San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic) page 2

Dr. Chuan acted as a compassionate listener. She effectively listed to my wife's needs, requests, fears, etc and responded with great empathy and willingness to support her in any way to maximize comfort while optimizing our fertility strategy...She quite effectively communicated all processes, options, and risks. She immediately gained our trust, and through the multi-month process, we felt we were in very good hands. We also felt as though we could speak to her at any time if/when we had any questions or concerns. On more than one occasion, we were able to schedule candid phone conversations, on the same day as our request.

[The nursing staff at San Diego Fertility Center was] Always warm, welcoming, and with a smile to do their best to bring comfort and ease to otherwise anxious moments...Their billing team worked diligently with my insurance plan, which was not an easy task. They showed perseverance to work with my plan to establish a pricing plan which we could adhere to...The receptionists were not only helpful, but such wonderfully compassionate people. On time. We actually looked forward to our visits. The staff made the process very easy for us, as all services needed were all under one roof. Beautiful setting. Good coffee.

How was your experience with Sandy Chuan at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Extraordinarily compassionate, and eager to listen to our unique circumstances and fertility strategy. She quite effectively communicated all processes, options, and risks. She immediately gained our trust, and through the multi-month process, we felt we were in very good hands. We also felt as though we could speak to her at any time if/when we had any questions or concerns. On more than one occasion, we were able to schedule candid phone conversations, on the same day as our request. Initiating these services, I expected our Dr to act in a one-dimensional role as a service provider. Our expectations were vastly exceeded as we not only found an excellent provider in Dr. Chuan, but also found an engaging partner and thoughtful teammate through the entire process.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sandy Chuan at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Start here.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sandy Chuan at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

Always warm, welcoming, and with a smile to do their best to bring comfort and ease to otherwise anxious moments.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

The receptionists were not only helpful, but such wonderfully compassionate people. On time. We actually looked forward to our visits. The staff made the process very easy for us, as all services needed were all under one roof. Beautiful setting. Good coffee.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Sandy Chuan at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

Their billing team worked diligently with my insurance plan, which was not an easy task. They showed perseverance to work with my plan to establish a pricing plan which we could adhere to.

Describe Sandy Chuan's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

We agreed that as we had a good number of embryo candidates to select from, and we only wanted 1 birth, that we would perform one transfer at a time. Coupled with relative motherly youth, we found success only after a couple attempts.

Doctor

Sandy Chuan

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Sandy Chuan San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

2018, Successful

Age 29

Donor Eggs

Surrogacy

Ashkenazi Jewish

Income $100K - $199K

Engineer

Only Doc Seen

IVF With Other Docs

LGBTQ+

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Said Daneshmand San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

Dr. Daneshmand is smart, explained the process well. Didn't go into unnecessary details. We felt at the best hands. When the first transfer didn't come through, he explained why it happened and suggested we try again with the same surrogate even though we had our doubts, and turned out he was spot on...He is compassionate and you can see he is doing his job for all the right reasons.

Responsive, helpful, compassionate. Full of people who are there for all the right reasons. You feel welcomed when visiting the [San Diego Fertility Center] clinic. We had a busy day at the clinic, full of meetings, but they were so productive and professional, it went by smoothly...Dr. Daneshmand has treated many LGBTQ members in his past and he has lots of knowledge.

How was your experience with Said Daneshmand at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Said Daneshmand at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Listen to everything Dr. D says and trust his judgement and experience.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Said Daneshmand at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Dr. Daneshmand is down to earth, super nice and sensitive. He is compassionate and you can see he is doing his job for all the right reasons.

Describe the protocols Said Daneshmand used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic) and their degree of success.

Don't remember much, but we remember the surrogate had to take injections for a long period of time. We were recommended on some vitamins before giving sperm, according to our blood test results.

How competent was Said Daneshmand at LGBTQ+ care?

Dr. Daneshmand has treated many LGBTQ members in his past and he has lots of knowledge.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: Jenna Lake (I think) )

She did well to explain the whole process but it wasn't always clear what the next steps were. I think it would be great to get an explanation every step along the way.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

Responsive, helpful, compassionate. Full of people who are there for all the right reasons. You feel welcomed when visiting the clinic. We had a busy day at the clinic, full of meetings, but they were so productive and professional, it went by smoothly.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Said Daneshmand at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

Don't remember the costs because they were mostly paid at the beginning of the process. We had two options - pay per transfer or pay a larger price in advance that would guarantee a successful transfer. We did the math and figured the guarantee plan would only be worth it if we failed two transfers so decided to "take the risk".

Describe Said Daneshmand's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

Dr. D was in favor of eSET because of health reasons.

Describe your experience using 3rd party reproduction (donor eggs, donor sperm, or gestational carrier) at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

We got an amazing egg donor through the clinic's database. She seemed like a good match for us so we were very happy. It took us a while to find the right person but it was worth the wait.

Doctor

Said Daneshmand

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

LGBTQ+ Care

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

LGBTQ+ Care

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Said Daneshmand San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

2018, Successful

Age 28

1 Fertility Medications

Anovulation

PCOS

Tubal Blockage

European

Latinx

Native American

Income $100K - $199K

2nd of 2 Docs

6 Fertility Medications With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Brooke Friedman San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

We had our first meeting and we just talked for an hour, she [Dr. Friedman] was so sweet + let us cry while we told her about how hard infertility + miscarrying had been. ... She is warm + kind but knows her stuff. Is a great listener + great communicator. ... I needed to get the Fallopian tube blockage test, go on bc to start a period, take lupromen, get ultrasounds, ovidrel shot and then timed intercourse.

The front desk people [San Diego Fertility Center] could have been a little more warm and inviting. The clinic was very nice + clean. Great decor and always got into appts quickly. ... MJ [nurse]was so good at her job. Had all the paperwork lined up. Calls + emails were answered promptly. I received a lot of info the first appt and was confused and she didn’t mind going over it all again the next day on the phone with me. Very sweet.

How was your experience with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

She was honestly a dream. I was so nervous fertility clinics just wanted to take my money, but she said she could have me pregnant in 4 months, and it was almost to the day that she said that we had our 4 week ultra sound with her... the front desk asked if we minded if our appt would be pushed back a bit because dr Friedman really wanted to do the ultrasound. So sweet.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Don’t hold back, tell her everything. She is warm + kind but knows her stuff. Is a great listener + great communicator.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

We had our first meeting and we just talked for an hour, she was so sweet + let us cry while we told her about how hard infertility + miscarrying had been. Her nurse, MJ, gave us her cell phone number in case we needed to ask questions when they were closed. Unreal!

Describe the protocols Brooke Friedman used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic) and their degree of success.

I needed to get the Fallopian tube blockage test, go on bc to start a period, take lupromen, get ultrasounds, ovidrel shot and then timed intercourse.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: Yes! MJ was so amazing )

MJ was so good at her job. Had all the paperwork lined up. Calls + emails were answered promptly. I received a lot of info the first appt and was confused and she didn’t mind going over it all again the next day on the phone with me. Very sweet.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

There was assigned parking spots for the clinic and jolly ranchers which was a plus. The front desk people could have been a little more warm and inviting. The clinic was very nice + clean. Great decor and always got into appts quickly.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

I got a referral for the fallopian blockage test, I don’t remember the price. But the sperm sample was $125. And then we spend $400 for the ultrasounds before the ovidrel shot.

Doctor

Brooke Friedman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brooke Friedman San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

2018, Successful

Age 37

Donor Eggs

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

Poor Egg Quality

Tubal Blockage

European

Income $100K - $199K

Teacher

4th of 4 Docs

2 IVF With Other Docs

Doesn't Recommend

Neutral

Successful

Review of

Michael Kettel San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

I honestly can’t say anything about him. ... He is not very present and seems to rely on his nursing staff to do most, of not all, of his communications. ... I can’t even tell you what he looked like, aside from seeing his picture on the website. We loved out of town and traveled for treatment, but even when I went for my transfer, he did not perform my transfer. ... I never met Dr. Kettle. I spoke with him one time on the phone during the year we were patients there. When speaking with his nurse, I felt like I had to consistently remind her of who I was and what I was doing there.

I felt like I was tossed around and no one [San Diego Fertility Center] had clear answers to certain questions I had about the donor egg process. ... I just felt like I was kept out of the loop on a lot of things regarding my cycle. ... The staff, especially the donor coordinator, were amazing. The donor coordinator is the reason we initially became patients at the clinic and she continued to be excellent to work with throughout our time there. We had a pretty big issue come up regarding our donor, and she personally called us and worked with us to make sure we were okay with the outcome of future cycles.

