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.
I would recommend Dr. Aimee Browne to anyone seeking fertility care with no hesitation. She is a wonderful doctor, very warm, calm, and compassionate, but also very matter-of-fact, rational, and an expert in her field. She was very thorough in our work-up and we were able to identify the reason we had been unable to get pregnant...was able to communicate very effectively and help calm out nerves during our very first IVF cycle. We were able to get pregnant from a fresh embryo transfer during our very first cycle with her and had a healthy baby boy.
I would whole heartedly recommend Dr. Browne and Aspire Fertility; I would not be a mother with two beautiful boys (and possibly more on the way) without her expertise and I could not be more grateful to her...Strengths: wonderful, knowledgeable physicians; organized, supportive nursing staff; labs on-site; all procedures on-site...Weaknesses: 2 locations, I once was confused about which location my appointment was being held at and went to the wrong location.
How was your experience with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
I would recommend Dr. Aimee Browne to anyone seeking fertility care with no hesitation. She is a wonderful doctor, very warm, calm, and compassionate, but also very matter-of-fact, rational, and an expert in her field. She was very thorough in our work-up and we were able to identify the reason we had been unable to get pregnant (male factor infertility). Dr. Browne was able to communicate very effectively and help calm out nerves during our very first IVF cycle. We were able to get pregnant from a fresh embryo transfer during our very first cycle with her and had a healthy baby boy. We wanted our IVF cycles to be as "natural" as possible due to our religious beliefs. We did not want to create more embryos than we were willing to have children. In other words, we wanted to transfer any embryos we created. The egg retrieval resulted in 29 health eggs; together we decided to try 5 eggs with ICSI and created 2 fresh embryos. 1 resulted in our first child; the other was a frozen transfer with a different protocol that did not result in pregnancy. Based on the unsuccessful 2nd transfer, Dr. Browne changed our next cycle to be more similar to our first transfer (mimic a natural fresh transfer) and we had a 2nd successful pregnancy. We had created 3 additional embryos with our 2nd ICSI attempt using another 5 eggs and plan to transfer the next embryo this year. Our IVF treatment process is untraditional; our understanding is that most couples use all of their retrieved eggs and have genetic testing to determine the best options, but this typical treatment plan didn't work for us. Dr. Browne fully supported our religious beliefs and how we sought to base our treatment around creating only the embryos needed. We never felt judged or pressured to do anything in our treatment that we didn't feel comfortable with. I would whole heartedly recommend Dr. Browne and Aspire Fertility; I would not be a mother with two beautiful boys (and possibly more on the way) without her expertise and I could not be more grateful to her.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Don't be afraid to be open about your beliefs and how they may effect your treatment plan. It is so important that you feel comfortable with your plan and your doctor.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Dr. Browne has amazing bedside manner and is very warm and calm. We wanted our IVF process to be as natural as it possibly could be and she did her best to accommodate these wishes while still seeking the best outcome for our family.
Describe the protocols Aimee Browne used in your cycles at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic) and their degree of success.
My 1st transfer was a fresh embryo transfer with Follistim and Progesterone injections. It resulted in a healthy pregnancy.
My 2nd transfer was a frozen transfer, I do not recall the medications used. It did not result in pregnancy.
My 3rd transfer was a frozen embryo transfer with Follistim and Progesterone injections. It resulted in a healthy pregnancy.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: Kristina)
Kristina was open and available for every question and concern I had and I definitely had a lot during my first cycle. She provided sufficient education to teach my husband how to administer injections. She and the clinic were even willing to give me my scheduled injection if he had to go out of town during my transfer cycle. She was incredibly organized with my calendars and medications. I always felt very well taken care of.
Describe your experience with Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
Strengths: wonderful, knowledgeable physicians; organized, supportive nursing staff; labs on-site; all procedures on-site; inspiring artwork and baby foot prints on the wall--patients look forward to bringing their babies back in the future to leave their own footprint.
Weaknesses: 2 locations, I once was confused about which location my appointment was being held at and went to the wrong location. The correct location fit me in with no issue.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
During my first 3 transfers, I had insurance coverage for fertility treatment. I just paid co-pays and the cost of freezing sperm samples, etc.
In my current cycle, I'm paying about $4190 out of pocket for a frozen transfer with all monitoring included.
Describe Aimee Browne's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
My doctor supports 1 embryo being transferred at a time in my specific case due to my having had 2 healthy pregnancies and no female reproductive concerns.
We retrieved 26 eggs, 19 fertilized, and 10 made it to day 5 blastocyst [with Dr. Courtney Failor]...about to start prepping for my FET...is really sweet and understanding and makes sure you truly understand what is happening and does not move on until she knows you do not have any further questions...She is empathetic and informative and relays information very well. She is easy to contact and talk to and explains each step of the procedures and plans very well. The only negative is that the clinic is often busy so some of my appointments were very quick.
The only negative [at Aspire Fertility/RMA of Texas] is that the clinic is often busy so some of my appointments were very quick...We retrieved 26 eggs, 19 fertilized, and 10 made it to day 5 blastocyst...The nursing staff at Aspire Fertility San Antonio is amazing!! They are all so sweet and truly love what they do...they are always on time and quick to get to you. Even if they are behind they ensure they speak to you and let you know and get to you quickly. The only weakness is that their phone system is bad and it is difficult to reach them through the phone. Often I have to email my nurse or the main contact and ask them to call me in order to reach them.
How was your experience with Courtney Failor at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Dr. Failor is a great doctor. She is empathetic and informative and relays information very well. She is easy to contact and talk to and explains each step of the procedures and plans very well. The only negative is that the clinic is often busy so some of my appointments were very quick.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Courtney Failor at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
ASK QUESTIONS!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Courtney Failor at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Dr. Failor is really sweet and understanding and makes sure you truly understand what is happening and does not move on until she knows you do not have any further questions.
Describe the protocols Courtney Failor used in your cycles at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic) and their degree of success.
With my GYN I tried clomid, and when I came to Dr. Failor she had stated after testing that IVF seemed to be my highest percentage of conceiving. First we had to have surgery for uterine polyps, then we began IVF. My dosage was low as she thought we would be successful on a low dose (due to being 26 with no sign of anovulation or dimished ovarian reserve). For my egg retrieval I was on Gonal F, Menopur, and ganirelix. We retrieved 26 eggs, 19 fertilized, and 10 made it to day 5 blastocyst. We were about to start prepping for my FET however due to coronavirus this has been postponed.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: Erica Salgado)
The nursing staff at Aspire Fertility San Antonio is amazing!! They are all so sweet and truly love what they do.
Describe your experience with Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
Aspire Fertility in San Antonio is wonderful, they are always on time and quick to get to you. Even if they are behind they ensure they speak to you and let you know and get to you quickly. The only weakness is that their phone system is bad and it is difficult to reach them through the phone. Often I have to email my nurse or the main contact and ask them to call me in order to reach them.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Courtney Failor at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
[Dr. Aimee Browne] is recommending we only transfer one but is okay with transferring multiple embryos...she’s very gentle with her words and she takes her time. Yet there are times when asking a question we receive a very broad answer. I am unsure if this is a technique to ensure that no promises are made but I feel like questions are sometimes avoided. Don’t get me wrong she’s a very nice and caring doctor...once we started asking the hard questions she would go around give an upfront answer. I want to know what the risks are completely upfront instead of being misleading. She is very sweet and very intelligent. I think she is afraid of destroying our dreams by giving us hope that might not be there.
