This is the most recent data from the CDC. The CDC cautions that it should not be used to compare doctors and clinics. This data represents the outcomes of IVF cycles when using a person's own eggs.
For more information please see our FAQs.
Where you see a “?” on the chart, a clinic has done fewer than 20 cycles in this category and age range, so the CDC says showing percentages from this small data set would be misleading and unreliable.
being treated by Dr. Pavone for a hysteroscopy, HSG, and endometrial biopsy, and I cannot recommend her highly enough...As an African American patient, finding a provider who understands and respects my background is crucial...took the time to explain each procedure in detail, ensuring I fully understood what to expect
The most notable strength of [Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine] is the exceptional care provided by the staff...Everyone was incredibly nice and attentive, taking the time to answer all my questions thoroughly. The staff demonstrated impressive competence, and their excellent bedside manner made a significant difference
How was your experience with Mary Ellen Pavone at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
I recently had the privilege of being treated by Dr. Pavone for a hysteroscopy, HSG, and endometrial biopsy, and I cannot recommend her highly enough. As an African American patient, I’ve often found it challenging to connect with healthcare providers who understand and respect my experiences. Dr. Pavone was a refreshing exception.
From my very first consultation, it was evident that Dr. Pavone is not only incredibly skilled but also genuinely compassionate. She took the time to explain each procedure in detail, ensuring I fully understood what to expect. This thorough pre-operative consultation helped to ease my anxiety significantly. I appreciated her patience in answering all my questions and addressing my concerns; it made me feel respected and valued as a patient.
During the procedures, Dr. Pavone’s expertise shone through. She conducted everything with professionalism and precision, which gave me a sense of confidence that I was in the best hands possible. What stood out to me was her exceptional bedside manner. She communicated clearly throughout the procedures and made sure I was comfortable, which made a potentially stressful experience much more manageable.
Post-operation, Dr. Pavone continued to check in on my recovery, demonstrating her commitment to my well-being. Her warmth and attentiveness made a significant difference, and I felt supported every step of the way.
In my experience, Dr. Pavone is severely underrated. She not only combines competence with compassion, but she also fosters an environment where patients feel heard and understood. For anyone seeking a knowledgeable and caring physician, I wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Pavone. Her outstanding care and dedication are truly remarkable, and I am grateful to have had her as my doctor.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Mary Ellen Pavone at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Give her a chance! Ask all the questions. She will gracefully answer them.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Mary Ellen Pavone at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
I recently had the pleasure of being treated by Dr. Pavone for a hysteroscopy, HSG, and endometrial biopsy, and I cannot recommend her highly enough. As an African American patient, finding a provider who understands and respects my background is crucial, and Dr. Pavone exceeded my expectations.
From the very first consultation, she demonstrated remarkable competence and genuine care. Her thorough pre-operative consultation eased my anxiety; she explained each procedure in detail and answered all my questions, making me feel informed and comfortable.
The procedures were conducted with professionalism, and Dr. Pavone’s skill was evident. Her exceptional bedside manner continued post-op, as she checked in on my recovery.
In my experience, Dr. Pavone is severely underrated. She combines expertise with compassion, making a potentially stressful experience much more manageable. I am truly grateful for her outstanding care and highly recommend her to anyone in need of similar procedures.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Addie)
want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for the exceptional care I received from my nurse during my recent post-operative recovery. From the moment I arrived, she went above and beyond to ensure my comfort and well-being.
Her excellent bedside manner truly made a difference in my experience. She was incredibly patient, taking the time to answer all my questions and addressing any concerns I had. I never felt rushed; instead, she made me feel valued and supported throughout the recovery process.
Her attentiveness and kindness created a calming environment, which eased my anxiety significantly. It’s clear that she genuinely cares about her patients, and her dedication to providing outstanding care did not go unnoticed.
I am so grateful for the compassionate and professional support she provided. She is a true asset to the healthcare team, and I wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone in need of care. Thank you for making my recovery so much smoother!
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Strengths: The most notable strength of this hospital is the exceptional care provided by the staff. From the moment I arrived, I felt like I was the only patient in the unit. Everyone was incredibly nice and attentive, taking the time to answer all my questions thoroughly. The staff demonstrated impressive competence, and their excellent bedside manner made a significant difference in my comfort level. I never felt rushed, and they were always accessible, which greatly eased my anxiety.
Areas for Growth: While my overall experience was positive, there was a small detail that could be improved. I noticed that the trash and bio bins had not been emptied, and the restroom could have been cleaner prior to my arrival in pre-op. Maintaining cleanliness in these areas is important for patient comfort and safety.
Overall, I highly recommend this hospital for its outstanding staff and patient-centered approach, while also encouraging attention to cleanliness in the facilities. Thank you for your dedication to patient care!
When we have had follow ups with him or phone calls I can tell he [Dr. Jain] remembers us and he remembers details from my different cycles. He has personally reached out and called me/us to answer my questions and talk through my symptoms during cycles. ... Especially, when we met with him following my miscarriage. At that appointment I had a long list of questions and he sat with us and answered every single one before we left. He has always had a great level of compassion towards us and why we are there to see him.
The office [Northwestern Med] has a lot of patients and it is difficult to get consultation appointments with the RE's. The clinic has great clerical staff. They learn your names, they greet you with friendly hellos even at 6:30 am and they always wish me good luck whenever i have scheduled an IUI. The clinic is very efficient during morning monitoring times. Unless, there is a significant amount of people (i.e. after a holiday weekend) I am almost always in and out of there in 30 minutes
How was your experience with Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
He has always been supportive of my interest in trying supplementary treatment outside of just the RE world (i.e. supplements, Naturopath, acupuncture). He has been very flexible with doing things on our timeline and not his or the clinics. He has given us his honest medical opinion for treatment based on our clinical presentation. I have never felt like he was forcing us into doing certain treatments (i.e. going right to IVF after my miscarriage). He has been clear and direct with us and explained all the medical language he was using. One issue I had was when I was 3 days after my D&C when I was in significant pain due to additional clots passing. Another doctor in the clinic performed my surgery so she was the one who I saw when I went into the clinic to figure out what was going on. After, it all subsided and i passed all the tissue I heard from my nurse who I work with but I did not hear from Dr. Jain himself about the issues after my surgery.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Come in with questions. If you do your research before you will be able to get even more out of your appointment than you have to begin with.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Jain has very personable with my husband and I since our first appointment. When we have had follow ups with him or phone calls I can tell he remembers us and he remembers details from my different cycles. He has personally reached out and called me/us to answer my questions and talk through my symptoms during cycles. He has been very kind and compassionate since the first time we met him. I never felt like he was rushing us through our appointments with him. He was very patient with us. Especially, when we met with him following my miscarriage. At that appointment I had a long list of questions and he sat with us and answered every single one before we left. He has always had a great level of compassion towards us and why we are there to see him. I have felt like he completely understands this is more than just a typical medical issue that you would see your primary doctor for. He understands that infertility is more than just physical issue in the body and it is almost highly emotional and mental.
Describe the protocols Tarun Jain used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
I have done 6 IUI's up to this date. Dr. Jain's rationale for performing IUI's was because my main issue with irregular cycles due to mild PCOS. I had no other abnormal test results that indicated a more severe treatment was needed (i.e. IVF). He also had me immediately start taking 25 mcg of Synthroid to balance out my thyroid. For the IUI's, I took 5 mg of letrozole and then used the ovidrel trigger shot for each cycle. On the second IUI, my uterine lining wasn't thickening as it should have been so they put me on 10 mg of Estradiol. This was the cycle I got pregnant! I had an early miscarriage for unknown cause (genetic test showed the baby was chromosomal normal). For the following 3 IUI's, Dr. Jain had me taking 20 mg progesterone suppositories following the IUI to help assist with implantation. Throughout this process I have had to increase my Synthroid dose. After my 5th IUI (4th failed), we decided to take a break from treatments and see a Naturopath doctor. After a few months of diet change and additional testing/treatments suggested by the Naturopath we returned to Dr. Jain to discuss next treatment options. He went talked us through what IVF would look like and the pros and cons for our situation. He also talked about the pros and cons of continuing with IUI's. He was very supportive and willing to continue with IUI's because we had success. After that appointment, we decided to try more IUI's. We had our 6th IUI in March 2020 with the same treatment protocol listed above. We had set a plan with Dr. Jain for what we would do different if I got a positive pregnancy test. This included taking blood thinners to help maintain the pregnancy. Unfortunately, I did not get pregnant from that cycle. We are currently in a holding pattern right now due to COVID-19 and have not been able to start another IUI. Our plan is to try two more IUI's and see if either is successful before discussing other options.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Joyce Kane)
My nurse Joyce has been amazing. She has been an amazing communicator since the first day I met her. She will quickly return my messages through the online chart or phone call. When I was in significant pain following my D&C she was the one who got in me into the clinic to see the doctor who performed my surgery. She has been so kind and compassionate with me as well. She is the one who called me to tell me the results of the genetic test of my baby following my miscarriage. She was the one who told me the baby I lost was a boy. I could hear the sadness in her voice as she told me all this. I did not feel like she was just making another call with results to the patients. I would also like to state that all the nurses who performed my IUI's have been amazing during the procedures. They have been completely understanding of what is going on with us. They are extremely knowledgeable. When I first decided to do IUI's I thought it would be the doctor doing them. But when I found out it was the nurses I was a little hesitant because I didn't know what the norm was in a large clinic. After my first experience with the nurse performing my IUI I no longer was unsure. They have been so professional and competent and great cheerleaders every time.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
A weakness of my clinic is the size. The office has a lot of patients and it is difficult to get consultation appointments with the RE's. The clinic has great clerical staff. They learn your names, they greet you with friendly hellos even at 6:30 am and they always wish me good luck whenever i have scheduled an IUI. The clinic is very efficient during morning monitoring times. Unless, there is a significant amount of people (i.e. after a holiday weekend) I am almost always in and out of there in 30 minutes.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Our insurance did not cover any procedures. It is $709 per IUI. My Ovidrel injections cost $92. We paid co-pays per our insurance for all other appointments.
