Columbia University

My experience as a patient was one of the best (and I'm 39). I researched this process significantly, before I met with Dr. Robles and he even acknowledged that. Our initial consult went through the whole process, as a visual learner, I was grateful to have slides that accompanied his words. I didnt even have to take notes because everything was provided to me. Dr. Robles answered every question, is a great active listener. He is compassionate and empathetic and seeks to understand and get to know you as a person. I felt very comfortable expressing concerns and anytime I reached out, I received a prompt response. I felt very supported and prepared for the whole process.

The one thing I would offer to a future patient is to be willing to request and receive support. Ask as many questions as you have, share the concerns, dont suffer in silence. This is a team effort and Dr. Robles is very knowledgeable. As someone that manages anxiety, I can easily overthink or think catastrophic thoughts...dont let your mind play tricks on you. Ask questions and ask for support if you need it, you'll receive it and itll make the process much smoother.

I don't recall the exact treatment name but i started with 2 menopur & 225 gonal (on day 2 of my cycle, for 8 days). On the evening of day 4, we introduced cetrotide and took that until day 9 (8 pm shot. On day 9, this was the only shot i took until 2 am for the 2 trigger shots of ovidrel and leuprolide (40 mm). I triggered that evening/early morning on day 10 (2 am). My baseline appointment on day 2 of my cycle showed 23 cycles so i was expecting less than that in my retrieval. They ended up retrieving 31 eggs! Which is why i said i didnt necessarily get the results we expected, because the expectations were exceeded. 17 were mature and one matured overnight so 18 were frozen. M1s and M2s were kept.

My insurance is covering this but my meds cost $1700. I havent seen the billing for the egg freezing yet but i know i already met my deductible for the year.

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Dr. Wiltshire is brilliant and kind. She went above and beyond in providing me with the best care possible. CUMC is always busy, but I never felt rushed and always left feeling empowered and ready for what was next. I fully trusted Dr. Wiltshire with my care. She remembered the little things (small life details that I shared during our visits) as well as the big things (both my partner and I’s blood type). Graduating from CUMC was bittersweet- exciting because I left pregnant with my first child and sad because I was leaving the most incredible care team that made me feel so well cared for during one of the most difficult seasons of my life.

Almost 1 year ago, I was reading the answers that people had provided for this question on Dr. Wiltshire. Shortly after, I made my first appointment with her and I truly believe it was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. My piece of advice would be just be yourself. The reason why my care was so phenomenal was because Dr. Wiltshire tailored her care to fit my specific needs. She is brilliant but she is also incredibly caring and will go above and beyond to ensure your comfort.

My strategy was very specific to my needs as a patient. The first month or so was labs and ultrasound to help build a game plan. Once we had those results, Dr. Wiltshire walked me through the benefits and risks of each option. Once we determined the best path for me and my husband, I was given a thorough explanation of what was to come. Dr. Wiltshire explained every lab/ultrasound, making me feel involved in the process. When it came time for the transfer she introduced the entire team and explained every step of the process. After my pregnancy was confirmed, I had mentioned I’d had very mild spotting and while many doctors would’ve said it’s common to have spotting early on, she was able to identify that due to my blood type (along with my partners blood type) that I come in for a Rhogam shot. To this day, I’m incredibly thankful that instead of dismissing a common symptom she reviewed my file and acted quickly to lower my risk for potential issues.

Most of my care was partially covered by insurance. I hit my deductible early on after all of the preliminary work (labs/ultrasounds/erc.). All in - I probably paid around $5k - $7k out of pocket.

I expressed an interest in a multiple embryo transfer. I valued Dr. Wiltshire’s opinion and trusted her care and genuinely wanted to hear her advice. She recommended an eSET and based on her feedback I was aligned with her approach and didn't feel the need to push back.

Dr. Brady is an outstanding, brilliant, and compassionate doctor and person. I can not imagine a better guide through the wild experience of IVF. I will not forget how she came in specially to do my successful transfer during her vacation. Not only did she go above and beyond then, but she went above and beyond on an everyday basis, throughout my treatment. Her communication and engagement were superb. As I look back at literally hundreds of emails between me and her through the years—I revisit how she always responded with such consideration, calm, wisdom, and clarity. And she responded often after hours or on weekends. Her clear, informative, thoughtful, supportive, optimistic guidance throughout earned my deepest trust. During times I had a failed transfer or disappointing pgt results, Dr. Brady always called to discuss it for as long as I needed, and to go over a new plan with me; her optimism and clear thinking brought me out of some severe lows along the way. She was on her a-game at honestly every moment! I had a rocky time due to my age—poor fertilization and euploid rate—as well as my partner’s age and having had a vasectomy--as well as due to my fibroids, for which I had a robot assisted myomectomy—as well as due to my personal constitution—major mental health reactions to medications--as well as idiopathic allergic reactions following retrievals. Yet throughout one of the hardest times of my life, I felt buoyed into hope by Dr Brady’s strength, clarity, perspective, expertise, and empathy. I wish there was a way I could continue working with her! I feel so lucky that she was the doctor who ushered in this new life.

Trust her advice. Know that she is on top of your case—reviewing and remembering details, on top of the latest studies, weighing factors. Trust the incredible doctors she recommends—from Dr. Advincula who did my myomectomy surgery, to Dr. Burns who still gives me acupuncture—Dr. Brady knows the best people and has fantastic judgement in recommending colleagues. Ask any questions and be open about any concerns or thoughts—you will be a team together with her. She will work with you to find the best way forward!