[Aspire Fertility] quoted us over $16,000 for a basic IVF cycle with no meds and no sperm. We do not qualify for insurance benefits... I believe they are short staffed because we are constantly getting voicemails and sometimes I need to call again. But when you are addressed they are very helpful...I feel that there is a lack of communication between all the staff therefore they do not get back promptly. They all are compassionate yet the clinic needs to be more organized.
How was your experience with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
I feel she spoke to us with care but once we started asking the hard questions she would go around give an upfront answer. I want to know what the risks are completely upfront instead of being misleading. She is very sweet and very intelligent. I think she is afraid of destroying our dreams by giving us hope that might not be there.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Ask her the hard questions and ask for the hard straight up answers in return.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
For the most part she’s very gentle with her words and she takes her time. Yet there are times when asking a question we receive a very broad answer. I am unsure if this is a technique to ensure that no promises are made but I feel like questions are sometimes avoided. Don’t get me wrong she’s a very nice and caring doctor.
Describe the protocols Aimee Browne used in your cycles at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic) and their degree of success.
We are actually in the beginning stages where we are about to make a payment. Due to the payment being over 16,000 without meds, and my insurance not covering anything we have to wait a little longer. But we are suppose to do an egg retrieval, sperm donor and then a gestational carrier
Describe your experience with your nurse at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: Christina )
I feel that there is a lack of communication between all the staff therefore they do not get back promptly. They all are compassionate yet the clinic needs to be more organized.
Describe your experience with Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
Got or miss with returned phone calls. I believe they are short staffed because we are constantly getting voicemails and sometimes I need to call again. But when you are addressed they are very helpful.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
$80 for our co pay every time we needed to see her. Then they quoted us over $16,000 for a basic IVF cycle with no meds and no sperm. We do not qualify for insurance benefits.
Describe Aimee Browne's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
She’s is recommending we only transfer one but is okay with transferring multiple embryos. We are good with her suggestions
What specific things went wrong at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
When we asked for a quote on different treatment plans they sent us someone else’s treatment plan with their address and phone number.
he was such a delight to be around she always had a smile on her face when she would come into the room. She expressed disappointment in negative results with me. I always feel like she is on me side cheering me on. Looking for the best treatment for me. ... I moved on to RMA and was put on femara for my cycle ovidrel to trigger a couple of nights or night before my husband and I'd go in for our iuis.
They [RMA] know who you are each time you walk in that door. Sometimes they will overlook you only because they are so busy. They are often a little slow to call you back even if it's for blood work; or to call you back on the phone. It's best to email. Most of the time you will be the only patient in the waiting room. As busy as they are they are very organized. They have everything ready for you once you go in the back, the nurses will have all your paperwork filled out for you ready to go the same goes for check out. I love it. Get in and get out.
How was your experience with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
She was such a delight to be around she always had a smile on her face when she would come into the room. She expressed disappointment in negative results with me. I always feel like she is on me side cheering me on. Looking for the best treatment for me.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Let your guard down, and trust the process. It takes time to find the right treatment plan for each patient.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Dr. Brownee and her staff took the time to explain everything to me, and during that time they constantly reassured me that things would be ok. They always support me, listen to what I have to say and cheer me on along the way.
Describe the protocols Aimee Browne used in your cycles at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic) and their degree of success.
I had used clomid with my obgyn and it resulted me becoming pregnant. I went back after having my daughter and did clomid for 5 more cycles each time I'd ovulate but success of pregnancy. I moved on to RMA and was put on femara for my cycle ovidrel to trigger a couple of nights or night before my husband and I'd go in for our iuis. Eventually we kept that same protocol and added in gonal f in. It was femara gonal f then ovidrel go in for iuis. Each time I'd make about 2 to 3 follicles. Once I had 4.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: Kristina)
They made each appointment easy they had everything lined out and written on how and when I was suppose to take my medication. If I need meds sent in to cvs specialty they did it right then and there. They showed me and helped me build the confidence to be able to trigger myself.
Describe your experience with Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
They know who you are each time you walk in that door. Sometimes they will overlook you only because they are so busy. They are often a little slow to call you back even if it's for blood work; or to call you back on the phone. It's best to email. Most of the time you will be the only patient in the waiting room. As busy as they are they are very organized. They have everything ready for you once you go in the back, the nurses will have all your paperwork filled out for you ready to go the same goes for check out. I love it. Get in and get out.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
I really do not know what the actual cost were because my insurance covered my iuis and if I had not meet my deductible I could use my insurance card.
Describe Aimee Browne's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
When we talked about ivf I was told I would be given a single embryo transfer because twins would be considered high risk and the only way theyd do multiple ones would be if they were growing slower than they were suppose to at day 3 or 5 transfer.
Dr. Browne would personally call me to check on me during the injectable stimulation process and also called to give me the results of the PGS testing. ... The only thing I wish was different is I didn't always see her for my checkups during the STIM process and she wasn't the one that did my retrieval. ... Dr. Browne said that if we did PGS testing we could only do single embryo transfer. We didn't when make it to that though.
I visited both the medical center and Stone Oak location [RMA of Texas] based on the day of the appointment. I wish it was more consistent on which doctor I saw for each appointment, but they were all very nice. ... Kristina and the rest of the staff were great communicators and compassionate and informative. ... IVF premium using Capex MD was $22,085.19. I had to finance it through lending club. ...
How was your experience with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Dr. Browne was honest and open with me about the process and the chance for success. The only thing I wish was different is I didn't always see her for my checkups during the STIM process and she wasn't the one that did my retrieval.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Be very honest about your fears and if you have any known risk factors (i.e. overweight, smoking, etc.).
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Dr. Browne would personally call me to check on me during the injectable stimulation process and also called to give me the results of the PGS testing. Although we didn't have any viable embryos for transfer, she was delicate and understood my frustration and pain. She was also candid and honest in providing me reasons why our IVF cycle may not have been successful and what we could do different with the next cycle.
Describe the protocols Aimee Browne used in your cycles at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic) and their degree of success.
I did IVF premium with PGS testing. I chose to have PGS testing because I wanted to make sure we transferred an embryo without any of the tested genetic defects. At the time, there was no known egg quality problems so we were more concerned with quantity. It included daily nightly STIM injections with Follistim 150u and Menopur 150u for 7 days. I added Ganiralex the last 3 days in the morning. Then I did the Pregnyl trigger shot. I had a positive beta test and was scheduled for egg retrieval the next day. This yielded 13 eggs, 12 were mature, 6 fertilized. On day 1 and 3 I still had 6 embryos. By day 5 I only had 1 embryo to send for genetic testing. The results came back a week later and it was not viable for transfer. The embryo was mosaic for Turner's syndrome.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: Kristina Mendez)
No weaknesses. Kristina and the rest of the staff were great communicators and compassionate and informative.
Describe your experience with Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
I visited both the medical center and Stone Oak location based on the day of the appointment. I wish it was more consistent on which doctor I saw for each appointment, but they were all very nice.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
IVF premium using Capex MD was $22,085.19. I had to finance it through lending club.
Describe Aimee Browne's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
Dr. Browne said that if we did PGS testing we could only do single embryo transfer. We didn't when make it to that though.
most interactions with Dr. Browne I felt like a human. There was one IUI where I was in a gown waiting for her to come and do the procedure for almost an hour...that time I felt like a number...She was kind, didn't try to rush me, and answered all of my questions. She has a great bedside manner and was encouraging when needed. My reasons for switching doctors didn't have anything to do with Dr.Browne personally.
