycle was clomid, estrace, and trigger shot with ultrasound guidance, that failed as well. All 3 cycles were with donor sperm. I just started week 2 of lupron shots as we start our frozen embryo adoption cycle.

Some were amazing, some were there because it is there job. But more good than bad.

Overall the clinic is very warm and inviting. They are currently short staffed, so it can take time to hear back from someone which can be hard at times but that is out of their control. They are pretty good at listening to what the patient wants and what they expect. They have been known to run late, i think we've been taken back on time 3 times in total out of all of our apppintments. Front desk is always kind and knows us by name, billing had been a dream to work with, makes things easy! And the embryo RN has been unbelievable! She has really been there for us. We've emailed back and forth countless times, everytime my questions get answered.

Expensive! But in Michigan most insurance doesn't over anything for infertility. Ive had 4 or 5 ultrasounds each being between $275-$350. 3 iuis each $550, multiple appointments ranging from $200-500 each time. Medications have been about $900 so far, male factor testing has been almost $2,000, my testing has been about the same at $2,000. We just paid almost $10,000 for embryo adoption.

Valerie recommended a single transfer due to my age but was VERY receptive that we wanted to transfer 2, and we will be transfering 2 hopefully in May

Dr. Shavell is so compassionate she almost comes off as meek in the consult room, which might be good for some people, but I prefer a doctor to be blunt and tell me like it is. She did perform surgery when I had an ectopic pregnancy and she's much more to the point in the operating room so I was happy with that and she did a great job.

I would suggest going into an appointment prepared with lots of questions to ask. I've done a lot of my own research and make lists of things I want to ask her about.

Dr. Shavell is great and really spends the time to help my husband and I by explaining everything and letting us ask a ton of questions.

I've done 4 IUI's under Dr. Shavell's primary care. At the Fertility Center you basically see whichever doctor or nurse is available during your procedures though so a lot of these protocols were assigned by other providers. Each IUI cycle started with Clomid cycle days 3-5, midcycle ultrasound ~day 10-12, IUI ~day 13-15. The first two were negative. The third IUI was positive, but resulted in an ectopic pregnancy found at the 6 week ultrasound. Dr. Shavell recommended methotrexate to terminate the pregnancy. That was followed by two weeks of Beta HCG blood tests every few days and my numbers weren't going down. She recommended a second dose of methotrexate over surgery and that was also ineffective. Two weeks later I finally had surgery to remove the ectopic pregnancy and my fallopian tube. After methotrexate you have to wait 3 months to conceive and then the first month we could try, I was ovulating on the side my tube was removed from. After many months of waiting, we just did our 4th IUI this week so hoping for a positive result!

They are wonderful. I've communicated a lot with Kristy and Lori over the phone. They are very knowledgable and caring. I've also seen Erica quite a few times in the office to go over protocols and she's great too.

I think they do a good job for the most part. The reception staff is very sweet. The medical assistants, ultrasound techs, etc. are really compassionate and willing to do whatever they can to help you out. The one thing I would change if I could, is being able to see my primary doctor/nurse for every appointment/procedure. They are so busy that you basically just see whoever is available. Which makes sense since fertility is such a time sensitive thing and comes down to the day you're ovulating so they can't always be available for you, but another doctor/nurse always is.

I would estimate that each IUI costs around $1000 including drugs, ultrasounds, and procedure. They don't bill insurance for the male portion, which is $350 for the cleaning and storage of the sperm. But they've billed my insurance for everything else and majority of it has been covered by Blue Care Network. I don't think BCN covers anything for IVF though.

I officially got diagnosed with infertility 2014. I seen Dr Dodds. He was witty and nice but for a long time I just progressing and doing the same medications over. On my 5th year I decided to stay at the same clinic but try a woman specialist to see maybe if she had a different opinion. I had a consult with her and she wrote up a new plan for me and was very personable. She could tell I was a little discouraged but made me feel at ease and not embarassed or uncomfortable. My only regret is not seeking her out sooner as my result who knows might’ve been a pregnancy already. All the money could’ve went towards ivf if I had known facts sooner and understood.

