Fora Fertility

Dr. Skillern and her team have been so wonderful throughout this journey. From our very first visit, we were blown away and felt genuinely seen and understood. Dr. Skillern didn’t just focus on me as the patient—she was equally focused on my partner and our whole family plan (since we both intended to carry). What really impressed us in that first meeting was Dr. Skillern asking us the questions that we didn't think we had to worry about yet. Like when did my partner plan to carry, how many kids, etc. She was the ONLY doctor (we had been to previous clinics with not so great experiences) that got us thinking about my partner and her future. Making sure we did all the testing on her sooner so that when to came time for her to carry, we didn't get any bad surprises that would impact our family plan. She always explained everything clearly, made sure we were comfortable, and supported us through everything. This clinic is the ultimate place for anyone seeking fertility care, especially for LGBTQ+ couples. They go beyond the medical side of things and truly invest in the people they are helping. We couldn’t be happier with the care we’ve received, and we’re so grateful to have had Dr. Skillern with us.

She's got you.

We went to Fora after 3 failed IUI attempts (wit a blocked tube) at another clinic. Given that one of my tubes was blocked, they informed us that it is more likely that there are issues with the other one and recommended IVF. We were already planning on switching to IVF so we were all on the same page. I underwent typical testing; bloodwork, ultrasound. All was good. Went through the typical IVF protocol with injections and a retrieval. They retrieved 9 eggs, and ultimately 4 made it passed all the stages and through genetic testing. This was great news! Statistically, we only should have had 1 or 2. I was on medication to prepare for embryo transfer and I am currently pregnant from that first transfer attempt.

This was the difference maker at this clinic. They were the only ones (we had been to other clinics) that asked about our whole family plan since my partner and I both intend to carry. After hearing about us wanting to each carry two babies, they not only focused on me since I was going first, but they got into detail about my partner and wanted to do all the same testing on her to make sure that there were no issues that could impact our family plan. The other clinics just brushed her aside and said "Oh, she's young. We'll worry about her in a few years". Fora looks at the whole picture and gathers all the necessary info to give you the best chance for the family you want.

Around $25-30k

Since I did not have any health concerns or reason to believe that multiple embryo transfer was needed, she did eSET, which was successful.

I can’t say I have much experience because I didn’t communicate with her through out the process outside of procedures that didn’t give much time to talk since we were always in a time crunch and she was between patients and whatever else she had going on. With the minimal time I did get with her, she rarely discussed any treatment or plans about what was going to happen. She had her nurses talk me through everything.

Don’t do it. There are better clinics with drs who will show compassion and humanity vs just checking you off a list as a financial gain.

My treatment was basic. Unknown so she was just going through the basics of what she would do. No discussion with me about what she was doing and why. It was just what she did.

unsure but it was an all in package through my fertility benefit

No comments

We are currently waiting for financial clearance to begin our first IVF cycle, but she has been helpful and the new hope we needed. She took the time to know us and screen for anything that may have been missed. She cares and wants us to be successful.

She's going to call it like it is, but that's not because she doesn't care. She just wants to make sure you know what you best chances are. She really cares a lot.

Not there yet. We will be doing IVF with ICSI and FET.

It is about average for our area, but their statistics are higher, they are about to own a state of the art lab, and they're transparent on cost from the beginning. They understand cost and passing till you are able to move forward. I think it's worth it.

Not there yet, but she only does single and I think this is not only safest but smartest. She's also following the scientific community's best practice in doing so.

Dr. Crawford is incredibly knowledgeable about fertility, and I do not regret going to her for my egg retrievals because she was proactive about tweaking the procedures so they would work better for me. However, it quickly became apparent that Dr. Crawford cares more about her public image than her patients, because as soon as my case wasn't producing the expected results, I was ghosted.

She is a good option if you are going to be an "easy" fertility case, but once things get tough I wouldn't expect much help or empathy. I would likely recommend Dr. Crawford to LGBTQ+ patients or patients with a better chance of conceiving via IVF.

Dr. Crawford strongly preferred only transferring one embryo at a time.

There is very little contact with the actual doctors. We had a 30 minute consult online and I saw her a few times for monitoring appointments (about 2 minutes each). I saw her about 2 minutes before the egg retrieval. Unfortunately, there is little contact with the doctors.

