This is the most recent data from the CDC. The CDC cautions that it should not be used to compare doctors and clinics. This data represents the outcomes of IVF cycles when using a person's own eggs.
For more information please see our FAQs.
Where you see a “?” on the chart, a clinic has done fewer than 20 cycles in this category and age range, so the CDC says showing percentages from this small data set would be misleading and unreliable.
The battle to conceive was long and hard but Dr A [Dr. Sherif Awadalla] kept fighting. He never gave up hope which gave us continued hope for success. He performed two D&C’svand a tubal pregnancy removal and always showed compassion. He was very candid that he thought my egg quality was the issue but gave me time and space to work through those thoughts. Ultimately he was 100% correctvand got us to the donor coordinator for further information. We gave two beautiful little girls now and are family is complete. Rainbows do come after storms.
Nursing staff [at IRH-Cincinnati] is fantastic, doctors are knowledgeable and ahead on all current and future technology. The laboratory is best in class. I never had trouble getting in for any appointments and never had to wait for an extended period. They also have great access to resolve resource groups as well as girls night in support groups.
How was your experience with Sherif Awadalla at Institute for Reproductive Health?
The battle to conceive was long and hard but Dr A kept fighting. He never gave up hope which gave us continued hope for success. He performed two D&C’svand a tubal pregnancy removal and always showed compassion. He was very candid that he thought my egg quality was the issue but gave me time and space to work through those thoughts. Ultimately he was 100% correctvand got us to the donor coordinator for further information. We gave two beautiful little girls now and are family is complete. Rainbows do come after storms.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sherif Awadalla at Institute for Reproductive Health?
He is an amazing doctor. Sometimes he can be a bit blunt but that’s just because he is trying to get you the results you are trying to achieve. Trust him he’s brilliant.
Describe the protocols Sherif Awadalla used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
PGD was prescribed with IVF after multiple IUI miscarriages with chromosome abnormalities. With PGD we discovered that 80-90% of our embryo is had issues. When healthy embryos were unsuccessful. He recommended egg donor cycle. Once we went that route we only had one cycle and now gave one fresh baby and one frozen
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
Nursing staff is fantastic, doctors are knowledgeable and ahead on all current and future technology. The laboratory is best in class. I never had trouble getting in for any appointments and never had to wait for an extended period. They also have great access to resolve resource groups as well as girls night in support groups.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sherif Awadalla at Institute for Reproductive Health.
IVF with ICSI and PGD was around 12-15k and donor cycle was 20-25k. Donor cycle charges in Clyde freezing of embroyos and frozen transfer. Cycle resulted in two Singleton pregnancies.
What specific things went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Failed to call with results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health.
I had one instance where a phone call was late arriving with a result but a quick call to them resolved the issue.
Dr. Scheiber always knew all of my information prior to entering the room. He was friendly and I felt like he always gave me an honest answer with optimism in his response as well...He has great bedside manner and is very knowledgeable on anything you want to discuss. He is willing to look more in depth at your case and try more testing and alternative procedures. I never felt like a number with him and he was very compassionate when I had multiple miscarriages. Ultimately we did not have success with baby #2, but I feel that Dr. Scheiber did everything in his power to try to help us. I trust him, his knowledge and he has a great deal of experience. I would highly recommend him.
I was overall satisfied with the [Institute for Reproductive Health] clinic. I felt like they tried their very best to get me pregnant. Sometimes during IVF monitoring they seemed to be quick in and out, but I think they ran a busy schedule. If I ever asked questions, they always fully explained and answered them. I loved their positive attitudes at transfers and the transfer nurses were always so upbeat. Their portal system is easy to use and nurses always got back with me the same day if I sent a message. We had success with them when trying for baby number one and did not have success when trying for baby number two. However, I am very happy with the clinic and I feel like they are a well oiled ship.
How was your experience with Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
I saw Dr. Scheiber years ago when I went through IVF in 2019 and I didn’t think I was a fan, because he was against me transferring 2 embryos when I was 31. However after my initial provider retired and I saw Dr. Scheiber in 2022 to try for baby number 2, I grew to really like him. He has great bedside manner and is very knowledgeable on anything you want to discuss. He is willing to look more in depth at your case and try more testing and alternative procedures. I never felt like a number with him and he was very compassionate when I had multiple miscarriages. Ultimately we did not have success with baby #2, but I feel that Dr. Scheiber did everything in his power to try to help us. I trust him, his knowledge and he has a great deal of experience. I would highly recommend him.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
He knows his stuff. Trust his judgement. If you have questions ask, he will explore options and discuss with you.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Scheiber always knew all of my information prior to entering the room. He was friendly and I felt like he always gave me an honest answer with optimism in his response as well.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
I was overall satisfied with the clinic. I felt like they tried their very best to get me pregnant. Sometimes during IVF monitoring they seemed to be quick in and out, but I think they ran a busy schedule. If I ever asked questions, they always fully explained and answered them. I loved their positive attitudes at transfers and the transfer nurses were always so upbeat. Their portal system is easy to use and nurses always got back with me the same day if I sent a message. We had success with them when trying for baby number one and did not have success when trying for baby number two. However, I am very happy with the clinic and I feel like they are a well oiled ship.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health.
We did a shared risk program that cost around $21,000. It included two retrievals and unlimited transfers. Since it didn’t work, we got a portion of the money back.
Describe Michael Scheiber's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
When I was younger he very much elected for eSet, however as I got older and had multiple failed transfers and miscarriages, he allowed for transfer of 2 embryos.
Dr awadalla was always excited to see me. I did 4 IUIS procedure with him and they weren’t successful but he was very compassionate and understanding...Recently I had a miscarriage and he performed my D and C. He was very empathetic. He called the next day to check up on me...for 3rd IUI ultrasound, he checked it and follicles weren’t what he wanted so he increased my Femara dosage to 3 instead of 2 and had me come back in a week for another ultrasound...
Nursing team [at Institute for Reproductive Health] is the best here. I feel like I can connect with the west Chester nurses when I go up there more then the Rookwood ones...They will hug as you cry and check up on you.They become your friends along the way...They never answer the phone so you must leave message for them to call back...Took a while to get my records to my new OB. Had to keep calling them. No one answers the phone so you have to play phone tag...
How was your experience with Sherif Awadalla at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr Awadalla is a very compassionate, caring, knowledgeable, thorough, friendly and kind RE. He made me feel like he has known me my whole life. He pronounced my name right( which most ppl have hard time saying my name sometimes)
He really loves his job. He is a passionate physician.
Very proactive when I had my D and C. He did a great job taking care of me, made sure I was calm during the productive. He gave his condolences and has said good things will happen in future.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sherif Awadalla at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Don’t wait just go and see him if you need help
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sherif Awadalla at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr awadalla was always excited to see me. I did 4 IUIS procedure with him and they weren’t successful but he was very compassionate and understanding. One appointment in West Chester he asked me how I was holding up and tried to cheer me up.
Recently I had a miscarriage and he performed my D and C. He was very empathetic. He called the next day to check up on me. I thought that was very nice.
Describe the protocols Sherif Awadalla used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
3 IUIS he injected. In the West Chester office for 3rd IUI ultrasound, he checked it and follicles weren’t what he wanted so he increased my Femara dosage to 3 instead of 2 and had me come back in a week for another ultrasound.
Performed D and C
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Nursing team is the best here. I feel like I can connect with the west Chester nurses when I go up there more then the Rookwood ones. Whatever you ask for them to do they will do it in either offices. Whether it’s putting you with different doctor, location or paying your bill in person. They will hug as you cry and check up on you.They become your friends along the way.
One of the nurses Kelsey was very thorough when I did my D and C. She sedated me, held me during procedure, fed me after, cleaned me up when I was getting ready to go home, and hugged me.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
They never answer the phone so you must leave message for them to call back.
IRH has very good doctors and nurses here. Each one of them is very passionate about what they do.
I suggest a patient keep after the doctors and nurses about your needs bc they have high volume of patients coming from all over Ohio. They will listen and help. Don’t feel rushed. If you can’t get answers from your doctors please ask the nurses. Someone will take care of you
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sherif Awadalla at Institute for Reproductive Health.
1000 for the surgery and 4000 for IUI.
Describe Sherif Awadalla's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
NA didn’t do any
What specific things went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Failed to call with results
Failed to send your chart to another clinic
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Took a while to get my records to my new OB. Had to keep calling them.
No one answers the phone so you have to play phone tag. Not awesome
Dr. Scheiber was always very direct with us. This was our second clinic and we went into our first appointment looking for a second opinion. He was very thorough in his explanation of treatment options. He gave us several options to try moving forward and reassured me that there was still hope for me to conceive. He is super knowledgeable and experienced. We could not be more happy with our decision to switch to Dr. Scheiber.
The nursing staff at IRH are incredible! They are so knowledgeable and helpful when completing an IVF cycle...This is a larger clinic with several doctors. We personally liked the size of the clinic because it meant that they could schedule around what worked best for my cycle. They are open 7 days a week, and base everything off how you are responding. Every doctor we saw during our time at IRH was knowledge and we felt we could trust.
How was your experience with Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Scheiber was always very direct with us. This was our second clinic and we went into our first appointment looking for a second opinion. He was very thorough in his explanation of treatment options. He gave us several options to try moving forward and reassured me that there was still hope for me to conceive. He is super knowledgeable and experienced. We could not be more happy with our decision to switch to Dr. Scheiber.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
It helps to be knowledgeable yourself of the different components of IVF, and different options you might have.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Scheiber always used our names when speaking to us. He was kind and supportive at every office visit.
