This is the most recent data from the CDC. The CDC cautions that it should not be used to compare doctors and clinics. This data represents the outcomes of IVF cycles when using a person's own eggs.
For more information please see our FAQs.
Where you see a “?” on the chart, a clinic has done fewer than 20 cycles in this category and age range, so the CDC says showing percentages from this small data set would be misleading and unreliable.
I saw Dr. Tran Tran maybe 4 times throughout the process including an initial video consult. Dr. Tran is present for the major procedures and consults, but I always felt he was a on a tight schedule because he has a lot of patients, so there wasn’t much of a relationship established. He asked if I had questions at phone and in person appointments, but any questions I had later were communicated through the patient coordinator or nurse. Interactions were quick and to the point with him. Have all of your questions ready in advance.
I liked that I could choose to schedule an appointment at their [Spring Fertility] SF or Redwood City office through throughout the process. Their flexibility was appreciated. The facilities were both clean and they offer snacks/drinks to waiting patients...Both the coordinator and nurse answered all of my questions and were extremely warm, quick to respond, and thorough. I give them top ratings for customer service!
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
He’s very knowledgeable and I trusted his judgement concerning our course of treatment. Dr. Nam has a lot of patients splits time between locations in the Bay Area. He seemed to jump from one appointment to the next, so aside from the initial consult, time isn’t spent sitting down to talk. He’ll tell you directly how things are going and the next steps he recommends. Exchanges and visits were quick.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Dr. Tran relies heavily on his great staff for most communications with patients. If you’re looking for more of a patient - doctor experience, you may want to consider another doctor. However, Dr. Nam is experienced and can answer any question asked.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
I saw Dr. Tran Tran maybe 4 times throughout the process including an initial video consult. Dr. Tran is present for the major procedures and consults, but I always felt he was a on a tight schedule because he has a lot of patients, so there wasn’t much of a relationship established. He asked if I had questions at phone and in person appointments, but any questions I had later were communicated through the patient coordinator or nurse. Interactions were quick and to the point with him. Have all of your questions ready in advance.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility San Francisco and their degree of success.
Initial genetic screening for husband and myself (recommended). Hormone injections for egg retrieval, freezing sperm sample as a back up for fertilization, ICSI (male infertility: low sperm count and motility), freezing embryos and placing me on birth control while waiting for PGT results, and more injections to ramp up for the transfer of one embryo.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility San Francisco. (Assigned nurse: Sharon (nurse), Michelle (patient coordinator))
I saw a nurse practitioner or someone in training for most of my ultrasounds and received the majority of communications and news from the patient coordinator and nurse assigned to me. Both the coordinator and nurse answered all of my questions and were extremely warm, quick to respond, and thorough. I give them top ratings for customer service! They made the complicated process of IVF bearable and were clear in their explanations of medications, coordination with my pharmacy, and the many questions I had about the process and timeline. On site staff were also very friendly and welcoming.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
I liked that I could choose to schedule an appointment at their SF or Redwood City office through throughout the process. Their flexibility was appreciated. The facilities were both clean and they offer snacks/drinks to waiting patients. RWC is a smaller branch and wasn’t as nice, but does have dedicated parking. Staff was great at both locations.
Wait time at the SF office was often longer than in RWC because more doctors work out of SF.
My one major gripe with Spring was the financial coordinator I worked with on their finance team. Navigating insurance plan coverage can be quite daunting and stressful for people going through this journey. It’s an expensive leap of faith especially here in the Bay Area. I’d expect someone who can lend a supportive ear and explain the nuance of insurance plans and how those impact Spring’s financial payment model. I felt the coordinator lacked essential knowledge, sympathy, and was very robotic in her responses. Basically checking emails off her list with no compassion or accountability. She would flat out tell me the information I received from speaking directly with my insurance company was wrong causing me to re-contact a lot of departments and companies. Ultimately wasting my time because SHE had the wrong information. She never apologized or acknowledged any mistakes on her side. I asked for a replacement financial coordinator because my husband and I both found her extremely rude. To my surprise, they refused to give me a different rep and I almost switched providers because the thought of working with her further caused me so much anxiety on top of an already stressful process.
If you have 100% fertility coverage or 0% coverage and need to pay out of pocket, then you won’t have to go through the headache I experienced clarifying partial coverage or lifetime maximums, otherwise beware.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Straightforward and waiting time was minimal at the Redwood City office.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
My insurance covered most of the fees not including appointment and medication co-pays ($1500). My copay was $25 per visit. My estimate if we had paid out of pocket would have been around $30-35k for one round of egg retrieval, IVF with ICSI, and medications.
What specific things went wrong at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
The inconsistency was with the financial coordinator. She sent paperwork with the wrong information. Information that we had confirmed multiple times with various parties. I had to email her asking to confirm before I signed the form as we had just finished many days of communications about the correct number. Rather than apologizing and saying she corrected the mistake, she simply emailed saying the form was in my portal. No mention that she changed the number. Very transactional communications and no accountability.
I came to Dr. Harris for my first IUI, which I did during a Letrozole cycle. He was supportive but said I'd have better success with IVF. After the second failed IUI (chemical pregnancy), I begun IVF, so in a way I feel like he was right all along but it took me awhile to get there emotionally/mentally. IVF hasn't been as much of a "sure bet" as he explained it would be.
I preferred interacting with Dr. Harris [at Spring Fertility] directly to discuss my treatment plan. Initially, I was assigned to Nanette who was difficult to reach via e-mail and sometimes I didn't understand her recommendations. Additionally, I had one chemical pregnancy and she didn't provide the level of compassion I expected from a nurse.
How was your experience with Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Dr. Harris was relatable and easy to talk to; in the few visits where my husband joined me, he provided a place that was comfortable for a man going through this process. He was very clear on his thoughts on IUI vs. IVF up front but mentally, I wasn't ready to go straight to IVF w/o trying IUI. He respected my decision and supported me. He is very optimistic and always tells me everything "looks great" which is ironic because I feel like I'd be pregnant already if everything was truly "great". As I experienced set backs, one being a lab error (scheduled for the wrong day for my FET), Dr. Harris accepted accountability but was pretty dismissive of my emotional state and just kept saying he has faith I will eventually be a mom despite acknowledging the IVF fatigue I was experiencing. He also provided a "pregnancy guarantee" which never came into fruition under his care so it felt a bit like an empty promise.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Take advantage of the time you have with him and ask a lot of questions. During each treatment I would ask him the questions I had instead of trying to schedule calls thru the clinic. But if I needed to do calls through the clinic, I'd do that. Do not always depend on the nurse being your "middle man". He's a great doctor but I cannot recommend the clinic in good faith. They don't care about their patients in the way you deserve to be cared for.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Dr. Harris was personable and spoke in terms I understood. However when things started getting difficult (failed transfer) he was seemingly less understanding, said that 1/3 embryo doesn't result in a live birth and was overly optimistic which didn't help the pain I was experiencing. Towards the end of treatment it was clear to me that Spring was processing patients like a factory vs. a personalized experience. This became evident when my protocol was impacted due to a clinical error.
Describe the protocols Isiah Harris used in your cycles at Spring Fertility San Francisco and their degree of success.
I have "unexplained infertility", before trying I visited him to get the full work up to ensure my reproductive system was working as expected. However, I never had a HSG which I feel like is odd for someone who was doing IUI. I came to Dr. Harris for my first IUI, which I did during a Letrozole cycle. He was supportive but said I'd have better success with IVF. After the second failed IUI (chemical pregnancy), I begun IVF, so in a way I feel like he was right all along but it took me awhile to get there emotionally/mentally. IVF hasn't been as much of a "sure bet" as he explained it would be.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility San Francisco. (Assigned nurse: Jill)
I preferred interacting with Dr. Harris directly to discuss my treatment plan. Initially, I was assigned to Nanette who was difficult to reach via e-mail and sometimes I didn't understand her recommendations. Additionally, I had one chemical pregnancy and she didn't provide the level of compassion I expected from a nurse. She rarely replied to my emails in a timely fashion and I recently learned she works from home so I've never met her in person. Upon expressing concern to Spring about my nurse, they changed me to Jill who is FANTASTIC. She has really been an angel in the entire process, addressing all of the gaps I expressed with the previous nurse. However, when Jill is out I do not trust the other nurses to fully execute my care. For example, when Jill was out of the office another nurse scheduled my FET on the wrong day, meaning I missed my window of repetitive and the FET was cancelled which was heart breaking. I am really displeased with this outcome and working with the clinic & Dr. Harris specifically on being made "whole" from this devastating experience which means another FET to be covered by Spring.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Spring clinic is conveniently located in Redwood City, San Francisco and Oakland. Their clinics are state of the art and have a clean aesthetic with coordinating decor which is welcoming. They are very timely with their appointments. However, Spring does not take time to understand underlying fertility issues and the items they miss could be the reason you aren't conceiving. I can't trust them whole heatedly and they do not treat you like person with the several hoops you need to jump through to talk to the doctors.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Spring is a Fertility Factory, sometimes they get it right and thats sheer luck but mostly they don't.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
100% covered by Progyny insurance after meeting my insurance deductible
Describe Isiah Harris's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
I wouldn't mind twins but Dr. Harris said he would only transfer one embryo at my age.