Describe Tarun Jain's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
N/A
What specific things went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
During the process of my first IUI the doctor reading my mid-cycle ultrasound and bloodwork told me I had likely ovulated already and potentially missed the chance to do the IUI. This was NOT my doctor. This was a doctor different from Dr. Jain. When we finally spoke with Dr. Jain corrected that doctor and told me I had not ovulated and we had not missed our chance for the IUI. Again, the issue was with another doctor in the clinic and also not Dr. Jain. This was unfortunately the doctor who told me I had miscarried. At that time, I did not feel like she had given us a lot of compassion or had a lot of emotion for what we were going through.
Dr. Jain listened to our concerns from our previous two IVF cycles and adjusted our protocol to help achieve our desired results (i.e. no OHSS) for our third cycle.... After my second retrieval, in which they harvested 29 eggs, my husband and I told Dr. Jain that we didn’t want to go that route again. Dr. Jain said that more eggs out better but felt for us and did what he could so that I wouldn’t produce an over abundance of eggs.
I would definitely recommend the Northwestern Fertility Clinic. Given that they’re part of the Northwestern network of hospitals, it gives me faith that I am working with top notch care givers in a top notch institution. The appointments are usually very well run and efficient. The only drawback is that since they’re such a large clinic, there is little room for flexibility. If you are unable to make it to a monitoring appointment betweem the ascribed times, you will have to wait until the next day.
How was your experience with Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
We were initially introduced to Dr. Jain during our third embryo transfer. He was kind and careful during that procedure. I ended up becoming pregnant but lost the baby nine weeks later. As an aside, it turns out that the baby had a severe case of down syndrome. In between the embryo transfer and our miscarriage, our doctor had retired and it was recommended that we meet with Dr. Jain for our follow-up appointment. Despite being a large clinic, Dr. Jain remembered performing our embryo transfer and gave his condolences several times given that we lost the baby from that transfer. We decided to move forward with Dr. Jain for our third, and hopefully last, IVF cycle. We just had our egg retrieval two day’s ago, but so far Dr. Jain has been extremely sympathetic to our situation, needs and wishes and has done whatever was in his ability to set us up for a good outcome. Most importantly, he listens to what we have to say.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
I would tell a perspective patient that they most likely won’t see Dr. Jain often but know that he is working behind the scenes and will monitor your case and implement your wishes however he can. So please speak up. Dr. Jain is there to listen and craft a plan with your assistance.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Jain listened to our concerns from our previous two IVF cycles and adjusted our protocol to help achieve our desired results (i.e. no OHSS) for our third cycle.
Describe the protocols Tarun Jain used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
I am prone to OHSS. After my second retrieval, in which they harvested 29 eggs, my husband and I told Dr. Jain that we didn’t want to go that route again. Dr. Jain said that more eggs out better but felt for us and did what he could so that I wouldn’t produce an over abundance of eggs. He put me on 75 units of Menopur and 125 units of Follistim. After five days, he reduced my Follistim dose to 100 units and we discontinued my stims after 8 days. The doctor who performed my egg retrieval, Dr. Boots, ended up getting 16 eggs of which 11 fertilized. We are much happier with this modest amount.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Dana M. Sullivan, RN)
My primary nurse, Dana Sullivan, RN, could not be a better caregiver. I have work with three different REs (the first two retired) and she has been my one constant. Dana is kind and companionate and the one that I’ve talked to when I had a positive beta and a negative beta. She also sought me out at the clinic after my miscarriage to give her condolences. She is great at what she does.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I would definitely recommend the Northwestern Fertility Clinic. Given that they’re part of the Northwestern network of hospitals, it gives me faith that I am working with top notch care givers in a top notch institution. The appointments are usually very well run and efficient. The only drawback is that since they’re such a large clinic, there is little room for flexibility. If you are unable to make it to a monitoring appointment betweem the ascribed times, you will have to wait until the next day.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The clinic down monitoring within a two hour window each morning during the early hours (6:45 to 7:45, I believe). While this doesn’t always jive with our schedule, especially with a little one at home that needs to be dropped off at daycare, once we get to the clinic, monitoring appointments usually run very smoothly. I am usually in and out within twenty minutes.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
We are lucky in that our insurance covers the procedures related to IVF. We only have to pay for medications and genetic testing. That being said, we asked Dr. Jain to send in the request for medications in December even though we weren’t doing IVF until February because we had already spent our deductible in 2018 and the medications would be free (we’ll take our small wins where we can). Dr. Jain complied but failed to order enough Follistim to cover a minimum of 8 days. What we had only covered 7 days. We had to purchase more Follistim in February because we were 75 units short and it cost us $1.5k. We will also have to pay for genetic testing, which will likely cost around $5k.
Describe Tarun Jain's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The fertility clinic as a whole has a very strict one embryo transfer policy. I’m not sure what circumstances would make the doctors change this protocol. Perhaps if the patient is over 40 and did not test their embryos they would be more willing to transfer more than one.
What specific things went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Lost appointments
Failed to consider drug intolerance
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I have had the clinic fail to order the right dose of stim medications causing me to spend an addition $1.5k for just a one day dose (100 units) of Follistim. The clinic has also failed on more than one occasion to refill my Synthroid prescription despite my requests and they have sent the prescription to the wrong pharmacy. That being said, these are minor errors in the grand scheme of things. They have never made a critical error.
Eve [Feinberg] truly listened to my husband and I, validated our concerns, and made us feel like partners in the treatment plan versus merely patients. With five failed embryo transfers and three miscarriages under my belt, I was extremely apprehensive and nervous about starting over. ... I felt that she made it her personal mission to get to the root of what was causing my recurrent miscarriages while my previous doctor chalked it up to "bad luck" and did not seem to empathize with what I was going through.
I can say that I came to NWF from a much larger clinic and their process for morning monitoring was much more organized and the staff was MUCH friendlier. A smile goes a long way when you are going through something as stressful as fertility treatments. ... I felt the nurses were top notch and extremely knowledgeable. I communicated with them almost daily through the patient portal and their responses were always warm and timely.
How was your experience with Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Eve truly listened to my husband and I, validated our concerns, and made us feel like partners in the treatment plan versus merely patients. With five failed embryo transfers and three miscarriages under my belt, I was extremely apprehensive and nervous about starting over. Eve went through my records from my previous clinic thoroughly and found numerous errors they made in medication dosing, which she guessed was having an adverse affect on the quality of our embryos. She adjusted my medications and carefully monitored me during the stimulation cycle, and after a failed first cycle adjusted further. She called me herself to let me know that that first cycle would probably not result in pregnancy and I appreciated her honesty. She said we would do things differently the next cycle. She got it right. We were successful on our second round after a short three months of active treatment, versus a year and half at my previous clinic. The only regret I have in all of this is not going to her in the first place.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Ask questions and voice any concerns you have - she will listen to you. Call today because she books up months in advance!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Eve Feinberg was the third RE I saw during my two year battle with infertility. I felt that she made it her personal mission to get to the root of what was causing my recurrent miscarriages while my previous doctor chalked it up to "bad luck" and did not seem to empathize with what I was going through. She called me multiple times throughout my treatment and was always accessible via phone or email - much more than any other doctor I worked with during treatment. She also called me personally with positive pregnancy test results and was reassuring in my concerns of another miscarriage. Eve went through IVF herself, and I found her extremely relatable and sympathetic to the entire process. For those saying that they never saw her and worked mostly with the nurses, that is how all fertility clinics are set up, so you need to expect that no matter where you are being treated. Ultimately, she is the one overseeing your care and treating you, but only expect to see your actual doctor a few times during your treatment. That's pretty standard.
Describe the protocols Eve Feinberg used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
After three miscarriages, Eve suggested an estrogen priming cycle before my first egg retrieval with her to increase the number of egg-containing follicles. She also lowered my injectable medication doses after seeing that they wreaked havoc on my embryos at my previous clinic. In addition, she added in human growth hormone to improve egg quality. That cycle did not work, but we started the next cycle immediately following my period instead of waiting an entire month to start again (like my previous doctor did). She suspected the dosing she had me on was not enough. She then increased the doses on my injectables and kept the growth hormone protocol. I produced 10 eggs that round, which is the most I had ever had. She also put me on an immune protocol after my embryos were transferred to suppress my system in case it was attacking the pregnancies. She put me on prednisone, Pepcid AC, Claritin, and baby aspirin. It seemed to do the trick because I became pregnant with twins.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Kelsey)
I felt the nurses were top notch and extremely knowledgeable. I communicated with them almost daily through the patient portal and their responses were always warm and timely.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Fertility clinics are all very similar, and it helps to know this going in. Yes, the monitoring appointments feel like a cattle call, and yes, sometimes you need to wait to be seen. This is par for the course. I can say that I came to NWF from a much larger clinic and their process for morning monitoring was much more organized and the staff was MUCH friendlier. A smile goes a long way when you are going through something as stressful as fertility treatments.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I don't know offhand but my insurance covers most of my treatment. Our costs were minimal compared to most people, and the most we paid besides medication costs was the fee to freeze and store our leftover embryos which is $1200.
Describe Eve Feinberg's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I know Eve feels strongly that eSET is the way to go in younger patients, but with my history of repeated pregnancy loss she agreed that transferring two embryos would yield the best results (despite the risks that come with a multiple pregnancy). That being said, she really takes into account your personal situation to make decisions like that.
I only saw Dr. Pavone for my initial consultation. She performed an US and blood work, and diagnosed me with PCOS based on the results. She told me at our initial meeting that she treats PCOS with 3 rounds of medicated timed intercourse and 3 rounds of medicated IUI. I never saw her again to discuss why the process may not be working or even to change my medication dosage. I felt like it was just a standard “ok you have PCOS this is the plan” but not necessarily a plan for me and my body.
