Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine

10 doctors work here

Rated 7.7
Strongly recommend: 58%Neutral: 18%Don't recommend: 23%7.7
58% strongly recommend
133 reviews
Operations
8.7
8.7
Operations

Ratings of 1 indicate that a clinic was poorly operated.

Ratings of 10 indicate that a clinic operated very well.

Scheduling
8.3
8.3
Scheduling

Ratings of 1 mean it was difficult to schedule appointments with this clinic.

Ratings of 10 mean it was easy to schedule appointments.

Billing Department
7.8
7.8
Billing Department

Ratings of 1 indicate an unsatisfactory billing department.

Ratings of 10 indicate an excellent billing department.

Nursing Team
8.5
8.5
Nursing Team

Ratings of 1 indicate an unsatisfactory nursing team.

Ratings of 10 indicate an excellent nursing team.

LGBTQ+ Care
5.7
5.7
LGBTQ+ Care

Ratings of 1 indicate an unsatisfactory LGBTQ+ care.

Ratings of 10 indicate an excellent LGBTQ+ care.

Attention to Detail
7.2
7.2
Attention to Detail

Attention to detail is on a 1 - 10 scale, and is scored based on the rate, and severity, of errors committed by the clinic according to the patients.

For example, a severe error might be failing to inform a patient of critical information, while a small error might be failing to call a patient with results.

CDC Success Rates

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.

Annual Cycles
2,664
National Avg
738
This Clinic
National Avg
00%
20%
40%
60%
<35
35-37
38-40
>40

Available Resources

Genetic counseling
Genetic counseling
Acupuncture
Acupuncture
Mental health counseling
Mental health counseling
Nutrition counseling
Nutrition counseling
Administration of shots
Administration of shots
Coordinating at-home nursing
Coordinating at-home nursing
Selling medication
Selling medication
Providing backup medication
Providing backup medication

This clinic has 4 offices

Chicago
259 E. Erie St., Suite 2400
Chicago, IL 60611
Geneva
351 Delnor Drive, Suite 210
Geneva, IL 60134
Highland Park
600 Central Ave., Suite 333
Highland Park, IL 60035
Oakbrook Terrace
2 Trans Am Plaza, Suite 400
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
Show 2 more