Do not expect any hand holding or to be walked through the protocol options, medicine options or the procedures.

Protocols and general timelines weren't provided, even when asked. I was left wondering what protocol I would be on and what medicine I would be putting into my body. I only found out what I'd be taking when the medicine was actually delivered. I did not receive any rational for why certain meds were prescribed and others, that I anticipated taking, were not prescribed. For 12 days, I took 300 IU Follistim and I showing little response (my e2 bloodwork was only 200 after stimming for 12 days). I asked why my dosage wasn't being adjusted or why Menopur wasn't added and I simply told that wasn't the protocol I was on. A few days later, they added in menopur for two days and my e2 went up to 500. I had a AFC of 20 so I expected my e2 to be much higher since it is thought that 1 egg = approximately 200-400 e2. I was told to trigger when my e2 was 500. I was told by Dr. Crawford that nobody wants to be a unicorn but maybe my E2 blood tests weren't pulling correctly. When you are spending 20k on a procedure, I would prefer to follow the facts instead of hoping the tests were wrong. I was never provided the option to cancel my IVF round due to my poor response on a low dosage. About 2/3 were not mature as my bloodwork indicated would be the case.

$16,250 for retrieval $4,290 for the transfer $508 saline ultrasound (mock) $616 for doctors visits if pregnant TOTAL: $21,664 + meds which are generally 5k-9k

We didn't end up with any embryos. 2/3 of my eggs were not mature at the time of the retrieval.

Dr. Crawford is incredibly knowledgeable and knows her craft very well! She takes pride in her work and I can tell that she loves helping people build their families. She is so experienced in the fertility field and it really shows in her work.

I recommend that you ask any and all questions. You are an advocate for your body and your choices. Dr Crawford will be your advocate as well.

My 3 IVF cycles seemed to be “by the book” so to speak in the sense that my body responded very well to the protocol. The doctor adjusted the time of my trigger shot during the second egg retrieval due to trying to ensure my eggs were mature and ready. That adjust brought forth a healthy, viable embryo.

My monitoring appointments were quick and easy in the sense that I was always seen on time. The Dr. Crawford was able to assess me and provided follow up. She made time to answer my questions as well. I was aware of the next steps each and every time.

For the first two IVF cycles we used our insurance but paid mostly out of pocket. For the third IVF cycle, my husband’s company offered Progyny, which paid for 90% of the cycle as well as the transfer and storage. We were well aware of the cost in advance before we began any treatment as the office was upfront with costs.

I didn’t even consider or ask for the possibility of a multiple embryo transfer due to the possibility of more than one child. Both processes were explained to me but the data and my age made eSET the best approach.

Dr. Crawford has a very educational podcast/youtube channel. I researched and learned a lot of great information before choosing her as my doctor. As a patient, I do not feel I have gotten the degree of detail and education on every step of the process I expected. I still utilize the education she provides on her podcast, but do not expect that she will make you feel as informed if you are a patient and do not listen to her podcasts seperately. As a patient, she is very kind but our encounters are very brief. I get the feeling that she will answer any questions I have, but the answers are brief, and our encounters feel a bit rushed. Ultimately, I feel I am in good hands. I got a good result from my retrieval and I trust that we will achieve our goals with her as our doctor.

She is building a new practice and building her online presence. She does not give the same attention to you that she does her other endeavors. That being said, she is available and approachable and, as with most doctors, you must advocate for yourself and be sure you are asking lots of questions as the process unfolds.

I don't remember the name of the protocol, but for our retrieval, we used Follistim and menopur for stims and ganirelix to prevent premature ovulation. We triggered with pregnyl/lupron. Rationale for this protocol was because they predicted I would be a high responder due to my AFC of 20. The retrieval was successful with 27 eggs retrieved, 22 fertilized, 11 embryos, 6 of which were PGT normal achieved. My thyroid was tested and I was started on Synthroid during this time after retrieval to prep for transfer. Additionally, vitamin D levels were checked. For our FET, we did a modified natural cycle with letrozole, frequent monitoring appointments, IM injections of Progesterone in oil, doxycyline, and methylprednisolone. The rationale for this protocol was my preference and the fact that I ovulated regularly/normally prior to fertility treatments. Although my lining was 7.5 mm, this ended in a chemical pregnancy. The next step for us is an ERA cycle to ensure my endometrial receptivity is properly timed with progesterone exposure. For this cycle, we will utilize a controlled cycle; this means I will not ovulate at all. Lupron injections are used to keep my ovaries "quiet". Estrace is used to build my endometrial lining. Methylprednisolone and doxycyline/ PIO injections are used just as with an FET but instead of transferring an embryo at the end of the cycle, they will do two endometrial biopsies, 2 days apart, to determine receptivity. Because we are utilizing a controlled cycle for the ERA, we will do a controlled cycle for the next transfer to reduce as many variables as possible.