This is what I remember: First, we thawed 11 eggs from a retrieval I had elsewhere when I was 38. We injected those eggs with thawed TESE sperm. Saved two best for day 3 transfers. One of the remaining embryos grew to blastocyst, and was euploid. After that I did bloodwork, a saline sonogram in which we found fibroids, then a pelvic Mri, and a hysteroscopic surgery to remove polyps and see if my small fibroid could be removed hysteroscopically (it couldn’t). Then we tried two back to back transfers of day three embryos. Modified natural cycles. Both failed. Then we did ERA test, and found I was receptive in a natural cycle. Did more bloodwork. Noted elevated thyroid. Began levothyroxine. Waited until thyroid was optimal. Then, we thawed 6 more eggs from age 38, injected with TESE sperm. Only one egg fertilized normally. Did a natural transfer cycle of a day 3 embryo. It failed. Then had another hysteroscopy—another polyp removed, noted the fibroid was growing. So we planned a myomectomy surgery in 6 months. Then I went into 5 retrievals before myomectomy: Retrieval #1: 225 iu Follistim, 225 iu Menopur, 250 mcg ganirelix, leupron 2mg trigger, pregnyl 5000 iu trigger. 21 eggs retrieved, 13 mature, 5 fertilized normally, 1 blastocyst, pgt aneuploid. Did another pelvic MRI-- found fibroid was growing. Met with surgeon. Switched from levothyroxine to armour thyroid due to my ongoing poor mood and low energy since being on levothyroxine. Retrieval #2: Follistim 300 iu, menopur 150 iu, ganirelix 250 mcg, leupron 2mg, pregnyl 5000. 21 eggs retrieved. 16 mature. 3 blastocysts, two pgt aneuploid, one pgt euploid. Retrieval #3: Duostim; same protocol; 21 retrieved, 1 blastocyst, pgt aneuploid. Retrieval #4: Same protocol, pregnyl 5000. 22 eggs retrieved. 3 blastocysts, 3 pgt aneuploid. Retrieval #5: Same protocol; 23 eggs retrieved, 1 pgt aneuploid. So, in the end had 2 pgt euploid embryos. Recovered two months, then did Robot assisted myomectomy. Started sertraline. Recovered four months, then did medicated transfer of euploid embryo. Success!

We felt confident in Dr. Brady's suggestions and she made sure to always make us know that even though she had suggestions, it was ultimately our choice on how to move forward. We felt confident in her course of treatment. As someone who did so much research, I often had follow-up questions and Dr. Brady always answered her emails in a timely fashion. I believe this invaluable as you often hear how hard it is to get in touch with your doctors.

Do your research, ask questions, be an active participant in your treatment.

Estrogen priming at the start with Estrace Tablets 2 mg- this was to suppress my FSH so hopefully I would not recruit my own follicles early and more can grow together when starting injections Injections: Gonal F 300 units Menopur 75 IU x2 daily Cetrotide 0.25 mg x1 daily Novarel 5,000 IU Trigger: HCG 10 000 IU and Leuprolide Acetate 40 units Azithromycin 500 mg

Morning monitoring was done in White Plains and there were "windows" of time where you had to be seen. Once you arrived, you'd jot your name down and wait to be called. I personally did not have to wait exorbiant amounts of time to be seen.

Medications, genetic testing, retrieval and transfer

Dr. Brady advised on the risk of multiple embryo transfers and advised on a a single transfer.

Dr. Insogna has the best bedside manner and really understands her patients. She is very caring and nurturing and makes you feel like she is going through the process with you. She always seems to find the solution and doesn’t leave you feeling lost or without options. We were always able to rely on Dr. Insogna throughout the process and she put us at ease during our most challenging periods. As an older couple, we tried everything to get pregnant, prior to our visit with her, and truly appreciate everything she did to make us comfortable. We can’t thank her enough for all her efforts. We recommend Dr. Insogna to the highest degree for anyone looking to get pregnant through the IVF process and is in need of someone who will be that true support system.

Don’t lose hope even when things don’t always seem to go right. Explore all options and listen to the dr.’s advice.

Used Menopur 150 units and Gonal F 300 units to help mature eggs. Menopur was increased as needed. Used Estrace (estradiol) 2mg tablets twice daily to build up lining of uterus prior to transfer. When lining showed fluid, used mucinex to decrease fluid. PRP was also introduced to increase lining, didn’t help much with thickness, but lining had a beautiful trilaminar appearance. Prior to transfer, took Tamoxifen 40mg, 2 tablet once a day for 5 days. Also, took baby aspirin (81mg) daily and still taking through pregnancy.

Monitoring appointments were scheduled in the morning, the process was quick and efficient. Allowed for me to get to work on time.

Most expenses were covered by my insurance except for the facility fee, embryo storage fee and genetic testing fee

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I came to Dr. Forman after having worked with a different doctor at Columbia and then having moved to NYU. I decided to move back to Columbia to give him a try and I am so glad I did. Right away, I was impressed by Dr. Forman's calm and reassuring demeanor as well as his clinical knowledge and willingness to try something different with my retrieval protocol. He is firmly grounded in emerging fertility research and best practices. My previous doctor at Columbia would tell me what I wanted to hear and was a very confusing and long-winded communicator. Dr. Forman doesn't hesitate to give his clinical opinion and not sugar coat things, but he's also willing to hear your concerns, give options, and if there's something you really want to try, he will usually partner with you. I feel lucky to be in his care. As some have commented, he can sometimes come across as a bit reserved, maybe a little bit awkward, but don't confuse that for a lack of caring. After a recent difficult procedure, he personally called me to check in and make sure I'm ok. He is on email and will respond at almost any time of day. One other possible downside, depending on your wishes, is that he does not do any of the more experimental/non-research based treatments or protocols. So if you want to do immune treatments like intralipids, you may need to go elsewhere.