How was your experience with Michael Kettel at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

I honestly can’t say anything about him. I can’t even tell you what he looked like, aside from seeing his picture on the website. We loved out of town and traveled for treatment, but even when I went for my transfer, he did not perform my transfer. Another doctor, who was perfectly lovely, did the procedure.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Kettel at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Be prepared to stay on top of your own case. He is not very present and seems to rely on his nursing staff to do most, of not all, of his communications.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Kettel at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

I never met Dr. Kettle. I spoke with him one time on the phone during the year we were patients there. When speaking with his nurse, I felt like I had to consistently remind her of who I was and what I was doing there. I had to ask the same question multiple times before getting an answer.

Describe the protocols Michael Kettel used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic) and their degree of success.

I used donor eggs, so this question doesn’t really apply to me. I was not given information on how they adjusted and chose the protocol given to my donor.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: Hillary)

She honestly did not seem very smart. However, I met and dealt with other nurses at the clinic who were fantastic. I think I just got placed with someone who was extremely frustrating to deal with.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

The staff, especially the donor coordinator, were amazing. The donor coordinator is the reason we initially became patients at the clinic and she continued to be excellent to work with throughout our time there. We had a pretty big issue come up regarding our donor, and she personally called us and worked with us to make sure we were okay with the outcome of future cycles.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Kettel at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

The total cost was approximately $40,000 for one donor egg cycle. That included a $8,000 compensation fee for the donor. The rest was for her medications and egg retrieval, as well as my medications and transfer.

Describe Michael Kettel's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

He left the decision up to us, but it wasn’t ever really a discussion because we were using donor eggs and knew we did not want to risk the possibility of twins.

What specific things went wrong at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Failed to call with results
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information

Describe the specific things that went wrong at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

I had to say on top of our nurse to give me information that I needed. I felt like I was tossed around and no one had clear answers to certain questions I had about the donor egg process. I just felt like I was kept out of the loop on a lot of things regarding my cycle. It may have been because we were using a donor and they wanted to ensure the donor’s privacy, but I felt like I was the one paying the money and they weren’t real concerned with my happiness.

Doctor

Michael Kettel

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Michael Kettel San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

2017 - 2018, Unsuccessful

Age 35 - 36

3 IUI

1 IVF

Unexplained

European

Marketer or PR

Only Doc Seen

Doesn't Recommend

Unsuccessful

Review of

Brooke Friedman San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

Dr. Friedman seems to be knowledgable and caring. However, often times we didn't feel as though she wanted to dive into the 'why' of a situation or explain treatment or options thoroughly, and we felt as though we annoying when we asked any questions. It could have just been a bad fit, but we felt a lot like we couldn't ask questions without feeling judged.... because our embryos were PGS tested normal, she only wanted to do one at a time.

The physical office space [San Diego Fertility Ctr] is very nice and stylish. Everything seems to date, and the lab seems extremely knowledgable. The front desk ladies and the nursing staff is very nice, helpful, and usually very willing to talk through questions with you. However, there are several people that work there that make it uncomfortable to ask questions. You often feel like they are too busy to answer questions, or you are viewed stupid for asking those questions.

How was your experience with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

She is very busy. She travels quite a bit. She definitely has a sweet nature, but also one that doesn't seem to have patience for too many questions. It can be tough to talk with her.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

As a whole, Dr. Friedman is very nice. However, that nice-ness comes off quite unauthentic. She is pretty quick in all meetings, calls, procedures - so while very nice, sweet bedside manner, due to the unauthenticity of that nice manner, and the quickness to get to the next thing, you often feel like just a number.

Describe the protocols Brooke Friedman used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic) and their degree of success.

IUIs were all the same with use of letrozole, due to my production of follicles. The were all BFN, and it was the same protocol every time. For the IVF, it was stimulatin with gonal f, menopur, clomid, cetritide, and a lupron trigger. the FETs were estridial, progesterone, 3 days of antibiotics, 3 days of prednisone, baby aspirin, and the first one had lupron mini dose and letrozole.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: MJ)

The medical assistant that was in charge of coordinating our care continually would forget who we were (kept asking for name and date of birth via email after a year's worth of care), would mix up protocols, results, and forget to submit certain forms. Also, would give misinformation on the costs of certain things. While she was nice to your face, it also felt forced, and the misinformation almost messed up our cycles. However, the rest of the nursing staff was nice and well informed, and generally helpful.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

The physical office space is very nice and stylish. Everything seems to date, and the lab seems extremely knowledgable. The front desk ladies and the nursing staff is very nice, helpful, and usually very willing to talk through questions with you. However, there are several people that work there that make it uncomfortable to ask questions. You often feel like they are too busy to answer questions, or you are viewed stupid for asking those questions.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

IUIs cost around $1500; IVF was around $13K + Medication for cash pay, subsequent FET was $4K + meds

Describe Brooke Friedman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

because our embryos were PGS tested normal, she only wanted to do one at a time. she said there wasn't much chance of helping increaseing the number of embryos, but it did increase the chance of multiples.

What specific things went wrong at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Lost paperwork
Lost appointments
Failed to order appropriate test
Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information
Failed to consider drug intolerance

Describe the specific things that went wrong at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

When a new medicine was prescribed or changes made to a protocol, such as adding clomid to the stimulation for IVF, the negatives and side effects were not discussed, as well as how it could push out the timeline of the overall process. Additionally, bloodwork was done, and determined that I needed some extra medicine. No one called me to discuss the medication or what my tests showed - they simply handed me a prescription to be filled.

Doctor

Brooke Friedman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brooke Friedman San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

2018, Unknown Success

Age 35

1 IUI

Uterine Fibroids

European

Income $200K - $499K

Only Doc Seen

Neutral

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Susanna Park San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

Dr. Park is very reassuring. She's also pretty straight forward which we appreciate. I always leave the office feeling like we have a plan or a next step. I needed a surgery and she went to much trouble to get it scheduled for us.... We started with a consult and TV US. Dr. Park immediately noticed something and suspected that I may have had a septate uterus, and that could have been the cause of a previous miscarriage. She was the first Dr. to mention anything of the sort.

Strength - multiple locations. It's extremely helpful that they have multiple locations - allows some visits to be scheduled quickly. The staff [San Diego Fertility Center] and offices are warm and inviting. Everyone is friendly. Weakness - this could be an issue that you run into at many clinics but you'll need to deal with different admins to book different things. That can cause some confusion - and can be frustrating to not have a direct line to the doctor sometimes.

How was your experience with Susanna Park at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Susanna Park at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Take notes! Don't feel bad about asking for further information or more direction if you are having trouble making a decision about your treatment.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Susanna Park at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Dr. Park is helpful, informative and has always been very positive with us. We definitely went into our first consultation very nervous and came out feeling reassured that we will end up with a happy healthy baby.

Describe the protocols Susanna Park used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic) and their degree of success.

We started with a consult and TV US. Dr. Park immediately noticed something and suspected that I may have had a septate uterus, and that could have been the cause of a previous miscarriage. She was the first Dr. to mention anything of the sort. We moved onto blood tests and a SA - all came back good, slightly low-normal morph for my husband. An HSG and MRI was scheduled to confirm the septum. I was then scheduled for a HSC to resect the septum, and an SIS post surgery. Within 1 month of the surgery, we were able to start our first medicated IUI cycle. She is pretty understanding of our needs and wants - she can appreciate that we are older (35 and 38) and are very ready for a healthy pregnancy so she recommended we start with the IUI cycles, even though with my now "normal" uterus we could just continue trying naturally.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: Janette Renteria / Hanna Mulloy)

Everyone has been very friendly and helpful. I appreciate that they respond to all the emails I send asking questions without it seeming like I am bugging them!

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

Strength - multiple locations. It's extremely helpful that they have multiple locations - allows some visits to be scheduled quickly. The staff and offices are warm and inviting. Everyone is friendly. Weakness - this could be an issue that you run into at many clinics but you'll need to deal with different admins to book different things. That can cause some confusion - and can be frustrating to not have a direct line to the doctor sometimes.

What specific things went wrong at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information

Describe the specific things that went wrong at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

We had some issues scheduling a hsyteroscopy - mainly I had questions about the cycle day the surgery was going to fall on - and was relying on the scheduler to confirm details with the doctor. I was informed all was well, but on the day of the surgery, my doctor had not been informed of my concerns. Thankfully, all turned out well.