Overall everyone [at RMA of Texas] was really nice and answered all of my questions throughout the process...Setting up appointments can be tough in the beginning. It wasn't until after I was on a timed schedule that it got easier for me. Also, the other location at Stone Oak was difficult at times. I had more billing issues there than anything else...most interactions with Dr. Browne I felt like a human. There was one IUI where I was in a gown waiting for her to come and do the procedure for almost an hour
How was your experience with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
I was referred to Dr. Browne by a friend and I'm so thankful I for that. It was the first step in the process that led me to where I'm at today. She took the time to walk me through all of my available options. She was kind, didn't try to rush me, and answered all of my questions. She has a great bedside manner and was encouraging when needed. My reasons for switching doctors didn't have anything to do with Dr.Browne personally.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Call right now and make an appointment, you may have to wait a couple weeks to get seen!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
The office itself sometimes made me feel like a number, but most interactions with Dr. Browne I felt like a human. There was one IUI where I was in a gown waiting for her to come and do the procedure for almost an hour...that time I felt like a number.
Describe the protocols Aimee Browne used in your cycles at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic) and their degree of success.
My insurance covered 6 IUIs (lifetime), so given IVF isn't covered and I wasn't ready that was the route we chose. She thought there was a chance I had endometriosis, but didn't think it was necessary to address at the time. My husband had slight motility issues, but again nothing dramatic that needed to be addressed. We could have done timed intercourse with Clomid but chose to go straight to IUIs given we'd already had one miscarriage and we weren't getting any younger!
IUI #1: 50mg Clomid for 5 days, trigger shot, insemination at 36 hours post trigger. Failed cycle confirmed via blood test.
IUI #2: 50mg Clomid for 5 days, trigger shot, insemination at 36 hours post trigger. Failed cycle confirmed via blood test.
IUI #3: 5mg Femara for 5 days, trigger shot, insemination at 36 hours post trigger. Failed cycle confirmed after negative HPT and period starting.
IUI #4: 5mg Femara for 6 days, 2 Menopur injections, trigger shot, endometrial scratch, insemination at 24 hours post trigger. Failed cycle confirmed after negative HPT and period starting.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: Kristina)
Overall everyone was really nice and answered all of my questions throughout the process.
Describe your experience with Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
Setting up appointments can be tough in the beginning. It wasn't until after I was on a timed schedule that it got easier for me. Also, the other location at Stone Oak was difficult at times. I had more billing issues there than anything else.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
My insurance covered most of the IUIs, but had it not I think it would've been around $1200-$1500 per cycle.
Describe Aimee Browne's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
Dr. Balthazar is friendly and kind. You can tell that she really does want to help you grow your family.... When we came to Dr. Balthazar we had recently had our second miscarriage with no live births. After testing she found I had MTHFR gene mutation, and a high egg count. She addresses the MTHFR with a prescribed prenatal with folate and a baby aspirin a day. She choose a timed intercourse cycle with Clomid
I think my clinic [RMA of Texas] does a great job of making you feel valued. I never feel like a number when I'm there. They call me by my name and they give all the time I need to have my questions answered. They are all very patient and kind. They never make me feel like I'm asking a dumb question or too many questions.... Their one weakness in my opinion is that they do not let you know if you will be seeing another doctor that isn't your doctor.
How was your experience with Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Dr. Balthazar is friendly and kind. You can tell that she really does want to help you grow your family. She does give you all the options and she is honest with you about your chances with each of them. She is smart and experienced, so she’s seen a lot of cases and knows what to do with each of them. She is compassionate as well. When I had my third loss she let my husband and I sit in her office and cry and ask all the questions we had. She never rushed us out or said she needed to go. She just listened and answered. She just makes you feel like you’ve got the champ in your corner that you need in a time like this.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
To ask anything you want to know. Don’t walk away wishing you had asked one more thing. And know that she will be honest with her answers.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
She always knew everything going on with me. I never had to re-explain my situation or my history as I had with my OB. She always took as much time as I needed to answer my questions and explain everything in depth to me. I never felt like she was rushing to get me to leave. You can tell she cares about you as an individual.
Describe the protocols Ursula Balthazar used in your cycles at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic) and their degree of success.
When we came to Dr. Balthazar we had recently had our second miscarriage with no live births. After testing she found I had MTHFR gene mutation, and a high egg count. She addresses the MTHFR with a prescribed prenatal with folate and a baby aspirin a day. She choose a timed intercourse cycle with Clomid (25mg the first round and 50mg the second) with an Ovidrel trigger shot each time. She said because of my high egg count the signal from my brain to my eggs may be causing my eggs to go too soon or too late causing them to not be timed correctly and thus the miscarriages. With Clomid we could help one to mature at the correct pace and the trigger shot would tell that egg exactly when to go and that would help address that issue. The first month with this cycle we received a negative pregnancy test. The second cycle we received a positive pregnancy test but my HCG didn’t rise as needed and we lost the pregnancy.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: Amy Altamirano)
The entire staff is very patient and kind. From the intake staff to the billing. Everyone explains everything fully and takes the time to make sure you understand it all. My specific nurse is new to me as we won’t start our IVF until May but from what I’ve asked so far she has been very ready and willing to talk with me and answer my questions. I’m looking forward to having her through this cycle.
Describe your experience with Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
I think my clinic does a great job of making you feel valued. I never feel like a number when I'm there. They call me by my name and they give all the time I need to have my questions answered. They are all very patient and kind. They never make me feel like I'm asking a dumb question or too many questions. They know my history and I don't have to remind them at any point. Their one weakness in my opinion is that they do not let you know if you will be seeing another doctor that isn't your doctor. They assumed I knew it was my doctor's day off (had go in for a scan during a timed intercourse cycle), and I didn't know I wasn't seeing my doctor until the other doctor walked into my room to do the scan.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
I completed all of my fertility testing at this office, which estimated $2000 out of pocket. I also completed two timed intercourse cycles which totaled about $1300 with medications. I have IVF with PGS & an FET scheduled for this summer which will be approximately $26,000 total, with no insurance coverage.
Dr. Brown took the time to talk with me, explained my options.and realistic results. She took the time to understand my specific situation. ... She has a great bedside manner, explained my options, and her recommendations. She spent plenty of time explaining what the next steps in my fertility journey we're. She also understood my financial concerns and concerns that my husband had as well.
I have nothing but good things to say about RMA. Dr. Brown, the nurses and staff were always friendly, informative, and compassionate. The only reason I switched clinics was to find a clinic that offered ivf at a more affordable price for our budget. Otherwise, I was very impressed with RMA overall. ... Rma at medical center was very friendly, personable and seemed like they really cared about the patients. They were very organized and informative as well.
How was your experience with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
I really liked Dr. Brown. She has a great bedside manner, explained my options, and her recommendations. She spent plenty of time explaining what the next steps in my fertility journey we're. She also understood my financial concerns and concerns that my husband had as well.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
I really do not have any advice for any new patients, except that the procedures can be kinda pricey, so do your research for financial resources, but Dr. Brown, and the clinic are amazing!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Dr. Brown took the time to talk with me, explained my options.and realistic results. She took the time to understand my specific situation.
Describe the protocols Aimee Browne used in your cycles at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic) and their degree of success.
I remember that the clinic does not use injectables. She recommended at least 2 more rounds of IUI with an increased dosage of clomid, from 50mg to 100mg. I only produced 1 follicle, and the IUI was not successful for me, but it was a good try, and much more affordable than going straight to ivf for us.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
Rma at medical center was very friendly, personable and seemed like they really cared about the patients. They were very organized and informative as well.