What specific things went wrong at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information
Lost or damaged samples
Canceled a cycle due to clinic error
Scheduled the wrong procedure
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
My cycle coordinator (Michelle) is dealing with 1000 other clients and at times it feels like a factory operation instead of a fertility experience. She has made typos in emails and sent incorrect information so I second guess every email she sends which is unfortunate but she has gotten a little better, so I am thankful for that. Now I am working primarily with Dr. Harris & Nurse (Jill) for my communications.
Dr Tran really cares about his patients - he spent time up front understanding our family, the # of kids we wanted, etc and tried to see me for almost all of my appointments. During the procedures like retrieval and transfer, he was especially caring and checked in on me multiple times...he can be direct and to the point, but for this type of doctor that’s really what you want and need. He cares so much about his patients and staff...
The nursing staff [at Spring Fertility] was amazing - by the end I felt like friends and I didn’t want to stop working with them. They’re super responsive and go out of their way to answer extra questions and make sure you have everything you need. What’s more, they have good relationships w the doctors and you can tell the entire clinic is really working as a team...You see your doctor almost every time, the doctors actually care about you as a human, the staff is incredibly easy to interact with...
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Dr. Tran is an amazing doctor. At first, he’s not the “warmest” person but he truly cares about his patients and his bedside manner becomes warmer as you get to know him more - he goes out of his way to see you at every appointment possible, remembers personal details, cares a LOT about his staff, and goes above and beyond during procedures like the retrieval and transfer to really check that you’re doing ok physically and emotionally. On top of that, he’s super practical and compared to other doctors I’ve seen, is really invested in the most straightforward path to get you a child. I am fully planning to use Dr Tran again and couldn’t be happier.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Don’t let Dr Tran’s initial style discourage you — he can be direct and to the point, but for this type of doctor that’s really what you want and need. He cares so much about his patients and staff.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Dr Tran really cares about his patients - he spent time up front understanding our family, the # of kids we wanted, etc and tried to see me for almost all of my appointments. During the procedures like retrieval and transfer, he was especially caring and checked in on me multiple times.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
The nursing staff was amazing - by the end I felt like friends and I didn’t want to stop working with them. They’re super responsive and go out of their way to answer extra questions and make sure you have everything you need. What’s more, they have good relationships w the doctors and you can tell the entire clinic is really working as a team.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Every clinic is going to feel a little bit of a factory as there’s way more demand for fertility services than there’s doctors. That being said, I thought spring was much better than UCSF. You see your doctor almost every time, the doctors actually care about you as a human, the staff is incredibly easy to interact with. Just across the board I really felt it was a great experience.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
N/A as my employer has fertility coverage
Describe Nam Tran's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
He also put me to ease with some of my initial questions and concerns. During my initial ultrasound, Dr. Harris expressed his expectations clearly and was more than willing to explain things further when I asked. All in all, we were able to retrieve and freeze exactly the number of eggs he anticipated and on the timeline I had aimed for...
[Spring Fertility] Strengths: Spring is a well-oiled machine. I never waited more than 2 minutes to be seen and everything was extremely organized and thought through ahead of time. Most of my appointments took place at 7am, which worked very well for my schedule. I loved that I didn't have to work through an intense phone tree when I called the main line to speak with someone
How was your experience with Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
I absolutely enjoyed working with Dr. Harris! From the first time we met (he came out to the waiting room to greet me himself and even behind the mask, I could tell he had the biggest smile) I felt like he was just as excited for my journey as I was. He also put me to ease with some of my initial questions and concerns. During my initial ultrasound, Dr. Harris expressed his expectations clearly and was more than willing to explain things further when I asked. All in all, we were able to retrieve and freeze exactly the number of eggs he anticipated and on the timeline I had aimed for.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Dr. Harris has a wealth of knowledge - I recommend you come to each appointment with your questions ahead of time so you make sure they're all covered!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
From my first call to my follow up consultation with Dr. Harris, each person I spoke with at Spring displayed nothing but empathy and authentic dedication to helping me with my egg freezing journey.
Describe the protocols Isiah Harris used in your cycles at Spring Fertility San Francisco and their degree of success.
I had told Dr. Harris about my timeline to complete the egg freezing cycle - which was short - and he was very willing to be flexible with me. I really appreciated that he spent the time to make sure I understood the pros and cons of working within my timeline, which helped me make an informed decision about next steps.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility San Francisco. (Assigned nurse: Beth)
Beth is an absolute ROCK STAR. I had so many questions as I was beginning the injection series and Beth was so patient, understanding, and genuinely helpful in making sure I felt comfortable every step of the way. On two occasions, I e-mailed her over a weekend with a question and she gave me a phone call within 15 minutes each time to answer my questions. This level of support was absolutely above and beyond! Beth really helped me feel confident throughout the treatment cycle.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Strengths: Spring is a well-oiled machine. I never waited more than 2 minutes to be seen and everything was extremely organized and thought through ahead of time. Most of my appointments took place at 7am, which worked very well for my schedule. I loved that I didn't have to work through an intense phone tree when I called the main line to speak with someone.
Weaknesses: Truthfully, I can't think of any. I had a lot of trouble with the routine blood work during every visit, however this is mainly due to my body not cooperating with me and not the fault of the medical assistants.
Ultimately, I went into this experience with someone tepid expectations and Spring blew me away on all fronts.
What specific things went wrong at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Lost or damaged samples
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
A few vials of blood from my initial bloodwork clotted and I had to go in for another blood draw.
Dr. Harris is the nicest, most empathetic doctor I have ever had. Even with a mask on his smile is contagious. He has so much positive energy which helped me get through everything. He was not excessively optimistic. He helped me to set reasonable or even a little bit low expectations so that I could be prepared for various things that could happen. He took time to answer all the questions I threw at him. It is on you to ask questions though if you are interested in non-essential things. I was amazed how well he kept track of my case while also taking care of many other patients.
All of the nurses that took care of me [at Spring Fertility] were amazing and so nice. I emailed Aubrey so many questions everyday and she was so patient and compassionate and helpful. The nurses in the Redwood City clinic and surgical nurses in SF were great. I couldn't ask for a better team. Both of my cycles were during the COVID lockdown and I still felt like everyone was so warm and professional. No one asked me to write a review, I just had such a good experience with Dr. Harris and the clinic overall that I wanted to say thank you to these awesome heroes!
How was your experience with Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Dr. Harris is super nice. He is also very experienced and sharp. He has a compassionate nature and a good sense of humor. He also helped someone else I know and she said he was amazing with her as well through a long IVF journey.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
I think choosing a doctor is personal so you might want to do a consultation with a couple of doctors and then choose which one you felt best with. If you work with Dr. Harris or any doctor I'd say make sure to do some research on IVF so that you can know what questions to ask. Write down your questions and don't hesitate to ask them to your doctor and nurses.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Dr. Harris is the nicest, most empathetic doctor I have ever had. Even with a mask on his smile is contagious. He has so much positive energy which helped me get through everything. He was not excessively optimistic. He helped me to set reasonable or even a little bit low expectations so that I could be prepared for various things that could happen. He took time to answer all the questions I threw at him. It is on you to ask questions though if you are interested in non-essential things. I was amazed how well he kept track of my case while also taking care of many other patients.
Describe the protocols Isiah Harris used in your cycles at Spring Fertility San Francisco and their degree of success.
First cycle we did a follicular protocol with Aygestin and ten days of Gonal and Menopur with great results. Second cycle we did a midluteal protocol where you start 5 days after ovulation and twelve days of Gonal and Menopur with even better results. The doctor said he wished he could take credit but there is some randomness in how many follicles your body has each month so unclear how much the protocol helped but I was very happy he could make adjustments based on my first cycle to create a better second cycle and that he was humble about it and how well it worked.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility San Francisco. (Assigned nurse: Aubrey Baker)
All of the nurses that took care of me were amazing and so nice. I emailed Aubrey so many questions everyday and she was so patient and compassionate and helpful. The nurses in the Redwood City clinic and surgical nurses in SF were great. I couldn't ask for a better team. Both of my cycles were during the COVID lockdown and I still felt like everyone was so warm and professional.
No one asked me to write a review, I just had such a good experience with Dr. Harris and the clinic overall that I wanted to say thank you to these awesome heroes!
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Spring does a lot of little things that are very nice like letting you email your nurse. They also have a great website with videos about everything including how to do all the shots. They spoiled me with things like they gave me a small box of chocolate when I finished my retrievals. Their clinics are nice and clean and nicely decorated. For me I am near Redwood City so it was not ideal I had to go to SF for weekend appointments and retrieval but it was worth it to me.
Since I did have appointments on weekends and on two holidays I ended up seeing some different doctors (Dr. Tran, Dr. Fisher and NP Audrey Krall) but I felt like they very cohesively communicated my case and my instructions with Dr. Harris and my nurse Aubrey Baker. I got a lot of phone calls before and after the retrieval to make sure my questions were answered. They all make up a great team.
I think with any clinic you do have to realize that you need to be informed and not expect the nurses or doctors will totally hold your hand on everything. You need to educate yourself about your body, IVF, risks, statistics and options and ask them lots of questions. Keep low/reasonable expectations for everything to minimize bad surprises or disappointment. It is very hard to predict your outcome and the doctors are trying their best but you need to advocate for yourself and raise any concerns. I advise creating a document or notebook for yourself with your plan, your options, your risks, your questions just like you might do for a work project. I recommend therapy or a support group as needed. Part of your plan should be how you will handle all the uncertainty in this process through things like music, art, meditation, friends, movies, time off, baking, etc. It is very hard on your body and your mind.