At the end of our 6 IUI/medicated rounds, we decided we were unhappy overall with the care provided from northwestern and decided to switch facilities. When I contacted northwestern about obtaining results from certain procedures or labs, they gave me a hard time. Sent me to medical records who in turn said they didn’t have record of certain results and then I ultimately got sent back to the office and the nurse was able to email it to me.
How was your experience with Mary Ellen Pavone at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr Pavone is a very professional women. She spent time with me during my consult and listened to me explain my history and gave my husband and I a plan. She was knowledgeable and polite but was not warm and fuzzy. I only met her once, so I can’t really say how my experience as her patient was since I only spent one hour of my 6 month treatment course with her. I would ask questions through my nurses to her and they would be the communicators of her information. Other than the initial visit, I never felt like my condition (PCOS) was explained to me. I didn’t know why I was ovulating each month, had normal labs, responded to the medication, but wasn’t getting pregnant. No one took the time to explain that to me and when I asked they’d say “the body just sometimes doesn’t take.” Which is fine, but why?! What happens to my eggs in particular? During my IUIs I asked for a change in the planned course of medication dosage and I got shut down. Meanwhile, midcycle, I wasn’t responding to my letrozole and they decided on cycle day 20 to increase my dose and restart the whole process (just like I had suggested on cycle day 1). I feel that if Dr. Pavone saw me in the office as she walked by, she wouldn’t even know if I was her patient. Again, I didn’t have an in-depth treatment course with her- I wasn’t to the point of IVF so maybe I just wasn’t a serious enough case to be seen by a doctor, but I just felt slightly ignored and neglected and I don’t think any patient would like to feel that way.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Mary Ellen Pavone at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Be your own advocate and fight for yourself and your body. Ask for meetings and speak up with lots of questions. if your plan isn’t working, don’t just keep going along with it without knowing why.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Mary Ellen Pavone at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
I only saw Dr. Pavone for my initial consultation. She performed an US and blood work, and diagnosed me with PCOS based on the results. She told me at our initial meeting that she treats PCOS with 3 rounds of medicated timed intercourse and 3 rounds of medicated IUI. I never saw her again to discuss why the process may not be working or even to change my medication dosage. I felt like it was just a standard “ok you have PCOS this is the plan” but not necessarily a plan for me and my body. Also, The office felt very sterile. When you came in for a morning appointment, women were corralled in the hallway waiting to check in- and a women behind a computer shouted “NEXT” and then when you approached the desk she just said “NAME.” Felt very “DMV”- like. Also, each time I came in for an US , the nurse or technician wouldn’t remember why I was there- even though it should be on my chart. They would say things like “is this an US before IVF?” When it would just be my mid cycle scan.
Describe the protocols Mary Ellen Pavone used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
In regards to treatment strategies, Dr. Pavone, after diagnosing me with PCOS, decided that trialing three rounds of medicated timed intercourse followed by medicated IUIs would suite my diagnosis well. None of them were successful and we did not change the course for any of the cycles even though I asked to change medication dosage.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: It was a primary nursing team- Anitra, Syrena, and a few others whom I didnt work with frequently.)
I really enjoyed having a primary nursing team, I felt that it helped narrow down the amount of people I was communicating with. They were very responsive to my emails and I talked to them 99% of the time over my
Physician. Anitra was especially compassionate and I felt like she advocated for my care.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Strengths: they’re apart of a major hospital working on the forefront of medicine. The team of doctors and nurses are very intelligent and worked hard to get a job at the office. Labwork, US, retrieval’s, etc are all performed on location. The communication via MyChart is very easy to use and they respond to your questions within 24 hours. The office waiting room sometimes has snacks available for the patients.
Weaknesses: overalll feeling of being “just a number”. Long wait times/ unorganized format for drawing bloodwork & US, unfriendly front desk staff, and felt like a very “sterile” environment. It was also very hard for me to get ahold of medical records that I needed when I transferred doctors.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Mary Ellen Pavone at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
My care was 100% covered since my insurance it with the same hospital.
Describe Mary Ellen Pavone's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Non applicable.
What specific things went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Failed to send your chart to another clinic
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
At the end of our 6 IUI/medicated rounds, we decided we were unhappy overall with the care provided from northwestern and decided to switch facilities. When I contacted northwestern about obtaining results from certain procedures or labs, they gave me a hard time. Sent me to medical records who in turn said they didn’t have record of certain results and then I ultimately got sent back to the office and the nurse was able to email it to me. I was confused as to why she couldn’t do that for me in the first place instead of giving me the run around. This wasted time and created unnecessary stress on myself and my husband. Also, I needed a certain cycle to be submitted to insurance so that I could get my IVF covered. I left multiple messages with the northwestern care team asking them to submit the information to insurance and got no response for weeks. When I finally got a response, I was told my primary financial coordinator had left the practice “months ago.” While this is fine that someone leaves a job position, it is not fine that my messages were still being sent and taken but no one was responding. I don’t understand how you leave a job and don’t let your patients know who they should contact now that you’ve left. Not only was I unhappy with the care while I was there, but now they’re ruining my chances with my new clinic. I ended up going to medical records myself and making my own copies for my new facility.
Dr. Feinberg has always led with compassion...made me feel welcome and comfortable; it was as if I'd been her patient for years...always very thorough with her explanation of treatment...When results came back not as expected, she was right there with me to talk me through all of our options and next steps.
[Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine] is organized and efficient...is a larger practice...didn't always see the same nurse during IVF treatments...always felt cared for regardless of who I spoke to...able to contact my nurses via MyChart...would always get responses to my IVF-related questions within an hour or two
How was your experience with Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
I was referred to Dr. Feinberg by my Cardiologist, and I couldn't have selected a better provider for myself. From my very initial appointment, Dr. Feinberg made me feel welcome and comfortable; it was as if I'd been her patient for years. She spoke with compassion, and was driven to help my husband and I build our family. She was always very thorough with her explanation of treatment and made me feel at ease throughout the entire process. When results came back not as expected, she was right there with me to talk me through all of our options and next steps. While I have not found a gestational carrier yet, I look forward to continuing our journey to parenthood under Dr. Feinberg's care.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
There is nothing to worry about under Dr. Feinberg's care; you are in great hands!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Feinberg has always led with compassion, which makes her someone so easy to talk with. Her job of working with couples who struggle to conceive is not easy, yet she talks and delivers information so sensitively, while also showing so much compassion and desire to want to find a solution that leads to family building.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The clinic is organized and efficient. It is a larger practice, so I didn't always see the same nurse during IVF treatments, but I always felt cared for regardless of who I spoke to. I am forever grateful for being able to contact my nurses via MyChart, and I would always get responses to my IVF-related questions within an hour or two. It felt nice knowing my questions would be answered almost real-time.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I don't recall the exact costs.
Describe Eve Feinberg's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I have not reached the transfer part of my treatment yet.
I’ve been with Dr Pavone since miscarriage 2 (I’ve had five) and I continue to feel like I am in the best care. She advocates for me with scheduling and has often added me in her schedule for a procedures when I’ve needed to get in quicker...I am always able to get a response when I message her and able to get in to do a tele appointment when I need to...We did IVF to do genetic testing after four miscarriages. Two of which we knew were for genetic abnormalities so it was pretty straight forward that we were looking to transfer a genetically normal embryo
Ultrasound techs [at Northwester Fertility & Reproductive Medicine] have asked if I would like the monitor turned off knowing what we are going to look at is empty, the clinic manager has called me personally to get me in for a d&c the next day knowing how important that is. Sometimes the front desk staff are not able to schedule with wiggle room, but that isn’t cause they are being mean it’s cause that’s what they see in peoples schedules...
How was your experience with Mary Ellen Pavone at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
I’ve been with Dr Pavone since miscarriage 2 (I’ve had five) and I continue to feel like I am in the best care. She advocates for me with scheduling and has often added me in her schedule for a procedures when I’ve needed to get in quicker. She knows my history, and knows what I’m going to get stuck on when we talk about next steps. She lets me go deep into the science of what we are doing and I really feel like it’s a partnership that I have full confidence in her care.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Mary Ellen Pavone at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Make sure to message and use mycharts when you have questions or need to advocate for yourself. Doctors and clinics can’t read your mind. The schedulers job is to protect doctors schedules, but if you message her she’ll get you in when you ask.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Mary Ellen Pavone at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Though the clinic is busy, and that Dr Pavone has days where she is in surgery, I am always able to get a response when I message her and able to get in to do a tele appointment when I need to. I always feel like she explains all my many questions and that our plan is unique to me even though I’m not your typical patient at a reproductive clinic (since I haven’t needed intervention to get pregnant).
Describe the protocols Mary Ellen Pavone used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
For my one IVF cycle: The cycle before we did priming with estrogen tablets. After monitoring with labs and ultrasound I started on Gonal F and Menopur. I would go in for morning monitoring either every morning or ever few mornings. My dosage would change with what labs told said and I started Ganirelix on day 5/6 (I can’t remember). When it was determined I was ready I was instructed to do trigger! With Novarel and Lupron at a specific time. We got 14 eggs, 13 matured, 11 were fertilized, and 5 embryos and 3 being tested as genetically normal.
