NYU Langone Fertility Center (Prelude Network Clinic)

Overall, I found Dr. Licciardi to be a decent doctor, with good bedside manner. I did not see or interact with him as much as I would have liked, though. I had a virtual meeting with Dr. Licciardi and then saw him in the office once before I started my 1st egg freeze cycle. He was honest and candid about my low AMH scores and the potential of only getting 6-8 eggs and likely needing to do 2 cycles. After my first cycle and only getting 2 eggs, I emailed him and asked him about a 2nd cycle. He didn't really explain why my numbers were the way they were but changed the treatment. For my 2nd cycle, I did not see him at all, until a monitoring appointment towards the end. I believe this was because I had voiced some disappointment in not being seeing by a doctor or resident/fellow during my treatment. At the time, I had 5 follicles developing. I ended up with 3 eggs. Again, not quite sure why, but I was overall fine with it, given my age/numbers. Dr. Licciardi called after my 2nd cycle and opened the door to ask questions, but I was just so tired and mentally exhausted from the process, so I didn't have the energy to walk through the how's and whys with him. I do feel comfortable in going back to him if/when I need to use the eggs.

You may not see him, or any doctor/resident, during the treatment.

1st cycle: day 1-10 Prime with estrogen patch for 10 days. day 11-16: 300 Gonal F, 100 Menopur with 150 clomid day 17-20: 300IU GonalF and 150IU Menopur Trigger: hCG 1000/Lupron 80 + 12 hours Lupron 40 3-4 follicles were consistently visible during each ultrasound; however, towards the end, there were only 1-2. I may have ovulated during the cycle. Clinic offered to cancel, but I said no. I was able to get 2 eggs (1 slightly immature).   2nd cycle: day 1-5: prime with Estrogen Patch. Inject Cetrotide for 3 of those days mid course. days 6-7: 5 units of microdose Lupron 2x a day. days 8-12: 5 units of microdose Lupron 2x a day, 300IU Gonal F, 150IU Menopur, 100 mg clomid days 13-21: 5 units of microdose Lupron 2x a day, 300IU Gonal F, 150IU Menopur day 22: 1:20 am - 2 full Ovidrels day 23: Retrieval 5 Follicles were consistently visible during ultrasounds. 3 eggs were retrieved and all 3 were mature and able to be frozen. I was happy with the results, given that my AMH is 0.2 and I'm 38.

The monitoring appointments were well-organized, but as I stated before, I often had to remind the same phlebotomist to use the baby needle (or I would bruise). I also had to remind the staff, including the nurses that called with instructions, that I had Mirena, and therefore, did not bleed. To me, both of these issues could be easily resolved by reviewing my chart for 30 seconds before calling me in for bloodwork. I also did not like that, most times, I was seen by an ultrasound technician for the ultrasound. While she was good at what she did, she could not answer clinical questions (e.g., should I be feeling this way). When I spoke to the nurse about it, she said "well you know you can always ask to see a Doctor," which I actually did not know, because no one told me!

1st cycle: $9,603 to the clinic + $1,000 anesthesia fee (billed separately) + about $1,500 in pharmacy costs 2nd cycle: $9,250 to the clinic + $1,000 anesthesia fee (billed separately) + about $1,000 in pharmacy costs

N/A

Dr. Devore was always supportive, and would take the time to answer any questions. She is kind and straightforward in her approach, and will make sure that you're aware of the reality of the situation without being led on. While she was never the one to conduct my retrieval or transfer procedures due to NYU Fertility's policy around an assigned "doctor of the day", I appreciated the fact that she always personally made it a point to call me with results after every procedure, regardless of whether the update was positive or negative.

Trust in Dr. DeVore. She is the second IVF doctor I've worked with, and from what I've experienced, she knows what she's doing. It can get busy at the practice, so don't be afraid to prepare questions for her to answer ahead of time.

I did three retrieval cycles, and a single transfer with Dr. DeVore. My protocol was relatively standard, and consistent across all three cycles due to satisfactory results. During my initial consult with Dr. DeVore, I did ask about helpful supplements to take, which I did start taking 1-2 months prior to the start of my first stimulation cycle. Each stimulation cycle began with the introduction of Gonadotropins (Follistim & Menopur), and then gradually included a GnRH Antagonist (Ganirelix) on the last 5-6 days prior to retrieval to prevent premature ovulation. A combination of Lupron and Ovidrel (hCG) was utilized as a trigger shot 48 hours to retrieval. My transfer cycle was a medicated cycle starting off with the use of Estradiol (estrogen pills), followed by the introduction of Endometrin (progesterone suppositories) and PIO (progesterone in oil) shots 6 days prior to transfer.

Monitoring appointments were held between 7:00 - 9:00AM. You're usually able to get in and out pretty quickly without a line early in the morning. The closer you get to 9:00AM, the more crowded it gets. For the most partner monitoring appointments are organized starting off with bloodwork, and then an ultrasound. I've never had to wait more than 15 minutes to get called in.

My treatment at NYU Fertility was covered by insurance.

Dr. DeVore is a proponent for single embryo transfers to mitigate any risks around premature delivery, miscarriages etc. She is open to multiple embryos transfers if a transfer cycle were to fail repeatedly despite other levers being addressed.