Dr. Harris has been a perfect blend of being very skilled at what he does and also being great with patients...He strongly encouraged single embryo transfer in our case, which matched what we wanted...The treatment plan felt tailored to us. He reviewed past failed rounds from another clinic and was clear about what changes he'd make and why..
She was responsive and organized, which helped me feel confident going into the procedure...Much of results at an IVF clinic rests in the lab and the embryologists, not just the doctors. Spring seems to excel at attracting great doctors and nurses as well as running a finely tuned lab. The lab provided so much more data about the embryo growth and evaluation than we got at our previous clinic. Everything feels state of the art and driven by data, which seems to be reflected in the results they're able to achieve.
How was your experience with Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Dr. Harris has been a perfect blend of being very skilled at what he does and also being great with patients. It's not enough to know what you're doing if you can't communicate it, and he does this well. At my former clinic I often left more confused, but here I leave every conversation feeling more confident. The protocols seem more in line with current research and are more data-driven from beginning to end. Dr. Harris feels personally invested in the outcome and takes his time to make sure we're on the same page.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Consider the cost of repeated rounds vs getting the best possible results the first time. We flew in from out of state just to work with Dr. Harris. We paid more than if we had stayed local (plus the travel costs) and I only wish we made that decision sooner. We had 2 failed rounds at a local clinic. Dr. Harris got far better results with a single round, meaning we would have saved money to just start with him.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
The treatment plan felt tailored to us. He reviewed past failed rounds from another clinic and was clear about what changes he'd make and why. Far more comforting than trying roughly the same stuff again and again. His bedside manner was also far warmer and reassuring. I didn't think I cared about bedside manner (just get me the results!) but in a process with so much anxiety, it has been truly helpful.
Describe the protocols Isiah Harris used in your cycles at Spring Fertility San Francisco and their degree of success.
Ovulation predictor kits to identify ovulation. Menopur and Gonal-F with decreased dosage the last few days of stimulation. Cetrotide starting day 8 of stim. Leuprolide and Novarel to trigger on Day 11. Retrieval on Day 13 under anesthesia (didn't feel a thing). 21 eggs retrieved and 19 were mature. All 19 fertilized successfully using ICSI. By day 3, 15 embryos were growing and considered good quality. By Day 6, we had 7 blastocysts that were biopsied. PGT testing found 4 to be euploid/normal. We haven't transferred any of these yet.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility San Francisco. (Assigned nurse: Beth - Nurse)
Everyone at Spring has been friendly throughout the process. My nurse, Beth, met with me to answer questions about injections, review the plan before the retrieval, and followed up afterwards as well. She was responsive and organized, which helped me feel confident going into the procedure.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Much of results at an IVF clinic rests in the lab and the embryologists, not just the doctors. Spring seems to excel at attracting great doctors and nurses as well as running a finely tuned lab. The lab provided so much more data about the embryo growth and evaluation than we got at our previous clinic. Everything feels state of the art and driven by data, which seems to be reflected in the results they're able to achieve.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
$18-19K for monitoring, egg retrieval, embryo creation, genetic testing. $4-5K for stimulation meds. $2-3K for initial consultation and screening. (Haven't paid for embryo transfer yet.)
Describe Isiah Harris's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
He strongly encouraged single embryo transfer in our case, which matched what we wanted, and what our gestational carrier preferred as well. He was very willing to review the risks and discuss the underlying reasoning with us.
Dr. Tran does not have a good bedside manner. He was entirely agitated, annoyed, and distant during our appointments. He couldn't answer our questions, or wouldn't provide a clear answer. He was really unprofessional - cussing, overly blunt, and cut me off mid-sentence several times. He also went on weird random rants that didn't really have to do with my care...I would not feel safe having him as my doctor - his language, tone, and attitude were all unpleasant...
My experience there [Spring Fertility] was very intense, and insensitive. I would suggest seeing another doctor besides Dr. Tran. I really regret waiting to see him specifically. I hope that the next patient will have better luck than I did...Consultation $450...Dr. Tran does not have a good bedside manner. He was entirely agitated, annoyed, and distant during our appointments. He couldn't answer our questions, or wouldn't provide a clear answer. He was really unprofessional - cussing, overly blunt, and cut me off mid-sentence several times.
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Because of his behavior, I would not recommend anyone to see Dr. Tran. He is easily annoyed and agitated. I would not feel safe having him as my doctor - his language, tone, and attitude were all unpleasant. He is very detached, judgemental, and a bully.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
If you plan on seeing him, stand up for yourself, do not let him push you around. He will try to make you feel less than human.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Dr. Tran does not have a good bedside manner. He was entirely agitated, annoyed, and distant during our appointments. He couldn't answer our questions, or wouldn't provide a clear answer. He was really unprofessional - cussing, overly blunt, and cut me off mid-sentence several times. He also went on weird random rants that didn't really have to do with my care.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
My experience there was very intense, and insensitive. I would suggest seeing another doctor besides Dr. Tran. I really regret waiting to see him specifically. I hope that the next patient will have better luck than I did.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Consultation $450
What specific things went wrong at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
[Dr. Ange Wang] was empathetic, open to ideas, and made me feel hopeful...is compassionate, listened, established a treatment plan that felt personalized, and followed-up exactly as she said she would...sent me articles when she sensed I wanted more information...As I prepared for another egg retrieval, I found out I was pregnant naturally
Communication is a real strength at Spring. Both the app and the phone communication were excellent. They also do a really good job maximizing your insurance benefits...used results from prior providers to minimize procedures and tests that I needed to repeat
How was your experience with Ange Wang at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
I appreciated being Dr. Wang's patient. I've had good experiences as a fertility patient at other clinics as well, and Dr. Wang is no exception. Most importantly, she was empathetic, open to ideas, and made me feel hopeful.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Ange Wang at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Ask questions and if you're curious, ask to see the data. She'll send you studies to help explain her perspective, which I LOVED.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Ange Wang at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
At baseline, Dr. Wang is compassionate, listened, established a treatment plan that felt personalized, and followed-up exactly as she said she would. But beyond that, she was proactive and adaptable. She sent me articles when she sensed I wanted more information. She used results from prior providers to minimize procedures and tests that I needed to repeat. I felt like a whole person with Dr. Wang.
Describe the protocols Ange Wang used in your cycles at Spring Fertility San Francisco and their degree of success.
Dr. Wang did a recurrent pregnancy loss evaluation for me, which was more thorough than prior clinics because I was anxious and looking for answers. She talked about the pros and cons of each step. As I prepared for another egg retrieval, I found out I was pregnant naturally, so we didn't complete the retrieval (obviously!). BUT I think her RPL work-up was essential in my getting pregnant.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Communication is a real strength at Spring. Both the app and the phone communication were excellent. They also do a really good job maximizing your insurance benefits. For example, I had progyny insurance for years without knowing it, but because Spring was so thorough, they identified this and saved me a lot of money!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Ange Wang at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
I didn't pay anything for my care because Spring found out that I had progyny insurance, which I didn't know!
When I first met Dr. Harris at the consultation, he was very warm and optimistic...When I had trouble with being seen in his clinic during the retrieval cycle, he would try to reassure me and told me to contact him directly, but he never gave me any way to contact him directly. He would say "just email me" but never gave me his email address...That was it. No further contact. He never sought out the results of the transfer.
The ancillary staff [at Spring Fertility] was a source of stress. I always wanted the first morning time slot for monitoring appointments so that I could go to work afterwards. The nurse practitioner was late several times. If I need to schedule my appointment for 7am, it's because I have to be somewhere afterwards! The clinic nurse couldn't answer questions about the medications I needed to fill at a pharmacy (simple questions like the name of the medication) despite asking repeatedly.
How was your experience with Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
When I first met Dr. Harris at the consultation, he was very warm and optimistic. I had several cycles at another facility that did not go well, but Dr. Harris was positive that we could do better at Spring Fertility. When I had trouble with being seen in his clinic during the retrieval cycle, he would try to reassure me and told me to contact him directly, but he never gave me any way to contact him directly. He would say "just email me" but never gave me his email address. After transferring the only embryo fro that cycle, he contacted me once (2 weeks after the transfer) to say "congratulations" on rising betas but "still long way to go" and never contacted me again. That was it. No further contact. He never sought out the results of the transfer. I ended up having a successful pregnancy. The next time I heard from his clinic was 6 months postpartum. I asked to speak to Dr. Harris to let him know I was disappointed the clinic didn't seem to care to find out the results of the transfer. Dr. Harris suggested that I didn't check my email or reply to them (at which point they stopped contacting patients after 2 tries) -- none of which is true.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
After the transfer, no one from the clinic followed up with me despite rising betas.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility San Francisco. (Assigned nurse: Nanette)
Nanette caused a lot of stress during my retrieval. She would never answer the questions posed in emails. When repeatedly asked for the names of prescribed medications, she would never include the names of drugs. I went to Walgreens trying to pick up medications for a cycle but couldn't tell the pharmacist which script I wanted. I almost came home with the wrong medication because the pharmacist tried to fill an old IVF script. I only realized when the number of pills was wrong.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
The ancillary staff was a source of stress. I always wanted the first morning time slot for monitoring appointments so that I could go to work afterwards. The nurse practitioner was late several times. If I need to schedule my appointment for 7am, it's because I have to be somewhere afterwards! The clinic nurse couldn't answer questions about the medications I needed to fill at a pharmacy (simple questions like the name of the medication) despite asking repeatedly.
