This is the most recent data from the CDC. The CDC cautions that it should not be used to compare doctors and clinics. This data represents the outcomes of IVF cycles when using a person's own eggs.
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Where you see a “?” on the chart, a clinic has done fewer than 20 cycles in this category and age range, so the CDC says showing percentages from this small data set would be misleading and unreliable.
From the moment that I had my initial consultation I had a renewed sense of hope for a course of treatment. ... Dr. Delaney was very kind and hopeful that with some additional testing and treatment, I may be able to have a successful pregnancy. She answers my questions and seems to genuinely care about me as her patient. ... She has excellent bed side manner, a good sense of humor and always explains things in a way that anyone could comprehend.
I only had one incident where I arrived at the clinic [Methodist for Women] for a baseline ultrasound and the receptionists did not know I was to be coming in and so there was some confusion. ... Each cycle including bloodwork, medications, ultrasound, donor sperm and IUI is $2800 ... After my first IUI, my doctor, nurse and the receptionist as we were leaving all wished me "good luck." When I called with a negative test result, they all had a lot of compassion. ...
How was your experience with Abigail Delaney at Methodist for Women?
From the moment that I had my initial consultation I had a renewed sense of hope for a course of treatment. My wife and I had been trying for a year already with donor sperm at home. I had a chemical pregnancy and a missed miscarriage in that time. Dr. Delaney was very kind and hopeful that with some additional testing and treatment, I may be able to have a successful pregnancy. She answers my questions and seems to genuinely care about me as her patient.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Abigail Delaney at Methodist for Women?
I would tell a prospective patient that Dr. Delaney is very kind and to try to be patient because all of this fertility treatment takes a long time.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Abigail Delaney at Methodist for Women?
She has excellent bed side manner, a good sense of humor and always explains things in a way that anyone could comprehend.
Describe the protocols Abigail Delaney used in your cycles at Methodist for Women and their degree of success.
I had baseline testing and an ultrasound for one monitoring cycle. I was then put on 75 iu of Follistim injections for the first 5 days of a new cycle and after an ultrasound I was bumped up to 150 iu of Follistim for 4 more days. I had 2 follicles that were over 18mm and so I gave myself a shot of Pregnyl and 36 hours later I got my IUI. It was not successful and for the next cycle I will start at 150 iu of Follistim. I have lower estrogen levels and so they want to start getting those numbers higher right from the start.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Methodist for Women. (Assigned nurse: Monica)
Everyone in the Reproductive Endocrinologist floor is very kind. The receptionists are always friendly and helpful. The nurse I speak to most often is Monica and she always listens to my questions/concerns. She is non-judgmental and tries to get back to me as soon as she can. I really feel that everyone there is pulling for you to get a positive test.
Describe your experience with Methodist for Women.
I only had one incident where I arrived at the clinic for a baseline ultrasound and the receptionists did not know I was to be coming in and so there was some confusion. Other than that, everyone has always been pulling for me. After my first IUI, my doctor, nurse and the receptionist as we were leaving all wished me "good luck." When I called with a negative test result, they all had a lot of compassion.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Abigail Delaney at Methodist for Women.
Each cycle including bloodwork, medications, ultrasound, donor sperm and IUI is $2800
She [Dr. Carolyn Doherty] is very blunt when answering questions. She does not go into detail about results and doesn’t seem concerned about changing protocol after failed transfers. She also would not make any recommendations for us for our second retrieval which had a worse outcome than the first.... Our first retrieval I was on too low of a dose of Gonal F. We had to extend the amount of time before retrieval could be done. The second round I was on too high of a dose and had OHSS.
[Methodist for Women- Omaha's] Strengths: Helpful when dealing with insurance and costs up front. Easy to get in. They do not have appointment times, it’s first come first served for bloodwork and ultrasounds. I am also able to go before I need to be at work. They make scheduling transfers and retrievals easy! Weaknesses: Lack of information shared with the patient without probing them for it. We don’t alway even know what to ask and I feel like a lot of important information is missed.
How was your experience with Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
She is very blunt when answering questions. She does not go into detail about results and doesn’t seem concerned about changing protocol after failed transfers. She also would not make any recommendations for us for our second retrieval which had a worse outcome than the first.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
Really press for the answers you want. Be your own advocate!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
She is very honest about what to expect in a very high level overview. We also saw a lot of the same nurses every time we went. However, no one calls us by name and no one goes into specific detail about results or why we might be experiencing infertility. They also do not seem to check for other issues even after being pressed.
Describe the protocols Carolyn Maud Doherty used in your cycles at Methodist for Women and their degree of success.
Our first retrieval I was on too low of a dose of Gonal F. We had to extend the amount of time before retrieval could be done. The second round I was on too high of a dose and had OHSS. The first time resulted in only 3 embryos being viable after PGS testing. The second retrieval only resulted in 2 embryos after PGS testing. Both transfers have failed. Both times we asked what could have been done differently and we were told “nothing”. We were told that the numbers of embryos available was low but for no certain reason. They also didn’t do any blood testing before frozen embryo transfers which resulted in my progesterone being low both times and they upped it after the transfer. I wish they were more in depth with our results and how that compares with where we should be expected to be.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Methodist for Women.
Most of the nurses are great! They were always super friendly when calling us back to be examined and when they called with updates.
Describe your experience with Methodist for Women.
Strengths: Helpful when dealing with insurance and costs up front. Easy to get in. They do not have appointment times, it’s first come first served for bloodwork and ultrasounds. I am also able to go before I need to be at work. They make scheduling transfers and retrievals easy!
Weaknesses: Lack of information shared with the patient without probing them for it. We don’t alway even know what to ask and I feel like a lot of important information is missed.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Methodist for Women.
First come, first served. You do need to line up outside of the office about 30 minutes earlier than they open if you want to be the first seen. Times were convenient.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women.
I believe an IVF Freeze All was around $12,000 and a Frozen Embryo Transfer was around $3,000 including all the monitoring appointments.
Dr. Delaney offered very detailed facts that were easy to comprehend. Together we designed a plan and set off on our journey as a team...Her warmth and positivity are contagious as she gave me a sense of comfort in a time of uncertainty...We increased the dosage in my injections for the third IUI which resulted in a successful pregnancy of a singleton.
The [Methodist for Women] rooms were clean and conveniently designed for female patients. A personal restroom in each patient room was greatly appreciated. The medical equipment was current and high tech...The nursing staff were extremely welcoming and made us feel right at home there in the clinic...Payments were due at the time of visit.
How was your experience with Abigail Delaney at Methodist for Women?
Dr. Delaney came highly recommend to us. We walked into our first consultation nervous and scared-unsure of what our future would look like. Dr. Delaney offered very detailed facts that were easy to comprehend. Together we designed a plan and set off on our journey as a team. Dr. Delaney filled our hearts with hope and eased our minds. From that point on each and every appointment was crafted with clear details and compassion from Dr. Delaney. She has a way of always making you feel as if you are her one and only patient she is caring for. I can’t tell you how much we appreciated that. We think so highly of Dr. Delaney and have since recommended her to friends seeking fertility support.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Abigail Delaney at Methodist for Women?
My biggest advice is to take questions with you. Have them written down prior to your appointments. Your questions will be clearly answered by Dr. Delaney.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Abigail Delaney at Methodist for Women?
After being highly recommend to see Dr. Delaney I quickly noticed how engaged and educated she was. Once we designed a plan and began our journey I instantly felt the passion Dr. Delaney has for her patients. Her warmth and positivity are contagious as she gave me a sense of comfort in a time of uncertainty.
Describe the protocols Abigail Delaney used in your cycles at Methodist for Women and their degree of success.
Dr. Delaney followed my very closely. I gave myself injections, did the hcg trigger shot and then we proceeded with the IUI. My first IUI was a successful pregnancy that resulted in multiples. My second IUI was not a success. We increased the dosage in my injections for the third IUI which resulted in a successful pregnancy of a singleton.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Methodist for Women.
The nursing staff were extremely welcoming and made us feel right at home there in the clinic. I never once felt uncomfortable with any of the nurses. They were quick to learn our names and were so friendly.
Describe your experience with Methodist for Women.
The clinic is very organized, clean and on time with appointments. I also appreciated the high level of confidentiality that was provided. Doors opened promptly in the morning for walk-ins and the ladies up front were always quick to help and get katie ya checked in quickly.
The rooms were clean and conveniently designed for female patients. A personal restroom in each patient room was greatly appreciated. The medical equipment was current and high tech. What I really liked most of all was the amount of pictures of babies hanging on the wall back by the patient rooms. It was a way of proving how invested the clinic, nurses and physicians are with each and every patient.
One thing I should mention was the flexibility in appointment times. I really appreciated the early walk-ins appointments. I was a full-time working mom and thankfully never found myself struggling to get to my appointments. If you are looking for compassion, flexibility, knowledge and kindness then Dr. Delaney at Women’s Methodist is definitely the place you need to be for your journey.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Abigail Delaney at Methodist for Women.
Payments were due at the time of visit.
Describe Abigail Delaney's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Methodist for Women.
Dr. Doherty is probably best for those that want results and want someone who is blunt and to the point. She has many years of experience...an excellent bed side manner...She was always willing to call us or answer any questions that we had and made us feel like we were only patient.
The clinic is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. Everyone is always so welcoming and has a smile on their face. Everyone in the Office seems to communicate well. If you have a question and they don't have the answer they are quick to get back to you with your answers.
How was your experience with Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
Dr. Doherty is probably best for those that want results and want someone who is blunt and to the point.
She has many years of experience and although she is very blunt she still has an excellent bed side manner and makes you feel extremely cared for.
She was always willing to call us or answer any questions that we had and made us feel like we were only patient.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
Be patient and understanding. Allow time for the process to work and keep your faith. You'll love Dr. Doherty and she will be sure to make you feel welcome
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
Dr. Doherty is simply one of the most caring yet blunt Doctors I have had the pleasure of meeting. She is very short and sweet and gets right to the point while providing excellent care at the same time and making you feel so cared for.
Describe the protocols Carolyn Maud Doherty used in your cycles at Methodist for Women and their degree of success.
My treatments are a little blurry at this time, but I will try to detail as much as possible.
Letrozole, Gonal F, multiple ultrasounds, blood work and then IUI.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Methodist for Women.
Awe the nursing staff. If your looking to feel as part of their family this is definitely the place to go. Each nurse and Dr. are sure to make you feel like your a special part of their family.
Describe your experience with Methodist for Women.
The clinic is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. Everyone is always so welcoming and has a smile on their face.
Everyone in the Office seems to communicate well. If you have a question and they don't have the answer they are quick to get back to you with your answers.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women.
The cost of our treatments and medications is part of the reason we are unable to continue our journey. Unfortunately, our insurance does not cover any aspect of fertility medication or treatments.