133 patient reviews

Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2018 - 2019, Successful
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 27 - 28
1 IUI
2 IVF
Anovulation
PCOS
European
Income $100K - $199K
Business Executive
Only Doc Seen
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
[Dr. Christina Boots] Recommended single [embry transfer] due to my young age and no history of miscarriage. After 2 unsuccessful transfers we discussed transferring two embryos. She was very open to it but discussed potential risks with me..I had a really personal experience...I truly felt like she cared about me as an individual. She was so sweet and warm and always made me feel comfortable. At one appointment, she told me I was a patient she laid awake at night worrying about!...We always discussed the pros, cons and risks of each option and she wanted me to feel good about our decisions. I trust her completely and always felt like she was doing and recommending what she believed was best for me. We had a rough road, but are finally pregnant. We are incredibly grateful for Dr. Boots and her care. We wouldn’t be here without her!!! My experience wasn’t easy but she made it as positive as it could have been.
My primary nurses [at Northwestern Medicine] were wonderful. There were a handful of times they weren’t available and I had to communicate with other nurses who were okay but not as good as mine...Some days busier than others but that was to be expected. Most of the time it was quick...Beautiful clinic. Amazing location. Pretty efficient morning monitoring hours and convenient hours. Your doctor may not always be the one doing your procedures and it’s good to know that ahead of time. They will try, though!
How was your experience with Christina E. Boots at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Boots was so wonderful. She made me feel comfortable from the beginning. She answered all my questions, even when I came with long typed out lists. She was compassionate even when I was kist starting out and only doing the ovulation induction meds. I always felt like she cared about me, at each stage. She walked me through every step of the process every time I met with her and explained things until I felt comfortable. My body threw us a lot of curveballs and she had multiple ideas and solutions every time. We always discussed the pros, cons and risks of each option and she wanted me to feel good about our decisions. I trust her completely and always felt like she was doing and recommending what she believed was best for me. We had a rough road, but are finally pregnant. We are incredibly grateful for Dr. Boots and her care. We wouldn’t be here without her!!! My experience wasn’t easy but she made it as positive as it could have been.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christina E. Boots at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Ask a lot of questions and come prepared to your appointments! Don’t be afraid to keep asking about something if you don’t understand it. Even if you read about something online or heard about it from a friend, she will help explain and never makes you feel silly for asking.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christina E. Boots at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
I had a really personal experience with Dr. Boots. I truly felt like she cared about me as an individual. She was so sweet and warm and always made me feel comfortable. At one appointment, she told me I was a patient she laid awake at night worrying about!
Describe the protocols Christina E. Boots used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
Letrozole & Clomid for timed intercourse/IUI. GonalF Menopur Ganirelix Omnitrope Estrogen Progesterone Lovenox for IVF. For frozen embryo transfers, we tried estrogen pills, then patches and then injections and on our last round we stimmed my ovaries with GonalF and Menopur to create my own estrogen and mimic a fresh cycle.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Rachel & Alex)
My primary nurses were wonderful. There were a handful of times they weren’t available and I had to communicate with other nurses who were okay but not as good as mine.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Beautiful clinic. Amazing location. Pretty efficient morning monitoring hours and convenient hours. Your doctor may not always be the one doing your procedures and it’s good to know that ahead of time. They will try, though!
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Efficient machine, first come first serve. Some days busier than others but that was to be expected. Most of the time it was quick.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Christina E. Boots at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Insurance covered.
Describe Christina E. Boots's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Recommended single due to my young age and no history of miscarriage. After 2 unsuccessful transfers we discussed transferring two embryos. She was very open to it but discussed potential risks with me. She supported my decision completely. We ended up going with two.
10
Doctor
Christina E. Boots
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
4 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
10
Clinic
Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine
Chicago
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
4 of 5
Nursing Staff
4 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
5 of 5
Educational Resources
5 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2019, Unsuccessful
NPS
7
NPS
9
Age 42
2 IUI
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
Poor Egg Quality
Unexplained
European
Income $50K - $99K
Only Doc Seen
Neutral
Strongly Recommends
Unsuccessful
I've met with Dr. Kim (only 3 times, I mostly deal with her nurses), she's had to refresh her memory on my case in front of me. I know she sees a lot of people, but it would be nice if she did that before coming in the room to see me. ... Dr. Kim is very no nonsense. She's doesn't come off as the most compassionate person, but she knows her stuff. She's very black and white. I appreciate it because I don't need someone to sugar coat things, but other people may not appreciate her abrupt style.
As someone with an office job, I appreciated the early monitoring hours for ultrasounds and blood work. And they [Northwestern Medicine] really get you in and out as quickly as possible. ... The receptionists are always really friendly. ... They are very upfront on all the costs when you meet with the financial consultant. ... The nurses are GREAT!
How was your experience with Helen Kim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Kim is very no nonsense. She's doesn't come off as the most compassionate person, but she knows her stuff. She's very black and white. I appreciate it because I don't need someone to sugar coat things, but other people may not appreciate her abrupt style.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Helen Kim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
She's going to tell you like it is, whether you want to hear it or not.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Helen Kim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Northwestern in general sees a lot of patients, so it feel like a lot of the time you're one of many. But each time I've met with Dr. Kim (only 3 times, I mostly deal with her nurses), she's had to refresh her memory on my case in front of me. I know she sees a lot of people, but it would be nice if she did that before coming in the room to see me.
Describe the protocols Helen Kim used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
I've done 2 IUIs with Dr. Kim. Both were 100 mg of Clomid with monitoring and Ovidrel trigger shot. My insurance doesn't cover fertility treatment, and since I'm older, with unexplained fertility, she advised 2 IUIs before moving on to IVF. I've only had the consult for IVF with her to date.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The nurses are GREAT! They are the ones you communicate with the most, so they are really responsive and easy to talk to and very understanding.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Northwestern sees a lot of patients. A lot of people will mention the "cattle call" feel of it. I didn't feel that way. As someone with an office job, I appreciated the early monitoring hours for ultrasounds and blood work. And they really get you in and out as quickly as possible. The waits aren't long at all, even on the weekends. And that they do that 7 days a week. The receptionists are always really friendly. The clinic itself is good.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Helen Kim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
My insurance doesn't cover anything, so it's all out of pocket. They will bill insurance, but most is not covered. IUIs are $700. The self-pay for IVF is $10,000, which doesn't include meds and PGS testing. They are very upfront on all the costs when you meet with the financial consultant.
Describe Helen Kim's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
In my consult, she's told me about multiple transfer vs. single and has told me the risks and the odds, based on my age.
What specific things went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
  • Lost paperwork
  • Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I self-pay and no one told me that I had to pay for the IUI up front. It's not an insignificant amount of money and to be told that as you're getting ready for the procedure was jarring. I wish they would be more upfront with those kinds of things. I also had lost paperwork on one monitoring ultrasound and ended up waiting a lot longer than normal. But once I spoke up, I was taken right back and told if it ever happens again in the future, to speak up sooner.
7
Doctor
Helen Kim
NPS
Humanity
3 of 5
Communication
4 of 5
Frequency Seen
1 of 5
Trustworthiness
4 of 5
Compassion
2 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
4 of 5
9
Clinic
Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine
Chicago
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
4 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
4 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2018 - 2019, Unknown Success
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 29 - 30
5 IUI
Anovulation
PCOS
Income $200K - $499K
Only Doc Seen
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Success w/ Doc Too early to know
I did not see Dr Jain too often, just twice. Once for initial fertility consult when be advised us his plan for IUI before IVF. We met again for an IVF consultation.i thought he was quite thorough and provided hope for our case ... We started with provera to induce a period as I have anonvary (spelling?) Cycles. ... I have not started IVF yet but Dr Jain informed me of the risk of OHSS
Good online portal [at Northwestern Medicine] for payment and communication. It would be nice if we could have me,my partner on the same communication threads but it is only set up for one patient and the nurse or doctor. It is quite popular so there could be a wait. Getting an appt can take a while. Parking rates add up when you have to go to the clinic several times a month
How was your experience with Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
I did not see Dr Jain too often, just twice. Once for initial fertility consult when be advised us his plan for IUI before IVF. We met again for an IVF consultation.i thought he was quite thorough and provided hope for our case
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Most likely will be interacting with the nurses more
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
The receptionist, nurses, and Dr Jain knew my name and were friendly. They took their time to answer all my questions
Describe the protocols Tarun Jain used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
We started with provera to induce a period as I have anonvary (spelling?) Cycles. Once my cycle started I would come in for a baseline ultrasound to check if there were any cysts or abnormalities. If all was cleared, I would take clomid for 5 days and come back for a mid cycle ultrasound to get blood work done. If estrogen levels and follicle size were mature, I would be instructed to do an ovidrel shot before coming into doing an IUI cycle. I have not started IVF yet but Dr Jain informed me of the risk of OHSS
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: alexa)
I saw multiple nurses for baseline ultrasound, mid cycle ultrasound, blood draws, and IUI procedures, however, nurse Alexa was the main communicator. I did not encounter anyone I felt uncomfortable with.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Good online portal for payment and communication. It would be nice if we could have me,my partner on the same communication threads but it is only set up for one patient and the nurse or doctor. It is quite popular so there could be a wait. Getting an appt can take a while. Parking rates add up when you have to go to the clinic several times a month.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
With insurance, each IUI cycle was about $600. Ovidrel injection is $92 each x 5 attempts. IVF meds were $2,000 after insurance. The IVF procedure would cost about $5,000.
Describe Tarun Jain's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
None
10
Doctor
Tarun Jain
NPS
Humanity
4 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
1 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
10
Clinic
Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine
Chicago
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
4 of 5
Billing Department
4 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
3 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2019, Unknown Success
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 31
3 Fertility Medications
Anovulation
PCOS
Income $200K - $499K
Only Doc Seen
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Success w/ Doc Too early to know
Dr. Bernardi was very warm and very thorough during her consultation. ... It was determined that I had signs and symptoms of PCOS after an hour long consultation, labs and ultrasound. We proceeded to do genetic testing and an HSG to check if I had any blockages in my tubes. Dr. Bernardi is compassionate and knowledgeable. ... I feel like she is a partner in our journey.
Northwestern Fertility and Reproductive Medicine have provided me with a good experience. I feel like I am in the best of care at this clinic. ... My nursing staff is highly responsive and helpful whenever i Have a question. ... Early morning monitoring sessions seem like a well oiled machine, from the check in staff to phlebotomist and ultrasound technicians. Everyone is warm and friendly throughout the process.
How was your experience with Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Bernardi is compassionate and knowledgeable. She made my husband and I feel very at ease during each of our meetings and explained things in terms that we could both understand. I feel like she is a partner in our journey.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Do your research before seeking consultation so you can have an educated conversation with the doctor. She does a good thing of explaining things, but you'll be in a better position to understand them and grapple with any emotional what ifs prior to the meeting if you are your own advocate. She will help you along the way.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Bernardi was very warm and very thorough during her consultation. We did labs that day and an ultrasound that confirmed her suspicion that I have PCOS. She gave me a good understanding that we would have to do some preliminary tests before we started a treatment course. The doctor was present in my HSG and lent words of affirmation via mychart during monitored cycles with timed intercourse. I am still in this method of treatment and may advance to IUI if we don't have luck this month. She is approachable and hopeful in her approach. I would highly recommend Dr. Bernardi.
Describe the protocols Lia Bernardi used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
It was determined that I had signs and symptoms of PCOS after an hour long consultation, labs and ultrasound. We proceeded to do genetic testing and an HSG to check if I had any blockages in my tubes. I had no issues with that so the suggested method of treatment was to recruit follicles with Femara and trigger with Ovidrel while doing monitored cycles. I am currently on my third month in a two week wait. This protocol is managed by a nurse through the mychart system to set up early morning monitoring appointments.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Alexa)