Reviews are oftentimes left when we are unhappy, disappointed, or have an overall sub-par experience in our lives, and rarely left in positive circumstances. Reviews are also best shared when you have something to compare them to, context is critical and xespecially matters in a situation as sensitive as an IVF journey. This time, I wanted to share my incredibly positive experience in working with Shannon DeVore. To explain a bit about my history- I conceived my son unassisted in 2019. I only have one ovary and was 32 at the time so following his birth, I decided it would be a smart decision to freeze embryos, knowing I wanted a large family and more than one child. After moving from NYC (where we lived for 11 years and where I still work), I went to a clinic in Miami where I had a good experience. Despite having one ovary, we got good results after learning my body and a second retrieval. Unfortunately of the 4 embryos we transferred (DET blighted ovum, SET resulting in my daughter in 2021, SET negative) only one turned into a live birth. We tried to conceive again in 2022 unassisted, but realized quickly that my ovulation was unpredictable due to low LH and hypothalamic tendencies. I am grateful that I had coverage through my company, and decided to pursue IVF for our third baby. I am what people call “super type A”. I research everything to the furthest degree, and I knew going to NYC would be our best chance of success. I finally settled on a Doctor at a large practice with a large social following, and felt great at the initial consultation. We had solid numbers in terms of eggs retrieved, but a low euploid ratio for the three retrievals done at this clinic. At 35 years old this didn't make sense to me. I am the type of patient that has numerous questions. I’ve had loss, and need reassurance. Despite sharing all of this upfront, and what I thought was a mutually respectful relationship, I unfortunately did not receive that from this Doctor going into and following our third retrieval. My questions were “too much and displaying a lack of trust” and I knew at that time I needed to make a change for my mental sanity and for hopefully better results. This process is mentally draining, and incredibly challenging. Who you choose as your Doctor to walk alongside you in your journey makes a world of difference. I had Dr. DeVore on my initial list but she was on maternity leave at the time, and thus, I went with my first NYC clinic and Doctor. Following the issues mentioned above, I went back to my initial list. Simultaneously, I had a friend who had recently gone to NYU. I truly believe that people are put in your life for a reason, and three girls on my team had also gone through IVF. Two at NYU and one in NJ years ago. One of their cases was particularly challenging, and after multiple transfers, her first SET at NYU worked. And then, her surrogates first SET at NYU also worked. I remember knowing, in theory, that “lab quality” mattered, but it wasn't until my own results drastically improved that I realized how critical lab quality was critical. This other clinic was large, and had good stats, but my results at NYU were exponentially better due to Dr. DeVore’s individualized protocol, care, attention, and the unparalleled lab quality at NYU. In my first experience in meeting Dr. DeVore, I explained my history, and the issues I faced at the other clinic. She was compassionate, empathetic, kind, and quick with recommendations and solutions. She took time to comb through hundreds of pages of my records. She wanted to add Clomid to my protocol, and to increase my Menopur. To note, after extensive research, I had asked my prior Doctor about both of these and she brushed me off saying I was not a candidate and that more Menopur wouldn't make a difference. Well, with one ovary (I do tend to exhibit PCOS qualities for my one ovary) Dr. DeVore retrieved 15 more eggs than at the other clinic, and we sent more than double what we had sent with the other clinic for testing. The testing facility was Cooper Genomics for both clinics. With Dr. DeVore, half came back normal, along with two low level mosaics appropriate for use. To put this bluntly, after one cycle at NYU I had the same number of normal embryos (+ 2 LL Mosaics) that took three retrievals with the prior clinic to achieve. All of this to say, Dr. DeVore’s attention to my individual case led to a customized treatment plan that led to significantly better results. I also think it makes a difference that NYU does an estimated 2,000 cycles a year and this other clinic does over 6,000. When a Doctor has too many patients, or becomes annoyed at your questions, your results suffer. You become anxious and turn to Dr. Google and your mental health suffers. I spent days while at my prior NYC clinic researching on my own, only to be dismissed and be told I would need to go back in the queue and not receive “special treatment” inclusive of quick responses to my questions. I did not experience one second of this with Dr. DeVore. She answered all of my questions thoroughly, never making me feel bad, or silly for asking. She walked me through the science, but then made it make sense to someone with my level of understanding. She anticipated my follow up questions before I even asked them. To me, knowledge is power, and Dr. DeVore empowered me throughout my journey, every step of the way. Now, onto the emotional side of Dr. DeVore’s care, which in this journey that carries such a heavy heart, makes all the difference, I cannot say enough about Shannon DeVore. There is a reason she is so difficult to get into, and it isn't because of a social media presence. Her reputation is one of the best in the industry because literally every single person that I spoke to that went to Dr. DeVore was nearly in tears talking about how wonderful she was to them. How she was a partner throughout this process. She treats her patients as more than patients, she sees them as human. She is so personally vested in every family she is helping to build. Her care is incredibly personalized. She is confident and she is brilliant. From the big questions to the small, and the major decisions to the minor, Dr. DeVore took care of me with a warm and welcoming heart, and treated me as a friend. I could cry as I write this, because the only thing that made this journey bearable was knowing I had Dr. DeVore by my side. I am now 9 weeks pregnant (and cautiously optimistic) with my first SET at NYU and again, Dr. DeVore’s protocol was different and it was appropriate to my situation. I am certain the success of the SET is due to her protocols, and the NYU lab- scientifically, this is why my transfer worked. But I am most grateful to Dr. DeVore for treating me as a human, for seeing my fears and “weaknesses” and treating me individually from an emotional perspective. I knew that regardless of the results, I would always have Dr. DeVore by my side, leading my care and supporting me emotionally. THAT is what brought me peace and hope during a journey oftentimes filled with anguish, confusion, and sorrow. Switching to Dr. DeVore is the best decision I have ever made, and one that I will shout from the rooftops to anyone going through or embarking on their fertility journey. If I could go back and start over with Dr. DeVore, I would in a heartbeat, and I hope this review saves even one person the difficulty I faced, by trusting in Dr. DeVore and NYU with your journey. I thank Dr. DeVore from the bottom of my heart, and am truly eternally grateful to her by being my light through the darkness of this journey.

Call as quickly as you can to book your consultation with NYU. Save yourself the time, energy, money, and go with a Doctor who will treat you as a human being, with kindness, respect, and love. Go with a facility like NYU that has a waitlist for a real reason, and that has one of the most stellar labs in the country. You will not regret your decision to choose Dr. DeVore, I am forever grateful to her.

