Columbia University

95% strongly recommend

164 Reviews

Alex Robles

100% strongly recommend

56 Reviews

Paula Brady

96% strongly recommend

114 Reviews

Ashley Wiltshire

99% strongly recommend

34 Reviews

Lauren Bishop

98% strongly recommend

38 Reviews

Sinem Karipcin

88% strongly recommend

74 Reviews

Iris Insogna

100% strongly recommend

20 Reviews

Zev Williams

96% strongly recommend

12 Reviews

Priyanka Ghosh

93% strongly recommend

13 Reviews

Briana Rudick

80% strongly recommend

48 Reviews

Jenna Turocy

78% strongly recommend

29 Reviews

Beth Rackow

72% strongly recommend

12 Reviews

Rachel McConnell

56% strongly recommend

37 Reviews

Rogerio Lobo

39% strongly recommend

9 Reviews

Show 10 more

This clinic has 2 offices
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New York

5 Columbus Circle

New York, NY 10019

646-756-8282

White Plains

244 Westchester Ave., Suite 211

White Plains, NY 10604

2020 - 2022, Successful

Age 33 - 35

4 Egg Freezing (cancer)

2 Embryo Freezing (cancer)

Cancer

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

Male Factor

European

Income $200K - $499K

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

As mentioned before, Dr. Brady is compassionate, understanding and trustworthy. Having done all of my egg retrievals with her (both pre- and post-breast cancer treatment), I trust her implicitly. She has learned from each of my cycles and modified the protocol accordingly in order to maximize results...has personal experience with IVF and as a result, truly understands what I was / am going through. She takes time to respond to all of my questions and is kind in her responses.

[Columbia University] Strengths: can book appointments self-serve via Portal, on-time and efficient Weaknesses: you sometimes feel like just another woman wanting to get pregnant as the place operates like a machine but that could be a good thing...Dr. Brady is compassionate, understanding and trustworthy. Having done all of my egg retrievals with her (both pre- and post-breast cancer treatment), I trust her implicitly. She has learned from each of my cycles and modified the protocol accordingly in order to maximize results.

How was your experience with Paula Brady at Columbia University?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Paula Brady at Columbia University?

Ask questions and try to understand your situation fully. You are empowered to make decisions and guide your own care.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Paula Brady at Columbia University?

Dr. Brady has personal experience with IVF and as a result, truly understands what I was / am going through. She takes time to respond to all of my questions and is kind in her responses. I always say to my husband that if Dr. Brady told me to jump through a hoop of fire, I would! :)

Describe the protocols Paula Brady used in your cycles at Columbia University and their degree of success.

Retrieval 1: menopur + gonal-f, trigger was ovidrel, 6 eggs retrieved, 3 eggs were mature Retrieval 2: menopur + gonal-f, trigger was ovidrel, 9 eggs retrieved, 6 eggs frozen Retrieval 3: 300 gonal-f, 150 menopur for 10 days, trigger was ovidrel + lupron (added because of low AMH), 5 eggs retrieved, 4 were mature Retrieval 4: 225 gonal-f, 225 menopur for 6 days - currently in this cycle as we speak

Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia University. (Assigned nurse: Sherry Singh)

She was available when needed for my first 3 cycles. I was assigned someone else during my current (4th cycle). She was responsive and helpful with regard to finances.

Describe your experience with Columbia University.

Strengths: can book appointments self-serve via Portal, on-time and efficient Weaknesses: you sometimes feel like just another woman wanting to get pregnant as the place operates like a machine but that could be a good thing

Describe the costs associated with your care under Paula Brady at Columbia University.

Anesthesia: $600 Egg thaw: $400 PGTA biopsy for genetic testing: $2500 IVF cycle (includes morning monitoring, retrieval, CSI, cryopreservation): $9,100

Doctor

Paula Brady

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Columbia University

New York

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2021 - 2022, Successful

Age 28 - 29

2 IUI

2 IVF

PCOS

Ashkenazi Jewish

Latinx

Income $200K - $499K

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Dr Forman views every patient as a human and really gets to know you and your story. He takes all the information into account to create a personalized treatment plan...When we had a failed transfer, he specifically reached out when he was on vacation to check in on me...He always explained procedures and what the course of treatment would be and was available for any questions that came up during my cycles.

[the Columbia University nurse] sat with us over zoom twice to go over drawing up and mixing meds and was incredibly patient. the care coordinator was also incredible and was responsive to outreach...Be patient with the clinic staff. The medical assistants are amazing and remembered details of my personal life. Very rarely did I need to wait more than 15 minutes from my appointment time..

How was your experience with Eric Forman at Columbia University?

From the start, Dr Forman was incredible. He can come off as unemotional but he truly cared about us and our outcome. He truly cares about his patients. When we had a failed transfer, he specifically reached out when he was on vacation to check in on me. I never felt like a number, rather a person. He listened to our story and tailored the treatment to just that. He always explained procedures and what the course of treatment would be and was available for any questions that came up during my cycles.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Eric Forman at Columbia University?

Be your own advocate. Sometimes you can get lost in the mix, but stand up for yourself and ask questions.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Eric Forman at Columbia University?

Dr Forman views every patient as a human and really gets to know you and your story. He takes all the information into account to create a personalized treatment plan. He was always considerate of my time and feelings and when asked for more explanations he or his nurse (Christine) would call me to explain more.

Describe the protocols Eric Forman used in your cycles at Columbia University and their degree of success.

For timed intercourse and IUI's, we alternated between Clomid & Letrozole, although most of the cycles I was on Letrozole. I also used the trigger shot (ovidrel) most times. For my first IVF cycle I took 10 nights of 2 vials of menopur, and 250 units of gonalF, and 5 nights of cetrotide. For my second IVF cycle, I had the same protocol, although I was on the meds for 12 days. Both times, I used Ovidrel and Lupron as triggers. For my first transfer, we primed with birth control and i took estradiol and 1.5 mL of progesterone in Oil. For the second transfer, we decided not to prime with birth control and i was on estradiol and 1 mL of progesterone in oil.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia University. (Assigned nurse: Christine Helbo)

Christine was always available and when she called with the results of our first transfer which failed because Dr Forman was on vacation, she was incredibly empathetic. She sat with us over zoom twice to go over drawing up and mixing meds and was incredibly patient. Gertrude- care coordinator was also incredible and was responsive to outreach.

Describe your experience with Columbia University.

Be patient with the clinic staff. The medical assistants are amazing and remembered details of my personal life. Very rarely did I need to wait more than 15 minutes from my appointment time. The clinic is beautiful and has a welcoming waiting area.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Eric Forman at Columbia University.

most of our procedures were covered under insurance.

Describe Eric Forman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Columbia University.

Dr Forman is in favor of eSET

Doctor

Eric Forman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Columbia University

New York

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2022, Consult

Age 36

European

Latinx

Middle Eastern

Native American

Income $100K - $199K

Entrepreneur

2nd of 2 Docs

Donor Eggs With Other Docs

Donor Sperm

Surrogacy With Other Docs

LGBTQ+

Neutral

Successful

Review of

As a trans patient, I feel that [Dr. Rudick] understands my situation and she was careful to choose language that was affirming of my gender identity. She also assured me that while all of her staff is trained, that if someone should make a mistake, she would want to hear about it so that she could address me. Being transmasculine in a fertility clinic is complicated, and I felt quite comfortable in her care.

This clinic [Columbia University] is familiar with the needs of LGBTQ+ family planning, and that is the reason we chose them. We felt comfortable in all of our conversations about our needs and respected. Having been to 2 other clinics for consultations where I was misgendered, this means a lot to us...I have found Talia [a nurse] to be very organized and clear in her communication. Her response rate was great, and I feel that she is there for all our questions.

How was your experience with Briana Rudick at Columbia University?

I found Dr. Ruddick to be very personable. She was able to take a lot of information, some of which is quite dense scientifically, and put it into simple terms that we could understand. She thoroughly explained our options, some of the moving pieces, and also gave us a clear map of next steps we would be taking.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Briana Rudick at Columbia University?

I think it's useful to go in to her office with a sense of your priorities. She will help tailor a pragmatic plan for you to help you take steps in that direction.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Briana Rudick at Columbia University?

As a trans patient, I feel that Dr. Ruddick understands my situation and she was careful to choose language that was affirming of my gender identity. She also assured me that while all of her staff is trained, that if someone should make a mistake, she would want to hear about it so that she could address me. Being transmasculine in a fertility clinic is complicated, and I felt quite comfortable in her care.

Describe the protocols Briana Rudick used in your cycles at Columbia University and their degree of success.

Dr. Ruddick helped to identify the next steps, and the timeline for us. My partner who had already done testing and found out her egg count was low, would first go for a round of egg retrieval. During which time, I got blood work, and sema 4 testing done. Simultaneously our desired sperm donor would stop smoking weed for 3 months. He would then get tested, and make a donation. Then it would be my turn to go for a round of egg retrieval. In anticipation of that Dr. Ruddick will make a plan with my physician for going off of testosterone for those two weeks. Assuming our desired sperm donors tests come back without issue, we would then be making and freezing embryos. This plan gives us both the opportunity to have offspring with our egg. My partner will be the person who will carry the child.