He is open to your questions and suggestions, so don't hesitate to have a conversation. If something isn't working, ask him what other approaches he would recommend. If you're coming from another clinic/doctor, ask what he would do differently. I'm sure he will have ideas.

I have endometriosis around my ovaries which has impacted my egg quantity and quality. I've done 8 retrieval cycles to bank 6 embryos. After doing a medium dose traditional protocol and two high dose protocols (one was lupron microflare) all with estrogen priming with other doctors, I consulted with Forman. He recommended taking letrozole during the first 5 days of stims, plus a lower dose protocol (150 gonal, 150 menopur). This protocol worked really well and was something no other doctor recommended. I did one medicated FET which did not work, so next FET we will try a modified natural. In between, Forman suggested a hysteroscopy and endometritis biopsy. I was positive for endometritis, so I did 3 weeks of antibiotics and my second biopsy was clear so we can move on to FET soon.

Scheduling appointments is super easy through MyChart. It can be a bit of a cattle call, but during my 5 rounds of stims, I only remember a couple times when they were running more than 15 minutes late. I felt like everything was very efficient and well-run.

Egg retrieval cycles were about 15K excluding morning monitoring because my insurance did cover those visits.

Dr. Forman has done a lot of research in this area and he is firm about eSET.

If I could give Dr. Insogna a rating of 100 instead of 10, I would. I'd give her a 1,000. From the moment I started working with her, I felt totally at ease with her. At every turn, I've felt like she's my advocate. When things go well, I feel like she's genuinely excited for me, and when I've had setbacks, I feel like she's truly disappointed for me. She’s just unbelievably knowledgeable and brilliant, versed in the latest research and clinical techniques. I completely trust her opinion about everything, but I also feel that she listens to and supports my wishes. She doesn't have a pushy top-down doctor-knows-best agenda (even though she really does know best). I feel like we're partners and collaborators. She acknowledges that I'm the expert on how I'm feeling in my own body and how I feel about different courses of treatment. She's an amazing communicator and explains everything clearly, thoroughly, and in straightforward language. No question is too small for her. She treats my silly questions about fringe nutritional supplements with as much seriousness and respect as she treats my questions about medical procedures. She's incredibly accessible over email and by phone and never makes me feel rushed. She always makes me feel like she has unlimited time to answer my questions. I've also been so impressed by how knowledgeable she is about financing IVF. She acknowledges how expensive it is and collaborates with the billing department to make sure that we have insurance coverage before moving forward. When our insurance provider initially blocked me for treatment, claiming that I didn't qualify as "infertile," she very patiently (and effectively) convinced them that I do meet the criteria. She’s so compassionate, so smart, so caring and kind and great. I could not trust Dr. Insogna more or hold her in higher esteem. She's absolutely amazing. I feel so unbelievably lucky to be working with her.

I'd advise prospective patients to ask her any questions you have. She'll answer every one of your questions with thoughtfulness and care.

For my first retrieval cycle, she started with a relatively conservative/low dose of Menopur (I think 150 units) in order to try to give me the lowest dose possible, but she gradually increased it over the course of the cycle as I required the maximum dose (300 iu) for ovary stimulation. I was also on 300 iu of Gonal-F. I think I used Cetrotide, Ovidrel, and Leuprolide to trigger. I had 10 follicles and five eggs retrieved, three of which fertilized normally and two of which made it to blastocyst. Neither was genetically normal. For my second retrieval, she kept me on 300 iu of Menopur and 300 iu of Gonal-F, but she moved me to microcode Lupron in the mornings and evenings (I think 20 iu each time). I believe that I only used the Ovidrel to trigger (but I could be wrong about that). I had 9 follicles, five of which were retrieved (one was matured overnight in culture), three of which (including the one that matured in culture overnight) fertilized normally, two made it to blastocyst, and one was genetically normal. For my third IVF round, I had asked Dr. Insogna about mini IVF, so we tried a hybrid treatment. I took some oral medications (I don't remember which ones--maybe Clomid?) along with lighter doses of injectables. But only two of my follicles were growing, so we decided to cancel that round. (At that point, I thought that insurance would only cover three rounds, and it seemed like a waste given that the other rounds had gone better.) My next round went worse than expected, and I'm almost certain it's because I got very sick right beforehand. My sickness (not Covid) delayed my period for nine days, and I have a very regular cycle, so that was weird. I kept the same protocol as for cycle two above, but I only had, I think, 7 follicles, five of which were retrieved (three matured in culture overnight). I think 2-3 of them fertilized, but none made it to blastocyst. I decided to do a fourth round because when I went in for an evaluation for an embryo transfer, it turned out that I had 14 follicles that month. We kept the same protocol from cycles two and three, and eight eggs were retrieved. Six of them were mature, three fertilized, and two made it to blastocyst. Unfortunately, neither was genetically normal.

I am extremely fortunate that I have really comprehensive health insurance, so I've had to pay very little out of pocket to see Dr. Insogna. I realize how incredibly lucky I am.

I only had one embryo, so we didn't discuss this.

Dr. Brady was a thorough clinician who was very pragmatic about expectations, risks, side effects, and outcomes. She shared data and insights every step of the way and supported us in making informed decisions. We received follow-up communications after every visit and she clearly outlined the next steps. She was also very considerate about my comfort throughout the process, always checking in to see how I was feeling and offering advice on ways to manage the process and minimize discomfort. We could not have asked for a better doctor!

She made what can be an incredibly difficult process as seamless as it could possibly be. She is very detailed and happy to answer any questions so come prepared with all of the things you want to ask because she will happily cover everything and it was very helpful to have a list ready each visit.