Be patient as always. You will love her

I have just switched to Dr shavelle this year although I have been going to their clinic since 2014, I thought maybe I’d give another doc a try to maybe get a 2nd opinion. I had a consult with her in feb and loved how personable she is and made me feel at ease and not just another number. I wish I had seen her sooner as maybe we could’ve moved further had I known facts sooner. Its been a long 5 years.

We looked at my history since 2014. I did countless clomid/femara cycles. I did a couple rounds of ovidrel and one round of follistim. This time after meeting with her she wrote up a plan to first get new bloodwork on everything. Found out I am a probable candidate for PCOS, have high liver enzymes and high blood sugar. Had me meet with my OBGYN to take metformin to level everything out. Had me do an hsg again, and for two cycles use a higher dosage for femara and do 2 iui’s before discussing ivf again. Although no pregnancy I have never had 2 months in a row with mature follicles so I’m thinking the higher dosage of femara has helped. Moving forward I have another consult at the end of this month about ivf. Not sure what the cost and fees are as I’m a little nervous because we have spend so much money on the other medications and feel hopeless. Hoping I will be qualitfied foe this grant, will be life changing

Overall the nursing staff was great and showed empathy. Only one incident there was a ultrasound tech who said something I thought was a little insensitive but that could’ve just been me being overly sensitive

I have been going to the clinic since 2014, I have never thought about switching facilities because they do treat you awesome there. They pretty much know you by name and make you feel right at home. They are overall really on top of things and know what they are doing. Also ver clean

Dr. Shavell is very caring and considerate. She will do everything that she can to help her patients conceive. She is very empathetic to situations and explains in detail different options to choose from when one doesn't work.

Don't stress and stay calm, everything is very face passed and starts immediately after your consultation. This is to ensure things get to moving and to help you reach your dreams of parenthood as fast as possible.

She made me feel very welcomed and made me feel like she too was eager to help reach our dream of becoming parents. She started right in on what was needed to do so and started treatments right away, she was very genuine and caring throughout everything.

When we first started our journey with the fertility center, Dr. Shavell had me do blood work and also go in for an ultra sound to check the lining of my uterus and what not. She then proscribed me with femara, I was to take it cycle day 3-7. I was monitored with more ultra sounds making sure I was producing eggs and that follicle sizes were where they needed to be. She stated that we could use a trigger shot or ovulation test to see when ovulation occurred. We used ovulation tests and once I got a positive we were to head to the clinic to preform the IUI procedure. On the day of the procedure my husbands count was unfortunately low but Dr. Shavell reassured me that it only takes one, so we went ahead and tried. We however did not convince but we have been on the course of increasing my husbands count with seeing a urologist and him also being on clomid. We hope to try for another IUI here soon!

The nursing staff were all very nice and considerate of the patients feelings. They know that infertility is a stressful thing to endure so they would always be sure to smile and make you feel warm and welcomed in the atmosphere.

This clinic is very great at accommodating to every patients needs. They will even open on weekend to preform necessary procedures to ensure your best chances at conceiving. The clinic is very great at making sure each step to your journey is done on time and correctly by helping you set up appointments and also setting reminders by giving you a set outline. I strongly feel like I did not ever experience any weaknesses with this clinic, everything was great.

My insurance through my work unfortunately is very limited to what it will cover fertility wise. Some medications were covered like the femara along with ultra sounds. However the IUI procedure was not covered but Dr. Shavell worked with us tremendously with that.

Dr. Shavell is to the point, and obviously extremely intelligent and well educated. I'm a person that wants everything explained in detail as I want to absorb all the information I can. I could have asked more questions, but I wish she had approached us without thinking we were as familiar as why she would suggest some of the procedures. I wanted the detailed reasons why. She is very kind, which is very important to me. I have met with her twice, and am scheduled with her in 1.5 weeks.

Ask your questions, she gives you time.

Mostly like a human. It was more the MA's that made me feel like a number, than the doctors. The consultation was less warm than the following procedures.

I'm diagnosed with recurrent pregnancy loss after three miscarriages. Dr. Shavell suggested a saline sonohysterogram and a endometrial biopsy. The SHG was to check for scar tissue after two D&C's 7 days apart. The biopsy was to make sure the infection (endometritis) in my endometrium was resolved. Both came back normal and great, thankfully.