How competent was Briana Rudick at LGBTQ+ care?

Dr. Ruddick was thoughtful and familiar with my needs as a trans person. She came recommended by other queer couples.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia University. (Assigned nurse: Talia)

I have found Talia to be very organized and clear in her communication. Her response rate was great, and I feel that she is there for all our questions.

Describe your experience with Columbia University.

This clinic is familiar with the needs of LGBTQ+ family planning, and that is the reason we chose them. We felt comfortable in all of our conversations about our needs and respected. Having been to 2 other clinics for consultations where I was misgendered, this means a lot to us.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Briana Rudick at Columbia University.

My understanding is that the process of egg retrieval and embryo creation will cost approximately 12-15K.

Describe Briana Rudick's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Columbia University.

We did not discuss this.

Doctor

Briana Rudick

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

LGBTQ+ Care

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Columbia University

New York

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

LGBTQ+ Care

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2021 - 2022, Unknown Success

Age 33 - 34

PCOS

European

Income $100K - $199K

Only Doc Seen

IUI With Other Docs

Donor Sperm

LGBTQ+

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

She [Dr. Briana Rudick] has been extremely helpful and understanding of my needs and my partner's needs as well; we look forward to speaking with her. She ordered thorough testing to make sure we are ready, and also talked through potential issues with insurance. So far we are having good luck getting things covered, and this is helping us feel more confident about the whole process.

So far we have a great experience at CUFC-- the staff is responsive and quick. We had a tricky insurance situation that (so far at least) has been navigated with ease! There are still unexpected expenses, of course, but the team clearly has lots of experience and always appears ready to help...Everyone has been VERY helpful and communicative-- and Julissa is a total pro when it comes to the bloodwork. I also had an ultrasound to look at my ovaries and that went very smoothly too!

How was your experience with Briana Rudick at Columbia University?

I started with a general consultation with Dr. Rudick, and now am in the process of going through IUI. She has been extremely helpful and understanding of my needs and my partner's needs as well; we look forward to speaking with her. She ordered thorough testing to make sure we are ready, and also talked through potential issues with insurance. So far we are having good luck getting things covered, and this is helping us feel more confident about the whole process.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Briana Rudick at Columbia University?

Ask lots of questions and have a clear idea of what you want support with.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Briana Rudick at Columbia University?

Dr. Rudick was efficient but also warm, and explained everything in a way we could understand.

Describe the protocols Briana Rudick used in your cycles at Columbia University and their degree of success.

Fertility workup including HSG test (a little intense but not as bad as I thought it could be!) IUI-- starting as naturally as possible (still in the process), and then moving on to using more medications as needed to adjust for any PCOS-related problems that arise

Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia University. (Assigned nurse: Julissa)

Everyone has been VERY helpful and communicative-- and Julissa is a total pro when it comes to the bloodwork. I also had an ultrasound to look at my ovaries and that went very smoothly too!

Describe your experience with Columbia University.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Briana Rudick at Columbia University.

Regular copays for visits, and IUI is covered under insurance. Additional fees associated with sperm receiving and storage.

Describe Briana Rudick's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Columbia University.

n/a

Doctor

Briana Rudick

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

LGBTQ+ Care

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Columbia University

New York

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

LGBTQ+ Care

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2021 - 2022, Unknown Success

Age 40 - 41

3 IVF

Male Factor

Poor Egg Quality

Unexplained

European

Income $100K - $199K

2nd of 2 Docs

2 IUI With Other Docs

Neutral

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Although [Dr. Karipcin] is very caring and compassionate, she does not take the time to fully discuss IVF as a whole, what the treatment entails and the success rates. She also did not pivot when I had an unsuccessful transfer, but did the same protocol that resulted in another failure...At beginning of treatment we discussed transferring two fresh embryos, but at time of transfer only one was chosen. I was not explained clearly the difference between the two transfer options for my age range.

The clinic [at Columbia University] is great. Morning monitoring was fast, the bedside manner is wonderful best clinic I have been to. The nurse staff is very friendly, the doctors are compassionate and the place is bright and clean...The nursing staff was at times responsive and at other times not as much via online communication. In person visits were always excellent...Towards the end of my treatment I had to become more of an advocate for myself, and ask a lot of questions

How was your experience with Sinem Karipcin at Columbia University?

Dr. Karipcin immediately prescribed a treatment plan for an IVF with ICSI. She strongly recommended to do PGS testing on the first retrieval, which I chose to forfeit and go with a fresh single embryo transfer, although initially we spoke of a double embryo transfer. I have been unsuccessful with three egg retrieval cycles, I wish the doctor explained clearly the success rate per cycle. Towards the end of my treatment I had to become more of an advocate for myself, and ask a lot of questions. Although the doctor is very caring and compassionate, she does not take the time to fully discuss IVF as a whole, what the treatment entails and the success rates. She also did not pivot when I had an unsuccessful transfer, but did the same protocol that resulted in another failure.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sinem Karipcin at Columbia University?

Do your research, join a fertility support group and become and advocate for yourself. Ask a lot of questions!

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sinem Karipcin at Columbia University?

Dr. Karipcin has a very compassionate, caring and thoughtful approach to her treatments. I did not feel like just another number, but an actual patient.

Describe the protocols Sinem Karipcin used in your cycles at Columbia University and their degree of success.

IVF with ICSI and PGS testing on embryos due to my age at start of IVF treatment.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia University.

The nursing staff was at times responsive and at other times not as much via online communication. In person visits were always excellent.

Describe your experience with Columbia University.

The clinic is great. Morning monitoring was fast, the bedside manner is wonderful best clinic I have been to. The nurse staff is very friendly, the doctors are compassionate and the place is bright and clean.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Sinem Karipcin at Columbia University.

My costs were accrued due to certain parts of the treatment plan that are not covered by health insurance, this includes biopsy, cryopreservation, PGS testing and ERA panel.

Describe Sinem Karipcin's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Columbia University.

At beginning of treatment we discussed transferring two fresh embryos, but at time of transfer only one was chosen. I was not explained clearly the difference between the two transfer options for my age range.

Doctor

Sinem Karipcin

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Columbia University

New York

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2021 - 2022, Successful

Age 31 - 32

4 IUI

1 IVF

PCOS

Unexplained

Income $100K - $199K

Nurse or HC Services

Only Doc Seen

Fertility Medications With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

[Dr. Briana Rudick] was a great fit for me who is more on the anxious side...positive yet realistic and held my hand throughout the process...answered emails promptly and never made me feel any question was silly. She didn’t perform every procedure (like the IUIs for example), but she did perform the egg retrieval, transfer and made an effort to do one of my early scans.

I was overall very happy with Columbia. Of course at times you feel like “just another patient” but that is sort of the nature of the process with fertility treatment. Ultimately I received great care. When I needed something or if there was a misunderstanding it was resolved within the day...[nurse] met virtually with my husband and I to go over how to do the ivf injections and she was so helpful.

How was your experience with Briana Rudick at Columbia University?

Dr. Rudick is professional and a great doctor. She was a great fit for me who is more on the anxious side. She is positive yet realistic and held my hand throughout the process. She answered emails promptly and never made me feel any question was silly. She didn’t perform every procedure (like the IUIs for example), but she did perform the egg retrieval, transfer and made an effort to do one of my early scans. I truly have nothing bad to say about this doctor.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Briana Rudick at Columbia University?

Dr. Rudick has been incredible throughout this difficult process. She answered all my emails promptly and never made me feel any question was silly. She even called me on the phone to address some concerns I had. I didn’t feel like a number, something that many people feel during this process. She was clear in explaining steps and procedures and was gentle throughout.

Describe the protocols Briana Rudick used in your cycles at Columbia University and their degree of success.

We went though the various steps, starting with lesser interventions like medicated timed intercourse cycles with trigger shots. We moved to IUIs following about 2 failed timed intercourses cycles. We tried 4 IUI with some adjusting of meds. After 3 IUIs Dr. Rudick gave the green light for IVF but with our schedule/timing we tried for one more IUI which she was totally okay with. Unfortunately IUIs we’re unsuccessful. We moved on to IVF. Luckily we only needed to do one retrieval and frozen transfer.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia University. (Assigned nurse: Julissa Mota)

Julissa is an amazing nurse. She was prompt with responding to emails and explained things clearly. She met virtually with my husband and I to go over how to do the ivf injections and she was so helpful. She is great

Describe your experience with Columbia University.

I was overall very happy with Columbia. Of course at times you feel like “just another patient” but that is sort of the nature of the process with fertility treatment. Ultimately I received great care. When I needed something or if there was a misunderstanding it was resolved within the day. There were a few miscommunications with some of the staff but it always got resolved. Would recommend this clinic for sure.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Briana Rudick at Columbia University.

Luckily my insurance covered the various cycles for me. We did have to pay out of pocket for genetic testing of the embryos, storing the frozen embryos and a few other things- we probably paid around 7000 out of pocket.

Describe Briana Rudick's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Columbia University.

Dr. Rudick recommended a single embryo transfer due to risks that come with multiple embryo transfer

What specific things went wrong at Columbia University?

Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Failed to order appropriate test

Describe the specific things that went wrong at Columbia University.

I had a couple issues with meds being called in but the issues were always resolved.

Doctor

Briana Rudick

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Columbia University

New York

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Iris Insogna Columbia University

2021, Successful

Age 40

Uterine Fibroids

Unexplained

European

Income $100K - $199K

2nd of 2 Docs

1 IVF With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Dr. Insogna is not only a bright, realistic, no-nonsense person, but also genuinely kind. An embryo transfer is a beautiful but physically and logistically awkward procedure; Dr. Insogna made it less uncomfortable and more intimate. I like that she always asked for my approval before initiating either an ultrasound or a speculum insertion.

It's [Columbia University] a good-looking clinic, busy, but with a very little waiting time before each visit. I wish specific procedures, like semen collection, were available on weekends. It's perhaps on the pricey side in NYC. There are no daily updates post-fertilization...My nurses were very efficient. They prepared me well for the self-administration of all my shots. I like how my test results and the following steps were fast and well explained.

How was your experience with Iris Insogna at Columbia University?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Iris Insogna at Columbia University?

Trust her. Doing a google search might be important for some, but I felt so much more relaxed when I just gave up and decided to rely on people who are experts.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Iris Insogna at Columbia University?

I'm sure Dr. Insogna had many patients she was treating concurrently, but she's never made me feel like I'm a number. I've never felt rushed, dismissed, or forgotten. She knew exactly where I was in my treatment and what was ahead for me.

Describe the protocols Iris Insogna used in your cycles at Columbia University and their degree of success.

A different doctor set up the medication protocol before she transferred to another fertility clinic and referred me and my husband to Dr. Insogna. Dr. Insogna suggested a natural cycle for our single frozen embryo transfer.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia University. (Assigned nurse: Madeline and Gwendolyn)

My nurses were very efficient. They prepared me well for the self-administration of all my shots. I like how my test results and the following steps were fast and well explained.

Describe your experience with Columbia University.

It's a good-looking clinic, busy, but with a very little waiting time before each visit. I wish specific procedures, like semen collection, were available on weekends. It's perhaps on the pricey side in NYC. There are no daily updates post-fertilization.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Iris Insogna at Columbia University.

The majority of the expenses were out of pocket. That includes IVF cycle and medication, anesthesia during egg retrieval and embryo transfer, genetic testing. My insurance paid for blood work and procedures involving infertility diagnoses (ultrasounds and hysterectomy).

Describe Iris Insogna's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Columbia University.

When I asked about multiple embryo transfer, Dr. Insogna described the inherent risks to both mother and children in carrying such a pregnancy to term. Although our embryo was genetically tested, which gave us some solace when it came to our concerns about a successful implantation, we would never opt for multiple embryo transfer.

Doctor

Iris Insogna

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Columbia University

New York

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Iris Insogna Columbia University

2021, Successful

Age 35

2 IVF

Male Factor

European

Income $100K - $199K

Professor

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Dr K [Dr. Karipcin] had a wonderful, warm bedside manner, and always remembered details about our lives...the way she approached treatment–adjusting everything to our particular circumstances and how I responded to treatment. We did a non-medicated embryo transfer and she waited for EXACTLY the right moment to transfer until the hormone levels were perfect. She was very responsive if I had concerns, and we felt like she was truly invested in the success of our treatment...

She [nurse at Columbia University] was compassionate and organized, though she wasn't very clear in written communication which sometimes caused problems over email. The rest of the nursing staff I interacted with were all kind, extremely competent and organized. I always felt well looked after...The financial office was the only aspect of the clinic we had problems with...it was an extremely stressful and annoying situation...most mornings I was done within 15 minutes, very efficient! We felt very comfortable with the clinic and overall had a great experience...

How was your experience with Sinem Karipcin at Columbia University?

Dr K was wonderful. She was kind, warm, and exacting in the way she approached treatment–adjusting everything to our particular circumstances and how I responded to treatment. We did a non-medicated embryo transfer and she waited for EXACTLY the right moment to transfer until the hormone levels were perfect. She was very responsive if I had concerns, and we felt like she was truly invested in the success of our treatment. She was positive all the way through the journey which was exactly what I needed when we faced setbacks, such as when more embryos than expected tested positive for the genetic disease we were screening for. She responded the same day if I had an email message for her, and made the effort to see me at morning monitoring at least once per egg retrieval cycle, as well as making sure she was there to do our embryo transfer. She always remembered details about my and my husband's life which made us feel like she really cared. I could not have asked for a better fertility doctor.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sinem Karipcin at Columbia University?

She's fantastic, go for it!

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sinem Karipcin at Columbia University?

Dr K had a wonderful, warm bedside manner, and always remembered details about our lives. She seemed invested in the success of the treatment and responded very quickly to messages.

Describe the protocols Sinem Karipcin used in your cycles at Columbia University and their degree of success.

We did 2 egg retrieval cycles with PGT-M for embryo banking and to screen for genetic disease. I had no fertility problems and high ovarian reserve. First cycle I was on standard antagonist protocol of 150 Menopur and 150 Gonal-F, with 2mg estrogen for two weeks beforehand to suppress the ovaries. Suppression did not work very well and I responded extremely strongly to the gonadotropins, so follicles were poorly synchronized–egg retrieval produced 13 mature eggs and all fertilized, but just 3 good-quality day 5/6 blasts resulted. The second retrieval Dr K adjusted the protocol for a luteal phase start for better suppression, and switched me to 75 Menopur and 225 Gonal-F. This worked MUCH better and 28 eggs were retrieved! 22 mature, 16 fertilized (probably a sperm quality issue) and 7 good-quality day 5/6 blasts. After genetic testing we were left 4 good-quality, genetically normal blasts from the two egg retrievals, which was at the high end of what Dr K had predicted, so we were very satisfied. For transfer Dr K recommended a non-medicated cycle since I had no fertility issues, and was very careful to explain clearly to me why she thought that was the better option over medicated. It took first time and we are currently 6 months pregnant with a very healthy-looking and active baby!

Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia University. (Assigned nurse: Varda)

Our primary nurse was Varda, although we didn't have much contact with her. She was compassionate and organized, though she wasn't very clear in written communication which sometimes caused problems over email. The rest of the nursing staff I interacted with were all kind, extremely competent and organized. I always felt well looked after.

Describe your experience with Columbia University.

The clinic was clean, modern, comfortable, and very easy to reach at Columbus Circle. Pandemic restrictions were in effect while we were being treated so you had to book a slot for morning monitoring–this was super easy to do online and meant the waiting room was never very crowded, and most mornings I was done within 15 minutes, very efficient! We felt very comfortable with the clinic and overall had a great experience.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Sinem Karipcin at Columbia University.

Our second egg retrieval with PGT-M cost around $16,500 OOP, and the frozen embryo transfer cycle about $4250. The lab they recommended for genetic testing charged $3000 "set-up" fee for the genetic assay, plus $400 p/embryo. Anesthesia for egg retrieval was a separate $500 charge.

Describe Sinem Karipcin's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Columbia University.

Dr K strongly prefers eSET and explained why.

What specific things went wrong at Columbia University?

Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy

Describe the specific things that went wrong at Columbia University.

The financial office was the only aspect of the clinic we had problems with. We paid for our second round of egg retrieval out-of-pocket, but my pharmacy plan still covered the medications. Our financial coordinator was unable to understand these circumstances for some reason and so had the medication coordinator order the medications to a completely different pharmacy which wasn't covered by my plan and which I hadn't requested or approved–and then refused to respond to my emails or talk to me on the phone about it. Although I eventually fixed the problem and had the prescription re-ordered to the correct, covered pharmacy, it was an extremely stressful and annoying situation.

Doctor

Sinem Karipcin

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Columbia University

New York

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2021, Successful

Age 32

1 Egg Freezing

European

Only Doc Seen

IVF With Other Docs

Embryo Freezing With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

she [Dr. Brady] shared the scientific reason behind every recommendation, which I think is very important. We did a lot of testings at the beginning, making sure that o issue was overseen but I never felt as if she wanted to sell any additional treatments or testings. She was always quick in answering any questions...our transfer was only three months after our initial consultation...

Columbia is very well organised. You can make your own appointments for daily monitoring online and I never had to wait longer than five minutes. I always received my results very quickly...they were all friendly and professional...She [nurse] taught us how to do injections via zoom, which worked surprisingly well. She sent me any results and further instructions very quickly....

How was your experience with Paula Brady at Columbia University?

I loved working with Dr. Brady! Her approach was very much based on science and statistics and she explained every step in a way that I felt we could do our own informed decision. I also appreciated that we did a lot of tests before starting IVF in order to ensure we knew what the issue is and not miss anything important.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Paula Brady at Columbia University?

Ask any questions you may have, much better than google!

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Paula Brady at Columbia University?

We very much enjoyed the interactions we had with Dr. Brady. We discussed every step along the way and she shared the scientific reason behind every recommendation, which I think is very important. We did a lot of testings at the beginning, making sure that o issue was overseen but I never felt as if she wanted to sell any additional treatments or testings. She was always quick in answering any questions.

Describe the protocols Paula Brady used in your cycles at Columbia University and their degree of success.