Doctor

Susanna Park

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Susanna Park San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

2017 - 2018, Unknown Success

Age 36 - 37

2 IVF

Poor Egg Quality

Tubal Blockage

Unexplained

European

Income $100K - $199K

Teacher

Only Doc Seen

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Brooke Friedman San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

Dr. Friedman has a great bedside manner and is positive and encouraging without being overly optimistic. She will spend the time to answer all of your questions without making you feel like a number at the clinic and always remembered things about our past treatment even when significant time had passed. She is open to altering plans and treatments if things don't work the first time. She always responds to emails and calls with important news

SD Fertility is a well-oiled machine. They have a beautiful facility and many of the MAs and nurses have been there for a long time. I have always had a good experience with communication and visits. The front office staff, MAs, and ultrasound nurses are great.... She [Dr. Friedman] calls patients with good or bad news herself (not her nursing staff). She was warm and truly cares about her patients.... Costs are more expensive than other clinics.

How was your experience with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Generally, I would do your research but trust her knowledge. After going through a couple years of IVF, I know a lot more now than I did when I first started. Be informed with any protocol and treatments that any doctor gives you so you know what questions to ask, but remember that they have had years of training and trust that they are doing what is in your best interest.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Dr. Friedman took the time to explain aspects of treatments with us, answered our questions without making us feel as though we shouldn't ask them, and always weighed pros and cons with us. She was quick to answer emails and when we had questions that were too long to be answered via email, was always willing to set up a phone appointment with us. She calls patients with good or bad news herself (not her nursing staff). She was warm and truly cares about her patients.

Describe the protocols Brooke Friedman used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic) and their degree of success.

The first retrieval round was standard with 250 gonal f, 75 menopur, and centrotide with an HCG co-trigger, second round we changed the protocol due to egg quality and decreased the gonal f and added HGH for part of the cycle with a lupron trigger.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

Costs are more expensive than other clinics.

Describe Brooke Friedman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

Dr. Friedman strongly prefers ESET for PGS tested embryos. She is open to transferring more, but prefers ESET. I don't know what she would recommend for non-PGS tested embryos.

Doctor

Brooke Friedman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brooke Friedman San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

2017 - 2018, Unknown Success

Age 37 - 38

2 IVF

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

Unexplained

European

Income $200K - $499K

Sales Representative

2nd of 2 Docs

4 IUI With Other Docs

Donor Eggs With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Brooke Friedman San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

Dr Friedman is the best. She is committed to helping patients build their families, she is open to new suggestions and ideas if you have them from your own research. She is extremely supportive and knowledgeable and we felt confident in her ability to advise us.... Dr Friedman was always open to discussing options that I had read about and was able to definitively give her opinions on the best course of action for me. Dr Friedman was also available to communicate with by email so if I had any questions I could ask her directly at any time.

This clinic is wonderful. I went through multiple rounds of IVF with my own eggs and now am moving to a donor- when I first moved to a donor I researched all of the clinics in the Us that had an in house donor program and SDFC is by far the best. This is a clean, friendly, high end clinic that treats you like an individual and a priority. I recommend this clinic to people whenever possible.... Each cycle is about $13k plus medications- my meds were over $10K per cycle.

How was your experience with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

I feel like this is a repetitive question as I just wrote an answer to this question about Dr Friedman. Dr Friedman has been very supportive through all of my fertility treatments. I was her patient for IVF only and she always made my husband and myself very comfortable in her knowledge of what we were going through. One of the first things she told us was that she was there to help us build our family and that really put our minds at ease. Dr Friedman was always open to discussing options that I had read about and was able to definitively give her opinions on the best course of action for me. Dr Friedman was also available to communicate with by email so if I had any questions I could ask her directly at any time. I would trust Dr Friedman with my life and recommend to anyone looking for an amazing fertility doctor.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Don’t be afraid to ask all of your questions even ones that seem crazy or far out there! Dr Friedman was really patient answering questions about many different protocols I had read about and it made me feel confident in the protocol we ended up going with because I understood and wasn’t second guessing myself.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Describe the protocols Brooke Friedman used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic) and their degree of success.

My first cycle started with BCP and went on to add Menopur, Gonal F and then Cetrotide. I had 7 eggs retrieved with 6 mature. One highly graded blast and it was abnormal. For my second cycle we intended to prep with Estrace but I ended up with large ovarian cysts. My second cycle also resulted in one abnormal embryo but less eggs. For this one I wish we had waited longer to make sure the cysts were not affecting the cycle at all.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: MJ )

Nursing staff was wondering. Always friendly and encouraging and professional.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

Each cycle is about $13k plus medications- my meds were over $10K per cycle.

Describe Brooke Friedman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

My doctor will allow me to transfer 2 embryos if we want twins but we need to sign off that we understand the risks. Given her advice I think k we will only transfer one however for prospective parents that want twins. Dr Friedman will allow 2.

Doctor

Brooke Friedman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brooke Friedman San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

2014 - 2018, Unknown Success

Age 44 - 48

1 IVF

1 Egg Freezing (cancer)

Donor Eggs

Surrogacy

Cancer

Black or African-American

Income $50K - $99K

2nd of 2 Docs

1 IVF With Other Docs

1 Egg Freezing With Other Docs (cancer)

Donor Eggs With Other Docs

Surrogacy With Other Docs

LGBTQ+

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Not sure

Review of

Susanna Park San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

She [Dr. Susanna Park] listened to our story sympathetically and worked collaboratively with us about our treatment plan. She has continued to remain interested in our family and has always been warm and welcoming when we contact her. We have never felt like we were being a nuisance...a very open, warm and knowledgable Physician who has her patients best interest at heart. She has always been available to talk with us, even when she was on maternity leave.She even sourced some of our medication free of charge! When you speak with Susanna, it is like speaking with a friend, she never tries to lord her knowledge over you.

Very modern and friendly clinic [San Diego Fertility Center]. The rooms are roomy and private and you feel that you are their only patient. The location is also great. One can have an IVF vacation as there is lots to do and see...She [nurse] was always quick to give us any updates and responded very quickly to our emails. She was a bit officious but not overbearingly so...Although it is one of the higher priced clinics, we felt we had value for money. We also were gifted some of our medication by the clinic which brought the costs down

How was your experience with Susanna Park at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Susanna is a very open, warm and knowledgable Physician who has her patients best interest at heart. She has always been available to talk with us, even when she was on maternity leave.She even sourced some of our medication free of charge! When you speak with Susanna, it is like speaking with a friend, she never tries to lord her knowledge over you.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Susanna Park at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Be open and honest with her. Let her know your worries and concerns, ask her to explain anything you don't understand as she will always give you a listening ear and take on board anything you suggest. She also will always break things down to a level that you can understand.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Susanna Park at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

She listened to our story sympathetically and worked collaboratively with us about our treatment plan. She has continued to remain interested in our family and has always been warm and welcoming when we contact her. We have never felt like we were being a nuisance.

Describe the protocols Susanna Park used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic) and their degree of success.

in addition to the hormones, she added phospholipids, Endometrial scratch and implantation HCG. This got us pregnant first attempt with her

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

She was always quick to give us any updates and responded very quickly to our emails. She was a bit officious but not overbearingly so

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

Very modern and friendly clinic. The rooms are roomy and private and you feel that you are their only patient. The location is also great. One can have an IVF vacation as there is lots to do and see. I cannot fault it.

Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

As we lived far away we had our USS done local to us

Describe the costs associated with your care under Susanna Park at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

Although it is one of the higher priced clinics, we felt we had value for money. We also were gifted some of our medication by the clinic which brought the costs down

Describe Susanna Park's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

She will discuss your options, the pros and cons and give you her preferred option to decide. She will leave you to make an informed choice.

Doctor

Susanna Park

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Susanna Park San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

2017, Unknown Success

Age 50

Donor Eggs

Surrogacy

Male Factor

Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

European

Income $100K - $199K

Lawyer

2nd of 2 Docs

3 IUI With Other Docs

IVF With Other Docs

Egg Freezing With Other Docs

Donor Eggs With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Brooke Friedman San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

I truly feel she [Dr. Brooke Friedman] wants the best for us in building our family. She was kind, patient and transparent with our chances...detailed in her explanations...Based on her recommendation we turned to surrogacy...has been great in handling my need for every detail and in communicating in a different manner to my husband who just wants the bottom line.