I did an egg-freezing cycle and then ended up needing to use those eggs for IVF 4 years later. Dr. Brady gave provided us with clear information and medical recommendations based on my age, test results, insurance coverage and family goals. I ended up doing one egg retrieval cycle during the freezing process and was able to get 10 eggs. Four years later, my husband and I made embryos with those eggs for IVF. We genetically tested all viable embryos and ultimately ended up with 3 healthy embryos available for transfer. We did a single embryo transfer and are currently pregnant with our first child.

My egg freezing was not covered under my insurance so I paid out of pocket but my IVF was covered at about 90%. The egg freezing including medications, retrieval, storage, etc. was about $15,000. The IVF costs were about $4000 (including all medications, monitoring, and genetic testing.)

Dr. Brady recommended a single embryo transfer based on my age (41) and other factors (including research data she shared and our specific circumstances) and we completely agreed with her recommendations.

At first, I was hesitant and cautious as I was coming from another fertility clinic, CCRM, that I had a horrible and heartbreaking experience at. My first impression of Dr Forman is that he was a tad bit awkward in his demeanor but I was excited at the thought of trying a different and respected clinic like Columbia. Now that I am through all of my treatments (pregnant with my second healthy baby) I can confidently say that I truly loved working with Dr Forman. He is extremely communicative and straight forward and clear about the process. He is transparent with any risk and would be available to answer any question or concern I had along the way both times. He shows compassion when necessary though not overly so which made me feel like he was more genuine than someone who was overly so and phony. Most importantly, I trusted him fully the whole way through and knew he had my best interest in mind always. I am so deeply grateful that I found him and that he gave me a hopeful and successful journey that I hadn't experienced before. I have a 2 year old boy and another on the way both successes of first time transfers and again, I could not feel more grateful for Dr Forman for making my dream come true.

If you are put off by potential awkwardness, please look past it as he is an extremely wonderful and capable doctor.

We started off with Clomid and IUI cycles as we agreed that would be a good start before the investment of IVF since my fertility was unexplained. Unfortunately these did no produce positive pregnancy tests. Then Dr Forman suggested I might try to get an endometrial biopsy which is done via surgery. I was happy to do so as I didn't want to move forward with IVF without knowing if I had a huge obstacle in my way. Turns out I did have some endometriosis which was removed in that surgery. After that, we decided to do IVF. We did egg retrieval and then froze our embryos and did genetic testing on them. We then thawed and transferred one embryo in May 2021 which resulted in a positive pregnancy. We did progesterone shots and Estradiol for the first 10 weeks. This pregnancy resulted in my healthy baby boy. Then we took a break for about 2 years and decided we wanted to do another transfer. We used the same protocol as with my first son since it worked and I was happy to do that. Now I am pregnant with another healthy baby boy (15 weeks along).

The costs were high as it was IVF. The transfers were about $2800 before meds. The retrieval was closer to $25k. They did provide us with info on financing plans and state grants that could be provided. I don't think the cost is much different elsewhere though. The monitoring appts were all covered under insurance which wasn't the case at CCRM where I went first. So that made a huge difference.

Columbia, I believe, only transfers one embryo at a time as a policy.

Dr. Rudick is excellent. Before suggesting a treatment, she tries to understand our circumstances, needs, and concerns. During the process, we changed our ideas back and forth, and she was very patient to hear our new thoughts and provide professional advice. What I appreciated the most was that Dr. Rudick prioritized my own health and well-being. After a few failed IUI cycles, I was a little desperate and asked her if we could do a medicated cycle to increase the number of eggs that month, Dr. Rudick spent time talking me through the pros and cons, and explained why that had an increased risk factor and she would not recommend that process based on my personal situation. Throughout my year and and half of treatment with Dr. Rudick, I constantly felt that I was taking care of Dr. Rudick and that I trusted her and her advice.

If you are like me and want to know the scientific reasons behind those numbers and treatment plans, then always feel free to prepare questions before meeting with Dr. Rudick, and do not hesitate to reach out to Dr. Rudick whenever you have questions. She is more than happy to answer all the questions you have.

I went for fertility treatment due to LGBT reasons. All my baseline test results came back good, so I started with IUI cycles which I used a trigger shot before insemination, but no other medications. We did not change the strategy of IUI and moved to IVF after 5 unsuccessful IUI cycles. For my IVF cycle, I primed with Estrace 2mg tablets, then used Gonal F (300 IU), Menopur (150 IU), Cetrotide, and a trigger shot the night before the retrieval. Dr. Rudick did my retrieval, which was very successful. For fertilization, we did ICSI and PTG-A, and we ended up with 5 Day 5 embryos. For embryo transfer, I underwent a natural cycle transfer, where Dr. Rudick performed my transfer, and resulted in a success pregnancy.

It is well organized, for most of the time the wait was not terrible, and all the staff were super nice.

My insurance covers most of my IUI and IVF costs, except regular co-pay, ICSI, and PTG expenses. I would say we spent around 10K overall.

Dr. Rudick suggested a single embryo transfer.

We used donor sperm, and the coordination was quite straightforward. You can always ask if the lab receives a shipment, etc. when you are not sure.

Dr Turocy was kind, caring and informative throughout our treatment. She was always available to speak to us on video calls, and was very quick to respond to emails whenever we had questions. Dr Turocy's manner was always gentle and friendly, but we really appreciated that she was also very clear in all her communication, and laid things out in a very simple and factual way. She dealt with the ups and downs in our emotions throughout the process, including whenever we got stressed or anxious. We also live abroad, and despite the time difference and the added complications of our health system here, she went above and beyond to stay in touch with us and communicate with my doctors here. Although our first transfer didn't end up resulting in a health pregnancy, we still could not be happier that we chose Dr Turocy for this process, and have every faith in continuing to have her as our doctor.