I also got pregnant under her care without any interventions two other times (and two times before I became her patient)
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: It was Jessica and now it’s Mimi)
Dr Pavone has a nurse who does most of the communication with IVF cycles (updating what my labs were for the day and what meds for that night) along with meds and stuff like they for procedures. There is an office staff that does scheduling and calls when they get the request from Dr Pavone. There is also a scheduler who does just procedures both in the office and at Prentice Hospital.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The relationship that the clinic has with Prentice is key. When I’ve needed to get in for a procedure I’ve always been able to get in. The clinic is busy, and COVID really shut things down and made time lines everyone hard and yet I have been able to start and get appointments when I needed to, but it does take some advocacy to do so. By the time you get to their office everyone has a story, and the staff their knows it and are very aware of how to work with people who are at such a hard stage in the process to become parents. Ultrasound techs have asked if I would like the monitor turned off knowing what we are going to look at is empty, the clinic manager has called me personally to get me in for a d&c the next day knowing how important that is. Sometimes the front desk staff are not able to schedule with wiggle room, but that isn’t cause they are being mean it’s cause that’s what they see in peoples schedules. I often feel like it’s a team process there because it is. There might be busy days, but I think you have to give some grace because everyone I interact with there cares for all the patients.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Mary Ellen Pavone at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
A round of IVF out of pocket (all monitoring and retrieval) is $11,000 with a transfer it’s $15,000 and I believe an out of pocket transfer is $3,000 or $5,000 I can’t remember. Then medications are on top of that.
Describe Mary Ellen Pavone's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
We did IVF to do genetic testing after four miscarriages. Two of which we knew were for genetic abnormalities so it was pretty straight forward that we were looking to transfer a genetically normal embryo.
What specific things went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I’ve had very minor communication errors when protocols have changes and when I notice them they are cleared up right away. The one that stand out is how the prescription for priming was written was different than the instructions in my my charts. I asked about it and it was responded to right away.
It was really frustrating that Dr. Jungheim tried, essentially, the same protocol on us over and over again with the same results, and after our 3rd IVF cycle we were met with "I'm not sure what else I can do for you."...very personable and kind...For our third IVF cycle, we did the standard Folistim/ Menopur stim again. I got 23 eggs that time, but again had low maturation rates. We only ended up with one embryo, which we transferred fresh. It didn't work...
the staff (phlebotomists, sonographers, front desk, etc) in the Northwestern clinic was very hit or miss...They're not willing to do out of the box treatment like HGH or steroids (both of which have been helpful for me at our new clinic) and their operations are a nightmare. 6 months to get into the clinic and then an additional 3 to wait for IVF once you're admitted? Parking is also expensive...
How was your experience with Emily Jungheim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
It was really frustrating that Dr. Jungheim tried, essentially, the same protocol on us over and over again with the same results, and after our 3rd IVF cycle we were met with "I'm not sure what else I can do for you."
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Emily Jungheim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
I'd stay away from Northwestern.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Emily Jungheim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Jungheim is very personable and kind. However, the staff (phlebotomists, sonographers, front desk, etc) in the Northwestern clinic was very hit or miss.
Describe the protocols Emily Jungheim used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
We did 4 medicated (Letrozole) IUIs - none worked.
For our first IVF cycle we used a very standard Folistim/ Menopur stim and Letrozole + HGC trigger. I produced a lot of eggs - 33 in total - but had really low maturation rates, and we only ended up with one low quality embryo available the day of transfer (she was very pro-fresh transfer), and then an additional one to freeze that had matured the day after.
We did a frozen transfer with Estrace prep/ stim, and it didn't take.
For our second IVF cycle, she pulled my stim meds down, but pulled them too far down and our cycle was cancelled. I somehow went from creating 33 follicles, to just 3... so something was clearly off with my meds. She advised that we do an IUI in order to make it not a total loss. It didn't work.
For our third IVF cycle, we did the standard Folistim/ Menopur stim again. I got 23 eggs that time, but again had low maturation rates. We only ended up with one embryo, which we transferred fresh. It didn't work.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Katherine)
The nurses at Northwestern are pretty good - everyone was nice, but I rarely communicated with anyone other than via the portal so it's kind of impersonal.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Stay away from Northwestern. They're not willing to do out of the box treatment like HGH or steroids (both of which have been helpful for me at our new clinic) and their operations are a nightmare. 6 months to get into the clinic and then an additional 3 to wait for IVF once you're admitted? Parking is also expensive. AND they still require two separate COVID tests per IVF cycle, one before you start stim and one before egg retrieval, that you must take at the hospital. No other clinics in the city are requiring this, and it's a huge pain.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Emily Jungheim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
We're lucky enough to have insurance that covered nearly everything.
What specific things went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Provided conflicting information
Canceled a cycle due to clinic error
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Getting prescriptions filled was always a hassle. Rude staff. Owned by the Northwestern machine, you're just a number and a bank account.
Just be prepared for straight to the point discussion of your treatment, next steps, etc. This doesn't mean rushed or no time for questions, but she is very straightforward...We are going down what I would consider a very nontraditional route to build our family, but with Dr. Kim's experience and expertise, she made me feel like this is a very normal procedure that many people do. We had a devastating diagnosis, yet she didn't harp on that and just focused on the future...
The [Northwestern Fertility] nursing staff has been wonderful. Everyone has been so friendly and great to work with. I especially appreciate their quick response on the internal messaging system...I've never felt stressed about booking my appointments and am so happy with the flexibility and availability with scheduling. I've also never experienced a long wait or delay for one of my appointments or procedures, which I appreciate given my work schedule
How was your experience with Helen Kim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Kim has been great to work with thus far. We are still undergoing treatment, so I don't have an ending yet, but in terms of our experience up to this point, we are satisfied with our treatment. She definitely gets straight to the point (which some people may not like), but for me, and especially in our specific situation, I really appreciated that. We are going down what I would consider a very nontraditional route to build our family, but with Dr. Kim's experience and expertise, she made me feel like this is a very normal procedure that many people do. We had a devastating diagnosis, yet she didn't harp on that and just focused on the future. I'm excited to see how the rest of the treatments pan out.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Helen Kim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Just be prepared for straight to the point discussion of your treatment, next steps, etc. This doesn't mean rushed or no time for questions, but she is very straightforward.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Helen Kim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Northwestern certainly treats a lot of patients, and they do so efficiently. I didn't feel like "just a number" but I also understood the need to keep a consistent schedule to assist all patients in a timely manner. I've never felt rushed and my questions were always answered.
Describe the protocols Helen Kim used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
We are starting with medicated IUI for 3 cycles, then moving to IVF if we do not have success. This includes 50mg Clomid along with an Ovidrel shot. We are currently in our first IUI cycle, and expect to adjust as necessary depending on the results.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The nursing staff has been wonderful. Everyone has been so friendly and great to work with. I especially appreciate their quick response on the internal messaging system - I always get quick replies whenever I have a question.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
This clinic does a wonderful job with scheduling. I've never felt stressed about booking my appointments and am so happy with the flexibility and availability with scheduling. I've also never experienced a long wait or delay for one of my appointments or procedures, which I appreciate given my work schedule. They certainly do service a lot of patients, so I've felt that the appointments move quickly, though that doesn't mean rushed. There is always time to ask questions where you want or need.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Helen Kim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
It's difficult to answer this right now as we're still in the middle of treatment. We are also very fortunate to have our costs subsidized by insurance.
Describe Helen Kim's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Dr. Feinberg impressed me right away with her knowledge of my unique medical history because she had done the homework of not only reading my file but connecting with others on my care team...perfect combination of kind and gentle yet confident and direct
strengths [of Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine] include: facilities, communication, online portal, ease of scheduling...Weaknesses include: I did have some bad experiences communicating with the financial department - difficult to get ahold of, confusing process in my opinion
How was your experience with Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Feinberg impressed me right away with her knowledge of my unique medical history because she had done the homework of not only reading my file but connecting with others on my care team. That made me feel like I could trust her. She also shared her personal story with me which was unnecessary but appreciated. It gave me the feeling that she truly understood what I was going through. Dr. Feinberg is also the perfect combination of kind and gentle yet confident and direct. I’ll always remember her warm smile when she dismissed us from fertility care when we were pregnant with our first child. She said “see you next time” knowing that we’d be back in a few years to grow our family, which we did. The second time around was familiar, comfortable, and relatively stress free because I already knew I was in good hands with Dr. Feinberg.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Ask all of your questions.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Feinberg proved to me that she had taken the time to get to know my story thoroughly. That was my first impression. And when we had a failed transfer, she personally called me about an hour after the nurse’s call just to offer her condolences, assure me that it was nothing I had done wrong, and that we were going to try again. She probably does that with everyone, but what mattered to me in that moment is that I felt cared for.
Describe the protocols Eve Feinberg used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
My first ever embryo transfer was unsuccessful. Dr. Feinberg said that it could have been for a variety of reasons, but she thought that thickening the lining of my uterus might help in the next attempt. So we worked on that in the second round, which resulted in a successful pregnancy. When I came back for baby number 2, we followed the exact same protocol and that resulted in another successful pregnancy.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The nursing staff are the ones most available to answer all questions. I had a few scares and they always connected with me immediately and made me feel like I was listened to, like my concerns were valid, and that they were going to take good care of me.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
strengths include: facilities, communication, online portal, ease of scheduling
Weaknesses include: I did have some bad experiences communicating with the financial department - difficult to get ahold of, confusing process in my opinion
Describe the costs associated with your care under Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Over $5,000
Describe Eve Feinberg's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Dr. Feinberg explained very clearly to us why in some cases it makes sense to transfer multiple embryos and why it doesn’t in others, we were the latter. I appreciated that explanation.
[Dr. Pavone] was very direct and answered all my questions about IUI in detail, she provided a lot of statistics and didn’t set me up with inaccurate expectations but was also kind and listened well. My partner and I felt heard and comfortable as a queer couple seeking fertility support. She connected us to detailed information of sperm banks, financial information and how she would continue working with us and be available through the process.
[Northwestern Fertility is] Organized, easy to access, kind, informative. They provided all information; plan, insurance, financial possibility’s from the first appointment. Within in the clinic I have been able to access all the care and resources I need; front office/scheduling, financial/insurance counselor, psychologist, lab and specimen storage, delivery of sperm coordination, fertility provider, nursing staff.