My nursing staff is highly responsive and helpful whenever i Have a question.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Northwestern Fertility and Reproductive Medicine have provided me with a good experience. I feel like I am in the best of care at this clinic. Early morning monitoring sessions seem like a well oiled machine, from the check in staff to phlebotomist and ultrasound technicians. Everyone is warm and friendly throughout the process. It could seem to one, that it's a baby factory due to the location in downtown Chicago - they are very busy - but they are what I believe to be, the best.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
After insurance, I have minimal costs for my monitored cycles with letrozole and ovirdrel. However, if I decide to do an IUI, that would be approximately $720 out of pocket for the procedure itself. IVF is uncovered by my insurance and costs $10,000 per round made by check.
Describe Lia Bernardi's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Not Applicable to me
10
Doctor
Lia Bernardi
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
2 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
3 of 5
10
Clinic
Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine
Chicago
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
3 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
5 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2019, Unknown Success
NPS
9
NPS
9
Age 38
3 IUI
European
Income $100K - $199K
Business Executive
Only Doc Seen
Donor Sperm
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Success w/ Doc Too early to know
I sought RE treatment as I am trying to become pregnant without the involvement of a male partner, by using donor sperm. ... Dr. Jain is very personable. I felt comfortable meeting him and enjoyed our discussions. He seemed to understand my goals and was very open to helping me as a single mother by choice. ... He is open to trying different medications if you have concerns about any he recommends.
My only real complaint is that they [Northwestern Medicine] continue to send my prescription to the wrong pharmacy, even though I have asked for them to update their records 3 times. Other than that, the check in staff, lab staff, and financial coordinators are all very friendly. ... All 3 of my IUIs have been performed by the nursing staff. They have handled them professionally and with my comfort in mind.
How was your experience with Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Jain is very personable. I felt comfortable meeting him and enjoyed our discussions. He seemed to understand my goals and was very open to helping me as a single mother by choice. I was a bit disappointed that he did not seem to review the very lengthy intake paperwork I had to complete before my first appointment. Not sure why patients are made to complete it if it will not be reviewed by their doctor.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Make sure you know your goals and what you would like your treatment to look like. He is open to trying different medications if you have concerns about any he recommends. Be prepared with questions as he does not volunteer much information unless you bring it up.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
I had two appointments with Dr. Jain, my initial consultation and a follow up to set my treatment plan based on test results. My in person meetings with Dr. Jain have been great. He is very personable. Since my 2nd visit, I have only had contact with the nursing staff and have not had any communication with Dr. Jain. I assume I could request appointments with him, but since I am paying out of pocket for my treatment and each visit with him is $400+, I am content to give a few more IUIs a try before discussing next steps.
Describe the protocols Tarun Jain used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
I have no known fertility problems, other than those common for a women in her mid 30s. I sought RE treatment as I am trying to become pregnant without the involvement of a male partner, by using donor sperm. He recommended medicated IUIs (low doses of Clomid/Letrozole at same time and Ovidrel trigger shot to time the IUI better). I asked to skip the Clomid initially due to my concerns about the side effects, but we did add it back into my treatment plan for IUI #3. My first two IUIs resulted in negative pregnancy tests and I am currently in the TWW for IUI #3. I was a bit disappointed to find out he had me trigger with my first IUI when my follicle was quite small still (18mm) and my lining was very thin as it felt like we probably had the timing off for that one. Since then, I've been more proactive in my care and have pushed back when I felt the timing wasn't right.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I've worked with several different nurses on Dr. Jain's team. Some have been great, taking time to get to know the details of why I am seeking treatment and being very responsive to any questions I had (all questions are communicated through MyChart messaging system). One of the nurses was much slower to respond (it seemed like she would wait until the end of the day to review/respond to messages) or would forget to upload my labs to the patient portal unless I sent a request for the results. She also always included language about my partner in her communications, even though she would know I was seeking treatment on my own if she took the time to review my records. All 3 of my IUIs have been performed by the nursing staff. They have handled them professionally and with my comfort in mind.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
My only real complaint is that they continue to send my prescription to the wrong pharmacy, even though I have asked for them to update their records 3 times. Other than that, the check in staff, lab staff, and financial coordinators are all very friendly. The clinic space is very nice, with views out to Lake Michigan and beverages and snacks available, if needed. They have a main waiting area and a smaller waiting area for those who are having procedures that day. The smaller waiting area can be a bit cramped and could do with some additional seating. I also think it is kind of odd that the embryology lab never shows me the donor sperm vials. I write down the number of the donor on a form when I arrive and then just have to trust that that is the vial they are thawing. I would feel more comfortable if I saw the actual vial at the time they being the thaw.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The clinic costs for each IUI were about $1,200 each cycle ($315/monitoring visit x 2 visits, $584 for each IUI). Medications were an additional $120 per visit, with the Ovidrel shot being available for $92 at the hospital pharmacy. My insurance did not cover any of the costs.
9
Doctor
Tarun Jain
NPS
Humanity
4 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
1 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
3 of 5
Adaptability
3 of 5
9
Clinic
Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine
Chicago
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
4 of 5
Billing Department
4 of 5
Nursing Staff
4 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
4 of 5
Educational Resources
6 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2019, Unknown Success
NPS
7
NPS
8
Age 34
1 IUI
Unexplained
European
Income $100K - $199K
Teacher
Only Doc Seen
Neutral
Neutral
Success w/ Doc Too early to know
Dr. Kim has a kind demeanor, and is very straightforward with facts and statistics. ... View Dr. Kim as a problem solver who will analyze your journey and try to help you with next steps. ... She was upfront about the benefits and drawbacks of trying IUI, and answered all of my questions. I felt like she listened to me, and cared about trying to help us get pregnant. I personally appreciate a scientific approach, which she is how she speaks. ...
Strengths: Well respected hospital/university [Northwestern Medicine], staff is very knowledgeable, efficient office practices. Weaknesses: Not super personal - your doctor is there to oversee your progress, but there's not much face-to-face with them. ... The nursing staff is all very nice and were quick to answer any questions I had via the online portal.
How was your experience with Helen Kim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Kim has a kind demeanor, and is very straightforward with facts and statistics. She was upfront about the benefits and drawbacks of trying IUI, and answered all of my questions. I felt like she listened to me, and cared about trying to help us get pregnant. I personally appreciate a scientific approach, which she is how she speaks.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Helen Kim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Make sure you have thought through your fertility journey ahead of time because she will ask you a lot of questions (i.e. timing, OPKs, tests you've had, history, etc). View Dr. Kim as a problem solver who will analyze your journey and try to help you with next steps.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Helen Kim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Kim's consultation with myself and my husband was very thorough and rooted in facts, which I appreciate. She has a kind manner, but is very straightforward about the science behind fertility. I have only tried one cycle of IUI with Dr. Kim, and the only time I've seen her was at my consultation. I understand that this is how Northwestern's clinic works, but it does make the overall experience less personal.
Describe the protocols Helen Kim used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
My husband and I had a complete fertility work-up (HSG, bloodwork, ultrasound, SA, etc) and were diagnosed with unexplained infertility. Dr. Kim recommended a few cycles of medicated IUI. She said it could help with some problem they haven't been able to identify. She let us know it had about a 9% success rate per cycle, but on our own we likely only had 3% chance per cycle. I took Clomid (50 mg) for 5 days with monitoring. When I had a follicle large enough (mine was 23 mm) I took an HCG trigger shot, and did an IUI 36 hours later. My husband produced a sample of 11 million post-wash, which is considered great. Unfortunately, my IUI was unsuccessful.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The nursing staff is all very nice and were quick to answer any questions I had via the online portal. A nurse performed the IUI. She was very thorough in making sure I checked over the info on the sample and explained my husband's pre- and post-wash numbers to us. She was very kind and explained every step of the process as she was doing it.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Strengths: Well respected hospital/university, staff is very knowledgeable, efficient office practices. Weaknesses: Not super personal - your doctor is there to oversee your progress, but there's not much face-to-face with them.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Helen Kim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
My insurance covers fertility treatments. I had already met my deductible going through my fertility testing. For the IUI I paid approximately $40, labs about $30, Clomid was $10, HCG shot (generic) was $30.
7
Doctor
Helen Kim
NPS
Humanity
4 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
1 of 5
Trustworthiness
4 of 5
Compassion
4 of 5
Explained risks
3 of 5
Adaptability
3 of 5
8
Clinic
Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine
Chicago
NPS
Operations
4 of 5
Scheduling
3 of 5
Billing Department
4 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
5 of 5
Educational Resources
6 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2018 - 2019, Unsuccessful
NPS
7
NPS
7
Age 31 - 32
6 IVF
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
Poor Egg Quality
European
Income $200K - $499K
Lawyer
Only Doc Seen
Neutral
Neutral
Unsuccessful
Dr. Jain is a kind and compassionate RE. ... That said, I am a poor responder and have done 6 cycles with Dr. Jain. Other than the first 2 cycles, I have suggested all protocols and potential new ideas to try. While I wish he would have been more proactive in that respect, he was completely open to my suggestions and allowed me to try everything I wanted to without hesitation.
They [Northwestern Medicine] tend to be conservative in their protocols although I know some doctors are more progressive. I’m not certain that their lab is top notch and using the most up-to-date methods. ... Dana is an absolutely wonderful nurse. She always responded quickly and thoughtfully to my messages. ... I’ve had varying experiences with these other nurses, some of which gave me incorrect instructions for medications, so always be sure to double check everything.
How was your experience with Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Jain is a kind and compassionate RE. He’s written a book about infertility and it’s clear he truly cares for his patients and their well-being. That said, I am a poor responder and have done 6 cycles with Dr. Jain. Other than the first 2 cycles, I have suggested all protocols and potential new ideas to try. While I wish he would have been more proactive in that respect, he was completely open to my suggestions and allowed me to try everything I wanted to without hesitation. Of my 6 retrievals, Dr. Jain only performed 1 of them. I never saw him during stims either but he was also available for a call if I requested it (and I was never charged for them). Overall, I think Dr. Jain is a great RE.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Be sure to do your own research and advocate for any protocols or medicines you think may be beneficial. Northwestern appears to be pretty conservative in their practice.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Jain is very kind. He is soft-spoken but it’s clear that he truly cares for his patients. I had a scare during one of my cycles were I was bleeding very heavily. Dr. Jain saw me right away the next morning, took my concerns seriously and acknowledged how scary the experience was even though it ended up not being a big deal.
Describe the protocols Tarun Jain used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
Antagonist - first 4 cycles, mostly diagnostic but I think this is the standard protocol they use for all patients. Microdose lupron - it was my suggestion to make this change For the last 2 cycles because I knew regular antagonist was not working for me.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Dana)
Dana is an absolutely wonderful nurse. She always responded quickly and thoughtfully to my messages. She was compassionate and kind and did her best to alleviate my concerns. Other nurses assigned to Dr. Jain sometimes also fill in when Dana is not in. I’ve had varying experiences with these other nurses, some of which gave me incorrect instructions for medications, so always be sure to double check everything. In general, the nurses respond very quickly to all messages.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Northwestern is a pretty well-oiled machine at this point. It can be a bit of a cattle call for monitoring but they keep things moving and generally don’t have any issues. They tend to be conservative in their protocols although I know some doctors are more progressive. I’m not certain that their lab is top notch and using the most up-to-date methods.
Describe Tarun Jain's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Northwestern follows SART guidelines in this regard.
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.
My first cycle was managed by a nurse who is no longer my assigned nurse. She failed to tell me that the cycle was likely to be canceled due to poor response so it came as a pretty big shock when the on-call doctor called to tell me it would make sense to cancel.
7
Doctor
Tarun Jain
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
3 of 5
Frequency Seen
2 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
3 of 5
7
Clinic
Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine
Chicago
NPS
Operations
4 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
3 of 5
Nursing Staff
4 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
4 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2019, Unknown Success
NPS
8
NPS
9
Age 40
3 IUI
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
Unexplained
Income $200K - $499K
Doctor
Only Doc Seen
Neutral
Strongly Recommends
Success w/ Doc Too early to know
Dr. Kim was honest and candid about our options. She explained the results of our infertility evaluation in detail. When IUI did not work and we decided to go forward with IVF, she spent a large amount of time answering all our questions and reviewing the steps, risks in detail. ... The only thing that made me unsettled (and perhaps this is a reflection of my current stress/anxiety as we are still undergoing fertility treatment) is that I felt that we should have discussed IVF as a more serious option earlier when I had a better chance of success (I.e. was younger). Even though it was a span of a year, I felt that my chances of fertility success declined over that period based on my repeat testing/evaluations and that doing IUI first was a waste of time.