I recall each ultrasound was $500, Semen Analysis was $300, my meds were $1,100. This was for IUI and each attempt cost us approximately $2,500 per attempt.
If you want someone who is really delicate and will tell you what you want to hear rather than the facts of your infertility situation, [Dr. Carolyn Maud Doherty] is not the doctor for you. She is kind and friendly, but direct. She knows her stuff and and is incredibly knowledgeable...I drive 5 hours each way (10 total) to see her and regret nothing...I have PCOS w/ IR. Dr. Maud made sure I was on a consistent/daily, full dose of Metformin without side effects which in turn helped me FINALLY start losing weight. She recommended a low carb diet like Atkins to help with any side effects. Once I had achieved this, She prescribed a lower dose of FSH shots. She did baseline monitoring. At my first appointment for monitoring on shots she reviewed my results and adjusted my dose.
The time for monitoring [at Methodist for Women] is first come first serve between 6:30am and 9am M-F. I live far out of town, so this makes it a little more difficult for me to attend...they are extremely busy. I have complete trust in Dr. Maud and her staff. I feel like I always get a straight answer, that she is always confident in the path of my treatment and able to make decisions based on her vast knowledge. She is the only doctor/clinic I have seen where I would recommend them to family or friends. Wait times are minimal and their organization is run like a well-oiled machine...Everyone was friendly and the service is quick.
How was your experience with Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
Dr. Maud is a straight shooter. She is going to be direct and realistic. I went to her overweight and not fully taking one of my medications (metformin) for my PCOS and Insulin Resistance. She was direct with me telling me I needed to be on the full dose of metformin and lose weight with a specific diet before we start the medications. My previous physicians (not associated to Dr. Maud) were really soft on the topic and let me continue to waste my time. She gave me the push and "tough love" to do better. It gave me more confidence in her ability to help me vs. the 2 other doctors before her. She knows her stuff and I trust her completely.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
If you want someone who is really delicate and will tell you what you want to hear rather than the facts of your infertility situation, this is not the doctor for you. She is kind and friendly, but direct. She knows her stuff and and is incredibly knowledgeable. I would recommend her above and beyond to any friend or family member. In fact, I drive 5 hours each way (10 total) to see her and regret nothing.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
I feel like the information is always explained in a way that I understand. You can tell she cares about her patients even if she does have to give you a little tough love. She is honest and direct making it easy to follow and understand what she is explaining or directing to you.
Describe the protocols Carolyn Maud Doherty used in your cycles at Methodist for Women and their degree of success.
I have PCOS w/ IR. Dr. Maud made sure I was on a consistent/daily, full dose of Metformin without side effects which in turn helped me FINALLY start losing weight. She recommended a low carb diet like Atkins to help with any side effects. Once I had achieved this, She prescribed a lower dose of FSH shots. She did baseline monitoring. At my first appointment for monitoring on shots she reviewed my results and adjusted my dose.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Methodist for Women.
Everyone was friendly and the service is quick.
Describe your experience with Methodist for Women.
The time for monitoring is first come first serve between 6:30am and 9am M-F. I live far out of town, so this makes it a little more difficult for me to attend. I wish there was an exception to this, but I also understand they are extremely busy.
I have complete trust in Dr. Maud and her staff. I feel like I always get a straight answer, that she is always confident in the path of my treatment and able to make decisions based on her vast knowledge. She is the only doctor/clinic I have seen where I would recommend them to family or friends. Wait times are minimal and their organization is run like a well-oiled machine.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women.
Average to the normal cost of Fertility treatment.
Dr. Oakes provided me with honest answers and expectations. She is kind and caring. She makes me feel completely comfortable and is so optimistic that it provides me with hope that this will work one day. ... My first three IUI’s were all natural and unmedicated. I have one ovary but my counts and labs were all completely normal so we were hopeful that we would be able to get pregnant from one of them. Unfortunately we were unsuccessful and I am currently in the TWW for the 4th. This cycle has been medicated for 5 days with 75iu FOLLISTIM and a 10000iu Pregnyl shot. With each cycle, three days post IUI I have been given Progesterone suppositories to use twice a day.
Everyone [at Methodist for Women] is always kind and professional. They are right on top of appointments and you never have to wait for long periods of time. The environment is always clean and welcoming. I am always comfortable here and never feel any judgement. ... Karen was amazing at helping us with our donor sperm selection. She followed up with us and helped make the process so easy. ... My insurance does not pay for any procedures so it has been completely out of pocket. Going to the clinic has provided me with a significant discount as opposed to a hospital setting.
How was your experience with Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women?
Dr. Oakes provided me with honest answers and expectations. She is kind and caring. She makes me feel completely comfortable and is so optimistic that it provides me with hope that this will work one day.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women?
I would just tell them to go to her. My sister also saw Dr. Oakes and had exceptional care that resulted in her now almost 2 year old daughter. If anyone is struggling with fertility we highly recommend Dr. Oakes.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women?
Dr. Oakes is incredibly caring and after taking a break with IUI for 3 years, she still remembers me and treated me with kindness and compassion. She is very optimistic and explains everything with a detailed plan.
Describe the protocols Meghan Oakes used in your cycles at Methodist for Women and their degree of success.
My first three IUI’s were all natural and unmedicated. I have one ovary but my counts and labs were all completely normal so we were hopeful that we would be able to get pregnant from one of them. Unfortunately we were unsuccessful and I am currently in the TWW for the 4th. This cycle has been medicated for 5 days with 75iu FOLLISTIM and a 10000iu Pregnyl shot. With each cycle, three days post IUI I have been given Progesterone suppositories to use twice a day.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Methodist for Women. (Assigned nurse: Karen Cain)
Karen was amazing at helping us with our donor sperm selection. She followed up with us and helped make the process so easy.
Describe your experience with Methodist for Women.
Everyone is always kind and professional. They are right on top of appointments and you never have to wait for long periods of time. The environment is always clean and welcoming. I am always comfortable here and never feel any judgement.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women.
My insurance does not pay for any procedures so it has been completely out of pocket. Going to the clinic has provided me with a significant discount as opposed to a hospital setting.
I was disappointed that she [Dr. Oakes] did not talk to me or my husband after retrieval or call me when my transfer failed. The nurse thought she had called me already but hadn’t. Initial consultation was excellent but down hill from there...She is knowledgeable, compassionate but seems overworked and stretched too thin. Some conversations seemed rushed. I was told we could take treatments as slow as we want but then we’re pressured to move forward with more advanced treatment options before we were ready.
We did several rounds of Femara and Clomid, 1 IUI and so far one round of IVF with ICSI and PGS testing [at Methodist for Women]...You speak to a different nurse each time. They sound rushed on the phone and many times call at end of day with results so you have to wait until following day to call them back. Pressured me to move forward with more advanced procedures. Got offended when I ask to talk to Dr Oakes about next steps. They may be just overworked but it makes your feel like cattle. I did really like Suzanne. Most of my interactions with them were via phone but she was very kind.
How was your experience with Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women?
She is knowledgeable, compassionate but seems overworked and stretched too thin. Some conversations seemed rushed. I was told we could take treatments as slow as we want but then we’re pressured to move forward with more advanced treatment options before we were ready.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women?
Do research, advocate for yourself, don’t be afraid to ask questions. She is a great doctor but time with her is limited. Many times the nurses try to intercept any issues you have when you want to talk to Oakes.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women?
Didn’t feel like the nurses treated you like a person but Oakes usually did. I was disappointed that she did not talk to me or my husband after retrieval or call me when my transfer failed. The nurse thought she had called me already but hadn’t. Initial consultation was excellent but down hill from there. Always seems like they are rushed and just pushing you through.
Describe the protocols Meghan Oakes used in your cycles at Methodist for Women and their degree of success.
We did several rounds of Femara and Clomid, 1 IUI and so far one round of IVF with ICSI and PGS testing. Took Gonal F and Cetrotide for retrieval and estrogen and progesterone shots for transfer.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Methodist for Women.
You speak to a different nurse each time. They sound rushed on the phone and many times call at end of day with results so you have to wait until following day to call them back. Pressured me to move forward with more advanced procedures. Got offended when I ask to talk to Dr Oakes about next steps. They may be just overworked but it makes your feel like cattle. I did really like Suzanne. Most of my interactions with them were via phone but she was very kind.
Describe your experience with Methodist for Women.
They are organized however I do not like the open concept. After meeting with the doctor or doing an ultrasound you meet with doctor and a counter in hallway. Anyone passing through can hear what she is saying along with all of the gals at front desk. Lacking privacy. Karen from billing is friendly and helpful. Ladies at front desk are kind of hit and miss.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Methodist for Women.
Generally a long wait, especially Monday and fridays. I drove several hours for appointments and waited longer than my appointment was.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women.
I spent a $3800 for IUI with meds and about $12k for 1st round IVF wth meds and some insurance coverage.
Describe Meghan Oakes's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Methodist for Women.
Elected for one do to uterine abnormality.
What specific things went wrong at Methodist for Women?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Failed to call with results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Methodist for Women.
Things just got forgotten a few times or They call end of day with result and say they are closing in a few minutes so call back tomorrow.
Dr. Oakes is genuinely a very kind and caring person, I know she wants all her patients to have good results and be able to have a family. Some people like things told to them gently, but I am a person that would rather just be told things more bluntly, even when the truth hurts my feelings. With the last round of IVF we attempted in late December of 2017, I knew I had ovulated even though I was getting the Ganirelix injections.... Dr. Oakes encouraged me that my follicles were good and I should at least try to harvest them
At the Methodist for Women Reproductive Health it is good to know up front that you don't always see your same physician. There are three physicians in their clinic and depending on the day you could see any of the three, this fact does bother some people. I really like all three physicians so it is not a problem for me at all, but it's something I make sure to include when informing any prospective patients I refer to Dr. Oakes.... The location of the clinic is very easy to find, it nice that the clinic is separate from the hospital yet there is a hallway that attaches the two buildings.
How was your experience with Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women?
Dr. Oakes is genuinely a very kind and caring person, I know she wants all her patients to have good results and be able to have a family. Some people like things told to them gently, but I am a person that would rather just be told things more bluntly, even when the truth hurts my feelings. With the last round of IVF we attempted in late December of 2017, I knew I had ovulated even though I was getting the Ganirelix injections. As a patient (who works in healthcare sometimes you know too much) I was very emotional and didn't want to proceed with harvesting my eggs because I felt like it would not be successful and would waste our hard earned money we had worked so hard to save up for this round of IVF. Dr. Oakes encouraged me that my follicles were good and I should at least try to harvest them, and at this point my husband really wanted me to proceed with harvesting as well. They successfully harvested 7 embryos, and 3 made it to day 5 but due to the fact that I had already ovulated I could not have a fresh implant and only 1 embryo met the criteria for freezing. We had that embryo implanted the following month but unfortunately it was not successful. Although my story is not normal and this truly only happens to less than 1% of women, I did take away some valuable lessons. God has a plan sometimes we have a hard time understanding, physicians that specialize in fertility know more than we do about fertility but we should always listen to our own body, and have faith because good things will happen.....you just never know when it will be!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women?