I have not had much interaction with the nurses. I have with multiple MA's and they are not very warm. Clinically they are fine.

It's a nice environment in a great location. The interior is modern, but comfortable and welcoming. They offer beverages and have couches. Front desk staff is kind. It did not take long to get an appointment scheduled after being referred. It is a professional environment.

Cost has been fine as my insurance has covered appointments and procedures. Thanks to the staff that scheduled the two procedures, she made sure they were scheduled on two different days. Otherwise my insurance only would have covered one. That was a great experience. One negative experience was the Counsyl genetic testing they recommended; I had already had karyotype testing; so, I don't know if it was even necessary, but the MA gave me inaccurate information about being able to cancel the testing when I received an email from Counsyl. Thankfully Counsyl worked with me. I am slightly irritated they do not accept Tricare. My husband is a veteran and in the national guard and soon I will be on his insurance.

does not apply

Dr. Shavell was kind and seemed deeply aware of the stress and emotions that go along with infertility. She always made sure I knew what the next step of the process was and that I was comfortable with it. What I like most is she reminds you that you are strong and capable of handling the stress and struggles of IVF.

She is ready to work for you and make sure you are ready for the work!

I feel she is always actively listening to me. She makes eye contact and is reassuring with her body language. She ensures you feel comfortable and your voice is heard at your appointments.

Gonal-F, Follistim, Menopur, hCG

Very kind and welcoming. All my phone calls were pleasant and my interactions at the center were great

The prices seemed reasonable and seemingly followed other average costs. The building was very clean and well designed. It was relaxing atmosphere and the waiting room was calming and inviting. While walking through the halls other staff members greeted you. The only weakness for me was that I lived far away from the clinic.

ART case management $1850 (deposit to schedule) Follicle Puncture/ Oocyte Retrieval $1795 Culture and Fertilization of Oocytes/Embryos $1570 Embryo Transfer $1060 Abdominal Ultrasound $225 ICSI $1850 Assisted hatching $630 Blastocyst Culture $620 Cryopreservation of Embryo $910 Cryopreservation of Oocytes $910 Time Lapse Photography $805 Embryogen $465 Thawing of cryopreserved embryos $1075 This is the cost breakdown provided to me. Obviously I did not require everything here. My total from this list was $10,065

I was education on risks and likelihood of successful implantation.

Dr. Shavell is very nice. She's a little too soft spoken at times; meaning her demeanor is almost too sympathetic. I want answers, I want to take comfort knowing you (the person I am trusting) has a plan of action specifically designed for me and that we aren't just going through the motions. There were times where I felt she was more focused on me thinking she cared than her actually trying to fix any issues. I also feel she is not very available when needed.

Ask her to give it to you straight. Also, request a full description of treatments with all the why's explained.

I don't think, in the beginning, the treatment was custom to my issues. I think they take standard protocol and go through the motions. I had to start fighting for what I wanted. They also are not exactly forthcoming on information. I had to ask a lot of questions I learned through podcasts and others who have gone through it all before.

After my HSG, I had to have a polyp removed. Then we started on 50 mg clomid because that's the starting point, which I responded well to but nothing came of it. We did four cycles on this with the HCG (Ovidrel) shot. Then we moved onto letrozole and Gonal-F. I can't remember the specific dose of letrozole but the injections were 300. I did not respond as well to the letrozole as we had hoped. I am currently going to do one timed cylce of 100 mg of clomid (back to clomid after under-performance of letrozole) while we wait for insurance pre-authorization. If that is approved (different insurance company than the last round) I will have one last IUI cycle of 100 mg Clomid and Gonal-F 450 injections. IF this does not work, we will immediately be moving on to IVF.

They are all very friendly! I cannot stress that enough. I love them personality wise, especially the front desk and the ultrasound technician. They are amazing. However, there were times when I called (almost always have to leave a message and a call was returned) where I felt hurried on the phone. I also felt like the communication between the team wasn't all that great, where one would tell me one thing about my treatment but the next person I talk with didn't have that same information. That was a little frustrating. I also had to make sure I had all my questions ready to ask, otherwise I wasn't informed of any "extra" information. Honestly, I love the staff, I just worry a little about their efficiency/organization.