Describe the protocols Michael Scheiber used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
For my egg retrieval he used a combination of Follisitim and Menopur for stims. He chose the dosage based on my previous response to stimulation.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
The nursing staff at IRH are incredible! They are so knowledgeable and helpful when completing an IVF cycle. After every appointment we would meet with the nurse afterwards and she would go over all the details in depth and make sure that all our questions were answered before we left. They are also super responsive on the patient portal, and check messages 7 days a week.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
This is a larger clinic with several doctors. We personally liked the size of the clinic because it meant that they could schedule around what worked best for my cycle. They are open 7 days a week, and base everything off how you are responding. Every doctor we saw during our time at IRH was knowledge and we felt we could trust.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Total IVF cost (not including genetic testing) around $25,000.
Dr. Burwinkel is thoughtful when you ask to set aside time to discuss treatments. Baseline appointments or mid-cycle appointments are not long enough to have full-conversations about your progress. If you feel the need to switch to a different treatment, you must advocate for yourself. The doctors will listen at this clinic and are not pushy.
[the Institute for Reproductive Health] Nursing staff is where this office excels. The biggest issue is that you have to call to leave a voicemail and they will call you back... If you do not like a doctor, ask for a different primary doctor. However note that since there is a revolving door of doctors, you will likely end up seeing all of the doctors in the clinic at some point. There are no female doctors in this clinic, which I am surprised by.
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Burwinkel is thoughtful when you ask to set aside time to discuss treatments. Baseline appointments or mid-cycle appointments are not long enough to have full-conversations about your progress. If you feel the need to switch to a different treatment, you must advocate for yourself. The doctors will listen at this clinic and are not pushy.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Advocate for yourself. Come in with any questions you have ready, written down, so that you can be prepared to ask. Ask for teledoc or in-person appointments to get a check-in on your progress periodically.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Appointments are always brief, a few minutes at most. If I don't have questions ready at hand, then the treatment is determined without much consultation or discussion. Hard to not feel like a number when the appointments feel so transactional.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
I have secondary infertility due to diminished ovarian reserve. AMH is low. We had one IUI with another clinic, after multiple attempts at femara/medicated cycles. Then switched to this clinic and have had four IUIs, including one converted from a cancelled IVF cycle. We increased our treatment to femara + injectables after the first IUI after the failed IVF cycle. This was to help further encourage egg growth. We have not had success thus far but are continuing with IUI since no other factors for infertility preclude us and IVF cycle proved to be unsuccessful in wielding enough eggs for a retrieval.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Nursing staff is where this office excels. The biggest issue is that you have to call to leave a voicemail and they will call you back. But at least there are not long wait lines, and they are very prompt with returning portal messages or voicemails.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
I dont think this is specific to this fertility clinic, but you need to advocate for yourself. If you do not like a doctor, ask for a different primary doctor.
However note that since there is a revolving door of doctors, you will likely end up seeing all of the doctors in the clinic at some point.
There are no female doctors in this clinic, which I am surprised by.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Costs have mostly been covered by insurance to-date, but funding will soon be exhausted.
Describe Thomas Burwinkel's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
I feel confident he [Dr. Awadalla] knows what he’s doing, sometimes it felt like I was just one more case of the same thing so I didn’t feel like he validated my own case. But I do trust him and believe he can get me pregnant...It didn’t seem like my treatment plan was catered to me. There was a lot of issues with communication also...I was only on follistim and medication to stop ovulation, and while I got 10 eggs I wonder if I was on more meds would I have had a better chance. We also didn’t do ICSI from day one which resulted in none of my eggs fertilizing day 1 and so they went back and did rescue ICSI.
The nursing staff [at Institute for Reproductive Health] has been amazing, everyone has been so compassionate and caring...the clinic isn’t great at communicating things, trying to get ahold of them is very frustrating, you have to call and leave a message and if for some reason miss the call you have to call back and leave another message...It didn’t seem like my treatment plan was catered to me. There was a lot of issues with communication also....
How was your experience with Sherif Awadalla at Institute for Reproductive Health?
As a doctor I loved him, I feel confident he knows what he’s doing, sometimes it felt like I was just one more case of the same thing so I didn’t feel like he validated my own case. But I do trust him and believe he can get me pregnant so I will continue my care with him.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sherif Awadalla at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Sometimes you need to speak up and trust your own gut.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sherif Awadalla at Institute for Reproductive Health?
It didn’t seem like my treatment plan was catered to me. There was a lot of issues with communication also.
Describe the protocols Sherif Awadalla used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
I had a pretty low protocol, I was only on follistim and medication to stop ovulation, and while I got 10 eggs I wonder if I was on more meds would I have had a better chance. We also didn’t do ICSI from day one which resulted in none of my eggs fertilizing day 1 and so they went back and did rescue ICSI.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
The nursing staff has been amazing, everyone has been so compassionate and caring!
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
This is the hardest part to deal with, the clinic isn’t great at communicating things, trying to get ahold of them is very frustrating, you have to call and leave a message and if for some reason miss the call you have to call back and leave another message.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sherif Awadalla at Institute for Reproductive Health.
We paid out of pocket, our IUIs were $700 and without meds our IVF was $8k
What specific things went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Lost paperwork
Failed to call with results
Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
Lost results
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Day of transfer I had a different doctor, and Dr A when we talked about my transfer said we would transfer two embryos, but in the exam room they only discussed transferring one and I had to bring up transferring two. And then while waiting to see if two other embryos made it to blast, they never called to let me know that the other two didn’t make it. I also got a test done when I first went to the clinic and the visit after that, when I saw a different doctor for an ultrasound didn’t see anything in my chart about the test I had done.
Dr scheiber recommended us to do IVF after a few cycles for failed IVF, we should have listened...During IUI we had to ask for medicine changes or increases because we felt something was off. BUT he always listened and did what we asked...All Drs have been great. This practice shares a lot of patients. Every dr takes care of every patient...You may never see your "primary" dr. Between vacations, surgeries, transfers, working certain days at certain branches, we almost never seen our Dr....
All [nurses at Institute for Reproductive Health] were very friendly and compassionate...This clinic only does 1 embryo per transfer unless over 35, poor quality, or specific infertility issues. We had to ask for 2 embryos after 2 failed attempts...You may never see your "primary" dr. Between vacations, surgeries, transfers, working certain days at certain branches, we almost never seen our Dr...
How was your experience with Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Sometimes we didn't get good enough answers for why something was or wasn't done. Several times we had to advocate for things to be done. After 2 failed IVFs we had to ask for more testing to be done. We only had 4 embryos left and didn't want to waste them. During IUI we had to ask for medicine changes or increases because we felt something was off. BUT he always listened and did what we asked.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Do research about what you want to do. This way you can ask the questions you need to. Dr scheiber recommended us to do IVF after a few cycles for failed IVF, we should have listened
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
All Drs have been great. This practice shares a lot of patients. Every dr takes care of every patient
Describe the protocols Michael Scheiber used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
Our first IUI resulted in a pregnancy and live single birth. 2 years later and we can't get pregnant. We used clomid every time. Then we used the IVF hormone injections but stayed with IUI. That was supposed to increase chance for pregnancy. After 6 failures we moved to IVF. 3 cycles total. After 2nd failure we did more testing to which just showed unexplained infertility. Every failure meant higher doses of progesterone. Combining oral, vaginal, and shots. On third try we had to get them to agree to do 2 embryos. Resulting in a postive pregnancy with a set of twins
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
All were very friendly and compassionate
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
You may never see your "primary" dr. Between vacations, surgeries, transfers, working certain days at certain branches, we almost never seen our Dr. We seen all 5 Drs. Mostly o'leary who isn't there any more.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health.
15k to do our egg retrieval and 1 transfer. Each additional transfer was 5k. This did not include mediation cost.
IUI was around 2k each time, including medication and purchase of donor sperm.
Describe Michael Scheiber's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
This clinic only does 1 embryo per transfer unless over 35, poor quality, or specific infertility issues. We had to ask for 2 embryos after 2 failed attempts
at first Dr. Awadalla was a bit short in communication and bedside manner. However after speaking up and asking him to explain in more detail about our options he listened and took the time...We would talk about treatment options etc but also was nice that he would just ask how we were doing mentally and just everyday life and that truly made us feel more comfortable with not only him as a doctor but with the fertility experience as a whole.
[the IRH nurse] was always there for my question at the office, over the phone, late at night, and also just an ear to listen to my cry when another miscarriage would happen...all costs had to be paid for upfront before any procedures and cycles were completed...true customer service always there for a question and would also call back no matter time or day weaknesses when you call the office you never get a live person you have to leave a message and they will call you back.
How was your experience with Sherif Awadalla at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Honestly at first Dr. Awadalla was a bit short in communication and bedside manner. However after speaking up and asking him to explain in more detail about our options he listened and took the time. I started to come to every visit with my notepad of questions to ask and it became a playful joking time because he would then ask where my notebook with my questions. We would talk about treatment options etc but also was nice that he would just ask how we were doing mentally and just everyday life and that truly made us feel more comfortable with not only him as a doctor but with the fertility experience as a whole.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sherif Awadalla at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Talk to him about how your feeling and what your plan is for your fertility journey whether it is good or bad. Talk Talk and talk some more and also ask questions even when you think they may be silly. The more you talk the more it opens up a better relationship with him and you on a personal and business throughout your journey
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sherif Awadalla at Institute for Reproductive Health?
The Staff at IRH (Cincinnati) especially the IVF staff truly made me feel welcome and important. They knew me by name, such as at check in or seeing me in the hallways, and also asked me how i was doing and feeling. They remember the bad times of my miscarriages and negative pregnancy test. but more importantly they remember the good times and ask about how my daughter was doing, who is now 2.5 years old. Dr. A took the time to talk through all options and would also listened to me which was just as important,
Describe the protocols Sherif Awadalla used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
At the first failed pregnancy attempts and miscarriage we then did ICSI and also assisted egg hatching to help out chances with IVF and having a live birth.