At the Methodist for Women Reproductive Health it is good to know up front that you don't always see your same physician. There are three physicians in their clinic and depending on the day you could see any of the three, this fact does bother some people. I really like all three physicians so it is not a problem for me at all, but it's something I make sure to include when informing any prospective patients I refer to Dr. Oakes.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women?
I first met with Dr. Meghan Oakes in November of 2015 after having a bad experience with a consultation at Heartland in Omaha in August of 2015, I felt like Dr. Oakes took the time to genuinely sit down and listen to all my concerns and hear my story dealing with infertility thus far. She gave both my husband and myself the feeling that she really cared and wanted to help us have a baby or babies in our future.
Describe the protocols Meghan Oakes used in your cycles at Methodist for Women and their degree of success.
Prior to being referred to Dr. Oakes I saw my regular OB/GYN who did seven rounds of Clomid with me and six of the rounds we did IUI in his office. So by the time I went to Reproductive Health I was very used to getting my lab drawn and having vaginal US were a normal thing, this is something I thought I would never say. I think for anyone who starts seeing a fertility specialist the most frustrating part at the beginning is the fact that they want to re-run a bunch of tests. My husband didn't think anyone else could possibly need to look at his sperm, although it was a little hard to feel sorry for him when they want to inject dye to see if your tubes are open again (the cramping is terrible even if you only have one tube, I had an ectopic pregnancy six years ago and lost my right tube from a natural pregnancy). Eventually we get down to starting my first cycle of IUI with Dr. Oakes and I call her office with my first day of my period. This starts the process of arriving and getting baseline labs and vaginal US to make sure I don't have any cysts on my ovaries so I can start injections. Dr. Oakes starts me on Follistim SQ, the side effects from the shots to me weren't any worse than the increased hormones similar to that of Clomid. They checked my ovaries via vaginal US every 3 days or so and adjusted the dosage accordingly. I always produced good follicles and once the follicles were ready to release, but prior to ovulation they would have me get an IM injection of hCG and then the following day my husband gave a sperm sample and IUI occurred. I always had some cramping and discomfort after IUI, but not worse than that of menstrual cramps. Then it was the dreaded waiting 14 days to find out if you were pregnant, I always would pray I wouldn't get my period but in evidently it came like clock work. Since we had already tried IUI so many times previously Dr. Oakes suggested that we really should just go straight to the IVF, so my husband and I did our best to save as much as we possibly could and we called her office to proceed with IVF. They started me on birth control the month prior and then the same process as IUI, I called her office on the first day of my period and we got started. A few days later I was getting my baseline labs and vaginal US, then the injections started this time I was getting Menopur IM daily, and going every 2-3 days for a vaginal US so they could adjust my dose as needed. I was producing follicles but not like Dr. Oakes had hoped, she discussed with us that we could proceed and still harvest the 4 follicles I had or I could attempt IUI again and try IVF at a later date. Dr Oakes told us she really felt like the birth control slowed down my follicle production so she didn't want me to do the birth control the following time. My husband and I decided to try the IUI again to save money and hopefully that way when we attempted the IVF again I would make more follicles and it would be more successful. I still got an IM injection of hCG the night before IUI. Unfortunately another failed attempt only this time I was more hormonal and for the 14 days after the IUI the Dr had ordered IM progesterone injections, which made my hips and upper part of my butt very sore! Finally we were trying IVF a second time, of course the last time I was sure it was going to work so this time I had a little more reservations about it but I was excited. My husband and I have dreamed of having a family for 6+ years, and overall I was sure this time was going to be it. They did what they called a cold start, no pre-birth control. I did the Menopur IM injections again, but this time they increased the dose. I felt very aware of what was going on inside me, every little pain or twinge in my belly felt amplified. I was still getting the vaginal US every 2-3 days, by the 9th-10th day or so I was also getting the Ganirelix shots to make sure I didn't ovulate. The next morning I was scheduled to see my Dr. and this was the day I typically ovulated, but the night before I was sure I was ovulating even though I was getting the Ganirelix injections. The next morning we were in Dr. Oakes office bright and early, I went in first to my vaginal US with my husband and the US tech and I told her I thought I had ovulated. She told me she hasn't seen anyone in 30 years ovulate on Ganirelix, she states it happens than less than 1% of women and says I'm sure your fine. She does the exam and is very quiet, takes twice as many pictures as normal and just acts different. I ask her if she sees something, she tells me she will have Dr. Oakes talk to me but I may know my body pretty well. As a patient (who works in healthcare sometimes you know too much) I was very emotional and didn't want to proceed with harvesting my eggs because I felt like it would not be successful and would waste our hard earned money we had worked so hard to save up for this round of IVF. Dr. Oakes encouraged me that my follicles were good and I should at least try to harvest them, and at this point my husband really wanted me to proceed with harvesting as well. They went ahead and still had me get an IM hCG injection that night and come back the next day. They successfully harvested 7 embryos, and 3 made it to day 5 but due to the fact that I had already ovulated I could not have a fresh implant and only 1 embryo met the criteria for freezing. We had that embryo implanted the following month but unfortunately it was not successful. Overall I felt the fertility medications definitely caused me to have some weight gain and the Progesterone in Oil injections just hurt, but if I would have been able to get pregnant it all would have been worth it.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Methodist for Women.
Most of the nursing staff was always very kind and considerate. We really never saw the nursing staff much, they literally would just show us to a room and then we would just wait for the physician to arrive. The most interaction with the nursing staff was over the phone, they always were the ones to call to let you know how to adjust your Follistim or Menopur dosages. I always felt like they took the time on the phone to make sure you got all the instructions completely and answered all questions professionally.
Describe your experience with Methodist for Women.
The location of the clinic is very easy to find, it nice that the clinic is separate from the hospital yet there is a hallway that attaches the two buildings. The facility is clean, people are friendly, and they are very upfront about billing. I think it may be a little more expensive than some other fertility clinics but there are a limited number of choices in our area.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Methodist for Women.
The clinic was very well organized. For routine labs and US you are required to report between 7:00-9:00 am and sign in, then they just go first come first serve basis. Typically we never waited more than 30 minutes, many times they had us in a room in less than 15 minutes.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women.
Describe Meghan Oakes's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Methodist for Women.
Dr. Oakes told us that she would only transfer up to two embryos, although this is something we never had to make a decision about she did give us all the pros and cons of single embryo transfer vs. multiple embryo transfer.
My experiences with Dr. Delaney have been wonderful....During every stage of our treatment she reassured us and helped explain the process as much as we needed. She is always timely on calling us and giving us answers. What I could use more from Dr. Delaney is her bluntness. She is so sweet and comforting that sometimes I think it is difficult for her to be blunt with patients....I came to Dr. Delaney with what we thought was a blocked fallopian tube. After further testing, Dr. Delaney was able to confirm I did not have a blocked fallopian tube.
The first thing I noticed about the clinic [Methodist for Women] is how discreet and confidential it is. Infertility can be an awkward and nerve racking experience, but once you step through those doors they make you feel so welcome and helpful. I experienced timeliness too. They were very respectful of my time and our experience. They had several TV's and magazines available to use while you waited....An ultrasound was $225 and an ultrasound and lab work was $317. Specimen test was $550.
How was your experience with Abigail Delaney at Methodist for Women?
My experiences with Dr. Delaney have been wonderful. From our consultation to our 3 failed IUI's, I always felt Dr. Delaney had our best interests at heart. During every stage of our treatment she reassured us and helped explain the process as much as we needed. She is always timely on calling us and giving us answers. What I could use more from Dr. Delaney is her bluntness. She is so sweet and comforting that sometimes I think it is difficult for her to be blunt with patients. I already recommend Dr. Delaney to my friends and family who are on their own infertility journeys, so I am very pleased with our experience as a patient!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Abigail Delaney at Methodist for Women?
One piece of advice I would give to a prospective patient is to try not to get discouraged. Sometimes when the answer and results aren't what we want, it is easy to blame the doctor or treatment for not working. But remember, she always has her patients best interest at heart and she too is hopeful each and every round of treatment. My confidence in her skills and knowledge help me from becoming easily discouraged.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Abigail Delaney at Methodist for Women?
I felt like a human to Dr. Delaney because during our consultation she shared her own story of her infertility journey with us. This helped me to relate to her because I knew she struggled with our similar issue. Because of her openness, my husband and I felt like we could trust her, therefore we felt comfortable with her and her opinion and choices. During the infertility process what I needed most was to trust and feel comfortable with my doctor, that is why I felt more as a human than a number to her.
Describe the protocols Abigail Delaney used in your cycles at Methodist for Women and their degree of success.
I came to Dr. Delaney with what we thought was a blocked fallopian tube. After further testing, Dr. Delaney was able to confirm I did not have a blocked fallopian tube. After establishing that, came the diagnosis. My husbands sperm results came back normal and my diagnostic testing came back normal also. She diagnosed us with unexplained infertility, which means without the help from medicine we would have a 5% chance on conceiving on our own. Because of this diagnosis, Dr. Delaney decided the next treatment option should be an IUI. We started with 75ml subq of Follistem every day. Every few days we had an ultrasound to check the size of the follicles and I had a lab draw to check my hormone levels. Once the follicles were at the optimal size around 2.0, I received the "trigger" injection, HCG, in the upper botocks. Roughly 24-48 hours later I had the IUI procedure. I started on progesterone suppositories 3 days after the IUI. A few days after our first IUI I had dark red spotting which is not normal. Dr. Delaney said that was due to a lack of progesterone. That IUI round failed. Dr. Delaney was pleased with the number of follicles I produced with that dosage so we performed another IUI with the exact procedure as above. But this time instead of using suppository progesterone, I use the progesterone in oil injection in my upper botock, due to spotting from previous IUI. This is a higher dose and more direct way for the body to get progesterone. That also resulted in a failed IUI. I was still producing quality follicles so we tried a 3rd IUI, which resulted in another failed IUI, same treatment as 2nd IUI. After this, Dr. Delaney recommended we try IVF. She stated the chances of a positive pregnancy are higher with IVF then IUI and with 3 failed IUI's this would be our best next step for treatment.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Methodist for Women.