Some of the US techs [At Northwestern Medicine] are more detail-oriented than others. Monitoring hours are early in AM which is helpful. There is still quite a wait for getting procedures done even if you show up on time--my IUIs typically went an actual 2 hours later than the set appointment time (even if you take into account the 45 minute sperm processing time).
How was your experience with Helen Kim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Kim was honest and candid about our options. She explained the results of our infertility evaluation in detail. When IUI did not work and we decided to go forward with IVF, she spent a large amount of time answering all our questions and reviewing the steps, risks in detail. She was very knowledgeable, drawing from medical literature/data, and transparent about our options and chances. The only thing that made me unsettled (and perhaps this is a reflection of my current stress/anxiety as we are still undergoing fertility treatment) is that I felt that we should have discussed IVF as a more serious option earlier when I had a better chance of success (I.e. was younger). Even though it was a span of a year, I felt that my chances of fertility success declined over that period based on my repeat testing/evaluations and that doing IUI first was a waste of time.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Helen Kim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Don't be afraid to voice your concerns and opinions up front.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Helen Kim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Kim candidly talked me through options, even when those changed given my results from various treatments. She looked through my testing and explained the various options in detail.
Describe the protocols Helen Kim used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
For my IUIs, we used 100 mg of Clomid for 5 days, triggered with Ovidrel. I did produce 2 follicles each time. For my first IVF cycle, we started with Follistim at 300 mg and Menopur at 75 units for 3 days which is the standard start IVF regimen for the clinic from what I understand. I was then increased to Menopur 150 units along with the same dose of Follistim for 5 days. Despite the increase, my cycle ended up getting converted to IUI because of poor response (only 2 follicles).
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Excellent nurses all around. Responsive to messages, detailed, helpful. Some had more difficulty with my IUI than others, but they sought out help.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Clinic is a beautiful space, comfortable, efficient. Some of the US techs are more detail-oriented than others. Monitoring hours are early in AM which is helpful. There is still quite a wait for getting procedures done even if you show up on time--my IUIs typically went an actual 2 hours later than the set appointment time (even if you take into account the 45 minute sperm processing time).
Describe the costs associated with your care under Helen Kim at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I have fertility benefits which covered my IUIs and medications thus far. I do have a copay for labs, US, office visits which have equaled out to about $500-$800 thus far.
Describe Helen Kim's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
We have yet to make it to transfer. But our plan is for PGS testing and transfer of 1 embryo.
8
Doctor
Helen Kim
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
3 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
4 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
4 of 5
9
Clinic
Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine
Chicago
NPS
Operations
4 of 5
Scheduling
4 of 5
Billing Department
4 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
5 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2018 - 2019, Unknown Success
NPS
7
NPS
5
Age 38 - 39
3 IUI
Male Factor
PCOS
European
Income $50K - $99K
Nurse or HC Services
2nd of 3 Docs
1 IVF With Other Docs
Neutral
Doesn't Recommend
Success w/ Doc Not sure
So far he [Dr. Jain] is very nice and very gentle. He explains this well and although I am in the field he still explained everything. Sometimes he can be a little awkward but I believe he knows his specialty. I’ve never had a problem with him, I’d just like him to be more visible...I didn’t like that he wasn’t the one who performed the actual transfer or retrieval. How do I know he was even managing the medications during a cycle?...Iui x3 with letrozole and ovidrel trigger...1 ivf cycle with gonal f and menopur. 7 follicules, 4 mature, 1 fertilized. 1 bfn...
all options should be available at all locations [of Northwestern Medicine]. I had absolutely no idea that the actual ivf procedure was not done In Oak brook at all. Everything is based downtown, weekend monitoring... downtown. Ivf downtown...Everyone’s hands are in the chart. With the primary location being downtown, I feel like the dictate the plan. I had nurses communicating with me that I have never met nor spoken to. All communication is computer chart based.
How was your experience with Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
So far he is very nice and very gentle. He explains this well and although I am in the field he still explained everything. Sometimes he can be a little awkward but I believe he knows his specialty. I’ve never had a problem with him, I’d just like him to be more visible.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Be prepared to not see a MD during your IUI. I was completely caught off guard. Be prepared to travel down town for monitoring and procedures, I was under the impression everything could be done in Oakbrook.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr Jain made me feel good, he explained things. However I didn’t like that he wasn’t the one who performed the actual transfer or retrieval. How do I know he was even managing the medications during a cycle?
Describe the protocols Tarun Jain used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
Iui x3 with letrozole and ovidrel trigger. Letrozole works better with those with a history of PCOS. 1 ivf cycle with gonal f and menopur. 7 follicules, 4 mature, 1 fertilized. 1 bfn.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Joyce)
Everyone’s hands are in the chart. With the primary location being downtown, I feel like the dictate the plan. I had nurses communicating with me that I have never met nor spoken to. All communication is computer chart based.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
If you’re going to promote numerous locations... all options should be available at all locations. I had absolutely no idea that the actual ivf procedure was not done In Oak brook at all. Everything is based downtown, weekend monitoring... downtown. Ivf downtown.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Tarun Jain at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Last I have heard... my insurance covers 5 IUI’s and 4 IVF procedures.
Describe Tarun Jain's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
1-2 with a 3 day. 1 with a 5 day.
What specific things went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
  • Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
  • Lost appointments
  • Failed to order appropriate test
  • Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Initially I was going to go on birth control prior to my first cycle start. Order was never called in. I was advised by the doctor himself when a procedure would take place, it took 3 days for someone to finally get back to me to say oops sorry nope. Abnormalities were noted on previous ultrasounds but proceeded with cycles regardless.
7
Doctor
Tarun Jain
NPS
Humanity
3 of 5
Communication
3 of 5
Frequency Seen
3 of 5
Compassion
4 of 5
Explained risks
4 of 5
Adaptability
3 of 5
5
Clinic
Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine
Chicago
NPS
Operations
3 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
3 of 5
Nursing Staff
2 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
5 of 5
Educational Resources
4 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2017 - 2019, Unsuccessful
NPS
1
NPS
3
Age 32 - 34
3 IVF
European
1st of 4 Docs
Doesn't Recommend
Doesn't Recommend
Unsuccessful
I had 3 retrievals at the clinic - 2 were conducted by Dr. Robins and one was by another doctor...is straightforward and gave me his cell number which I appreciated. However, I still found it difficult to get in touch with him and trying to contact him through the nurses or MyChart was pointless. He is not warm or compassionate. Can be a little bit patronizing...I used Ovidrel to trigger for my first retrieval and got overstimulated, which was awful. 12 embryos retrieved. For the 2nd retrieval, same stim meds, but with Lupron trigger. I think I had 10 retrieved (can’t remember exactly). For the 3rd retrieval, I used an estrogen priming protocol the the same stim meds with a Lupron trigger. I think I had 11 retrieved (can’t remember). Ended up with 2-3 per retrieval after Day 5-6 that ended up being froze
I don’t recommend NW to friends. I think they are good at their protocols and their system works for many women. But unfortunately, if you have a unique issue, they don’t have a way to deal with you outside of their system. This is due to your primary doctor not being the one to consistently make the decisions for your care. They rotate around each day and it became very clear that other docs besides mine didn’t know what was going on with me. Be prepared for advocate for yourself.
How was your experience with Jared Robins at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Robins is straightforward and gave me his cell number which I appreciated. However, I still found it difficult to get in touch with him and trying to contact him through the nurses or MyChart was pointless. He is not warm or compassionate. Can be a little bit patronizing.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Jared Robins at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Don’t use him if you need comforting care.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Jared Robins at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
The clinic is very much like a cattle call- the sheer volume of patients moving through their office each day is staggering. My care was managed by whoever was on call that day.
Describe the protocols Jared Robins used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
I had 3 retrievals at the clinic - 2 were conducted by Dr. Robins and one was by another doctor. The protocol for my first 2 retrievals was Follistim/Menopur/Ganirelix. I used Ovidrel to trigger for my first retrieval and got overstimulated, which was awful. 12 embryos retrieved. For the 2nd retrieval, same stim meds, but with Lupron trigger. I think I had 10 retrieved (can’t remember exactly). For the 3rd retrieval, I used an estrogen priming protocol the the same stim meds with a Lupron trigger. I think I had 11 retrieved (can’t remember). Ended up with 2-3 per retrieval after Day 5-6 that ended up being frozen for PGS/PGD testing. Only had 3 transferable after testing.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
90% of my contact with the nurses was through MyChart where my questions would get answered by whomever was there at the time. I could never tell if they were sharing notes. Consistency of care is a major problem. Some nurses are kind, some are helpful, some are neither.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I don’t recommend NW to friends. I think they are good at their protocols and their system works for many women. But unfortunately, if you have a unique issue, they don’t have a way to deal with you outside of their system. This is due to your primary doctor not being the one to consistently make the decisions for your care. They rotate around each day and it became very clear that other docs besides mine didn’t know what was going on with me. Be prepared for advocate for yourself. The on-call doc for my first retrieval mistakenly did not adjust my meds down correctly so I got overstimulated. And for my final retrieval, another doctor prescribed Ovidrel trigger even though I was close to overstimulating again. This was resolved by me getting in the middle of my doctor and the other doctor on call to advocate for myself. Their financial counselors are kind of terrible- pay very close attention to your bills because they make mistakes on their billing. And they are a zero balance clinic so prepare yourself for ultimatums coming from nurses before being able to proceed with protocols.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Monitoring occurs from 7-7:45 am and it is a cattle call.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Jared Robins at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
have insurance coverage for some of it but paid $40 copay per visit (these REALLY add up), $895 per retrieval for cryopreservation, plus my coinsurance costs. Total of about $4,500 for 3 retrievals and 2 transfers spanning 2 calendar years. Not counting parking costs!
Describe Jared Robins's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
They wouldn’t 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 call with results
  • Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
  • Provided conflicting information
  • Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Communication breakdowns are a regular occurrence. Also had a couple snafus between the nurses and front desk/appointment booking.
1
Doctor
Jared Robins
NPS
Humanity
1 of 5
Communication
4 of 5
Frequency Seen
2 of 5
Compassion
4 of 5
Explained risks
3 of 5
Adaptability
3 of 5
3
Clinic
Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine
Chicago
NPS
Operations
4 of 5
Scheduling
3 of 5
Billing Department
1 of 5
Nursing Staff
3 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
5 of 5
Educational Resources
5 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2019, 14 Eggs Frozen
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 36
1 Egg Freezing
European
Income $100K - $199K
Nurse or HC Services
Only Doc Seen
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
[Dr. Eve Feinberg] personally called me or sent mychart messages every step of the way...is so good at explaining the process and what to expect. She did not make me feel silly for wanting to freeze my eggs at 25 for social reasons where many doctors might. She helped keep my mental and physical status intact during the process...is not only a professional, but she made me feel at peace during my process
nurses Kelsey and Rachel, Dr Angela Lawson, and the front desk staff [at Northwestern Medicine] were all wonderful and supportive. Everyone was so kind...When I had questions, no one ever made me feel dumb and took the time to explain what was happening...I enjoyed their IVF bootcamp and meeting with the psychologist to review the mental effects that IVF and egg freezing would have on me...Clean space, top floor of one of the newer buildings.
How was your experience with Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Feinberg is so good at explaining the process and what to expect. She did not make me feel silly for wanting to freeze my eggs at 25 for social reasons where many doctors might. She helped keep my mental and physical status intact during the process
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
You will be in great hands!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Eve Feinberg is not only a professional, but she made me feel at peace during my process. I cannot remember all of the names of those who touched my care, but nurses Kelsey and Rachel, Dr Angela Lawson, and the front desk staff were all wonderful and supportive. Everyone was so kind. Dr. Feinberg personally called me or sent mychart messages every step of the way. When I had questions, no one ever made me feel dumb and took the time to explain what was happening.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Rachel and Kelsey and Dr. Lawson, Dr Pavon)
Very kind and communicative daily about next steps
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Clean space, top floor of one of the newer buildings. Amazing view of the city and an environment that put you at ease through very nerve wrecking appointments. Free coffee and snakcks Very friendly receptionists. I enjoyed their IVF bootcamp and meeting with the psychologist to review the mental effects that IVF and egg freezing would have on me. The nurses were kind and explained every step and would always call me back quickly if I had a medication question. My Egg freezing went very smoothly and I had excellent and things went exactly as my primary doctor and nurses said that it would.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
First come first serve. If you got there super early it was in and out and a little longer but after a few visits I knew what to expect!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
$5800 out of pocket for fees and meds that my insurance did not cover
10
Doctor
Eve Feinberg
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
5 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
10
Clinic
Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine
Chicago
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
6 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2018 - 2019, Unknown Success
NPS
5
NPS
7
Age 39 - 40
4 IUI
1 IVF
Unexplained
Only Doc Seen
Doesn't Recommend
Neutral
Success w/ Doc Too early to know
Doctor [Boots] is very understanding of my particular situation. With a lot of money at stake for treatment a bit more clarity or face to face time would be appreciated. I felt heard but I would like a more detailed explanation of why, when things don’t work ... She was open to discussing pros and cons about this [eSET approach]. ... 2 IUI with Clomid, Ovidrel - negative 1 IUI Letrozole, Ovidrel (I asked for Letrozole change)
Strength- works like clockwork. Patient portal is good. Staff [Northwestern Medicine] is friendly. Experienced group of Doctors who consult with each other and work as a team Weakness- monitoring feels like a cattle call. Have to ask questions to get detailed answers. Doctor doesn’t call with negative results, unless you make the effort to talk or ask for appointment or call back. ...My nurse is fantastic. Very compassionate, organized and understanding. She did all the communication as direct correspondence with Doctor is not the norm here. She forwarded questions to appropriate departments
How was your experience with Christina E. Boots at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Doctor is very understanding of my particular situation. With a lot of money at stake for treatment a bit more clarity or face to face time would be appreciated. I felt heard but I would like a more detailed explanation of why, when things don’t work
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christina E. Boots at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Do your research and ask a lot of questions
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christina E. Boots at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
The Doctor is very personable. I did a lot of research before the appointment. I felt like I had to ask a lot of questions myself, if not the information provided would have been just to the point of the treatment.
Describe the protocols Christina E. Boots used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
2 IUI with Clomid, Ovidrel - negative 1 IUI Letrozole, Ovidrel (I asked for Letrozole change) Negative 1 IVF converted to IUI because of response Antagonist- negative 1 IVF long lupron protocol negative but better result
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
My nurse is fantastic. Very compassionate, organized and understanding. She did all the communication as direct correspondence with Doctor is not the norm here. She forwarded questions to appropriate departments
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Strength- works like clockwork. Patient portal is good. Staff is friendly. Experienced group of Doctors who consult with each other and work as a team Weakness- monitoring feels like a cattle call. Have to ask questions to get detailed answers. Doctor doesn’t call with negative results, unless you make the effort to talk or ask for appointment or call back.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
It was busy during monitoring but organized. Check in and then First come first served basis. Mostly in and out in half an hour
Describe the costs associated with your care under Christina E. Boots at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Over $5000 so far, some coverage
Describe Christina E. Boots's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
She was open to discussing pros and cons about this.
5
Doctor
Christina E. Boots
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
4 of 5
Frequency Seen
2 of 5
Trustworthiness
4 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
3 of 5
Adaptability
4 of 5
7
Clinic
Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine
Chicago
NPS
Operations
4 of 5
Scheduling
3 of 5
Billing Department
4 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
4 of 5
Educational Resources
5 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2017 - 2019, Unknown Success
NPS
10
NPS
8
Age 42 - 44
2 IVF
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
Uterine Fibroids
Unexplained
Ashkenazi Jewish
Income $100K - $199K
5th of 5 Docs
3 IUI With Other Docs
Donor Eggs With Other Docs
Strongly Recommends
Neutral
Success w/ Doc Too early to know
I am a 43 year old intended mother who has been trying to have a baby for 6 years and has had 6 miscarriages, 5 of the 6 miscarriages were through trying naturally. We saw Dr. Feinberg for our last two IVF rounds using my own eggs. We are beginning IVF rounds with her using donor eggs. (We have done 8 rounds of infertility treatments to date, though only two have been with her.)
Northwestern FRM has done a fantastic job of building a kinder, gentler, more female patient-friendly medical team. And I'm grateful...is a large clinic and it is easy to feel lost there if you don't have a strong relationship with your Doctor. However, two things I think they do VERY well: require a Psychology consult with one of their in-house Psychologists before and after IVF rounds (we found it to be so incredibly helpful and Northwestern was the first clinic we worked with to suggest emotional support during treatment could be needed---yes, it was and is) and building a younger, more inclusive, heavily female, science-based, knowledgeable team of Doctors.
How was your experience with Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
I cannot say enough good things about our experience with Dr. Feinberg. She is exactly who I want and need in our corner while we fight to have our first child. I only wish we found her sooner. It would have made our first 6 rounds kinder and perhaps more successful.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Call her immediately.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Feinberg is so kind hearted, extremely knowledgeable, and has an excellent bedside manner. She remembered details about our personal lives, always called us by our preferred names/nicknames, and was the first Reproductive Endocrinologist to really explain to me what the process would be like and what I could expect---she has actually gone through infertility treatments herself, so she has personal experience. She is our first female Reproductive Endocrinologist and the only Reproductive Endocrinologist we've seen who did not boist or lead with ego. She was kind, extremely professional, and told us exactly what we needed to know to make educated decisions.
Describe the protocols Eve Feinberg used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
I am a 43 year old intended mother who has been trying to have a baby for 6 years and has had 6 miscarriages, 5 of the 6 miscarriages were through trying naturally. We saw Dr. Feinberg for our last two IVF rounds using my own eggs. We are beginning IVF rounds with her using donor eggs. (We have done 8 rounds of infertility treatments to date, though only two have been with her.)
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I think being a patient of Dr. Feinberg's is enough of a reason to be a patient of Northwestern FRM. Northwestern is a large clinic and it is easy to feel lost there if you don't have a strong relationship with your Doctor. However, two things I think they do VERY well: require a Psychology consult with one of their in-house Psychologists before and after IVF rounds (we found it to be so incredibly helpful and Northwestern was the first clinic we worked with to suggest emotional support during treatment could be needed---yes, it was and is) and building a younger, more inclusive, heavily female, science-based, knowledgeable team of Doctors. I had one of their older, been there for a million years, male (now retired) Doctor perform our egg retrieval on our second IVF round. He walked past me, introduced himself to my husband, told him all about the procedure, and then walked out of the recovery room without acknowledging me while I sat on the table in a cap and gown waiting to go into surgery with him. The new Doctors do not operate in that archaic and disrespectful manner. Northwestern FRM has done a fantastic job of building a kinder, gentler, more female patient-friendly medical team. And I'm grateful.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Our insurance helped with the cost substantially.
10
Doctor
Eve Feinberg
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
4 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
8
Clinic
Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine
Chicago
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
6 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2018 - 2019, Unsuccessful
NPS
0
NPS
2
Age 39 - 40
4 IUI
Unexplained
European
Income $100K - $199K
3rd of 3 Docs
4 IUI With Other Docs
4 IVF With Other Docs
4 Egg Freezing With Other Docs
Doesn't Recommend
Doesn't Recommend
Unsuccessful
I only saw dr. Bernardi two times in two years. I requested she be the one to do my transfer. She agreed. She was not the one who did my transfer. She went on maternity and there was no designated replacement...She was kind and caring when I interacted with her. Interaction was so little. I felt like I was in charge of my own treatment. I would suggest something via portal and a nurse would respond.
When I was getting methotrexate for ectopic only one nurse [at Norhtwestern Medicine] had empathy or kindness. The others it was all business...They [nurses] were always different. I never felt I worked with one or another. They always answered my questions via the portal but I never felt I was communicating with an actual person...I had one Dr. tell me I was miscarrying, and another tell me I wasn't. This went on for THREE WEEKS!!!!
How was your experience with Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Lia Bernardi was always great in person and on the phone. I spoke with her a total of two times in two years. Once at the initial meeting, once on the phone after miscarriage. She was kind and caring when I interacted with her. Interaction was so little. I felt like I was in charge of my own treatment. I would suggest something via portal and a nurse would respond. Also I had to point out that my thyroid was high and only then did they put on meds for that. Nice person, not a great doctor/patient experience.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Look carefully at all tests and each patients results/past. Interact more with patient.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
It is very much a fertility factory here. I only saw dr. Bernardi two times in two years. I requested she be the one to do my transfer. She agreed. She was not the one who did my transfer. She went on maternity and there was no designated replacement. When I was getting methotrexate for ectopic only one nurse had empathy or kindness. The others it was all business.
Describe the protocols Lia Bernardi used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
Went for FET with an embryo from an embryo retrieved at another clinic out of state. Wanted to transfer in state so found them. They transferred and it was not a success. I requested Dr. Bernardi be the one to transfer- she agreed. The dr. that showed up at the transfer was NOT Dr. Bernardi and at that point I had no choice but to do the transfer as the embryo was thawed. It failed. Then we went to IUI as I had previously gotten pregnant with iui. First stimmed iui I became pregnant. I then was shuffled between two dr.'s as Dr. Bernardi went on maternity. The pregnancy was ectopic. Given methotrexate (3x) to dissolve pregnancy. Also had an empty sac. This was expelled and I ended up being admitted to ER for excessive bleeding. Horrible times. A few months pass. We decide to do iui again. First iui failed. Second they stimmed me too hard and I feel the cycle should have been cancelled as I triggered on day 6. It failed, not surprised. This current cycle I am doing a natural cycle (I asked for this). We'll see. I am planning on going elsewhere after this cycle.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
They were always different. I never felt I worked with one or another. They always answered my questions via the portal but I never felt I was communicating with an actual person.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Strengths- they do a lot of procedures here and have the monitoring down. You will be with every other infertile woman in the city but it doesn't take too long. Weaknesses- not super compassionate, feels like a factory. Never felt they looked at ME- rather what normally works/is.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
a lot for the fet. Each iui ends up being about 1700$
Describe Lia Bernardi's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Not applicable
What specific things went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
  • Failed to call with results
  • Failed to order appropriate test
  • Provided conflicting information
  • Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I had one Dr. tell me I was miscarrying, and another tell me I wasn't. This went on for THREE WEEKS!!!! This was when my normal dr. was on maternity leave. My thyroid levels were off and I had to point this out! I had to request every follow up tsh test as well. My estrogen/lining was too low and I had to tell them this, "my lining seems too thin- perhaps I should have estrogen." then they said, "yes, you're right- I'll send a prescription." I wanted them to notice these things and fix them- not me. At times felt like I was my own doctor and they just performed the tests.
0
Doctor
Lia Bernardi
NPS
Humanity
2 of 5
Communication
2 of 5
Frequency Seen
1 of 5
Trustworthiness
3 of 5
Compassion
2 of 5
Explained risks
2 of 5
Adaptability
2 of 5
2
Clinic
Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine
Chicago
NPS
Operations
3 of 5
Scheduling
3 of 5
Billing Department
3 of 5
Nursing Staff
3 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
4 of 5
Educational Resources
4 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2019, Unsuccessful
NPS
2
NPS
0
Age 37
1 IVF
Anovulation
Income $100K - $199K
2nd of 2 Docs
2 IUI With Other Docs
Doesn't Recommend
Doesn't Recommend
Unsuccessful
Dr. Feinberg has a policy of only transferring 1 embryo per transfer. ... She cowers behind her nursing staff [Northwestern Medicine] to deliver difficult news, instead of calling and talking to you directly. We made the mistake of waiting longer for an initial appointment so that we could see Dr. Feinberg, but she really wasn't terribly involved in our care. ... Your doctor will likely not do your egg retrieval or transfer. ... Standard IVF protocol
Very poor, inexperienced nursing staff with a lot of turnover. ... This is a very poorly run clinic [Northwestern Medicine]. ... [Monitoring appointments] It is a cattle call. Expect to spend 30 min to an hour waiting. ... the financial care coordinator called before I had even finished miscarrying to inform me about the costs of a frozen transfer. I found this to be in very poor taste. ... No one at the clinic actually cares about you as a person, or the emotional stress related to the process.
How was your experience with Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Feinberg has a policy of only transferring 1 embryo per transfer. She says it is for the safety for mother and baby, but with Northwestern's cost of $5000 per frozen transfer, there is a financial incentive for you to fail so that she can make more money on subsequent transfers. She cowers behind her nursing staff to deliver difficult news, instead of calling and talking to you directly. We made the mistake of waiting longer for an initial appointment so that we could see Dr. Feinberg, but she really wasn't terribly involved in our care. I had a different doctor for both the egg retrieval and fresh transfer. All that waiting for her did was delay our ability to start treatment.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Don't wait to see her, because you really won't be seeing her. Take the first available appointment unless you feel like waiting another 6 months (or longer) to actually start treatment.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
The clinic is a factory farm. You are not special. They don't care about you. You will have several nurses provide you information and several doctors will participate in your care. Your doctor will likely not do your egg retrieval or transfer. You will see who is on call that day.
Describe the protocols Eve Feinberg used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
Standard IVF protocol, with a month of estrogen priming to start. 5 day fresh transfer.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Claire)
Very poor, inexperienced nursing staff with a lot of turnover. They only communicate via email via mychart.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