What specific things went wrong at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
He [Dr. Isiah Harris] is friendly, but very busy...I felt is a default protocol to everyone. Even sent medication by nurse per email without any explanation why should I take the pills. During the ultrasound never said anything I need ask all the time about the sizes and is the medicine was working well...He just does single embryo transfer
She [nurse at Spring Fertility] is friendly but not easy to reach out...They asked to take some pills before the IVF and never explain why and for what propose...The clinic seems always full, and the doctors very busy. You just see the doctor on the ultrasound time, and it less them 5 minutes. Is not possible reach out the doctors just hardly the nurses. And in my opinion they have a default protocol to everyone.
How was your experience with Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
He is friendly but don't explain why the protocol, and I felt is a default protocol to everyone. Even sent medication by nurse per email without any explanation why should I take the pills. During the ultrasound never said anything I need ask all the time about the sizes and is the medicine was working well.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
He is friendly, but very busy
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
He is very friendly, but not easy to reach out by phone or email
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility San Francisco. (Assigned nurse: Yvette)
She is friendly but not easy to reach out
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
The clinic seems always full, and the doctors very busy. You just see the doctor on the ultrasound time, and it less them 5 minutes. Is not possible reach out the doctors just hardly the nurses. And in my opinion they have a default protocol to everyone.
Describe Isiah Harris's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
He just does single embryo transfer
What specific things went wrong at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
They asked to take some pills before the IVF and never explain why and for what propose.
Dr. Harris is incredibly compassionate and always made time to explain things to me when I asked. He is very positive, but I did not feel like he was excessively so. He was realistic when things didn't go as planned, but always made me feel like a human first...[he] did a great job of navigating that with me while giving me confidence that we were doing the best we could.
Spring is a great place - they are knowledgeable, experienced, and everything is very clean and orderly. They see a lot of patients, but I think they do so in a very efficient manner. You don't always see the same doctor, which I think can feel a little impersonal, but luckily, all the doctors are wonderful so it hasn't been an issue for me...every nurse I have worked with since has been absolutely wonderful - organized, clear communicator, diligent follow up, empathetic.
How was your experience with Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Dr. Harris is a wonderful, knowledgeable doctor. He knows what he's doing, and you're in good hands with him. IVF, as a whole, is risky and success is not guaranteed. I thought Dr. Harris did a great job of navigating that with me while giving me confidence that we were doing the best we could.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Be sure to ask him any questions you have and be proactive about your own care.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Dr. Harris is incredibly compassionate and always made time to explain things to me when I asked. He is very positive, but I did not feel like he was excessively so. He was realistic when things didn't go as planned, but always made me feel like a human first.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
My current nurse, Beth, is wonderful. In the past, I have worked with a nurse who was not very clear, often forgot to follow up with things she said she'd do, and was generally a bit frustrating. That experience still gives me a bit of anxiety, but that nurse is no longer with Spring and every nurse I have worked with since has been absolutely wonderful - organized, clear communicator, diligent follow up, empathetic.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Spring is a great place - they are knowledgeable, experienced, and everything is very clean and orderly. They see a lot of patients, but I think they do so in a very efficient manner. You don't always see the same doctor, which I think can feel a little impersonal, but luckily, all the doctors are wonderful so it hasn't been an issue for me.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Covered by Progyny
What specific things went wrong at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
There was a previous nurse who failed to call in my prescriptions, but luckily, we were able to rush ship them and start everything on time.
I felt Dr. Vaughn treated me like a human because she took the time to listen to me, answer all of my questions, continue to check in with me. She helped me work through all the information I was being given from other care providers and helped me process how that affected our work together. She also listened very well to my wishes and goals and respected them fully in our work together.
Since it was a midst the Pandemic that I started visiting Spring Fertility I only saw the team and staff there a few time. They were helpful and responsive through email and phone calls for every need or question, however...Clean center, small but I liked that. I was able to see Dr. Vaughn at this clinic which was closer to home for me when normally I think she works up in San Francisco.
How was your experience with Sara Vaughn at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
I chose Dr. Vaughn because of her experience with PCOS. It was clear from our first meeting that she knew what she was talking about and didn't just have experience but sincere expertise. I appreciated that fact that she had understanding of PCOS and was really willing to listen to my specific situation and journey. I had been working with more holistic care professionals up until meeting her and was looking for a second opinion mostly when I set my appointment. She was able to set me up with some more detailed procedures to make sure that all was working as needed and wasn't the cause of my fertility issues so far. While she ignored a lot of what I shared with her from my work with my Functional Medicine Fertility Specialist, she suggested that I have a saline sonogram and hysteroscopy which my FMD hadn't suggested. These procedures ultimately led to as close as we could get to real answers and a better larger picture understanding of how my system was functioning. I don't that this is necessarily a red flag or an issue it's just how she was trained and I appreciated her accepting and working in parallel to the holistic work I was doing without negating it or actively trying to contradict. The only other thing I would add for others trying to learn if Dr. Vaughn is a good fit is that one of the first things she looked at when I mentioned PCOS was my weight, I did not appreciate this and she eventually worked through that my weight was not the issue but as most main stream medicine professionals have a focus on weight as a first answer, especially with PCOS, Dr. Vaughn does seem to be right in line with that.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sara Vaughn at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Be ready with questions, she will take the time to explain everything but knowing the questions to ask to get the answers and explanations you need is useful. If you are someone like me and wants all the information as deep as it will go then do your research ahead of time. If you are happy to let your doctors be your fully trusted guide I don't think you can go wrong with Dr. Vaughn either, though.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sara Vaughn at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
I felt Dr. Vaughn treated me like a human because she took the time to listen to me, answer all of my questions, continue to check in with me. She helped me work through all the information I was being given from other care providers and helped me process how that affected our work together. She also listened very well to my wishes and goals and respected them fully in our work together.
Describe the protocols Sara Vaughn used in your cycles at Spring Fertility San Francisco and their degree of success.
We did some testing so she could confirm my PCOS. The issue that seemed to present itself was that my endometrial lining was thin. I had an inkling this was the case as my periods were not full periods, they were very light (practically just spotting) and not fresh red blood. She first suggested a saline sonogram which she performed in order to make sure there were no blockages. She mentioned that sometimes the cervix can become blocked and simply performing the sonogram would clear that blockage in the most simplest of cases, otherwise it would give us more insight into my uterine lining and opening.
After the sonogram, my flow did not improve by my cervical mucus did, I was seeing more fertile mucus than I had been seeing before so I saw this as an improvement. She also thought that there maybe there was something blocking the uterine opening and mentioned that the saline sonogram couldn't tell us much more then there was something there and suggested a hysteroscopy to get more information. My endometrial lining was still seeming thin but it was hard to tell based on the timing in my cycle.
Dr. Vaughn sent me to a wonderful OB to do the hysteroscopy due to my insurance requirements. The hysteroscopy clarified that I had some polyp like tissue in my uterus as well as other fluffy tissue. Non of this was of a real concern but they cleaned up my uterus anyway. I believe this was a significant part of us being able to conceive naturally in the end.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility San Francisco. (Assigned nurse: Anny Chen)
Since it was a midst the Pandemic that I started visiting Spring Fertility I only saw the team and staff there a few time. They were helpful and responsive through email and phone calls for every need or question, however.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Clean center, small but I liked that. I was able to see Dr. Vaughn at this clinic which was closer to home for me when normally I think she works up in San Francisco.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sara Vaughn at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Everything we did there was covered with our benefits. We were lucky in the respect. If I had done my hysteroscopy with Dr. Vaughn and not the OB/GYN I visited then it would have been upwards of $400.00 if I remember correctly.
Dr. Harris always welcomed me with a warm and positive attitude, asking how I have been. He was always very caring and went above and beyond to make sure I felt comfortable and knew what was going on in the process...[he]was careful to monitor my progress along the way and make appropriate tweaks when necessary. I was grateful he was giving me such close attention and care, and not treating me like just another patient.
I really liked that Spring Fertility has multiple locations. Going to their smaller branch office in Redwood City was much more convenient than going into the main San Francisco office for my regular checkups. All of the doctors and nurses were very professional and I felt in good hands. The only thing I thought could have been improved was the communication with the nurses. I had a few hiccups in the beginning trying to get in contact with them, but once I figured out their system it was much better.
How was your experience with Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
It was a pleasure working with Dr. Harris. I feel so fortunate to have been under his care. He really took the time to explain the process and make sure I understood what was going on. He was always so warm, friendly, fun and made me feel at ease during the whole process.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
You are in good hands. I have seen other fertility doctors, but none have made me feel as comfortable as Dr. Harris.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Dr. Harris always welcomed me with a warm and positive attitude, asking how I have been. He was always very caring and went above and beyond to make sure I felt comfortable and knew what was going on in the process.
Describe the protocols Isiah Harris used in your cycles at Spring Fertility San Francisco and their degree of success.