The nursing staff were the best i've seen. They were caring and considerate of the circumstances that we were there for. They were thorough and explained all the treatment and procedures to use as much as needed. When I call with a question I always get an answer within 1-2 hours later. I never feel like I am bugging them or that I am asking non important questions.
Describe your experience with Methodist for Women.
The first thing I noticed about the clinic is how discreet and confidential it is. Infertility can be an awkward and nerve racking experience, but once you step through those doors they make you feel so welcome and helpful. I experienced timeliness too. They were very respectful of my time and our experience. They had several TV's and magazines available to use while you waited.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Abigail Delaney at Methodist for Women.
An ultrasound was $225 and an ultrasound and lab work was $317. Specimen test was $550. The IUI was $800. Medicine from the Pharmacy was around $700 a cycle.
We were very pleased with Dr. Delaney, I the initial testing it was discovered that I had a polyp and she worked quickly to schedule and complete the removal so that it would not prolong our IVF process. ... With only having one ovary she was very realistic with is on the number of embryos that we wouldn't likely achieve. ... With PGS we were told that with our circumstances she would do eSET and without PGS she was open to multiple embryo transfer but it was ultimately up to us.
The clinic is very professional and the staff works to make sure that you are checked in and seen quickly. Know that there are clinic hours for blood work and ultrasounds but they are also very helpful in working it out with your regular OB office to have some of the things done there if you don't live close by. ... With PGS we were told that with our circumstances she would do eSET and without PGS she was open to multiple embryo transfer but it was ultimately up to us.
How was your experience with Abigail Delaney at Methodist for Women?
We were very pleased with Dr. Delaney, I the initial testing it was discovered that I had a polyp and she worked quickly to schedule and complete the removal so that it would not prolong our IVF process. As we went through treatment she took the time to answer all our questions and personally called us when we had the first round of embryos PGS tested and didn't have any that were able to be used. On the second round she took the time to work with us on our concerns about PGS and supported our decision to not have it done. She diligently worked to track and make sure that we would have successful outcomes with the medicines because I only have one ovary.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Abigail Delaney at Methodist for Women?
Be very open and share anything that you can even if you think it might not matter or have impact, because she will address your concerns and research them if needed.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Abigail Delaney at Methodist for Women?
She took the time to explain everything in detail and called personally to deliver results and discuss outcomes.
Describe the protocols Abigail Delaney used in your cycles at Methodist for Women and their degree of success.
On our first cycle I wasn't responding the way she had thougt so my medicine was increased after our first visit, this did result increase the outcome. However we did not end up with any viable embryos for implantation due to the outcome of PGS testing. On the second round she chose to begin on a slightly higher dose from the start which produced one more embryo from the first round. With only having one ovary she was very realistic with is on the number of embryos that we wouldn't likely achieve.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Methodist for Women.
She was very thoughrough in providing us results or seeking the answers to our questions. We had a lot of questions surrounding the outcome of our PGS testing and she went above and beyond to answer or get answers to them.
Describe your experience with Methodist for Women.
The clinic is very professional and the staff works to make sure that you are checked in and seen quickly. Know that there are clinic hours for blood work and ultrasounds but they are also very helpful in working it out with your regular OB office to have some of the things done there if you don't live close by.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Methodist for Women.
There was a window for these appointments every morning for several hours and you could go at your convenience. If the clinic wasn't close to your home you could have them at your regular OB and they would assist in getting those setup.
Describe Abigail Delaney's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Methodist for Women.
We discussed this at great lengths. With PGS we were told that with our circumstances she would do eSET and without PGS she was open to multiple embryo transfer but it was ultimately up to us.
The first time we met her [Dr. Meghan Oakes] she sat and talked with us about our history and truly listened to what we wanted. She allowed us to determine what we were comfortable doing for our next treatment. When our second IVF cycle results didn’t go as planned, she called me personally. She was straight forward, but stayed positive for us for future options...She is not scared it give her honest opinion, so she may tell you something you don’t want to hear. However, she does what is in the best interest of the patient.
Anytime the nurses [at Methodist for Women] called, they knew what was going on in our cycle without me having to tell them. They call back within a timely manner, and always answered any questions I had... Most of my ultrasounds were done by one of the doctors, and then they would talk with me after about how everything looked and what the next step was. I loved that I saw a doctor every time I went
How was your experience with Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women?
A friend referred me to Dr.Oakes, and I absolutely agree that she is amazing. The first time we met her she sat and talked with us about our history and truly listened to what we wanted. She allowed us to determine what we were comfortable doing for our next treatment. When our second IVF cycle results didn’t go as planned, she called me personally. She was straight forward, but stayed positive for us for future options.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women?
She is not scared it give her honest opinion, so she may tell you something you don’t want to hear. However, she does what is in the best interest of the patient.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women?
After each ultrasound appointment, I was able to talk with Dr.Oakes or one of her partners about the next step. They always took their time and answered all questions. After our embryo report came back less than expected, Dr. Oakes personally called me to discuss our options.
Describe the protocols Meghan Oakes used in your cycles at Methodist for Women and their degree of success.
Our first IVF cycle was at a different clinic. When Dr.Oakes reviewed the protocol, she made a few changes. I switched from 75 of menopur and 150 of gonal f to only 300 of gonal f. She also watched my estradiol very close before egg retrieval because I had very high levels the first cycle. I was told to use a lupron trigger, and we gave my body an extra day to let smaller follicles catch up. I ended up with double the amount of eggs retrieved from my first cycle. She also had us freeze our embryo rather than do a fresh transfer because of the high estradiol levels.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Methodist for Women.
Anytime the nurses called, they knew what was going on in our cycle without me having to tell them. They call back within a timely manner, and always answered any questions I had.
Describe your experience with Methodist for Women.
The clinic itself is located on such a beautiful, clean campus. The staff is always friendly. I love that when I call a person always answers, not a machine.
I was incredibly impressed when I switched clinics and Karen called my insurance company and found a few benefits that I had and didn’t know about. She helped immensely without me even asking.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Methodist for Women.
Monitoring appointments were all done in the morning between 6:30- 9:30. Since I had to commute, I liked that I didn’t have to be there at an exact time. Plus I think it is nice for people that don’t want to take time off of work to be able to go early in the morning.
Most of my ultrasounds were done by one of the doctors, and then they would talk with me after about how everything looked and what the next step was. I loved that I saw a doctor every time I went.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women.
Our initial consult visit was $400. Typical monitoring appointments included an ultrasound for $225 and blood work $80-100. I had 3 monitoring appointments and 1 additional blood draw prior to retrieval.
The day of retrieval we paid $9,300 which included biopsy for PGS testing. We have not done our transfer yet, but I believe it is between $4,500-5,000. All of these costs were in addition to medications which range widely in cost.
Describe Meghan Oakes's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Methodist for Women.
We did not discuss this, and only ended up with one embryo, so it was not an issue.
After our second miscarriage (no previous live births) we wanted answers, not hugs. That's exactly what we got from Dr. Doherty. She had a plan from our consultation and left no stone unturned. We are currently in cycle three of seeing her. Since our first visit she has: found I have Linden Factor IV during genetic screening, found and removed a polyp in my uterus via Sonohysterography and ultrasound, identified that my hormone levels at ovulation are VERY low.
They [Methodist For Women] are all working on one thing, helping you have a baby. No matter what nurse or doctor called me, they knew everything about my plan and answered any questions I had.... Strengths: experience, reputation, success rate, plan, staff on same page Weaknesses: big staff, may feel like you are always seeing someone else If you are looking for comfort, compassion and hugs - Dr. Doherty may not be the doctor for you. Dr. Oakes at the same clinic is much 'softer'. If you want straight answers and an upfront action plan, Dr. Doherty would be a great match!
How was your experience with Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
After our second miscarriage (no previous live births) we wanted answers, not hugs. That's exactly what we got from Dr. Doherty. She had a plan from our consultation and left no stone unturned. We are currently in cycle three of seeing her. Since our first visit she has: found I have Linden Factor IV during genetic screening, found and removed a polyp in my uterus via
Sonohysterography and ultrasound, identified that my hormone levels at ovulation are VERY low. This cycle we are doing Gonal F injections and had a very in depth class teaching us how to do injections. Dr. Doherty takes our concerns seriously, but we have had very few as she has a proven track record to get the job done! We adore Dr. Doherty and at a time when we felt hopeless she was exactly what we needed.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
Dr. Doherty is blunt. She may come off as unprofessional or bad bedside manner. If you are you a stage where you need comfort and hugs from a specialist, I would not recommend her. If you are at a point where you want answers and a plan - she is the doctor you want!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
Dr. Doherty has a plan that has proven to work. She cares deeply about her patients but may come off as blunt or rushed.
Describe the protocols Carolyn Maud Doherty used in your cycles at Methodist for Women and their degree of success.
Cycle Day 1: call the office
Cycle Day 3: hormone panel & genetic screening
Cycle Day 7-10: Sonohysterography
Positive ovulation: ultrasound and labs
*This identified that I had Linden Factor IV, a polyp in my uterus and very low levels during ovulation*
Treatment plan for low hormone levels (this may vary based off of ultrasound/lab results from injections):
*Attend a free shot giving/taking class, apply for discounts before arriving
*Cycle Day 1: call the office
*Cycle Day 2 or 3: ultrasound to get the 'green light' to start treatment
*Cycle Day 3-8: injections
*Cycle Day 8: ultrasound and labs
*Cycle Day 8-10: injections
*Cycle Day 10: ultrasound and labs
*Rest of cycle: continue monitoring to determine when to do trigger shot and timed intercourse or IUI.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Methodist for Women.
This staff - doctors and nurses can be described in one word: Team. They are all working on one thing, helping you have a baby. No matter what nurse or doctor called me, they knew everything about my plan and answered any questions I had.
Describe your experience with Methodist for Women.
Strengths: experience, reputation, success rate, plan, staff on same page
Weaknesses: big staff, may feel like you are always seeing someone else
If you are looking for comfort, compassion and hugs - Dr. Doherty may not be the doctor for you. Dr. Oakes at the same clinic is much 'softer'. If you want straight answers and an upfront action plan, Dr. Doherty would be a great match!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women.
Consultation: $450
Genetic Screening: $99 (insurance covered)
Gonal F + Trigger shot: $1300/mo (no discounts, no insurance)
Ultrasound/labs: $350
IUI: $800
We asked to try IUI with sperm donation. Originally she [Dr. Carolyn Doherty] wanted me to do IVF but I wanted to try IUI first. I was on injectables and after the insemination progesterone. She adjusted the dose as my body wasn't growing the eggs fast enough and my lining was still thin. We took a class on how to use the needles, what each one might look like. where to place them. The pharmacy they recommended was also incredibly knowledgeable and responded well to all questions relating to the medicine. The main office person was helpful in helping with what medical issues I should avoid when picking a donor as I was diagnosed as being a carrier for gauchers disease. It was reassuring to be walked through the process.