This is a very poorly run clinic. Expect to spend at least an hour in the waiting room for every early morning monitoring appointment...even if you come at the very beginning of the window. No one at the clinic actually cares about you as a person, or the emotional stress related to the process. If anything, they are predatory and will only increase the emotional stress of the experience. An example of this was that the financial care coordinator called before I had even finished miscarrying to inform me about the costs of a frozen transfer. I found this to be in very poor taste.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
It is a cattle call. Expect to spend 30 min to an hour waiting.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
$10,000 for out of pocket IVF, plus additional costs for all medicines. $5,000 for frozen transfer
Describe Eve Feinberg's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
She will only do a single embryo transfer unless you have very unfavorable characteristics (ie advanced maternal age and poor embryo quality).
What specific things went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
  • Lost appointments
  • Lost results
  • Provided conflicting information
  • Failed to convey critical information
  • Lost or damaged samples
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I had a non-viable pregnancy (my HCG was not doubling), but yet the clinic nurse wanted me to continue progesterone injections and additional HCG testing appointments, saying there was a possibility it was a "lab error". The reality is that a non-doubling HCG is indicative of a non-viable pregnancy. This clinic only prolonged the agony of my loss by giving false hope and subjecting me to additional non-essential invasive procedures.
2
Doctor
Eve Feinberg
NPS
Humanity
3 of 5
Communication
3 of 5
Frequency Seen
1 of 5
Trustworthiness
2 of 5
Compassion
4 of 5
Explained risks
4 of 5
Adaptability
2 of 5
0
Clinic
Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine
Chicago
NPS
Operations
1 of 5
Scheduling
2 of 5
Billing Department
1 of 5
Nursing Staff
1 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
5 of 5
Educational Resources
4 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2018, Unsuccessful
NPS
10
NPS
7
Age 42
1 IVF
Uterine Fibroids
Black or African-American
Income $50K - $99K
Nurse or HC Services
2nd of 2 Docs
Strongly Recommends
Neutral
Unsuccessful
Dr L. Bernardi and her team were awesome! I have zero complaints!...is very warm, welcoming, comforting! I always felt comfortable picking her brain and discussing treatment plan. During my ivf treatment she was expecting. She asked if I was ok with her treating me while she was pregnant. That was very considerate of her. It didn't bother me at all, and of course I wanted her to continue treating me!
Registration, phlebotomy, ultrasound, etc., all are fast without being rushed and they all listen [at Northwestern Medicine]! I don't have any weaknesses to discuss at this time...She [nurse] dealt with my questions with a smile everytime. She is welcoming and makes you feel like you're talking to a friend instead of a healthcare provider. She's prompt in responding to any correspondence. She makes you feel as if you're her only client (compared to some of the horror stories at other facilities, she's a godsend). She's the absolute best!
How was your experience with Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr Bernardi is very warm, welcoming, comforting! I always felt comfortable picking her brain and discussing treatment plan. During my ivf treatment she was expecting. She asked if I was ok with her treating me while she was pregnant. That was very considerate of her. It didn't bother me at all, and of course I wanted her to continue treating me!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Ask all the questions you like! She will answer them all without making you feel uncomfortable!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr L. Bernardi and her team were awesome! I have zero complaints! Every single person in that office is warm and welcoming! The view is also amazing and calming! I never felt like a number! I highly recommend her and her team! Very warm, welcoming, empathetic, and kind!
Describe the protocols Lia Bernardi used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
We started with clomid, but that had an adverse effect on me. We stopped immediately! It had my vision like I was in the Matrix! We then moved on to Menopur, Gonal F, Ovidrel, and maybe another med(I forget). I can't recall the doses. We did weekly blood work, and Ultrasound.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Lauren T)
Lauren T RN was absolutely amazing! She dealt with my questions with a smile everytime. She is welcoming and makes you feel like you're talking to a friend instead of a healthcare provider. She's prompt in responding to any correspondence. She makes you feel as if you're her only client (compared to some of the horror stories at other facilities, she's a godsend). She's the absolute best!
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
This clinic is beautiful. It has wonderful views of lake Michigan. They are fast, and run like a well oiled machine, without making you feel like a number. They are great a accommodating you if you don't have an appointment (sometimes things come up and you really have to be seen immediately). Registration, phlebotomy, ultrasound, etc., all are fast without being rushed and they all listen! I don't have any weaknesses to discuss at this time.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Ultrasound typically was done right after or before bloodwork. They put you on the schedule and you do it then. Never a long line/lengthy wait!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The cost was for procedures, clinic, were covered under the insurance had at that time. The meds were covered up to a percentage for the first cycle. All cycles after are out of pocket.
Describe Lia Bernardi's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
N/A
10
Doctor
Lia Bernardi
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
4 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
7
Clinic
Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine
Chicago
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
6 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2018, Unknown Success
NPS
9
NPS
7
Age 37
3 IUI
Male Factor
Ashkenazi Jewish
Income $100K - $199K
Only Doc Seen
Strongly Recommends
Neutral
Success w/ Doc Too early to know
She [Dr. Lia Bernardi] was very warm and kind in her in-person and email interactions. Sometimes it was hard to communicate directly with her via email (MyChart) because the nurses answer all the messages....She made a point to involve my husband in discussions as well, whereas a different doctor that we saw first nearly ignored him. She advocated on my behalf with my insurance company when they didn't want to cover IVF after 3 IUI cycles....She had recommended 50 mg Clomid from the start but I wanted to start with 25 mg and she was OK with that...
Strengths are that they [Northwestern] are an academic center, they are on the cutting edge of medical research and they follow all of the recommended SART guidelines. They do not promote any products or services that are not medically proven to work (i.e. no accupuncture, vitamins/supplements, fertility nutritionists, etc). In my opinion this is a good thing. They do have psychologists and the one I saw was great. Weaknesses are that they are super busy and sometimes you wait over an hour for ultrasound/labs during morning monitoring hours (it is first come first serve). Also sometimes you have to wait on hold for 5 min when you call. Due to the volume of patients it can definitely feel like a "factory."
How was your experience with Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
She is a warm, compassionate doctor. She does a good job balancing my own wishes/priorities with her medical judgement. She patiently answered all of my questions (and I had A LOT of questions!) She made a point to involve my husband in discussions as well, whereas a different doctor that we saw first nearly ignored him. She advocated on my behalf with my insurance company when they didn't want to cover IVF after 3 IUI cycles.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Do your reading in advance and come prepared with a list of questions.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
She was very warm and kind in her in-person and email interactions. Sometimes it was hard to communicate directly with her via email (MyChart) because the nurses answer all the messages.
Describe the protocols Lia Bernardi used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
25 mg Clomid x 5 days for 1st and 2nd IUIs. I produced 2 mature follicles the 1st time and 1 the second time. 50 mg Clomid x 5 days for 3rd IUI-- still only produced 1 mature follicle, pregnancy results pending (too soon to test). She decided that it I am not pregnant, next time I should come in sooner for baseline testing (day 3 instead of day 5) so I can start Clomid earlier in hopes of producing 2 follicles. She had recommended 50 mg Clomid from the start but I wanted to start with 25 mg and she was OK with that.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Jamie)
Very prompt responses to MyChart messages and very detailed instructions provided. She performed one of my IUIs and she explained the procedure step-by-step. When I requested that she communicate directly with my doctor to answer a question, she did so and got back to me quickly.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Strengths are that they are an academic center, they are on the cutting edge of medical research and they follow all of the recommended SART guidelines. They do not promote any products or services that are not medically proven to work (i.e. no accupuncture, vitamins/supplements, fertility nutritionists, etc). In my opinion this is a good thing. They do have psychologists and the one I saw was great. Weaknesses are that they are super busy and sometimes you wait over an hour for ultrasound/labs during morning monitoring hours (it is first come first serve). Also sometimes you have to wait on hold for 5 min when you call. Due to the volume of patients it can definitely feel like a "factory." You need to be somewhat savvy about your own medical care and ask questions if something doesn't seem right. There is not a lot of "hand-holding"-- you need to fend for yourself.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
With my insurance, office visits had a $50 copay. IUI was covered by my insurance.
What specific things went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
  • Failed to call with results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
We initially saw a different doctor at the clinic. When my husband's semen analysis results came back abnormal, the nurse communicated with us via MyChart message. I felt this was inappropriate considering the results were abnormal. I wrote back multiple times saying I want the doctor to call us, but apparently the doctor refused and said we need to come in for an appointment. Her schedule was full when I called, which was so stressful. Eventually she overbooked us and met with us. I had to pay a $50 copay for the visit when she could've just called. My husband and I were extremely worried about what these results meant, but during appointment she said his results were only "mildly abnormal" and not too worrisome. She could have spared us so much stress by just calling right away. We switched doctors after that.
9
Doctor
Lia Bernardi
NPS
Humanity
4 of 5
Communication
4 of 5
Frequency Seen
1 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
4 of 5
Explained risks
4 of 5
Adaptability
4 of 5
7
Clinic
Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine
Chicago
NPS
Operations
4 of 5
Scheduling
3 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
6 of 5
Educational Resources
6 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2018, Unsuccessful
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 37
1 IVF
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
Male Factor
European
Income $100K - $199K
1st of 2 Docs
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Unsuccessful
After my canceled cycle she [Dr. Christina Boots] made a point to call me. She offered a phone consultation for my second round because I lived so far... I didn’t she her often but she responded to all message quickly and was always willing to setup a call to walk me thru everything. She was always positive and that helped getting thru all the appointments and procedures...I believe she only will transfer 1 if it’s a 5 day transfer.
My first nurse [at Northwestern Medicine] didn’t really explain the results that well. I was a little shocked that they were canceling my cycle. My second nurse was amazing. She had great reports on the portal and always answered any of my questions with patience and compassion...It’d be nice to see the doctor at some of your monitoring appointments. Strengths the portal and the scheduling.
How was your experience with Christina E. Boots at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. boots was great! I didn’t she her often but she responded to all message quickly and was always willing to setup a call to walk me thru everything. She was always positive and that helped getting thru all the appointments and procedures.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christina E. Boots at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Get on a Facebook support group. I learned so much from those groups and they helped me understand more or have someone to talk to that was going they the same thing.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christina E. Boots at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
After my canceled cycle she made a point to call me. She offered a phone consultation for my second round because I lived so far. Her nurses always told me that she was sorry but wanted me in for another monitoring appointment. It made it easier that she understood the lengths that were needed to get thru this process
Describe the protocols Christina E. Boots used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
My first cycle, I was on BC then microcode Lupron protocol. My second cycle, I was on global-f and Menapur then added in ganerlix after a couple of days.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
My first nurse didn’t really explain the results that well. I was a little shocked that they were canceling my cycle. My second nurse was amazing. She had great reports on the portal and always answered any of my questions with patience and compassion.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
It’d be nice to see the doctor at some of your monitoring appointments. Strengths the portal and the scheduling. Although I wish there was a closer location. I traveled anywhere from 96-116 miles round trip.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Christina E. Boots at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I have insurance but my deductible was $350 and I spent 7,800 on meds for 2 cycles.
Describe Christina E. Boots's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I believe she only will transfer 1 if it’s a 5 day transfer. I think it should be up to the patient if they want 2.
10
Doctor
Christina E. Boots
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
1 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
3 of 5
10
Clinic
Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine
Chicago
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
5 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2018, Unknown Success
NPS
10
NPS
9
Age 39
2 IUI
1 IVF
Poor Egg Quality
Unexplained
Ashkenazi Jewish
Income $200K - $499K
Only Doc Seen
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Success w/ Doc Too early to know
She [Dr. Eve Feinberg] is really open and honest, explaining her thinking at each step. She has also been deeply caring when things have been difficult or unexpected. I have real trust that she knows what she’s doing and wants the best outcomes for us, not just for herself. She shares stories of other patients (anonymously of course!) in a way that helps us keep things in perspective
[Monitoring hours at Northwestern Medicine are] different for Highland Park and downtown. Downtown is a lot of people waiting to be called, and I would expect to be there for at least an hour if not more. Highland Park is a set appointment time and moves very quickly - in and out in half an hour...Our IUI self-pay package cost $709 Our IVF with PGD (FET) cost $12,000 + meds cost of ~$6000 + genetic testing with Natera $6400
How was your experience with Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
She is really open and honest, explaining her thinking at each step. She has also been deeply caring when things have been difficult or unexpected. I have real trust that she knows what she’s doing and wants the best outcomes for us, not just for herself. She shares stories of other patients (anonymously of course!) in a way that helps us keep things in perspective
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