Since I have anovulation and PCOS, my body was sometimes slow to respond to the IVF medications. Dr. Harris was careful to monitor my progress along the way and make appropriate tweaks when necessary. I was grateful he was giving me such close attention and care, and not treating me like just another patient.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
I worked with several nurses at Spring Fertility. Overall, they were all really great but I wish I had had one consistent nurse throughout my IVF journey. There were just a few instances in the beginning that made it difficult to get in contact with them, but they were quickly resolved.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
I really liked that Spring Fertility has multiple locations. Going to their smaller branch office in Redwood City was much more convenient than going into the main San Francisco office for my regular checkups. All of the doctors and nurses were very professional and I felt in good hands. The only thing I thought could have been improved was the communication with the nurses. I had a few hiccups in the beginning trying to get in contact with them, but once I figured out their system it was much better.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Isiah Harris at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
I believe the total costs were around $30,000.
Describe Isiah Harris's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Dr Tran was very straightforward and scientific, he gave candid information without sugar-coating which worked well for us. He appears to know the IVF statistics backwards and forwards, again this worked well for us as a mathematically-minded couple. I did a lot of reading beforehand and Dr Tran had a comprehensive answer for every query I brought to him. As scientific director of the clinic he was very busy, but he answered all my questions through his team and I felt that his busy schedule did not impact my treatment.
Everything about my experience with Spring was positive. The staff were extremely professional and friendly. The clinic was technologically advanced. The multiple locations made the process much more convenient than it might have been. The doctors were fantastic. Altogether, Spring made this difficult process feel much easier than it otherwise might have been. Thank you Spring!
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Dr Tran was very straightforward and scientific, he gave candid information without sugar-coating which worked well for us. He appears to know the IVF statistics backwards and forwards, again this worked well for us as a mathematically-minded couple. I did a lot of reading beforehand and Dr Tran had a comprehensive answer for every query I brought to him. As scientific director of the clinic he was very busy, but he answered all my questions through his team and I felt that his busy schedule did not impact my treatment.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
meetings may be brief so have your questions ready.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Dr Tran has a very straightforward and scientific approach: he is very direct and gives you the relevant statistics and likely outcomes with no sugar coating from the start. This style worked very well for us as we prefer to focus fully on optimizing the process to work.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility San Francisco and their degree of success.
On my first cycle, my embryos grew more slowly
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Very professional and kind
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Everything about my experience with Spring was positive. The staff were extremely professional and friendly. The clinic was technologically advanced. The multiple locations made the process much more convenient than it might have been. The doctors were fantastic. Altogether, Spring made this difficult process feel much easier than it otherwise might have been. Thank you Spring!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Dr Wang explained the whole process during the first session...sets the right exceptions according to my age and the clinical results...closely monitored my status and addressed my concerns during the treatment...always carefully listened to my questions and addressed my concerns
The [Spring Fertility San Francisco] doctor, nurses, staffs are very professional and warm. The procedures were done in SF city, they all went through well and I did not feel much pain afterwards with three different doctors...nurse helped multiple times to make sure everything I needed would be available on time
How was your experience with Ange Wang at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Dr Wang explained the whole process during the first session. She sets the right exceptions according to my age and the clinical results. She closely monitored my status and addressed my concerns during the treatment. I am very happy with the result.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Ange Wang at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Doctor Wang always carefully listened to my questions and addressed my concerns.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility San Francisco. (Assigned nurse: Julie)
My pharmacy provider is CVS Care, which requires additional confirmation for prescription approval. The nurse helped multiple times to make sure everything I needed would be available on time.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
The clinic has a branch in redwood city which is close to where I live, and it is important because click visiting will be more frequent in the late stage of the treatment. The doctor, nurses, staffs are very professional and warm. The procedures were done in SF city, they all went through well and I did not feel much pain afterwards with three different doctors.
[Dr. Angie Wang] blend of professional skill, empathy, and genuine care for her patients sets a new standard in the medical field...you're not only a patient, but a valued individual deserving of the best possible care...would have appreciated a more detailed discussion about the potential risks associated with retrieving a higher number of eggs...a deeper understanding of the potential implications would have been of great
[Spring Fertility San Francisco] doctors are highly skilled professionals...the overall clinic is prioritizing process optimization, which seems to be excessively burdensome for the patients. They have multiple locations, which gives us more options to find the one that is convenient to us...would have appreciated a more detailed discussion about the potential risks associated with retrieving a higher number of eggs
How was your experience with Ange Wang at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
I wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Angie Wang to anyone going through a fertility journey. Her blend of professional skill, empathy, and genuine care for her patients sets a new standard in the medical field. With Dr. Wang, you're not only a patient, but a valued individual deserving of the best possible care. I am eternally grateful for her help and support during this important part of my life.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Ange Wang at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
I would have appreciated a more detailed discussion about the potential risks associated with retrieving a higher number of eggs. While I am thrilled with the results, a deeper understanding of the potential implications would have been of great value to me.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Undoubtedly, the doctors are highly skilled professionals. However, the overall clinic is prioritizing process optimization, which seems to be excessively burdensome for the patients. They have multiple locations, which gives us more options to find the one that is convenient to us.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Ange Wang at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
He [Dr. Tran] was considerate and informative. He tries to modify the medications with the second retrieval cycle so I felt reassured that he thought about maximizing the process rather than continuing the same methods...He is competent and trustworthy. I appreciate how he works with his patients. He is clear and informative. I feel that could ask him any questions but even if I dont know something I trust that he has the best intention..
They [Nurses at Spring Fertility] are reachable, resourceful and easy to talk to...Very clean and inviting place. I went to the Sunnyvale clinic most of the time for convenience even though my home base was Redwood City. The clinic was efficient and welcoming. I appreciate the snacks and the ambience. Great experience overall...About $8500 for the procedure and about $3500 for the medicine...
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
He is competent and trustworthy. I appreciate how he works with his patients. He is clear and informative. I feel that could ask him any questions but even if I dont know something I trust that he has the best intention.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Ask questions and options.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
He was considerate and informative. He tries to modify the medications with the second retrieval cycle so I felt reassured that he thought about maximizing the process rather than continuing the same methods.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility San Francisco and their degree of success.
I don’t recall it very well but the nurses go over each step and the pharmacy they use are all easy to follow
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility San Francisco. (Assigned nurse: Onjira )
They are reachable, resourceful and easy to talk to
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Very clean and inviting place. I went to the Sunnyvale clinic most of the time for convenience even though my home base was Redwood City. The clinic was efficient and welcoming. I appreciate the snacks and the ambience. Great experience overall.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
About $8500 for the procedure and about $3500 for the medicine
Dr.Zore is so dedicated and enthusiastic...adjusting my medication at each visit to ensure the best possible outcome...used donor sperm...low AMH level...she used a different medication strategy to ensure my follicles grew evenly...recommended proceeding with an eSET (elective single embryo transfer) based on my age and condition
[Spring Fertility San Francisco] team made me feel like we were working together as one team, committed to making the transfer a success...Emily was an incredible nurse...always ensured everything was perfectly timed for my egg retriever and egg transfer for medications and monitoring visits
How was your experience with Temeka Zore at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Dr.Zore is so dedicated and enthusiastic about her profession. She genuinely loves her job and is a motivated person. For my egg retrieval, Dr. Zore carefully reviewed my case, adjusting my medication at each visit to ensure the best possible outcome. I appreciated that she always made time to answer my questions directly without the need to navigate through multiple layers of communication.
When it came to my egg transfer, we faced challenges as my body didn’t initially respond well to the medication, leading to two cancellations. Throughout these setbacks, I never felt alone. Dr. Zore and her team made me feel like we were working together as one team, committed to making the transfer a success. This journey felt like a true collaboration, with Dr. Zore and her attentive care team by my side every step of the way.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Temeka Zore at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
The one advice I would give a prospective patient of Dr. Temeka Zore is to trust in the process and communicate openly with her. Dr. Zore and her team are incredibly dedicated to their patients and adapt their approach to each individual's needs.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Temeka Zore at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Spring was the second clinic I visited for infertility care, and the difference was immediately clear. From my first experience, I learned how crucial it is to see my doctor in person and have the chance to ask questions directly. At every visit, Dr. Zore prioritized being there and listening attentively to my concerns. On the occasions when I couldn’t see her in person, I had full confidence that she was reviewing my monitoring results remotely. Dr. Zore adjusted my treatment to my specific needs, making me feel like a valued individual rather than just another case.
Describe the protocols Temeka Zore used in your cycles at Spring Fertility San Francisco and their degree of success.
In my case, we used donor sperm, and I had only a few eggs left in each cycle. The Spring team made the process much smoother, helping us find the right donor in a short period of time. We simply followed the clinic’s protocol, and by the end, we were confident that we had found the perfect donor.
For my egg retrieval, I was initially concerned because my body hadn’t responded well to medication due to a low AMH level, which I had learned at my first clinic. However, when I met Dr. Zore, she didn’t make me feel that this challenge would hinder my IVF journey. Instead, she used a different medication strategy to ensure my follicles grew evenly. With her care, I never felt that infertility was anyone’s fault. It became a journey we went through together as a team.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility San Francisco. (Assigned nurse: Emily )
I had Briana as my care coordinator and Emily as my primary nurse.
I still vividly remember the call from Emily when she told me that both embryos we submitted for genetic testing came back normal—I was so happy, so I cried. Emily was an incredible nurse; I could tell we were so excited about the news. She always ensured everything was perfectly timed for my egg retriever and egg transfer for medications and monitoring visits. Her communication was always prompt. If she is on PTO or off, the other nurses always reach out to me so I trusted the full Spring team.