How was your experience with Mary Ellen Pavone at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
She was very direct and answered all my questions about IUI in detail, she provided a lot of statistics and didn’t set me up with inaccurate expectations but was also kind and listened well. My partner and I felt heard and comfortable as a queer couple seeking fertility support. She connected us to detailed information of sperm banks, financial information and how she would continue working with us and be available through the process.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Mary Ellen Pavone at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Be ready for direct information, she is kind, but ready to get to business.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Mary Ellen Pavone at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
At my initial consultation she was clear, direct, personable, kind, but kept to business and was thorough.
Describe the protocols Mary Ellen Pavone used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
We started with the initial round of IUI without medications as my labs (TSH, AMH, routine screening labs), ovarian count via ultrasound and fallopian tube were without concern, she said we could discuss use of medications if after 3-6 cycles I was not pregnant but she thought it was quite likely I would get pregnant in that time.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Kendall)
She has been very quick to answer my questions, often 1-2hr response, with details and kindness.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Organized, easy to access, kind, informative. They provided all information; plan, insurance, financial possibility’s from the first appointment. Within in the clinic I have been able to access all the care and resources I need; front office/scheduling, financial/insurance counselor, psychologist, lab and specimen storage, delivery of sperm coordination, fertility provider, nursing staff.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Mary Ellen Pavone at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Majority covered by insurance, about 20% out of pocket, this was informed to me upfront prior to any treatments.
Dr. Kim would call me back when I had questions and show empathy for bad news...I felt like a thorough examination of my condition was not monitored early on and could have saved me a lot of resources and energy...I would like to have all information and make my own decision in regards to my treatment. There was another time I had to point out that my medication dosage was to be increased for the 2nd iui according to our treatment plan
NW is reputable and the clinic is very popular. Communication with easy with mychart. Virtual office visits were good. The attention to detail is lacking and treatment plans should be more thorough before a patient invests a lot of time and resources...I spent approximately $1900 for IUIs and medication (plus another HSG). Each IUI was $700 out of pocket and my medications were about $120. My monitoring procedures were covered by my insurance.
How was your experience with Helen Kim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Kim would call me back when I had questions and show empathy for bad news. However, I was upset that I completed two IUIs and was told that a cyst and fluid would be monitored. It wasn’t until my second IUI failed and I contacted her that she mentioned the cyst and fluid were still present. Because of the cyst and fluid, she was concerned my tubes were blocked and recommended I have another hsg completed. Previously, my obgyn said my tubes were open when I first took a hsg and I attempted to retrieve the images for Dr. Kim as she said she could not locate them. I completed another hsg and was diagnosed with Hydrosalpinges. I felt destroyed because I felt like a thorough examination of my condition was not monitored early on and could have saved me a lot of resources and energy.
In addition, I felt like I had to review notes and ask questions in order to get my “plan”/“”case” reassessed. For example, I asked about being placed on birth control to try to prevent the cyst from growing further. Dr. Kim informed me that she did not tell me about this treatment as most clients want to try naturally when they take time off. I would like to have all information and make my own decision in regards to my treatment. There was another time I had to point out that my medication dosage was to be increased for the 2nd iui according to our treatment plan. I lost a lot of trust and confidence with Dr. Kim after these instances and the failure to get a hsg completed or request/retrieve the prior hsg images before having me complete any IUIs.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Helen Kim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Make sure you review all notes and do your research beforehand. Do not be afraid to advocate for yourself and speak up.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Helen Kim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
The people in the office were nice and would have conversations with me. Most of my interactions were with the nurses or other staff members.
Describe the protocols Helen Kim used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
The plan was to do 3 IUIs, then IVF. After two failed IUIs, I messaged Dr. Kim and she decided to do further testing to determine why I continued to have a cyst and fluid in my ultrasounds. I had to redo an HSG as she could not locate the previous HSG that was completed at NW.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
They were nice but failed to consult after visit notes about dosage for my 2nd IUI cycle. Not sure if this was a missed part on behalf or the nurses or Dr. Kim.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
NW is reputable and the clinic is very popular. Communication with easy with mychart. Virtual office visits were good.
The attention to detail is lacking and treatment plans should be more thorough before a patient invests a lot of time and resources.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Helen Kim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I spent approximately $1900 for IUIs and medication (plus another HSG). Each IUI was $700 out of pocket and my medications were about $120. My monitoring procedures were covered by my insurance.
Describe Helen Kim's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
N/A
What specific things went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Upon intake, there should have been a request for images of my hsg test before having me complete any IUIs. I should have been informed about the progress of the cyst and fluid.
[Dr. Helen Kim is] very willing to answer questions, so ask all the questions you have...Compassionate, knowledgeable, experienced. Able to assess situation and offer course of action, adapt it as needed, and offer recommended courses of action...since we were doing genetic testing and freezing [she] suggested eSET...We did multiple rounds of IVF. The dosages of the shots, and supplements were adjusted during various cycles
[Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine is] Very organized, well-run, clean, meticulous attention to detail. Have 1 location in downtown Chicago and 2 suburban locations in the north and northwest suburbs. Made life easier to have flexibility regarding locations for monitoring...nurses help you through the process with compassion and care...reception staff remember your name and chat with you when you arrive for your appointment...Through the use of Northwestern’s medical app they have a very short response time to all kinds of questions
How was your experience with Helen Kim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Compassionate, knowledgeable, experienced. Able to assess situation and offer course of action, adapt it as needed, and offer recommended courses of action. She was recommended by multiple friends from different circles, all of whom also happen to be in the medical field. Highly recommend Dr. Kim and her team.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Helen Kim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
She’s very willing to answer questions, so ask all the questions you have. If you have exhausted your questions ask what else she thinks you should know.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Helen Kim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Kim, her colleagues, nurses and staff have been wonderful. They go out of their way to be kind and compassionate while providing medical care. They tailor your care to your specific needs. They provide information and keep you up to date. Through the use of Northwestern’s medical app they have a very short response time to all kinds of questions.
Describe the protocols Helen Kim used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
Wish I could be more specific but it all blurs together. We did multiple rounds of IVF. The dosages of the shots, and supplements were adjusted during various cycles. We also did genetic testing. We’re still in the process but so far highly recommend them.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Jessica )
As I said earlier, amazing, compassionate, caring kind. It’s the little things along the way that make a difference, like how delicate the needle pokes are for your blood test, or how gentle the ultrasound technician is during your test, the way nurses help you through the process with compassion and care, or how the reception staff remember your name and chat with you when you arrive for your appointment. We could not have chosen a better team. Thank you all!
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Very organized, well-run, clean, meticulous attention to detail. Have 1 location in downtown Chicago and 2 suburban locations in the north and northwest suburbs. Made life easier to have flexibility regarding locations for monitoring. Again, highly recommend.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Helen Kim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
This will be case specific based on someone’s insurance coverage, so for this one contact the clinic and ask their finance counselors to check your insurance coverage and let you know your specifics.
Describe Helen Kim's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
This will be patient and situation specific, but in our situation, especially since we were doing genetic testing and freezing Dr. Kim suggested eSET.
Dr. Goldman has been amazing during our infertility journey. We met her for a consultation the day after my 40th birthday. She has been informative, comforting, and encouraging. She has been thorough in presenting us with all our options, making sure we understand next steps and available to answer questions that arise along the way.
The Northwestern Medicine Fertility and Reproductive Medicine Clinic is great! They are knowledgeable, kind, patient, and provide hope. They have made this process less scary and eased our anxiety along the way. One drawback would be the wait time for scheduling appointments with your doctor. ... The monitoring appointments were convenient and occurred before work hours. The process was efficient and smoothly ran.
How was your experience with Kara Goldman at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Goldman has been amazing during our infertility journey. We met her for a consultation the day after my 40th birthday. She has been informative, comforting, and encouraging. She has been thorough in presenting us with all our options, making sure we understand next steps and available to answer questions that arise along the way. Most recently after our stimulation process did not produce the results we were hoping for, she scheduled a telehealth appointment (due to COVID-19) to check-in with us to ensure we were okay. She gives us hope that they process will eventually work!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kara Goldman at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Any prospective patient would be in great hands with Dr. Goldman. I would recommend scheduling in advance as she is often booked.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kara Goldman at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Goldman took the time to explain our options (IUI, IVF) and answered our many questions during our consultation and subsequent appointments. She has been comforting while providing us with realistic and sensitive information. She has been able to ease our anxieties during this whole process and has given us hope for a child(ren).
Describe the protocols Kara Goldman used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
We completed two IUI cycles. I was prescribed Clomid for 5 days and then an Ovidrel injection. Neither IUI cycle resulted in pregnancy. We have gone through one round of egg stimulation and retrieval thus far. We have not been able to do another cycle of stimulation nor transfer due to the COVID 19 emergency. Due to my age, I was prescribed high doses of stimulation medications to retrieve as many eggs as possible. ( Gonal F 300 units/day; Menopur 150 units/day; Ganirelix 250 mg; Ovidrel 250 mg as the trigger shot). The egg stimulation resulted in 12 eggs retrieved. 10 of the eggs fertilized and we had 4 embryos created. Due to my age, genetic testing was recommended. After the genetic testing was complete, we have 1 healthy embryo for eventual transfer.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The nursing staff are warm, compassionate, and uplifting. They have been responsive to any and all questions presented to them.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The Northwestern Medicine Fertility and Reproductive Medicine Clinic is great! They are knowledgeable, kind, patient, and provide hope. They have made this process less scary and eased our anxiety along the way. One drawback would be the wait time for scheduling appointments with your doctor.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The monitoring appointments were convenient and occurred before work hours. The process was efficient and smoothly ran.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kara Goldman at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
My insurance coverage for fertility medications is a $10,000 lifetime allotment and 10% out of pocket copay. I went through this allotment very fast and the copay amount was pretty high. The Northwestern Medicine Specialty Pharmacy was willing to work with me and my insurance to maximize the most insurance coverage and less the out of pocket expense. The clinic has a $2,095 payment for embryo storage that is due before the stimulation process can begin. We spent just over $3500 for medication copays, medications, and genetic testing. Thus in total our out of pocket cost for the egg stimulation/retrieval is over $5,600. We will have to pay out of pocket for any further medication associated with the embryo transfer and if we would like to pursue another round of egg stimulation/retrieval. Unfortunately, we were informed that there is no financial assistance available for us during this process through Northwester Medicine nor EMD Serrano as we do not qualify financially :(
Describe Kara Goldman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Dr. Goldman recommended a single embryo transfer to ensure the likelihood of a successful, healthy pregnancy.