It is a long wait to get an appointment, but worth it! Also, she has 2 offices, downtown and Highland Park. The HP office is lower key - less crowded and more time with her.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
She is kind, forthright, caring
Describe the protocols Eve Feinberg used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
We started with IUI since I had previously had a successful pregnancy and 1 miscarriage. I produced 1 follicle on clomid the first round and then she increased my dosage for another round, when I produced 2 follicles and became pregnant. Unfortunately genetic testing revealed a chromosomal abnormality and we had to terminate the pregnancy. Meanwhile we had also received information from our genetic screening that we are both carriers for a genetic disease. Dr Feinberg suggested changing course and we are currently doing IVF with ICSI and PGD. We did stimulation with 300 units of Gonal-F (increased to 375) and 75 units of Menopur (increased to 150), with Cetrotide and an Ovidrel trigger. This produced 13 follicles, 7 mature, 4 fertilized, 2 made it to blastocyst. Dr Feinberg told us she will adjust if future cycles are necessary since these were not the results she had hoped for. She explained her choices were based on my previous ability to conceive.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Leah and Kelsey)
The nurses have been very responsive on my chart (online patient portal) and wonderful in person
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
This is fine, not great. There is some difficulty with communication between the two offices, though most patients just go to one. It can take a long time to get through to someone and get a call back since it is such a busy practice. For monitoring, waits are long.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
This is different for Highland Park and downtown. Downtown is a lot of people waiting to be called, and I would expect to be there for at least an hour if not more. Highland Park is a set appointment time and moves very quickly - in and out in half an hour.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Our IUI self-pay package cost $709 Our IVF with PGD (FET) cost $12,000 + meds cost of ~$6000 + genetic testing with Natera $6400
Describe Eve Feinberg's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Dr Feinberg told us she does single embryo transfer and we are happy with this as we do not want multiples.
What specific things went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
  • Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I tried to order meds from an online pharmacy to cut costs. It proved difficult to do this and I’m not sure if his is because it was not their in house pharmacy or on their list of suggestions, or if it was all on the pharmacy. I ended up spending more money to order through Northwestern for simplicity but the miscommunication caused a great deal of stress
10
Doctor
Eve Feinberg
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
2 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
9
Clinic
Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine
Chicago
NPS
Operations
4 of 5
Scheduling
3 of 5
Billing Department
3 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
5 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2018, Unknown Success
NPS
1
NPS
5
Age 33
1 IUI
European
Income $50K - $99K
Graphic Designer
3rd of 3 Docs
1 IVF With Other Docs
Doesn't Recommend
Doesn't Recommend
Success w/ Doc Too early to know
When we first went for our consultation with Dr. Bernardi, she seemed incredibly friendly and knowledgable and like she would be a good doctor to work with. When it was time to start our cycle though I didn't hear from her at all, working only with nurses. When I requested for her to call, she elected instead to send me a message a day later informing me she was going on maternity leave and good luck. So essentially, she did not tell me she was going on maternity leave until the last moment, when she certainly could have told me sooner and made alternative arrangements for my care.
The nurses [at Northwestern Medicine] were extremely responsive, friendly, and easy to communicate with...The biggest thing I wish I had known before I started with this clinic was that doctors aren't actual present for any cycle ultrasounds. All ultrasounds leading up to a transfer are done by staff. This was different from the level of care I had at my previous clinic and therefore was unexpected for me. Overall, Northwestern is fast and efficient, but I felt the staff as a whole could be a little friendlier. I had issues contacting the financial coordinators and getting my embryos transferred from my previous clinic.
How was your experience with Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
When we first went for our consultation with Dr. Bernardi, she seemed incredibly friendly and knowledgable and like she would be a good doctor to work with. When it was time to start our cycle though I didn't hear from her at all, working only with nurses. When I requested for her to call, she elected instead to send me a message a day later informing me she was going on maternity leave and good luck. So essentially, she did not tell me she was going on maternity leave until the last moment, when she certainly could have told me sooner and made alternative arrangements for my care. In addition, she could not take the time to speak with me over the phone and discuss certain procedures and answer my questions. It was very disappointing.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Ask a lot of questions and be persistent if you actually want to speak on the phone with her. Although ultimately I would recommend a different doctor at Northwestern.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
I received no personalized care or consideration from Dr. Bernardi. I genuinely felt that my cycle did not matter to her.
Describe the protocols Lia Bernardi used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
We used oral estrogen tablets, injectable progesterone, and progesterone suppositories.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The nurses were extremely responsive, friendly, and easy to communicate with.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The biggest thing I wish I had known before I started with this clinic was that doctors aren't actual present for any cycle ultrasounds. All ultrasounds leading up to a transfer are done by staff. This was different from the level of care I had at my previous clinic and therefore was unexpected for me. Overall, Northwestern is fast and efficient, but I felt the staff as a whole could be a little friendlier. I had issues contacting the financial coordinators and getting my embryos transferred from my previous clinic.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Lia Bernardi at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
$5,000 for an embryo transfer, plus the cost of medication, plus copay expenses for workup appointments.
Describe Lia Bernardi's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
When we had our initial consultation and I told her in our last cycle we had only done a single embryo, she asked why and thought we could do two embryos. That was the extent of her comments or explanation about the subject.
1
Doctor
Lia Bernardi
NPS
Humanity
1 of 5
Communication
1 of 5
Frequency Seen
1 of 5
Trustworthiness
3 of 5
Compassion
4 of 5
Explained risks
1 of 5
Adaptability
1 of 5
5
Clinic
Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine
Chicago
NPS
Operations
4 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
3 of 5
Nursing Staff
3 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
5 of 5
Educational Resources
1 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2017 - 2018, Unsuccessful
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 33 - 34
1 IVF
Unexplained
European
Income $50K - $99K
3rd of 3 Docs
3 IUI With Other Docs
1 IVF With Other Docs
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Unsuccessful
Dr Feinberg is wonderful. She is so warm and caring with a great bedside manner. I feel like I really matter to her as a patient and she hears my concerns....I was happy that Dr Feinberg changed my protocol from my last retrieval with a different clinic. I was on less medications and in return I felt better physically and mentally. I also found it refreshing that she suggested a day 3 transfer instead of what I have done in the past, a day 5
it was very easy to get an appointment They [Northwestern Med] were very accommodating to my schedule. I always feel like I was walking into a spa instead of walking in to a doctor's office. It is so tranquil and peaceful. The front desk receptionists are wonderful, especially Laurel at the Highland Park office!...I was told that a specific diagnosis code would be used to bill my insurance. When the claims started coming through, they were all denied because the clinic used a different code than what they told me they were going to use.
How was your experience with Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Even though our first round of IVF with Dr Feinberg failed, we still trust her and the process and will not give up. We felt so well taken care of by her. She answers all my questions no matter how silly they may seem. When we talk to her, we feel as if she is more of a friend than a doctor.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
She is determined to get you pregnant and will not give up!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr Feinberg is wonderful. She is so warm and caring with a great bedside manner. I feel like I really matter to her as a patient and she hears my concerns.
Describe the protocols Eve Feinberg used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
I was happy that Dr Feinberg changed my protocol from my last retrieval with a different clinic. I was on less medications and in return I felt better physically and mentally. I also found it refreshing that she suggested a day 3 transfer instead of what I have done in the past, a day 5 and explained to us the reason she would transfer two instead of one. I liked how she mixed it up because we were afraid of doing the same thing as previous cycles and expecting different results.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Laura Weppler)
Laura was very good about always getting back to me within an hour or two of me sending an email. She was very clear in her instructions and always follows through.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Unlike the other clinics I have been to, it was very easy to get an appointment They were very accommodating to my schedule. I always feel like I was walking into a spa instead of walking in to a doctor's office. It is so tranquil and peaceful. The front desk receptionists are wonderful, especially Laurel at the Highland Park office!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Compared to other clinics, the costs with Dr Feinberg were significantly lower. They really want to make it affordable to everyone as they know it doesn't always work on the first try and you might have to do more than one round. My insurance has an infertility max that had already been met, so we knew we were going to be self pay. We were pleasantly surprised that the financial advisor said our blood tests and ultrasounds would be covered, as well as some of the drugs, so we went with the lower priced package.
Describe Eve Feinberg's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
She said if it was her, she would transfer 2 but still gave us the choice to make on our own. We valued her advice and transferred two.
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 was told that a specific diagnosis code would be used to bill my insurance. When the claims started coming through, they were all denied because the clinic used a different code than what they told me they were going to use.
10
Doctor
Eve Feinberg
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
1 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
10
Clinic
Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine
Chicago
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
4 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
6 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2017 - 2018, Unknown Success
NPS
8
NPS
8
Age 40 - 41
3 IVF
Poor Egg Quality
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
European
Income $100K - $199K
Lawyer
2nd of 2 Docs
Neutral
Neutral
Success w/ Doc Not sure
I like that she [Dr. Eve Feinberg] has personal experience with IVF and is super knowledgeable. However, I've met with her in person only twice, before receiving any IVF treatment. I have only spoken with her on the telephone or emails since. I like that she is definitely open to changing protocols, but she doesn't always give me all the details so that I feel totally informed...She knows her stuff, so you will be in good hands. However, be ready to be a Northwestern patient, in more ways than a Feinberg patient.
I interact mostly with the nursing staff [at Northwestern Medicine]. They are super responsive via email and always willing to get answers to my questions...delays with the NW Pharmacy staff submitting my prescriptions. I had to stay on top of them almost as much as my prescription drug specialty pharmacy...There were only about 2 or 3 times where I had a longer wait and the office was packed with women waiting. Those were few and far between.
How was your experience with Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
I like that she has personal experience with IVF and is super knowledgeable. However, I've met with her in person only twice, before receiving any IVF treatment. I have only spoken with her on the telephone or emails since. I like that she is definitely open to changing protocols, but she doesn't always give me all the details so that I feel totally informed.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
She knows her stuff, so you will be in good hands. However, be ready to be a Northwestern patient, in more ways than a Feinberg patient.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
They see A LOT of patients. I don't always feel like I have personal care, but I always feel like I receive great care. I work more closely with the nurse staff for sure and haven't had much direct contact with my doctor herself at all.
Describe the protocols Eve Feinberg used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
Cycle 1: Microdose Lupron Flare - used based on my test results and miscarriage history alone. I turned out to be overstimulated by this protocol and we were all pleasantly surprised that they were able to retrieve 14 eggs, 5 of which became blastocysts. However, none tested as PGS normal, so we decided to cycle again, as my doctor believes it is a numbers game and we had a good chance to get a normal in the next round. Cycle 2: Antagonist - started low dose and increased slightly. I wanted to stim lower and slower, if at all possible after not feeling very good during the first cycle. She was open to this for sure. My AFC this round was significantly lower though, and we retrieved only 7 eggs, 3 of which became blastocysts and 1 tested as PGS normal. She suggested we try to get at least one more PGS normal embryo before attempting any transfers though. Cycle 3: Long Lupron - we changed it up again to see how I would respond. I was on highest doses and was a slow responder. We did retrieve 13 eggs, but only 1 grew to blastocyst and we are currently awaiting PGS testing results (and we will then decide to either attempt a frozen transfer or retrieve again).
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I interact mostly with the nursing staff. They are super responsive via email and always willing to get answers to my questions.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Good location in downtown Chicago, connected to Northwestern Hospital, and linked to all Northwestern doctors/services where I see most of my other physicans. Their lab is new and top notch. They do not do "batch cycles" but rather let you start on your cycle. That means they are open 7 days a week and holidays for appointments and procedures. The only thing to be aware of is they run FRM similarly to the OB practice - you may not see your doctor on the day of your procedure but instead the doctor who is scheduled to do procedures on that day.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Usually it was fast and super easy. There were only about 2 or 3 times where I had a longer wait and the office was packed with women waiting. Those were few and far between.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Most have been covered by insurance so far. Before treatment for any new cycle, I do have to pay a lab deposit for biopsy, freezing and storage.
Describe Eve Feinberg'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
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Nothing too serious, but just delays with the NW Pharmacy staff submitting my prescriptions. I had to stay on top of them almost as much as my prescription drug specialty pharmacy.
8
Doctor
Eve Feinberg
NPS
Humanity