Describe your experience with Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
I have nothing but good things to say about RMA. Dr. Brown, the nurses and staff were always friendly, informative, and compassionate. The only reason I switched clinics was to find a clinic that offered ivf at a more affordable price for our budget. Otherwise, I was very impressed with RMA overall.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
A cycle of IUI including ultrasounds and labwork was 1300.00, not including meds. Clomid is very inexpensive though. The ivf procedure was I think around 8-10,000, not including meds, which can range from 2,000-4,000.
Aimee Brown is patient and understanding. She is knowledgeable and professional. I have a uterine anomaly and she was professional in discovering this while also being realistic about how that has been affecting our chances. She had a clear plan moving forward. ... she explained everything very clearly on a medical level and a layman level. My husband and I both appreciated that. She wanted to reallly get to the root of the problem and she was encouraging and positive. ...
We switched because they only do FET. We wanted to try fresh. It made us nervous because sometimes you may not have any to freeze but you could have transferred a day 3...while at RMA [of Texas] you couldn’t. Knowing nothing about how I would atom or my egg quality etc, we wanted to at least have the option of a fresh cycle. In retrospect, the only cycles that ever got positive pregnancy tests were FET. So maybe they’re on to something.
How was your experience with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Aimee Brown is patient and understanding. She is knowledgeable and professional. I have a uterine anomaly and she was professional in discovering this while also being realistic about how that has been affecting our chances. She had a clear plan moving forward.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Be patient with the process. She is worth the time.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
She was very caring and patient and as this was our first real experience in seeking fertility treatment, she explained everything very clearly on a medical level and a layman level. My husband and I both appreciated that. She wanted to reallly get to the root of the problem and she was encouraging and positive.
Describe the protocols Aimee Browne used in your cycles at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic) and their degree of success.
She was considering doing surgery to fix my uterus shape but my particular shape cannot be fixed with surgery. We did our entire work up with her and because we felt restricted (by insurance ) on time, we transferred to a different clinic that would do fresh transfers; RMA only does frozen.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
They were organized and compassionate. They were working hard but kind and had time to answer any questions or track down the doctor or paperwork needed. They all work well as a team and it seemed a good work environment for them too.
Describe your experience with Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
We switched because they only do FET. We wanted to try fresh. It made us nervous because sometimes you may not have any to freeze but you could have transferred a day 3...while at RMA you couldn’t. Knowing nothing about how I would atom or my egg quality etc, we wanted to at least have the option of a fresh cycle. In retrospect, the only cycles that ever got positive pregnancy tests were FET. So maybe they’re on to something.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
I don’t remember. I’m sorry.
Describe Aimee Browne's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
Dr. Brown has excellent bedside manner. Really jumps in, and gets to figuring out what’s going on. I thought my first appointment was just a consult, but she did an exam, and much more. I felt at ease with Dr brown. She has lots of accolades around the office of articles she has published and magazines that have write ups about her. Her office is warm and welcoming, dimmed lighting, soft music. It’s a comforting place to be when dealing with infertility. Which already takes such a toll on you emotionally.
You may have to wait in the lobby longer than your appointment time [at Aspire/RMA of Texas-SA]. But that’s pretty typical for a doctors office. And really I only waited at the consultation appointment. Every other appointment I was seen quickly. The staff You do check out with is not as warm as the others, I feel.... The nursing staff was kind, warm and welcoming. Extremely compassionate.
How was your experience with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Dr. Brown has excellent bedside manner. Really jumps in, and gets to figuring out what’s going on. I thought my first appointment was just a consult, but she did an exam, and much more. I felt at ease with Dr brown. She has lots of accolades around the office of articles she has published and magazines that have write ups about her. Her office is warm and welcoming, dimmed lighting, soft music. It’s a comforting place to be when dealing with infertility. Which already takes such a toll on you emotionally.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Maybe to do research on the price of things... everything at the clinic is great. They explain things very thoroughly and I would give you the advice to go see Dr Brown!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
We were taken into Dr. Brown’s office, which felt a little more personable than sitting in an exam room. She showed a power point presentation that covered costs and statistics of different treatments. She was very warm, shared about her own experiences with infertility. Showed compassion when it was needed.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
The nursing staff was kind, warm and welcoming. Extremely compassionate.
Describe your experience with Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
You may have to wait in the lobby longer than your appointment time. But that’s pretty typical for a doctors office. And really I only waited at the consultation appointment. Every other appointment I was seen quickly. The staff You do check out with is not as warm as the others, I feel.
I was shown a power point and talked to like everyone else. My age was a big factor and that was something that was brought up repeatedly even though my numbers all looked fine.... Aimee Brown was very personable and explained everything very clearly but again I felt like a number instead of an individual.... The strategy was to do an IUI a couple of times with clomid than a trigger shot for insemination.
Everyone is very nice but again they [RMA of Texas] show you a PowerPoint and it’s just not personable. The doctor is very personable it’s almost like she is forced to show this PowerPoint. I wish they looked at me as individual instead of someone who was older and there was only IVF as an option.... Everything was paid by me my insurance didn’t cover anything. The IUI was about $1000 and the shot was $100.
How was your experience with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Aimee Brown was very personable and explained everything very clearly but again I felt like a number instead of an individual. I felt like I wasn’t looked at as an individual patient rather someone who should do IVF because of my age.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Be more assertive, I wasn’t very because this was all new to me. I should have been more clear as to what I wanted and that was a more natural way of conceiving instead of jumping to IVF. I should have asked for more blood tests etc.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
I was shown a power point and talked to like everyone else. My age was a big factor and that was something that was brought up repeatedly even though my numbers all looked fine. I felt like IVF was being thrown at me without trying to work with me first.
Describe the protocols Aimee Browne used in your cycles at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic) and their degree of success.
The strategy was to do an IUI a couple of times with clomid than a trigger shot for insemination.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
They just followed up with the protocols of the office.
Describe your experience with Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
Everyone is very nice but again they show you a PowerPoint and it’s just not personable. The doctor is very personable it’s almost like she is forced to show this PowerPoint. I wish they looked at me as individual instead of someone who was older and there was only IVF as an option.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
Everything was paid by me my insurance didn’t cover anything. The IUI was about $1000 and the shot was $100.
I truly love Dr. Brown. She took her time in explaining everything, was very thorough, and was patient and kind in answering all our questions....I couldn't have asked for a better doctor. She made us feel so comfortable with our entire journey of infertility. She explained everything in detail to my husband and I, and took time answering all questions and concerns we had.
The entire staff of RMA is beyond helpful....This clinic has a support group, which i found a tremendous help. This journey is so emotional and to know that you have support with people going thru exactly what you are is beyond helpful. To know they are on your side helps you get thru those tough days....The process is never easy but Dr. Brown will do everything in her power to put your mind at ease.
How was your experience with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
I couldn't have asked for a better doctor. She made us feel so comfortable with our entire journey of infertility. She explained everything in detail to my husband and I, and took time answering all questions and concerns we had.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
The process is never easy but Dr. Brown will do everything in her power to put your mind at ease.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
I truly love Dr. Brown. She took her time in explaining everything, was very thorough, and was patient and kind in answering all our questions. The entire staff of RMA is beyond helpful.
Describe the protocols Aimee Browne used in your cycles at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic) and their degree of success.
Clomid was out first step. We did for 6 months, after that we entered IUI. We are now to IVF.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
They are helpful and kind.
Describe your experience with Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
This clinic has a support group, which i found a tremendous help. This journey is so emotional and to know that you have support with people going thru exactly what you are is beyond helpful. To know they are on your side helps you get thru those tough days.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
I don't remember exact costs. Clomid went thru my insurance. IUI was under 1000 per round.