I mentioned these in depth above, but without discussing first, Dr. DeVore recommended the exact thing I had found in my research. Due to my low LH, and HA like tendencies, I had a feeling more Menopur would help. I had read that this, in combination with adding Clomid for 5 days, could also help boost quality. I was surprised, but elated when Dr. DeVore came to me with this recommendation. Her protocols WORK. She is brilliant, and I would trust her with absolutely everything I have.

My costs, outside of PGT testing, were thankfully covered by insurance.

Dr. DeVore recommends eSET.

I've covered Dr Hodes thoroughly in my prior responsible, but I'll add one more thing. Our cycle was right as New York was shutting down due to COVID. We had to delay a cycle because my FSH was too high the cycle before. I genuinely believed every time I called Dr Hodes, which was a lot, that she wanted me to get through this cycle every bit as much as i did and to take advantage of the fact my FSH went down. It was truly extraordinary. At her own family's risk, she kept coming and rooting us on. Absolutely exceptional.

You just made a great decision. Don't worry that you won't see Dr Hodes every visit, she's on top of your treatment, even when she's on vacation, much less if you don't see her. NYU is tops and Dr Hodes is an impressive member of the team. It's worth it.

I answered this question as well in why Dr Hodes was a human, but my treatment was tailored to get much better results than my first egg freeze. We didn't down regulate and instead worked with my natural cycle. This helped a huge amount. We did 300 gonal f in the morning and 150 menopur in the evening and two clomids for the first 5 days. Then we added cetrotide int eh AM and same injections as before in the evening. Even though my US looked like I was ready, Dr Hodes remembered from my egg freeze 4 years ago that we needed to give me an extra day. I'm sure that also made a huge difference in results.

Not cheap!! Retrieval, anesthesia, PGS testing...around 20K plus meds

I felt confident in Dr. Fino's recommendations. It was clear after meeting with her and discussing my course of treatment that she had reviewed my file and her recommendations were based on what was best for me individually. She was never judgmental, and understand the emotional toll that the fertility process has on patients. Would highly recommend her.

Don't be afraid to ask questions - she will take the time to answer them without judgment.

Unexplained fertility. We didn't have insurance coverage for IVF, so started out with IUIs which were covered. We were about to begin IVF when the clinics were shut down due to coronavirus, but my protocol is the following: FSH-150 & Menopur 75, Ganirelix Acetate, Ovidrel & Lupron.

IUI covered, but had co-pays for ultrasounds, etc. IVF costs estimated $12,650 for fresh transfer (not including meds $2000-8000, anesthesia $1050, ICSI or PGS, or initial cryopreservation $1500). $4000 for frozen embryo transfer.

Highly prefer eSET, but was willing to accept our decision for MET provided we understood the risks (which were well explained).

As a patient, I had an exceptional experience with Dr. DeVore and cannot recommend her highly enough. She is by far the best doctor I have ever been to. There are a few things that really stand out: I always felt like Dr. DeVore cared about me personally -- she respected my personal values and my comfort zone, and she made recommendations that were tailored specifically to me. She is compassionate but also fully candid and honest. She never sugar coated any of the facts, and just as importantly, gave me ALL the information that I needed to feel comfortable about the decisions that we were making. She is extremely thorough in her analysis and detail oriented. I felt empowered and fully understood the process and next steps. After every appointment, I would walk out of the room, feeling like we made the right decisions. Not everything we tried worked out in the beginning, but the decision-making process and information was so clear and upfront, that we were able to pivot as needed. The entire IUI/IVF process can be extremely complicated, so this piece was HUGE. Dr. DeVore always went the extra mile. In December, Dr. DeVore let me know that in Jan 2020, there'd be a new law which meant that some New York companies would need to provide full coverage for IVF treatment. Dr. DeVore did extra research on this, guided me through the process, and even helped me follow up with billing (and insurance) to make sure we had the information needed. She even wrote a personal letter to our insurance company to ensure everything was organized and in order before starting IVF. This was HUGE and such a stress relief as the process can typically feel very overwhelming given the potential costs. I really felt like Dr. DeVore cared. I know she has a busy schedule and tons of patients, but you would never know. Dr. DeVore gave her FULL attention and dedication to me at every appointment. Even if I had questions outside of appointments, she would get back to me right away too! I've never experienced that level of personal care and can't thank her enough!

If you're going to see Dr. DeVore, you made the right choice! Best doctor at NYU

One of my biggest issues was the timing of ovulation as my cycles varied widely month by month. We started out by monitoring my cycles and doing a trigger shot. The first cycle, we learned that my follicles were not growing big enough by the time I ovulated, so for the next cycle, Shannon gave me Clomid to help with the follicle process. Although my body reacted well to Clomid, the first IUI was unsuccessful. The next month, I tried Clomid again but this time my body had a strange reaction to the medication and I had really bad cramps post ovulation. As a result, Shannon decided to pivot and put me on Letrazole instead. I really appreciated this pivot because I knew that Shannon was listening to me and not pushing me down a path (Clomid) that I wasn't comfortable with. In addition, that next month was Christmas and I already had plans to travel and see my family. She knew this was important to me so rather than doing a timed IUI (and having me cancel my plans), I took Letrazole and had sex normally (using ovulation sticks). When this didn't work, the next month, she suggested we try Letrazole + IUI again and simultaneously prepare to start IVF. She was extra careful and thoughtful about monitoring me during this time as she knew my ovulation could be pretty erratic. 4-5 days after my period, she had me come in for morning monitoring and found out I was surging. She told me right away, and then cleared her calendar so that we could do the IUI that afternoon instead of waiting another day. I probably talked to her 3 times on the phone that day to make the decision to do IUI right then -- and I'm so grateful I did! At the same time, we were also preparing to potentially start IVF. Shannon spent so much time walking us through the process, explaining the medications, and the most cost effective solutions. She mapped out every step and scenario (we had so many questions!!). And then... in a crazy turn of events, the DAY BEFORE we were supposed to start IVF, I found out that I was pregnant! While we never went down the IVF path, I would have felt 100% comfortable if we did. In the first 7 weeks of pregnancy, she monitored me to ensure everything was going smoothly and even was there to show me the first heart beat!