Don't be afraid to reach out directly to Dr Turocy, as she will always get back to you over email and is always happy to answer questions. On the flip side, her team is fantastic, so if you're concerned about anything, you can always get in touch with Lauren and Sakari as well.

Dr Turocy worked with us around all our very specific requirements, including the need for us to freeze my husband's sperm, and our desire for genetic testing, as well as the complications around booking flights into New York. Nothing was too much trouble, and she was able to find solutions to every problem we had. She also didn't make us feel as though even trivial issues were a nuisance to her. At our previous clinic my first retrieval only resulted in 10 eggs and 1 healthy embryo, whereas my retrieval at Columbia resulted in 28 eggs and 8 healthy embryos. How closely I was monitored by Dr Turocy in terms of how long she kept me on the medication before retrieval clearly made a big difference to the results.

We were self-pay patients, and appreciated that Columbia offer a discounted bundle rate for self pay. This made a huge difference compared to our previous clinic, who charged for each monitoring appointment and blood test. Having all tests and appointments included in the bundle rate meant we didn't have to worry whenever extra tests were ordered.

In our first appointment with Dr. Forman, he provided a thorough overview of Columbia's fertility clinic and the typical diagnostic tests a new couple undergoes before starting treatments. He also went through what the typical path would be to go down (although everyone will be different). Dr. Forman provided plenty of detail on the various procedures and types of medication and answered questions we had about outcome probability and risks of treatment. He asked lots of questions about both my and my husband's medical history, and also made an effort to know more about us on a personal level. After bloodwork and other diagnostic tests, it was decided the best course of action would be to start with IUIs. After the first one was successful, we decided to try another IUI given I had responded well to the medication. We were unsuccessful again on attempts 2 and 3 and decided to move onto IVF. We started IVF with about two weeks of medication and while my follicles were a little slow to start growing, there were plenty to proceed with the egg retrieval procedure. We were excited to have fertilized eggs a day after the procedure, unfortunately, none of the fertilized eggs made it viable embryos and our first cycle was over. This was upsetting and disappointing but Dr. Forman spent an hour on the phone with me after sharing the results walking through what could have caused that outcome and providing reassurance that he was confident that we could have success with another round. We agreed to take a month off and then try again. Dr. Forman tweaked our protocol slightly for round two and it seemed like my response to the medication was better this time around. After the egg retrieval, we had 8 fertilized eggs, 5 which made it to the Day 5 blastocyst stage and 4 which came back as good after being sent for genetic testing. Dr. Forman shared the news with us on Valentine's Day evening (which on top of being Valentine's Day was a also Sunday - he really does care about his patients!!) and we couldn't have been more grateful for such good news that day. We did a medicated transfer cycle a month later with our highest-quality embryo. While we did get pregnant based on the early bloodwork after the transfer, our levels were low and Dr. Forman was realistic about the chances of the pregnancy being viable. Ultimately we experienced a biochemical pregnancy which was devastating to us. Dr. Forman was understanding and compassionate while also giving us hope that we still have good embryos left and that there was a good chance the next try would work. For our next transfer, Dr. Forman suggested we try a natural cycle which involves no medication and closely monitoring my own cycle to time the transfer with ovulation. We used a trigger shot to ensure the timing of ovulation. This second cycle worked; early bloodwork looked promising and continued on the right trajectory and an ultrasound two weeks later confirmed the pregnancy and we saw the heartbeat. At 9 weeks we "graduated" from Dr. Forman's care and he helped us find an OBGYN to allow us to continue our care with Columbia.

Know you are in good hands and ask any and all questions you have - Dr. Forman will find time to get you the answers you need

IUIs: Clomid + Trigger Shot Retrieval Round 1: Started on birth control; Follistim + Low Dose HCG; Ganirelix; Lupron + HCG trigger Retrieval Round 2: Clomid; Follistim + Menopur; Ganirelix; Lupron + HGC trigger Medicated Transfer: Started on birth control; Estrogen + Progesterone injections Natural Transfer: Progesterone suppositories + trigger shot

Dr. Forman is supportive of elective single embryo transfer

After 2 failed embryo transfer of chromosomally normal embryos and a panic attack we met with Dr K. During our 1st consult she was very patient, professional and proactive- she took notes of my medical history, went through all my scan and reports, asked us abt our fertility goal ( which I had completely given up on), and also gave us an egg retrieval protocol. She knew exactly what I needed for good results. she was very positive abt my case and had a plan- we decided to do 2 egg retrievals as I have DOR and want 2 kids and she strongly suggested me to take Lupron for 2 cycles- due to endometriosis and adenomyosis- clearly it was long journey but she was totally on our side and knew how to get us the results. very next cycle we started ER protocol and despite low follicular count and DOR got 3 embryos. we took a break of 2 cycles, while we were figuring out a possible Infectious disease issue. Then we did 2nd ER and again got 3 embryos. the very same cycle I took first lupron shot. by then my endo pain was getting worse so we decided to diagnostic laparoscopy. Again Dr K helped us find the right surgeon and worked very closely with our surgeon to maximize our chances of successful transfer. Dr K was always more positive abt our case then us. She is very efficient and knows what she is doing. Every second I was in her care I was her number one priority. She decided to do a Mock transfer due to the position of my uterus and made a decision to do my transfer under anesthesia, by this point we trusted Dr K blindly and did what she said- we knew she would never take any shorts or do conventional practice, her plan was tailor only for me. I was vey nervous for the transfer but when I saw Dr K I could relax and calm down my nerves went in the transfer room the whole experience was very positive and I we got pregnant the same cycle. I know only Dr K could have got me pregnant because she understood how my case was different and was willing to think out of box.

plz trust her. she knows what she is doing. plz let her know your expectations and tell her how you feel abt your struggles. She will go out of her way to make your journey easy. Her positive vibes will make you believe in your dream to become a mother.