Dr. Bernardi never rushed our appointments, answered all of our questions, and delivered honest information in a kind and supportive manner. ... She was happy to try new things and was willing to work with my Reproductive Immunologist. ... She is empathetic, quick to respond to emails, and has a very caring demeanor. (We love her!) ...
NW [Northwestern Medicine] does have an onsite financial advisor who is extremely helpful when dealing with insurance and payment. ... The weekend staff for monitoring is outsourced which means many have no idea who you are nor, do they seem to care. I have left in tears many times from weekend monitoring appointments. During the week, the staff is amazing though and the women at the front desk are some of the most marvelous people you could ever meet!
How was your experience with Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Bernardi made us feel instantly at ease. She explained things thoroughly and answered our millions of questions with kindness and expertise. She was happy to try new things and was willing to work with my Reproductive Immunologist.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Do your research and be your own advocate. If you have multiple losses, seek out a reputable Reproductive Immunologist to work with Dr. Bernardi. If you have unexplained infertility, insist upon the ReceptivaDX to test for the biomarker for endometriosis.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Bernardi never rushed our appointments, answered all of our questions, and delivered honest information in a kind and supportive manner. She is empathetic, quick to respond to emails, and has a very caring demeanor. (We love her!)
Describe the protocols Lia Bernardi used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
Dr. Bernardi did every test (except for ones related to immunology). Based on my AMH, it was determined that have diminished ovarian reserve. Therefore she did not want to over suppress my ovaries. My standard treatment for medicated cycles was:
350 Gonal F
Trigger: 250 Ovidrel
When that didn't produce more than 2 follicles, we tried Menopur and Estrogen priming but got poorer results.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Dana)
Dana our Nurse is like family! She is there for us at any time and we really feel that she is rooting for us. She is so quick to get back to us and is so compassionate and understanding.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Northwestern is a very large clinic so expect a cattle call kind of office. Sometimes there is standing room only in the waiting area. The weekend staff for monitoring is outsourced which means many have no idea who you are nor, do they seem to care. I have left in tears many times from weekend monitoring appointments. During the week, the staff is amazing though and the women at the front desk are some of the most marvelous people you could ever meet!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Thankfully, our insurance covered everything except the ReceptivaDX test. NW does have an onsite financial advisor who is extremely helpful when dealing with insurance and payment.
Dr. Goldman never made me feel rushed or embarrassed to ask questions, she understands this is a sensitive journey and she wants you to be as comfortable as possible. ... She is positive, but doesn't sugar coat the situation you are in dealing with infertility but she provides you with hope. I feel safe in her care and I trust her to take care of me throughout this journey.
Advocate for yourself and your appointments that are needed when scheduling. The scheduling team [at Northwestern Medicine] isn't always the same as the nursing staff so be sure to clarify what you need to schedule to ensure that it gets taken care of. They are all organized and timely. ... She [Dr. Goldman] believes you should only transfer one embryo because it's the safest option for me, and I trust this and want this as well!
How was your experience with Kara Goldman at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Goldman is amazing. She cares deeply for her patients, and really makes you feel like you are on this journey together. She is positive, but doesn't sugar coat the situation you are in dealing with infertility but she provides you with hope. I feel safe in her care and I trust her to take care of me throughout this journey.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kara Goldman at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Ask as many questions as you want, and if you don't understand something ask for clarification. Dr. Goldman never made me feel rushed or embarrassed to ask questions, she understands this is a sensitive journey and she wants you to be as comfortable as possible.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kara Goldman at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Goldman has amazing bed side manner, she always looks you in the eye, speaks to you with kindness and directness, and is always very prepared for your appointments. When I had a miscarriage, she was the one to tell me and I will never forget the kindness and compassion she showed me on that horrible day.
Describe the protocols Kara Goldman used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
I had two IUIs with clomid and tigger shot, one ending in a miscarriage at 8 weeks. She got me in the very next day the day before Thanksgiving for a D&C. Then, we tried two more IUIs with Clomid and trigger shot, both ending in a negative pregnancy. We are going to start IVF as soon as the coronoavirus settles down.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Kait)
Amazing!
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Advocate for yourself and your appointments that are needed when scheduling. The scheduling team isn't always the same as the nursing staff so be sure to clarify what you need to schedule to ensure that it gets taken care of. They are all organized and timely.
Describe Kara Goldman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
She believes you should only transfer one embryo because it's the safest option for me, and I trust this and want this as well!
Dr. Boots first went through our situation, took time to understand our story, as we seen clinics in Guam and San Diego with no success, then she explained and present diagrams of all options, after getting an HSG test and a sonohysterogram, I was diagnosed with tube blockage and will have surgery to get my tube removed and with that Dr. Boots explained IVF will be one of the only options left. So she explained the procedure and set us up with
The location [Northwestern Medicine] is awesome yet private. You will be tended to in a very professional manner. They will tend to your situation if one arises such as rescheduling and being a little late due to traffic or anything else. They are passionate about what they do and it shows. ... [Nursing staff] Many strengths, for the start you can tell they are well in tune with their work. They embody what a team is and help each other out. They are welcoming to every patient that walks in and provide information and explain everything.
How was your experience with Christina E. Boots at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Boots was welcoming from the first appointment and very comfortable, I didn't feel rushed in my decision like my two previous doctors, she was very compassionate and made my husband feel included also. My husband has mentioned that he feels very happy with her and feels like we can come out with a baby of our own at the end of our journey. Dr. Boots suggest numerous options and explained every single step and recommended us for grants and she also is great at following up. For a military family always getting stationed in different places, I highly recommend Dr. Boots so far throughout our journey. I'll even go as far as after we have our child and in a few year if we are stationed somewhere else, we will come back to her as she is the most efficient and professional doctor we had so far.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christina E. Boots at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
I would tell my friends or anybody looking to start a family with help that you will feel welcomed and don't worry about being rushed with your appointment like most doctors will. She will explain everything even draw out diagrams to help further explain various examples and/or situations. She looks at all angles and will assist you in coming up with a plan. As a military family, we appreciate her so much as our schedule is never routine. She will work around your schedule.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christina E. Boots at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
She took her time in explaining the process and tests that we would have to do. Dr. Boots was very compassionate and heard and answered every question we had. She didn't rush us and took her time.
Describe the protocols Christina E. Boots used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
Dr. Boots first went through our situation, took time to understand our story, as we seen clinics in Guam and San Diego with no success, then she explained and present diagrams of all options, after getting an HSG test and a sonohysterogram, I was diagnosed with tube blockage and will have surgery to get my tube removed and with that Dr. Boots explained IVF will be one of the only options left. So she explained the procedure and set us up with a financial counselor to explain the process. Within, our first two visits we had a game plan with the route we were going to go without the financial plan yet. We are still waiting on the results.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Many strengths, for the start you can tell they are well in tune with their work. They embody what a team is and help each other out. They are welcoming to every patient that walks in and provide information and explain everything. All of the staff will greet you and care to you and they even remember specifics as in family members, for example, I just adopted my sister-in-law while in Guam before I transferred to my new duty station and the fact they remember and asked how she is doing is awesome and makes us feel welcomed. They always thank my husband for his service in the military and he appreciates that as well.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The location is awesome yet private. You will be tended to in a very professional manner. They will tend to your situation if one arises such as rescheduling and being a little late due to traffic or anything else. They are passionate about what they do and it shows. I am sure they deal with some difficult patients at one time or another yet you can tell their cohesiveness helps them function as one.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Christina E. Boots at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Since we are in the military, Tricare allows us to see her and get certain services completed but does not cover IVF or IUI so she recommended various grants and yet the visits, bloodwork, and other procedures were covered by insurance.
Describe Christina E. Boots's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Dr. Boots explained the cost and differences between the single and multiple embryo process. She went step by step and explained the different processes.
Dr. Jain is more than happy to discuss your case with you and answer any questions. It’s difficult to see Dr.Jain outside of the scheduled consultations given the size of the clinic...is a great, compassionate doctor. I only with he would have changed our protocol much earlier than he did. He waited for three failed cycles before changing anything...One transfer resulted in a miscarriage of a chromosomally abnormal embryo despite the PGS resting. The other PGS tested embryo resulted in a negative beta. After that round we changed our protocol to transfer two Day 3 embryos. That transfer resulted in a chemical pregnancy.
Please be sure to advocate for yourself [at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine]. Understand that you’ll be seeing the other doctors at the practice much more often than your specific doctor...Dana is a wonderful nurse and caregiver. She is always quick to respond to questions and requests and is compassionate to my situation and any setbacks...Monitoring appointments were quick and easy! Results and any changes to protocol were provided later in the day via secure email.
How was your experience with Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Jain is a great, compassionate doctor. I only with he would have changed our protocol much earlier than he did. He waited for three failed cycles before changing anything. That being said, it is my understanding that he is one of the best doctors at Northwestern and in the area in general.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Please be sure to advocate for yourself. Understand that you’ll be seeing the other doctors at the practice much more often than your specific doctor
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Jain is more than happy to discuss your case with you and answer any questions. It’s difficult to see Dr.Jain outside of the scheduled consultations given the size of the clinic.