Fully covered by insurance except for $25 co-pays each visit (thank goodness!)

Dr Grifo is very realistic and does not sugar coat anything. That is what when I met with him years ago into my journey I did not proceed with him because sperm donor was not something I was ready for. However after many years of failures with other drs I returned to him because I now understood why this would be the best option. At this point he also recommended surrogacy since I had many failed transfers with normal embryos and put my body through very intense treatments. I agreed to this and felt like I was in good hands. However once I started to cycle I did not have much communication with them and everyday a different dr would call me with next steps. It felt kind of impersonal and my first retrieval was cancelled because my numbers were not getting communicated properly. That was frustrating. My second retrieval was a success but my biggest concern which I mentioned to dr Grifo several times came true and I had very bad OHSS which I had to get my abdomen drained. I feel like if dr Grifo was personally the one handling my care that would have been avoided.

He is a really good doctor and knows a lot but he will admit a lot of this treatment just comes down to luck. He diagnosed me as being "extremely unlucky". He does not believe in supplements much as well and wont be hands on during your treatments so you need to be okay with that.

Since I have a history of making many eggs and am high risk for OHSS my first protocol involved low dose gonal F, menopur, and letrozole. I wanted him to copy what my last dr did with me since I did not hyperstim those cycles but he did not listen. This first cycle was too low and my eggs did not grow evenly. At the point of my cycle in which they should have increased my meds they did not and I only had 2 large follicles and many small ones which never happened to me before. We converted this to an IUI because I know I can do better than that. Second cycle he increased meds but I thought it was a little too aggressive. I was on gonal 150, menopur 75 and letrozole for 5 days. I ended up with 33 eggs and had moderate OHSS which I needed to get my abdomen drained and I was sick for a month. I wished he just copied the cycle I did with my last dr because it always resulted on around 20 eggs and I would not get OHSS like I have in the past. I listened to Dr Grifo because I trusted him and thought maybe hed know better.

they have a system which seems organized but you have to be on top of it because sometimes you get overlooked

Dr. Keefe is kind, warm and compassionate, and takes time to explain and answer questions in great detail. I've only seen hime twice, both times for consultation. My only negative is that I wish I would see him more throughout the process. I only saw him for initial consultations. The rest of the time you deal mainly with the nurse coordinator and other doctors and technicians.

He's not the doctor to see if you want personalized, individual attention from your doctor at every stage during the IVF process. I feel very confident with the level of care that I'm receiving and his oversight over my care, but there isn't much face time with Dr. Keefe. Their practice is so highly respected and has high success rates, that it's worth it to me.

Dr. Grifo is all about numbers. He is extremely smart, continues to do research and I find him to be candid and honest with me. After three transfers and no successful pregnancy, he is not only encouraging me to continue but ensures me that this process will result in a baby it is just a matter of time and numbers (at some point it will work). He understands how frustrating that is and is constantly encouraging me and letting me know how well I'm doing despite the anxiety, fear, pain, discomfort and hormonal roller coaster. I find him open to working with other doctors (even when he doesn't agree with their ideology), he is willing to try different things than what his normal protocol allows for. He is open to my suggestions and patiently answers pages and pages worth of prepared questions I have presented him with after doing my own research. In dealing with autoimmune issues he has been particularly accommodating and his ongoing work on Chronic Endometritis has been extremely informative.

Don't be overwhelmed by the size of the office or the staff.

First retrieval cycle we did 150 Follistim, 150 Menopur. I had 13 eggs, 11 fertilized with ICSI. Did a fresh transfer and PGS tested the balance. Got 2 PGS normal embryos and 1 Mosaic. After failed fresh transfer we did an endometrial biopsy that was positive for Chronic Endometritis. Took months to treat that, once it cleared I did two frozen transfers that both resulted in chemical pregnancies. The first frozen transfer was done with Estrace and an autoimmune protocol that included Prednisone, Plaquenil and IVIG. The second FET was a natural cycle transfer with autoimmune protocol as well. This current retrieval cycle I am doing 300 Follistim, 150 Menopur and Letrozol.

A lot of women in the waiting room, if you show up at the very end of monitoring hours you will wait for sure. But once you put your name into the system that you arrived, you will be called in turn (usually within 20 minutes at the very longest) and from there it is a well oiled machine. You get to know all the doctors and PA's that are doing the sonograms and you know all the nurses drawing blood.

For a self-pay full cycle, with PGS testing, transfer and medications the OVERALL cost (everything included) is approximately $24,000.

Dr. Grifo does not endorse multiple embryo transfer but is willing to do so at the patient's request or insistence.

Dr. DeVore is great. She is so knowledgeable about fertility and very invested in your outcome. I really like her bedside manner. She is calm, confident, and honest. She did a great job of managing both my expectations and my anxiety. If I had questions I would simply email her head nurse or her patient coordinator and they get back to me quickly with the doctor’s answers. During the course of my journey I got pregnant naturally. She performed the viability test herself and when the worst happened (there was no heartbeat.) she supported me every step of the way. She had to speak at an out of town conference during the days that followed and she actually called me from the conference to check on me.

Trust her. It may seem like she’s running a lot of tests. But there are so many variables that can affect your outcome. She checks for every single thing that could potentially cause an issue and she addresses it before moving on. Her treatment plans are not one size fits all. It is very tailored to you, your body, and your individual needs. So if you’re looking to plow through the process at top speed, she may not be the right doc for you.

