Penn Fertility Care

13 doctors work here

Rated 7.4
Strongly recommend: 49%Neutral: 28%Don't recommend: 24%7.4
49% strongly recommend
85 reviews
LGBTQ+ Competent Care
LGBTQ+ Competent Care

Based on reviews from the LGBTQ+ community.

Operations
8.2
8.2
Operations

Ratings of 1 indicate that a clinic was poorly operated.

Ratings of 10 indicate that a clinic operated very well.

Scheduling
8.8
8.8
Scheduling

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

Ratings of 10 mean it was easy to schedule appointments.

Billing Department
7.2
7.2
Billing Department

Ratings of 1 indicate an unsatisfactory billing department.

Ratings of 10 indicate an excellent billing department.

Nursing Team
8.4
8.4
Nursing Team

Ratings of 1 indicate an unsatisfactory nursing team.

Ratings of 10 indicate an excellent nursing team.

Attention to Detail
7.3
7.3
Attention to Detail

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

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

CDC Success Rates

This is the most recent data from the CDC. The CDC cautions that it should not be used to compare doctors and clinics. This data represents the outcomes of IVF cycles when using a person's own eggs.

For more information please see our FAQs.

Where you see a “?” on the chart, a clinic has done fewer than 20 cycles in this category and age range, so the CDC says showing percentages from this small data set would be misleading and unreliable.

Annual Cycles
1,384
National Avg
738
This Clinic
National Avg
00%
20%
40%
60%
<35
35-37
38-40
>40

Available Resources

Genetic counseling
Genetic counseling
Acupuncture
Acupuncture
Mental health counseling
Mental health counseling
Nutrition counseling
Nutrition counseling
Administration of shots
Administration of shots
Coordinating at-home nursing
Coordinating at-home nursing
Selling medication
Selling medication
Providing backup medication
Providing backup medication
13 doctors work here
NPS
7.4
Average Doctor Score
Show 9 more

This clinic has 3 offices

Philadelphia - Market
3701 Market St., 8th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Philadelphia - Walnut St
800 Walnut St., 10th floor
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Radnor
145 King of Prussia Road, Floor 3, Suite 303 North
Radnor, PA 19087
Show 1 more

