Center for Advanced Reproductive Services (First Fertility Network Clinic)

I really enjoyed sitting down and speaking with Dr. Schmidt. He always has a smile on his face and seems to bring a positive vibe with him in the room. He really took the time to sit with my husband and I and to explain everything in detail with us. This process can be very difficult and especially when things aren't going as you planned having a good doctor behind you is key.

I would just let them know that you see the staff a lot compared to your doctor. The doctor is reviewing everything every time you go, but you do speak with the staff more times than the doctor.

Few in person visits with him. Professional staff but too little communication from them. The explanation of the processes was confusing especially the scheduling. They seem to be always occupied when they see you coming and you need anything.

Be prepared to deal with the nurses and not to be able to see doctor when you need him

I can’t remember specifically

21000

I was suggested to do the multiple embryo transfer

Dr. Claudio Benadiva has been great and thorough throughout our time seeing him. He is very straightforward and open about any concerns that he has. He is always willing to provide input in order to better help us make a decision.

Dr. Benadiva was very open about the possible risks with a multiple embryo transfer and strongly encouraged single embryo transfer.

Dr. Grow made us feel comfortable and confident from our first meeting. Although we did not see him much through the process, as other doctors performed certain procedures, he ensured us that we were always in good hands and that he was overseeing every step of the IVF process for us. In the times we did meet him (via zoom) he was kind, compassionate, and patient. It was wonderful to work with him.

He will not see him as often as you would like but he will communicate with you regularly regardless

We were referred to The Center due to male factor infertility. Dr.Grow confirmed these results and explained our options, knowing that our goal was to achieve a positive pregnancy result. Because of our situation he recommended IVF using ICSI right away. We were discharged from the clinic after having a positive pregnancy result (confirmed by many rounds of bloodwork and an ultrasound on week 7) after our first IVC Cycle.

Besides copay for some medications, all costs were covered by my insurance once my deductible was met.

He was clearly competent and was really helpful in directing my care, but in the 8 months I was being treated at the clinic, I met him twice. If you want a hands on doctor, he’s not it. I did feel like he was working behind the scenes in my overall treatment plan and I know whatever happened had been run by him.

Don’t expect him to spend lots of time with you during each visit he sees you. He is friendly, but also very efficient.

The first three cycles of iui were done with the use of Letrozole and me charting my own hormones through the use of at home fertility monitoring. When the hormones were right, I went in the next morning for insemination. After the third cycle with no luck, Dr. Benidiva did a dye procedure and learned that one of my tubes was blocked. Fine, but I wish I had known that earlier so we could better time my cycles. The cycle after the dye procedure was a bust, I ovulated on the side that was blocked. The next month we tried a fourth time and this time we also did daily blood work and ultrasounds to more precisely time my ovulation…and it worked!!

Since I was doing iui, my lesbian status didn’t really routinely come up. But at the clinic my partner was always welcomed and we were treated as any other couple, which was nice.

Mostly fine, although they do truly leave it up to the patient to call and let them know a shipment of donor sperm is on the way. If you don’t, you’ll get a frustrated voicemail from the donor sperm coordinator about how you’ve inconvenienced her. They let you know up front it is potent responsibility, you just can never forget. The process of buying the sperm and sending it was seamless, and there was never a time I worried it wouldn’t arrive or be handled appropriately.

Dr. Schmidt really is the best doctor. He is kind, compassionate, communicative and a good listener. He mentioned to me once that he was a glass-half-full kind of Dr. and that some of the other Drs. were different - this I noticed and completely appreciated. He did not give me false hope, didn't make undue promises or say anything fake, but he did give me enough hope that they would be able to find a way to get me pregnant. I really trusted Dr. Schmidt, not just to make a good treatment plan but also to perform any necessary surgeries. I had a hysteroscopy and the ER & transfer with Dr. Schmidt, the hysteroscopy and ER being under anesthesia and the former being at UConn, but I felt so safe in his hands. I could go on and on about how much we loved Dr. Schmidt and I would 100/10 recommend him as the best Dr. at CARS (although to be fair, I'm sure all their docs are great).