Dr K suggested Estrogen priming for my case she was right that cycle I did not get a lead follicle. For stimulation we used menopur and follistim. I think I took ovidrel for trigger shot. Although we got only 9 eggs( due to DOR) we got 3 embryos on day5. protocol was the same for both cycles and resulted in total 6 embryos. when I took lupron she strongly suggested me to take add back with it and that was blessing, without add back my lupron days were not livable. Infact with lupron + add back I was very energetic and productive. for transfer I took estrogen vaginally and progesteron in oil.

our first ER was covered by insurance 100%. 2nd ER was completely out of pocket- abt 10 k and transfer was covered by insurance.

she preferred single embryo transfer.

We have nothing but positive things to say about Dr. K. Not only is she an attentive and compassionate person but she is also extremely competent as a doctor. We never felt rushed during our appointments and she was responsive and thorough when we had questions. She knew our case inside and out. We ran into a variety of obstacles due to my diminished ovarian reserve and egg quality issues and she adjusted our protocol accordingly - at each stage we had better outcomes than the last. Throughout our travails, she was consistently positive/optimistic yet also realistic about the possible outcomes. If we decide to have more children in the future, we absolutely plan to continue on with Dr. K and in the interim we will highly recommend her to friends and family who encounter their own struggles with infertility.

Our advice is not anything specific about Dr. K - we would advise new patients that this process is very likely to take longer than you anticipate and to adjust your expectations accordingly.

We tried for 6 months before seeking out a reproductive endocrinologist (by that point I was age 36). During that period, I had two miscarriages. I was diagnosed with diminished ovarian reserve and Dr. K also suspected that I had some endometriosis. My husband had low sperm morphology (2%). Our sequence of treatments was in part based on our insurance coverage which required at least three rounds of IUI before moving on to IVF. As such, we did three IUI cycles – the first one natural (no additional drugs) and the second two medicated – one with clomid and one with letrazole. We had a chemical pregnancy with the first and the second two were unsuccessful. From there we moved on to IVF. Thankfully, our insurance covers three retrievals/transfers (what luck/privilege as we could not go forward otherwise). Because of my diminished ovarian reserve, we planned to do all three retrievals back to back for batching before moving on to a transfer. 1) First Cycle: Meds: 225 gonal; 225 menopur; cetrotide starting day 9 of treatment. Unfortunately, I was unresponsive. I only produced 2 follicles and Dr. K switched us to IUI instead of a retrieval. The IUI was unsuccessful. 2) Second Cycle: Meds: 150 gonal days 1-8 --> 225 gonal starting day 9; 150 menopur; clomid days 1-5; cetrotide starting day 7 of treatment. This cycle I produced more eggs and went forward with the retrieval. 8 were retrieved, 7 mature. Unfortunately, most of the eggs had empty zona pellucida (which is the outside shell). As such, only 1-2 were able to be fertilized with ICSI. None made it past day 3. 3) Third Cycle: Meds: 150 gonal days 1-5 --> 225 gonal days 6-8 --> 300 gonal days 9-11; 150 menopur; letrazole days 1-5; cetrotide starting day 9. This cycle 10 were retrieved, 7 were mature, and 5 were fertilized with ICSI. Of those, 2 became day 5 blastocysts and 3 became day 7 blastocysts. We sent them out for genetic testing and the first two tested normal. We planned to take a month off before our final retrieval and somehow, by some miracle, I got pregnant naturally and am just starting my second trimester (fingers crossed). We have one more retrieval covered by our insurance and tentatively plan to go forward in the future (with Dr. K). In the meantime, our two “good” blastocysts are on ice for the future.

We had incredible insurance coverage (IUIs and IVF meds were fully covered, IVF was covered at 75%). We are waiting on bills for our second IVF retrieval but I believe that we ended up paying $1,300 out of pocket for our first retrieval as well as a handful of $20 copays here and there. I believe we will be paying approximately $100/month for frozen embryo storage.

We have yet to get to the transfer phase with Dr. K.

Dr. K always welcomed me with a warm smile. She has a very strong bedside manner. In fact, I noticed that she greets everyone in the clinic by name when she comes in each morning. I felt like I was in excellent hands because she would tell me all of the statistics and even mentioned how some of the statistics were slightly different for African-American women (I'm African-American). At each appointment, Dr. Karipcin would explain next steps, remind me to stay optimistic. She didn't shy away from explaining potential complications that might arise due to my endometriosis and fibroids, but she would always remind me to focus on the positive and that we would deal with any complications as they might arise.

Be sure to share all of your concerns. Dr. Karipcin will address each and every one of them. At one of our first appointments, I came in with a list of questions and concerns. She didn't let me leave until I'd written down notes/answers to each one of them. At one particular appointment, I cried while waiting to get my blood drawn. Dr. Karipcin and Nurse Varda set with me to alleviate my fears while in between patients.

We did two round of IVF. Our regime consisted of was Gonal F, Menopur and then Centrotide. The trigger injection was Ovidrel and Lupron. Our first retrieval yielded about 8 eggs. The second retrieval yielded 15 eggs. Our IVF rounds were relatively close together (Oct/Nov 2019 & Dec 2019), the insurance company approved it and we wanted to complete them before Christmas. We did the recommended genetic testings for the embryos. So, now we have a total of 6 chromosomally strong embryos that can be transferred. Our original transfer date was postponed due to Covid. So, we did a transfer in May 2020. I am currently 16 weeks pregnant.