The clinic [San Diego Fertility Center] says they advocate for single transfer, but they believe strongly in individual choice...they are kind and caring. We have been treated like valuable friends who they want to help have a family...[staff] has been the very best to us in helping us with understanding the financial packet...[staff] was amazing in helping us select an egg donor

How was your experience with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Dr. Friedman is kind, caring, and detailed in her explanations. We have had horrible luck and a long history there, but she has been then the whole time. We lost two babies - stillborn to two separate surrogates in 2018 and 2019. Dr. Friedman has been amazing in helping us move forward after these devastating losses.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

I have no advice. Dr. Friedman has been great in handling my need for every detail and in communicating in a different manner to my husband who just wants the bottom line.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

I truly feel she wants the best for us in building our family. She was kind, patient and transparent with our chances. Based on her recommendation we turned to surrogacy.

Describe the protocols Brooke Friedman used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic) and their degree of success.

By the time we transferred our care to Dr. Frideman, we only tried one more IVF with donor eggs transferred to me. Then we turned to surrogates. We are still hopeful and have found another lovely surrogate.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: Danielle)

Everyone has been lovely. (We just don't have a living baby yet.)

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

It seems large and intimidating at first, but they are kind and caring. We have been treated like valuable friends who they want to help have a family. Debbie Goode has been the very best to us in helping us with understanding the financial packet. Jenna Lake was amazing in helping us select an egg donor, and again when we needed another.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

We have undergone treatment with transfers to first me, and then four separate surrogates. I could not begin to break it down. I do know they have a program with a "guarantee" that seemed quite attractive if you qualify.

Describe Brooke Friedman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

The clinic says they advocate for single transfer, but they believe strongly in individual choice. (We chose single for each transfer.)

Doctor

Brooke Friedman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brooke Friedman San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

2017, Successful

Age 26

1 IVF

PCOS

Latinx

Income $50K - $99K

1st of 3 Docs

9 Fertility Medications With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Said Daneshmand San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

He [Dr. Daneshmand] really took his time ordering all of the right tests and getting a clear idea of where are problem areas were. He was concerned about my health so while undergoing treatment he really stayed on top of my mess to avoid over stimulation ... He has this way of explaining things, and this warmth and sincerity that makes you feel like he’s with you every step of the way

They are some of the most kind and compassionate people you will ever come across in the medical field ...The entire staff was amazing, infertility is already heartbreaking to deal with. They understand that at SDFC and show nothing but compassion ... Aww qualified for their success guarantee program. You basically spend $30K but it guarantees a live birth up to 72 hours or use of all of your embryos, if love birth is not achieved you are refunded a portion of the cost

How was your experience with Said Daneshmand at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

He really took his time ordering all of the right tests and getting a clear idea of where are problem areas were. He was concerned about my health so while undergoing treatment he really stayed on top of my mess to avoid over stimulation

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Said Daneshmand at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Have faith in him, he truly knows what he is doing

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Said Daneshmand at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

From the moment we had our consultation to the day we got a positive pregnancy test, Dr. Daneshmand was nothing short of amazing, He has this way of explaining things, and this warmth and sincerity that makes you feel like he’s with you every step of the way

Describe the protocols Said Daneshmand used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic) and their degree of success.

SHG stimming: Menopur/ Gonal-F Trigger: Lupron Birth control to prep my lining Progesterone in oil injections before transfer and until 12 weeks of gestation

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

The entire staff was amazing, infertility is already heartbreaking to deal with. They understand that at SDFC and show nothing but compassion

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

My only complaint is that I didn’t find this facility sooner we spent 7 years ttc. This facility made our lifelong dream of becoming parents come true. They are some of the most kind and compassionate people you will ever come across in the medical field

Describe the costs associated with your care under Said Daneshmand at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

Aww qualified for their success guarantee program. You basically spend $30K but it guarantees a live birth up to 72 hours or use of all of your embryos, if love birth is not achieved you are refunded a portion of the cost

Describe Said Daneshmand's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

Dr. D was not opposed to us transferring more than one, but he did recommend we only transfer one. To optimize our chances of implantation, and for the fact that multiples puts you at a higher risk

Doctor

Said Daneshmand

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Said Daneshmand San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

2016 - 2017, Successful

Age 34 - 35

2 IUI

1 IVF

PCOS

Unexplained

Income $100K - $199K

Graphic Designer

4th of 4 Docs

8 IUI With Other Docs

Donor Sperm

LGBTQ+

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Brooke Friedman San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

Dr. Friedman is extremely bright and knowledgeable in her field. Right from the start she made us feel very comfortable (we are an LGBT couple) and we felt an immediate connection and trust with her...Being able to email her directly with questions was amazing. She not only answered everything I would ask (and I had a lot of questions), she responds in the same day which is HUGE when you are going through fertility treatment...Dr. Friedman really personalized my care and made me feel like she genuinely cared about my partner's and my goals, wants, and needs. I knew without a doubt that Dr. Friedman knew who I was and my case every time I had to contact her.

As a clinic everyone there [at San Diego Fertility Clinic] is very friendly and patient and understanding. The only thing that kind of frustrated me a little bit is that you have to talk to a lot of different people rather than their be 1 liaison that you work with...The IUI cycles were around $700 per cycle. The IVF cycle if you do single cycle is around $13,500 and we chose to do success guarantee which was $22,465...On the plus side, they ALL use email (I love emailing rather than calling) so I was able to email all the coordinators about everything.

How was your experience with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Dr. Friedman is extremely bright and knowledgeable in her field. Right from the start she made us feel very comfortable (we are an LGBT couple) and we felt an immediate connection and trust with her. We had full faith in every decision or opinion she gave and could feel that she genuinely cared about us. She is also extremely warm and compassionate and is also very calming and reassuring. I wish that Dr. Friedman could be my doctor for everything, she is by far the best doctor I have ever seen.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Being able to email her directly with questions was amazing. She not only answered everything I would ask (and I had a lot of questions), she responds in the same day which is HUGE when you are going through fertility treatment.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Dr. Friedman really personalized my care and made me feel like she genuinely cared about my partner's and my goals, wants, and needs. I knew without a doubt that Dr. Friedman knew who I was and my case every time I had to contact her. She quickly responded to any questions I had as well as would call me to wish me luck on everything.

Describe the protocols Brooke Friedman used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic) and their degree of success.

When we came to Dr. Friedman I had already tried 8 IUI's without a single one resulting in a pregnancy. I have PCOS, am a lesbian, and was using frozen donor sperm. I also had tried everything from fertility meds (clomid and letrozole) to injectables (follistim and hcg trigger shots) and progesterone suppositories. I had had some positive physical changes (ie: lost weight, less stress, more stable cycle) and wanted to try IUI at least once or twice before making the big plunge to IVF. Dr. Friedman was in full support of this, she believed there was the possibility that IUI could work and understood my reason for wanting to try. After the 2nd try when it did not work I appreciated that she was honest in telling me her opinion on why she thought the IUI's weren't working and why IVF would have a much better chance and she was supportive of either decision we made. We ended up deciding to go with IVF retrieval and FET instead of trying a 3rd IUI with her (would have been my 11th IUI total). She confidently believed we would get pregnant on our first FET. We had a minor road bump right before the transfer (I ended up having uterine polyps and had to have them surgically removed) but then everything went smoothly with our embryo transfer (we transferred 1 by choice) and I am happy to say we are currently almost 10 weeks pregnant after our first try.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

Some of them are fantastic, a couple of them weren't as warm in their bedside manner but then again that could be because we were spoiled by how lovely Dr. Friedman is. Some of them were a little disorganized and lost some of my forms but I made copies for myself so it wasn't a big deal to me.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

As a clinic everyone there is very friendly and patient and understanding. The only thing that kind of frustrated me a little bit is that you have to talk to a lot of different people rather than their be 1 liaison that you work with. For example, you speak to coordinator to arrange your meds, 1 coordinator to arrange your insurance, 1 coordinator to arrange your financials and billing, 1 coordinator to train you on your meds, 1 coordinator to set up your calendar, and then the medical assistant to the actual doctor. There were times this was frustrating for me and I wished that I could just contact 1 person to take care of all of that and arrange with all those coordinators themselves. I'm not sure if this is usually how all clinics work or not. On the plus side, they ALL use email (I love emailing rather than calling) so I was able to email all the coordinators about everything.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

The IUI cycles were around $700 per cycle. The IVF cycle if you do single cycle is around $13,500 and we chose to do success guarantee which was $22,465.