3 of 5
Communication
4 of 5
Frequency Seen
1 of 5
Trustworthiness
4 of 5
Compassion
4 of 5
Explained risks
3 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
8
Clinic
Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine
Chicago
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
3 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
4 of 5
Educational Resources
6 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2017 - 2018, Successful
NPS
6
NPS
7
Age 32 - 33
1 IUI
Male Factor
European
Income $200K - $499K
Marketer or PR
Only Doc Seen
Doesn't Recommend
Neutral
Successful
For 95% of appointments, I saw different nurses or technicians... [Dr. Feinberg] was kind, and came highly regarded with a six month wait list... For someone so well regarded I would have expected more personal attention. Instead, I only saw her at our first and last (after conceiving) appointments. At the first appointment, I spent 45 minutes discussing my situation with a doctor in training, who then stepped out and took 5 minutes to relay it to Dr. Feinberg in private. When Dr. Feinberg entered the room for the first time, she sort of just jumped to a recommendation, and I felt like I didn't get to explain myself to her, after looking forward to this appointment for 6 months!!
Strengths [at Northwestern] : A responsive staff. Even if you feel like a number, you know you are in experienced practice that perform well over the number of recommended cycles in a year. Weaknesses: You do feel like a number - especially without an assigned nurse. Having to restate your birth date to confirm your identity is tough mentally. You want to feel like people support you during this journey, but it's a lot of advocating for yourself.
How was your experience with Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Eve was kind, and came highly regarded with a six month wait list. I'm sure the hype and high expectations is part of the reason why, in the end, I am rating her only a 6. For someone so well regarded I would have expected more personal attention. Instead, I only saw her at our first and last (after conceiving) appointments. At the first appointment, I spent 45 minutes discussing my situation with a doctor in training, who then stepped out and took 5 minutes to relay it to Dr. Feinberg in private. When Dr. Feinberg entered the room for the first time, she sort of just jumped to a recommendation, and I felt like I didn't get to explain myself to her, after looking forward to this appointment for 6 months!! Who knows what details the student chose to relay. 20 minutes later, Eve gave me an ultrasound, said my ovaries and lining looked good visually, and that the nurse would book my follow-up diagnostic appointments. From that point onward, all communication - the IUI procedure, the follow-ups, the sharing of results were all done by nurse staff. If I had a question for Eve, a nurse would take the question and relay it to her, then the nurse would get back to me in 24 hours. All in all, I feel that Eve is probably very knowledgeable based on the fact that other doctors only had flattering things to say. However, in my limited time with her (~5 months), I didn't see the reason for the hype. Based on all my research, she recommended treatments that I fully anticipated (3 IUIs without medication, then IVF). I felt I would have had the same/similar outcome with any other fertility doctor at the same practice. Perhaps if I was a more involved, or difficult case, her pedigree and expertise would have been more valuable. I guess should consider myself lucky that we achieved pregnancy without having to get into touch choices or recommendations.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Know that you will be in good hands with Eve, but don't expect that the heavens will open up during your first appointment. She is a busy lady, in extremely high demand and your time with her will be very limited. No one knows how long it will take them to get pregnant. In "quick" cases, Eve will likely not add value. However, you should your journey be a more challenging one, you have one of the best doctors on your side to help get you pregnant.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
I only saw Eve 2x during the duration of my time with Northwestern. For 95% of appointments, I saw different nurses or technicians. You would sit in a waiting room and they might call several names at once, and take 3 of you down the hall to your respective treatment rooms. In one appointment, you might see 3-4 different nurses or technicians - one to take your blood, one to do your ultrasound, and yet another to read your results. With every new technician you had to state your birth date as the means of verifying who you are. This made me feel very much like a number.
Describe the protocols Eve Feinberg used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
We came to Eve knowing that my husband had POOR fertility - as evidenced by 4 prior sperm tests (low motility, morphology, count and volume). I had taken a few tests with my OBGYN that showed my AMH and other levels were normal, so my hypothesis was that the issue was with my husband. Eve said she agreed with me, but still suggested I go through the standard tests just to cross off any issues on my end (like blocked tubes). So I had more rounds of blood draws and was scheduled for an HSG, prior to undergoing IUI. I ended up cancelling the HSG because if my tubes were blocked there is very little that can be done about it. Besides, I was fine gong to IVF if IUI didn't work (at which point blocked tubes are a moot point). When it came time for IUI I asked if I could do a 'natural' IUI, since the problem appeared to be on my husband's side and I didn't want to take needless medication. She agreed, so I proceeded without any clomid, letrozole, etc, but she recommended I still take a trigger shot to force ovulation once my egg was 19mm or larger. She said success rates are higher this way because there is less room for human error in tracking ovulation (with strips, or other method). She recommended no more than 3 IUI cycles (after which point your odds don't increase) and that after that I start IVF.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Several nurses, all very young. You get to know a few of them, but aren't assigned to a specific one. They were very responsive over MyChart, if you had a question. It just didn't feel very personal. However, when you are pregnant, a nurse will call you with the results.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Strengths: A responsive staff. Even if you feel like a number, you know you are in experienced practice that perform well over the number of recommended cycles in a year. Weaknesses: You do feel like a number - especially without an assigned nurse. Having to restate your birth date to confirm your identity is tough mentally. You want to feel like people support you during this journey, but it's a lot of advocating for yourself.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Insurance covered the bloodwork and IUI. All in all I think I paid &lt;$800
6
Doctor
Eve Feinberg
NPS
Humanity
1 of 5
Communication
4 of 5
Frequency Seen
1 of 5
Trustworthiness
4 of 5
Compassion
4 of 5
Explained risks
4 of 5
Adaptability
3 of 5
7
Clinic
Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine
Chicago
NPS
Operations
4 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
3 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
5 of 5
Educational Resources
4 of 5
2014 - 2018, Unknown Success
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 32 - 36
1 IUI
1 IVF
Latinx
Income $50K - $99K
Consultant
Only Doc Seen
Donor Eggs With Other Docs
Surrogacy With Other Docs
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Success w/ Doc Too early to know
Dr. Feinberg saved my life. If we weren’t going through the process of trying to conceive, Dr. Feinberg never would have found the cancer.... Her care and drive is evident in everything she does and touches. She isn’t just a doctor, she is our angel and our hero for so many reason. When we learned of my health issues she personally looked into every option to potentially save my fertility, from preserving my ovary tissue, to trying IVF before my surgery, to talking to my oncologist on my fertility options before and after surgery.
With NorthWestern, I’m less in touch with her [Dr. Feinberg] and more with her team. Which is ok, but I’d rather be in contact with her more. Facilities are amazing and well run.... we tested known egg downer my sister and my cousin. My cousin was the match. We created 5 embryos and are now at beginning stages of surrogacy with a known surrogate... She’s stood by our side through all the ups and downs, and instilled hope every time we felt we were down and out.
How was your experience with Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Her care and drive is evident in everything she does and touches. She isn’t just a doctor, she is our angel and our hero for so many reason. When we learned of my health issues she personally looked into every option to potentially save my fertility, from preserving my ovary tissue, to trying IVF before my surgery, to talking to my oncologist on my fertility options before and after surgery. She’s stood by our side through all the ups and downs, and instilled hope every time we felt we were down and out. This has been the hardest journey of our lives. We’re lucky to have crossed paths so many years ago.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Have faith, because she believes in you and your dreams wholeheartedly.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Feinberg saved my life. If we weren’t going through the process of trying to conceive, Dr. Feinberg never would have found the cancer. Once we realized my health was in jeopardy, we were scared, lost and helpless. We didn’t know which way to turn - we went from trying to create a life to saving my own. She put us in contact with NorthShore and oversaw the process until I was diagnosed and placed with the right oncologist. She’s been with us every step of the way and hasn’t given up on the original reason our paths crossed years ago, to help us become the parents we’ve been fighting so hard to become.
Describe the protocols Eve Feinberg used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
I had a hysteroscopy and 1 cycle of IUI before they found the cancer. Since then, we tested known egg downer my sister and my cousin. My cousin was the match. We created 5 embryos and are now at beginning stages of surrogacy with a known surrogate
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Under FCI, I was more in touch with Dr Feinberg. With NorthWestern, I’m less in touch with her and more with her team. Which is ok, but I’d rather be in contact with her more. Facilities are amazing and well run.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Eve Feinberg at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Ranges due to insurance
Describe Eve Feinberg's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
N/a - not there yet
10
Doctor
Eve Feinberg
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
3 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
10
Clinic
Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine
Chicago
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
4 of 5
Billing Department
4 of 5
Nursing Staff
4 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
6 of 5
Educational Resources
5 of 5
2016 - 2018, Successful
NPS
9
NPS
10
Age 37 - 39
1 IVF
2 Egg Freezing
2 Embryo Freezing
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
European
Income $200K - $499K
Business Executive
Only Doc Seen
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
[Under Dr. Randall Barnes] I took 300 units of Folistim and 150 units of Menopur for 5 days, and then started a daily shot of Ganirelix to prevent ovulation. Day 10 I took my trigger shot and went in 36 hours later for my ET. 7 eggs were retrieved, 4 fertilized. I also thawed my 18 frozen eggs, 11 which fertilized. Overall, 15 eggs fertilzed and we are now waiting for our results on day 5 blastocyst stage, after which the remaining blastocysts will be biopsied and sent for PGD testing.
Northwestern Fertility Clinic is a large practice, which means you deal with lots of different people throughout the process, from multiple nurses, to schedulers, to financial advisors, to psychologists, to doctors who are on call the day of your procedures. It is not guaranteed your doctor will perform your retrievals or transfers. Overall, I had a positive experience with NFC, and with Dr. Barnes.
How was your experience with Randall Barnes at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Northwestern Fertility Clinic is a large practice, which means you deal with lots of different people throughout the process, from multiple nurses, to schedulers, to financial advisors, to psychologists, to doctors who are on call the day of your procedures. It is not guaranteed your doctor will perform your retrievals or transfers. Overall, I had a positive experience with NFC, and with Dr. Barnes. I am in the midst of my treatments still, so I am not able to speak to my results yet... that is still to be determined! Also, in the midst of my treatment, and after several appointments with Dr. Barnes, I received a letter from Northwestern letting me know that he was retiring. So, in the midst of my treatments, I was left without a doctor and had to switch to a different doctor in the practice. My husband and I were surprised that this was never mentioned to us during multiple appointments with Barnes or with the nurses. It seemed like something they should tell us, so we could've started the process with a different doctor verses being caught off guard. This was my biggest critique of working with the NW Fertility clinic thus far.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Randall Barnes at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Barnes is now retired from Northwestern Fertility Clinic.
Describe the protocols Randall Barnes used in your cycles at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
I took 300 units of Folistim and 150 units of Menopur for 5 days, and then started a daily shot of Ganirelix to prevent ovulation. Day 10 I took my trigger shot and went in 36 hours later for my ET. 7 eggs were retrieved, 4 fertilized. I also thawed my 18 frozen eggs, 11 which fertilized. Overall, 15 eggs fertilzed and we are now waiting for our results on day 5 blastocyst stage, after which the remaining blastocysts will be biopsied and sent for PGD testing.
Describe your experience with Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The clinic itself feels well organized considering the volume of patients they serve. At times I felt like it was a cattle call with the other women who were coming in for their routine early morning blood work and ultrasound appointments, but that comes with the territory when your'e working with a large clinic. Most of the time they got me in and out within 30 minutes for my morning appointments. Additionally, the clinic itself is a beautiful space, and the views overlooking lake michigan with soft music playing definitely make the experience more pleasant.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Morning appointments were an open window from 6:45-7:45am. Some mornings the wait was longer than others. My shortest appointment time was around 20 minutes, and my longest was 45 minutes.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Randall Barnes at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Luckily my insurance covers this process.
Describe Randall Barnes's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
My doctor strongly steered us toward eSET, although I had my heart set on transferring 2 embryos. He explained that due to complications from multiples, the best practice now is to recommend an eSET.
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.
The two things that went wrong were: - No one told us that Dr. Barnes was retiring, and we ended up starting the process with him, only to be informed by letter that he was retiring. So, for part of my process I had no assigned physician. - I received information from one nurse that I couldn't start my IVF cycle because our PGD test wasn't ready. After reaching out to try to get in touch with my regular nurse and telling her we wanted to get started anyways, our regular nurse let us know that we could in fact get started. So there was around a 2 day window of a lot of dissapointment when we heard back from the first nurse that we couldn't get started, when in fact we could.
9
Doctor
Randall Barnes
NPS
Humanity
4 of 5
Communication
4 of 5
Frequency Seen
1 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
4 of 5
Explained risks
4 of 5
Adaptability
4 of 5
10
Clinic
Northwestern Fertility & Reproductive Medicine
Chicago
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
4 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
4 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
6 of 5
Educational Resources
6 of 5

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