I also placed on progestrone vaginal inserts 3X daily of 100mg before transfer and also after transfers up until the time of seeing my OBYGN
my husband also went to a urologists for his low sperm count and placed on OTC vitamins to help increase his sperm count and also at home things to do such as limit the amount of soft drinks and also changing his underwear type to loose fitting boxers
Describe your experience with your nurse at Institute for Reproductive Health. (Assigned nurse: Sara)
Amazing cant say enough good things about her. was always there for my question at the office, over the phone, late at night, and also just an ear to listen to my cry when another miscarriage would happen but also celebrated the good and birth of my daughter
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
Strengths- felt like a true family member, took their time with me to explain but also doing things such a just taking blood or the actual procedures for IVF
IVF staff is the same staff you deal with throughout your journey
location building facilities were always clean and way above standards. true customer service
always there for a question and would also call back no matter time or day
weaknesses when you call the office you never get a live person you have to leave a message and they will call you back.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sherif Awadalla at Institute for Reproductive Health.
all costs had to be paid for upfront before any procedures and cycles were completed. we did not have insurance coverage and planned approximately $18,000-$20,000 for IVF medications were separate and were approximately $3,500-$5,000 depending on dosage changes. ICIS and assisted hatching were extra roughly $1,200-$2,500
frozen transfer with medications was approximately $4,000-$5,500
Describe Sherif Awadalla's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
They definitely educated on the transferring one embryo vs two and suggested we and advised to do one on our first couple transfers and then I educated myself and advocated to do two and my doctor agreed and signed off on the approval to do so. They did tell me the pros and cons on each always
[Dr. Awadalla] Very professional. The transfer itself wasn't painful. He tried to cheer me up every visit. He explained everything about the process. The only thing I didn't like was that I could not call. I had to leave a message and wait for a call back from the assistant...We started with contraceptive pills prior my egg retrieval. I have PCOS, so I didn't need a lot of meds for stimulation. We used FSH, hMG, lupron, estrogen, progesterone injections
In the end I had 20 eggs retrieved, 20 were matured, 16 fertilized. We had 8 embryos in the end...[the Institute for Reproductive Health] clinic only transferred one embryo at a time for the safety...Strengths: kind and professional environment. They are genuinely interested in your success. The only drawback was the phone system. It was quite difficult to contact. They could really benefit from someone answering questions or directing calls.
How was your experience with Sherif Awadalla at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Very professional. The transfer itself wasn't painful. He tried to cheer me up every visit. He explained everything about the process. The only thing I didn't like was that I could not call. I had to leave a message and wait for a call back from the assistant. I would like to see him again next time for another transfer.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sherif Awadalla at Institute for Reproductive Health?
You are in good hands. Try to relax as much as possible. I know this is hard, but worrying about things won't help the process.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sherif Awadalla at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Doctor Awadalla is amazing. He treated me very well. He is very professional doctor with a good sense of humor.
Describe the protocols Sherif Awadalla used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
We started with contraceptive pills prior my egg retrieval. I have PCOS, so I didn't need a lot of meds for stimulation. We used FSH, hMG, lupron, estrogen, progesterone injections. In the end I had 20 eggs retrieved, 20 were matured, 16 fertilized. We had 8 embryos in the end, not geneticaly tested because of our age (F29/M35). The first transfer was the fresh transfer and we did with doctor Scheiber Michael. Unfortunately, it wasn't successful. The second transfer we did with Sherif Awadalla which was successful and we had our first child.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
The nursing stuff were always friendly and nice to us.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
Strengths: kind and professional environment. They are genuinely interested in your success. The only drawback was the phone system. It was quite difficult to contact. They could really benefit from someone answering questions or directing calls.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sherif Awadalla at Institute for Reproductive Health.
We went with a plan that allowed 3 cycles and unlimited transfers of the embryos gained from those cycles. This was $21,000. Medication and hormones were additional, and cost us roughly $5,000. Without that plan, this would have been $9,000 per cycle, and each transfer would be around $3,000.
Describe Sherif Awadalla's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Our clinic only transferred one embryo at a time for the safety. It also gives the embryo better chances for a full term pregnancy. They do transfer more than one if a woman is older than 35 or had previous unsuccessful cycles to increase a chance of pregnancy.
Dr. Schieber has great bed side manners and treats his patients really well...After our failed IUIs, he explained our different options and provided recommendations. He did not recommend any unnecessary procedures and we were satisfied with the step by step process we took to get to our current pregnancy..
Clinic staff [at Institute for Reproductive Health] is helpful when they return your voicemails but do not expect them to be available as soon as you call them. There is almost no guidance provided in terms of the different approvals needed for each step of the process. Prior Authorizations are needed for almost each step of the IVF process...Nursing staff was helpful in answering questions but the calling back system is very frustrating
How was your experience with Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Scheiber is very professional and treats his patients well. Our whole IVF process went very smoothly and without any hiccups. We were well informed through out the process. After our failed IUIs, he explained our different options and provided recommendations. He did not recommend any unnecessary procedures and we were satisfied with the step by step process we took to get to our current pregnancy.
I wish we could get some answers for our infertility issues. We never got a clear indication for why or what was preventing us from getting pregnant. This is behind us now, but some diagnostics to identify the root cause would have been helpful. That being said, if we ever want to try again, we would be going back to Dr. Scheiber and use one of our 5 left over frozen eggs.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Do your research and be informed! Doctors at IRH are seeing a lot of patients and sometimes you need to do the legwork yourself and be aware of each step of the process. They may not tell you every single detail or probably don't have the time to do that, unless you ask very directed questions.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Schieber has great bed side manners and treats his patients really well. He answered any questions we had, through out the process and was able to produce results within 1 year of being at IRH. We were successful with our very first IVF and were satisfied with the results. We could never figure out what was wrong but in the end we are pregnant and that's what matters.
Describe the protocols Michael Scheiber used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
We didn't have a clear diagnosis for our infertility. But Dr. Schieber did find a polyp and we got that removed. We did 3 IUIs with Femara which were unsuccessful. Then we moved on to IVF with Menopur (1) and Follistim (125 IU) for about 8 days. They did 3 ultrasounds and blood tests. Towards the end, the dosage was adjusted to prevent OHSS. We ended up with 20 eggs retrieved, 12 fertilized and 6 PGS normal embryos. We did a frozen transfer with our grade A embryo and were successful the first time.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Nursing staff was helpful in answering questions but the calling back system is very frustrating. You have to leave a voicemail and they get back to you when they can. Sometimes there were some urgent requests like - missed dosage, prior authorization requirement for a medicine, it was very hard to get to them for urgent needs.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
Clinic staff is helpful when they return your voicemails but do not expect them to be available as soon as you call them. There is almost no guidance provided in terms of the different approvals needed for each step of the process. Prior Authorizations are needed for almost each step of the IVF process. You may not be able to proceed with your procedure without timely Prior Authorizations. We were delayed twice, once for retrieval and once for frozen transfer, because no one explains you these requirements. There was also some miscommunication on the Financial Advisor's side that prevented us from getting the authorization on time. Such delays can be avoided if there is more support staff available to answer questions immediately. The whole infertility process is very frustrating in itself and without immediate help, it adds to the frustration and desperation.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health.
We probably paid about $8k out of pocket for all the procedures because we chose to do embryo biopsy and PGS testing. Rest was covered by the insurance.
What specific things went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Our request for prior authorization for a medication was not submitted for a while despite multiple requests. We had to pay out of pocket for it since we couldn't go through the insurance.
I am considered overweight medically, so I tried to focus on healthy lifestyle and losing weight. This was supported by Dr. Scheiber, but he never made it a requirement. I lost 55 pounds when we started our IVF cycle. I was on Gonal F, Menopur, cetrotide with a trigger shot of ovidril and lupin. We retrieved 18 eggs, 8 making it to day 5. We transferred a 2 AA blastocyst and this resulted in a pregnancy. We did not genetic testing.
The only issue I ever had [at IRH] was I would have to leave a message and receive a call back from the nursing staff. Doctors and nurses were caring, intelligent and always answered my questions. They helped tremendously with getting insurance situations handled and prior approvals...We retrieved 18 eggs, 8 making it to day 5. We transferred a 2 AA blastocyst and this resulted in a pregnancy. We did not genetic testing.
How was your experience with Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
We have been patients with IRH since October 2018. Dr. Scheiber always was kind, informative and allowed us to make decisions in our infertility journey. When we elected to move to IVF, it was straightforward with competent and kind staff. The nurses were amazing! They fought with me to get my medications covered via insurance because it was included in my plan. When we scheduled my retrieval, I was overwhelmed with emotions and the nurse allowed me to express all of them with her. I truly felt they cared about the results. Even when we suffered a miscarriage, the nurses and doctors were kind and compassionate.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Trust IRH. I did my own research but there were some details I was not told and I didn't think was necessary for me to know (such as how many follicles or what sizes) When I asked, the information was given. But I trusted the doctors and the process.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Scheiber was kind, hopeful and always believed we would be released with a successful, healthy pregnancy. All the doctors at IRH have treated me in this manner.
Describe the protocols Michael Scheiber used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
My husband has always had no fertility issues and great sperm analysis results. I have PCOS. We were relatively young (26/27 when we began) and healthy. I am considered overweight medically, so I tried to focus on healthy lifestyle and losing weight. This was supported by Dr. Scheiber, but he never made it a requirement. I lost 55 pounds when we started our IVF cycle. I was on Gonal F, Menopur, cetrotide with a trigger shot of ovidril and lupin. We retrieved 18 eggs, 8 making it to day 5. We transferred a 2 AA blastocyst and this resulted in a pregnancy. We did not genetic testing.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Amazing!
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
The only issue I ever had was I would have to leave a message and receive a call back from the nursing staff. Doctors and nurses were caring, intelligent and always answered my questions. They helped tremendously with getting insurance situations handled and prior approvals.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health.