Describe Aimee Browne's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
[Dr. Browne is] Warm, friendly, smart and attuned to the patients needs. Easy to talk to and ask questions. Very optimistic but truthful when it comes to describing chances for success. Sometimes I wish she would be a little more prepared before she saw me instead of let me look at your chart. But this happened very rarely....Great bedside manner. Took time to explain process and all procedures.... I have only done IUIs with this doctor.
My nursing coordinator [RMA of Texas] could have been more organized. She once drew blood for the wrong tube and asked me to draw my blood again. The other nurse who does all the blood draws and room assignments is extremely grouchy, borderline rude.... Strength: always available weaknesses: both clinics are not the same. I would recommend getting everything done at stone oak versus medical center because eventually you will have to go there. They should off caffeine free coffe in the lounge since the recommended no caffeine
How was your experience with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Warm, friendly, smart and attuned to the patients needs. Easy to talk to and ask questions. Very optimistic but truthful when it comes to describing chances for success. Sometimes I wish she would be a little more prepared before she saw me instead of let me look at your chart. But this happened very rarely.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Be patient, things don't happened when you want them too.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Great bedside manner. Took time to explain process and all procedures.
Describe the protocols Aimee Browne used in your cycles at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic) and their degree of success.
I don't remember the protocols. I have only done IUIs with this doctor.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: Christina)
My nursing coordinator could have been more organized. She once drew blood for the wrong tube and asked me to draw my blood again. The other nurse who does all the blood draws and room assignments is extremely grouchy, borderline rude.
Describe your experience with Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
Strength: always available weaknesses: both clinics are not the same. I would recommend getting everything done at stone oak versus medical center because eventually you will have to go there. They should off caffeine free coffe in the lounge since the recommended no caffeine
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
I have insurance coverage for IUI. Co pay cost were about 200 dollars
Describe Aimee Browne's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
Dr. Brown performed HSG and IUI on me. She is an amazing doctor who always cares so much about her patients. I would definitely recommend Dr. Brown to anyone who needs fertility treatments.... I found out I was pregnant on DPO 12. I just gave birth to a healthy baby boy last week, and I am so grateful to have this baby...Dr. Brown is very gentle and very compassionate.
The clinic {RMA of Texas] is very organized and clean. Appointments are always on time...The nursing staff are very organized and communicative... Dr. Brown performed HSG and IUI on me...I found out I was pregnant on DPO 12. I just gave birth to a healthy baby boy last week, and I am so grateful to have this baby.
How was your experience with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Dr. Brown performed HSG and IUI on me. She is an amazing doctor who always cares so much about her patients. I would definitely recommend Dr. Brown to anyone who needs fertility treatments.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
You are in good hands. Trust Dr. Brown and her treatment plan.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Dr. Brown is very gentle and very compassionate.
Describe the protocols Aimee Browne used in your cycles at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic) and their degree of success.
I had HSG in September 2016 performed by Dr. Brown. The result showed that my tubes were clear. We had our first IUI in November 2016. I was on 5mg of letrozole from CD3-CD7. I had my initial ultrasound on CD 3, and a second ultrasound on CD 11. The second ultrasound showed that I had a follicle on my left side with 17mm in diameter. I was told to do the trigger shot on CD 12 at 9pm, and had the IUI on CD 14 at 9am. We also followed the RE's instruction to have intercourse again on the same day CD 14 at night. I started the progesterone suppositories twice a day since DPO 3. I found out I was pregnant on DPO 12. I just gave birth to a healthy baby boy last week, and I am so grateful to have this baby.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
The nursing staff are very organized and communicative.
Describe your experience with Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
The clinic is very organized and clean. Appointments are always on time.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
She [Dr. Browne] is open, knowledgeable and explains things well. She is compassionate of the situation and concerns and doesn't push you toward something you aren't comfortable with. She makes sure all questions are answered or directs you to where you can find the answers.... She is very compassionate and makes sure all questions are answered. We did not feel rushed.... Dr. Browne's office is comfortable where she discusses treatment options with you.
The clinic [RMA of Texas] is very clean and provides a comfortable setting. It is easy to find. Everything they need is there in the clinic. They offer acupuncture at another location. The treatment rooms are nice and Dr. Browne's office is comfortable where she discusses treatment options with you.... Initial costs were primarily covered by insurance. We have not moved forward with other procedures yet partially due to cost. But the cost seems to be pretty standard.
How was your experience with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
She is open, knowledgeable and explains things well. She is compassionate of the situation and concerns and doesn't push you toward something you aren't comfortable with. She makes sure all questions are answered or directs you to where you can find the answers.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Write down any questions you think of so you can get all the information to make an informed decision.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
She is very compassionate and makes sure all questions are answered. We did not feel rushed.
Describe your experience with Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
The clinic is very clean and provides a comfortable setting. It is easy to find. Everything they need is there in the clinic. They offer acupuncture at another location. The treatment rooms are nice and Dr. Browne's office is comfortable where she discusses treatment options with you.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
Initial costs were primarily covered by insurance. We have not moved forward with other procedures yet partially due to cost. But the cost seems to be pretty standard.
She [Dr. Browne] very personable and friendly. When she is giving results she gives them in a way where you understand them and if you have questions you are not afraid to ask. She has great bedside manner and even when I had a surgery she was great at explaining why was gonna happen and showed my husband what they did how it looked afterwards. ... We had a hysterecopy before we started anything.
They [RMA of Texas] Aspire get back to you extremely fast. When have called on the weekend if they didn’t have a nurse call during the weekend they called first thing Monday morning. They are good with communication in appointments or next steps in your treatment plans. ... It costs about 1300 for an IUI ... 1st cycle of iui we did .75 first but I had no growth In follicles so they increased 1.75 of letrozole with a hcg trigger shot 2nd cycle of iui we did 2.5 with hcg trigger shot
How was your experience with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
She very personable and friendly. When she is giving results she gives them in a way where you understand them and if you have questions you are not afraid to ask. She has great bedside manner and even when I had a surgery she was great at explaining why was gonna happen and showed my husband what they did how it looked afterwards.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Dr. Browne is great she answers all questions, presents your results in neutral way where you don’t feel bad about all that she is saying.
Describe the protocols Aimee Browne used in your cycles at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic) and their degree of success.
We had a hysterecopy before we started anything. 1st cycle of iui we did .75 first but I had no growth In follicles so they increased 1.75 of letrozole with a hcg trigger shot
2nd cycle of iui we did 2.5 with hcg trigger shot
Describe your experience with Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
They get back to you extremely fast. When have called on the weekend if they didn’t have a nurse call during the weekend they called first thing Monday morning. They are good with communication in appointments or next steps in your treatment plans.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
Dr Browne performed all the testing necessary to try to find the cause of our RPL. During my last miscarriage, she searched and searched for a heartbeat. Her compassion shows in every visit and you can tell she really wants you to succeed.... Femera plus trigger shot for iui. 1 cycle bfn RPL: progesterone, prednisone, baby aspirin, prenatal vitamin, weekly ultrasounds. 1 cycle, miscarriage... Dr. Browne is so sweet and really cares.
They [Aspire Fertility/RMA of TX] have 2 locations. Both have very supportive staff and physicians. Physicians do perform all of the ultrasounds so you get results right away. pretty much everything is done on site which is super helpful.... Iui about $1100 per cycle Costs seem on par with other clinics. Labs and some other procedures were covered u see insurance.... Kristina was easy to get in touch with and answered any questions
How was your experience with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Dr Browne performed all the testing necessary to try to find the cause of our RPL. During my last miscarriage, she searched and searched for a heartbeat. Her compassion shows in every visit and you can tell she really wants you to succeed.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Trust her advice
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Dr. Browne is so sweet and really cares.