The morning monitoring hours worked well with my teaching schedule. It was very organized as well.

The majority of our treatment was covered by insurance. In fact, we didn't proceed until we knew it would be covered as "in-network." I usually only had to pay the co-payment. The cost of the IVF medications were not fully covered by insurance but they are now covered in New York State.

Columbia University Fertility does not do multiple embryo transfers. This is very clearly explained in the paperwork that you have to sign prior to embarking on the IVF journey. They are also clear to reiterate this around the retrieval dates. I agreed with Dr. K's approach. Due to my age at the time (36), fibroids and endometriosis, multiple embryo transfers were not recommended. Neither my OB/GYN, Fibroid surgeon, nor Dr. Karipcin recommended multiple embryo transfers.

Dr. Rudick is very professional and knowledgeable. She never pushed me to do something I was not ready to do, and let me set the pace of my treatments. When I decided to take a short break between cycles, she was very understanding. She is also very straight forward and matter-of fact with results and reasons for those results, and she doesn't sugar-coat, which I appreciated and which added to my trust of her. When I received bad news after a few cycles back to back, Dr. Rudick sent me a very nice email and I felt that we were in this together, working toward a common goal. Although Dr. Rudick was not always available at every visit, all of the doctors and nurses at Columbia were pleasant to work with. Before and during each procedure, Dr. Rudick would explain each step in detail, which helped ease my anxiety. I felt very cared for by her and the team at Columbia.

I would tell her that she is in good hands, to trust the process, and to ask a lot of questions to ease anxiety and understand all of the details and risks. At points, it can seem like there are no answers and it is all trial-and-error, but with each cycle, more information is gathered that will lead you toward the right treatment for you.

After several tests, we were diagnosed with unexplained infertility, which can be very frustrating. We decided to try IUI first. The first cycle of IUI was with Clomid, which was not successful. The Dr. switched me to Letrozole for the next three IUI cycles. I felt a lot better on Letrozole (much less bloated). Unfortunately, these cycles all resulted in biochemical pregnancies. We met with Dr. Rudick to discuss next steps, and she recommended IVF with genetic testing as she suspected a chromosomal issue in the embryo was the cause of the biochemicals. We proceeded with this recommendation, which produced two normal embryos. We transferred one of the embryos and this resulted in a positive pregnancy.

Fortunately, I had fertility coverage under my health insurance. I did have to pay some costs out of pocket up to the deductible. I also had to pay for the embryo freezing and the Genetic Testing separately, these were not covered by insurance. All in, I feel that I paid close to $8,000 out of pocket in total.

Dr. Rudick recommended transferring one embryo at a time, to avoid a multiple pregnancy. We agreed on this course of action.

Dr. Forman listened to my concerns and is very good with first time IVF patients. Nothing was too small for his attention and he’s always doing his best for you. He consistently went above and beyond for me the entire time I was in his care. A perfect example of this was when I had expressed how much I wanted him to perform the actual IVF procedure rather than another doctor from the clinic. The day of the procedure, it wasn’t guaranteed that he could make it but he rushed to the clinic and made it happen. I actually teared up when I saw him. These things mean the world to women who have no control over their bad fortune.

I do not have a uterus but still have my ovaries. IVF, creating and freezing embryos and using a gestational carrier was the only strategy. It was all pretty straight forward for everyone. I declined using birth control because I had LH test strips to tell me approximately when my first day of cycle would be. He then monitored my blood work until we knew when to start everything. My injectables were Menopur, Gonal F & Cetrotide.

My husband and I came to Dr. Forman after two retrievals at another clinic. From our first interaction, it was clear that we had made the right choice in switching to his care. Dr. Forman's expertise is immediately apparent. He is very experienced but does not rely on that alone as he clearly stays up-to-date with the latest fertility research. His evidence-based approach gave us confidence in every step of our treatment plan. Dr. Forman looked closely at our funnels from our retrievals at our prior clinic and suggested a lower dose course of medications which I feel was a good choice for us. What truly sets Dr. Forman apart is his availability and dedication to his patients. He was consistently responsive over email and not once did we feel rushed or that our questions were trivial. This level of attentiveness made us feel valued and supported throughout our IVF journey and fostered a sense of partnership that was so appreciated during what can be an emotional and challenging process. In my opinion, Dr. Forman exemplifies what the doctor-patient relationship should be. His combination of medical expertise, open communication, and investment in our success has redefined our expectations of medical care and we cannot recommend him enough.

Dr. Robles met and exceeded all my expectations while I was in his care. During scary points in the process he explained everything in a very clear manner and provided reassurance. For the complicated medical jargon, he expertly translated into language me and my partner could understand- further putting our minds at ease.

Trust in what he is saying and know he had your best interest at heart.

During the egg retrieval process Dr. Robles gave guidance on proper diets, multivitamins, and kept us in continued communication with the clinic for blood work.

My monitoring appointment has always been so insightful. The doctors were always so gentle and informative.

Not sure, insurance covered most of the cost.

We were sufficiently educated on the trade-offs and went with the recommendation for single transfer.

Dr. Wiltshire has the rare quality of being deeply compassionate without ever being condescending. She was there from start to finish of the egg freezing cycle and is extremely prompt over email, even writing after hours and calling personally to give updates about cycle developments. She also has a great sense of humor, which I really appreciated during such a stressful and emotional time. I felt entirely at ease with her and trust her entirely.