Describe Brooke Friedman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

We were very adamant about not wanting to multiples, obviously if we somehow ended up with multiples we would not complain but we preferred to have a singleton. Other doctors I have seen push to transfer more than 1 embryo to increase your chances and Dr. Friedman was in complete and total support of us transferring only 1 embryo at a time. We are so grateful that her vision and ours were completely on the same page.

What specific things went wrong at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Lost paperwork

Describe the specific things that went wrong at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

One of the nurses lost a set of my documents but I had copies for myself so it ended up not being a big deal.

Doctor

Brooke Friedman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brooke Friedman San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

2016, Unsuccessful

Age 31

3 IUI

Male Factor

European

Income $100K - $199K

Nurse or HC Services

1st of 2 Docs

1 IVF With Other Docs

Doesn't Recommend

Unsuccessful

Review of

Brooke Friedman San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

We did low dose clomid IUI cycles (x3) [wtih Dr. Friedman] . I produced 2-6 follicles each cycle, but none resulted in pregnancy. My husbands sperm count was a tad low on the second and third IUI rounds... has wonderful bedside manner and is extremely warm and kind...She did get a little flustered during my first iui as she was having difficulty getting the catheter in (I have a retroverted uterus so it could have been difficult). I did see a different provider almost every visit which was a little frustrating.

[San Diego Fertility Center] Very nice, new facility. I liked that they had a wide range of appointment times, including early slots for monitoring. They were one of the only places that took my insurance for iuis. Since it is such a large clinic and there are so many different providers (including PAs and NPs) you can start to feel like a number a little bit (lost in the shuffle). They had a success guarantee program I was looking into back in 2016 for ivf.

How was your experience with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Dr Friedman is a wonderful person and had amazing bedside manner (very warm and positive and always seemed to care). She did get a little flustered during my first iui as she was having difficulty getting the catheter in (I have a retroverted uterus so it could have been difficult). I did see a different provider almost every visit which was a little frustrating.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Make sure you get along well with her medical assistant.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Dr Friedman has wonderful bedside manner and is extremely warm and kind. The office itself, including front desk and medical assistant were another story, however (felt much more like a number with them).

Describe the protocols Brooke Friedman used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic) and their degree of success.

We did low dose clomid IUI cycles (x3). I produced 2-6 follicles each cycle, but none resulted in pregnancy. My husbands sperm count was a tad low on the second and third IUI rounds.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: MJ)

She was a very nice person, but did not appear very organized. I had to call and email numerous times to follow up on ensuring med Scripts were sent to pharmacies and when double checking timing of doses. Felt like I had to do double or triple the work to make sure things were correct. This could be because I was not an ivf patient at this point (maybe they put all their resources towards ivf patients and those getting iui s take a back seat??)

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

Very nice, new facility. I liked that they had a wide range of appointment times, including early slots for monitoring. They were one of the only places that took my insurance for iuis. Since it is such a large clinic and there are so many different providers (including PAs and NPs) you can start to feel like a number a little bit (lost in the shuffle). They had a success guarantee program I was looking into back in 2016 for ivf.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

My insurance covered three iuis so I only had a $40 co pay each visit.

What specific things went wrong at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy

Describe the specific things that went wrong at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

Had a difficult time with our first iui and getting the meds called into our pharmacy.

Doctor

Brooke Friedman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brooke Friedman San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

2016, Successful

Age 36

1 IVF

Unexplained

Middle Eastern

Income $100K - $199K

4th of 4 Docs

1 IVF With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Brooke Friedman San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

She [Dr. Friedman] makes sure you are comfortable with any decision through the process and keeps you informed about everything. She always answered all our questions and replied to all our emails and we feel very fortunate to have our treatment with her. She even called to give the results when I was told that a nurse from the center will call. And when I decided to see a nurse for an ultrasound as Dr Friedman was in the operation room and I choose not to wait, Dr. Friedman called me in the afternoon to congratulate me...

The Staff at SDFC were so supportive, respectful, kind and knowledgeable. They try their best to make you ivf journey much easier...I highly recommend having a consultation with Dr Friedman and I'm sure you will feel the difference from that moment...

How was your experience with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Going through IVF is not easy but Dr. Brooke made our experience much better. Dr. Friedman is so kind and intelligent and truly cares for her patients. She makes sure you are comfortable with any decision through the process and keeps you informed about everything. She always answered all our questions and replied to all our emails and we feel very fortunate to have our treatment with her. She even called to give the results when I was told that a nurse from the center will call. And when I decided to see a nurse for an ultrasound as Dr Friedman was in the operation room and I choose not to wait, Dr. Friedman called me in the afternoon to congratulate me. We had to deal with 4 doctors for infertility and Dr Friedman was the sweetest and most dedicated doctor.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

I highly recommend having a consultation with Dr Friedman and I'm sure you will feel the difference from that moment.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Dr. Friedman is so kind and intelligent and truly cares for her patients. She makes sure you are comfortable with any decision through the process and keeps you informed about everything. She always answered all our questions and replied to all our emails and we feel very fortunate to have our treatment with her. She even called to give the results when I was told that a nurse from the center will call. And when I decided to see a nurse for an ultrasound as Dr Friedman was in the operation room and I choose not to wait, Dr. Friedman called me in the afternoon to congratulate me.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

The Staff at SDFC were so supportive, respectful, kind and knowledgeable. They try their best to make you ivf journey much easier.

Doctor

Brooke Friedman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brooke Friedman San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

2016, Successful

Age 37

Poor Egg Quality

Unexplained

European

Latinx

Income $100K - $199K

5th of 5 Docs

3 IUI With Other Docs

6 IVF With Other Docs

6 Egg Freezing With Other Docs

Donor Eggs With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Brooke Friedman San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

I totally recommend Dr. Friedman and the SDFC to anybody going through this heart breaking journey, they were extremely professional, thorough and yet very warm, showing a great empathy for our situation. We are almost 12 weeks pregnant and we are still crossing our fingers so that all goes well, we are confidant that it will just because we know we were in such great hands.

We had several Skype appointments and it was amazing to see how well they [staff at San Diego Fertility Center] coordinated everything for us (medication, first appointments with a local doctor, tests, etc.). They were able to accommodate our schedules and help us with by being flexible around the logistics of our travel. I totally recommend Dr. Friedman and the SDFC to anybody going through this heart breaking journey, they were extremely professional, thorough and yet very warm, showing a great empathy for our situation. We are almost 12 weeks pregnant and we are still crossing our fingers so that all goes well, we are confidant that it will just because we know we were i

How was your experience with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

After 6 years trying to build our family, 6 IVFs, two clinics in LA and several in Argentina where we live now, we were so lucky that somebody introduced us to Dr Brooke Friedman of the San Diego Fertility Center. We hesitated at first because of the long distance but once we decided to do a treatment with them we felt their complete support and we were sure that we made the right decision. We had several Skype appointments and it was amazing to see how well they coordinated everything for us (medication, first appointments with a local doctor, tests, etc.). They were able to accommodate our schedules and help us with by being flexible around the logistics of our travel. I totally recommend Dr. Friedman and the SDFC to anybody going through this heart breaking journey, they were extremely professional, thorough and yet very warm, showing a great empathy for our situation. We are almost 12 weeks pregnant and we are still crossing our fingers so that all goes well, we are confidant that it will just because we know we were in such great hands.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Trust her, you are in good hands.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Describe the protocols Brooke Friedman used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic) and their degree of success.

Fresh transfer, egg donor.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: Megan)

Very profesional, flexible and understanding.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

Great coordination between all the departments (nurse, doctors, finance, donor team)

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

Around 40k

Doctor

Brooke Friedman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brooke Friedman San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

2016, Successful

Age 35

1 IUI

1 IVF

PCOS

European

Income $100K - $199K

Accountant

2nd of 2 Docs

4 IUI With Other Docs

Neutral

Successful

Review of

Susanna Park San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

Dr. Park was extremely friendly and really answered all of my questions I had going through IVF for the first time. When she called and had to leave me a message it was always detailed enough so I wasn't left with more questions as to what was going to happen next....Don't expect to see the doctor at every visit, you can definitely schedule appointments around when she is in the office. All the staff is very friendly and it feels like a family.