Dr. Schmidt does talk a fair bit - but if you are paying close attention he usually answers all your questions before you ask them. However, a good practice for any Dr. is to come with your questions prepared and don't be afraid to politely interrupt to ask/confirm/clarify.

I went into the Center not wanting to jump in IVF and Dr. Schmidt was very receptive. First, we did testing (HSG, bloods, TV ultrasound, etc) and a polypectomy/hysteroscopy. We then did 3 rounds of IUI with letrozole 2.5mg by this time I was ready to move to IVF so we did one round of IVF using antagonist protocol, ER and fresh transfer. It was sucessful.

They have a great pre-paid/non-insurance pricing. I had insurance that covered our IVF cycle completly. IUIs we paid out of pocket and were $699 for our income range. IVF would have been $12k out of pocket, for our income range, not including meds.

Dr. Schmidt was very clear that they really work hard to avoid multiples. He told me that they would not transfer more than 1 embryo into someone under 35. I do not know what they would allow if I was over 35 or if I had had a failed transfer.

Dr benadiva was very kind, knowledgeable & has amazing bedside manners. I felt very relaxed & comfortable during my visits with him. He takes his time to explain everything in detail. He made sure all my questions were answered to me in easy language, he took time to explain medical terminology that was applied to my case. Overall I couldn’t have asked for a better dr to help us through this journey.

Be patient & don’t forget to ask questions.

I started stimulation medicine gonal f at 150 dose and was reacting to it very well, after my blood test and ultrasound my dose was decreased to a 112. I used meds for 9-10 days I believe I’m not completely sure. I started ganirelix on 4th day of stimulation meds to prevent me from ovulating early. It also helped with my ohss symptoms to get better. I reacted to meds very well & total of 23 eggs were collected, all 23 matured, out of that 17 fertilized. 8 day 5 blasts were frozen and 6 day 6 blasts were frozen. Resulting in total of 14 blastocysts. We transferred one embryo as in a frozen cycle and now I’m pregnant at 9 weeks with that embryo.

We had insurance that would cover infertility so overall it wasn’t too expensive for us to afford this cycle.

Dr. Benadiva is concise and caring. I always knew exactly what my treatment plan was and why we chose that plan. He explained procedures and his expectations of the outcome. For example, I was made aware of the possibility of OHSS after egg retrieval, so when I had to do a freeze all, I understood exactly why I could not transfer a fresh embryo immediately. He is also caring and considerate of my situation. After my first failed FET, I was wanting to squeeze in one more transfer cycle before the end of the year (for financial reasons). Dr. Benadiva came up with a plan to get the transfer in when I wanted. This plan I conceived and I'm currently 7 weeks pregnant.

Ask questions. He is always willing to take the time to explain everything. Know you plan and you will be more confident in your success.

We tried letrozole for a few months with IUI's and timed intercourse. I always ovulated, but we were still having trouble conceiving. Because of Covid-19, I was unable to move to IVF immediately. I had to wait a few months, but I was able to get in as soon as the clinic opened back up to new cycling patients. During the waiting period, Dr. Benadiva allowed me to take the letrozole with timed intercourse. This resulted in one CP. My egg retrival was successful and I was able to freeze 8 5-day blastocysts. My first FET was a medicated cycle that resulted in a CP. My second FET was a natural cycle with Letrozole and I am currently 7 weeks pregnant.

I have an insurance provider that covers infertility treatment. All costs were within a reasonable range. Specifically, ultrasounds were $100, the egg retrieval was around $15000, each transfer was around $4000 and cryopreservation was $1000 for one year of freezing.

My first FET was a single embryo transfer. My second FET was a double. Dr. Benadiva explained the risks associated with multiples before we decided to transfer 2.

Dr. Nulsen and everyone at CARS are wonderful- they did a fantastic job with us! He had excellent communication, and was very good about finding a path that helped us achieve the family we wanted. He always took our concerns seriously, and did everything he could to put us at ease. We felt very supported and like we were in great hands.

Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions.

We did clinical trials for both IVF cycles, so things looked a little bit different. Our most recent IVF cycle involved downregulation with Lupron, followed by stims with Minopur, followed by a fresh transfer supported by Endometrin. It took about two months because of the time for downregulation.