I had insurance coverage for most treatments, including medications. In my 3 years with IRH, I would estimate $3000-$6000.
Describe Michael Scheiber's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
We transferred one embryo due to age and recommendation.
Dr Burwinkel was great, our trouble was we only saw him for iui consultation only. Other doctors in practice performed all the procedures making it hard to communicate and have questions answered. He was very clear and confident and had us really excited and hopeful when we began treatment but ultimately got bounced around the practice leaving us with stress and concern...
The [Institute for Reproductive Health] clinic seems well organized and polite, however you don’t get many questions answered and you deal with several doctors. I think maybe the bouncing between doctors provides that lack of communication. They are seemingly very busy, and you become just a time slot after initial consult...Overall I’d say cost inferred was around 7000 dollars including testing, consultation, semen analysis, and IUI.
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr Burwinkel was great, our trouble was we only saw him for iui consultation only. Other doctors in practice performed all the procedures making it hard to communicate and have questions answered. He was very clear and confident and had us really excited and hopeful when we began treatment but ultimately got bounced around the practice leaving us with stress and concern.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Tell them early you would like to deal with a single doctor for treatment to maintain good communication and trust.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
We initially met with the dr and he had high hopes and he expressed extreme confidence and optimism in IUI treatment. After two try’s and being bounced around between dr’s in the practice we had a lot of questions unanswered and gradually we felt as if we became more of a number at that point.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
Dr burwinkel stated everything looked great and was confident we would have success with IUI treatment in initial consult, we did a semen analysis with positive results, following that my wife’s cycles were tracked and had two unsuccessful IUI procedures. The only testing my wife received there was measuring of linings and number of eggs. We were told all numbers looked great. I would have like to seen more testing and results for my wife compared to what our research told us. We went with this clinic on the recommendation of several friends that had success. I was happy with the initial consult with the DR. But everything following that felt like they just wanted us to keep wasting our money trying unsuccessful IUI treatments with no explanations. They simply kept calling us to reschedule more...
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Nursing staff was always polite and helpful but seemingly all faith and knowledge laid within the doctors.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
The clinic seems well organized and polite, however you don’t get many questions answered and you deal with several doctors. I think maybe the bouncing between doctors provides that lack of communication. They are seemingly very busy, and you become just a time slot after initial consult.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Overall I’d say cost inferred was around 7000 dollars including testing, consultation, semen analysis, and IUI.
What specific things went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Trouble getting refills on medications prescribed for procedures. We were told to get with our obgyn if we had questions even though they were providing treatment.
[Dr. Kate O'Leary] Her bedside manor could not have been better. She was always sympathetic, empathetic, and delicate when necessary. She also did little things like recall who we were as well as occupations and what was happening in our personal lives...We began with [her] by both of us being tested with the results showing normal male function but a diminished egg reserve. This led [her] to guide us to IUI. During the rounds of IUI, mainly due to our willingness and want to, my wife underwent HSG procedure...
The [Institute for Reproductive Health] staff seems incredibly knowledgeable and intelligent. This process has not been cheap, or easy, but the staff and clinic, with its testing and lab being accessible and the employees pleasant during a seemingly awkward experience, makes the process almost friction-less...There seems to be a large nursing staff, with us seldom having the same one multiple times. However, they have all been kind and compassionate.
How was your experience with Kate O'Leary at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. O'Leary was always pleasant and easy to deal with. As intelligent and capable as she seems, she never spoke down to us or spoke over our heads, always helping my wife and I understand what was happening. Her strongest suit is her delicacy in dealing with patients. Sadly, there has not been a pregnancy yet with our treatments but hopefully they will happen with the next steps, which we plan on taking with Dr. O'Leary. She is sensitive to our lives, ideas, and thoughts on the subject giving us full confidence that the results we want will happen soon.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kate O'Leary at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Come prepared with questions and ideas and thoughts. She is a willing and attentive guide in the experience.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kate O'Leary at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Her bedside manor could not have been better. She was always sympathetic, empathetic, and delicate when necessary. She also did little things like recall who we were as well as occupations and what was happening in our personal lives.
Describe the protocols Kate O'Leary used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
We began with Dr. O'Leary by both of us being tested with the results showing normal male function but a diminished egg reserve. This led Dr. O'Leary to guide us to IUI. During the rounds of IUI, mainly due to our willingness and want to, my wife underwent HSG procedure. Dr. O'Leary performed it upon my wife, with warnings that it could be uncomfortable. The procedure showed no tubal damage and it was not painful or difficult for my wife. Insemination was not always performed by Dr. O'Leary but the other Dr.'s in the office, which still always went comfortably. We tried four rounds of IUI to no success, however the process was smooth and clear. IVF with Dr. O'Leary is the next step, which my wife and I will take when we are ready, to no pressure from our doctor.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
There seems to be a large nursing staff, with us seldom having the same one multiple times. However, they have all been kind and compassionate.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
The clinic is clean, updated, and comfortable. The staff seems incredibly knowledgeable and intelligent. This process has not been cheap, or easy, but the staff and clinic, with its testing and lab being accessible and the employees pleasant during a seemingly awkward experience, makes the process almost friction-less.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kate O'Leary at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Luckily, up to the point of IVF, we have had insurance coverage. The clinic spoke to insurance seamlessly, while also letting us know what parts insurance did not cover and what we would be charged, which was usually $45 to $60 per visit.
We had a good experience with him [Dr. Scheiber], despite the outcome. He was Frank, but sensitive in his delivery of any kind of news of a setback. Looking back, something I'd change was a better discussion of my diagnosis, like my actual chances of conception with my own eggs. We have have been able to make potential egg donor decisions sooner then. ... We used a wide variety of pills, injectables, and inserts for my 10 IUIs to see if my ovaries would respond any better to various combinations.
We were really impressed with all parts of our experience with the clinic [Institute for Reproductive Health] itself. Great location, wonderful professional staff and a team of 4 doctors I came to trust over the almost 2 years we sought treatment there. ... These [nurses] were a fantastic team of ladies. Compassionate, thorough, organized. The communication was fabulous as well. Low wait times at the clinic. It was enjoyable to come here for treatment despite our circumstances.
How was your experience with Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
We had a good experience with him, despite the outcome. He was Frank, but sensitive in his delivery of any kind of news of a setback. Looking back, something I'd change was a better discussion of my diagnosis, like my actual chances of conception with my own eggs. We have have been able to make potential egg donor decisions sooner then.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Have your questions organized and ready beforehand.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Had a great experience with him even without success so far. Good bedside manner and ready to answer questions at will.
Describe the protocols Michael Scheiber used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
We used a wide variety of pills, injectables, and inserts for my 10 IUIs to see if my ovaries would respond any better to various combinations. It seems I'd get a positive result and short lived pregnancy (or in one case a chemical) on the first try after the combination of drugs was changed and then negatives after that. I never produced more than a few mature looking follicles after all the stims and had to convert an IVF cycle to IUI at one point.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
These were a fantastic team of ladies. Compassionate, thorough, organized. The communication was fabulous as well. Low wait times at the clinic. It was enjoyable to come here for treatment despite our circumstances.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
We were really impressed with all parts of our experience with the clinic itself. Great location, wonderful professional staff and a team of 4 doctors I came to trust over the almost 2 years we sought treatment there.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health.
We were in the range of 7-8k for everything over the course of almost 2 years, not including medication. Our costs remained lower since we were only doing rounds of IUI.
Describe Michael Scheiber's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
We never got this far unfortunately, although doctor did recommend one embryo at a time in order to eliminate health issues with multiples.
every time he [Dr. Burwinkel] sees me he knows who I am and my history and not just because he looked at my chart 5 minutes before my appointment. He is direct and tells me what I need to hear, but does it in a way that is kind and compassionate...opened my mind to the possibility of egg donation after a couple of egg retrievals with less than desirable results but let me know that they would continue to try with my eggs as long as I was willing. He also was honest with us when we asked about a Gestational Carrier, stating that it was our best shot for the one genetically normal embryo we have frozen. Because of Dr. B, we hope to transfer to a gestational carrier in November with our own embryo and hope to transfer to me in December with a donor embryo. I cannot say enough good things about Dr. B. I truly believe we are on our current course because of him and I have 100% faith that he is leading us in the right direction.
if you are not one of the extremely complicated cases, you will not have an assigned nurse or coordinator. IRH has a team of standard treatment nurses and a team of IVF nurses. Overall, I would say that the team of IRH nurses are pretty amazing...They do an amazing job, but it's a high volume clinic so your journey will be so much smoother if you are on top of everything and help them be the care team you need...things *could* have gone wrong if I hadn't been paying attention.
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
I have seen every doctor at IRH over the last two years and over that time, I have become the most comfortable with Dr. B and as a result, switched over to him as my primary physician in early 2019.
I am someone who needs my doctor to explain the details of my diagnosis and treatment in order to feel confident in our plan of action. If the details are not explained to me, I get very anxious. Dr. B learned this about me very quickly and takes the time to explain everything to us as well as answer all of my questions. When we ask for additional consult appointments just to talk about next steps, he is always accommodating and takes the time to ensure all of our questions are answered.
I am also a very direct person who wants an honest assessment of the situation, even if it's tough to hear. When I'm told overly positive things repeatedly and then experience disappointment, that makes me distrustful. I realize that this helps some patients, but it is not something that works for me. This is why Dr. B is a perfect fit for me. We have had to have quite a few tough discussions over the course of my treatment (he diagnosed 2 of my 3 miscarriages, had a discussion about donor eggs, as well as discussed use of a gestational carrier) and he has been fantastic. He has a way of being direct about the tough things, but is compassionate and helps you understand the full picture. Dr. B opened my mind to the possibility of egg donation after a couple of egg retrievals with less than desirable results but let me know that they would continue to try with my eggs as long as I was willing. He also was honest with us when we asked about a Gestational Carrier, stating that it was our best shot for the one genetically normal embryo we have frozen.