Whenever I met with Dr. Wiltshire she made sure I knew that there was time for me to ask questions, and I would recommend doing this if you have questions; Dr. Wiltshire and her team are incredibly responsive and caring and I found it very helpful to get her insight on the questions I had.

I did one cycle of egg freezing with Dr. Wiltshire and was on around nine days of injections before retrieval. I was placed on Clomid, Menopur, Gonal, Cetrotide, and ultimately Pregnyl and HCG for the trigger shot (I was placed on higher doses because I have a low AMH level and diminished ovarian reserve). At one point in the cycle it looked like only about 25% of my follicles were responding to treatment, so Dr. Wiltshire increased my Gonal and we ended up getting almost twice as many eggs to respond with this adjustment. I appreciate how conscientious Dr. Wiltshire was in her assessments of my treatment plan.

Fully out-of-pocket: $8000 for the freezing cycle, $600 for anesthesia, and $3,500 for medications from an outside pharmacy. $1,200 for each year of storage after the first year, during which there is no charge.

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Dr.Forman is a very kind and smart doctor. He set realistic expectations for us and helped us understand what we were in for. He is nice and cares a lot. He did an amazing job with us and our fertility journey was successful. He is on the quieter side. He's not going to be the loud guy in the room, but he's gentle and caring.

When we initally spoke to him over zoom I was a little bit nervous because he wasnt the most charismatic guy. Dont let that tear you away. He is awesome and he doesnt need to be that person, he needs to be a good and kind doctor, which he is.

We used ICSI which gave us amazing results. I think Dr.Forman was very impressed with our success, we were hoping for the best but understood it might not be easy.

Our insurance covered our IVF cycle and embryo transfer. We paid for the genetic testing and the storage of our embryos.

Dr.Forman only allowed us to transfer one embryo, which is smart, but I wish he gave us more of an option to do two.

As mentioned in my previous comment, we were very appreciative our care with Dr. Robles. He was a great communicator and put us at ease during a time that can be quite stressful. You could also tell that he truly cared about us as his patients and made sure that the treatment we were getting was customized to our needs. He was also very good about thoughtfully answering our questions and clearly explaining different steps.

Definitely go see him!

My treatment was covered by insurance - but I did need to pay for copays for each visit and then for PGT-A.

We did eSET, which is what we wanted so multiple embryo transfer was not discussed

While Dr. Forman always showed compassion and understanding, he also made sure we were aware of the potential outcomes and had realistic expectations throughout the process which was very helpful during this rollercoaster of a journey. He took the time to explain the X linked genetic disorder I had and how to minimize the possibility of passing it to my children. Dr. Forman also made himself available to answer any questions during the process and was extremely prompt in responding to emails. I liked being able to contact him directly for certain things.

He does not make any promises and give unrealistic hopes, but he is positive and encouraging. Our outcomes were very much in line with what he had predicted given our case so even certain difficult news were not necessarily surprises.

Leading up to the egg retrieval, we did stims which were adjusted after a few bloodwork appointments. Then for frozen embryo transfer, he walked me through the various options and suggested that I am a good candidate for modified natural so I did not take additional medication that weren't necessary for my case. That was very appreciated.

Columbia/Dr. Forman were in network for my health insurance and I had fertility benefit so the out of pocket costs were minimal.

We wanted single embryo transfer and he supported that approach given the research.

Dr. Insogna is thoughtful, kind, patient, extremely well informed, and cares deeply for her patients. She gives her patients the information and data they need to make the best decision for them. She always made her recommendation clear but indicated that she would be supportive if I was not ready to take a step right away. It always felt like we were a team. I first saw Dr. Insogna in March 2023 for an initial fertility consultation. Things looked good, despite one hormone being a little low, and we began trying to conceive shortly after. After 7 months without success, my husband returned for a consultation and no issues were detected. We met with Dr. Insogna who shared she was optimistic and thought it would only be a matter of time, but still offered the option to complete HSG testing to examine by tubes and uterus. Unfortunately, the HSG testing revealed tubal blockages on both side with a hydrosalpinx in one tube. Dr. Insogna recommended IVF and laparoscopic GYN-surgery to have the hydrosalpinx removed. While selecting a surgeon that I felt comfortable with, we kicked our an egg retrieval. IVF is not the most fun process but Dr. Insogna set appropriate expectations and was there to answer questions every step of the way. At Columbia, each patient has a single doctor overseeing their care, but the doctor performing the retrieval or transfer varies based on who is on the schedule for procedures on the day you are ready. I had an egg retrieval in February 2024 (retrieval conducted by Dr. Forman), surgery in March 2024 (not conducted at Columbia Fertility) and a transfer of one embryo in May 2024 (conducted by Dr. Robles) after recovering from surgery. I am now 9 weeks pregnant and hopeful for the best. We are so grateful to Dr. Insogna and the team at Columbia. All receptionists, embryologists, doctors, nurses and phlebotomists were kind, caring and optimistic.

Share all of your concerns and ask all your questions!

Egg retrieval + PGT-A Testing 16.6k ICIS 2.5k Medication 6.5k Transfer 4.5k

Doctor recommended single embryo transfer which is what I wanted to do anyway!

Dr Turocy is a fertility doctor at Columbia. I have a positive Ivf procedure at 51. The first time I met her after 2 failed Ivf in Spain, I knew I found my helper. She is caring, compassionate and delicate. She will not only check on me after a positive pregnancy but walked with me at 7:30 am in the morning to give me some advices to fight the morning sickness. I truly recommend her as your next fertility doctor.

Please ask Dr Turocy to follow all the steps of the procedure

It is very pricey for middle class family. I spent about $55000 for this process compared to $9000 in Spain. The quality of services and my baby worth the price I paid