I think our case was very straight-forward, we did extensive blood work, HSG, sperm testing. We decided that it made more sense to start IVF rather than try IUI before, so we did an egg retrieval and a frozen embryo transfer. The whole process was surprisingly fast, our transfer was only three months after our initial consultation. This was the case because Dr. Brady made sure we wouldn't miss a cycle by prescribing birth control and asking me to go to the clinic earlier than standard procedure. I am very grateful for that.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia University. (Assigned nurse: Madison)

Cue to COVID, we never saw Madison in person. She taught us how to do injections via zoom, which worked surprisingly well. She sent me any results and further instructions very quickly.

Describe your experience with Columbia University.

Columbia is very well organised. You can make your own appointments for daily monitoring online and I never had to wait longer than five minutes. I always received my results very quickly. I am not sure the nurses remembered me or anything like that. But they were all friendly and professional.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Paula Brady at Columbia University.

We were very lucky that my insurance covered a huge amount of the cost. The clinic always made sure to file requests with my insurance before starting a new step of our therapy to avoid bad surprises. This process was very quick and did not require further assistance from my end.

Describe Paula Brady's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Columbia University.

we never really had a discussion about eSET. I knew that Columbia recommends eSET and I think it makes completely sense.

Doctor

Paula Brady

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Columbia University

New York

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2021, 17 Eggs Frozen

Age 28

1 Egg Freezing

Income $200K - $499K

Sales Representative

Only Doc Seen

Neutral

Doesn't Recommend

Successful

Review of

Dr. K [Karipcin] is kind and has great bed side manner. She was adequately responsive to my concerns during my egg retrieval and was open to patient feedback. I liked her personally, but the program at Columbia failed to have adequate communication systems set up, so I felt in the dark and confused during a very stressful process....

they [Columbia University] have failed to invest in a working patient portal or technology to communicate with their patients successfully and reliably during treatment. They use an outdated portal system with no general queue for patient questions. So if you have a time sensitive question, good luck knowing who to send it to, if they are working that day, and when you'll get a response. They also use templated email instructions that leaves too much room for human error...

How was your experience with Sinem Karipcin at Columbia University?

Dr. K is kind and has great bed side manner. She was adequately responsive to my concerns during my egg retrieval and was open to patient feedback. I liked her personally, but the program at Columbia failed to have adequate communication systems set up, so I felt in the dark and confused during a very stressful process. I lost trust in the care team right before my procedure due to them sending me templated emails with the wrong medication doses and instructions.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sinem Karipcin at Columbia University?

Dr. K is lovely, but I would advise you to ask questions about the method and style of communication that Dr. K will be using during your treatment cycle so you don't have the same experience that I had.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sinem Karipcin at Columbia University?

Dr. K took the time to get to know me personally, professionally before we started the consultation

Describe the protocols Sinem Karipcin used in your cycles at Columbia University and their degree of success.

Dr. K led me through an egg retrieval cycle. She had me administer hormones for 7 days before my trigger and retrieved 22 eggs, successfully froze 17.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia University. (Assigned nurse: Sam )

Although my care coordinator stayed the same throughout my egg freezing cycle, my nursing team changed 4 times. Which caused confusion as to who I should be communicating with. One of the nurses instructed me to take the wrong dose of medication, but thankfully, I caught the mistake on my own and the mistake didn't throw off my timing or procedure. I experienced 2 days of unresponsiveness from the nursing team right at my trigger time due to there not being a general nursing queue for emails from patients. If you happened to email a nurse that was off duty, then you went unanswered until you could figure out who was staffed for that day. I would not go through this procedure again with Columbia due to the lack of communication and stress their failing systems caused me.

Describe your experience with Columbia University.

Columbia Fertility has a beautiful facility and was always fast to get me in and out for ultrasounds and bloodwork during my egg retrieval. The weaknesses are that they have failed to invest in a working patient portal or technology to communicate with their patients successfully and reliably during treatment. They use an outdated portal system with no general queue for patient questions. So if you have a time sensitive question, good luck knowing who to send it to, if they are working that day, and when you'll get a response. They also use templated email instructions that leaves too much room for human error, which I was on the receiving end of when a nurse told me the wrong hormone dose to take because the daily instructions were copy / pasted. Although Dr. K is lovely, and tried to get the Director of the Program on the phone with me for feedback, we never successfully spoke and the email thread went cold after the Director, Sophia, was supposed to call me. Another example of failed communication by them. I lost trust in this clinic during my treatment and did not feel safe going into my surgery. This first time experience with IVF was a brutal wake up call that left me questioning our healthcare system, but on the flip side taught me to advocate for myself more often when I feel like something is not right. I would not refer any of my friends, family, or colleagues to Columbia based on my experience.

What specific things went wrong at Columbia University?

Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information

Describe the specific things that went wrong at Columbia University.

Columbia failed to call in an antibiotic on time before my egg retrieval procedure, and at one point during the cycle, told me the wrong hormone dose to take.

Doctor

Sinem Karipcin

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Columbia University

New York

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2020 - 2021, Successful

Age 33 - 34

1 IVF

1 Embryo Freezing

Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

Unexplained

European

Black or African-American

Income $100K - $199K

2nd of 2 Docs

3 Fertility Medications With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Dr Brady is everything we were looking for. When something wasn’t working she altered the treatment to correct the outcome. She is attentive, caring and intelligent...Dr Brady altered her strategy and sent us for another possible test. Turns out the issue we have is blood clotting issues. We are currently on love box which is making everything go as planned...

It’s amazing to have a single entity responsible for everything [at Columbia University]. No number to call, no holding to speak to an operator. The care coordinator even reaches out to you to schedule things. If you forget something they’ll remind you or prompt you to do it...You don’t sit for hours in the waiting room...It’s close to mass transit and your in and out

How was your experience with Paula Brady at Columbia University?

Dr Brady is everything we were looking for. When something wasn’t working she altered the treatment to correct the outcome. She is attentive, caring and intelligent. Previously we had poor interactions with a fertility specialist so it was refreshing to encounter someone of her quality.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Paula Brady at Columbia University?

Use her!

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Paula Brady at Columbia University?

We previously had very poor interactions with a fertility specialist. I referred to the office itself as a “meat factory.” How many patients can we fit in, get the copays out of and as many billable unnecessary procedures as possible. You’d sit for hours in an waiting room or in what I referred to as the forward staging area. They had a second waiting room for people who were closer to being seen. You never saw the same Doctor twice. One fertility specialist actually congratulated us on conceiving when we in fact had just had a miscarriage and needed a DNC. Going to Columbia was a breath of fresh air. I now feel slightly bad for Dr Brady as I read her the riot act on our first meeting. She seemed to understand, sat attentively and listened to what I had to say. She was a professional through and through and thankfully we are on our way to having a successful pregnancy.

Describe the protocols Paula Brady used in your cycles at Columbia University and their degree of success.

Originally we thought we may be having genetic issues as we had previously miscarriages where there was genetic abnormalities. We did one round of IVF which ended in a miscarriage. However there wasn’t any genetic abnormalities, everything was going well and then it stopped. Dr Brady altered her strategy and sent us for another possible test. Turns out the issue we have is blood clotting issues. We are currently on love box which is making everything go as planned.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia University. (Assigned nurse: Destiny Franklin, Stephanie Gorentzvaig Rocco)

It’s amazing to have a single entity responsible for everything. No number to call, no holding to speak to an operator. The care coordinator even reaches out to you to schedule things. If you forget something they’ll remind you or prompt you to do it. Not 300 nurses behind a desk answering phones of people who they know nothing about. Quality over quantity.

Describe your experience with Columbia University.

The weakness is that it’s in Manhattan and we had to commute there. However it’s worth it. It’s close to mass transit and your in and out. The strengths are the promptness of appointments and obviously Dr Brady! You don’t sit for hours in the waiting room.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Paula Brady at Columbia University.

Costs were minimal. PCG testing was out of pocket.

Describe Paula Brady's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Columbia University.

Dr Brady explained how the chances of multiple embryo chances increases the possibility of having twins. While our issue was not conceiving but carrying to term. She said that it would be best to test the embryo and select which one.

Doctor

Paula Brady

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Columbia University

New York

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2019 - 2021, Successful

Age 35 - 37

2 IUI

2 IVF

Unexplained

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

He [Dr. Forman] is excellent at explaining scientific and medical terms in digestible manner so that even a person distant from medical field can clearly understand the procedures. He does not sugar coat but sets realistic expectations and stays positive and reassuring during the process...We had a second round of IVF which resulted in 4 good embryos after the genetic testing. We then proceeded with the natural transfer which resulted in active pregnancy...

The clinic [Columbia University] is well run. Morning monitoring appointments are quick and a patient can book them via Connect which is convenient.The location is great and the office itself is clean...The team is absolutely wonderful - very efficient, responsive and helpful...We had a second round of IVF which resulted in 4 good embryos after the genetic testing...

How was your experience with Eric Forman at Columbia University?