The clinic [Methodist for Women-Omaha] is very clear about what toy can expect from them. They communicate very will. Albeit can be a bit cold and clinical and not a lot emotion. When I had to call with the result of my negative test I was in tears but the front desk coordinator was sympathetic. You always know who you're dealing with, as in you have a dedicated team and you're not shuffled around for conveince, which can be frustrating, because you're life will revovle around the clinic and doctors schedule but you know they are doing what's best for your body.
How was your experience with Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
At times it felt like she was only interested in her treatment plan and not listening to your concerns. That was hard. If I had a question sometimes I got a snarky remark but her only goal is to get you pregnant and she'll work towards that by telling you how she thinks your body is reacting. She can be funny. Not that spirituality is important in a doctor but she was awkwardly silent when I mentioned something about prayer.
She was open to letting my mom come along on an appointment when my husband couldn't. She's funny and can put your mind at ease a bit with her direct communication on your treatment.
My husband and I have discussed switching clinics but it's due to cost. Otherwise when your patient of Dr. Doherty it's easy to see what her goal is for you.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
To just be advised sometimes it feels like she's not listening to you because of how clinical she is but she is there at every appointment. She will even give you her cell number to discuss treatment options or to deliver bad news
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
Maud is very clinical so at times it can feel like you're being herded through but she is there for every appointment and I was even allowed to call her cell directly which makes you feel like she does care even if she doesn't get emotional with you
Describe the protocols Carolyn Maud Doherty used in your cycles at Methodist for Women and their degree of success.
We asked to try IUI with sperm donation. Originally she wanted me to do IVF but I wanted to try IUI first.
I was on injectables and after the insemination progesterone.
She adjusted the dose as my body wasn't growing the eggs fast enough and my lining was still thin. We took a class on how to use the needles, what each one might look like. where to place them.
The pharmacy they recommended was also incredibly knowledgeable and responded well to all questions relating to the medicine.
The main office person was helpful in helping with what medical issues I should avoid when picking a donor as I was diagnosed as being a carrier for gauchers disease. It was reassuring to be walked through the process.
Weekly/ daily blood draws, a saline injection to see if tubes were clear then a dye test to see if tubes we're still clear, weekly ultrasounds.
My husband was diagnosed with azoospermia. He had to have a biopsy done on both his testicles after his sperm analysis yielded no results.
The urologist was incredibly kind. Talking about the different paths to parenthood. It was a highly emotional day and then weekend when Dr. Doherty called with the results that Saturday morning of the biopsy. My husband stated he liked how compassionate the urologist was with his treatment.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Methodist for Women.
I believe she only had a few nurses working for her at the time. You typically dealt with Dr. Doherty but you also talked to the one or two nurses that were on her staff and the front desk coordinator.
Nurses will call with results, desk will do scheduling, and Doherty handles everything else.
I had general questions in regards to my PCOS one nurse was open to diet changes but another was blatantly frustrated that I wanted to try supplements to help.
Describe your experience with Methodist for Women.
The clinic is very clear about what toy can expect from them. They communicate very will.
Albeit can be a bit cold and clinical and not a lot emotion.
When I had to call with the result of my negative test I was in tears but the front desk coordinator was sympathetic.
You always know who you're dealing with, as in you have a dedicated team and you're not shuffled around for conveince, which can be frustrating, because you're life will revovle around the clinic and doctors schedule but you know they are doing what's best for your body.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women.
All testing was covered by insurance, with co-pay... even the dye test!
But treatment was not covered. Due to needing a sperm donor overall cost was close to $5,000.
Medications were well over $400
$1,000 for the sperm donation, included shipping.
Over $1,000 for the insemenatiom itself.
The rest would be paying for blood draws and ultrasounds.
We were a little younger and didn't have access to $5,000 we had to borrow it and drain our savings. We're trying to build back up to move forward with IVFwith ICSI
Describe Carolyn Maud Doherty's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Methodist for Women.
However, we did genetic testing and found out that all 5 embryos were severely genetically abnormal. The Dr. Oakes called me personally to tell me this and she also said that had we not performed the genetic testing and skipped to the implantation, none of the embryos would have survived because they were so abnormal. She has a plan to change up my injectables for our next IVF attempt, but we are trying to save up money until we can afford to do this all again.
She [Dr. Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women] gave us a folder full of info at our initial consultation with her that included a run-down of all of the possible procedures and their associated costs. The egg retrieval (aspiration) was exactly $9,300. Up until then we had spent $893.03 in various procedures and tests. The injectable drugs were $980.78 through mailorder, and that was with a 25% coupon provided by the office. The genetic testing was completed at another facility and we have yet to receive the bill, but I know it will be thousands of dollars.
How was your experience with Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women?
I don't have any bad things to say at all. She is kind, and friendly, and seems to be extremely competent. I guess the only negative thing I can say is that she does not seem to have any knowledge regarding the financial side of the business. Her office provided a coupon for the injectables which was nice, but there wasn't any info provided for other coupon programs or grants, like what Fertility IQ provides. And we're having a really tough time with the bills from all of this.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women?
Don't hesitate to ask questions.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women?
The doctor has been wonderful. Even though our outcomes thusfar have been disappointing, the doctor has been friendly and open with whatever questions we may have. She has been considerate of our feelings but will also get to the point at the same time.
Describe the protocols Meghan Oakes used in your cycles at Methodist for Women and their degree of success.
The injectable I was prescribed was Gonal F 300iu every day for about 14 days total. I started going to my local office that partners with Dr. Oakes' office for blood draws and ultrasounds, and the office would call me with instructions for what I should do for the next few days until my next blood draw and ultrasound. They increased my dose to 450iu early on because the ultrasound only showed a few eggs, and the doctor said that if the increased dose did not help my body produce more eggs then we would quit with this cycle and try for the next because the egg retrieval procedure is the priciest part of the process. The increase in dose helped increase my egg count a little, and around day 14 or 15 my husband helped me to inject my "trigger shot", and within a day or two I went in for my egg retrieval. They retrieved 8 eggs and two of those were not mature. Of the 6 remaining, 5 fertilized successfully. However, we did genetic testing and found out that all 5 embryos were severely genetically abnormal. The Dr. Oakes called me personally to tell me this and she also said that had we not performed the genetic testing and skipped to the implantation, none of the embryos would have survived because they were so abnormal. She has a plan to change up my injectables for our next IVF attempt, but we are trying to save up money until we can afford to do this all again.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Methodist for Women.
I wasn't there enough to learn their names, but their faces were familiar enough to make me feel comfortable. Everyone is REALLY nice. They encourage you to eat their candy.
Describe your experience with Methodist for Women.
The hospital is beautiful and new. But it is located in Omaha and we live an hour away in Lincoln, so every time we need to go up there for an appointment its a half-day ordeal. But that can't really be helped. Parking is always easy. There is lots of retail and restaurants nearby.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women.
She gave us a folder full of info at our initial consultation with her that included a run-down of all of the possible procedures and their associated costs. The egg retrieval (aspiration) was exactly $9,300. Up until then we had spent $893.03 in various procedures and tests. The injectable drugs were $980.78 through mailorder, and that was with a 25% coupon provided by the office. The genetic testing was completed at another facility and we have yet to receive the bill, but I know it will be thousands of dollars.
Describe Meghan Oakes's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Methodist for Women.
I think she [Dr. Meghan Oakes] has a realistic approach, and talked us through our options. She had both of her children through IVF, so I feel like she can relate to our struggle and she knows what we are going through. She was extremely compassionate, especially when we went through an ectopic pregnancy after an iui. I got pregnant on my first IVF cycle and I’m currently 13 weeks along!...I feel like she really took the time to get to know my husband and I during our consult and answered all of our questions and gave us advice for the best possible outcome. I had an ectopic pregnancy after an iui that was really hard, and we kept trying which resulted in a positive test from my first IVF cycle.
Very friendly staff [at Methodist for Women]. When I call they know exactly what my treatment method is, and they are fantastic at walking me through everything I want to know and answering any questions I have. I’ve called back many times with additional questions and they were always wonderful at telling me exactly what I needed to know! They are also extremely responsive and get back to me within the hour.
How was your experience with Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women?
I think she has a realistic approach, and talked us through our options. She had both of her children through IVF, so I feel like she can relate to our struggle and she knows what we are going through. She was extremely compassionate, especially when we went through an ectopic pregnancy after an iui. I got pregnant on my first IVF cycle and I’m currently 13 weeks along!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women?
Read some fertility books, get to know your body and your cycle. Seek out as much information as you can and go in educated enough to ask good questions!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women?
I feel like she really took the time to get to know my husband and I during our consult and answered all of our questions and gave us advice for the best possible outcome. I had an ectopic pregnancy after an iui that was really hard, and we kept trying which resulted in a positive test from my first IVF cycle.
Describe the protocols Meghan Oakes used in your cycles at Methodist for Women and their degree of success.
Day 3 bloodwork and ultrasound, sonogram, 2 rounds with injections with iui. Result was ectopic pregnancy. Did IVF and got pregnant on my first cycle, and have 3 PGS tested eggs on ice!
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Methodist for Women.
Very friendly staff. When I call they know exactly what my treatment method is, and they are fantastic at walking me through everything I want to know and answering any questions I have. I’ve called back many times with additional questions and they were always wonderful at telling me exactly what I needed to know! They are also extremely responsive and get back to me within the hour.
Describe your experience with Methodist for Women.
I have no complaints and have had nothing but positive experiences during the super difficult process. I wouldn’t change a thing. The doctors and nurses are top notch and I’m so glad that my OBGYN recommended this clinic.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women.
I'm trying to remember, I think the initial consult was an hour and a half and was a couple hundred dollars. The day 3 bloodwork and ultrasound was a couple hundred and the injections were about $4k per cycle. During the consultation I received a price list that was very detailed so you know what the cost is up front. I have united health care and my plan covered about 25% of my bills, which was a pleasant surprise!
Describe Meghan Oakes's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Methodist for Women.
Because of my age she initially suggested transferring two, but since we did pgs testing on the embryos we only transferred one which was successful!
Dr Doherty came Into our lives at a very difficult time. I was pregnant for the 5th time (zero children) and was very suspicious that I was having another ectopic. I had already had two ectopics with a removal of my right tube. My OB had already said I was negative for ectopic two days prior to Dr Doherty seeing it in an ultrasound. She was very straightforward with the details but yet very warm in her delivery. She didn’t sugar coat things and let us know she needed to remove my left tube and that IVF would be our only option moving forward. She hugged me several times and apologized for having to give us this bad news. She performed my surgery and also ran genetic testing that day so it was already done when we were ready to move forward with treatments.