Describe the protocols Tarun Jain used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
I respond very well to the meds and create a lot of eggs. I am always on the lowest doses of Menopur and Follistim. My problem is that I don’t produce high quality embryos so after three rounds we only produced two PGS tested Day 6 embryos. One transfer resulted in a miscarriage of a chromosomally abnormal embryo despite the PGS resting. The other PGS tested embryo resulted in a negative beta. After that round we changed our protocol to transfer two Day 3 embryos. That transfer resulted in a chemical pregnancy.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Dana Sullivan )
Dana is a wonderful nurse and caregiver. She is always quick to respond to questions and requests and is compassionate to my situation and any setbacks. She also is happy to celebrate any small victories with me.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The clinic is one of the best in the area but is very large and any appointments are scheduled far in advance. Also expect to see a different doctor for each medical appointment. The nurses are the patients main points of contact.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Monitoring appointments were quick and easy! Results and any changes to protocol were provided later in the day via secure email.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
We’re luck that insurance covers the medical procedures associated with IVF. We have to pay out of pocket for medications (approximately $7k) and genetic testing (approximately $3k) per round of IVF.
Describe Tarun Jain's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I’m happy to do eSETs but understand that transferring two Day 3 embryos, given my history of poor quality embryos, was the right choice.
Dr. Bernardi has always listened to me and considered my opinions in every decision. She sees me for who I am, and doesn’t just have a protocol she uses for everyone...[she] is excellent when it comes to evaluating transfer determinations based on the individual patient...Don’t expect to see your doctor during all of your MANY ultrasound and lab appointments.
I love Northwestern because it runs in a “team” patient care model — meaning, you have an entire team, not just one doctor. However, that also means you may not see your doctor all the time or very often...every time I message my doctor/nurse on MyCharts, they message back very quickly...never had a medication or scheduling or medical issue arise that wasn’t fixed within a few hours simply by my sending a quick and easy MyCharts message
How was your experience with Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
She is kind, considerate and caring. She has always taken my opinions and requests into consideration while forming my treatment. I have a lot of worries, and every time I speak to her I feel much better! I’ve seen 2 other RE’s and she is by far the best RE I’ve ever seen by a long shot!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
I love Northwestern because it runs in a “team” patient care model — meaning, you have an entire team, not just one doctor. However, that also means you may not see your doctor all the time or very often. My advice is to simply ASK for an appointment with your RE whenever you want one — either in person or TeleHealth appointments — and you can get one! Don’t expect to see your doctor during all of your MANY ultrasound and lab appointments.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Bernardi has always listened to me and considered my opinions in every decision. She sees me for who I am, and doesn’t just have a protocol she uses for everyone. Her nurses are also good about taking my opinions into consideration with my treatment.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Nurse Krista )
All nurses and coordinating staff have been great. They always respond to my (many!) MyCharts messages, and call me back when appropriate. They are well organized and I’ve never had issues with scheduling — even when I was going in every day and things were in flux. As with any clinic, if you are going to decide to do fertility treatment, you have to expect to go in to the office often for labs and ultrasounds — sometimes even every day or two. This has been the best office for appointments and scheduling and the competency of the nursing staff of any offices I’ve attended.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Northwestern has an amazing team and access to high quality healthcare. Of all the RE clinics I’ve gone to, this is by far the best. I have no complaints. The scheduling staff is very efficient, and the nursing staff is kind and knowledgeable—every time I message my doctor/nurse on MyCharts, they message back very quickly. Also, I absolutely LOVE that Northwestern uses MyCharts and the system is very thorough. It allows you to see all of you tests, to interact easily and quickly with your doctor and nurse, to have questions answered quickly and easily and so on. I’ve never had a medication or scheduling or medical issue arise that wasn’t fixed within a few hours simply by my sending a quick and easy MyCharts message. Far superior to other clinics I’ve gone to where you have to call, sit on hold, wait for a call back and so on for every little question or issue that arises.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I am lucky to live in Illinois, which has a fertility insurance mandate, so I have very good insurance coverage for fertility / IVF. I paid $8200 a year max for everything with my insurance — up to 6 retrieval’s a year and unlimited transfers. My insurance covered all medications after that $8200 max out of pocket. Northwestern has been GREAT about coming up with a payment plan to pay that $8200 a year where we pay monthly.
Describe Lia Bernardi's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Dr. Bernardi is excellent when it comes to evaluating transfer determinations based on the individual patient. I was very turned off by RE’s I’ve consulted with who had one protocol (ie, usually transferring only 1 or 2 max, even if low quality embryos) that they used for EVERY patient. Dr. Bernardi and my entire Northwestern team doesn’t do this at all. They are flexible and decide on how many transfers depending on the individual patient and their specific circumstances. This is a HUGE plus in an RE!
I only saw Dr. Bernardi once throughout my 2 IUI cycles...I feel like they didn't monitor my cycles very carefully and ensure the IUIs were done at the optimal time...She seemed very intelligent and professional. I liked her personality and bedside manner. She was very nice. However, they definitely don't prioritize IUI patients which I get. But the whole experience with 2 IUI cycles, I just felt like I was ushered through. I thought I wouldn't be someone who needed my hand held through the process, but left feeling like their process was cold and impersonal.
I was upset with my 2nd IUI [at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine]. I did not respond...so they started me on a 2nd round on day18 of my cycle. Then they didn't have me come back for like 8 days and we missed my ovulation and were not able to do the iui. The whole cycle seemed doomed from the start and I felt like they did not put a lot of care into monitoring and seeing what was best
How was your experience with Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
She seemed very intelligent and professional. I liked her personality and bedside manner. She was very nice. However, they definitely don't prioritize IUI patients which I get. But the whole experience with 2 IUI cycles, I just felt like I was ushered through. I thought I wouldn't be someone who needed my hand held through the process, but left feeling like their process was cold and impersonal.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
The clinic is busy, you probably won't talk to her more than once or twice. She is smart and I am sure she's a great doctor. It didn't work out for me. I decided I needed a smaller clinic with a more personal experience.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
I only saw Dr. Bernardi once throughout my 2 IUI cycles. They always emailed updates and results, did not call. I don't feel like I got to know any staff and they certainly didn't get to know me. I feel like they didn't monitor my cycles very carefully and ensure the IUIs were done at the optimal time.
Describe the protocols Lia Bernardi used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
I had 2 IUI cycles with Letrozole.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
It is a big clinic with a lot of patients. Impersonal experience with my IUI cycles, but im sure they put more into IVF patients. Very updated, nice facilities. I switched clinics to start IVF, because it would have been a 3 to 5 month wait with a lot of hurdles. I felt like I had to do a ton of administrative work to move things along. I decided I wanted to go with a smaller clinic with a more personal experience. I have already had my egg retrieval with the new clinic before Northwestern would have even been about to get me in for a consult and start booking the pre-ivf appointments
What specific things went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Failed to send your chart to another clinic
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I was upset with my 2nd IUI. I did not respond to the low dose of leyrozile, so they started me on a 2nd round on day18 of my cycle. Then they didn't have me come back for like 8 days and we missed my ovulation and were not able to do the iui. The whole cycle seemed doomed from the start and I felt like they did not put a lot of care into monitoring and seeing what was best
Dr. Bernardi is up to date on the leading edge of fertility research and treatment options. She was really compassionate and a good physician, caring for our overall health and well being, not just getting the cycles done. She is a fast talker, very detailed, but also clear. She was willing to try everything, but she was also able to clearly communicate to us when we had reached the end of what was likely to be achievable using our own eggs.
Northwestern has a very high quality nursing staff. Because the department is large and sees many patients, it is very important for patients to be proactive about managing their own case. Miscommunications and mistakes are rare, but when things do slip through the cracks...Illinois mandates coverage for infertility treatment, and at the time we had really great coverage through an employer. Our out of pocket costs were really limited to our copays and any outside-the-box treatments
How was your experience with Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Bernardi is up to date on the leading edge of fertility research and treatment options. She was really compassionate and a good physician, caring for our overall health and well being, not just getting the cycles done. She is a fast talker, very detailed, but also clear. She was willing to try everything, but she was also able to clearly communicate to us when we had reached the end of what was likely to be achievable using our own eggs.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Be prepared for lots of information, but also expect a kind and caring physician.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Bernardi was very good at explaining the current state of research but also was very caring and compassionate about our specific journey.
Describe the protocols Lia Bernardi used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
Dr. Bernardi made adjustments to the agonist dosage and tried some additional therapies, including HGH. Unfortunately, none of the therapies or approaches produced a viable pregnancy using our own eggs. Eventually she advised us to proceed with donor eggs, but we decided to pause our infertility journey at that point.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Northwestern has a very high quality nursing staff. Because the department is large and sees many patients, it is very important for patients to be proactive about managing their own case. Miscommunications and mistakes are rare, but when things do slip through the cracks, it is important to advocate for yourself and ask to escalate to a manager if things are not going as you expect. We were always able to resolve any concerns with the team. Overall they are very thorough. The post-op team in the procedure unit was very compassionate and personable.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Northwestern is huge. The practice sees many patients, and at times it can feel like a cattle call. However, the doctors, nurses, and staff are very good. My best advice is to be prepared to play a proactive role in managing your own case, so that you can follow up in case the staff misses something. The high volume of patients is there for a good reason - excellent care and medical providers at the cutting edge of research.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Illinois mandates coverage for infertility treatment, and at the time we had really great coverage through an employer. Our out of pocket costs were really limited to our copays and any outside-the-box treatments (like HGH and compounding pharmacy costs).
What specific things went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Feinberg is really caring and delivers all news compassionately...For our second cycle, I went on a low carb diet for 3 months prior to stimming. I also started taking 600mg CoQ10 daily. My husband had a TESE procedure so that we could use sperm with less DNA fragmentation and stress to fertilize our eggs. I also added in HGH... I dont love that I never saw her during active treatment. I know the clinic is quite large and it would be impossible for her to see me every visit. But I never saw her during actual treatment.