We needed to find a donor quickly to ensure our procedure could happen within a year, as the end of the year was approaching. Without Briana’s guidance, we wouldn’t have been able to navigate all the paperwork and steps involved in finding a donor in time. She clearly communicated the timelines and outlined the multiple steps we needed to follow. Thanks to her clear communication and planning, we were able to complete another egg retrieval before the year ended, even considering the clinic's holiday schedule.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
I had the pleasure of meeting different doctors at Spring SF and truly appreciated their attentive care. I loved that Spring offers the opportunity to meet with doctors during monitoring visits rather than operating like a factory. The location flexibility was also a huge benefit for me. Living in San Francisco and working in South Bay, commuting to the SF location for monitoring visits could be inconvenient, especially with the hour-long drive to my work. I often opted for the Redwood City location for quick blood draws or urgent monitoring visits, which made managing my schedule much easier.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Temeka Zore at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
I think the ICSI was about 23K (for the first time) and egg transfer was about 7K.
Describe Temeka Zore's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Spring recommended proceeding with an eSET (elective single embryo transfer) based on my age and condition.
Dr. Kim is the perfect combination of extremely bright while still having wonderful bedside manner...extremely thorough in explaining my treatment options with statistics and great detail. She answered every question I had...saw me for every monitoring appointment through my egg retrieval cycle...delivered the news in an extremely compassionate way...
I cannot put into words how wonderful the nurse and care coordinator for Dr. Kim are [at Spring Fertility San Francisco]...is clean, easy to get to go, has parking, EXTREMELY PUNCTUAL, excellent communication, and a wonderful team...They made it easy for me. They created calendars for me, had medication reminders on the app, and I was able to message my nurse during work hours with any questions
How was your experience with Julia Kim at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Dr. Kim is the perfect combination of extremely bright while still having wonderful bedside manner. I was so nervous when I went to my initial consultation. She was extremely thorough in explaining my treatment options with statistics and great detail. She answered every question I had. I left my consultation confident with her care and the plan we had set ahead. One of the hardest times throughout this process for me was understanding that letrozole/IUI was not working for me and I would likely need to transition to IVF. Dr. Kim delivered this news in a way that made me feel confident about IVF and ready to take the next step. She knew what was best for me and I am so appreciative of her honesty that it was time to move to more aggressive treatment. I was very nervous and excited for the egg retrieval. Dr. Kim saw me for every monitoring appointment through my egg retrieval cycle. This provided me so much confidence and reassurance. We got incredible results from our retrieval and we are so grateful for her treatment plan and care. When it came time for the embryo transfer I was extremely anxious. Seeing her throughout the FET cycle was so helpful for me to be able to ask questions along the way. Unfortunately our first embryo transfer did not take. I was devastated. Dr. Kim delivered the news in an extremely compassionate way. When I was ready to talk about my next FET cycle Dr. Kim took the time to chat with me on the phone about all of my concerns. I felt so reassured and confident going into the second FET. I am now currently 14 weeks pregnant. It still feels like a miracle. When I found out I was pregnant the entire team was SOOOO happy for me. It felt like I had a team of cheerleaders. Our first ultrasound to check for the heart beat was something I will never forget. All of the heartache, time, money spent etc became worth it. Dr. Kim was unbelievably happy for us. It was a moment I will never forget. We also had her share the baby's gender with us at that appointment. Tears of happiness were shed. I still send photos of my ultrasounds and keep my team at spring up to date on my progress. I am so so grateful for Dr. Kim and her helping our dream of starting a family come true.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Julia Kim at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Trust her advice and her data. She is extremely smart and will recommend the best course of treatment.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Julia Kim at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Dr. Kim took the time to get to know me and my husband and our unique situation. She always took the time to answer all of my questions over the phone and provided extremely thorough answers. She is so up to date on current research stats etc. Dr. Kim made me feel comfortable throughout my fertility care even when we had to have tough conversations. I am forever grateful for her.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility San Francisco. (Assigned nurse: Nurse= Sam patient coordinator+ Mikayla)
I cannot put into words how wonderful the nurse and care coordinator for Dr. Kim are. I am extremely detail oriented and I must say every single one of my questions was always answered before I could even ask. I knew every single detail of what was happening with my treatment, what would happen at my next appointment etc. I felt extremely informed, supported, and taken care of. There is SOO much to manage with medication appointments etc during IVF. They made it easy for me. They created calendars for me, had medication reminders on the app, and I was able to message my nurse during work hours with any questions. I don't know what I would have done without them throughout the process. They cheered me on through everything.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
I have nothing but good things to say about Spring Fertility. The clinic is clean, easy to get to go, has parking, EXTREMELY PUNCTUAL, excellent communication, and a wonderful team. I would recommend spring fertility to anyone looking for a clinic.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Julia Kim at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
I cant remember exact numbers but I believe the egg retrieval and fertilization was around 22k. Each FET cycle was around 4500 to 5000
Writing this 4 months pregnant, I'm really grateful to have worked with Dr. Pasternak...my treatment was fully customized throughout retrieval and transfer and she was always willing to listen to my questions and provide plenty of info/answers...did a modified natural cycle that (luckily!) avoided the dreaded PIO shots
You feel very well cared for as a patient at Spring...ultrasound screens are so helpful to follow along at each check-up or monitoring appointment...wish Spring prioritized was having your Dr. call directly to share important updates...Sarah was so great...was always happy to answer my questions
How was your experience with Monica Pasternak at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Writing this 4 months pregnant, I'm really grateful to have worked with Dr. Pasternak! We experienced some unexpected hiccups early in our IVF journey trying to use previously frozen eggs, and Dr. Pasternak really helped us not dwell on what had happened but instead stay focused on achieving our desired results – a pregnancy/baby – which we did! I also appreciated that my treatment was fully customized throughout retrieval and transfer and she was always willing to listen to my questions and provide plenty of info/answers. IVF is a really wild ride as a patient - and I was naively not prepared for this at the outset - but we were in really good hands to help us maintain sanity and achieve a successful pregnancy with Dr. Pasternak.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Monica Pasternak at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Ask lots of questions! Dr. Pasternak is so smart and always willing to chat through the science/medicine, but since her approach is so customized to each patient you'll need to let her know what you want to know.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Monica Pasternak at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Dr. Pasternak is fantastic - I loved working with her. She was so personable during every appointment and phone call. Her care team is also so great. The only time care felt a bit impersonal was receiving important phone call updates when we were at critical points in a cycle from nurses who didn't know me or my case and couldn't answer the questions I had.
Describe the protocols Monica Pasternak used in your cycles at Spring Fertility San Francisco and their degree of success.
For my transfer, we did a modified natural cycle that (luckily!) avoided the dreaded PIO shots. Thanks to my monitoring visits, Dr. Pasternak identified that my body was making ample progesterone and we didn't need to supplement at all! I really appreciated how customized and data-based the treatment decisions were - and my transfer/implantation was successful!
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility San Francisco. (Assigned nurse: Sarah)
Sarah was so great! She was always happy to answer my questions and truly happy for us when she called with updates on our transfer cycle and beta results.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
You feel very well cared for as a patient at Spring. The ultrasound screens are so helpful to follow along at each check-up or monitoring appointment. The only thing I wish Spring prioritized was having your Dr. call directly to share important updates, especially when things don't go as planned or the news is difficult.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Monica Pasternak at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
The IVF process can be daunting but Dr. Zore alleviated so much of my stress and anxiety by taking the time to answer all of my questions, discuss treatment plans in depth, and give her honest opinion on different protocols, medicine, etc. Every ultrasound and procedure was completed by Dr. Zore so I had ample opportunities to check in with her and chat through my latest symptoms, questions, etc. Dr. Zore also made sure to call me to check-in regarding both good and less desirable news, which made me feel like I was always seen and heard as a patient.
I have had an amazing experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco/SOMA locations. Dr. Zore, her care team, and the wonderful nurses and admin staff are all so kind, accommodating, and knowledgeable. Every appointment is right on time and so efficient, which is super important given the frequency of appointments during a retrieval and transfer cycle. The Salve app is extremely easy to use and I always receive a response from my care team almost immediately when I call or message via the app.
How was your experience with Temeka Zore at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Dr. Zore truly cares for patients. She always made herself available to chat with me whenever I needed (which was often!). Dr. Zore is extremely knowledgeable, transparent, honest, and reasonable. I felt so comfortable as a patient under her care (both with her bedside manner and professional expertise).