Your investment of $15,500 includes the following: Patient Education/IVF Class, Focused Office Visits, Monitoring Ultrasounds, Venipuncture with hormone levels, Cycle management and coordination, Emotional Wellness Session, Anesthesia for Oocyte Retrieval, Oocyte Retrieval, Ultrasound Guide for Retrieval, Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), Assisted Hatching of Embryos, Culture of Oocytes/Embryos, PGT-A (Genetic Screening of embryos), Embryo Cryopreservation and Storage (1 year) *Medications are additional, estimated to be $4,000-$8,000 and paid directly to pharmacy *Cycle investment collected prior to receiving treatment calendar*Optional concierge injection package available. Frozen Embryo Tranfer: Your investment of $3,590 includes the following: Patient Education/IVF Class, Mock Embryo Transfer, Focused Office Visits, Monitoring Ultrasounds, Venipuncture with hormone levels, Cycle management and coordination, Thawing of cryopreserved embryos, Preparation of embryo for transfer, Embryo Transfer, Ultrasound guidance for embryo transfer, First pregnancy test *Medications are additional, estimated to be $1,500-$3,000 and paid directly to pharmacy *Cycle investment collected prior to receiving calendar *Optional concierge injection package available. ENDOMETRIAL RECEPTIVITY ASSAY (ERA) Your investment of $1660 includes the following: Cycle management and coordination, Focused office visits, Monitoring Ultrasounds, Venipuncture with hormone levels, Endometrial biopsy procedure x 2, Genetic company biopsy processing and results *Medications are additional, estimated to be $1500-3000 and paid directly to pharmacy *Cycle investment collected prior to receiving calendar*Optional concierge injection package available

My doctor only gave the option for 1 PGT normal embryo to be transfered at a time.

I started seeing Dr Crawford at another clinic. Initially, I was very impressed by her. She is very active on social media and has her own podcast which can be very educational and helpful! Unfortunately, she's not as she appears on social media. I can absolutely see the appeal from followers who aren't her actual patients. But she is not the same at all once you become a patient. I followed her to her new practice because I was afraid to start over with someone new. She had a lot of growing pains opening the new office. She even charged more for the same thing I had already paid for at the old clinic and got refunded to follow her. Absolutely no loyalty. I did two ivf cycles and had 1 embryo which was not successful. Ultimately, I was a patient of hers for 1.5 years before switching to a new Dr. Upon switching, I learned I had a significant uterine disorder that was not curable. How did she miss that? Did she know and not tell me? Had I known I could no longer carry, I would have seeked out a GC. My new Dr easily found it on ultrasound only a couple of months after I stopped seeing Crawford. She cost me my one and only embryo.

If your situation is anything outside of the normal happy path, seek another Dr. Don't let her social media, podcasts or YouTube videos lure you in. She doesn't put the same effort or passion into her patients.

IVF cycle with pgs testing was roughly 28k

Crawford will only transfer one embryo at a time due to the risks of multiples.

Dr. Skillern has been through IVF herself which is an immense advantage… she knows exactly how it feels to be on the other side of the table. When luck was not on my side, Dr. Skillern was encouraging and direct when it came to my individual obstacles and tweaked our protocol accordingly to give me the best possible chance at conceiving.

Do not expect someone who is going to give you false hope - Dr. Skillern will tell you information in a forthright manner which was greatly appreciated by me. If I was going to spend the money/time/energy to pursue IVF, I wanted to know that the information I was getting was data-driven and realistic.