Dr Forman is caring and is always there for you throughout your journey. He is excellent at explaining scientific and medical terms in digestible manner so that even a person distant from medical field can clearly understand the procedures. He does not sugar coat but sets realistic expectations and stays positive and reassuring during the process. He listens to his patients and seeks for the solutions best suitable for them. He always acts with utmost professionalism and provides exceptional care.

Describe the protocols Eric Forman used in your cycles at Columbia University and their degree of success.

We first had 2 IUI rounds with Clomid which did not result in pregnancy. We then decided to move to IVF and had 2 rounds. I responded well to medications so both rounds had the same protocol (Gonal-F+Menopur+Lupron+HCG). The first one yielded 4 embryos but only 1 was good after the genetic testing. This was disappointing for us since we hoped to have more embryos that we could freeze. We had a second round of IVF which resulted in 4 good embryos after the genetic testing. We then proceeded with the natural transfer which resulted in active pregnancy.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia University. (Assigned nurse: Christine - nurse and Gertrude - care coordinator)

The team is absolutely wonderful - very efficient, responsive and helpful.

Describe your experience with Columbia University.

The clinic is well run. Morning monitoring appointments are quick and a patient can book them via Connect which is convenient.The location is great and the office itself is clean. The staff is very friendly.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Eric Forman at Columbia University.

Most of my expenses were covered by my insurance.

Describe Eric Forman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Columbia University.

Dr Forman has a preference to eSET due to potential risk complications in multiple embryo transfer

Doctor

Eric Forman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Columbia University

New York

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2020 - 2021, Unsuccessful

Age 40 - 41

3 IVF

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

Unexplained

South Asian

Income $500K+

Engineer

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Unsuccessful

Review of

Dr. Brady always responded to my questions via email within 24 hours, and called me personally on the phone to deliver delicate news...She struck the right balance between being realistic and hopeful, while always fully explaining to me the probability of all procedures and medication protocols succeeding...Dr. Brady never once dismissed any options, especially when I asked for a potential change in protocol

Dr. Brady's team [at Columbia University] was exceptional - always organized and efficient. I rarely had to wait on the phone. All appointments were made with minimal effort via MyChart. Any changes were communicated to me swiftly and promptly. Medications were sent to my pharmacy on time...while Dr. Brady was away on maternity leave herself, and I could tell the difference in care acutely and immediately...

How was your experience with Paula Brady at Columbia University?

Dr. Brady was always available to answer all my questions. She struck the right balance between being realistic and hopeful, while always fully explaining to me the probability of all procedures and medication protocols succeeding. I value the time she took to treat me as a real person, and not just a patient. I was transferred to another doctor for a few months while Dr. Brady was away on maternity leave herself, and I could tell the difference in care acutely and immediately. Even though my association with Dr. Brady did not result in a successful pregnancy, I feel so fortunate that I was able to be cared for by her and her team.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Paula Brady at Columbia University?

Don't hesitate to ask for more information or alternatives when needed. Dr. Brady never once dismissed any options, especially when I asked for a potential change in protocol.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Paula Brady at Columbia University?

Extremely compassionate responses from Dr. Brady and her team, regardless of urgency. Dr. Brady always responded to my questions via email within 24 hours, and called me personally on the phone to deliver delicate news. I am very very grateful for this!

Describe the protocols Paula Brady used in your cycles at Columbia University and their degree of success.

2 cycles with Cetrotide, 1 cycle with microdose Lupron. 1 ERA cycle that yielded inconclusive data.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia University. (Assigned nurse: Madison Leffler, Katrina Leong)

Dr. Brady's team was exceptional - always organized and efficient. I rarely had to wait on the phone. All appointments were made with minimal effort via MyChart. Any changes were communicated to me swiftly and promptly. Medications were sent to my pharmacy on time. Follow-ups were frequent.

Describe your experience with Columbia University.

Easy to commute to, zero wait time. I had a tough time with one of the nurses (Jen) who made bloodwork pretty painful despite my feedback. After a while, I just got used to it. But I had a great experience with all the other nurses and doctors on staff who did my routine bloodwork and sonos.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Paula Brady at Columbia University.

Covered 80% under employer-offered Progyny benefits. Had to pay out of pocket for comprehensive genetic testing screen.

What specific things went wrong at Columbia University?

Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
Failed to convey critical information

Describe the specific things that went wrong at Columbia University.

The confusion only happened when I was temporarily under another doctor's care when Dr. Brady was away on maternity leave.

Doctor

Paula Brady

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Columbia University

New York

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2021, Successful

Age 25

1 Fertility Medications

Income $200K - $499K

Business Executive

1st of 3 Docs

Donor Eggs With Other Docs

LGBTQ+

Strongly Recommends

Doesn't Recommend

Successful

Review of

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!

The [Columbia University] clinic is really full-service. It has everything on site so no going to different floors or labs for various testing. I had to have an additional procedure not related to IVF during the process and it was so reassuring to be able to do it there with the team I knew. The clinic is also beautiful, spotless...the entire nursing staff were wonderful. They were communicative, thoughtful and very helpful during this process. They always followed up after every appointment and sent clear emailed directions for all steps along the way. I was never confused about what to do and didn't need to track them down for anything.

How was your experience with Paula Brady at Columbia University?

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.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Paula Brady at Columbia University?

Dr. Brady was warm, friendly, and very communicative throughout our entire process. I visited her for both egg freezing in 2018 and then for IVF in 2022. During both processes, I felt completely comfortable asking anything and she answered every question with the same compassion and consideration, no matter how silly it might have been.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Paula Brady at Columbia University?

How competent was Paula Brady at LGBTQ+ care?

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Columbia University.

Angela, Diamond and the entire nursing staff were wonderful. They were communicative, thoughtful and very helpful during this process. They always followed up after every appointment and sent clear emailed directions for all steps along the way. I was never confused about what to do and didn't need to track them down for anything.

Describe your experience with Columbia University.

The clinic is really full-service. It has everything on site so no going to different floors or labs for various testing. I had to have an additional procedure not related to IVF during the process and it was so reassuring to be able to do it there with the team I knew. The clinic is also beautiful, spotless, and very covid conscious, which I appreciated.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Paula Brady at Columbia University.

10-15$

Describe Paula Brady's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Columbia University.

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.

How competent was Columbia University at LGBTQ+ care?

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.)

Describe your experience using 3rd party reproduction (donor eggs, donor sperm, or gestational carrier) at Columbia University.

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.

Doctor

Paula Brady

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Columbia University

New York

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

LGBTQ+ Care

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2021, Successful

Age 30

2 IUI

1 IVF

Unexplained

Marketer or PR

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

He [Dr. Forman] never pushed a certain protocol, but rather presented our options and gave his honest opinion about what route we should take. I truly have never met a doctor who takes such interest in his/her patients’ cases and is so devoted to making himself available - day or night - to provide support...answering my countless questions via email within an hour’s time (no matter the day of week), or reaching out unprompted to ask how I felt on my IVF medication, he always made me feel safe in his care

CUFC [Columbia Univeristy] is very well-organized with an incredible staff. My bloodwork and ultrasound monitoring appointments were always quick and efficient, which is key because there are so many of them. The entire nursing staff is compassionate, and the doctors are incredibly knowledgeable and helpful....

How was your experience with Eric Forman at Columbia University?

I have nothing but the best things to say about my experience with Dr. Forman and Columbia University Fertility Center. Dr. Forman recognized that I really wanted to understand what we were doing every step of the way and thanks to his willingness to always answer my questions, I learned so much through this process. I truly can’t imagine going through the IVF process with anyone else and cannot recommend him enough.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Eric Forman at Columbia University?

Dr. Forman will get you where you want to go - just trust him and his process!

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Eric Forman at Columbia University?

Navigating infertility struggles can be extremely stressful and scary, but Dr. Forman was by my side every step of the way. Whether it be walking me and my husband through our options and ensuring we felt comfortable with the process, answering my countless questions via email within an hour’s time (no matter the day of week), or reaching out unprompted to ask how I felt on my IVF medication, he always made me feel safe in his care. He never pushed a certain protocol, but rather presented our options and gave his honest opinion about what route we should take. I truly have never met a doctor who takes such interest in his/her patients’ cases and is so devoted to making himself available - day or night - to provide support.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia University. (Assigned nurse: Christine Elbo)

The rest of the team at CUFC - Gertrude, Christine, Jenny, Lisette, and many others - are all incredibly kind and knowledgeable as well. They understand what their patients are going through and try to make the countless appointments as enjoyable as possible.

Describe your experience with Columbia University.

CUFC is very well-organized with an incredible staff. My bloodwork and ultrasound monitoring appointments were always quick and efficient, which is key because there are so many of them. The entire nursing staff is compassionate, and the doctors are incredibly knowledgeable and helpful.

Doctor

Eric Forman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Columbia University

New York

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2018 - 2021, Successful

Age 41 - 44

3 Egg Freezing

East Asian

Consultant

Only Doc Seen

IVF With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Dr Forman is incredibly supportive and responsive to patients. He always answered questions thoroughly and responds to emails personally, usually with a very quick turnaround time...Having a doctor who treats you as an individual rather than a statistic, and helps you understand your options at every step of the process...