For the clinical trial, everything was covered.

Dr. Nulsen (and I think all the doctors at CARS) believe in single embryo transfer only for our age group if the embryos are a good quality . Their justification is very good- statistically outcomes are way better for a single embryo.

Dr. B is quieter and comes off more serious and not as conversational. As you get to know him and spend time with him that changes a bit. His quieter nature is appreciated sometimes as I know his priority is the end result and taking care of his patients. He has always been a very nice person and pleasant to be around.

Don't be afraid to ask detailed questions. He will provide the information that is important for him to provide but will answer all questions and provide more information if you need it.

IUI with Letrozole was used in my first pregnancy, I have an irregular cycle, had been trying for a year after a miscarriage and Clomid did not work. I luckily got pregnant on the first try that cycle/pregnancy. My second pregnancy, IUI/Letrozole did not work and we were successful with IUI. 3 cycles were tried as is recommended by CARS and by insurance before proceeding to IVF. IVF cycle was the next option because I had no issues carrying my first child once pregnant.

I went through insurance. IUI process was not very expensive. IVF is very expensive due to medications and the procedure to retrieve eggs as well as transfer. The standard checkups, ultrasounds, etc. are not very expensive.

Dr. B and the CARS staff recommend single embryo transfer, we agreed as risks and other factors come into play with multiples.

I loved our experience with Dr.Engmann. He is very knowledgable and helpful when you ask questions and when coming up with a course of treatment. He exhausted all possibilities of why we were infertile and was very optimistic when I was losing hope. He was kind when he needed to be, direct when he needed to be and even though there were long periods where I only saw nurses and not him, I always felt like he was in control and monitoring everting. He had a good sense of humor and made me feel comfortable and confident in him.

Have your questions ready, and trust him he knows what he is doing!

I had a miscarriage after trying for 2 years to get pregnant, then tried to get pregnant for a year after that before going to Dr.Engmann. He had me go for a hysterosalpingogram, tested my blood for everything, std tests for both my husband and I, semen analysis for my husband, looked at my uterus and diagnosed me with unexplained infertility. He recommended 3 rounds of IUI with 50 mg clomid days 3-7. The first round I monitored my ovulation with kits at home, the other 2 times I went for bloodwork everyday day 10 until surge and I did an hcg trigger shot for the 3rd one. None of them worked. He recommended IVF I had a saline ultrasound to check my uterus, many blood tests, ultra sounds, took hormone injections and after one cycle became pregnant. They performed ICSI and assisted hatching on the embryo that was transferred. 9 days after transfer I had a positive pregnancy test and continued progesterone injections until my second ultrasound at 8 weeks and then was transferred back to my obgyn.

Costs were considerable but expected for infertility trestments. They don’t hound you for payments and will work with you.

He was very clear his stance on multiples was it would not be advisable or healthy. He only wanted to transfer one embryo and he was worried about having too many mature eggs during my last IUI. He was very concerned I would end up with multiples and suggested selective reduction if that were to happen.

Dr. Diluigi was very nice and professional. The way she spoke was clear and she explained things well. I didn't see her very often as schedule is in shifts but when i did see her she was nice and supportive

Do your research and advocate for your best interests. Not necessarily because of Dr. Diluigi, all doctors. No one knows your body and your needs like you do. Dr.s can only work off the most accurate info so its important to communicate with them, and not be a passive recipient of care.

I documented my treatments with a blog stafford-homestead.com First was testing we did blood work, HSG, semen analysis. Diagnosed unexplained infertility. Started with 3 IUIs with fresh sperm. I took letrozole for a few days early in the cycle. I never produced more than 1 follicle. Dr. Diluigi wanted to use letrozole because it was less side effects than clomid. All 3 were BFN. Moved on to IVF. I had a saline ultrasound and then a procedure where they went in with a camera and removed a polyp. Then meds for egg retrevial. I was slow to respond and then they upped the dose and hyper-responded. Dr. Diluigi decided we needed to freeze all because my hormones were not condusive to pregnancy. I had to wait another month for transfer. I chose to do no meds and waited for spontaneous ovulation and was monitored by blood and ultrasound. Ended up with a BFP. At 6.5 w. Ultrasound there was no HB. Went back a few days later and showed slow HB and irregular yolk sac. Dr. Diluigi said it wasnt a viable pregnancy. She was caring and clear about her recommendations to proceed. I chose to take cytotec to induce the miscarriage, rather than D&C or wait for it to naturally shed. After that had weekly blood tests until HCG went to 0. Then waited for ovulation again and the. Started another unmedicated cycle. That one ended in a single live birth. Hes 8 mo old now and we plan on returning in a year for another transfer!