I was 40 years old when we had our first consultation with Dr. DeVore. Due to my age and financial constraints (Insurance would only pay for 1 round of treatment.) She suggested we skip IUI and try IVF. The month we were set to begin, she found an ovarian cyst that was producing Estrogen and throwing my hormones out of wack. She suggested we wait a couple of months for the cyst to pass naturally. It did, but my hormones were still not balanced. So, we started with an estrogen patch. Once my bloodwork showed acceptable levels, we began once daily injections of Gonal-F and Menopure. I ended up staying on the stim meds longer than average (14 days). My eggs were all maturing evenly, they were just doing so at a slower rate than average. Dr. Devore assured me this was fine. The process of giving myself shots was scary and unpleasant, but totally doable.

Very expensive. Thankfully our insurance covered much of it.

We met with Dr. DeVore a few weeks after losing our daughter when I was 34 weeks pregnant as a result of a blood clotting condition I was not aware that I had. Those circumstances added a layer of weight to our IVF care. We trialed several REIs, before choosing Dr. DeVore at NYU because of her exceptional medical skill, her warmth, and her compassionate practice of medicine. Her practice truly raised the bar on how we thought about choosing doctors moving forward. Through our haze in those initial very dark and disorienting weeks, her support gave us the confidence to be brave enough to try to get pregnant again. She did research on my clotting condition and came up with a treatment plan in response to the cause of our prior late pregnancy loss - a treatment plan that brought our son here safely about a year later :) She had an exceptional understanding of the complexity of what we experienced. She went above and beyond in her care for us as patients. She always called us with results, explained our treatment in detail, and never made us feel rushed when we had questions. She also anticipated our concerns, and was always ready with solutions or genuine and thoughtful reassurance. She is both extremely intelligent and excellent at caring for her patients. When we had setbacks, she always explained statistically what was expected, but also provided anecdotes and her experience as a shoulder for us to lean on. Her attention to detail and level of support made such a difference in our experience. The fertility industry is really opaque. I write this review in hopes that if someone has a heartbreaking pregnancy loss like ours, they might consider Dr. DeVore for their care. The fact that we kept some semblance of our lives and joy through this is a testament to how much support we had from her. For that, we are so grateful.

Setbacks happen, trust her. She loves what she does, she takes no chances, and she is really excellent at her practice.

Sometimes there was a wait, but I liked the vibe at this clinic compared to others we trialed. It didn't feel like a cattle-call here. It felt more like people in line for a museum or new hot spot in the city.

I was recommended to Dr. DeVore by a friend and throughout my 2+ years of working with her I highly recommend to others in the NYC area. I have referred her to two friends who have since then begun working with her. Dr. DeVore is very warm and has a way of being very direct and realistic with expectations, but reassures your anxieties and fears. Communication to Dr. DeVore always goes through either her IVF coordinator or her executive assistant. When there are results, Dr. DeVore is usually the one calling directly to provide the final results and next steps.

I would definitely go into the process understanding how NYU works. It is a large clinic, so many of the appointments and communication operate in a very structured and impersonal way (meaning communication must go through assistants/coordinators and morning monitoring appointments are operated by nurses and other on-call doctors). That being said, I have always felt that my communication with Dr. DeVore has been very positive and very personalized to us.

Our first procedure with Dr. DeVore was an egg retrieval for embryo cryopreservation in March 2022. This procedure was covered by my employer's fertility coverage. The medications used during this cycle were Clomid, Menopur, Gonal-F, Cetrotide, and Ovidrel sourced through Freedom Pharmacy. We retrieved 16 eggs, 13 mature eggs, 10 fertilized embryos, 4 blastocycsts, and resulted with 1 normal PGT-A tested embryo and 1 low-risk mosaic PGT-A tested embryo. We paid for the PGT-A testing for our 4 embryos out of pocket as this was not covered by insurance. Beginning of 2023 we met with Dr. DeVore to discuss our TTC plan. She recommended due to my DOR diagnosis that we should try naturally a maximum of 6 months and plan for IVF in July. We did not have any luck with TTC naturally, so in July we submit our approval for IVF coverage and unfortunately was denied by my insurance. We were obligated to do 3 medicated IUIs first, which Dr. DeVore was ok with trying first. I took 100mg of Clomid for 5 days leading up to the IUI. We did not have any success with the 3 cycles of IUI, so in October we were finally approved for IVF + FET. October 2023 we had a very similar medication plan, except no Clomid and Lupron was added towards the end. We had the exact same retrieval and fertilization results (16 eggs, 13 mature, 10 fertilized) but we had 7 blastocysts sent to testing (paid for PGT-A out of pocket) and resulted in 6 normal embryos and 1 inconclusive!! Although we have not gotten to the transfer stage, this was a huge success from prior retrievals. In October 2023 we also discussed some additional symptoms, which resulted in Dr. DeVore ordering an MRI. Our results showed signs of endometriosis, so Dr. DeVore reviewed and strongly recommended surgery prior to any transfer. She provided a list of recommended surgeons in the NYC area. The scheduling with the surgeons has been the most challenging and time consuming part of the process; however, we are now scheduled for laproscopy endometriosis surgery in January 2024 and a FET following in February 2024.

Morning monitoring appointments are scheduled between 7-9am; however, as you get further along in the injection process appointment time options between this window become more limited. During the week you have the option to visit the Nomad location or the 53rd St. location. On weekends, you can only attend the 53rd St location.

My insurance covered 1 round of embryo cryopreservation with 1 year of freezing, 3 rounds of IUI, and our first IVF round. All medications were covered for all of these procedures. I did have to pay for every morning monitoring appointment $45 copay with my plan, as well as PGT-A testing (roughly $900 per embryo).

Dr. DeVore and NYU do not allow multiple embryo transfers. This was ok with us as our preference is to transfer a single embryo.

Dr. Grifo's expertise and compassion shone through at every step. During our initial meeting, he took the time to thoroughly explain the entire IVF process, addressing our concerns with patience and empathy. His ability to demystify complex medical jargon and provide realistic expectations immediately put us at ease. Although we only saw Dr. Grifo a few times during the course of our treatment, we always felt well-informed about our treatment plan and also appreciated getting a timely callback anytime we had to leave a message or had questions. Dr. Grifo made himself available for any questions or concerns, fostering a sense of trust that is crucial in such a delicate process. His transparent approach and genuine interest in our well-being helped us navigate the emotional ups and downs that come with fertility treatments.