Columbia Fertility is a world class clinic, from the front desk to the physicians, everyone is professional, respectful and compassionate. It is smaller than some of the other NYC-based clinics (not at all like the factory feeling of other places) so I always felt like the staff knew me personally and I was comforted to see familiar faces in the nursing and medical staff...Patients are allowed to self-schedule monitoring appointments so I could choose a time that worked for my schedule

How was your experience with Eric Forman at Columbia University?

Dr Forman is the best doctor I've ever seen, of any specialty. I'm deeply grateful for his approach to educating and caring for patients. As women on this forum know, fertility treatments are a stressful process, both physically and emotionally, especially for women over 40. Having a doctor who treats you as an individual rather than a statistic, and helps you understand your options at every step of the process, is so incredibly important. I have recommended Dr Forman to many relatives and friends, all of whom have had very positive experiences.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Eric Forman at Columbia University?

Fertility treatments are tough, and for many of us, there are cycles during which we get disappointed. But having an expert, trusted advisor like Dr Forman is so critical to having the reassurance that you are getting the best care available.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Eric Forman at Columbia University?

Dr Forman is incredibly supportive and responsive to patients. He always answered questions thoroughly and responds to emails personally, usually with a very quick turnaround time.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia University. (Assigned nurse: Christine)

Christine and the IVF nursing team at Columbia are top notch. They are incredibly supportive, communicative and responsive to questions. I am so grateful for their professionalism and how available they are to patients.

Describe your experience with Columbia University.

Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Columbia University.

Patients are allowed to self-schedule monitoring appointments so I could choose a time that worked for my schedule

Doctor

Eric Forman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Columbia University

New York

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2019 - 2020, Successful

Age 45 - 46

2 Embryo Freezing

Income $500K+

Graphic Designer

2nd of 2 Docs

IVF With Other Docs

5 Embryo Freezing With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Dr. Forman always took extra time to explain absolutely everything about a procedure, reason behind his recommendations, drug regimens and research to backup his suggestions...left the decision up to us whether we wanted to proceed or move to a transfer. There was never any pressure, he would return emails almost immediately and answered every question thoroughly. He has a sweet bedside manner, is kind, so knowledgeable and an expert in the field...

Christine [nurse at Columbia University] was our rock. She was Dr.Formans right hand woman, was consistently there for us during appointments and scheduling as well as answering all logistical questions. She connected us to the right people for billing etc, and was generally just a wonderful person...Clean waiting room, never too packed, stayed on schedule. Blood test room was easy to get in and out of...

How was your experience with Eric Forman at Columbia University?

Dr. Forman was very honest about our chances of conception being lower than average due to my age (at the time 46 years old). He explained the procedures we could attempt in order to increase our chances, and expertly laid out all of our options. We were hoping to get additional embryos in case the single viable embryo we already had did not take. After two additional cycles he was very honest with us that the chances were extremely low of getting another, but left the decision up to us whether we wanted to proceed or move to a transfer. There was never any pressure, he would return emails almost immediately and answered every question thoroughly. He has a sweet bedside manner, is kind, so knowledgeable and an expert in the field. When my husband and I say “Wow we made this baby!”, we always add “The three of us made this baby (myself, husband and Dr. Forman). We are forever thankful and recommend him to the moon and back.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Eric Forman at Columbia University?

Come in with questions, they can be as specific and niche as possible and Dr.Forman will not only have an answer, but will likely be able to cite studies and additional research to backup answers.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Eric Forman at Columbia University?

Dr. Forman always took extra time to explain absolutely everything about a procedure, reason behind his recommendations, drug regimens and research to backup his suggestions.

Describe the protocols Eric Forman used in your cycles at Columbia University and their degree of success.

The protocol was not changed much from cycle to cycle, so less custom than our previous doctor. Since we only had one viable embryo, he recommended we do a trial transfer which involved taking all the drugs we would take for an actual transfer and in lieu of an actual transfer he would take a biopsy of the uterine lining. This is in order to ensure he has the best approximation of the window of time in which he should do the transfer. We were very happy we did this because he was able to make an adjustment to the timing for our actual transfer which we did several weeks later.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia University. (Assigned nurse: Christine)

Christine was our rock. She was Dr.Formans right hand woman, was consistently there for us during appointments and scheduling as well as answering all logistical questions. She connected us to the right people for billing etc, and was generally just a wonderful person.

Describe your experience with Columbia University.

Clean waiting room, never too packed, stayed on schedule. Blood test room was easy to get in and out of. Liked the option of sitting in chairs or at long table to the side. They provide a water machine and apples in the waiting room (pre-COVID). Front desk staff always courteous and professional.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Eric Forman at Columbia University.

We were fortunate to have an insurance plan which covered most costs. We were responsible for a small copay each visit and PGS testing costs.

Doctor

Eric Forman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Columbia University

New York

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2020, Successful

Age 34

1 IVF

Endometriosis

European

Latinx

Income $100K - $199K

Nurse or HC Services

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

She [Dr. Brady] addressed every question and concern I had with such compassion and professionalism which made me feel at ease through the process. She made me feel like I was her only patient with the amount of time she spent to address all my needs in such a detailed way. She was very easy to get a hold of and also responded to emails very quickly...Dr Brady understood the concern we had with the possibility of multiple births. We went with a single embryo transfer and it was a success

The center [Columbia University] was clean. The waiting time was very short and they always had multiple appointment time options. I was working full time during my ivf cycle and they worked with me around my schedule. I appreciated everyone’s smiles and kind words, even people I just walked by in the hall...All staff at this Center were kind and friendly and that included my nurse Madison. She was so kind and positive during every encounter...

How was your experience with Paula Brady at Columbia University?

I could not thank Dr Brady enough for her support and care throughout my IVF cycle. In this difficult time, during Covid, I was amazed by the level of attentiveness, care and compassion I received throughout the cycle. She addressed every question and concern I had with such compassion and professionalism which made me feel at ease through the process. She made me feel like I was her only patient with the amount of time she spent to address all my needs in such a detailed way. She was very easy to get a hold of and also responded to emails very quickly. I truly can not thank her enough!

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Paula Brady at Columbia University?

Dr Brady treated me with compassion, patience and genuine care. I felt like she listened and heard my questions/concerns and developed a great treatment plan for my husband and I.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia University. (Assigned nurse: Madison)

All staff at this Center were kind and friendly and that included my nurse Madison. She was so kind and positive during every encounter. Again, during Covid, it can be difficult to connect, however I found Madison to be very attentive, informative and really appreciated her positivity and encouragement.

Describe your experience with Columbia University.

The center was clean. The waiting time was very short and they always had multiple appointment time options. I was working full time during my ivf cycle and they worked with me around my schedule. I appreciated everyone’s smiles and kind words, even people I just walked by in the hall.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Paula Brady at Columbia University.

Costs varies, however a large part was covered my insurance.

Describe Paula Brady's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Columbia University.

Dr Brady understood the concern we had with the possibility of multiple births. We went with a single embryo transfer and it was a success.

Doctor

Paula Brady

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Columbia University

New York

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2019 - 2020, Unsuccessful

Age 45 - 46

3 IVF

Unexplained

European

Income $200K - $499K

Professor

1st of 2 Docs

Strongly Recommends

Unsuccessful

Review of

She [Dr. Briana Rudick] was bound and determined to help us get pregnant. She is also wicked smart and easily thinks through the pros and cons. She is the person you want on your team...You want someone who is really determined, is going to be honest with you, and is going to support you with all of the various options. She will do that.

It is hectic in the mornings as they [Columbia University] are doing all of the monitoring. But, everyone is fully invested and once you are one-on-one with the nursing staff, you feel fully like an individual...they did more than any other doctor's office to help us figure out how to get the most out of our insurance.

How was your experience with Briana Rudick at Columbia University?

She was bound and determined to help us get pregnant. She is also wicked smart and easily thinks through the pros and cons. She is the person you want on your team. I have a Ph.D. and really needed someone who wasn't going to talk down to me.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Briana Rudick at Columbia University?

You want someone who is really determined, is going to be honest with you, and is going to support you with all of the various options. She will do that.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Briana Rudick at Columbia University?

She got to know us well. We could write or see here anytime and we had the sense that she was always looking out for us. She was incredibly responsive. She also had a manner we really liked -she was determined to help us get pregnant.

Describe the protocols Briana Rudick used in your cycles at Columbia University and their degree of success.

We tried the standard stuff. In the end, I did not have enough good eggs with which to work. Rudick took all embryos to 5 days and PGS tested them. This gave us the best chance. We ultimately went overseas to Spain for donor eggs. Rudick was willing to work with the overseas clinic to do all of our morning monitoring. When I miscarried, Rudick did the D and C and she encouraged us all along the way, even when we had to fly to Spain in the middle of Covid.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Columbia University.

The nursing staff was great. They were so positive and encouraging and would spend as much time with us as needed.

Describe your experience with Columbia University.

It is hectic in the mornings as they are doing all of the monitoring. But, everyone is fully invested and once you are one-on-one with the nursing staff, you feel fully like an individual. I especially liked one of the women who took my blood. I think her name was Jen. She always checked in with me about life, the weather, how I was feeling and so forth. I will never forget her discretion and kindness.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Briana Rudick at Columbia University.