Describe the protocols Aimee Browne used in your cycles at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic) and their degree of success.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: Kristina)
Kristina was easy to get in touch with and answered any questions
Describe your experience with Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
They have 2 locations. Both have very supportive staff and physicians. Physicians do perform all of the ultrasounds so you get results right away. pretty much everything is done on site which is super helpful.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aimee Browne at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
Iui about $1100 per cycle
Costs seem on par with other clinics. Labs and some other procedures were covered u see insurance.
Describe Aimee Browne's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
[Dr. Ursula Balthazar] is upbeat, kind and positive...remembers the important things...extremely knowledgeable about current research...explained next steps for all potential outcomes so we knew what to expect either way...would explain things in a way we understood and answer any questions we had...made time for us.
[Aspire Fertility (formerly RMA of Texas)] works hard to create an environment of inclusion and positivity...facilities are top notch and they have an in-office lab, which makes all of the results much quicker...Lisa, Amy & Michelle were all amazing...remembered me by name and were always kind...answer my questions and call me same day any time I would message them...professional and organized
How was your experience with Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Dr. B is upbeat, kind and positive. She remembers the important things and is extremely knowledgeable about current research. She always explained next steps for all potential outcomes so we knew what to expect either way. She let me express fear and joy and all the in-betweens. She would explain things in a way we understood and answer any questions we had. She always made time for us.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions or the “why” behind protocol decisions.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
I saw Dr. Balthazar at every appointment. She remembered my name, my journey, and was always receptive to my feelings. She would take her time to explain everything including next steps so I knew either way what was next. She always made time for my questions. Overall, she met me right where I was and created an environment that safe, inviting, positive. Dr. B and her team are amazing!
Describe the protocols Ursula Balthazar used in your cycles at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic) and their degree of success.
Before beginning she reviewed our SHG, hysteroscopy, and ran labs. Our first IVF cycle we followed a typical protocol as well as a “transfer fresh, test the rest” plan. Our fresh transfer was unsuccessful and we had no euploids (PGT normal) but some mosaics. She changed our protocol to a duo-stim with menopur and retrieved from a different time in my cycle. We had better results the second retrieval. We also did an ERA and three months of lupron to suppress potential endo. In the third month of lupron depot we repeated the hysteroscopy and removed two small polyps. The transfer after all of that was successful. I think lupron made a big difference.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: Lisa, medical assistant & Amy/Michelle, nurses)
Lisa, Amy & Michelle were all amazing. They remembered me by name and were always kind. They would answer my questions and call me same day any time I would message them. They were professional and organized. They called in scripts and did everything necessary to make this process smooth.
Describe your experience with Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
From the first meeting with Dr. Balthazar, we knew we wanted to move forward with this clinic. She was kind and prepared. Aspire works hard to create an environment of inclusion and positivity. Their facilities are top notch and they have an in-office lab, which makes all of the results much quicker.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
aspire always accommodated our need for an early appointment time. The wait was never more than 20 minutes for monitoring. We saw our doctor at every appointment, which was important to us after coming from a clinic that we only saw random doctors during procedures. Appointments were never rushed and I always had a chance to ask questions. When needed, we would move to a meeting room to go over meds, protocol calendars, etc. and ask any remaining questions with the nurse well. Our team was committed and we would see the same people every time.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
I believe one round of IVF with PGT-A for all embryos was about $16,000 not including meds. We did get a teacher discount and a discount for an affiliation with Carrot. Embryo transfers were about $1,700 and would get cheaper with further transfers.
Describe Ursula Balthazar's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
We were encouraged to transfer one embryo at a time. We agreed with this due to risk factors.
Dr. Balthazar is so so so friendly. She’s very encouraging. I’m a plus size person and she never brought up my weight/bmi during the consult (which I was nervous for). She has a way of making your fears drift away. Dr. Balthazar talks you through each test and exam so there are no surprises and is eager to listen and out to rest any concerns I might have. My favorite thing about her so far is that she explains what she sees in a manner you will understand.
Then [Aspire Fertility] clinic as a whole is very well put together and clean! The ladies at the front desk are super nice. The prelude app is a great tool to use for schedule reminders and messaging too. The clinic is always punctual and I’m seen at the right time and out of there in a timely manner. I have never had any issues with scheduling as of yet...The nurses always answer quickly within the same day I leave them a message! Over the phone they’re very friendly and easy to talk to.
How was your experience with Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Dr. Balthazar is so so so friendly. She’s very encouraging. I’m a plus size person and she never brought up my weight/bmi during the consult (which I was nervous for). She has a way of making your fears drift away. Dr. Balthazar talks you through each test and exam so there are no surprises and is eager to listen and out to rest any concerns I might have. My favorite thing about her so far is that she explains what she sees in a manner you will understand.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
You don’t need to worry. Feel free to drop the stress at the door! Also make sure to ask questions. Dr. Balthazar listens very well and will gladly answer any question.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Everyone was so sweet as soon as we walked in. Dr. Balthazar was especially friendly and made sure to make me feel comfortable talking through the process. It felt like she was really trying to get to know me, and not like I was a number in the system.
Describe the protocols Ursula Balthazar used in your cycles at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic) and their degree of success.
I’m still in the beginning stages of our journey at Aspire! I’ve only gone in a couple times now, but Dr. Balthazar seems to have a good plan that my husband and I feel comfortable with! So far we’ve had labs, genetic screening, semen analysis, and an HSG (hysterosalpingogram) done. She wants to rule out any other reasons we’re having issues. They all came out clear and good, except that I have PCOS which we all knew beforehand. She just had extra confirmation!
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
I mainly communicate with the nurses through the prelude fertility app that the patient portal is connected to! It’s a great tool I can use without having to worry about missing calls. The nurses always answer quickly within the same day I leave them a message! Over the phone they’re very friendly and easy to talk to.
Describe your experience with Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
The clinic as a whole is very well put together and clean! The ladies at the front desk are super nice.
The prelude app is a great tool to use for schedule reminders and messaging too.
The clinic is always punctual and I’m seen at the right time and out of there in a timely manner.
I have never had any issues with scheduling as of yet.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
So far I haven’t had to pay out of pocket for anything. My PPO covers all testing for now. I only pay my copay with each visit. I haven’t undergone any treatment yet so I can’t say anymore.
Describe Ursula Balthazar's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
We have not had to discuss anything having to do with IVF just yet.
Dr. B is friendly cheerful and knowledgeable. She will listen to your concerns and address them. She seems confident and competent. The only thing I would say is that she seems so cheerful and positive that I don’t know if she is giving me false hope! Ha! That is yet to be determined. I’d rather someone be blunt and honest with me than give me false hope. But that’s a personal choice...She addressed my concerns. I felt heard and encouraged.
The [Aspire Fertility] clinic is for the most part well organized. The layout of the office is clean and private. The equipment in the facility are nice and I love the warmed wet wipes after invasive procedures. I love that the doctor lets me get dressed before sitting and talking. It’s a big difference talking face to face compared to naked with my probs tree parts on display. The clinic has done A phenomenal of making me feel comfortable and less anxious
How was your experience with Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Dr. B is friendly cheerful and knowledgeable. She will listen to your concerns and address them. She seems confident and competent. The only thing I would say is that she seems so cheerful and positive that I don’t know if she is giving me false hope! Ha! That is yet to be determined. I’d rather someone be blunt and honest with me than give me false hope. But that’s a personal choice.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Ask her ALL the questions that come up. Write them down and bring to the office. She will answer them all and not rush you through them and never make you feel like any of the questions are stupid. She is fantadtic
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Dr. Balthazar was very cheerful and friendly and answered all my questions. She addressed my concerns. I felt heard and encouraged.