Know that you are in good hands, you've really found the best out there :)

I was lucky enough to have insurance cover most of my expenses.

First and foremost, their expertise in the field is truly impressive. They possess a deep understanding of reproductive medicine and have kept up with the latest advancements, ensuring that I receive the most cutting-edge and effective treatments. Furthermore, their compassionate and empathetic approach has been invaluable throughout this challenging journey. My doctor takes the time to listen to my concerns, answer my questions, and provide emotional support, which has made a significant difference in my experience. Their commitment to personalized care and unwavering dedication to helping patients achieve their dreams of starting a family make them an outstanding fertility specialist. I am grateful to be under their care and confident in their abilities to guide me through this process.

be prepared with questions.

I can't say enough good things about Dr. Blakemore. She is clearly passionate about her work, both intellectually and emotionally. Before starting any treatment, Dr. Blakemore takes her patients through an in-depth PowerPoint presentation during which she provides education regarding fertility, possible causes of infertility, the testing available to discover sources of infertility, and potential treatment options. She also discusses your history and what specific testing she has planned. She clearly explains all test results and all treatment options. Once we decided to move forward with egg retrieval and embryo implantation, Dr. Blakemore was there every step of the way, guiding us through this emotional and arduous process. When there were setbacks, Dr. Blakemore was straightforward about results while always remaining positive and discussing next steps. She also provided extensive emotional support at each appointment, and even between. She called before and after each procedure to check in and answered emails with questions at all times of the day/night. The NYU Fertility clinic is clearly very busy, but Dr. Blakemore never made me feel like a number and I felt as though she was truly invested in ensuring a positive outcome and making sure I felt seen and heard throughout the process. Once we "Graduated" from the fertility clinic to switch to the OB/GYN for prenatal care, I truly missed Dr. Blakemore and the care she provided. Infertility and IVF is such a difficult path to manage - you spend so much time at your fertility clinic and with your doctor that you want to make sure your fertility doctor is both competent and caring. As Dr. Blakemore says during treatment "You are my family, you are my sister, I want to make sure you get what you're here for." My husband and I are forever grateful to Dr. Blakemore and highly recommend her to anyone in the NYC area!

There was a morning monitoring window (7-9am), which was convenient because I could make the appointment before work. During that window, a patient would schedule a specific time to arrive for monitoring. Monitoring consisted of bloodwork and then typically an ultrasound (many times done by Dr. Blakemore herself during office days). I was typically in and out in 30 minutes.

My care was covered by my health insurance

In NYU Langone Fertility, you have your main doctor whom you've had your initial consultations and appointments with. And then starting treatment, you come every 2-3 days for bloodwork/ultrasounds with nursing staff and doctor on shift that day. Whenever Dr. Devore was there, she was my doctor who did my ultrasound and was always patient and caring. I was particularly lucky because, on the day of my retrieval, Dr. Devore was the doctor for the day. In the OR room she was caring; as I was about to go under with the anesthesia, she came by my side with a smile, and put her hand on my shoulder, and told me "I'll see you in the recovery room soon". I cannot express how grateful I am to have had Dr. Devore as my fertility doctor through the whole process.

Know that in NYU Langone Fertility, they try their best, but you can see that there are A LOT of patients. Once you are in the waiting area on some of the busier days, you understand why sometimes the staff, Dr. Devore included, have to hurry along if you don't know your questions or if they don't think anything is necessarily wrong. In the beginning, I think it's natural to have 101 questions, but unless you're starting, you don't know your questions just yet while most fears probably don't apply to you. Just gotta make the jump and start, and then the right questions will be worth everyone's time to have answered once you have bloodwork etc. to examine. Don't drive yourself crazy thinking of hypotheticals and blame them for needing to get to the next patient.

In egg freezing cycle, I remember my process was more or less normal. My bloodwork showed I didn't need as long as some other people I've heard of in their cycles. Dr. Devore was also cognisant of the risk of OHSS, so she didn't have me take Ovidrel; I only had Lupron for the trigger. I appreciate she only having me take things when necessary.

In the spectrum of our same-sex marriage, none of our concerns or situations ever felt "abnormal" when talking to Dr. Devore. She made our relationship and fertility journey feel equal to any other couple who wanted to plan a family. I absolutely recommend any LGBTQ+ people who are looking into fertility treatments to Dr. Devore.

Bring a book, it goes pretty fast for how many people, but you can still be there up to 30 minutes waiting.

NYU isn't cheap; however, weighing out the quality of doctors and the overall staff and facility, I preferred it over any other option.

Dr. DeVore is literally the BEST there is!! If you are looking for a fertility doctor I cannot recommend her enough. She is caring, compassionate, and thorough and treats you like you are her only patient. I had previously worked with another doctor for fertility issues and my experience with Dr. DeVore was hands down night and day. Dr. DeVore was so personally vested in my experience, but most importantly making sure I felt completely comfortable along the way. There was no wondering what was next or long waits for answers --- she was there every step of the way. I could not be more grateful for my experience with Dr. Devore.

You will not regret your decision to call and book a consult with Dr. DeVore!! She is the best doctor I have ever had. If you want someone with the best bedside manner, but is also incredibly smart go see her!

I had both unexplained infertility and a blocked tube. We ended up doing IUI with Clomid which was successful.

I am grateful that my costs were covered by insurance.

I am so grateful for Dr Blakemore. It has been a long process but my husband and I have consistently felt like Dr Blakemore was in our corner. When insurance declined to cover my second egg retrieval she with no hesitation wrote a letter on my behalf. Having that advocacy - even though we didn’t get the outcome we wanted was huge. After the first embryo transfer failed it was really disheartening and she took time to talk to us on the weekend, listen to all our questions & encourage us. I felt confident in her recommendations & reassured by her hopefulness & positivity. She expresses frequently how much she loves her job & it’s very evident every time you interact with her.