I don't remember the specifics, but I will say that they did more than any other doctor's office to help us figure out how to get the most out of our insurance. When we had to go overseas, they still worked with us to have all of our morning monitoring done at the clinic here, saving us much time and money. This was huge for us, as we then only had to fly over to Spain for the transfer. And we could still stay in the hands of Dr. Rudick and team.

Describe Briana Rudick's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Columbia University.

We only had one embryo to transfer after they were PGS tested and brought to 5 days. This was Rudick's approach and I think it is the best.

Doctor

Briana Rudick

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Columbia University

New York

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2020, Successful

Age 37

3 IUI

1 IVF

Male Factor

Unexplained

European

Income $100K - $199K

Architect

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Dr. Rackow was excellent at getting to know me and my husband, and guiding us through the many options of fertility treatment. She always made sure we were getting care that was covered and pre-approved by our insurance...carefully explained each option...She kept us hopeful while managing our expectations of the chances of each treatment type working. I always felt like she was our biggest cheerleader. She called me directly with good and bad news and shared our disappointments and eventual triumph. I very highly recommend her.

Overall the nursing staff [at Columbia University] was fantastic. Seemed to love their jobs and were very caring and friendly with patients...Strengths - great office environment (clean, peaceful waiting room), zero wait time, friendly and competent staff, ease of doing zoom doctor calls (very nice for patients that are not close to the office), ease of billing (the billing admin person is very easy to reach and work through paperwork with) Weaknesses - location was tough for me because I'm in Brooklyn

How was your experience with Beth Rackow at Columbia University?

Dr. Rackow was excellent at getting to know me and my husband, and guiding us through the many options of fertility treatment. She always made sure we were getting care that was covered and pre-approved by our insurance (which we were very lucky to have), and carefully explained each option when there were decisions to make on which route to pursue next. She kept us hopeful while managing our expectations of the chances of each treatment type working. I always felt like she was our biggest cheerleader. She called me directly with good and bad news and shared our disappointments and eventual triumph. I very highly recommend her.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Beth Rackow at Columbia University?

Ask her questions; she's great at backing up her treatment recommendations with stats and sound reasoning.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Beth Rackow at Columbia University?

Dr. Rackow is easy to talk to. She always made me and my husband laugh and kept the conversation positive and professional at the same time. The nurses got to know me and were very kind and seemed to love their job.

Describe the protocols Beth Rackow used in your cycles at Columbia University and their degree of success.

We started with 3 rounds of IUI with chlomid which all failed, then went straight to IVF with PGS testing and ICSI which was successful on the first round.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Columbia University.

Overall the nursing staff was fantastic. Seemed to love their jobs and were very caring and friendly with patients. There was one nurse who communicated protocol who was not great at communicating. She tried to answer some tough questions that should have been directed to the doctor.

Describe your experience with Columbia University.

Strengths - great office environment (clean, peaceful waiting room), zero wait time, friendly and competent staff, ease of doing zoom doctor calls (very nice for patients that are not close to the office), ease of billing (the billing admin person is very easy to reach and work through paperwork with) Weaknesses - location was tough for me because I'm in Brooklyn

Describe the costs associated with your care under Beth Rackow at Columbia University.

I was lucky enough to have insurance cover everything except for minor copays

Describe Beth Rackow's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Columbia University.

She was pro eSET and clearly laid out the reasons a multiples pregnancy raised heath risks for moms and babies

What specific things went wrong at Columbia University?

Canceled a cycle due to clinic error

Describe the specific things that went wrong at Columbia University.

I had an IUI cycle cancelled because the nurse thought she saw two cysts during an early scan. It turned out those cysts were eggs that were developing early. So I missed that cycle.

Doctor

Beth Rackow

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Columbia University

New York

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2020, Successful

Age 32

3 IUI

Unexplained

European

Income $200K - $499K

Marketer or PR

2nd of 2 Docs

1 IUI With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Dr Forman was FANTASTIC! From the initial consultation to the positive pregnancy test Dr Forman was with us every step of the way! Any questions no matter how big or small we would respond within 24hrs. He put your wellbeing first knowing the emotional rollercoaster fertility is!..took the time to explain the different processes from IUI to IVF, helped us get a back up protocol in place in case the IUI's didn't work. He was never too busy to answer Q's

[Columbia University] Clinic was lovely, very clean, generally busy but minimal wait potentially 10/15 minutes at max. Rooms were thoroughly cleaned between each patients. Nothing was too much trouble! Great location with transport links...Nursing staff were always extremely happy & would remember you by name! They always had the right level of data to help with any Q's. Truly all of the nurses we met or spoke to, were all amazing

How was your experience with Eric Forman at Columbia University?

Dr Forman was great, he took the time to explain the different processes from IUI to IVF, helped us get a back up protocol in place in case the IUI's didn't work. He was never too busy to answer Q's. I truly believe it is due to Dr Forman (& his incredible team of nurses) why we're pregnant today!

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Eric Forman at Columbia University?

The level of treatment & care is well worth any cost different with other clinics. His reviews & results speak for themselves

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Eric Forman at Columbia University?

Describe the protocols Eric Forman used in your cycles at Columbia University and their degree of success.

We used Clomid from Day 3 for 5 days, then returned to the clinic to check follicle growth, would inject Ovidel & have intercourse that night before returning to the clinic approx 36hrs later for the IUI insemination, followed by intercourse that night or the following to improve chances.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Columbia University.

Nursing staff were always extremely happy & would remember you by name! They always had the right level of data to help with any Q's. Truly all of the nurses we met or spoke to, were all amazing

Describe your experience with Columbia University.

Clinic was lovely, very clean, generally busy but minimal wait potentially 10/15 minutes at max. Rooms were thoroughly cleaned between each patients. Nothing was too much trouble! Great location with transport links & would recommend to anyone NYC or NJ based.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Eric Forman at Columbia University.

Costs at Columbia were more compared to our prior clinic in NJ however it was worth it to get the level of care & attention from Dr Forman & the nurses! It was approximately $2,000 per cycle for medicated IUI, with insurance covering some elements but not all.

Describe Eric Forman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Columbia University.

n/a

Doctor

Eric Forman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Columbia University

New York

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Rachel McConnell Columbia University

2020, Unsuccessful

Age 40

2 IUI

Income $100K - $199K

Operations

Only Doc Seen

Donor Sperm

Doesn't Recommend

Neutral

Unsuccessful

Review of

[Dr. McConnell's] Communication skills are lacking.I dealt almost exclusively with the nurse. When I had concerns on some side affects, I didn’t get anything in return other than ‘go see your PCP) . It really just felt like she was going through the motions instead of being caring and helpful...I had some pretty major side effects which I didn’t realise it was from the meds, but when I voiced my concerns, I got nothing except to go see a doctor if I was worried

[Columbia University] is a large clinic, many staff and doctors, so very impersonal. The strengths are definitely the nurses who do most of the work. The clinic runs as a ‘doctor of the day’ style so they are on rotation to perform procedures, so selecting a doctor doesn’t mean they will be the one physically treating you at the clinic...Second IUI I paid out of pocket for everything, total was $2600

How was your experience with Rachel McConnell at Columbia University?

I really just felt like I was on a production line, after 6 months, I’d had 2 zoom calls with her (1 consult for IUI and just recently a consult for IVF). When I emailed her directly to ask questions... it was the nurse that responded to me. It feels like she doesn’t really care, I’m doing this solo so it’s hard enough having no support. She also doesn’t even physically work at the NYC clinic which I didn’t know when I chose her.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Rachel McConnell at Columbia University?

If you know what you are doing (very little of us do), then she would be ok, but if you want compassion and caring I suggest looking elsewhere. The consultation sounded robotic and was just ticking boxes. You also get ZERO information during the process, I wanted my lab results, my numbers & more information but I was kept in the dark about everything unless I asked the nurse.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Rachel McConnell at Columbia University?

Communication skills are lacking.I dealt almost exclusively with the nurse. When I had concerns on some side affects, I didn’t get anything in return other than ‘go see your PCP) . It really just felt like she was going through the motions instead of being caring and helpful

Describe the protocols Rachel McConnell used in your cycles at Columbia University and their degree of success.

First IUI I was out on letrozole & Ovridrel shot, second IUI was the same but with a slightly higher dose of letrozole. I had some pretty major side effects which I didn’t realise it was from the meds, but when I voiced my concerns, I got nothing except to go see a doctor if I was worried

Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia University. (Assigned nurse: Melissa and Katrina )

It’s all very organised, albeit a bit robotic.

Describe your experience with Columbia University.

It is a large clinic, many staff and doctors, so very impersonal. The strengths are definitely the nurses who do most of the work. The clinic runs as a ‘doctor of the day’ style so they are on rotation to perform procedures, so selecting a doctor doesn’t mean they will be the one physically treating you at the clinic.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Rachel McConnell at Columbia University.

I did my first IUI under insurance and that was billed at $1350 for the procedure. Plus all the monitoring visits were billed VERY high to insurance. Second IUI I paid out of pocket for everything, total was $2600

What specific things went wrong at Columbia University?

Failed to call with results

Describe the specific things that went wrong at Columbia University.