There was typically quite a few women, waits were long but not excruciating. I would usually try to be one of the first ones there so im not sure how later people would feel. It was somewhat confusing the list to sign up for, ring a bell, upstairs or downstairs when i had to go to west Hartford.. but you figure it out.

I had a high deductible plan. I had to meet my 8k deductible before insurance paid anything. After that i was covered 100%. Including health insurance premiums i paid around $12,000.

I think its wisest for my age to do an Eset and is prudent in most all cases besides special circumstances which people should try multiple embryos

He is very good in handling his patients and provides individual attention and explains things and addresses all the questions. He tries to go through the entire process in detail . But unfortunately we were not able to find why my eggs are not making to embryos though I was able to conceive 5 times and ended up in miscarriages. His diagnosis is perfect but May be in my case it was not very clear with the issue since two cycles had two different results but he tries to make changes in the protocols and explains the same.

We should be ready to ask more questions possible only when we will get to know the complete understanding of the process . He never gets tired of the questions and answers patiently.

1. Antagonist protocol Gonal+ menopur + Ganirelix + Lupron for triggering - resulted in 9 eggs out of which 7 fertilized but none made to blast 2 .Lupron priming protocol Omnitrope + prime with Lupron before CD1 - add Gonal + menopur + reduced dose of Lupron + hcg for trigger - longer stims than first cycle - resulted in 11 eggs out of which only 2 fertilized, he mentioned very poor quality eggs in this cycle .was suggesting priming to give more synchronized growth of follicles but that did not work. We are planning to go with one more cycle with a estrogen priming instead of Lupron.

Self pay was around 10k for possiblity program

Didn’t make it to transfer

Dr. Engmann is a very knowledgeable doctor. When we first went to meet him we were nervous, and he helped us to understand more about our situation which included finding out about some thyroid issues. I would always recommend going in with questions as Dr. Engmann wants to help as much as possible but it was always more helpful when I had questions. Dr. Engmann was compassionate about my care, and when I asked for my medical records to review test results and read his notes about us it brought tears to my eyes to see how much he cared about our individual care.

Always bring questions you have about your specific criteria. If you have a suggestion, or you have read about something and ask if you can try a certain thing, he is very open to changing and meeting your needs. I read so much literature and listened to many podcasts about fertility so I knew which types of questions and processes to ask about.

We first visited Dr. Engmann after having a late first-trimester loss, and I found that I was ovulating very late in my cycle with a short luteal phase. The first round of testing revealed that I had sub-clinical hypothyroidism and low vitamin D. For protocols moving forward I wad prescribed thyroid medication, vitamin D and we were also told to try progesterone gel after ovulation as I was found to have a luteal phase defect. We did conceive again with timed intercourse and these protocols, but unfortunately had a checmical pregnancy at 5 weeks. After this we continued the same protocol for 6 months and were unable to conceive. At this time due to my age we decided to pursue IVF, unfortunately my insuance denied this, and so we moved forward with a non-medicated round of IUI. We chose unmedicated IUI since I ovulated every month and had previously conceieved. We were excited to find out that our first round of IUI had worked.

I only had to pay co-pays, other than that my health insurance paid for everything else including my IUI.

I found Dr. Engmann to be a bit passive. I needed someone to guide me through and ensure I was getting the best possible outcome. I felt like I was just enrolled and and going through the motions. I didn't respond as quickly as I thought I would to the treatment and aside from adding days on to the cycle there wasn't much other adjustment made. I felt it was assumed I would do a second round. I didn't feel as though he was invested in my outcome.

If you're using him for egg freezing, be very clear with him how many rounds you are planning/can afford to do.