My number one strength is location. It's perfectly located not too far out of town but far enough where they have they're own parking, which can be key for comfort! It is also a very clean facility with, what seems like, new equipment. Weaknesses, wait times can be excessive; in the waiting room or in the patient rooms. Also, when my husband goes to drop off his specimen, I wish it was a little quicker for him. He has a very time structured job and gets frustrated that he has to sit there for 15 minutes before the lab calls him back. I think that should be explained better, the whole home to lab process. I would tell a new patient to ask all the questions, nothing is too much when it comes to treatment. Do not expect them to go over every detail with you. If you Type A like me, you'll leave frustrated and feeling like nothing was accomplished.

Each IUI is $500 (sperm wash and procedure) plus the ultrasound and office visit. Each visit was a co-pay amount. Hybrid cycle had an extra ultrasound (echogram) which was more than the ultrasound. Medications were all based on what insurance would cover; most of it out of pocket.

Dr. Shavell is super nice and well educated. Our personalities are just very different. She is very, very soft spoken and serious. My husband and I appreciate a more laid back approach. I honestly preferred speaking with the nurses instead of her directly. There was nothing wrong with the way she treated me or anything, our personalities just did not click.

If you don't mind soft spoken, cut and dry, then you will like her.

She was very sweet and seemed to care a lot about us.

The nursing staff at the Fertility Center make the office! They are all so great. They take a deep interest in your care and success and are genuinely on your team! It took us over a year of treatments at the Fertility Center to get pregnant and we got to know so many of the nurses it felt like family!

Overall I don't have many complaints about the Fertility Center. My husband had a nasty encounter with one of the insurance / billing people so that made things very frustrating but other than that I liked everyone there. They are all so welcoming and inviting. I never got a real good explanation of WHY I wasn't getting pregnant. I had never been through something like this and didn't really feel prepared to be doing all the things they were doing. I don't know if that's a lack of educating on their part or a lack of me not asking enough questions. I think sometimes the staff kind of assumes you "know the drill" and don't always go in to as much detail as they should. Just be your own advocate and you will be fine!

An IUI procedure was $268 (my insurance would cover in full but I had to submit for reimbursement). My insurance covered all office visits after meeting my $125 deductible. The IVF procedure cost around $8000 in just the center costs - not including medications.

As stated earlier- she is to the point, but caring and “on your team”. She explains procedures well, and seeks to answer any and all questions clearly. During consultation appointments, my husband and I never felt rushed or like we were taking up too much of her time. She didn’t ask too many personal questions outside of the medical/fertility issues, but I believe that’s because she’s very focused on getting you treatment as quickly and efficiently as possible. I fully trusted her.

Come with questions ready to go at appointments, but don’t hesitate to call the office if you have questions after the fact. She and the team are all very helpful.

Dr. Shavelle stayed on topic- didn’t ask too many personal questions outside of the topic of fertility issues. Very matter of fact and to the point. However, I felt that she was definitely on a mission to help us achieve our dreams. Also, I didn’t mind “feeling like a number” at some points. It made me feel not so alone- that other people had issues just like we did.

I did 3 rounds of clomid with ultrasound monitoring appointments and times intercourse. This did not result in pregnancy. Then, after another consultation appointment, I did 2 rounds of Gonal-F injections with IUI (I requested IUI). On the third (and what would have been last round before proceeding to more aggressive treatment) I did injections and no IUI (it was cancelled because follicles were believed to be on blocked side), and I ended up with a positive pregnancy test!

Nurses were very close compassionate- I felt listened too, but also had a clear understanding of next steps.

At first, you do feel “like a number” because they are very focused on fixing your fertility issues- not too many personal questions were asked of us outside of fertility. However, this was more of a comfort for me because I felt that they wanted to treat my issues ASAP and that I wasn’t alone (many people also experiencing fertility issues right along with me!)

My insurance covered medications and all appointments (including monitoring with ultrasound). The only thing we paid for out of pocket was the 2 IUI procedures ($500 each).

Did not receive this treatment.

I enjoyed having Valerie as my doctor. There was one negative experience when the dosage listed on my prescription was different than what was on their plan. She handled the situation ok by calling me to reassure me the dosage would not affect the results but didn't take the ownership of her (or the nurses) mistake.