Because of Dr. B, we hope to transfer to a gestational carrier in November with our own embryo and hope to transfer to me in December with a donor embryo.
I cannot say enough good things about Dr. B. I truly believe we are on our current course because of him and I have 100% faith that he is leading us in the right direction.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
If you are somebody who wants all the details of your diagnosis and treatment plan, likes to ask questions, and wants someone who will give you honesty, ask for Dr. B to be your primary doctor (or Dr. S).
If you get overwhelmed by the details and want a doctor that will give you more general encouragement, ask for Dr. A to be your primary doctor.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
I switched to Dr. B in early 2019 because after 2 years of care at IRH, I realized that I had established the best rapport with Dr. B and that he spoke my language. He takes the time to explain my diagnosis and treatment cycle to me, which is extremely important for me personally. I never feel like he is in too much of a hurry to answer my questions. I also know that every time he sees me he knows who I am and my history and not just because he looked at my chart 5 minutes before my appointment. He is direct and tells me what I need to hear, but does it in a way that is kind and compassionate.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
Egg Retrieval 1 with Dr. B (3 Overall): 225 Gonal F, 150 Menopur, Cetrotide = 7 Eggs Retrieved, 2 Blastocysts, 1 PGS Normal Embryo. With this cycle, he added an extra vial of Menopur to attempt to get a 4:1 Ratio of FSH to LH in hopes of retrieving more eggs. The strategy worked as I had only ever had 3 eggs retrieved previously.
Egg Retrieval 2 with Dr B (4th Retrieval Overall): Femara 5MG Per Day Cycle Days 3-7, 225 Gonal F & 150 Menopur Starting Day 3, Cetrotide (NOTE: Dr. S recommended this cycle) = 9 Eggs Retrieved, 3 Blastocysts, 0 PGS Normal Embryos. With this cycle, Femara was added in hopes of getting more quality eggs.
Egg Retrieval 3 with Dr B (5th Retrieval Overall): F 225 Gonal F & 150 Menopur Starting Day 3, Cetrotide: 4 Eggs Retrieved, 1 Blastocyst, 0 PGS Normal Embryos. With this cycle, we started out with less than an ideal follicle pattern, so our expectations weren't as high out of the gate. The thought was to go back to the retrieval where we got a good embryo and I 100% agreed with this strategy. If I had to go back and do it again, I would do the same protocol.
Dr. B also ordered all of my recurrent loss testing after my 3rd miscarriage (which was with a PGS Normal Embryo). He tested for Thyroid Levels, Blood Clotting Disorders, and Auto Immune Disorders. He also recommended a uterine biopsy for an ERA Test for Embryo Transfer Timing & Receptiva Test for Endometriosis. Blood Tests came back with slightly elevated Prolactin & TSH. While he did not believe this is my primary issue, he started me on Levothyroxine. The ERA test came back normal. The Receptiva Test came back positive for inflammation associated with endometriosis. The strategy here was to test me for everything under the sun since I had been pregnant 3 times and all 3 resulted in miscarriage, with the last one being a PGS Normal embryo. Even if we hadn't diagnosed anything, at least we could have eliminated them as possibilities. This was a strategy that I was 100% on board with and would do over again.
Treatment for endometriosis consisted of 2 months of Lupron Depot Injections, which put your ovaries into a temporary state of menopause in an effort to get rid of the inflammation associated with endometriosis. We have decided to repeat the biopsy after treatment is completed before attempting an embryo transfer with donor eggs. This repeat test was particularly important to me because I don't want to do an embryo transfer without knowing that the Receptiva Test is negative and I was thrilled that Dr. B was supportive of repeating the test.
Our Egg Donor Cycle is currently in process. Our Egg Donor (a known donor) is doing Gonal F and Cetrotide with doses to be determined. Dr. B recommended considering an egg donor after our 1st egg retrieval (2nd cycle as 1st was cancelled) yielded only 3 eggs and no PGS Normal Embryos. We did 4 more egg retrievals after that resulting in only 2 PGS Normal Embryos. So, after 5 egg retrievals and only 1 Frozen PGS Normal Embryo left, we decided it was time to move onto the egg donor waiting in the wings. His suggestion earlier on in the process allowed us to get our egg donor lined up but to continue with our own retrievals until we were ready to move onto the egg donor. We elected to do PGS Testing on our Donor Embryos, which is unusual, but given my history with loss, we were only interested in proceeding with embryos confirmed to be genetically normal. Again, Dr. B was supportive of our wishes and helped us formulate the plan.
Finally, we are doing a frozen embryo transfer cycle with our 1 remaining PGS Normal Embryo and a Gestational Carrier (known carrier/friend). Our Carrier took several weeks of Lupron Injections to down regulate her ovaries and will take normal estrace/progersterone protocol for a frozen embryo transfer. When we brought up our concerns about how few of our own embryos we had, Dr. B was in agreement that a Gestational Carrier was our best chance of success. He recognized our priorities and we appreciated his candor and honesty in his recommendation.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Institute for Reproductive Health. (Assigned nurse: Sarah Price)
First, I want to note that generally speaking, patients are not assigned a primary nurse or care coordinator at IRH. Sarah Price and Lizzie West are in charge of the Egg Donor and Gestational Carrier programs at IRH. Since we are coordinating care of both an Egg Donor and a Gestational Carrier in addition to my treatment cycles in a relatively small window, our treatment plan is extremely complicated. Given her position as coordinating egg donors and gestational carriers, Sarah Price stepped up became our primary nurse.
With that being said, I cannot say enough great things about Sarah. She has been absolutely amazing. She is exceptionally supportive, extremely organized, walks me through all the details, answers all of my questions (there are a lot), and truly makes me feel like she is invested in our success. She has truly gone above and beyond for us and I am so incredibly grateful for her help.
As stated above though, if you are not one of the extremely complicated cases, you will not have an assigned nurse or coordinator. IRH has a team of standard treatment nurses and a team of IVF nurses. Overall, I would say that the team of IRH nurses are pretty amazing. They're knowledgeable, patient, and supportive.
One thing I would definitely recommend is to write down the names of the nurses who have been particularly helpful to you. While you don't get to pick the nurses that you see at your appointments, it is helpful to know the ones that have worked well with you in the past.
In addition to Sarah, who I mentioned above, some of my absolute favorite nurses are Mindy who has drawn my blood a zillion times and always takes great care of me, Devin who did my Lupron Depot injection (which is intramuscular) and I didn't even feel it, Jackie who was my nurse several times for egg retrievals and even called to congratulate me when we found out we had a normal embryo, Katie who was my nurse for several egg retrievals and is absolutely amazing, and Sarah (a different Sarah than above) who has walked me through the instructions for some of our tougher cycles.
There are plenty of other great nurses there. These are just some of the ones who have been exceptional during my treatment.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
Strengths: Convenient Locations, Prompt Call Backs, Compassionate, Knowledgeable, and Supportive Staff, relatively short wait times, clear instructions and treatment plans.
Weaknesses: High Volume so it can feel like you're a number (some of that is on you though - if you seek out the right doctors and nurses you won't), you won't get a live person when you call (but they will call you back same day)
Recommendation for patients: Your experience will be better if you are proactive and take ownership of your journey. If you have questions ask them. If you have a preferred doctor or doctors, try to schedule with them as much as possible. If you want an extra consult to talk about your treatment, schedule one. If you're nervous about something, don't wait, call them. Keep track of your medications, follow up with them to make sure things are being done timely, etc. They do an amazing job, but it's a high volume clinic so your journey will be so much smoother if you are on top of everything and help them be the care team you need.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
This really depends on whether you are out of pocket or insured.
IVF with PGS Testing Out of Pocket (all in for meds etc): $24,000
Embryo Transfer: $4500
Screening for Gestational Carrier and Husband: $2700
Screening for Me (to use Gestational Carrier): $1700
Multi Cycle Package for PGS Testing: $2150
With insurance it is significantly cheaper. Once we hit our deductible, IVF without an embryo transfer was about $600. The PGS Testing is $2150 in addition to the $600 but we should potentially get reimbursed for that from insurance. These costs are really going to vary depending on your insurance coverage.
Describe Thomas Burwinkel's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
All of the doctors at our clinic typically prefer single embryo transfers. We have always used PGS tested embryos, and in those cases, they will only transfer 1 embryo.
What specific things went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health.
I wouldn't say that things have gone wrong necessarily. It's more that things *could* have gone wrong if I hadn't been paying attention. For Example:
(1) If I hadn't kept a meticulous inventory of my IVF medication, we would have been scrambling mid cycle to get additional medication (I know this is relatively common, but I prefer not to have to deal with it)
(2) I would have lost a month of my treatment because we didn't have the proper prior authorization for my Lupron Depot Injections. This wasn't necessarily their fault - actually it was more the pharmacy - but if I hadn't been persistent, we would not have gotten the medication on time.
(3) At one of our Pre-Retrieval instructions sessions, a nurse gave us conflicting instructions for a PGS cycle. It actually really freaked me out because it was our first retrieval. I called back and requested to have someone walk us through it again to ensure I understood and everything got clarified.
(4) A prior authorization was not submitted timely and we had to miss a month for our retrieval cycle (no harm done - we did a uterine biopsy instead, but it still did result in the change of our treatment cycle).
So, like I said in my previous response, it is in the patient's best interest to make sure they are an informed patient and proactive in the management of their treatment. Only you know your history the best, so be proactive and help them give you the best treatment possible.