Gonal Fe 300 mg, Menopure 150, Ganirelix with a Lupron trigger shot

You were given a specific window of time and then people were called on a first-come first-serve basis. Sometimes the waits were very long. However, the team was very efficient once you were in.

$12,000 (all in with medications)

Due to my age he stated he would prefer to transfer 2 embryos if I used my eggs.

Dr Engmann showed compassion when sharing with me my exam results. He made sure I understood right away what everything meant in his findings. He took the time to review my medical record transferred from my Gynecologist. He differed in opinion with my Gynecologist and proceeded to request his own examination. He was eager and very proactive in finding out my true medical condition. He also took into account my partners infertility issues. He provided recommendations as well for my boyfriend to follow up with with his own primary care doctor.

Dr Engmann is very busy and give yourself enough time to gather all your questions prior to your visit with him so that you have a very thorough consultation. Do not assume he can take you right in for an appointment.

Due to my advanced age and my boyfriends fertility complications he recommended to start IVF as soon as possible. Also to have my uterine fibroids removed prior to starting the IVF process to help ensure a safer pregnancy.

Genetic testing; blood lab work, freezing of my partners sperm, consultation fee & physical exams

Dr. Engmann has been an excellent communicator and explained everything in a way that was easy to understand. He has been patient with our questions and nervousness as related to the cost of treatment. His kindness while we grieved our loss was so genuine and I’m very grateful to be his patient.

Don’t hesitate to ask a question even if it seems “stupid” as the doctor is more than happy to take his time to explain anything that you might be confused about.

We first did (I believe) 3 cycles of provera to induce my period and have timed intercourse. When this didn’t result in pregnancy, we moved onto 2 unsuccessful IUI cycles with 5 mg of letrozole to induce ovulation. Our third IUI cycle, I was prescribed 7.5 mg of letrozole and had a positive pregnancy test (urine & blood confirmed). At almost 6 weeks, we found out that I was miscarrying — a chemical pregnancy. After a lot of bloodwork and an endometrial biopsy and several ultrasounds, we determined it was not an ectopic pregnancy and I would not need a D&C. We’re currently not pursuing another IUI or beginning IVF as our budget will not allow for that for quite awhile. We’re going to attempt a cycle (or several) with provera and letrozole and timed intercourse while we lay down our balance.

We have pretty good insurance, but have still had pretty sizable costs over the last 10 months. It’s always helpful after we meet our deductible. We’ve spent north of $5000 on our treatment thus far.

Doctor Grow is kind and clearly knowledgeable about his field. At our early visits he took the time to listen to me and my husband. He provided me with additional information when requested and was honest (but gentle) about expectations. While our first attempt did not result in a live birth, I am hopeful that with Dr. Grow's care our next transfer will work.

After experiencing a chemical pregnancy, I think he should have been the one to call me with the news, not his nurse.

We started with screening for both me and partner which included full blood work (for both), sperm analysis, and genetic screening. Once these results were in, we met to discuss and create our stim protocol. Dr. Grow used SQ injections of menopur, ganirelex, and gonal-f to stimulate my ovaries. My trigger shot was done via SQ hcg. My eggs were then retrieved and fertilized via ICSI due to my husband's sperm motility. Five day blastocysts were transferred and received assisted hatching. I was started on crinone before and after transfer. I transferred two blastocycsts and got a positive pregnancy test. My hcg levels continued to rise, as evidenced by blood work, but my blood work one and a half weeks after indicated a chemical pregnancy. All medications other than vitamins have been stopped at this time. I will start my frozen transfer at my next period and will also begin crinone at that time.

The monitoring appointments were a well-oiled machine. Patients coming in for bloodwork only were seen downstairs in the lab. When I needed both an ultrasound and bloodwork both were done upstairs. I appreciate that no matter what I was having done, it was done in one location. My wait times were never excessive and everyone I worked with were professional and efficient.

To date, we have spent 15, 100.

Dr. Grow gave us information regarding the pros and cons of single vs multiple embryo transfer. We ultimately decided to transfer two,

I like Dr. Engmann because he gives all of the info. The good, the bad, everything. The only downfall is that I wish that he would say, “This is what we are doing.” Because he’s the doctor. I don’t want to choose.