Describe the protocols Ursula Balthazar used in your cycles at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic) and their degree of success.
We are in the midst of my first IVF cycle right now. I am on suppression currently.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: Amy)
Amy is fantastic and answers all my questions.
It would be helpful to be given a handout of a timeline to expect for IVF. There are a lot of components and it gets very confusing and anxiety producing not knowing what comes next.
Describe your experience with Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
The clinic is for the most part well organized. The layout of the office is clean and private. The equipment in the facility are nice and I love the warmed wet wipes after invasive procedures. I love that the doctor lets me get dressed before sitting and talking. It’s a big difference talking face to face compared to naked with my probs tree parts on display. The clinic has done A phenomenal of making me feel comfortable and less anxious
Describe the costs associated with your care under Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
The IVF cycle is very expensive. But that’s true everywhere.
Describe Ursula Balthazar's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
For my case, she prefers single embryo transfer
What specific things went wrong at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Failed to order appropriate test
Failed to consider drug intolerance
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
There were a few non major hiccups that can happen anywhere but they were fixed immediately and appropriately. I don’t hold this against the clinic at all. Just being honest.
Dr. Balthazar was always chipper and easy to connect with. Referred to us by name and encouraged and explained every step. She was always gentle and would talk you through each procedure or ultrasound so you were comfortable and aware. I never felt any pain with pelvic exams and felt safe in the environment she created.
The biggest struggle [with Aspire Fertility] was in the patient portal you cannot directly reply to a message so it makes it hard when communicating because you can only message with a doctors team not a specific person. This I found difficult when messaging the embryologist or financial dept...Wonderful and quick to respond to questions. Before the days of patient portal she would respond to emails at 1/2 AM when we woke up before retrieval with issues. Always there to reassure and educate us.
How was your experience with Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Dr. Balthazar was always chipper and easy to connect with. Referred to us by name and encouraged and explained every step. She was always gentle and would talk you through each procedure or ultrasound so you were comfortable and aware. I never felt any pain with pelvic exams and felt safe in the environment she created.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
She talks fast but is always willing to answer questions so don’t be afraid to just ask and she will spend as much time as needed to make sure you understand every
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Dr. B always referred to us by name, knew our case specifically prior to walking in the room and was easy and enjoyable to talk with.
Describe the protocols Ursula Balthazar used in your cycles at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic) and their degree of success.
With our course of treatment everything was by the book for frozen embryo transfer I started with birth control then went to estrogen orally after an increase in this I started progesterone shots right before transfer and increased from 1 ml to 2 ml since my levels were low. When this was causing too much pain she switched me to 1 ml and a vaginal progesterone that helped with injection pain.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: Amy )
Wonderful and quick to respond to questions. Before the days of patient portal she would respond to emails at 1/2 AM when we woke up before retrieval with issues. Always there to reassure and educate us.
Describe your experience with Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
The biggest struggle was in the patient portal you cannot directly reply to a message so it makes it hard when communicating because you can only message with a doctors team not a specific person. This I found difficult when messaging the embryologist or financial dept.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
RIVF 25,000
FET 4,000
Describe Ursula Balthazar's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
I trust her implicitly and value her expertise on how many embryos to implant
Dr. Balthazar was extremely competent in her practice. She was able to explain procedures and decisions to us in a way that we could understand. If things went differently than expected, we adjusted course and the rationale was always explained to us in a way that we understood...Nothing felt sugar coated or watered down, but there was so much compassion and understanding. She was also always sincerely hopeful and engaged in our care.
The cost of our cycle was always explained to us in detail. We met with someone specifically about the cost and financing...She [our nurse] always took the time to answer all of our questions and make sure we understood everything...The [Aspire Fertility] clinic is full of caring and compassionate staff. Everyone is willing to help however they can. It is easy to get reach your fertility team and easy to schedule appointments.
How was your experience with Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Dr. Balthazar was extremely competent in her practice. She was able to explain procedures and decisions to us in a way that we could understand. If things went differently than expected, we adjusted course and the rationale was always explained to us in a way that we understood. She also had a very positive energy but blended it perfectly with complete honesty. We had a couple miscarriages in our first cycle, and she was extremely compassionate with us while still being honest with us. Nothing felt sugar coated or watered down, but there was so much compassion and understanding. She was also always sincerely hopeful and engaged in our care. You didn’t feel like she was rushing in or out. Dr. Balthazar took the time with us to make sure we understood and were comfortable with our plan of care. She was truly one of the few reasons we were emotionally able to continue through our treatment until we were able to become pregnant.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
The healthcare team was wonderful at treating you like a patient. They were invested in giving us the best care and the best outcomes. All of the members of the team gave us as much time as we needed to understand, and at times with unexpected outcomes, accept the information before trying to move forward. The care was truly patient centered.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: Amy)
Amy was wonderful and supportive throughout the process. She was extremely compassionate and competent as our nurse. She always took the time to answer all of our questions and make sure we understood everything. Amy always went above and beyond to help us. She was even kind enough to come in one of the days the clinic was closed to help me with a progesterone injection.
Describe your experience with Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
The clinic is full of caring and compassionate staff. Everyone is willing to help however they can. It is easy to get reach your fertility team and easy to schedule appointments.
I have not been to their new facility, so I cannot speak to that, but the clinic always appeared clean and organized.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
The cost of our cycle was always explained to us in detail. We met with someone specifically about the cost and financing. She always answered all of our questions in detail and followed up with us if any questions or concerns came up.
Dr Balthazar was very warm and understanding in how much I have gone through in my journey to have a baby. She is determined to achieve that goal for me. She called me not only from the clinic but her personal phone when we did not have success...had a lengthy medical record. On my first appointment with Dr B she let me know she read all 100+ pages and was determined to get a positive outcome. She was always companionate, calming and caring. She answered all my questions and tried to ease my worries. She let me know she has a plan and we will continually adjust it so we can have a successful pregnancy. From the very first visit she made me feel comfortable and confident in her abilities.
I loved my nurse Amy [at Aspire Fertility/ RMA of Texas]. She is very compassionate and understanding. She was alway quick to answer my questions, even when she was off from work...After insurance I paid about $6000 out of pocket for the first round. Then an additional 1500 for the second round...I love the overall positive feeling in the office. They all want to help in achieving the ultimate goal of finally having a baby. They are all friendly and understand how sensitive and stressful the whole process is
How was your experience with Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
I had gone to a different clinic previously and had a lengthy medical record. On my first appointment with Dr B she let me know she read all 100+ pages and was determined to get a positive outcome. She was always companionate, calming and caring. She answered all my questions and tried to ease my worries. She let me know she has a plan and we will continually adjust it so we can have a successful pregnancy. From the very first visit she made me feel comfortable and confident in her abilities.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Be open , honest and listen to what she has to say. She knows what she is doing and wants a happy outcome for every patient.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Dr Balthazar was very warm and understanding in how much I have gone through in my journey to have a baby. She is determined to achieve that goal for me. She called me not only from the clinic but her personal phone when we did not have success.
Describe the protocols Ursula Balthazar used in your cycles at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic) and their degree of success.