I started with IUI as i felt most comfortable doing less interventions first. Dr Blakemore was supportive of this and i did 3 medicated IUI cycles (all with Clomid) - which were not successful. that made me feel more comfortable / ready to start the IVF process. I did two medicated egg retrievals (a few months apart). I took Follistim, Menopur, Ovidrel, Lupron and Ganirelex for each.) My egg retrievals met or exceeded the expectations Dr Blakemore outlined for us and we ended up with several genetically normal embryos. I was very glad i did 2 retrievals based on my family building goals. I did 2 embryo transfers back to back. The first was just progesterone & estradiol and was unsuccessful. The second transfer added an immune protocol (steroid / baby aspirin / claritin / famotodine ) and resulted in pregnancy!

All in all monitoring appointments were very straightforward / easy and little wait time. There was maybe twice over (the course of 6+ months of procedures) where i waited more than 30 minutes.

across multiple rounds of IUI, 2 egg retrievals and 2 transfers + all medications costs have been around $35K. The largest cost being the second egg retrieval which was not covered by insurance followed by cost of medications.

I am a repeat patient of Dr. DeVore's. I previously had a successful pregnancy through IUI with her at 40. I returned after getting a job with IVF coverage to attempt another pregnancy at 42 and was successful again. Fertility treatment can be such an emotional process due in part to the lack of control over the process and outcomes. Dr. DeVore strikes an excellent balance between referencing probability of outcomes and comforting you with reminders that you're doing your best.

Dr. DeVore is a great option if you're looking for a provider who will treat you with patience and respect while also outlining the potential outcome of your cycle. I previously worked with other providers who I've seen described here as 'straight shooters' or 'tell it like it is' types. I think any of us going through fertility treatment (especially at 40+) have done our homework and come in with at least somewhat of an understanding of the potential outcomes. I wasn't looking to continue working with someone who was going to focus on what could go wrong because I entered into this process educated on that. Dr. DeVore reviewed the potential outcomes of my cycle while still making me feel supported and like she was on my team and believed in me.

We used a low dose protocol based on my personal history and how I had responded to prior treatments.

We transferred two day-three embryos. Both were too low of quality to grade. One was starting to collapse (not sure of the correct terminology). But one of them stuck!

From the initial consultation to the final appointment that we had with her over 1 year later, Dr. Devore was thorough, clear, precise, reliable, trustworthy, encouraging, resourceful, humane and kind. She is everything you want from a doctor. When results were not good, Dr. Devore was first empathetic and then able to present a carefully thought through plan to help us move forward on our journey. When results were unclear, Dr. Devore encouraged us to source advice and support from an external specialist. Throughout the entire process it was clear that our interests were Dr. Devore's interests. The entire experience was personalized, thorough, well-researched and encouraging despite having had major setbacks. Any questions or uncertainties were always answered in a clear and precise manor citing research and statistics as support (which was very much appreciated). Dr. Devore is both a fantastic doctor and person and I can't thank her enough for her support throughout this extremely taxing process.

You can have confidence that Dr. Devore will customize your path for you.

Modified immune protocol for embryo transfer including prednisone, pepcid and claritin.

Almost entirely covered by insurance.

Dr. Devore was warm, thorough, and clear. She and I had an initial consultation via video, in-person consultation, and exam, and she performed one of my ultrasounds during the egg-freezing process. She was very easy to talk to, and provided with me lots of details about the process and expectations. I did not feel rushed during the process, and she was extremely emphathetic.

Anesthesia is out of network and has a charge of $1070. Egg storage (annual) is also $1070. My company covers the first year of storage. I have not received my billing yet, so I am unsure of the costs, but I am using fertility benefits insurance provided by my company to pay for all of the procedure costs. My medication was mostly paid for by insurance provided by my company but spent about $2000 out of pocket. NYU Langone makes it easy to understand which options you have for insurance / paying out of pocket, and provides a list of pharmacy options. For paying out of pocket, they have several recommended pharmacies that provide additional discounts to NYU Langone patients.

Dr. Blakemore comes across as a confident, warm and compassionate person and instantly makes you feel comfortable. She truly seems to love her work. I felt satisfied after getting all my questions patiently answered. She gave a realistic picture of what to expect and my final results matched that.

Trust the doctor. You may not get to see her every visit but I have noticed that's how it works in the other clinics I consulted with too, as egg retrieval is a time sensitive procedure and the attending doctor will perform it. My case was very standard and easy and there were no surprises or complications.

The dosage was varied throughout the cycle based on my response to the medications. Lupron trigger was used (I guess that's because I have PCOS and Lupron prevents OHSS). I was kept on moderate dosage.

Approximately $10,000 including the initial consultation and preliminary blood test and excluding fertility medications that costed approximately $2500 out of pocket.

Not applicable

Dr Devore and I had a relatively long journey before achieving success. After a monitored cycle, a canceled Clomid IUI (too many follicles), four failed IUIs, two miscarriages of euploid IVF embryo transfers, and a referral to reproductive immunology, we got pregnant on our third IVF transfer. I felt that Dr Devore was very much on our team throughout the entire process. It was always clear that she had a deep understanding of the science and was making evidence-based decisions in our care. After our second euploid loss, she referred us to a reproductive immunologist given my history of lupus and other autoimmune conditions. Whereas another RE might have kept transferring embryos in hopes one "stuck," Dr Devore was willing to explore a relatively-unknown field because she believed it might be uniquely helpful in my situation, with my medical history. Throughout, I felt Dr Devore showed great compassion both for my anxiety throughout treatment, as well as for our grief at losing our embryos. I have a PhD in a science field and my husband is a medical doctor, so we were relatively well-informed and research-minded patients. I'm sure that can be annoying for some doctors to deal with, but Dr Devore didn't miss a beat. She was always prepared to answer our questions, did not hesitate to say "I don't know, but I'll look into it" when that was the case, and was extremely well-versed in all the statistics and risks vs benefits for various treatments. Importantly, I also never felt like I was being taken advantage of financially. I am a member of an online support group for people dealing with infertility and have watched several of my friends undergo numerous expensive, invasive tests and treatments that did not have solid scientific backing. If I asked Dr Devore about pursuing a test or treatment that she did not feel was evidence-based or appropriate for my personal situation, she never hesitated to say so. I never felt pressured into doing something just for the sake of it - every step of my treatment felt personalized and well-considered.