I was put on a typical egg retrieval protocol for PCOS and had great results (29 eggs retrieved, 23 mature, 18 fertilized, 9 developed to 5-day blast stage, 8 were found to be euploid after PGS testing. When my first two transfers ended with negative pregnancy tests, Dr. Skillern suggested a “tickle” procedure to help my lining and also prescribed vaginal viagra. My 3rd transfer was successful. For my second child, Dr. Skillern suggested completing an ERA analysis before transferring an embryo to check progesterone levels and receptivity. My ERA came back pre-receptive, and my protocol was updated to account for additional progesterone. My 4th transfer was successful.

I don’t remember.

Dr. Skillern strongly advocates for single embryo transfer which I appreciate and support. There are so many complications that can arise from carrying multiples that the risk is not worth it in my opinion.

I was given very little information from Dr. Crawford. I had to switch doctors as soon as I was able and found out from my new provider that I was not the first patient to leave Fora Fertility because of bad experiences. Dr. Crawford prescribed me medications that my new provider indicated were not necessary and I should not be taking. I was prescribed these medications from Dr. Crawford without any information on what she was prescribing and why, or how to take them. I had an idea that was the case so I pushed back on this and Fora demanded that I take them and called me to make sure I took the meds. My new provider has had many concerns about Dr. Crawfords approach to my treatment. Additionally, I was not given any information on when my surgery would need to be scheduled. I was not given a timeframe or any details to prepare which I had asked for because I needed to prepare to take time off of work. They would not schedule me or let me know what days were available or even talk to me at all until I paid in full online. There was a line item for an unexplained dollar amount for services rendered that day and I was required to submit payment without a bill, an explanation, or any idea of when the producer would happen (or if it would happen at all). I was forced to pay to get anyone to talk to me and then I received a call with the time of my surgery. Still no date provided... and then I found out it was schedule one day out which put my life in a panic. My new provider let me know that this is a procedure that can most certainly be planned for and scheduled ahead of time so the entire experience was not only nerve racking but completely unnecessary.

I would never recommend that a friend or prospective patient seek care with Dr. Crawford. My advice would be to search for a reputable clinic.

Unsure

To me, Fora is more than a clinic, it is a movement. It is run by women who really know their craft. These women took risks to create this clinic. They went out on a limb to follow their own principles and realize their own dreams. These women are doing what they believe in every day. They do it for themselves and they do it for their patients. They are models for young girls everywhere who want to be medical professionals. They are a godsend for women like me who want to be mothers but could not follow the easiest path to get there. I am lucky to be a patient at this place, and what's more, I feel like more than a patient. I feel like a member of this movement and I am proud of it.

Ask her about her own experience and her podcast.

We were paying out of pocket and were surprised by the separate cost of transfer after we had paid for the egg retrieval etc already.

Dr. Crawford makes sure you know what is happening, what the next steps are, and is really good about scheduling additional appointments outside of monitoring to give you a chance to talk through your treatment together.

Do not be afraid to ask questions about anything.

I am currently just starting my first IVF round with her so while I do have a tentative plan in front of me, I know that can change. With IUI we had one cycle where I wasn't producing follicles and she changed medication doses mid cycle to help me produce those follicles. She also does her own monitoring appointments and makes sure you are progressing as expected and is quick to course correct.

The costs were aligned with other clinics I looked into.

Dr. Crawford is knowledgeable, data-driven, and had decent success rates for people in our age group/situation. She made an impression of the person who would get the job done, and she did! Thanks to her great work I am now a mom of a beautiful and healthy little boy!

IVF is a challenging and emotionally draining experience. If you are looking for extra compassion and a therapist in your fertility doctor, Fora is probably not for you. Personally, I was not looking for these things here. I just needed a positive pregnancy test. So if you are like me, data-driven, result-oriented, and committed to getting pregnant, this is the best team in town. I hope you look no further, and good luck on your journey. Speaking from the other side, it was all worth it!