The first round of retrieval I was put on
gonal f
Lupolide
Lupron
Omintrope
The second round we did not use omintrope
Her goal was to get the best quality eggs without putting a huge amount of debt on top of the already stressful procedures.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: Amy Altamirano )
I loved my nurse Amy. She is very compassionate and understanding. She was alway quick to answer my questions, even when she was off from work. I told her she did not need to answer my emails if it was her day off, she told me she wanted me to have answers without delay
Describe your experience with Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
I love the overall positive feeling in the office. They all want to help in achieving the ultimate goal of finally having a baby. They are all friendly and understand how sensitive and stressful the whole process is
Describe the costs associated with your care under Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
After insurance I paid about $6000 out of pocket for the first round. Then an additional 1500 for the second round. I want to do a third round but need help financially
I loved Dr Failor. She was very gentle, never judgemental and always took the time to answer my questions when I didn’t exactly understand. She never tried to push me into any treatment when I wasn’t ready to start...Dr Failor always made me feel like an important patient. Always remembered me and was always considerate of my feelings
[Aspire Fertility] Strengths - overall very friendly, helpful clinic. Welcoming and always made me feel good about being in their care. Would always fit me in if I felt like I needed to be seen. Weakness - Communication with billing, and between staff and patients could be better but overall I never had a experience.
How was your experience with Courtney Failor at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
I loved Dr Failor. She was very gentle, never judgemental and always took the time to answer my questions when I didn’t exactly understand. She never tried to push me into any treatment when I wasn’t ready to start.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Courtney Failor at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
I would tell them to be themselves and ask questions about anything you don’t understand.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Courtney Failor at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Dr Failor always made me feel like an important patient. Always remembered me and was always considerate of my feelings
Describe the protocols Courtney Failor used in your cycles at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic) and their degree of success.
I did one cycle of invocell with dr Failor. I cannot remember the prescription names used but it was a low dose cycle. We used clomid, and stimmed for 9 days, I think. 8 eggs retrieved and inserted into invocell device. At removal we had 2 healthy embryos that we fresh transferred. And one embryo that didn’t grow past day 4. My transfer resulted in a positive pregnancy test, both embryos implanted but only one progressed. Had a healthy baby boy exactly 8 months to the date after transfer. Delivered early due to preeclampsia.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
Can’t remember their names. I saw a lot of different nurses and they were mostly all understanding and gentle. They did sometimes make me feel like I was silly for not understanding things and took a littler longer than I’d like to get answers to calls and e-mails.
Describe your experience with Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
Strengths - overall very friendly, helpful clinic. Welcoming and always made me feel good about being in their care. Would always fit me in if I felt like I needed to be seen.
Weakness - Communication with billing, and between staff and patients could be better but overall I never had a experience.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Courtney Failor at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
I paid 8k for one cycle of invocell not including some testing before cycle began, and pregnancy ultrasounds
Describe Courtney Failor's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
I do wish we had discussed this topic more in depth. I did not want a multiple pregnancy but it was only discussed on the day of transfer how many we would want to transfer. I would have liked to have been told more in detail about the dangers of multiple embryo transfer before having to make that decision in somewhat of a hurry.
What specific things went wrong at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Failed to send your chart to another clinic
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
I did not have anything specifically go wrong at this clinic.
[Dr. Balthazar] has a specific protocol she uses for many of her patients-one she developed and has had success with. It's a lower dosage of medications with estrogen priming before, and including letrozole and HGH. We were open to trying this protocol with my diminished ovarian reserve, and had decent success retrieval wise...We only saw her at one or two monitoring appointments and for transfer. It would have meant more as a patient to be able to see your assigned physician with each appointment a doctor is involved, not the other doctors in the practice.
As a whole the staff here [at Aspire Fertility] are very friendly and welcoming. We did not care for the entire team of doctors approach to cycles where doctors are assigned days for retrievals, transfers, monitoring, etc. We would prefer being able to see our assigned doctor with each visit requiring a doctor...They had packages for IVF cycles depending on what all you wanted (PGS testing or not, frozen transfer, etc)
How was your experience with Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Dr. B is very energetic and has such a positive energy with her patients. That positive energy was appreciated at our consultation and getting started with our IVF cycle. We only saw her at one or two monitoring appointments and for transfer. It would have meant more as a patient to be able to see your assigned physician with each appointment a doctor is involved, not the other doctors in the practice. She has a protocol that has worked for many patients, and we had decent success with it retrieval wise with my diminished ovarian reserve, however have had no success in transfer of either of the 2 embryos from that retrieval cycle. She feels strongly about fresh transfers and recommended that, rather than perform an ERA biopsy prior to doing a frozen transfer. We have later found that an ERA showed a shift window of receptivity and additional progesterone needed with a new RE. Overall, Dr. B is a wonderful person and doctor with a great attitude. I would hope she would be more open to including her patient's requests in their treatment especially those who have already had unsuccessful treatment elsewhere. To someone who is just starting out, Dr. B is a wonderful place to begin treatment. For any cases that need further personalization, I would recommend seeking treatment elsewhere.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Be prepared to see multiple physicians during the course of your treatment. We loved getting to see Dr. B, but only saw her a few times during our IVF cycle. You end up meeting all of the physicians at the practice through this process, however, I feel this makes the experience less individualized and less personal with your doctor. Something that is key in my opinion during infertility treatment. Dr. B has a warm energetic personality-she was encouraging and always positive.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Staff at the clinic were warm and friendly. The front desk staff were always helpful with questions and scheduling appointments.
Describe the protocols Ursula Balthazar used in your cycles at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic) and their degree of success.
Dr. B has a specific protocol she uses for many of her patients-one she developed and has had success with. It's a lower dosage of medications with estrogen priming before, and including letrozole and HGH. We were open to trying this protocol with my diminished ovarian reserve, and had decent success retrieval wise with 2 blasts out of 5 mature eggs retrieved and 3 fertilized. We did not PGS test, and unfortunately both embryos resulted in a failed transfer (2 separate transfers)
Describe your experience with your nurse at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: Amy)
Amy was very responsive via email, friendly, and very organized. Even when needing to call for medications not going through to pharmacies she was patient and flexible. She made the process smooth and less stressful.
Describe your experience with Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
As a whole the staff here are very friendly and welcoming. We did not care for the entire team of doctors approach to cycles where doctors are assigned days for retrievals, transfers, monitoring, etc. We would prefer being able to see our assigned doctor with each visit requiring a doctor. Our retrieval was performed by another doctor at the practice and many monitoring appointments as well. This made the experience less personable and makes you feel a bit more like a number. Everyone was always friendly, that's just my personal opinion after already going through 2 previous IVF cycles at another clinic.
Also, your spouse or partner will not be allowed back with you during transfer. This was a big dissatisfier for my husband and I, as this moment is something very special in the IVF process. Most clinics make this possible, providing the required PPE for them to wear while in the transfer area.
Overall, I feel this clinic is a higher rated clinic than others, and would continue to be sought out by incorporating some of these changes. We had a an overall pleasant experience, all things considered, and even though our cycle was not successful.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Ursula Balthazar at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
They had packages for IVF cycles depending on what all you wanted (PGS testing or not, frozen transfer, etc)
Describe Ursula Balthazar's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
The lab here has very high standards for transferring embryos and freezing them. We had an early blast on day 5 that they would not allow us to transfer, and did not continue growing on day 6, so was discarded. This clinic is pretty adamant on elective single embryo transfers.
What specific things went wrong at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic)?
Lost or damaged samples
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Aspire Fertility - San Antonio (Prelude Network clinic).
There was a mixup when transferring embryos to another clinic. One embryo was "lost" briefly and not shipped with the other, due to being stored in a separate location. This was recognized quickly by the embryologist staff once I contacted them and inquired. There were no further issues and they were very receptive and helpful when the problem arose.