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Temeka Zore at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Ask any and all questions that you have throughout the process - Dr. Zore is more than willing to discuss your questions and concerns in a transparent manner.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Temeka Zore at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
The IVF process can be daunting but Dr. Zore alleviated so much of my stress and anxiety by taking the time to answer all of my questions, discuss treatment plans in depth, and give her honest opinion on different protocols, medicine, etc. Every ultrasound and procedure was completed by Dr. Zore so I had ample opportunities to check in with her and chat through my latest symptoms, questions, etc. Dr. Zore also made sure to call me to check-in regarding both good and less desirable news, which made me feel like I was always seen and heard as a patient.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility San Francisco. (Assigned nurse: Nina )
Dr. Zore, her care team, and the wonderful nurses and admin staff are all so kind, accommodating, and knowledgeable. Every appointment is right on time and so efficient, which is super important given the frequency of appointments during a retrieval and transfer cycle. The Salve app is extremely easy to use and I always receive a response from my care team almost immediately when I call or message via the app.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
I have had an amazing experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco/SOMA locations. Dr. Zore, her care team, and the wonderful nurses and admin staff are all so kind, accommodating, and knowledgeable. Every appointment is right on time and so efficient, which is super important given the frequency of appointments during a retrieval and transfer cycle. The Salve app is extremely easy to use and I always receive a response from my care team almost immediately when I call or message via the app. The IVF process can be daunting but Dr. Zore alleviated so much of my stress and anxiety by taking the time to answer all of my questions, discuss treatment plans in depth, and give her honest opinion on different protocols, medicine, etc. Every ultrasound and procedure was completed by Dr. Zore so I had ample opportunities to check in with her and chat through my latest symptoms, questions, etc. Dr. Zore also made sure to call me to check-in regarding both good and less desirable news, which made me feel like I was always seen and heard as a patient. I highly recommend Dr. Zore and Spring Fertility!!
Dr Zore was the fourth doctor I saw as I shopped around for a clinic that I felt comfortable investing in. She made me feel at ease with her competency, and I knew she was very well-researched and up to date on the latest studies...She made personalized recommendations, and I felt like she was personally invested in me getting as good of an outcome as possible.
[Spring Fertility] Strengths: Amazing operations, sees you often, clear communication, friendliness, nice amenities making you feel as much at ease as possible in a medical setting. Caring touch points such as chocolates after retrieval and relaxing videos in lobby. Weaknesses: I can't really think of any, but I do think they could provide more lifestyle, supplement, and side effect information to prep patients. This wasn't lacking in any way that would be clinically significant, but could be more in depth to save me some googling.
How was your experience with Temeka Zore at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Dr. Zore is a very detailed and trustworthy provider. I quickly felt like she was personally invested in my success. She adjusted protocol to set me up for success, made sound recommendations, and made sure I came in for scans more often than other clinics. I really appreciated this as I like to stay informed during the uncertainty that makes an IVF cycle. I trusted Dr. Zore's advice and decisions. She ended up making sure I kept the follicle growth slow and steady, worked miracles with synchronicity, and paid attention to over stimulation.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Temeka Zore at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Don't be afraid to ask questions (to her or the nurses that call you to tell you about the medication strategy after appointments). Chances are Dr. Zore will have a very informed opinion about not just your cycle but alternative protocols and the latest research. Dr. Zore really cares about your success. She strikes the right balance of smarts and directness for me personally. You might have another physician do the retrieval if on a weekend. Dr. Pasternak was my on-call physician for this reason and she was absolutely lovely and did an amazing job.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Temeka Zore at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Dr Zore was the fourth doctor I saw as I shopped around for a clinic that I felt comfortable investing in. She made me feel at ease with her competency, and I knew she was very well-researched and up to date on the latest studies. She immediately corrected some incorrect information that another clinic had told me about hormone levels, and did repeat labs that turned out to be great. She made personalized recommendations, and I felt like she was personally invested in me getting as good of an outcome as possible. For example, she often booked scans earlier or more frequent to make sure that I reached synchronicity. I felt great about that. She was a bit rushed at my baseline, which is understandable, but given her attentive manner in the intake consult as well as subsequent appointments and treatment planning, I felt like I was in great hands.
Describe the protocols Temeka Zore used in your cycles at Spring Fertility San Francisco and their degree of success.
Mid-lutheal protocol to control synchronicity. Ended up opting to go on progesterone (pill) in order to grow more follicles. Cycle started with Gonal-f and Menopur - first a higher dose, and then a lower dose of both after day 4. Added antagonist towards day 6 or so. Lupron trigger. Results were growing follicles with synchronicity, and reduced risk of OHSS.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility San Francisco. (Assigned nurse: Nina)
Nina was my nurse, and she was an excellent communicator, and very positive. She was prompt with answers and gave me detailed instructions prior to retrieval. She swiftly worked with me through some changes in the timing of my cycle. During the cycle, NP Ursula Dean as well as Audrey Krall were very thorough, positive, and supportive whenever I couldn't see Dr. Zore in person for ultrasounds. Audrey was a great help in answering questions about any side effects I had during the treatment and made me feel secure (the SF location was more convenient for us and Dr Zore is now mainly based in the SOMA office).
Nicha was my coordinator, and she was equally sweet, attentive, and detailed. I felt great having her help me get all my ducks in a row prior to the cycle.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Strengths: Amazing operations, sees you often, clear communication, friendliness, nice amenities making you feel as much at ease as possible in a medical setting. Caring touch points such as chocolates after retrieval and relaxing videos in lobby.
Weaknesses: I can't really think of any, but I do think they could provide more lifestyle, supplement, and side effect information to prep patients. This wasn't lacking in any way that would be clinically significant, but could be more in depth to save me some googling.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Temeka Zore at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
I chose Dr Tran because he is the clinic founder and known for having excellent results. In my year as his patient, I've had 2 or 3 fifteen minute phone calls with him, a few ultrasounds, 2 egg retrievals, and 1 embryo transfer. I don't feel that I've really formed a relationship with him and I have struggled to trust him due to his deadpan way of saying things. But also I get that he is some sort of genius so I keep hanging in there with the knowledge that he has helped a lot of folks in similar positions to me.
Spring's offices seem pretty efficient. The waiting rooms are clean and I rarely have to wait more than 5 minutes for an ultrasound appointment. The surgical team is excellent and so sweet, I have felt very well taken care of at egg retrievals and embryo transfers. I had some issues with my first patient navigator giving me wrong information, and was transferred to a new navigator and received an apology. My wife and I struggled with all the extra red tape that LGBTQ folks have to navigate with donor tissue, etc. They have the intention to be queer friendly, but I think they are still figuring that out with their systems and administration.
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
I chose Dr Tran because he is the clinic founder and known for having excellent results. In my year as his patient, I've had 2 or 3 fifteen minute phone calls with him, a few ultrasounds, 2 egg retrievals, and 1 embryo transfer. I don't feel that I've really formed a relationship with him and I have struggled to trust him due to his deadpan way of saying things. But also I get that he is some sort of genius so I keep hanging in there with the knowledge that he has helped a lot of folks in similar positions to me. I'd say as far as protocols, he's a bit of a minimalist, not into doing extra tests and procedures. Maybe he's just that good that he doesn't need the extra info.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Do you own research, ask your nurse lots of questions!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
While Dr Tran occasionally asks about my day or the details of my life, he mostly focuses on the pragmatic aspects of treatment. When I ask about expected outcomes, he refers exclusively to data and seems extremely evidence based. He has delivered some disappointing news (ie: you'll probably only get one embryo out of this cycle) with little nuance or compassion. In a way I appreciate it because I can depend on him to not sugar coat anything.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility San Francisco and their degree of success.
I did 2 cycles of mini stim IVF, freezing untested embryos at day 3. He used clomid, menopur, follistim, cetrotide, and a double trigger I think? I added omnitrope (not his recommendation but he allowed it). I also had a laparoscopy for endometriosis which he also did not recommend but allowed. After one failed modified natural FET (of 3 day 3 embryos), I have 2 embryos left that I will transfer in a fully medicated cycle after doing a fully medicated ERA/mock cycle (also not recommended but allowed).
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility San Francisco. (Assigned nurse: Nurse Onjira)
Nurse Onjira is professional and courteous. She sends detailed instructions for each cycle, although sometimes I have to wait a long time to receive instructions for time sensitive issues. She is always willing to answer any questions I have.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Spring's offices seem pretty efficient. The waiting rooms are clean and I rarely have to wait more than 5 minutes for an ultrasound appointment. The surgical team is excellent and so sweet, I have felt very well taken care of at egg retrievals and embryo transfers. I had some issues with my first patient navigator giving me wrong information, and was transferred to a new navigator and received an apology. My wife and I struggled with all the extra red tape that LGBTQ folks have to navigate with donor tissue, etc. They have the intention to be queer friendly, but I think they are still figuring that out with their systems and administration.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
A 3 cycle mini stim IVF cycle was about $30,000, plus meds. I think it came with one embryo transfer and additional tranfers cost about $3,000? I had to pay $900 or $1,000 for a saline sonogram, and the ERA/mock cycle will cost $2,500 plus meds.
Describe Nam Tran's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
It seems that if you're over 40 with DOR, he often recommends using untested day 3 embryos and transferring up to 5 at a time.
What specific things went wrong at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
There were a few issues when we first got set up with our known sperm donor in Spring's tissue bank- our patient navigator gave us wrong information and things turned out being more expensive and complicated than we had anticipated based on what we'd been told.
What we appreciated the most was Dr Tran's direct, confident and no fluff demeanor. Often times, he was more confident in a positive outcome than we were which is what I would want with my fertility doctor. We did experience 1 miscarriage with an IUI cycle which Dr Tran showed a nice balance of compassion and yet still a focus on the path forward...If you want a personalized, down to business, direct and a results driven outcome, then Dr Tran is who you'd want to see.