Ask lots of questions because she will answer it thoroughly but doesn't necessarily go over everything if not asked. Be proactive of your care because she will be willing to take the next steps if you want.

Valerie would call me personally if I asked which I was pleasantly pleased with. She let me be the deciding factor on all the decisions. She never pushed her opinions on me or forced me into a decision. She was always completely unbiased. (Unlike Dr. Young who I saw once for an ultrasound who was very judgemental).

I don't remember all of it but for the IVF procedure I was put on Lupron to start, then took estrace pills, after the transfer I began IM progesterone.

Overall the nursing staff was very competent. They are dealing with a lot of patients so sometimes they had to clarify some things in order to get an accurate response.

Scheduling is a pain! Sometimes it is easy to get in and other times it is difficult. Since I was working at the time I had to take time off for appointments frequently since they had limited appointments. For IVF you had to schedule 2 or 3 months in advance so be aware of that.

Embryo retrieval/1 fresh transfer was $10,000. Frozen embryo transfer $2500 IUI was $400

She left this decision up to use. The first time we chose for 2, which she recommended. The second time we chose 1 which she supported. We were given the information that with a transfer of 2 embryos it was a 45-50% chance of pregnancy but they didn't have any statistics for an embryo transfer of 1.

Time with Dr. Shavell is great. I only wish there were more appointments with her(that you were not charged extra for) and not support staff so it would be easier to ask questions directly to her. She definitely listens and addresses all concerns when you are with her. And she is also good at explaining anything you don't understand.

Come prepared with your questions because direct one on one time with her is valuable time.

Dr. Shavell is very kind and sweet manored so she makes you feel as though you really matter and she wants to help figure out what's best for you.

After failed clomid cycles with obgyn, dr. Shavell ran testing that included HSG, blood tests, ultrasound and SA for my spouse. Determined that IUI was the best next step. IUI #1 was 2.5mg Femara on CD 3-7, ovidrel trigger on CD17 with 2 mature follicles and IUI on CD19, cycle ended on 12dpIUI. IUI #2 was 5mg Femara on CD 3-7, ovidrel trigger on CD17 with 1 mature follicle and IUI on CD19, cycle ended on 12dpIUI. Our next plan of action is a more agressive IUI with either metformin, Femara and ovidrel or injectable meds like menopur, gonal f or follistim and then ovidrel and IUI; since the femara and ovidrel are working but not good enough. My spouse is also on clomid for his male infertility issues.

Nursing staff has been great and I have no complaints.

Beautiful facilities (Mason and Grand Rapids locations). All very minimal wait times.

We have approximately 50% fertility related coverage however 0% of IUI and IVF are covered. So those additionally out of pocket costs were reasonable. $500 for IUI with SA/Wash.

Open and honest in communication. Very informative about treatment plans and adjusting them. Nothing but positive interactions even when the outcome was not what we wanted. Very calming demeanor and bedside manner. Always makes sure to explain every detail in length.

Don't be afraid to ask questions. Dr Shavell is always willing to listen and do what's best for you as her patient.

Very empathetic with failed transfer. Eager to help us try again. Open and honest about treatment plans

For our two IUIs we only needed 50mg of clomid taken days 3-7. IVF procedure was BCP, then menopur and certotide. Added IM progesterone and retrace. Egg retrieval and ICSI done. 2 embryos transferred on day 3 and two frozen. FET utilized Lupron to suppress and then added Estrace and IM Progesterone. Transferred two embryos. Plan for flare protocol due to now having DOR along with MFI.

The nurses were all very well-informed and knowledgeable about the processes. They answered the IVF line every single time. I never had to leave a message. Caring and extremely compassionate. Took the time out to explain everything and answer every question no matter how small.

Strengths-provider and staff experience. Caring and compassionate. Dedicated to their patients. Weaknesses-only thing I wish is that they took more payment options like Care Credit etc.

IUI was covered by insurance up to 2k. No IVF procedures or drugs were covered under insurance. The total cost for IVF was close to 15k. The FET was under a different insurance and medications were covered. We only paid $60. The FET itself cost around $2500 which was not covered by insurance.

Due to age, 2 embryos were advised to be transferred. The decision was left up to us with all risks explained.