The whole process is nerve-wracking but the staff is always so friendly and happy to help you that it makes you feel at home. I did have to wait over 45 minutes for my initial consultation which was a little off putting but all my other appointments have gone smoothly and quickly.

How was your experience with Susanna Park at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Susanna Park at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Don't expect to see the doctor at every visit, you can definitely schedule appointments around when she is in the office. All the staff is very friendly and it feels like a family.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Susanna Park at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

The staff was very friendly and it was nice to be greeted by name as you walked in for your appointments.

Describe the protocols Susanna Park used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic) and their degree of success.

The first shot at IVF I was on 150iu of Gonal-F for 13 days, I was only able to get 4 mature eggs so we converted that cycle to an IUI (#5). It resulted in a BFN so we decided to up my dosage of Gonal-F for the next IVF. I had never taken injectable medication before so we didn't know how I would respond. I did 300iu for 10 days and it resulted in 25 follicles retrieved during my egg retrieval. We are currently waiting for our FET (scheduled date is 3/23).

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

The nursing staff has been an awesome support group. I always have lots of questions after my ultrasound and they are always right there to help answer any questions.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

Describe the costs associated with your care under Susanna Park at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

Roughly $25,000 and that is included all the meds.

Doctor

Susanna Park

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Susanna Park San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

2014 - 2015, Successful

Age 36 - 37

6 IUI

1 IVF

European

Income $50K - $99K

Nurse or HC Services

Only Doc Seen

Donor Sperm

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

William Hummel (retired)San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

Dr. Hummel was kind, knowledgeable & compassionate. I was somewhat disappointed in the infrequency with which I saw him. I was a patient of his for approximately 1 year an I think I saw him 3 or 4 times....I received personal care and frequent updates from the staff. I did occasionally feel like Dr. Hummel had forgotten about me because I mostly dealt with his MA and NP.... I have a medical background and struggled myself at times to understand the process, especially when it came to the explanation of the IVF treatment packages.

The facility [SD Fertility Center] was beautiful and the office front staff were so friendly and warm. Frankie is amazing (front desk). The facility location is very easy to get to, right off the freeway. The rooms are private and comfortable, the office is very clean & professional looking...I received personal care and frequent updates from the staff....I would have preferred more contact, direction & updates from the medical assistant. I felt like she treated me like just another patient she has seen a thousand times before, whereas this was my very first experience with fertility treatment and I had no idea what I was doing.

How was your experience with William Hummel (retired) at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of William Hummel (retired) at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Be sure to ask questions if you become confused with the process or terminology. I have a medical background and struggled myself at times to understand the process, especially when it came to the explanation of the IVF treatment packages.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Hummel (retired) at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

I received personal care and frequent updates from the staff. I did occasionally feel like Dr. Hummel had forgotten about me because I mostly dealt with his MA and NP.

Describe the protocols William Hummel (retired) used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic) and their degree of success.

I had 6 failed IUI cycles and 1 successful IVF cycle. During IUI I did 2 natural cycles, 2 with oral clomid and 2 with injectables (I can't remember the names). During the IVF I used several different injectable medications in a specific series as well as intravaginal estrogen suppositories after the implantation. The injectable series was complicated but with good organizational skills, was manageable. The vaginal suppositories were inconvenient & messy (twice a day for 2 weeks). However I was told the only other options were daily intramuscular injections of estrogen. I was tired of injections so I went for the suppositories which were effective in holding my pregnancy.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: His medical assistant)

I would have preferred more contact, direction & updates from the medical assistant. I felt like she treated me like just another patient she has seen a thousand times before, whereas this was my very first experience with fertility treatment and I had no idea what I was doing. Sometimes I felt like she was irritated when I would ask her to explain something more because I didn't understand, almost like she expected me to know.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

The facility was beautiful and the office front staff were so friendly and warm. Frankie is amazing (front desk). The facility location is very easy to get to, right off the freeway. The rooms are private and comfortable, the office is very clean & professional looking.

Describe the costs associated with your care under William Hummel (retired) at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

Approximately $35,000 total with IUI, IVF & medications.

Describe William Hummel (retired)'s approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

Dr. Hummel gave me the option of single or multiple transfer. He explained the risks vs benefits and was ethical in that he would not consider transferring 3 or more embryos based on my personal story (single mom by choice). I felt he was being very responsible in his advice.

Doctor

William Hummel (retired)

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

William Hummel (retired)San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

2015, Successful

Age 34

1 IVF

Donor Eggs

Poor Egg Quality

Unexplained

Income $0 - $49K

Operations

5th of 5 Docs

7 IUI With Other Docs

1 IVF With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Michael Kettel San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

He [Dr. Kettel] was immediately warm and friendly and unimposed by our questions and fears! It felt like we were his only patient!On a day where we were full of anxiety and excitement at the same time, the day of our transfer, he was unbelievably kind and warm! For example, he knew that we had never gotten as far as an embryo transfer due to my egg quality, and immediately following the transfer of the embryo, he looked in my eyes and very sincerely said congratulations! I cried of course! He made it very personal like he understood!...

Frankie, is the name of the person who answers the phone sometimes [at SD Fert Center - Carmel V]... She is so sweet! Whenever I told her who was whether she remembered or not she acted like she remembered who I was and was so kind and made me laugh! I never felt rushed with any of their staff! My husband and I were blown away on our first visit that they scheduled us to meet with the manager of each department that would be handling our treatment. We had never met with an embryologist before!...

How was your experience with Michael Kettel at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

On a day where we were full of anxiety and excitement at the same time, the day of our transfer, he was unbelievably kind and warm! For example, he knew that we had never gotten as far as an embryo transfer due to my egg quality, and immediately following the transfer of the embryo, he looked in my eyes and very sincerely said congratulations! I cried of course! He made it very personal like he understood!

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Kettel at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Go in with high expectations because they will be met!

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Kettel at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

This doctor was Honestly unlike any doctor we have ever Matt especially in the infertility world! He was immediately warm and friendly and unimposed by our questions and fears! It felt like we were his only patient!

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: Danielle Miller)

You could tell that the kindness and warmth really trickle down from the doctors to the staff! But as most people know the person you have contact with on a regular basis is your nurse. She was amazing! For example in her communication with me she often took time to acknowledge my fears and reassure me! This is definitely not been the case with most of my clinics that we're mostly sterile and their communication as if I was a checklist. Then when we finally got the results of a positive pregnancy through blood work results, she encouraged me to take a pregnancy test. I asked her why since I knew the blood test was superior. She said because I deserved to see a positive sign! Wow! I'll never forget that! She was so sweet! I took a picture of the positive test an emailed it to her thanking her for encouraging me to do that!

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

Frankie, is the name of the person who answers the phone sometimes. She is so sweet! Whenever I told her who was whether she remembered or not she acted like she remembered who I was and was so kind and made me laugh! I never felt rushed with any of their staff! My husband and I were blown away on our first visit that they scheduled us to meet with the manager of each department that would be handling our treatment. We had never met with an embryologist before! She answered all her questions like how do you store the leftover embryos. Before she left the room she sincerely said that she was going to take really good care of us and our embryos! I believed her! And they did!

Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Kettel at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

They were very discreet and professional

Doctor

Michael Kettel

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Michael Kettel San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

2012 - 2014, Unsuccessful

Age 37 - 39

4 IVF

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

Male Factor

European

Income $100K - $199K

Sales Representative

1st of 2 Docs

2 IVF With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Unsuccessful

Review of

William Hummel (retired)San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

Dr. Hummel is incredibly caring and empathetic at all stages of the process...Dr. Hummel was good at explaining the process of IVF in a caring and gentle manner. One thing that stood out was how he made a point of complimenting my husband which made him feel included (when sometimes I think husbands can feel left out). He is soft-spoken and thoughtful and made us feel like we were important to him.

We did the "success guarantee" plan [at San Diego Fertility Center] which is supposed to give you money back if you use all of your embryos and have 3 rounds of IVF and do not have a live birth. This is not actually what happens- we ended up paying more money for each round and did not get anything back in the end. And the financial coordinator is difficult to work with- she does not answer phone calls or emails timely and then send you late payment warnings. This is the only part of the clinic that I did not like. They should not call it success guarantee, they should call it a discount plan for each additional cycle if you sign up for 3. It is misleading.