Trust is so important in a doctor-patient relationship. I felt I could trust Dr Devore implicitly because of her candor and honesty. I also felt like she had a really solid grasp on the science behind everything she recommended. I know trust can take time to build, but for what it's worth, my advice is to trust her. Ask questions as much as you need to, and trust she will be honest and has your best interest at heart (and not money or pride).

Our first cycle was monitored and unmedicated to confirm ovulation and a short (7-day) luteal phase. Next step was going to be a Clomid cycle, but I developed five follicles so the cycle was canceled. (I remember being very torn about this and wanting to try anyway, but Dr Devore did a great job explaining why the risks truly did outweigh the benefits here.) After that, we did four IUIs with Clomid, all of which resulted in negative pregnancy tests. After the fourth IUI, Dr Devore felt it was in our best interest to move on to IVF. We did an egg retrieval and retrieved 26 eggs, 20 of which were mature, 16 fertilized, resulting in 10 embryos, 4 of which were euploid. Dr Devore advised PGS testing, which we ended up being glad that we did; even though I was just 32 at the time of egg retrieval, over half of our embryos were aneuploid or mosaic. Our first transfer we did the basic protocol with four days of medrol (a steroid), estrogen to build uterine lining, and progesterone injections combined with progesterone suppositories. We ended up having a positive pregnancy test and a relatively high beta. Dr Devore was optimistic that this would be a successful pregnancy. Unfortunately I noticed my home pregnancy tests were lightening so I requested an early second beta, which confirmed a chemical pregnancy. We proceeded with another transfer the very next month, hoping that this was just a fluke. This time we did add 10 mg of daily prednisone (because of my history with lupus), baby aspirin, claritin, and pepcid. Again we had a positive beta. This time Dr Devore scheduled an earlier second beta (because of the previous chemical), and unfortunately once again we learned I was having a chemical at the same gestational age as my last. Rather than go into a third transfer, Dr Devore advised pursuing testing with a trusted local reproductive immunologist. Reproductive immunology is a relatively new field of fertility treatment and has been controversial as there is not much evidence around it. Dr Devore communicated to us that she would not make this recommendation to most patients, and that it was just because of my history of several autoimmune diseases and the fact that both my euploid losses were at the same gestational age that she suspected an immune issue might be the cause. I remember asking if we could look into endometriosis or do an ERA first, but she was very firm in her belief that immune issues were likely at the root of my miscarriages. With that in mind, we did do the reproductive immunology testing, which ended up revealing several potential culprits for our losses. As part of that treatment I did an intralipids infusion four weeks before transfer, an IVIG infusion four days before transfer (and every 3 weeks thereafter until 16 weeks of pregnancy), 20 mg of prednisone daily (until 16 weeks), baby aspirin, 60 mg lovenox daily throughout entire pregnancy, metformin 1500 mg daily, magnesium citrate, calcium, vitamin D, probiotics, and prescription folate. We transferred our third embryo, which was a 3CB. Again we got a positive beta, much higher even than the (high) beta from our first transfer. We did another beta two days later, and every two days thereafter until 21 days past transfer, and confirmed that hcg continued to double. We saw a strong heartbeat on ultrasound at 6w3d, and I am now 24 weeks pregnant on this protocol.

There was a window for monitoring appointments. Although you scheduled for a specific time, I was told that as long as you showed up generally around that time, precise punctuality wasn't that important.

It was around $4500 for PGS testing of embryos and around $5000 per transfer, if I recall correctly. We did have partial insurance coverage.

Dr Devore strongly recommended eSET for all my transfers.

Dr. Devore is the most caring, compassionate and successful doctor I have ever had. She made me feel so comfortable at each appointment and always answered my questions and made me feel at ease with her treatment plan. I always got an immediate response from her office and was able to get answers no matter what. She personally called me to give me results and when a transfer didn't work she immediately came up with a plan of action to ease my anxiety.

I did 3 transfers and the 2 I did with Dr. Devore were successful, the 1 I did with another doctor was not successful. Dr. Devore is obviously the best at her job. Fertility treatment is stressful and uncomfortable as it is, but Dr. Devore makes you feel at ease and alleviates the stress that accommodates IVF cycles.

Dr. Grifo is present and focused on you as his patient and never distracted. Always patient and repeatedly asked whether there were questions or if we needed clarification on anything. Like I said in a previous answer, we were very confident we were in good hands.

Book him early! He is in demand!

I don't recall doses or timelines, but for the egg retrieval I took Gonal F, Menopur, Ganirelix, Pregnyl, and Leuprolide. I took Estrace, Crinone, and progesterone in oil shots for the FET. We had great results, after 1 egg retrieval we had 4 genetically normal embryos after PGT testing, the first FET resulted in a live birth, and we are looking to do another FET soon.

This was an efficient, well-oiled machine, and in the midst of Covid protocols to boot. I never had to wait long - times were assigned in advance and the nursing team were pros, as were the ultrasound techs and attending doctors.

We paid out of pocket for everything except general testing and some monitoring (ultrasounds) counted towards a deductible. So it wasn't cheap, but it was worth it to work with this doctor at this clinic!

NYU Langone's policy is strict about singe embryo transfers, and we agreed with that approach.