Dr. Shavell’s compassion went above and beyond. Our first transfer was successful. Our FET we lost all of our embryos before transfer and she personally called to break the news. We really appreciated that touch during a devastating time. She made sure we knew what was going on at all times. She was not hesitant to call, for the good and the bad, herself.

Ask questions and don’t be afraid to share your concerns.

Dr. Shavell was compassionate and took all of our moral concerns into consideration when deciding on a treatment plan.

Our case was pretty straightforward. My husband had a vasectomy 20 years prior and we wanted more. We originally approached Dr. Shavell about embryo adoption thinking this was our only option. She told us about sperm retrieval and the likelihood of success and we decided to go for it. My husband had a TESE and the sperm was frozen. Then we did what I believe was a standard protocol, with the addition of lovenox because I had some clotting issues in He last. We did a retrieval and a two day transfer, which made me a little nervous as I hadn’t heard of many of them. But it worked first time and we have twins.

She was available to call and was prompt at returning calls. She was also good and walking me through all the parts that made me especially nervous.

The clinic is excellent and successful, but they are expensive and there are a lot charges outside of the standard ones. We would like to go back but simply can not afford it. The clinics atmosphere is welcoming. There is water and coffee in the lounge.

She was fine with transferring two, as this was our first time. When we went back to do an FET, she recommended one based on previous results. But she was open to two if hats what we wanted.

My experiences with her were great. You don’t see your main doctor at every visit. A lot of your visitors are just check ups or ultrasounds. Whenever I did meet with her it was always reassuring. I never had to guess what we would do next or worry that there wasn’t a plan in place. If something wasn’t working she made sure to make the changes that were necessary in your care plan. She has a very sweet demeanor and she is very easy to talk to.

Their office is very busy, make your appointment now. I was so nervous to start our journey with their office and I almost cancelled a handful of times. Take the plunge because she is a great doctor!

When I first met with Dr. Shavell I could tell she actually cared about the work that she was doing. She was super sweet, when over all of my testing and made sure I understood the plan she had set out for us. I went in there feeling so discouraged and left feeling much more hopeful we would be able to start a family.

When I first started going to the office I was started on Femara with an Ovidrel injection to force ovulation. I have a lot of eggs but they do not mature on their own. We tried a few cycles this way but my body was not responding to the treatment. I met with Dr. Shavell again in which she said we should start injectables. I started the highest dose of Femara, Metformin, Gonal - F, Ovidrel and Progesterone. The round that worked started out very slowly because we started at the lowest dose of Gonal - F. I have PCOS and because of that I could hyperstimulate very easily. Through my second vial of Gonal - F I had three viable eggs. We ended up pregnant with twin boys and we couldn’t be more thankful.

The nursing staff was great. They were always there for you and communicated what was going on. One day after my ultrasound I started crying and the nurse gave me a hug and stayed there with me until I felt better.

The clinic is awesome. Everyone there is super sweet and welcoming. It’s a very cozy environment. They work with you to make sure all of your questions and concerns are being answered. The only weakness is as a new patient it can take about a month to make an appointment with a doctor. But I think that shows you how great the office is that they are always that busy!

I do not remember exact numbers but our insurance did not cover anything fertility rated. All of the appointments and medication cost us in the ball park of 3 to 4 thousand.

Really great. She did some of my IUIs, and my transfer, and I was grateful to have her do so. She explained things well and I had a list of about 100 questions, I kid you not, every time we met with her, and she let me go through every single question.

She's soft spoken at first, but don't let that fool you. She knows her stuff and is very compassionate.

Dr. Shavell is soft-spoken, but has a really wonderful bedside manner. She knows what she's talking about and will tell you in a way that makes you feel confident, but also comfortable. They believe I have poor egg quality, and when we had 28 eggs collected and 15 fertilize, by day 2 on transfer day, only 2 had survived. She told me when I was in the transfer room, right before and was so sweet when I started crying. Handed me tissues and let me have time. She also called twice, once a week after the egg collection and during the TWW to check on us.