How was your experience with William Hummel (retired) at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Dr. Hummel was good at explaining the process of IVF in a caring and gentle manner. One thing that stood out was how he made a point of complimenting my husband which made him feel included (when sometimes I think husbands can feel left out). He is soft-spoken and thoughtful and made us feel like we were important to him. The only negative I can say is that he suggested moving on to donor eggs while I was on the table having the last embryo transferred. I thought the timing was not so good.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with William Hummel (retired) at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Dr. Hummel is incredibly caring and empathetic at all stages of the process.

Describe the protocols William Hummel (retired) used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic) and their degree of success.

All of our IVF cycles were long prototcol with either ganirelix or cetrotide as antagonist, Gonal-F/menopur stimulations, Ovidrel trigger shots with Lovenox for blood thinners. The first two cycles were fresh day 5 transfers, transferring 2 the first time and 3 the second. We froze the rest and transferred them after the fresh transfers did not work. The last 2 cycles were frozen transfers with PGS. We used ICSI in all cycles because of my husband's low morphology. None of the cycles worked.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: Carrie )

Carrie did all of my ultrasounds- she was professional, caring, gentle, and a great resource for information. I cannot say enough about how much I appreciated her after I went to a different clinic where the nursing staff was not great.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

This clinic is organized and structured in a way that you will feel taken care of and not lost in a sea of numbers. You have your ultrasounds in the morning and then the whole group meets for a midday meeting so they can discuss your case together. They call you with an update in the afternoon. That way everyone is on the same page and there is no confusion. The same nurse gives your ultrasounds (mostly) and the same nurse draws your blood each time. They are not pushy, and don't waste your time. And the office is clean and beautiful.

Describe the costs associated with your care under William Hummel (retired) at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

We did the "success guarantee" plan which is supposed to give you money back if you use all of your embryos and have 3 rounds of IVF and do not have a live birth. This is not actually what happens- we ended up paying more money for each round and did not get anything back in the end. And the financial coordinator is difficult to work with- she does not answer phone calls or emails timely and then send you late payment warnings. This is the only part of the clinic that I did not like. They should not call it success guarantee, they should call it a discount plan for each additional cycle if you sign up for 3. It is misleading.

Describe William Hummel (retired)'s approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

He was happy to transfer more than one embryo from the start, but I was 35 at the time that I started treatment and had low ovarian reserve. We discussed the possibility of twins- my husband is a twin and so we were up for it.

Doctor

William Hummel (retired)

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

William Hummel (retired)San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

2010 - 2012, Successful

Age 41 - 43

9 IUI

1 IVF

Endometriosis

Uterine Fibroids

European

Income $100K - $199K

Lawyer

Only Doc Seen

Donor Sperm

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Jeffrey Rakoff (retired)San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

I was happy with Dr. Rakoff. I felt like he was up front with me about everything but will willing to let me do the IUI's even when it was clear he felt I should go right to IVF. He explained things to me clearly and when I was nervous for my mock transfer he was great about calming me down and letting me relax without rushing it...I remember unmedicated IUI's were about $200 and medicated IUI's were about $500. I paid up front for two IVF cycles and I think it was around $10k

I remember unmedicated IUI's [at San Diego Fertility Center] were about $200 and medicated IUI's were about $500. I paid up front for two IVF cycles and I think it was around $10k...Receptionist at the time (Frankie) was really great. Clinic was well organized and well run and appointments were pretty much always on time...There was one nurse or coordinator that I didn't like - I think her name was Chris but can't be sure. She was not very warm and did my first IUI, for which I was very nervous, and she had little compassion. The woman who always did the blood draws came in with me for that first IUI and was amazing - she was so positive and compassionate every single time I was there.

How was your experience with Jeffrey Rakoff (retired) at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Jeffrey Rakoff (retired) at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

You have to have done your homework and know what you want. I knew I wanted to try IUI's first even though he felt I should just go to IVF.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Jeffrey Rakoff (retired) at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Was always greeted by name by the receptionist and nurses and Dr. Rakoff made me feel like they really cared about me and the process.

Describe the protocols Jeffrey Rakoff (retired) used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic) and their degree of success.

I did three cycles without anything and then 3 with clomid before moving to injections. I know he changed it up when I didn't have a lot of follicles but can't recall what was changed.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: Kendra, Tammy)

There was one nurse or coordinator that I didn't like - I think her name was Chris but can't be sure. She was not very warm and did my first IUI, for which I was very nervous, and she had little compassion. The woman who always did the blood draws came in with me for that first IUI and was amazing - she was so positive and compassionate every single time I was there.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

Receptionist at the time (Frankie) was really great. Clinic was well organized and well run and appointments were pretty much always on time

Describe the costs associated with your care under Jeffrey Rakoff (retired) at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

I remember unmedicated IUI's were about $200 and medicated IUI's were about $500. I paid up front for two IVF cycles and I think it was around $10k

Describe Jeffrey Rakoff (retired)'s approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

I had 3 excellent quality embryos and he asked if I wanted to transfer all three given my age. I said absolutely not but I was ok with 2 since I would be fine with having twins but not fine with having triplets. I have twin boys so I am really glad we didn't transfer 3. But it was my decision and he did not pressure me one way or another. Again, you have to know yourself well and stick to what you believe.

Doctor

Jeffrey Rakoff (retired)

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Jeffrey Rakoff (retired)San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

2017 - 2019, Unsuccessful

Age 31 - 33

3 IUI

1 IVF

PCOS

European

Income $200K - $499K

1st of 2 Docs

2 Fertility Medications With Other Docs

Doesn't Recommend

Unsuccessful

Review of

Sandy Chuan San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

[Dr. Sandy Chuan] also did the same protocol for me 10 times expecting different results....I had poor lining so she used estrogen tablets and injectables...so you really don't ever see the doctors...Sandy had good beside manner but it was difficult getting a meeting with her...We encountered several issues with the clinic missing key medications in my protocol. In addition, we had 10 cycles where she did the exact same protocol expecting different results. It was so disappointing.

With insurance it was $4,000 per frozen cycle [at San Diego Fertility Center], not including medications...They're churning people through, so you really don't ever see the doctors. The nurses are just ok but they don't actually go through your file when you first become a patient, so make sure all your medical history is up to date. SDFC failed to have us update our immunization records and we didn't know until they were 4 years out of date.

How was your experience with Sandy Chuan at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

We encountered several issues with the clinic missing key medications in my protocol. In addition, we had 10 cycles where she did the exact same protocol expecting different results. It was so disappointing.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sandy Chuan at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Better record keeping of medications in protocol, and not trying the same treatment 10 times when it wasn't working.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sandy Chuan at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Sandy had good beside manner but it was difficult getting a meeting with her.

Describe the protocols Sandy Chuan used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic) and their degree of success.

I had poor lining so she used estrogen tablets and injectables.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: Shannon)

The nurses really root for you but the fact that they missed medications listed in my file is inexcusable. I felt like I was tossed around from nurse to nurse and they omitted details when they communicated with each other.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

They're churning people through, so you really don't ever see the doctors. The nurses are just ok but they don't actually go through your file when you first become a patient, so make sure all your medical history is up to date. SDFC failed to have us update our immunization records and we didn't know until they were 4 years out of date.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Sandy Chuan at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

With insurance it was $4,000 per frozen cycle, not including medications.

What specific things went wrong at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Lost paperwork
Failed to convey critical information
Canceled a cycle due to clinic error

Describe the specific things that went wrong at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

The nurses failed to add the doctor's orders to my protocol, canceling cycles twice. Dr. Chuan also did the same protocol for me 10 times expecting different results.

Doctor

Sandy Chuan

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Sandy Chuan San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

2018 - 2019, Successful

Age 36 - 37

2 IVF

European

Nurse or HC Services

Only Doc Seen

Surrogacy With Other Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Brooke Friedman San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

Dr. Friedman from the start listened to all of my questions and answered them to the best of her ability. She made me feel like I was not alone. She explained everything to us and after the first failed cycle she adjusted everything in hope for a greater outcome....We visited this subject [Eset] and both agreed that single embryo transfer is the safest option for all parties involved and better chance of success with a full term baby.

The clinic [San Diego Fertility Ctr] was clean, the staff was professional and friendly. They were very helpful with any questions or concerns. They truly care about their patients. Both clinics I visited were warm and I was so comfortable every time I went in....The entire process was amazing, I had no idea what was involved and the entire team was amazing. Answered any questions I had with prompt responses. I don’t have a bad thing to say about them.