Michael Scheiber was an extremely upbeat and friendly guy. His knowledge made me feel extremely comfortable through the process from multiple check ups, egg retrieval all the way to the transfer. I always left the office knowing I was in good hands. ... We chose a 5 day embryo through PGS for transfer ... During every appointment, he would refer to my husband and I by our first name as if he knew us. He has an extremely friendly and compassionate demeanor
Better schedule/ timeline of events. I always wanted to know what was next and had a calendar of my own. The amount of paperwork was daunting. I know there is no way around it, but better communication [from Institute for Repro Health] of what was needed when so my husband and I could have been better prepared! ... There was a line to leave the nursing staff a message. I would call with anything- concerns etc. they would always call back in a timely manner knowing my full history.
How was your experience with Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Michael Scheiber was an extremely upbeat and friendly guy. His knowledge made me feel extremely comfortable through the process from multiple check ups, egg retrieval all the way to the transfer. I always left the office knowing I was in good hands.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
There is a lot of paperwork! Always check in to see if you have everything signed. Medicine is expensive and on-going. Be prepared if pregnant to order endometrin and estradiol multiple times. Best through an online pharmacy!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
During every appointment, he would refer to my husband and I by our first name as if he knew us. He has an extremely friendly and compassionate demeanor
Describe the protocols Michael Scheiber used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
Period Day 1: Tuesday, June 11th
Start Birth Control: Thursday, June 13th
-Spotting on Sunday, June 16th
Preliminary Doctor’s Appointment to see how B.C. Is working: Wednesday, June 26th. He said everything looked great and that I would produce multiple eggs due to PCOS
-Stop Birth Control July 3
-July 4, July 5 and July 6 no birth control. Very crampy and spotty especially on the last day
-Start Follistim and Menopur July 7th. 125 of the follistim and 1 vial of Manipur
-Mid Medication Follow Up July 10th at 3:45pm. Follicles progressing good. Start to take Ganirelix on Thursday. Lower Follistim dosage on Friday.
-Follow Up July 13th at 10:00am: left side follicles are growing slower. Right side is on track. Next appointment scheduled for Monday. Predicted egg retrieval for Friday, July 19th.
-Follow Up Follow Up July 15th at 8:45am. Had to purchase another gani.
-Egg Retrieval day. Took vicodin at 7:15am. I arrived at IRH at 7:45am and they took me back on the bed. Pumped fluids through my hand since they couldn’t find a vein. Antibiotics and a relaxant medicine. A window behind the light with a person behind it. Dr. Scheiber recited my name to the nurses in the room and what they were here for. I felt everything that the doctor did but it was quick. Wheeled me back. Was in so much pain. Nurse Melissa told me they retrieved 17 eggs.
-Saturday, 8:20am, nurse called and told me all 17 of my eggs were mature and out of that 12 fertilized
-Thursday the 25th at 12:06pm nurse called me to tell me I had 6 Day 5/ Day 6 embryos
-Started my period Saturday evening 27th/ 28th Sunday morning. Left nurse voicemail Saturday evening. Nurse called Sunday morning. Scheduled lining check on August 8th. Tentative transfer on 16th. Take estradiol 3 times a day
-Wednesday 31st institute in Nashville called to say they received the samples and it will take 5 to 7 days for biopsy results
-Appointment on August 8th- all embryos normal and healthy. 5 boys, 1 girl
-August 16th transfer date
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
There was a line to leave the nursing staff a message. I would call with anything- concerns etc. they would always call back in a timely manner knowing my full history.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
Better schedule/ timeline of events. I always wanted to know what was next and had a calendar of my own. The amount of paperwork was daunting. I know there is no way around it, but better communication of what was needed when so my husband and I could have been better prepared!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health.
$16,235 for IVF with PGD. Medications and Biopsy costs were separate
Describe Michael Scheiber's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
No comment. We chose a 5 day embryo through PGS for transfer
Dr. Burwinkel is very kind and caring. His bedside manner was great and he always ensured I understood the treatment process. When I had questions, he took time to listen. He took the time to answer each of my questions and never acted rushed. For my egg retrieval, he came to see me before and after the procedure. He always made sure I was comfortable throughout the process.
Strengths [of Inst for Repro Health] are that the appointments are not long, staff are compassionate, they have a great bedside manner and there is an open line of communication. Weaknesses are that you might not always see the same doctor if they are not in that day ... The nursing staff was amazing. They always responded to questions left on the nurse line, provided reassurance and ensured my comfort .
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Burwinkel is very kind and caring. His bedside manner was great and he always ensured I understood the treatment process. When I had questions, he took time to listen. He took the time to answer each of my questions and never acted rushed. For my egg retrieval, he came to see me before and after the procedure. He always made sure I was comfortable throughout the process.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
I would definitely recommend him and never be afraid to ask questions.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Burkwinkel has a great bedside manner and takes time to talk to patients.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
Dr. Burwinkel used femera and ovidrel with my IUIs. I always responded positively but never got pregnant. He used menopur, gonal f, cetrotide and ovidrel for my IVF. I also responded well and had 25 mature eggs. I was given dostinex after my retrieval to help against hyperstimulation. I did not end up with hyperstimulation and was able to have a fresh transfer.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
The nursing staff was amazing. They always responded to questions left on the nurse line, provided reassurance and ensured my comfort .
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
Strengths are that the appointments are not long, staff are compassionate, they have a great bedside manner and there is an open line of communication.
Weaknesses are that you might not always see the same doctor if they are not in that day.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
$15000 for 3 IUIs and 1 IVF
Describe Thomas Burwinkel's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
I was not happy with the thought of an eset at first but Dr. Burwinkel explained the risk of embryos splitting and multiples with more than one embryo being transferred. I am now grateful because I got pregnant with a healthy single baby from my first IVF.
I don’t have a lot of hands on with the [nursing] staff as Dr B [Burwinkel] is very hands on and takes control of all my appointments. ... Before we started IUI, he ordered a test to look at my uterus and ovaries to make sure they were clear and looked good. ... Dr B is always very involved in all my appointments. He will call me Himself to discuss any and al questions I have. He gives me his honest opinion and I never feel he is forcing decisions on me. Never once has he pushed for something to help numbers. I truly feel he knows how hard this journey is and wants to help us get our baby.
There is one dr that is nice but I feel she just wants to be in and out. I chalked it up to I’m not her “patient “ so I just don’t see her anymore. I do like they [Institute for Reproductive Health] have multiple locations. They always call back super fast (typically same day) and I’ve never had any issues scheduling my appointments. I feel really comfortable going in to talk to Dr B and know he’s going to be straightforward with me.
How was your experience with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
I was at another clinic and the dr never came in to speak with me or complete my ultrasounds or testings. I decided to change to this clinic and saw one other dr in the practice but voices that is rather keep all appointments with Dr B and he’s been great at making sure he keeps up with our treatment. He takes his time and I’ve never one time felt rushed. He chit chats with my husband which makes my husband feel more comfortable coming to my appointments with me. He always acknowledges my feelings and sets me up for how things can or may go. I love that he’s very blunt and to the point. I don’t want a dr to sugar coat anything with how much we are investing into our journey. I don’t want false hope! I always look forward to seeing Dr B and hearing what plans he has for our treatment. After every IUI he days he prays this is our time and I really feel he means it!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Don’t expect him to beat around the bush. Very forthcoming
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr B is always very involved in all my appointments. He will call me Himself to discuss any and al questions I have. He gives me his honest opinion and I never feel he is forcing decisions on me. Never once has he pushed for something to help numbers. I truly feel he knows how hard this journey is and wants to help us get our baby.
Describe the protocols Thomas Burwinkel used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
Before we started IUI, he ordered a test to look at my uterus and ovaries to make sure they were clear and looked good. During this he found polyps in my uterus and he removed them successfully during surgery. He then scheduled my first IUI using letrozole and then did an ultrasound to check my follicles and gave me the date for my trigger shot. This was the same approach on each IUI. Ultimately my IUIs weren’t successful but endometriosis has a role in that outcome. He also did a progesterone check 1 week after my last IUI per my request to help ease my mind.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
I don’t have a lot of hands on with the staff as Dr B is very hands on and takes control of all my appointments. The times I have interacted with the nursing staff they are very polite and professional. They always make sure to wish us luck as we leave our appointments
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
I was at another clinic closer to me and decided to move to this clinic and so far I’m very happy I did. It’s very clean, quiet, and helps to calm my nerves. The staff has always been great. There is one dr that is nice but I feel she just wants to be in and out. I chalked it up to I’m not her “patient “ so I just don’t see her anymore. I do like they have multiple locations. They always call back super fast (typically same day) and I’ve never had any issues scheduling my appointments. I feel really comfortable going in to talk to Dr B and know he’s going to be straightforward with me.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Thomas Burwinkel at Institute for Reproductive Health.
So far my insurance has covered everything for my IUIs and most of my meds. I’m not sure what the out of pocket costs are.
Describe Thomas Burwinkel's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
We have only had an IVF consult so far, but he likes to do a single transfer starting out. He is open to multiple transfers if at least two IVF transfers were unsuccessful.
Dr. Awadalla seems like a true expert and was very professional. I couldn't always see him because he doesn't work everyday and my cycles didn't work out that way, but he was there for the two biggest days (egg retrieval and embryo transfer)...make sure that you come in with questions because otherwise you will get hustled out of there. He'll answer questions but he doesn't chat through everything in detail otherwise...we did a single embryo transfer after freezing for a month because I developed OHSS.
Some of the nurses [at IRH] were better than others. The nurse I had on the day of my retrieval (Stephanie) was amazing. The nurse who did my "IVF Education Day" gave a lot of information but I felt like it was very rushed. In general, I think the nurses are very compassionate but they deal with this all day every day, so there's not a very personal touch...Good: Free parking, early appointments, multiple locations around the city, affiliated lab right next door. Financial people are AWESOME and really know their stuff. Bad: Always felt a little rushed - they crank through a lot of people in one day.
How was your experience with Sherif Awadalla at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Awadalla seems like a true expert and was very professional. I couldn't always see him because he doesn't work everyday and my cycles didn't work out that way, but he was there for the two biggest days (egg retrieval and embryo transfer).