IUIs we did Femara with a trigger shot. IVF I did 75iu of Menopur, 75iu of Gonal F, Cetrotide and a Lupron/HCG trigger. Prepped with birth control. They were worried about overstimming as it's easy for PCOS patients to do so, but they kept a very good eye on it and managed it well. Didn't end up with it.

I spoke with Michelle a lot at the Eagle Park office. She's so sweet. Remembers you when you call on the phone and lets you call to ask absolutely any question. You know she also genuinely feels for you when something goes wrong.

Eagle Park has early office hours for ultrasounds starting at 7 and earlier for sperm samples, which is great if you work an 8-5 job. The longest I have waited is 30 minutes, but usually I'm in and out. At some point you end up seeing all the doctors which I view as a strength. It's nice to get all the opinions.

Great! I was always able to get in by 7. They do them from 7-10 and the early appointments are great.

IUIs were 395 I believe. IVF cycle is just under 10 grand, without medicine.

Dr. Shavell was soft-spoken and kind, which was not what I expected of someone with her level of training and expertise. She earned my trust right away because she was sensitive to our unusual situation, but also spoke with confidence about a course of treatment.

Dr. Shavell may be young and soft-spoken, but she is definitely competent.

Everyone in the office, including nurses and office staff, were kind to me. I did sometimes get the impression that they do this so often that they don't give as many details as they could have, but overall I was impressed with Dr. Shavell and the rest of the staff.

My first cycle was an antagonist cycle with very low doses of stimulating hormones. They expected me to respond very well to stimulating hormones and I did. I ended up with 26 eggs during that first cycle, but only 3 of those eggs became viable embryos. They ended up transferring all 3 of those embryos and I became pregnant, but ended up with a chemical pregnancy at 5 weeks. The second cycle was a long Lupron cycle. They expected this cycle to produce less eggs, but were hoping they would be higher quality. Once again, they used low doses of stimulating hormones. I ended up producing 29 eggs, but I ended up with 6 viable embryos this time. They transferred 2 of those embryos and I ended up pregnant with a singleton and had a live birth in 2015. I have 4 embryos that are still frozen and in storage.

I was overall impressed with the team of nurses. All of them displayed compassion and understanding. I would have given them an excellent in all areas, but I did have an issue getting information on when to take the trigger shot during one of my cycles so they weren't quite as organized as they could have been.

Overall, I was impressed with the quality of the Fertility Center. I felt like the staff actually cared about me and that the doctors and nurses were aware of the latest and greatest medical advancements. In fact, they changed protocol from one cycle to the next (with only a couple months between cycles) because they had found studies that indicate a different approach would produce better results. I do think that the one area that was a bit lacking was communication. I would have loved to have the option to email the nurses and have online access to some of my medical records. I also thought it would have been helpful if their website included more detailed information about what to expect during an IVF cycle or even individual stories of patients.

I think it was approximately $10,000 per cycle for all the medications, monitoring appointments, egg retrievals, and embryo transfers. My insurance partially covered monitoring appointments and medications, but the rest was out of pocket. I did get a small discount during my second cycle because of the failure of the first cycle.

I was encouraged to transfer multiple embryos during both cycles. In fact, during my first cycle I actually transferred 3 embryos because they didn't think the 3rd embryo would survive the freezing process.

She is very kind but a little passive. I would have prefered a more aggressive treatment early on. I also wish I had seen her more frequently during my recently cancelled cycle. She is a good communicator and when I dis meet with her she explained everything thoroughly.

In the end you will meet with all the doctors when it matters, so don't wait for her. Just get in there and get the process started.

It has been hard at times to reach her and during my recently cancelled cycle I only met with other doctors at the clinic.

We tried 2 IUI's which were unsuccessful. Our recent IvF was cancelled after 10 days due to low follicle production. My injections have been adjusted for next time but I wonder if something could have been done earlier to get better results.

Overall, they have been fine. It can be difficult to get them on the phone at times and when I asked for the new protocol for meds to be described they said it wasn't necessary at that time which I found frustrating.

The first was very casual with rock star pictures all over his office. There was also lots of toys and stuffed animals. It was weird. The second just didn't seem very compassionate. We only saw them both once and decided to wait.

So far we have spent 13,000 which included a prepayment for our upcoming IVF

She prefers single but with our chances so slim I think she should be more aggressive if the patient is willing.