He can come across as stand offish, but he’s not. He’s really smart and really cares for his patients.

IVF- Antagonist protocol w/ Cetrotide. 3 retrievals w/ different amounts of Gonal and Menapur Natural transfer-I ovulate Medicated transfer w/ Lovenox-never does the same thing twice Afyer 2 failed transfers for no reason Fertilome Immunology karyotype ERA

The doors open at 7am, and I arrive at 630. Bloodwork starts at 715 and ultrasounds start at 745. Some days getting to work on time is tough even on just bloodwork days, other days it’s empty.

Living in CT, we are a mandate state. However, we have exhausted our benefits. In additon, we are now moving to treatments/testing that wouldn’t be covered regardless. In addition to what insurance covered we’re paid: 3220 - crypto fees 800-ERA 4000-deductible 150-Fertilome

I kind of wish we could do 2 PGS tested next time, but I don’t want to waste embryos either. We do have 4 untested frozen, and if we use those we will transfer 2.

Dr. Engmann is not only an incredibly compassionate doctor, but also an incredibly patient (with all my questions), kind (you could tell he always wanted the best outcome), and knowledgable of every cycle and situation we were in. If there was an issue with treatment plan, or medications he reacted so quickly. Dr. Engmann calmed my nerves and relieved my anxiety during appointments. I will never forget when we were prepping for our transfer, he came in to speak to my husband and I and told us the embryo was "perfect". I cried and he put his hand on my shoulder to reassure me this was going to be a good day. During the transfer he and the nurse walked me through every step of the way and showed me on the screen where the embryo was placed. When we had our viability scan he could tell we were extremely nervous, and he immediately went right into the ultrasound- no small talk...just straight to the point. We we "graduated" from the clinic I cried happy tears for the first time in his treatment room and I'm forever grateful for Dr. Engmann and his compassion.

Trust him. No matter what you "google" or read on your Facebook forum, he knows what he's doing and he has your best interest in mind.

Morning appointments depended on the number of patients who were also there for monitoring. It was really nice to see most of the same faces and know that you weren't alone. The monitoring procedures themselves were relatively quick and painless. I liked going in the morning because I didnt have to take more time out of work.

We were lucky to have fantastic insurance, our costs were mostly copays. Totaling somewhere in the ball park of $3,000.00

We trusted Dr. Engmann's decision as to if he'd transfer a single or multiple embryos. Thankfully, we had a "perfect" embryo and only had to transfer one.

Dr. Engmann always prefers to see his patients for scans, transfers, etc. I think he truly cares about his patients. I think he maybe didn't always think outside the box for other things we could try (could have been restricted due to the clinic) such as immune testing or testing for endometriosis. I went unexplained for 2 years without a diagnosis and we just keep trying IVF and kept failing. I feel like we should have spent more time at the very beginning trying to figure out root cause. He has good bedside manner and doesn't sugar coat things if they don't look right.

Sometimes he can be a bit clinical but he is very factual.

My 2nd retrieval was an antagonist protocol with menopur and gonal f. I cannot remember what the first one was (just gonal F). I also used HGH in my 2nd retrieval. I had a better outcome in that I had more PGS normal embryos that cycle.

Sometimes it is very busy there. They say they start blood draws at 7:15 but I have been there and they often don't start until 7:30... There is always a long wait but that is just due to the volume of patients and only 1 person who does blood draws.

We had $20,000 of insurance money which lasted us about 1 year (3 IUIs, 1 retrieval with fresh transfer, and 1 FET). After that we were self pay and opted to do a financial share program which cost us $20,000 for 6 cycles (3 fresh and 3 FET). However costs for anesthesia, cryo, PGS, etc. were not included in that so that was an additional cost.

He definitely prefers eSET. He feels strongly against multiples. He advised us to transfer 1 many times.

I always felt comfortable. Doctor DiLuigi is smart, kind, empathetic, easy to relate to. I never waited long, never felt the office was overbooked, was able to get the time I needed with her. It was a great experience.

Be open, ask questions.