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sherif Awadalla at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Do your research ahead of time and make sure that you come in with questions because otherwise you will get hustled out of there. He'll answer questions but he doesn't chat through everything in detail otherwise.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sherif Awadalla at Institute for Reproductive Health?
I always felt a little rushed in the office. He doesn't do much explanation and leaves that to the nurses. He always seems very confident and is realistic about what his recommendations are, but I never felt like I had enough time with him.
Describe the protocols Sherif Awadalla used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
After doing a round of clomid+intercourse with my OB-GYN, Dr. Awadalla did a round of IUI (femara+IUI). Because I have PCOS, we moved to IVF for the next step. We did birth control for 3 weeks so that I could go on a vacation, then 10 days of injections at a very low dose (150). We triggered with lupron and a normal trigger at a lower dose. They retrieved 33 eggs, 31 of which were mature, and 29 fertilized (no ISCI). We ended up with 23 embryos (19 day 5 blasts, 4 day 6 blasts). We did not do PGS. Just yesterday, we did a single embryo transfer after freezing for a month because I developed OHSS.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Some of the nurses were better than others. The nurse I had on the day of my retrieval (Stephanie) was amazing. The nurse who did my "IVF Education Day" gave a lot of information but I felt like it was very rushed. In general, I think the nurses are very compassionate but they deal with this all day every day, so there's not a very personal touch.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
Good: Free parking, early appointments, multiple locations around the city, affiliated lab right next door. Financial people are AWESOME and really know their stuff.
Bad: Always felt a little rushed - they crank through a lot of people in one day.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sherif Awadalla at Institute for Reproductive Health.
I was fortunate enough to have most of my costs covered by Fertility insurance. I did pay about $500 for medications/injections and about $250/appointment.
Describe Sherif Awadalla's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
The doctor strongly recommended eSET based on the quality of our embryos and my age. We agreed with this recommendation based on the risks to mother and child(ren) associated with multiples.
What specific things went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Lost appointments
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health.
One of my appointments was scheduled at the wrong location for this clinic. They were able to get me in to the clinic that I went to but I had to wait a little bit, but I think they handled it really well.
I only had two embryos from this fresh cycle [with Dr. Scheiber and I had two failed transfers previously so he recommended that we transfer both to increase our chances...I feel like the retrieval caught me off guard because it was a light twilight sedation so I was awake during the surgery. I was never awake with my 3 previous retrievals at another RE so I was not expecting this. I was not informed beforehand that I would be awake. It was not pleasant. Transfer went smoothly. When I got the negative BETA I feel like the news was said to me in a gentle manner.
I felt like the clinic [IRH] had our best interest at heart. I did not feel rushed in the appointments and they answered our questions thoroughly. They showed sincerity and empathy for what I have been through on this journey...I primarily dealt with Katie [nurse] and I loved her. She was very sweet and quick to respond to my emails and phone calls. IRH does NOT use a patient portal although Katie told me they were working on that and I still didnt feel a lack in communication there.
How was your experience with Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
I felt that he was thorough when discussing my protocol and I understood everything. I feel like the retrieval caught me off guard because it was a light twilight sedation so I was awake during the surgery. I was never awake with my 3 previous retrievals at another RE so I was not expecting this. I was not informed beforehand that I would be awake. It was not pleasant. Transfer went smoothly. When I got the negative BETA I feel like the news was said to me in a gentle manner.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Same with all doctors and that is to ask a LOT of questions!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
I felt like the clinic had our best interest at heart. I did not feel rushed in the appointments and they answered our questions thoroughly. They showed sincerity and empathy for what I have been through on this journey.
Describe the protocols Michael Scheiber used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
We prepped with birth control and lupron beforehand to suppress everything before I started. I am a high responder so he chose to use a menopur only cycle 225iu per night. We continued lupron though stims to prevent ovulation. For transfer only crinone vaginal cream twice daily.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Institute for Reproductive Health. (Assigned nurse: Katie)
I primarily dealt with Katie and I loved her. She was very sweet and quick to respond to my emails and phone calls. IRH does NOT use a patient portal although Katie told me they were working on that and I still didnt feel a lack in communication there.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
I think the clinic is wonderful. I feel like I was treated as a human being. I think they have great pricing in comparison to most of the clinics in this area. They truly want you to have success. I feel like they care more about you than their profit. I had no issues with billing or the nurse staff. The lab they work with Ovation is good too and treated my husband well for his analysis. The only thing I did not care for was the fact that they didn't notify me that I would be awake for egg retrieval. They don't use an anesthesiologist and the nurse administers your anesthesia. This wasn't how things were done at my previous clinic so I was taken off guard on retrieval day.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health.
8200 self pay for IVF cycle which included a fresh transfer
PGS, ICSI, FET was additional
Describe Michael Scheiber's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
I only had two embryos from this fresh cycle and I had two failed transfers previously so he recommended that we transfer both to increase our chances.
What specific things went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health.
The main thing I had go wrong was that no one bothered to inform me that I would be awake during retrieval. I wasn't mentally prepared to be awake for that and to feel the pain that I felt during the surgery. I felt blindsided but they did apologize to me afterwards.
I would hear one thing from Dr. Scheiber and something different from the nurses - Which happened on multiple occasions....My biggest issue at the moment is my husband and I were thinking about if we should have genetic testing done. We don't want to keep transferring embryos if they're not good embryos.... We were told by Dr.Scheiber "There's no reason to test unless you have multiple failed transfers." Well we've had one fail and just started researching the idea of screening the other frozen embryos.
I feel like a number at IRH....a big freak out moment that could have been prevented was when I received my paperwork on my transfer day. There was a picture of my embryo that was transferred with the grading and my name on the form. But under "Date of birth" it stated a different date - not my birthday!... I call the clinic and the nurse tells me that's a default date of birth and to ignore it. My husband and I, as well as my parents, were so frustrated with this situation.
How was your experience with Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
I feel as if IRH does not care to educate their patients or provide individualized information. They repeat the same responses over and over and don't seem to want to deviate from their "recommendation."
If I don't come up with the question myself, there's no way the doctors, nurses, or billing will voluntarily give me any extra information I need or let me know what's going on with my body.
I would hear one thing from Dr. Scheiber and something different from the nurses - Which happened on multiple occasions.
I feel like since day one the lack of organization, incompetency, inconsistency in knowledge of anything in general (mostly from particular nurses) has been a negative experience.
My biggest issue at the moment is my husband and I were thinking about if we should have genetic testing done. We don't want to keep transferring embryos if they're not good embryos. (I personally think this should be part of the IVF process in general, at least to transfer the best one's first, but that's just me.)
Anyways, no one discussed the option of testing and the pros/cons of doing so during the IVF process and fresh transfer (yet we found out they advise testing on fresh rather than frozen).
We were told by Dr.Scheiber "There's no reason to test unless you have multiple failed transfers." Well we've had one fail and just started researching the idea of screening the other frozen embryos. At my ultrasound on Monday, we asked what Dr.Scheiber thought about testing. He said, the same as before, "let's wait." Well, we called the day after my ultrasound and left a voicemail. A nurse called us back and said, "We don't do genetic testing on frozen embryos." I cannot believe they're just now telling me this. I've asked about testing my embryos multiple times and no mention of this. After a frustrating conversation, she got off the phone, talked to Dr.Scheiber and called me back saying, "Well, we can test them, but it's not advised." Moral of this particular story and situation is the inconsistent information from doctor to patient, to nurse to patient, and so on. This is a huge deal. Testing embryos is a newer procedure, so if that decision should've been made earlier on, they need to make sure that's a heavy conversation and discuss the options with their patients.
Last week I spoke to the nurse manager and her answer to a question about my period was, "Well, that's like looking into a crystal ball." Are you kidding me? That's how an infertility clinic is talking to patients? It's already an emotional time, they are supposed to be the experts and professionals. Compassionate and knowledgeable. I'm having a very hard time processing my present situation.
This grant could help me start my journey at a new facility and I would be over the moon to receive such a gift.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
I would advise a new patient to ask him as many questions as possible and do not leave the appointment until he's answered everything as clear as possible and in as much detail as you need. Also, write everything down!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
I feel like a number at IRH. Not necessarily or specifically from Dr. Scheiber, but from everyone as a whole. I feel rushed throughout my ultrasounds and doctor's visits. No one truly understands how they need to treat patients in that field at this institute.
Describe the protocols Michael Scheiber used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
I was on birth control for a couple weeks to stop my ovulation, then moved on to my injections to stimulate my ovaries, follicles and eggs. I was on Gonal-F 175 and Menopur 1 vial for 10 days. I added Cetrotide halfway through that, and my trigger shot Oviderel 26 hours or so before my egg retrieval. I didn't have to increase or decrease my dosages and my hormone levels adjusted as they were supposed to. We retrieved 17 eggs, 13 fertilized, 8 developed into embryos. I started vaginal progesterone supplements 3 times/day on the day of my egg retrieval. My fresh transfer was on day 5 blastocysts. I transferred 1 blast but received a negative pregnancy test two weeks later.
Fast forward a couple months and I'm now scheduled for a frozen embryo transfer in two weeks! I'm on estrogen 3 times a day and I start Progesterone again 6 days before my FET.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Institute for Reproductive Health. (Assigned nurse: Penny)
I included this information in previous answers.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
Weaknesses: Organization skills (Outdated paperwork and forms), Statistical knowledge for individual's situations, Compassion
Strengths: Doctors are professional, Nurse Katie is amazing, Institute's stats are high
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Ultrasounds ran smoothly. I was always able to get in and out.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health.
We've gone through IVF with ICSI and have a FET scheduled and we've spent around $15,000.