They [Methodist for Women] were very organized and the girl at the front desk was very knowledgeable of her job and what needed to be done. It was also a very calming suite and didn’t have that white sterile feeling that some offices have. The consultation fee is $400 which could be steep for some people but for us, we feel like we got our money’s worth. I also think it’s neat how they hang all the Christmas cards they receive up in the lobby. They’ve helped so many families conceive and those families still are thankful for the help they receive. It’s really neat to see.
How was your experience with Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
As explained before, Dr Doherty came Into our lives at a very difficult time. I was pregnant for the 5th time (zero children) and was very suspicious that I was having another ectopic. I had already had two ectopics with a removal of my right tube. My OB had already said I was negative for ectopic two days prior to Dr Doherty seeing it in an ultrasound. She was very straightforward with the details but yet very warm in her delivery. She didn’t sugar coat things and let us know she needed to remove my left tube and that IVF would be our only option moving forward. She hugged me several times and apologized for having to give us this bad news. She performed my surgery and also ran genetic testing that day so it was already done when we were ready to move forward with treatments.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
She doesn’t sugar coat information. She’s very straightforward and gives you the facts you need. Some people may want a provider who isn’t like that but for us, it was exactly what we needed. We had felt for so long we weren’t getting the answers we needed to move forward and with one day with Dr. Doherty, it was refreshing. Even though we received bad news, we still felt more hopeful than we have been in the last 4 years of our infertility journey.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
We met with Dr Doherty for our intotal consultation even though I had recently found out I was pregnant. She immediately wanted to do an ultrasound and found an ectopic pregnancy that had been missed by a previous ultrasound from another doctor. She was very supportive and comforting as she delivered the bad news. That day she removed my 2nd tube and delivered the news we would only be able to conceive through IVF, after having 3 ectopic pregnancies. She hugged me and apologized for having to be the “bearer of bad news”. The fact that she did my surgery and was dedicated to my previous and current care showed us we were more than just a number. She gave us the facts straight but she was still very warm in her delivery. We were very pleased with her after only meeting her that day. We felt as if we had been working with her all along.
Describe the protocols Carolyn Maud Doherty used in your cycles at Methodist for Women and their degree of success.
We have yet to actually receive extensive treatment from Dr Doherty. She has only performed my tubal removal surgery and provided us with all the information for IVF. She did choose to remove my left tube because of an ectopic because she was worried of reoccurrence.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Methodist for Women.
They were very nice. The nurse that asked me my initial questions at our consultation was very thorough and already knew a lot of my information before I told her. She seemed very prepared and was also very engaged in our conversation. There was also a new nurse shadowing and she was very polite and thanked us for our time after we spoke to them. Also, when it was time for me to get admitted into the hospital for surgery, a staff member was very quick to escort us to my room at the connecting hospital.
Describe your experience with Methodist for Women.
They were very organized and the girl at the front desk was very knowledgeable of her job and what needed to be done. It was also a very calming suite and didn’t have that white sterile feeling that some offices have. The consultation fee is $400 which could be steep for some people but for us, we feel like we got our money’s worth. I also think it’s neat how they hang all the Christmas cards they receive up in the lobby. They’ve helped so many families conceive and those families still are thankful for the help they receive. It’s really neat to see.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women.
The consultation fee is $400.
Describe Carolyn Maud Doherty's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Methodist for Women.
Dr Doherty did mention that she would only do a single embryo transfer with me because of my size. I am rather short and we would be worried of the risks of preterm labor.
What specific things went wrong at Methodist for Women?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Failed to call with results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Methodist for Women.
The things I had go wrong were NOT with Dr Doherty’s office. They were with my regular OB in the same women’s center. A couple times when the triage nurse was out of the office, my beta results were not relayed to me the same day like they usually are. And with the prescription, one time my OB forgot to call my prescription in.
Dr. Doherty would easily be described as "blunt". Some may see this as a bad thing, but she never sugar coated anything or made us get our hopes up higher than they should have been...Dr. Doherty performed my egg retrieval and embryo transfer...We went into our 3rd cycle (first with Dr. Doherty) thinking our infertility was unexplained. After our cycle with Dr. Doherty, we found out that I actually have very poor egg quality. Dr. Doherty did not in any way sugar coat this, which I really appreciated.
The only criticism I have for this clinic [Methodist For Women] is that they don't have a patient portal of any kind. It made it hard to ask questions after hours, but never interfered with my cycle. Other than that, the clinic is extremely organized and fast. Monitoring appointments were a breeze and appointments were always on time...he nursing staff during our cycle has been great. They have answered all of my questions and explained things in detail, even over the phone.
How was your experience with Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
Dr. Doherty would easily be described as "blunt". Some may see this as a bad thing, but she never sugar coated anything or made us get our hopes up higher than they should have been. Personally, I am grateful for that. With our history, the last thing I wanted was to be told one thing and have another happen. Dr. Doherty performed my egg retrieval and embryo transfer, and she will be doing our second embryo transfer next week. She has been great about explaining everything in detail and letting me know what to expect.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
One piece of advice I would give any prospective patient, is to be ready for the cold hard truth. We went into our 3rd cycle (first with Dr. Doherty) thinking our infertility was unexplained. After our cycle with Dr. Doherty, we found out that I actually have very poor egg quality. Dr. Doherty did not in any way sugar coat this, which I really appreciated.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
At my initial consult with Dr. Doherty, I felt very welcomed and comfortable in the clinic. After 2 failed IVF cycles in 2016 and 3 failed IUI's in 2017, I had very little trust left in any doctor I met with. Dr. Doherty took the time to review all of my (many, many) files, and assured me she would do everything she could to yield better results for our 3rd egg retrieval. Throughout our cycle I felt as though each of the nurses and doctors I saw or spoke to genuinely cared about the outcome of the treatment.
Describe the protocols Carolyn Maud Doherty used in your cycles at Methodist for Women and their degree of success.
For this egg retrieval, Dr. Doherty had me on 225iu of Follistim (upped to 300iu on day 8) for 10 days. We also added in Cetrotide on day 8.
We retrieved 24 eggs from this cycle - more than both of our first two cycles combined. Unfortunately from here our numbers dropped drastically due to poor egg quality. We ended the cycle with two frozen embryos (1 day 5, 1 day 6).
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Methodist for Women.
The nursing staff during our cycle has been great. They have answered all of my questions and explained things in detail, even over the phone. They showed great compassion when our FET failed and have continued to cheer me on.
Describe your experience with Methodist for Women.
The only criticism I have for this clinic is that they don't have a patient portal of any kind. It made it hard to ask questions after hours, but never interfered with my cycle. Other than that, the clinic is extremely organized and fast. Monitoring appointments were a breeze and appointments were always on time.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Methodist for Women.
Monitoring appointments were extremely convenient at this clinic! The window was 6:30-9:00 and no matter what time I went, I never waited more than 15 minutes.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women.
The cost of our IVF cycle total, was roughly $15,000. Each monitoring appointment was between $90-$315, the egg retrieval was around $8100, and each transfer is $4200.
Thanks to a wonderful community, I was able to get most of my medications donated, and only had to spend about $200 OOP.
Describe Carolyn Maud Doherty's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Methodist for Women.
Due to my age (24), Dr. Doherty highly recommended a single embryo transfer, which is what my husband and I were most comfortable with as well.
What specific things went wrong at Methodist for Women?
Failed to call with results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Methodist for Women.
The ONLY incident I had with the clinic was lack of communication on day 5 after our egg retrieval. I was told I would get a call regarding how many made it to freeze that day, but didn't hear anything until I called them at the end of the day. This is when I was informed that they were going to wait and call on day 6 with a final report instead.
Dr. Oakes was very thorough in my care. I have PCOS and we also found out when we started seeing Dr. Oakes that male factor infertility was in issue for us. She was quick to explain everything and get us the testing and answers we needed to begin the next steps. ... I did end up suffering from ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and spent some time in the hospital after my retrieval. ...
Monitoring hours were early in the morning and since I drove so far it was kind of inconvenient but they always got me right in and right out so I could get back to work. ... This clinic [Methodist For Women] has a great reputation of being one of the best in my area. I drove an hour and fifteen minutes one way to go to this clinic. The Dr’s and nurse’s at this clinic have your best interest in mind and want to get you what you came to them for.
How was your experience with Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women?
Dr. Oakes was very thorough in my care. I have PCOS and we also found out when we started seeing Dr. Oakes that male factor infertility was in issue for us. She was quick to explain everything and get us the testing and answers we needed to begin the next steps. Which would be IVF with ICSI and PGD. I had some complications after my egg retrieval and she was so caring and I felt confident in her to get me through the process.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women?
If you have questions, always ask. She is very straightforward and good at explaining everything that needs to happen.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women?
Everybody I came into contact with at the clinic was very nice and helpful. They are always willing to answer questions and help with what you need.
Describe the protocols Meghan Oakes used in your cycles at Methodist for Women and their degree of success.
I took gonal-f for around ten days prior to eff retrieval. Because of PCOS they retrieved quite a large number of eggs from me (54). I did end up suffering from ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and spent some time in the hospital after my retrieval. We did PGD on our ten embryos and 2 came back genetically normal. Our first embryo transfer failed and our second resulted in a beautiful baby boy.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Methodist for Women.
They were always very kind and caring. Very helpful with any questions and always got back to you the same day.
Describe your experience with Methodist for Women.
This clinic has a great reputation of being one of the best in my area. I drove an hour and fifteen minutes one way to go to this clinic. The Dr’s and nurse’s at this clinic have your best interest in mind and want to get you what you came to them for.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Methodist for Women.
Monitoring hours were early in the morning and since I drove so far it was kind of inconvenient but they always got me right in and right out so I could get back to work.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women.
Meds $2,000
Egg retrieval $9,500
PGD/PGS $3,200
ICSI $1,200
Embryo Transfer $5,000
All of these are rough estimates from what I can remember. Our total cost for one round of IVF and 2 embryo transfers came to about $26,000.
Describe Meghan Oakes's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Methodist for Women.
Because of my complications following egg retrieval my Dr suggested single embryo transfer and I agreed.
What specific things went wrong at Methodist for Women?
Lost appointments
Failed to call with results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Methodist for Women.
An appointment was written on the wrong date but they still got me in the day I came and was actually supposed to be there.
We always felt like we were a priority to her [Dr. Oakes]. We also saw her every appointment, not just a nurse which was very reassuring to us and made us feel like we were in the best hands. She would take as much time as we needed to go over any questions or concerns we had...whether that be a phone call or when we saw her at appointments. She was caring and warm and made us feel so comfortable.