My fertility journey started in 2020, unexplained with a minor male factor. I went through 3 rounds of IUIs at Aspire with no success. Shortly we learned IVF is our next step. We had no insurance coverage for fertility and were fully self-paid. I interviewed every single clinic in town to pick my provider. My top priority was getting the result (pregnancy and healthy baby). The price mattered but was not our number one factor in this decision. We picked Fora, and it was the best decision ever made. The journey was not smooth sailing. First, we had to cancel one cycle because we didn't get enough eggs to mature and had to double down on meds (Gonal and Menopur). The second medication cycle got us to retrieval, but way fewer blasts than we were hoping for. However, finally, we got the embryo we needed. The very first transfer was successful, and nine months later, I had my baby boy, cute, happy and healthy.

$15000 for retrieval $5000 (+-) for meds per cycle (in my case I spent $9000 due to one canceled cycle. $3500 for FET $800 FET meds Around $100 on co-pays for ultrasounds.

We were advised to do the single transfer.

Dr Skillern is incredibly smart and honest. With google at our fingertips, she is readily able to expel or support any information we brought to a visit. Even with her own research studies she personally conducted. I am 9 weeks tomorrow, all because of her brilliance.

Run to Dr Skillern!! Go now. Don’t wait!

I am 43, with unexplained infertility. The clinic I was with previously had me over medicated. Which, as I’m sure most know, is a costly and wasteful endeavor. Dr Skillern had a systemic protocol, specifically for me (Menopur, Gonal and Omnitrope; followed by a trigger).

I don’t recall, exactly.

We transferred one embryo and she’s progressing nicely. The risk of multiples isn’t worth it (imo). Infertility is so hard already.

I am writing this review on Mother’s Day with a profound sense of gratitude for this team that helped me become a mother. Dr. Skillern and Dr. Crawford are incredible - a mix of smart, kind, determined, funny and HUMAN. They keep it real.

Take time to ask all your questions. But also trust the process, which may be filled with twists and turns.

I don’t remember the specifics. We were able to make healthy embryos but my body wouldn’t accept the transfer, so we turned to surrogacy, which was successful the first time.

Partly covered by my insurance

Strengths: Direct, clear communication of expectations, realistic, compassionate while still focused on the end goal, motivated to succeed for each individual patient. Weaknesses: None! Overall: I thoroughly appreciated that Dr. Skillern would tell us the honest facts about each step in our journey. She never sugar coated the truth when it came to our chances for success along the way. I didn't want someone to feel bad for me or treat me like a number, but rather a partner to reach an end goal - a baby for us!

She's very clear and direct. If you want a lot of emotion surrounding your situation you may not appreciate her because she's down to business. Her bedside manner is fantastic if you are goal-driven and focused.

Given my consecutive losses, Dr. Skillern immediately ruled out IUI. I had an "ok" number of eggs but bad quality, so quickly she recommended IVF and explained why. She knew we didn't want to chance having additional miscarriages but rather "have a baby" in the most direct way possible. We started with a typical protocol for egg retrieval - birth control to normalize followed by the hormone injections. Unfortunately, we got only 3 embryos and none were normal. We decided to proceed with a second round, adding HGH. We ended up with 6 embryos, 4 normal. Since I had no uterine issues we forewent a mock transfer in favor for the frozen embryo transfer after genetic testing.

Each egg retrieval totaled ~$25K with medications and the embryo transfer was ~$8K with medications.

Dr. Skillern would not have done a multiple embryo transfer and we were 100% in favor of that approach, never wanting to chance multiples. She was clear that there were only a handful of edge cases during which she would consider it, and if so, she would require counseling for the patient.

Dr. Skillern was just what my husband and I needed throughout this journey. We wanted someone data-driven, thorough, and straight-forward with her prognosis and treatment plan. If you are looking for someone to hold your hand and be your emotional support during this, she may not be for you. She always answered all our questions and has a great sense of humor that gets you to feel calm during monitoring sessions/procedures. Dr. Skillern never made us feel hopeless about our situation and we left every appointment feeling excited about our next steps. My experience with Dr. Skillern was incredibly positive and we had a wonderful IVF experience with great results with her.

Don't be afraid to ask questions. Don't be afraid to speak out about your anxious thoughts/protocol/treatments with her. She always took the time to listen and explain whenever we needed it.

For my treatment plan, I used Gonal for about 12/13 days. I responded perfectly, with lots of follicles and was closely monitored throughout the process. Towards the end, my dose was altered to achieve the results we wanted based on bloodwork results. I eventually added in Ganirelix to prevent ovulation. Since I was a high responder, I triggered with Lupron and had an incredibly successful egg retrieval. 32 eggs retrieved, 27 were mature, 20 made it 5 day blastocysts (and subsequently PGT tested), and 13 embryos were chromosomally normal.