Describe Michael Scheiber's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Dr.Scheiber and every other doctor at IRH recommends and highly suggests 1 single embryo transfer for patients first and second transfer. I thought about transferring 2 on my first fresh transfer, but then decided to go with 1. I believe they allow it, but you must sign consent forms. I'm 75% sure I'm going to transfer 2 on my next transfer.
What specific things went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Aside from information I've already provided, a big freak out moment that could have been prevented was when I received my paperwork on my transfer day. There was a picture of my embryo that was transferred with the grading and my name on the form. But under "Date of birth" it stated a different date - not my birthday! So I start crying and freaking out, thinking I have someone else's embryo inside of of me. I call the clinic and the nurse tells me that's a default date of birth and to ignore it. My husband and I, as well as my parents, were so frustrated with this situation. The nurse had an attitude on the phone, like this was a silly question of mine. That was an extremely scary moment! Why have "Date of birth" on your important embryo doctor's statement if they are not going to have the patients birthday on there?!? Wow.
During my initial consult he [Dr. Scheiber] was very thorough and detailed about our medical history and our plan. He can sometimes talk quickly leaving me with questions and not quite understanding everything. However, anytime this has happened I have had my questions answered promptly.... So far I have done three rounds of Femara, to help with follicle formulation and growth. From there I had follicle scans to determine when they were adequate size and mature enough to release the egg. After follicles were appropriate size I was given a trigger shit called Ovidrel to release the egg and cause me to ovulate.
They [Institute for Reproductive Health] are very thorough, professional, and personable. They give you price lists for treatment ahead of time so you are prepared. Never a long wait for appointments. I have not experienced any weaknesses that stick out at this time... Each IUI cycle has been approximately $1200 for me and then the cost of my husbands sperm washing which was $250... They have always been quick to return my calls, answer questions,
How was your experience with Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
During my initial consult he was very thorough and detailed about our medical history and our plan. He can sometimes talk quickly leaving me with questions and not quite understanding everything. However, anytime this has happened I have had my questions answered promptly. I do feel that he is extremely knowledgeable and caring, especially in these situations.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Come prepared. Think of questions you may have and have any tests results or medical history available. This helps you get the most from your consult and future appointments.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
He is very thorough but sometimes consults and appointments are quick and leave you with questions but he is always happy to deal with those if they arise.
Describe the protocols Michael Scheiber used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
So far I have done three rounds of Femara, to help with follicle formulation and growth. From there I had follicle scans to determine when they were adequate size and mature enough to release the egg. After follicles were appropriate size I was given a trigger shit called Ovidrel to release the egg and cause me to ovulate. Approximately 36 hours later I would go in to have my IUI. We started with IUI due to months of trying with timed intercourse and husbands low sperm account.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
They have always been quick to return my calls, answer questions, and are very personable. Always pleasant and understanding.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
They are very thorough, professional, and personable. They give you price lists for treatment ahead of time so you are prepared. Never a long wait for appointments. I have not experienced any weaknesses that stick out at this time other than distance I have to travel but that is out of their control.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Each IUI cycle has been approximately $1200 for me and then the cost of my husbands sperm washing which was $250
Describe Michael Scheiber's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
I feel that Dr Scheiber has a great deal of experience and is very knowledgeable. He tends to be more on the business side with the right amount of compassion. He is very detailed and I felt as if he gave me all my options at each step and made sure I knew what would be happening.... Now that I have miscarriage twice, Dr Scheiber plans on doing more in depth testing to see if there is potentially something wrong with me.
The clinic [Institute for Reproductive Health- Cincinnati] is very organized and has great practices set into place. The atmosphere is updated and nice and everything is done on site so the experience is easy. They call back quickly and are great at making sure your feel comfortable. The wait times for appointments are pretty much non existent. They are always ready for me at my appointment time.
How was your experience with Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
I feel that Dr Scheiber has a great deal of experience and is very knowledgeable. He tends to be more on the business side with the right amount of compassion. He is very detailed and I felt as if he gave me all my options at each step and made sure I knew what would be happening.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
I would suggest to have a list of questions ready and now be afraid to ask all of them. Doctors are busy but don’t feel rushed. It’s your appointment.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Scheiber has always given me any information I needed and has always taken the time to listen and answer any questions or concerns I might have.
Describe the protocols Michael Scheiber used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
The reason my husband and I needed IVF was because of a failed vasectomy reversal and there was no signs that I had an fertility issues so our protocol was pretty simple. Low dosages and we were able to have a great egg retrieval. After the first fresh transfer I miscarried and knew of was semi normal for that to happen since we didn’t do any embryo testing. Now that I have miscarriage twice, Dr Scheiber plans on doing more in depth testing to see if there is potentially something wrong with me.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
The nursing staff is amazing and knowledgeable. They take their time to answer any questions and return call quickly.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
The clinic is very organized and has great practices set into place. The atmosphere is updated and nice and everything is done on site so the experience is easy. They call back quickly and are great at making sure your feel comfortable. The wait times for appointments are pretty much non existent. They are always ready for me at my appointment time.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health.
Ivf cycle with fresh transfer and medication roughly $14,000 (cash only)
Frozen transfer with medication $5000 (cash only)
I knew prior that IVF was my only option to conceive after losing my fallopian tubes...After the initial testing he explained the plan of care further and personalized it for our situation. We had to do IVF with ICSI for sperm morphology issues...He monitored me closely with the history of multiple miscarriages...We now how our beautiful rainbow baby girl who is the most amazing blessing
Every single person we came into contact with [at Institute of Reproductive Health] touched our hearts. They were kind and understanding and were always willing to help no matter the day or time. The take the time during each visit to ake sure you understand the treatment option...We now how our beautiful rainbow baby girl who is the most amazing blessing. We are so thankful for IRH staff and Dr Awadala for everything he has done for us!
How was your experience with Sherif Awadalla at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Going into my original consult appointment I was so anxious. I had no idea what to expect. I knew prior that IVF was my only option to conceive after losing my fallopian tubes. I voiced my concerns about recurrent losses between ectopic pregnancies and miscarriages that I have had and he listened and he gave me the facts of IVF and the clinics miscarriage rates. He explained what IVF would entail and how each procedure would look like. After the initial testing he explained the plan of care further and personalized it for our situation. We had to do IVF with ICSI for sperm morphology issues. He told us our success rate and gave us all of the information we needed to make an informed decision. We decided to go ahead with the treatment plan. I started my medication when I was told to and he made sure I understood everything so that the administration and directions were clear. When it came time to do egg retrieval he again educated my husband and I and made sure we understood everything going on and made sure I was as comfortable as possible during the procedure. He updated me on the number of eggs and then embryos we had at each step and transferred one beautiful embryo on day 5. He monitored me closely with the history of multiple miscarriages and tried to help keep my anxiety at a minimum. We now how our beautiful rainbow baby girl who is the most amazing blessing. We are so thankful for IRH staff and Dr Awadala for everything he has done for us!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sherif Awadalla at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Do not give up, Dr A will do everything he can to get you to your goal of parenthood.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sherif Awadalla at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. A was willing to sit and explain every procedure and any questions I had about what we were going through
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
They were wonderful, they answered any questions or concerns with a smile on their face and never acted like I was a burden to them.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
Every single person we came into contact with touched our hearts. They were kind and understanding and were always willing to help no matter the day or time. The take the time during each visit to ake sure you understand the treatment option. They are wonderful!
Describe Sherif Awadalla's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Institute for Reproductive Health.
We spoke of the risk vs. benefits of multiple embryo transfers and how single embryo transfers are safer and was the best option for me.
At my first appointment with Dr. Scheiber we sat down and he listened to my husband and I talk about the doctors we have been to, the miscarriages we have went through, the joy of finding out we were pregnant with our daughter, our pleads to help us conceive again, every emotion we were feeling he listened to. Dr. Scheiber wasn't in a rush to get to his next appointment, he really listened to us and helped us to feel better about the next stages for us to be able to conceive again.
Doctor Nps
The nursing staff [at IRH] is great! Everytime I call with questions or concerns they always call me back quickly. They have communicated with the doctor when I had concerns that needed addressed...Everyone here has been very welcoming and warm to us. Their greatest strength has been communication. They are quick to return phone calls, or answer any questions you may have. The only weakness that I have experienced so far is that the location is a little busy. I drive over an hour to get there, and it is in a very busy area so plan for extra time if traveling from a distance.
How was your experience with Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
Dr. Scheiber has been a great doctor for us! Before coming to Dr. Scheiber we had honestly almost given up on being able to have another child. We will be starting IVF with Dr. Scheiber next week, and though we know there isn't a guarantee that everything will work out, he has taught us that we have so many options and different ways for us to be able to have another child.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Scheiber at Institute for Reproductive Health?
At my first appointment with Dr. Scheiber we sat down and he listened to my husband and I talk about the doctors we have been to, the miscarriages we have went through, the joy of finding out we were pregnant with our daughter, our pleads to help us conceive again, every emotion we were feeling he listened to. Dr. Scheiber wasn't in a rush to get to his next appointment, he really listened to us and helped us to feel better about the next stages for us to be able to conceive again.
Describe the protocols Michael Scheiber used in your cycles at Institute for Reproductive Health and their degree of success.
I will be starting IVF next week so I haven't started injections yet. Dr. Scheiber has had me taking birth control until my baseline appointment because I have PCOS, the birth control is being used to shrink any follicles before starting the injections.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Institute for Reproductive Health.
The nursing staff is great! Everytime I call with questions or concerns they always call me back quickly. They have communicated with the doctor when I had concerns that needed addressed.
Describe your experience with Institute for Reproductive Health.
Everyone here has been very welcoming and warm to us. Their greatest strength has been communication. They are quick to return phone calls, or answer any questions you may have. The only weakness that I have experienced so far is that the location is a little busy. I drive over an hour to get there, and it is in a very busy area so plan for extra time if traveling from a distance.