I switched nurses between my two cycles because I did not have a good rapport with my first nurse [at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine]. I asked to be switched to Claire because I had previous communication with her and felt she was more compassionate. You don't necessarily always hear from your primary nurse but they are usually the ones to deliver any important instructions or news...Costs are on par with national averages
How was your experience with Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
While I do like Dr. Feinberg a lot, I dont love that I never saw her during active treatment. I know the clinic is quite large and it would be impossible for her to see me every visit. But I never saw her during actual treatment.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Be prepared to not see her during treatment. Though if you ask for an email to be forwarded directly to her, she responds promptly.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Feinberg is really caring and delivers all news compassionately.
Describe the protocols Eve Feinberg used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
For our second cycle, I went on a low carb diet for 3 months prior to stimming. I also started taking 600mg CoQ10 daily. My husband had a TESE procedure so that we could use sperm with less DNA fragmentation and stress to fertilize our eggs. I also added in HGH.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Claire S.)
I switched nurses between my two cycles because I did not have a good rapport with my first nurse. I asked to be switched to Claire because I had previous communication with her and felt she was more compassionate. You don't necessarily always hear from your primary nurse but they are usually the ones to deliver any important instructions or news.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Strengths: part of top rated hospital; all doctors we have worked with have seemed very knowledgeable in the field
Weaknesses: Because this is such a coveted clinic, however, you do sometimes feel like a number - especially during early morning monitoring appointments.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
If you live a little further away from the clinic in the city there are satellite clinics in the suburbs that take appointments for monitoring.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Costs are on par with national averages
What specific things went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Dr. Fienberg specifically told me not to start taking DHEA and during the end of my first cycle (with my first nurse) I had asked if there were any additional supplements I could be taking and my nurse told me to start taking DHEA and if I had not questioned the conflicting information I may have ruined my cycle.
I had to request multiple times to speak with [Dr. Christina Boots] I tried to schedule a specific time or appointment. But I would only get calls when it was convenient for her. We never actually connected by phone, once my cycle started...A canceled cycle is still upsetting and devastating. A call from the Dr. and to discuss next steps would have been appreciated.
The [Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine] clinic is very organized and efficient. It's a well-run system. It feels like a cattle call but the phlebotomists and ultrasound nurses work really well together. Perfect for when you want to go in for monitoring appointments before heading into work. However, it takes 3-4 weeks to be able to see your Dr.
How was your experience with Christina E. Boots at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
From the beginning, due to my age I felt like they didn't want to treat me and immediately offered the egg donor option. Having been pregnant twice before, and a 1st time IVF patient, being encouraged towards egg donor-ship was startling. I wanted to exhaust all my options before looking into that route. After 2 losses, we were adamant about getting our embryos PGS tested to reduce the chances of another miscarriage. However, on the 10th day of stimulation I received a voicemail from a nurse that my cycle was being canceled due to a low # of follicles and that an IUI was being recommended. That defeats the whole reason why we are doing IVF. After the canceled cycle, the Dr. and I just couldn't connect by phone or appointment. It takes 3-4 weeks to even be able to see the Dr.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christina E. Boots at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Be your own advocate. Ask questions. All of them. And be persistent.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christina E. Boots at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
I had to request multiple times to speak with a Dr. I tried to schedule a specific time or appointment. But I would only get calls when it was convenient for her. We never actually connected by phone, once my cycle started. NW seemed to be more concerned with following protocol than understanding a woman's situation. I had to wait over 3-4 weeks to be able to even meet with the Dr.
Describe the protocols Christina E. Boots used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
PRIMING:
Day 10 after LH surge: 2 Estradiol Patches - replaced every 2 days
Day 12-14 after LH surge: 250 mcg Ganirelix - for 3 days
STIMULATION:
Day 3 of period/Day 1-3 of Stim: 300 units Follistim/150 units Menopur
Day 4-10 of Stim: 450 units Follistim/150 units Menopur
Day 11: CANCELED cycle
(2 Estradiol patches stayed on entire duration of Day 1-10 of Stimulation)
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Staff was wonderful. The training nurse was helpful. But they are like robots and getting answers is like pulling teeth.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The clinic is very organized and efficient. It's a well-run system. It feels like a cattle call but the phlebotomists and ultrasound nurses work really well together. Perfect for when you want to go in for monitoring appointments before heading into work. However, it takes 3-4 weeks to be able to see your Dr.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Christina E. Boots at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I had already reached my insurance out of pocket costs. The visits and medication were covered under my insurance.
Describe Christina E. Boots's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
N/A
What specific things went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Failed to call with results
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information
Canceled a cycle due to clinic error
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
A canceled cycle is still upsetting and devastating. A call from the Dr. and to discuss next steps would have been appreciated. I had to call the clinic to find out an update. I received a voicemail from a nurse telling me my cycle was being canceled on the 11th day. When I asked to meet with the Dr. to discuss the next protocol she wasn't available for another 3-4 weeks. ALSO, they failed to trigger me. So I didn't have a period for 3 months since I never ovulated after being stimulated. This set me back 4 more months. That was very negligent and irresponsible of the Dr.
I think he [Dr. Robins] was very knowledgeable and was up to speed on statistics. Answered questions on increase of likelihood of cancer from fertility treatments. I don’t think he took time to explain the advantages of doing IVF over IUI for a woman my age. I was new to the whole fertility thing. I would have chosen IVF over IUI if I had been shown the statistics on this website.
Location was a little rough. Middle of Chicago and traffic. Parking wasn’t ideal. Parking garage and you had to pay each visit. It was prorated though. The clinic was also nice that you could discuss needs with the receptionist and not have the whole office hear. Plenty of receptionists and all know where to transfer you for any of your needs or questions.
How was your experience with Jared Robins at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
I think he was very knowledgeable and was up to speed on statistics. Answered questions on increase of likelihood of cancer from fertility treatments. I don’t think he took time to explain the advantages of doing IVF over IUI for a woman my age. I was new to the whole fertility thing. I would have chosen IVF over IUI if I had been shown the statistics on this website.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Jared Robins at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Ask questions. Ask about all treatment options. Ask specifically about your situation and the treatments available. What the statistics are for your age and different treatments.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Jared Robins at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
I think they have the process down like clockwork. But I think they didn’t spend enough time on the statistics with me on conceiving at my age. Once I said what procedures I was thinking, there wasn’t any additional information given which would have been helpful at my age.
Describe the protocols Jared Robins used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
He used clomid for my IUI. I was told I respond very well to fertility drugs. Although I wasn’t sure what results they were looking at that made that determination.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Very professional. Had the whole process down like clockwork. Nothing I would change except for maybe a personal call every once in a while. Everything is automated.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Location was a little rough. Middle of Chicago and traffic. Parking wasn’t ideal. Parking garage and you had to pay each visit. It was prorated though. The clinic was also nice that you could discuss needs with the receptionist and not have the whole office hear. Plenty of receptionists and all know where to transfer you for any of your needs or questions.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Jared Robins at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Cost was covered by insurance except for copay.
Describe Jared Robins's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I do think when I came to him [Dr. Jain] expressing my own instinctual fear that my egg quality might be an issue, and that we are going out of pocket for this he didn't quite hear me. He was looking at odds, numbers, labs and my fear was with 3 miscarriages at 40 years old using my own eggs would be an issue. I even asked him about embryo adoption and he didn't seem that we were there yet. So on one hand I loved that he believed we'd have a FEW healthy embryos come out of this but I was gutted when we had zero.
I just wish I understood more about how these day 6 embryos with good "grades" widdled down to ZERO healthy ones? ... They [nurses at Northwestern Medicine] were really helpful and sweet, showed me how to do the injections and were patient with all of my questions. If I emailed them, they would get back within a couple of hours and same with when I would call with a question. I also have to say I never waited very long in the waiting room which was nice. Waiting always gives me extra anxiety especially working full time and not wanting to be late to calls or miss any work related things.
How was your experience with Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
I do think when I came to him expressing my own instinctual fear that my egg quality might be an issue, and that we are going out of pocket for this he didn't quite hear me. He was looking at odds, numbers, labs and my fear was with 3 miscarriages at 40 years old using my own eggs would be an issue. I even asked him about embryo adoption and he didn't seem that we were there yet. So on one hand I loved that he believed we'd have a FEW healthy embryos come out of this but I was gutted when we had zero.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Maybe get a second opinion before going with him if you have any concerns like I did.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
I felt like a human because Dr. Jain was really empathetic when hearing I had experienced a stillbirth at 39 weeks when I was 37 years old, as well that surrounding that stillbirth both before and after I had experienced miscarriages. This said, he gave me a lot of hope that my own eggs at 40 were still healthy and that we'd be successful and we left totally gutted when 2 of our embryos were sent off to genetic testing and neither were healthy. He called and I could feel he was actually sad for us, and wanted to help. He asked if we wanted to try again and at that point since insurance didn't cover any of what I did, our credit cards were maxed and we left drained.
Describe the protocols Tarun Jain used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
stimulation medication,(Gonal -F or Follistim) 225 units & Menopur 75 units tand every night within approximately one hour of your chosen time.
Ganirelix/Cetrotide was weaved in at somepoint.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Dana and Alexandra )
They were really helpful and sweet, showed me how to do the injections and were patient with all of my questions. If I emailed them, they would get back within a couple of hours and same with when I would call with a question. I also have to say I never waited very long in the waiting room which was nice. Waiting always gives me extra anxiety especially working full time and not wanting to be late to calls or miss any work related things.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The strengths are communication, I was never in the dark about my test results, my follicle count, my numbers, etc. I think they were very communicative. That said I wish because I was honest that we were going out of pocket and we've been through 4 heartbreaks already they would have fast tracked me to egg donor or embryo adoption. It made me think they wanted me to be there for a couple of rounds and tries and we just couldnt because we didnt have the money.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
$10,000 down payment for 1 cycle this was not including meds, and certain labs like the genetic labs for my husband and myself and then the genetic testing on the embryos was also separate. All in we spent $20,000
Describe Tarun Jain's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I just wish I understood more about how these day 6 embryos with good "grades" widdled down to ZERO healthy ones?