I had insurance which was helpful, but overall, it was still really expensive. For one cycle of IVF (egg retrieval, PGT testing, anesthesia, monitoring all included) it was 10K. With insurance all my meds only cost me $500. Embryo transfer was around 2K with subsequent OB ultrasounds costing around $300. In total, the costs were around $12,900.

Dr. Skillern really only transfers a single embryo unless some other medical reason to transfer multiple. This was perfectly ok with us.

I was extremely nervous going into IVF and immediately felt like I was on the right path when I met Dr. Skillern. She was direct and took the time to educate me, and answer our questions. She also brought a wonderful sense of humor, which is so needed in this process to keep your spirits up.

She is not a Dr. who just tells you what you want to hear, which can be hard for people looking for certain answers. She will not sugar coat the state of your fertility or your options – so if you're ready for the truth, go see her.

Mine were covered by my benefits

Obviously at my age (38) I would've liked the option to transfer more than one embryo but I understood why she only recommended one.

We cannot thank Fora Fertility enough for all they have done for our family. After watching Dr. Crawford's content on YouTube and finding out that she was indeed practicing in Austin, I knew she was going to be our first choice for care after experiencing a loss and months of infertility to follow. From day 1 under Dr. Crawford and Fora's care, we felt extremely cared for and seen. The way they approach client care is exceptional—honestly the best I have ever experienced. They always took the time to explain every step of the process, answered portal messages in a timely manner and made sure we felt comfortable with every decision within our protocols. After working with Fora for about a year and a half, we finally underwent IVF with their practice and now have a beautiful baby boy on the way arriving this July. My husband and I truly cannot express our gratitude enough for all that Fora has done for us to make our dream of starting a family a reality. They will always have a special place in our hearts and will be the sole practice we refer others to for their fertility care.

Always ask lots of questions as Dr. C is always there to answer them!

For IVF, we did a modified natural cycle, grew follicles with Follistim & Menopur, had a successful egg retrieval and fertilized eggs via ICSI.

I could not recommend Fora Fertility more. Dr. Skillern and Rikki Richardson were a team made for us; they were consistently honest, careful, thorough, and patient-centered throughout our entire process. My wife and I met Dr. Skillern April of 2020. She did thorough testing and guided us through the options for us, laying out statistical likelihoods of each path and leaving the decision up to us. We chose to do reciprocal IVF and began the first cycle in the summer. Dr. Skillern proscribed our meds and monitored everything to make sure all was aligned for the retrievals and transfers. Our first transfer from our first retrieval resulted in our perfect daughter, born in summer 2021. We are moving back to California next month, but will be back in Austin without question for Baby #2. We couldn't imagine trusting our future with anyone else.

Dr. Skillern provided all possible options for my wife and I and helped us make the best choice for our LGBTQ family.

$36,000

We have remained with Dr. Crawford through multiple practices, and that is because she is smart, empathetic, and genuine. She helped us through one of the most difficult times in our lives, making us feel supported and heard throughout the journey. We're so happy to support her and Dr. Skillern in their new practice, and their continued effort to educate, inform and empower women.

Fora may still be having a few growing pains as a relatively new practice, but whatever minor inconveniences you may endure are surely worthwhile for Dr. Crawford's impeccable care.

Multiple myomectomies/hysteroscopies and one laparoscopy for uterine fibroids and endometriosis. Two rounds of IVF. A successful first FET with a perfect baby girl (now toddler). A more challenging attempt at our second child, with some canceled cycles and two unsuccessful FETs before finally finding the right protocol for my changing body. I'm now 20 weeks pregnant with our next baby girl.

Dr. Crawford is so knowledgeable and cares about her mission of educating families and helping them conceive. She is warm, smart, and gets down to business. My care plan felt very customized for me. When setbacks occurred, she was there with me, ready with a plan. She Performed my egg retrieval, a surgery to remove polyps after a canceled transfer, and my FET that resulted in a positive pregnancy.

Ask questions, listen to her podcast.

Around $25,000 not including medication.