Just a lack of personalisation and feeling human. It’s definitely a busy clinic with a get it done attitude, no fluff. So if you are ok with that than fine. If you want any compassion... not the place for you

Doctor

Rachel McConnell

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Columbia University

New York

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Rachel McConnell Columbia University

2020, Unknown Success

Age 35

1 IVF

Unexplained

Ashkenazi Jewish

Income $200K - $499K

2nd of 2 Docs

3 IUI With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Dr. Karipcin was empathetic, supportive, and encouraging. She kept reminding me to think positive thoughts first. She went out of her way to make it to my transfer, even though she wasn't scheduled to be in the office. She was caring and compassionate at every interaction that I had with her...She was very responsive to my emails and when needed we would have a phone call that same day that I sent the question

Columbia Fertility center did a great job of having an on-time appointment, communicating results in a timely manner, friendly technicians and nurses. during my egg retrieval, the staff was very compassionate, I had a lot of pain and they kept me longer than the typical discharge time. They checked on me, gave me warm pads, and extra medication to ensure I am well before releasing me. I felt cared for and comfortable during both retrieval and embryo transfer.

How was your experience with Sinem Karipcin at Columbia University?

I saw Dr. Karipcin during COVID, which made the whole process a bit more difficult, but Dr. Karipcin did everything she could to make it more personable. She was very responsive to my emails and when needed we would have a phone call that same day that I sent the question. I really like how thoughtful she is about reviewing all my medical information and taking the time to explain to me and my husband her analysis and recommendations.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sinem Karipcin at Columbia University?

As with any doctor, make sure you stay on top of your treatment and timing. There are so many moving pieces when it comes to IVF and various staff involved, that you have to be your own advocate when it comes to treatment, the timing of treatment, and financial clearance.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sinem Karipcin at Columbia University?

Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia University. (Assigned nurse: Zaria)

Zaria, my care coordinator, might have had a hard time during COVID to stay on top of digital communication, but I had a very hard time tracking her down or getting responses. It gave me anxiety and caused confusion when it could have been avoided. The rest of the staff was responsive and great.

Describe your experience with Columbia University.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Sinem Karipcin at Columbia University.

Medication, PCG testing, anesthesia, blood work, ultrasounds, retrieval, embryo transfer

Describe Sinem Karipcin's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Columbia University.

We only had one healthy embryo

Doctor

Sinem Karipcin

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Columbia University

New York

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2020, Successful

Age 41

2 IVF

Unexplained

European

Income $200K - $499K

Teacher

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

For my 1st IVF cycle [with Dr. Karipcin] I used gonal-f, menopur and cetrotide injections leading up to an egg retrieval which produced 14 eggs and 2 embryos. Neither embryo passed pgs testing (which was recommended due to my age). For my 2nd IVF cycle I used gonal-f, menopur and cetrotide again, however the doses were tweaked by Dr. Karipcin which resulted in 25 eggs and 1 embryo that passed pgs testing. After this I had a frozen embryo transfer using estrace pills and progesterone injections which resulted in a current pregnancy.

The nursing staff [at Columbia University] was always accommodating with appointments and appointments tended to be efficient. For example, as a teacher I often needed 7am appointments. I was able to make it to school on time after my morning appointments which was very helpful...Scheduling and appointments tend to be smooth and overall the staff is friendly and responsive to questions. Always be sure to clarify any information in emails regarding treatment as there are many patients being seen. In general all staff respond in a timely manner to any questions or concerns.

How was your experience with Sinem Karipcin at Columbia University?

Dr. Karipcin is clear and thoughtful when explaining her course of treatment. For example, we had a setback in our 1st round of IVF and she was ready to talk about the adjustments she would make in the course of treatment for the 2nd round. This made us feel confident in our next steps and resulted in a successful 2nd round of IVF.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sinem Karipcin at Columbia University?

I would advise a prospective patient to never hesitate to ask Dr. Karipcin any questions that you have throughout treatment- even if you just need clarification or reassurance about where you are in your treatment process. As a patient you need to advocate for yourself and make sure that your voice is heard. Always communicate your questions and concerns.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sinem Karipcin at Columbia University?

Dr. Karipicin provided both a compassionate and pragmatic approach throughout my IVF treatment. She responds quickly and thoughtfully to questions and concerns and has a genuine interest in your wellbeing and success as a patient.

Describe the protocols Sinem Karipcin used in your cycles at Columbia University and their degree of success.

For my 1st IVF cycle I used gonal-f, menopur and cetrotide injections leading up to an egg retrieval which produced 14 eggs and 2 embryos. Neither embryo passed pgs testing (which was recommended due to my age). For my 2nd IVF cycle I used gonal-f, menopur and cetrotide again, however the doses were tweaked by Dr. Karipcin which resulted in 25 eggs and 1 embryo that passed pgs testing. After this I had a frozen embryo transfer using estrace pills and progesterone injections which resulted in a current pregnancy.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia University. (Assigned nurse: Varda Souverain)

The nursing staff was always accommodating with appointments and appointments tended to be efficient. For example, as a teacher I often needed 7am appointments. I was able to make it to school on time after my morning appointments which was very helpful.

Describe your experience with Columbia University.

Scheduling and appointments tend to be smooth and overall the staff is friendly and responsive to questions. Always be sure to clarify any information in emails regarding treatment as there are many patients being seen. In general all staff respond in a timely manner to any questions or concerns.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Sinem Karipcin at Columbia University.

My insurance paid for a portion of each IVF cycle as well as the frozen embryo transfer. The out of pocket expenses for both IVF cycles, inlcuding pgs testing of a total of 3 embryos was about $10,000.

Describe Sinem Karipcin's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Columbia University.

The approach that was used during my treatment was to use a single embryo that passed pgs testing (euploid embryo).

Doctor

Sinem Karipcin

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Columbia University

New York

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

2019 - 2020, Successful

Age 37 - 38

3 IVF

1 Embryo Freezing

Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

European

Professor

Only Doc Seen

Fertility Medications With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Dr. Rackow explained all of the testing and treatments beforehand and made every effort to do my ultrasounds and procedures if she was in the office on the days I was scheduled to come in. She personally called me on several occasions in the evenings to discuss results with me, tactfully give me good and not so good news, and help me figure out next steps based on my (our) personal goals and needs.

Weaknesses [at Columbia University]: Could be better at advising patients when to stop stimulation for egg retrievals if it isn't looking like many eggs will be retrieved. My first stimulation cycle was poor and they should have counseled me to stop it and adjusted the protocol before a 2nd try (they did adjust for the 2nd try). They informed me of what was happening, but having never undergone treatment before, I didn't understand how poorly I was responding. I really should have been counseled to stop.

How was your experience with Beth Rackow at Columbia University?

Dr. Rackow was very responsive throughout my treatments, she did not just stick with the status quo if something wasn't working for me (4 egg retrievals, 2 embryo transfers using my own eggs). She changed protocol when the first egg retrieval didn't yield many eggs (we added clomid which helped me immensely), and she changed the embryo transfer protocol to natural with a trigger shot when the first transfer didn't work. The natural cycle with trigger worked perfectly for me and I did not have to take those dreadful intramuscular progesterone shots, a win. She did my early pregnancy ultrasounds with this successful transfer and I was pleased that she could do them personally.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Beth Rackow at Columbia University?

Dr. Rackow is part of an excellent, efficient team. Remember, you are entrusting your fertility care to a large, busy fertility clinic where the doctors have certain days they are in the office and are in charge of procedures. Other days they are assigned elsewhere. This means you may/may not get your main doctor for every procedure or check. If you want a 1 doctor experience, consider a small clinic.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Beth Rackow at Columbia University?

Describe the protocols Beth Rackow used in your cycles at Columbia University and their degree of success.

For all egg retrievals I did high dose injectables, and for 3 out of 4 I also used clomid, which helped me release (?) significantly more eggs. In all, I ended up with 4 PGS-tested embryos, one did not make it with the first transfer, the second successfully implanted. I have 2 frozen embryos remaining for possible future use. For the first embryo transfer, we did a traditional medicated cycle that did not result in a positive test. For the second embryo transfer, we did a natural cycle with a trigger shot. This worked great for me.

Describe your experience with your nurse at Columbia University. (Assigned nurse: Melissa Podalak)

Melissa was very responsive to my questions and always gave me results and next steps the same day. She wrote detailed emails with instructions and also called me with more complicated/new directions and preparations for procedures.

Describe your experience with Columbia University.

Strengths: Teamwork, efficiency, one stop shop for (almost) everything. Clarity on results and next steps. Weaknesses: Could be better at advising patients when to stop stimulation for egg retrievals if it isn't looking like many eggs will be retrieved. My first stimulation cycle was poor and they should have counseled me to stop it and adjusted the protocol before a 2nd try (they did adjust for the 2nd try). They informed me of what was happening, but having never undergone treatment before, I didn't understand how poorly I was responding. I really should have been counseled to stop.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Beth Rackow at Columbia University.

All but the last egg retrieval and embryo transfer were covered by my insurance.

Describe Beth Rackow's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Columbia University.

We both agreed on a single embryo transfer.

Doctor

Beth Rackow

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

Columbia University

New York

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of