Monitoring appointments [at Methodist For Women] were from 630-9am with no set time. You were seen in the order you arrived. Sometimes the wait was a little long, but we expected it and it didn't bother us at all. We knew we would be seen when it was our turn...We were quoted up front $25,000 for the overall cost of one IVF cycle, which included retrieval, transfer, storage of embryos, ICSI, drug cost and PGS genetic testing. We ended up spending right around that.
How was your experience with Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women?
Dr Oakes was by far the best doctor I have ever seen. The day we met with her for our first consultation after coming from another Omaha clinic, we knew we had made the right choice in switching. My biggest and only regret to this day is not starting with her. She was warm and compassionate and made us feel so comfortable under her care. She took the time to explain things to us and we saw her at every visit which was huge for us. It made me feel like she was completely invested in our case and also calmed any anxieties I had throughout the process. At 30wks pregnant now, I can honestly say not a day goes by that we don't miss seeing her--her ability to connect with her patients on a personal level is remarkable. While the process itself can knock you down, she's right there to pick you up and keep things moving in a way that gives you hope. She is truly amazing at what she does!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women?
Utilize her knowledge...take it all in and do as you are told! Trust the process and know you are in the best, most capable hands!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women?
Dr Oakes always took the time to answer any questions we had, whether that be a phone call or when we saw her at appointments. She was caring and warm and made us feel so comfortable. We always felt like we were a priority to her. We also saw her every appointment, not just a nurse which was very reassuring to us and made us feel like we were in the best hands. She would take as much time as we needed to go over any questions or concerns we had.
Describe the protocols Meghan Oakes used in your cycles at Methodist for Women and their degree of success.
I don't remember the exact protocol Dr Oakes had me on. I know I stimmed a few days longer than in my previous cycles under the care of another physician. I believe I used 375 units of Gonal-F for approximately 11 days, with Cetrotide added a little over halfway through. Retrieval was on day 13. I had 19 eggs retrieved, 7 day 5 embryos resulted, and 2 were PGS normal.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Methodist for Women.
The nurses were always available for questions or concerns, and if they couldn't provide you with an immediate answer, they would either talk to the doctor right away and get back to you, or have the doctor call you. They were also very prompt in returning any phone calls. Overall, they seemed very knowledgeable and were always very friendly.
Describe your experience with Methodist for Women.
Strengths: I had always heard that this particular clinic runs more like a business, and to a certain extent, I would agree with that. But only in a positive sense. They're very efficient and they have things running exactly how they need to to get from one patient to the next, all while giving you the best individualized care possible.
Weaknesses: none
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Methodist for Women.
Monitoring appointments were from 630-9am with no set time. You were seen in the order you arrived. Sometimes the wait was a little long, but we expected it and it didn't bother us at all. We knew we would be seen when it was our turn.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women.
We were quoted up front $25,000 for the overall cost of one IVF cycle, which included retrieval, transfer, storage of embryos, ICSI, drug cost and PGS genetic testing. We ended up spending right around that.
Describe Meghan Oakes's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Methodist for Women.
I appreciated that Dr Oakes let you, as the patient, make that decision and didn't seem to judge you based on the choice you made. She gave us the facts regarding single vs. multiple and let us choose.
She [Dr. Abigail Delaney] is kind and cheers you in through the process. She really wants the best results for all involved. I do wish I would have been pushed a little harder on medications for IVF based on the results from the IUIs and then after our IVF failed, we had a lot of questions and it seemed to irritate her as she didn’t have the answers. Overall, wonderful doctor.
[Protocol at Methodist for Women] IUI #1: 75 IUs of Follistim and pregnyl trigger shot - 2 mature follicles estrogen 376 progesterone suppositories and negativity be pregnancy test. -IUI #2: 100 IUs of Follistim and Pregnyl trigger shot - 4 mature follicles estrogen 1446 progesterone suppositories and negative pregnancy test. -1 month of birth control for residual cysts -IUI # 3: 100 IUs of Follistim and Pregnyl trigger shot. 3 mature follicles and estrogen 527 PIO injections. Negative pregnancy test. -IVF #1: 300 IUs of Follistim for 5 days 375 IUs for 2 days with cetrotide the last of that day and 450 IUs for 2 days and cetrotide for both day. Pregnyl trigger shot. 11 eggs retrieved, 7 mature, 6 fertilized (with ICSI), 4 made it to blastocysts, 3 euploid. (6AA, 6AA, 5AA) -Valium the day of the transfer. Transferred the 6s but they didn’t thaw properly. PIO injections, negative pregnancy test.
How was your experience with Abigail Delaney at Methodist for Women?
She is kind and cheers you in through the process. She really wants the best results for all involved. I do wish I would have been pushed a little harder on medications for IVF based on the results from the IUIs and then after our IVF failed, we had a lot of questions and it seemed to irritate her as she didn’t have the answers. Overall, wonderful doctor.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Abigail Delaney at Methodist for Women?
Although she is very smart, listen to your body and speak up if you feel a different way.
Describe the protocols Abigail Delaney used in your cycles at Methodist for Women and their degree of success.
-IUI #1: 75 IUs of Follistim and pregnyl trigger shot - 2 mature follicles estrogen 376 progesterone suppositories and negativity be pregnancy test.
-IUI #2: 100 IUs of Follistim and Pregnyl trigger shot - 4 mature follicles estrogen 1446 progesterone suppositories and negative pregnancy test.
-1 month of birth control for residual cysts
-IUI # 3: 100 IUs of Follistim and Pregnyl trigger shot. 3 mature follicles and estrogen 527 PIO injections. Negative pregnancy test.
-IVF #1: 300 IUs of Follistim for 5 days 375 IUs for 2 days with cetrotide the last of that day and 450 IUs for 2 days and cetrotide for both day. Pregnyl trigger shot. 11 eggs retrieved, 7 mature, 6 fertilized (with ICSI), 4 made it to blastocysts, 3 euploid. (6AA, 6AA, 5AA)
-Valium the day of the transfer. Transferred the 6s but they didn’t thaw properly. PIO injections, negative pregnancy test.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Methodist for Women.
Wonderful.
Describe your experience with Methodist for Women.
With all doctors, listen to them but also advocate for yourself. It is your care. Also, speak up if you don’t understand something. Know if your doctor is out, you will see one of the others. You speak with nurses rather than your doctor.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Methodist for Women.
Monitoring was fine. They always went in order. Some days would take a long time but you cannot help if there are a lot of people that day that needed the same care.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Abigail Delaney at Methodist for Women.
IUI with meds about $3700
IVF with meds and PGS about $21000
[Dr. Doherty is] phenomenal and straight forward...does a great job of making sure that you have same day communication, you always see her, and you always know where you stand in your journey...She is also open to what you want to do so feel free to tell her your thoughts and she will share research to back whatever method she feels is best...everything was research based and she had it right there for you to read.
[Methodist for Women's] monitoring hour are from 6:30am to 9am. This was perfect because I didn't have to miss a minute of work. I never had to wait more than 5-10 minutes to be seen and it was extremely organized to walk in, sign in or check in, and wait for your name to be called. They generally always had my chart right there at the front desk because they track when individuals will be in for monitoring so I was always able to sign my consent and pay whatever was due right away. Once called back, bloodwork would take a max of 2 minutes and then you would be sent to ultrasound. It was quick!
How was your experience with Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
She's phenomenal and straight forward. My previous doctor sugar coated everything and caused me to always get my hopes up. Doherty also does a great job of making sure that you have same day communication, you always see her, and you always know where you stand in your journey.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
Be open to her honesty and bluntness. She is doing it for your own good. She is also open to what you want to do so feel free to tell her your thoughts and she will share research to back whatever method she feels is best. I loved this about her, everything was research based and she had it right there for you to read. This is all science afterall!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
She's a straight shooter and tells you exactly like it is. She shares the worst case scenario so you aren't disappointed. It really just depends how you deal with that news, I was happy to have someone be blunt with me and she helped me to swallow the pill that IVF would be reality a lot sooner than anyone else could have.
Describe the protocols Carolyn Maud Doherty used in your cycles at Methodist for Women and their degree of success.
When I first began working with Dr. Doherty, it was following an ectopic pregnancy and tube removal surgery at another practice. Based on the surgery report from my past doctor she didn't feel comfortable moving forward until she did an HSG. At the HSG it was found that the surgery was not completed correctly or fully so I was scheduled for a second surgery. At that point it was determined that there was damage the the remaining tube and that my fibria were outside of my fallopian tube, instead of inside. At this point she told me, my best case to avoid another ectopic pregnancy was to pursue IVF. Since we were already into August and my body wasn't ready for treatment, she suggested I take a few months to get my finances in order and start in the new year. After the new year she started me on my IVF cycle which included birth control for 21 days, baseline bloodwork and ultrasound, and 11 days of STIMS followed by an egg retrieval 36 hours following my last injection.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Methodist for Women.
My nurse was great, she was often too quick of a talker and seemed rushed. I always felt like I had to interrupt her and ask her to repeat something and when I would ask specifics she would never give me a straight forward answer.
Describe your experience with Methodist for Women.
I love this clinic! When you walk in the door you are greeted instantly and always with a smile! They are friendly, kind, and care about you. They know you are spending a ton of money to be seen there so they do their best to always be prepared with you file right there and quickly get you signed in. The waiting room is large with a tv and a million magazines. They are quick and get patients cycled through quickly so I was able to go through my entire IVF cycle without missing an hour of work due to their work friendly hours! I cannot say enough good things about this practice and the way they work with working couples.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Methodist for Women.
Their monitoring hour are from 6:30am to 9am. This was perfect because I didn't have to miss a minute of work. I never had to wait more than 5-10 minutes to be seen and it was extremely organized to walk in, sign in or check in, and wait for your name to be called. They generally always had my chart right there at the front desk because they track when individuals will be in for monitoring so I was always able to sign my consent and pay whatever was due right away. Once called back, bloodwork would take a max of 2 minutes and then you would be sent to ultrasound. It was quick!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women.
For our IVF cycle, I believe it will be around $12,000 when it is all complete.
Describe Carolyn Maud Doherty's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Methodist for Women.
We have not gotten to this step as my body was overstimulated from producing 30+ eggs in my cycle so we have to wait for a transfer.
I was on a thyroid medicine [with Dr. Doherty] that they say they give almost everyone. Never made any difference. I’d done clomid for a longish time with my regular doctor, and she took me off it. Did a couple cycles with Gonol F and just trying on our own, and then we did an IUI one cycle...She was very hopeful at our initial consultation, and there never seemed to be much in the way of bad news or signs of problems, but we never got pregnant while seeing her.