How was your experience with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Even though you have a plan, be open to change as it never goes as expected.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

The entire process was amazing, I had no idea what was involved and the entire team was amazing. Answered any questions I had with prompt responses. I don’t have a bad thing to say about them.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: Danielle Miller)

Danielle was amazing, she was so supportive and made me feel like no question was too dumb to ask. She went over everything in detail as I had asked. Being in the medical field I wanted to know everything. She even gave me her personal phone number if I had any questions after hours. She went above and beyond.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

The clinic was clean, the staff was professional and friendly. They were very helpful with any questions or concerns. They truly care about their patients. Both clinics I visited were warm and I was so comfortable every time I went in.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

The entire cost for 2 rounds of ivf and 2 retrieval’s was $39,000 not including meds. Medication was another $9,000

Describe Brooke Friedman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

We visited this subject and both agreed that single embryo transfer is the safest option for all parties involved and better chance of success with a full term baby.

Doctor

Brooke Friedman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brooke Friedman San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

2018 - 2019, Unknown Success

Age 34 - 35

2 IUI

Unexplained

European

Income $0 - $49K

Entrepreneur

Only Doc Seen

Doesn't Recommend

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Brooke Friedman San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

My personal journey was not addressed in detail. She [Dr. Friedman] spoke to us about blanket percentages and we always felt like it was so generic and our specific situation was not addressed. ... She really didn’t recommend any strategy besides do 3 IUI treatments and then if that didn’t work we would meet again. ... My experience under her care was that I didn’t trust her opinion.

The clinic [San Diego Fertility Center] is clean, professional and conveniently located. ... MJ was suppose to schedule an important SHG and she didn’t. Also I never heard from Dr. Friedman after the SHG ... Some of the nurses there are very sweet and compassionate. The weakness is it’s hard to schedule appointments with the doctor and this delays your future treatments. ... It took us over 6 months to complete a check list that should have only taken 2 months

How was your experience with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

My experience under her care was that I didn’t trust her opinion. It also felt like she was very quick to prescribe clomid even though I had no problem with egg production. It seems like they don’t care if you conceive multiples.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

If you want to initiate all appointments, procedures and do most of the research on your own then this is a good place. Be careful of their numbers with multiples and follow hour intuition

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

My personal journey was not addressed in detail. She spoke to us about blanket percentages and we always felt like it was so generic and our specific situation was not addressed.

Describe the protocols Brooke Friedman used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic) and their degree of success.

She really didn’t recommend any strategy besides do 3 IUI treatments and then if that didn’t work we would meet again.

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: MJ)

Communicating with her nurse was always painful. She showed no compassion and was very confusing when it came to the next steps. It took us over 6 months to complete a check list that should have only taken 2 months

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

The clinic is clean, professional and conveniently located. Some of the nurses there are very sweet and compassionate. The weakness is it’s hard to schedule appointments with the doctor and this delays your future treatments.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

IUI is $700 a cycle

Describe Brooke Friedman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

She was very fact and number focused and left the decision up to us if we do IVF.

What specific things went wrong at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Failed to order appropriate test
Failed to convey critical information

Describe the specific things that went wrong at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

MJ was suppose to schedule an important SHG and she didn’t. Also I never heard from Dr. Friedman after the SHG

Doctor

Brooke Friedman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brooke Friedman San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

2019, Unknown Success

Age 28

1 IVF

Tubal Blockage

Income $50K - $99K

Sales Representative

Only Doc Seen

Donor Sperm

LGBTQ+

Strongly Recommends

Success w/ Doc Too early to know

Review of

Brooke Friedman San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

I was told because of blocked tubes it was best to go into IVF and skip IUI I started BC on day 4 of my cycle and then took 75 IUIs of menopour and 300 ius of follistim . ... From the moment I met her [Dr. Friedman] she has been very kind and welcoming. She also has good bedside manner And makes sure to awnser any questions we have and is through in explaining the IVF process . I am very pleased so far and would highly recommended her because of this

the gal who awnsers the phones is super friendly and remembers me when I walk into the clinic [San Diego Fertility Center]. All the other staff is just as friendly .The blood draw gala make everything quick and painless :) .on egg retrieval day every one was smiling and joking around which put me at ease . Even though it was early (7am ) everyone was on point and ready to go ... MJ is amazing she replies promptly to emails and calls and is such a delight to interact with

How was your experience with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

From the moment I met her she has been very kind and welcoming. She also has good bedside manner And makes sure to awnser any questions we have and is through in explaining the IVF process . I am very pleased so far and would highly recommended her because of this

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

No advice . She is wonderfuo

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

I first attended seminar with doctor Friedman and she very kindly awnsered all my questions with a good beside manner . Our interactions with her have been extremely pleasant

Describe the protocols Brooke Friedman used in your cycles at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic) and their degree of success.

I was told because of blocked tubes it was best to go into IVF and skip IUI I started BC on day 4 of my cycle and then took 75 IUIs of menopour and 300 ius of follistim . Had egg retrieval and had 14 eggs retrieved and 12 fertilized and now have 6 embryos for freezing

Describe your experience with your nurse at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic). (Assigned nurse: MJ)

MJ is amazing she replies promptly to emails and calls and is such a delight to interact with

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

the gal who awnsers the phones is super friendly and remembers me when I walk into the clinic . All the other staff is just as friendly .The blood draw gala make everything quick and painless :) .on egg retrieval day every one was smiling and joking around which put me at ease . Even though it was early (7am ) everyone was on point and ready to go

Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

They were able to fit me on for monitoring based on my schedual

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

25k for gaurenteed sucess plan

Describe Brooke Friedman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

She advised becuase of my age and chance of multiples 1 embryo was recommended for transfer because focous is to deliver healthy babies

Doctor

Brooke Friedman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brooke Friedman San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

2019, Successful

Age 31

Endometriosis

Tubal Blockage

European

Income $100K - $199K

Consultant

1st of 2 Docs

Strongly Recommends

Successful

Review of

Brooke Friedman San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

Dr. Friedman answered all of my questions, took the time I needed, and was realistic about what my goals should be. She called my OBGYN to get all of the information she needed...She is very knowledgeable, kind, realistic, and has your best interest in mind. She was able to answer all of my questions, and walked me through every detail very thoroughly. She was also very positive and thoughtful, she helped me develop realistic goals and to have hope in the possibilities.

We weren’t notified by the clinic [San Diego Fertility Center] when our genetic tests returned, so I had to call and get access to them. Once I did call, they were very helpful...The nursing staff was very professional. Our labs went great, and they even took our picture without needing to rush. When I called in to ask questions, they were always available and knowledgeable...financial team was helpful, and the overall consultation. experience was great.

How was your experience with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

She is very knowledgeable, kind, realistic, and has your best interest in mind. She was able to answer all of my questions, and walked me through every detail very thoroughly. She was also very positive and thoughtful, she helped me develop realistic goals and to have hope in the possibilities.

What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

I would suggest they come with a list of questions and not be afraid to advocate for themselves.

During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Dr. Friedman answered all of my questions, took the time I needed, and was realistic about what my goals should be. She called my OBGYN to get all of the information she needed.

Describe your experience with the nursing staff at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

The nursing staff was very professional. Our labs went great, and they even took our picture without needing to rush. When I called in to ask questions, they were always available and knowledgeable.

Describe your experience with San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

This is a top of the line clinic, it’s absolutely beautiful, clean, modern, etc. They are organized and friendly, and seem to be very on top of every aspect of the business. You’re treated kindly, financial team was helpful, and the overall consultation. experience was great.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Brooke Friedman at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

$15,740 for IVF without PGS testing and meds

Describe Brooke Friedman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

She prefers single embryo transfer.

What specific things went wrong at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)?

Failed to call with results

Describe the specific things that went wrong at San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic).

We weren’t notified by the clinic when our genetic tests returned, so I had to call and get access to them. Once I did call, they were very helpful.

Doctor

Brooke Friedman

Humanity

Communication

Frequency Seen

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Clinic

San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

San Diego - Del Mar Main

Operations

Scheduling

Billing Department

Nursing Staff

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

Review of

Brooke Friedman San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

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San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

8 doctors work here

CDC Success Rates

Available Resources

This clinic has 3 offices
Visit clinic website

162 patient reviews

Filter by patient information

Learn from top medical experts

San Diego Fertility Center (Ivy Fertility Network clinic)

8 doctors work here

CDC Success Rates

Available Resources

This clinic has 3 officesVisit clinic website

162 patient reviews

Learn from top medical experts

This clinic has 3 offices
Visit clinic website