[Spring Fertility's] strengths: medical staff, knowledge of the co-founding doctors, the nursing staff and nurse practitioner are also all great, inviting, organized, clean, resourceful as they have medications on hand if you need it in an emergency sense...If I had one critique, it would be with the financial coordinator who didn't always know the answers to some pretty simple questions I had regarding mediation cost and wasn't always prompt in communication response.
How was your experience with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
We couldn't be happier as patients of Dr Tran. We saw him at Spring in 2018 when the clinic was still growing and again at the end of 2019 when the clinic had grown exponentially but we experienced the same level of care from Dr Tran. What we appreciated the most was Dr Tran's direct, confident and no fluff demeanor. Often times, he was more confident in a positive outcome than we were which is what I would want with my fertility doctor. We did experience 1 miscarriage with an IUI cycle which Dr Tran showed a nice balance of compassion and yet still a focus on the path forward.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
If you want a fertility doctor who is going to hold your hand, provide some fluffiness to your consults and consultations with a pair of rosy glasses on, this is not the doctor for you. If you want a personalized, down to business, direct and a results driven outcome, then Dr Tran is who you'd want to see.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
We've been a patient of Dr Tran's for 2 separate treatment cycles and have always felt like our consults and treatment conversations were personalized. He was always available for questions and concerns outside of appointment times.
Describe the protocols Nam Tran used in your cycles at Spring Fertility San Francisco and their degree of success.
Walking into the clinic, I thought for sure we would be doing IVF but after our consultation, ultrasound and fertility vitals, Dr Tran recommended that we start with IUI first since the more %s of increase in chances of being pregnant with IVF vs IUI wasn't worth the exponential extra cost of IVF.
For our first treatment cycle, we did two rounds of IUIs. The first round resulted in a miscarriage at 5.5 weeks and the second round results in my now healthy toddler.
For our second treatment cycle which was 10 months after giving birth, we did two rounds of IUI. The first round didn't take and the second round resulted in twins which I am currently in the third trimester of.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
I worked with multiple nurses at Spring Fertility and all were very responsive and helpful. I hardly ever had to stress about communication or to knowing answers to questions I had during my treatment. I only had 1 confusing situation/encounters which was caused by miscommunication with one of the medical assistants but cleared up with Dr Tran.
If I had one critique, it would be with the financial coordinator who didn't always know the answers to some pretty simple questions I had regarding mediation cost and wasn't always prompt in communication response.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Clinic strengths: medical staff, knowledge of the co-founding doctors, the nursing staff and nurse practitioner are also all great, inviting, organized, clean, resourceful as they have medications on hand if you need it in an emergency sense.
Weakness: communication with the financial coordinator.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nam Tran at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
The initial consult was out of pocket which was reasonable. My first two IUI cycles were covered by work and we paid out of pocket for the 2nd two IUI cycles which we found was reasonable as well.
My experience with Dr. Klatsky in 2018 for the egg retrieval was flawless. He kept me updated and educated on why he was doing particular procedures or prescribing medications and was very empathetic to all of the side effects throughout the process. When I came back in for the embryo transfer in 2020, I felt more disconnected. He relies heavily on his IVF nurse lead (who was great) to keep track of medications and cycle stages. There was one appointment i particular that he wasn't aware of what medications I was currently taking and he made recommendations to change medication and move up the cycle. I then received an email from his nurse later that day stating to not make the changes the Dr. had recommended, because he was not aware of exactly what meds I was on and to keep things as originally scheduled. Dr. Klatsky did follow up after our failed embryo transfer, answered all of our questions and was very empathetic and apologetic about the miscommunication that had occured throughout the FET cycle. He discussed in depth the plan for our next FET and why we would take that approach and it has been scheduled to happen within the next two months.
Overall Spring is a good clinic. ... The billing department is very responsive, but it took many emails and hours over the phone with them to get the proper paperwork to try and submit to my out of network insurance. My Dr. was changed the day of my transfer to Dr. Tran (whom I have never met or interacted with) and I was not informed until he came into the room to do the transfer and introduced himself. This was very off putting to me and added a lot of stress on a day when you do not want your stress levels to be high. The clinic was very apologetic about it and I trust that they will have better communication with me for our next FET.
How was your experience with Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
My experience with Dr. Klatsky in 2018 for the egg retrieval was flawless. He kept me updated and educated on why he was doing particular procedures or prescribing medications and was very empathetic to all of the side effects throughout the process.
When I came back in for the embryo transfer in 2020, I felt more disconnected. He relies heavily on his IVF nurse lead (who was great) to keep track of medications and cycle stages. There was one appointment i particular that he wasn't aware of what medications I was currently taking and he made recommendations to change medication and move up the cycle. I then received an email from his nurse later that day stating to not make the changes the Dr. had recommended, because he was not aware of exactly what meds I was on and to keep things as originally scheduled. Dr. Klatsky did follow up after our failed embryo transfer, answered all of our questions and was very empathetic and apologetic about the miscommunication that had occured throughout the FET cycle. He discussed in depth the plan for our next FET and why we would take that approach and it has been scheduled to happen within the next two months.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
The advice that I would give to a prospective patient of Peter Klatsky is to make sure you ask a lot of questions and don't hesitate to request for a follow up phone call if more information is needed or questions need to be answered after an appointment or consultation.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
The first time I came into the clinic in 2018 I felt like I was treated like a human and not just a number. My Dr. and all of the nurses knew me by name and by the end of my egg retrieval the started to feel like family.
When I came back in Feb 2020 to start the embryo transfer process, my experience was a bit different. It seemed like the waiting room was more crowded, procedure dates and times were changed 2-3 times due to scheduling issues (not due to my cycle) and there was some miscommunication happening. Thankfully, the missteps that were made were quickly corrected along the way and did not affect my treatment protocol.
Describe the protocols Peter Klatsky used in your cycles at Spring Fertility San Francisco and their degree of success.
My husband and I had been trying for over a year to get pregnant before we came into the clinic. Dr. Klatsky preformed a saline sonogram, and HSG, an ultrasound and ordered blood work for both my husband and I. He then diagnosed me with Unexplained Infertility saying that all of the tests came out clear. He also took into account the results of my husbands sperm sample that we had previously had done. He recommended IVF, stating that IUI has less chances of working to get us pregnant. We went with his recommendation and started IVF asap. We did a retrieval under his care and did pgs testing at his recommendation to prevent miscarriage or failed FETs.
We then did a medicated FET that was not successful. Dr. Klatsky recommended a medicated FET (with intramuscular progesterone shots and estrogen patches), because during the retrieval he stated that my lining was pretty thin and that the medicated protocol would rule out the lining being a factor. Dr. Klatsky, as well as my husband and I were all pretty surprised when the first round didn't work, since everything went well, lining looked good and the embryo was a "perfect" 5AA. After following up after the transfer, Dr. Klatsky has changed his approach for our next FET to a natural transfer, as I reminded him of my history of pelvic tension issues, interstitial cystitis and spotting. He wants to make sure that endometriosis isn't a factor, although I don't have many of the symptoms and he has done the majority of non- invasive tests to rule it out. Just in case I do have it he does not want to give me estrogen for the next cycle, which causes endo to flare. It will be a risk because there is a chance my lining may not be thick enough on transfer day, but he thinks it is best to try something different than last time to rule out endometriosis or any other factors that may be preventing us from getting pregnant.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility San Francisco. (Assigned nurse: Laurel Maley)
Laurel Maley is our nurse coordinator. She is a great communicator, responded promptly, is compassionate and always in the know of what medications I am taking and was stage of my cycle I was in. She was great and one of the best parts of my experience at Spring.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Overall Spring is a good clinic. From the waiting room to the Dr.'s offices it is very clean and welcoming. The nurses and staff are all very nice and greet you with a warm smile every time you are in the office. It seems like their client load has increased since we first came for our IVF retrieval in 2018, which I think was the cause to procedures times being altered multiple times and long waits for appointments. The billing department is very responsive, but it took many emails and hours over the phone with them to get the proper paperwork to try and submit to my out of network insurance. My Dr. was changed the day of my transfer to Dr. Tran (whom I have never met or interacted with) and I was not informed until he came into the room to do the transfer and introduced himself. This was very off putting to me and added a lot of stress on a day when you do not want your stress levels to be high. The clinic was very apologetic about it and I trust that they will have better communication with me for our next FET.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Peter Klatsky at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
I believe the IVF retrieval was around 12,000-15,000. The FET with consultation, tests, monitoring and transfer was 5,100.
Describe Peter Klatsky's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Dr. Klatsky recommended against putting in multiple embryos at my age (33) and with my diagnosis (unexplained infertility) as it could cause a high risk pregnancy (multiples). I don't even think the clinic allows people to ask for multiple transfers at my age or with my diagnosis, but I am sure there are certain exceptions that they may do so. We allowed the clinic to pick the best out of our 3 pgs tested embryos and asked for the gender to be confidential and not shared with us.
What specific things went wrong at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
My tansfer procedure was rescheduled to 3 different times the day leading up to it, one of the times being only an hour and a half before the procedure was originally scheduled for.
Dr. Tran did my transfer the day of and I was not informed that it would not be my primary doctor Dr. Klatsky until Dr. Tran walked in to do the procedure and introduced himself. The changing of appointment multiple times and not knowing that the Dr. for my transfer had changed until the moment of my transfer added a lot of stress to an already stressful process. It was apologized for by the nurse and Dr., but was definitely very upsetting and frustrating.