[Methodist for Women is a] Beautiful clinic...They were mostly good about making me feel like a person, though I wish they were more understanding of the crazy financial burdens. They don’t really work with you: just tell you how much you have to hav up front, and if you can’t, too bad. No payments or anything and not really much compassion about it...My biggest complaint of the whole clinic was that there was almost zero compassion for how expensive everything was. I’m sure it’s something they deal with often, but the fact that there was very little room to work with people was frustrating. A couple of the nurses , though I don’t remember names, were exceptions to this, and at least acted sorry and understanding even though there wasn’t much they could do.
How was your experience with Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
She was very hopeful at our initial consultation, and there never seemed to be much in the way of bad news or signs of problems, but we never got pregnant while seeing her. We were told we could do a few rounds of injections, but after the first decided the only option was IUI. We could only afford a single try, and it failed. I asked if we could do clomid or one of the other pills that were more affordable -as opposed to doing nothing - but she said no. So, that was pretty much it. Ended up being a giant waste of thousands of dollars, though I recognize that’s not necessarily her or the clinics fault.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
Keep your expectations low even if it seems like it’s going well when talking to her. Bring a notebook. Felt like she sometimes talked fast and I’d forget what she said.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
They were mostly good about making me feel like a person, though I wish they were more understanding of the crazy financial burdens. They don’t really work with you: just tell you how much you have to hav up front, and if you can’t, too bad. No payments or anything and not really much compassion about it.
Describe the protocols Carolyn Maud Doherty used in your cycles at Methodist for Women and their degree of success.
Don’t remember specifics. I was on a thyroid medicine that they say they give almost everyone. Never made any difference. I’d done clomid for a longish time with my regular doctor, and she took me off it. Did a couple cycles with Gonol F and just trying on our own, and then we did an IUI one cycle. Couldn’t afford anything else. Never had a pregnancy while with Doherty (prior to the clinic I had one pregnancy that ended in miscarriage with my regular doctor)
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Methodist for Women.
They were organized and helpful. My biggest complaint of the whole clinic was that there was almost zero compassion for how expensive everything was. I’m sure it’s something they deal with often, but the fact that there was very little room to work with people was frustrating. A couple of the nurses , though I don’t remember names, were exceptions to this, and at least acted sorry and understanding even though there wasn’t much they could do.
Describe your experience with Methodist for Women.
Beautiful clinic, though it’s far away for me as I live clear out in Bellevue. They need to have more financial support options for people who can’t afford hundreds of dollars up front and who’s insurance doesn’t cover a lot of the advanced stuff. I get that they need to get paid, but a quick credit check would have shown that we would pay them back if we could do installments.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women.
It’s been awhile, but each visit was about $200 up front as I recall, though our insurance did cover some of this. The IUI was something like 500 total for the IUI procedure if I recall correctly. The real expense were the hormones, though these are not sold directly by the clinic.
Very sincere and passionate. She [Dr. Carolyn Doherty] is caring and wants to do all she can to help achieve our goal and dream of having a child. Very skilled and knows what she's doing. Does not sugar coat or just tell you what you want to hear, goes above and beyond what any other doctor has done for us in years past to ensure we fully understand what the plan is and what to expect. Also not just telling us what we want to hear and getting our hopes up to then just crush our hopes down the road.
The clinic [Methodist for Women] itself is very nice. It's fairly new so it's very clean and up to date. As soon as you walk in the desk is straight inside the door and there's full staff behind the counter. Usually a clinic has one or two staff but each time we've gone in there's been at least 4 staff and they're all very nicely dressed and super friendly. The office is large so you can sit without having to sit next to a stranger or even near them. There's several little round tables that are covered with reading material. There's also an area with toys and stuff for kids to do!
How was your experience with Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
Very sincere and passionate. She is caring and wants to do all she can to help achieve our goal and dream of having a child. Very skilled and knows what she's doing. Does not sugar coat or just tell you what you want to hear, goes above and beyond what any other doctor has done for us in years past to ensure we fully understand what the plan is and what to expect. Also not just telling us what we want to hear and getting our hopes up to then just crush our hopes down the road.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
Understand that she is blunt and to the point. She will not tell you what you want to hear just because that's what you might need in the moment, she is honest from start to finish and will tell you if she's unsure or doesn't know.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
Very personable and blunt. Does very well at explaining things and making sure we understand what she's saying.
Describe the protocols Carolyn Maud Doherty used in your cycles at Methodist for Women and their degree of success.
We haven't done any cycles with her yet. We have just finished a surgery to fix my uterus and cervix from a previous event.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Methodist for Women.
So far each nurse we've encountered has been very friendly and caring. They are thorough and explain things very well to be understood by someone who doesn't understand all of the medical mumbo-jumbo.
Describe your experience with Methodist for Women.
The clinic itself is very nice. It's fairly new so it's very clean and up to date. As soon as you walk in the desk is straight inside the door and there's full staff behind the counter. Usually a clinic has one or two staff but each time we've gone in there's been at least 4 staff and they're all very nicely dressed and super friendly. The office is large so you can sit without having to sit next to a stranger or even near them. There's several little round tables that are covered with reading material. There's also an area with toys and stuff for kids to do!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women.
The only cost we've had so far is a consult fee of $400.00 but we haven't actually gotten billed as insurance is pending. We just had surgery yesterday so haven't gotten any information on the cost of the surgery yet.
Dr. Doherty was blunt about steps I could take to help in the fertility process, my prognosis, and setbacks that might and did occur. She was very knowledgeable and, particularly once she understood that I wanted to know every detail, fully explained the steps and the reasons for them. She was typically warm and conversational. Once in a while she seemed a bit rushed for time, but on other occasions she spent additional time with me. Overall, Dr. Doherty did not over promise and she delivered what she said she could; specifically, she told me she thought she could get me pregnant, but it would be hard.
Most of the nursing staff [at the Methodist Hospital for Women] was extremely warm and helpful, and would answer any question I called with or asked about appointments. There is one member on staff who could often be cold and uncommunicative even after I expressed anxiety or asked questions... It's great that the clinic is located in the Women's Hospital. It is a new and state of the art facility and I have confidence that all procedures done there are using the best equipment. I'd also note that the receptionists are friendly and helpful as well.
How was your experience with Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
Dr. Doherty was blunt about steps I could take to help in the fertility process, my prognosis, and setbacks that might and did occur. She was very knowledgeable and, particularly once she understood that I wanted to know every detail, fully explained the steps and the reasons for them. She was typically warm and conversational. Once in a while she seemed a bit rushed for time, but on other occasions she spent additional time with me. Overall, Dr. Doherty did not over promise and she delivered what she said she could; specifically, she told me she thought she could get me pregnant, but it would be hard.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
She can be blunt, but she is doing it for your own good. It is very important to have reasonable expectations during this process.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women?
Problems, medications, procedures and results were explained thoroughly to me. Most of the staff was very good about taking my emotions into account when giving me good or bad news or doing diagnostic testing. Occasionally a nurse was a bit callous when performing an ultrasound.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Methodist for Women.
Most of the nursing staff was extremely warm and helpful, and would answer any question I called with or asked about appointments. There is one member on staff who could often be cold and uncommunicative even after I expressed anxiety or asked questions.
Describe your experience with Methodist for Women.
It's great that the clinic is located in the Women's Hospital. It is a new and state of the art facility and I have confidence that all procedures done there are using the best equipment. I'd also note that the receptionists are friendly and helpful as well.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Methodist for Women.
I must admit to hating the monitoring appointments. You were seen in the order you arrived at the clinic and seeing the facility fill up each morning while I waited for testing to begin always made me anxious. I really wish they would schedule monitoring appointments, although I understand that may be practically difficult.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Carolyn Maud Doherty at Methodist for Women.
I believe each IVF retrieval cost about $10,000, with an additional $2,000 to $3,000 for a fresh transfer. A FET cost about $4,000 to $5,000. I think the IUIs were about $2,500. The medication for one IVF cycle was something like $4,000.
Describe Carolyn Maud Doherty's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Methodist for Women.
I think Dr. Doherty allowed me to make the call on how many embryos to transfer. I liked that approach because I was an educated consumer in this case and I knew what I wanted. I transferred more than one embryo on 3 occasions.
Dr.Oakes listens to your concerns and is genuinely interested in your wants and needs. She knows exactly who you are in you walk into clinic...While going through treatment, another medical issue arose and she called 3 or 4 different specialists to help my condition. I felt like she truly cared. I trust Dr.Oakes and know she won't just do a cycle to appease me. She wants to make sure its right and that I have optimal chances for a positive result.
There are some great nurses [at Methodist for Women] and some that showed less compassion. The staff returns calls promptly and will answer any questions you may have. If they don't know the answer, they will get Dr.Oakes help...Very organized and clean. Also very prompt and fast. They have open clinic hours from 6:30am-9 M-F which makes finding a time to get in easy...You pay for the medication (which ran me approximately $1000/cycle) at the pharmacy towards the beginning of cycle, and then the IUI ($800) at the time of IUI. Ultrasounds and lab work get billed to insurance and we haven't received a bill for that (having been using Dr.Oakes for 6 months).
How was your experience with Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women?
Dr. Oakes cares about you as a person. She has great bedside manner and listens to your wants and needs. She will answer any questions you have and do so in terms you can understand. While going through treatment, another medical issue arose and she called 3 or 4 different specialists to help my condition. I felt like she truly cared. I trust Dr.Oakes and know she won't just do a cycle to appease me. She wants to make sure its right and that I have optimal chances for a positive result.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women?
Make sure you ask questions while you are in clinic and can ask face to face. Office staff returns calls promptly, but sometimes I just want to talk to Dr.Oakes.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women?
Dr.Oakes listens to your concerns and is genuinely interested in your wants and needs. She knows exactly who you are in you walk into clinic.
Describe the protocols Meghan Oakes used in your cycles at Methodist for Women and their degree of success.
Dr.Oakes used the first IUI cycle to judge how my body responded to the FSH injectable. The next two cycles it seemed like we found the optimal dose. She ordered 6 days of FSH and then ultrasound and lab work to check follicle growth. Next, ultrasounds every other day (usually just 1-2 more), then HCG trigger and IUI 36 hours after trigger.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Methodist for Women.
There are some great nurses and some that showed less compassion. The staff returns calls promptly and will answer any questions you may have. If they don't know the answer, they will get Dr.Oakes help.
Describe your experience with Methodist for Women.
Very organized and clean. Also very prompt and fast. They have open clinic hours from 6:30am-9 M-F which makes finding a time to get in easy.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Meghan Oakes at Methodist for Women.
You pay for the medication (which ran me approximately $1000/cycle) at the pharmacy towards the beginning of cycle, and then the IUI ($800) at the time of IUI. Ultrasounds and lab work get billed to insurance and we haven't received a bill for that (having been using Dr.Oakes for 6 months).
Describe Meghan Oakes's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Methodist for Women.
We have not reached the embryo transfer yet as still giving IUIs a chance.