Round 1 IUI - 75 mg clomid, another 75mg Round 2 IUI - HSG and 150 mg clomid, trigger Round 3 IUI - 150mg clomid and trigger Round 4 IUI - 150 mg clomid and trigger Round 5 IUI - 150 mg clomid and trigger Month 6 rest Month 7 - IVF, 17 eggs retrieved, 10 fertilized normally, 2 fertilized abnormally, 6 made it to day 5, 1 transferred (successfully), 5 frozen - drugs used centrotide, gonal F, HCG trigger, progesterone in oil injections

Easy and as efficient as possible given there were times when many people would need to be seen. I never waited more than 15 minute and there were times when the waiting room was PACKED.

Fairly reasonable. My insurance did pay for a portion of the treatments so my out of pocket expenses were not as significant as I thought they would be. Monthly IUIs cost around $200 out of pocket. My IVF cycle cost about $3000 out of pocket & $4000 for meds out of pocket.

I wanted 2 embryos transferred and Dr. D said no. She was very kind in how she explained that 2 embryos would be risky, and given my age and medical history, she felt 1 was the best course of action. She was right.

I was so happy with the support and treatment I received. She was extremely thorough during the initial appointment and I felt that she had a good plan to help us achieve our goals. She performed surgery to remove polyps in my uterus before we could even start and she always put my anxiety at ease. I trusted in her ability to create a successful outcome (which she did!). I was disappointed that she didn't perform the actual retrieval and transfer, but was equally impressed with her team of doctors and it made sense to ensure the timing worked out. I would absolutely recommend Dr. DiLuigi and CARS for anyone undergoing fertility treatment.

I decided to conduct DNA testing on the embryos before transfer, which I would highly recommend. It's expensive but increases chances dramatically and helps avoid the potential heart break of a miscarriage if the DNA isn't right. Because the eggs had to be frozen to do that, my transfer was done on a natural cycle. Although I had to wait an extra month, it was so worth it and I avoided another round of painful shots since we did it naturally. I just followed the recommendations of the team and it all worked out!

It was pretty efficient. There were a couple days that were very busy and took up to an hour to complete bloodwork, but for the most part I was done within 10 minutes.

Amanda

The doctor recommended I do a single transfer and DNA testing since at my age she would have had to transfer 2 if I didn't do the test. We wanted to avoid multiples and increase chances of success, so that was the right decision for us.

Dr. DiLuigi was extremely kind and encouraging. As a patient she made me feel very comfortable. I always felt like I could ask her anything, and would get an honest response. I felt that there were times where she definitely went above and beyond for me.

Be blunt and don't be afraid to ask questions. She will answer them.

Monitoring appointments were on a first come, first serve basis. Often patients (myself included) would get there long before the doors open to stand in line in order to get in and out as quickly as possible and get to work on time.

Our one full IVF cycle with meds, monitoring, retrieval, ICSI, labs. anesthesia, etc. cost about $20,000. IUI without meds was about $450

Dr. DiLuigi made it clear that as a practice they prefer to do eSET, however every patient and case is different and in my experience she felt comfortable (as long as we were completely OK with the prospect of multiples) with transferring 2 embryos on Day 3.

Dr. Engmann is a very kind and brilliant dr. We conceived our son under his care when I was 42 years old. Our son was diagnosed with cancer at 13 months old and passed away at 17 months old. We are presently trying to have another child and Dr. Engmann has been so compassionate and kind and gentle with us. My age is a huge factor at this point and Dr Engmann has been very understand. Conversations have been difficult as we have had failed cycles. He wants to be hopeful but realistic at the same time.

Any one would be lucky to have him. He is truly one of the best doctors I have ever met.

We have used atagonist protocol, micro dose lupron. We did PGS testing and got 2 chromosomally normal embryos at 44 years of age but the transfer was unsuccessful. We have done 4 egg retrievals since losing our son to cancer to try to get chromosomally normal embryos with my own eggs. I produce a lot of eggs at 45 years old. We've retrieved 12 eggs in the 1st cycle, 26 in the 2nd, 24 in the 3rd and 30 in the 4th cycle.

We've spent over $50,000 for 5 egg retrievals which led to 3 embryo transfers. This resulted in 1 full term baby.