85 patient reviews

2018, Successful
NPS
10
NPS
N/A
Age 29
1 IVF
European
Income $100K - $199K
Accountant
1st of 2 Docs
Strongly Recommends
Successful
Dr. Shah is excellent at communicating what's going on. She breaks things down for "non-science people" and will re-explain something as much as you want. She is kind, compassionate and has been rooting for us since day 1. She is open to my concerns and suggestions (one example is that I wanted to try a natural FET instead of a medicated cycle). She explained the pros and cons of each and ultimately let me decide. This is just one example of many where she has helped me make a decision.
Be prepared to acknowledge that the office is run much differently than most other clinics because UPenn is a teaching hospital. Once I figured this out, it became much less stressful. You will be on hold a lot. You might have to follow-up with the nursing staff. If you miss a call, it's a huge pain to get the team back on the line. Having said that, Dr. Shah ALWAYS called me back in the same day that I asked to talk directly to her and there is ALWAYS an on-call doctor that you can reach (even at 3am). You just have to know that Dr. Shah is managing your care and that every single doctor at UPenn is fantastic, as well. I never had concerns about my care, it was just annoying the way their communication system is.
How was your experience with Divya Shah at Penn Fertility Care?
Dr. Shah is excellent at communicating what's going on. She breaks things down for "non-science people" and will re-explain something as much as you want. She is kind, compassionate and has been rooting for us since day 1. She is open to my concerns and suggestions (one example is that I wanted to try a natural FET instead of a medicated cycle). She explained the pros and cons of each and ultimately let me decide. This is just one example of many where she has helped me make a decision.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Divya Shah at Penn Fertility Care?
Be prepared to acknowledge that the office is run much differently than most other clinics because UPenn is a teaching hospital. Once I figured this out, it became much less stressful. You will be on hold a lot. You might have to follow-up with the nursing staff. If you miss a call, it's a huge pain to get the team back on the line. Having said that, Dr. Shah ALWAYS called me back in the same day that I asked to talk directly to her and there is ALWAYS an on-call doctor that you can reach (even at 3am). You just have to know that Dr. Shah is managing your care and that every single doctor at UPenn is fantastic, as well. I never had concerns about my care, it was just annoying the way their communication system is.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Divya Shah at Penn Fertility Care?
Please note that many of the nurses mentioned in other reviews are no longer at Penn. There have been a few wonderful new nurses (Christine and Dawn) who are excellent at relaying information, call back promptly and are kind and compassionate. Whenever I am there, everyone say hello to me and remembers me. I can reach Dr. Shah whenever I want to speak with her directly.
Describe the protocols Divya Shah used in your cycles at Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
Antagonist protocol for egg retrieval (BCP, Follistim, Menopur, Ganirellex). For transfers BCP, Lupron, Estrace, PIO, but ultimately what worked was a natural FET with only Crinone.
Describe Divya Shah's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Penn Fertility Care.
The clinic follows the national recommended guidelines for embryo transfer. Due to my age, we transferred 1 embryo each time. Dr. Shah never pushed me to transfer more than 1 and I never asked to.
NPS
10
Doctor
Divya Shah
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
3 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
4 of 5
2016 - 2018, Unsuccessful
NPS
8
NPS
9
Age 27 - 29
2 IUI
PCOS
Unexplained
Income $50K - $99K
Only Doc Seen
Neutral
Strongly Recommends
Unsuccessful
Dr. Shah was very kind and very honest. She recognized how hard this is and always tried to remain positive but gave us her honest opinions.... She was very empathetic and clearly knowledgeable. My only negative is that she was more cautious than I would have liked, after 22 cycles all negative tests- I’ve learned I would’ve like to be more aggressive a year ago.... I did the first 8-10 cycles taking letrozole and times intercourse. We moved to letrozole and IUI because that did not work. Due to my PCOS, ovulation was unclear so we introduced ovidrel shots as well. I reacted fine to all of this, the 2.5 mg of letrozole day 3-7 just made me a little more emotional than usual.
I love the staff at Penn. Going through this for as long as I have, seeing the girls (Angie, Susan, Aleah) is nice. They’re familiar. They’re professional. They make me feel safe in a very hard situation....Strengths - Always on time with appointments, in and out. And they always provide fast, accurate feedback. Negatives- IVF is too expensive:( for something some of us need to have - our only hope - it’s disheartening to know I can’t afford the one thing that I need.
How was your experience with Divya Shah at Penn Fertility Care?
She was very empathetic and clearly knowledgeable. My only negative is that she was more cautious than I would have liked, after 22 cycles all negative tests- I’ve learned I would’ve like to be more aggressive a year ago.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Divya Shah at Penn Fertility Care?
She will do whatever you choose - so push if you feel like you’re not being aggressive enough with your treatment.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Divya Shah at Penn Fertility Care?
Dr. Shah was very kind and very honest. She recognized how hard this is and always tried to remain positive but gave us her honest opinions.
Describe the protocols Divya Shah used in your cycles at Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
I did the first 8-10 cycles taking letrozole and times intercourse. We moved to letrozole and IUI because that did not work. Due to my PCOS, ovulation was unclear so we introduced ovidrel shots as well. I reacted fine to all of this, the 2.5 mg of letrozole day 3-7 just made me a little more emotional than usual. Then we moved to gonal-f injectables with IUI. This cycle was longer because we started on too low of a dose. At this point we are back to monitoring with oral meds and times intercourse while saving for the inevitable (IVF).
Describe your experience with your nurse at Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Susan)
I love the staff at Penn. Going through this for as long as I have, seeing the girls (Angie, Susan, Aleah) is nice. They’re familiar. They’re professional. They make me feel safe in a very hard situation.
Describe your experience with Penn Fertility Care.
Strengths - Always on time with appointments, in and out. And they always provide fast, accurate feedback. Negatives- IVF is too expensive:( for something some of us need to have - our only hope - it’s disheartening to know I can’t afford the one thing that I need.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Divya Shah at Penn Fertility Care.
My insurance has covered everything except the gonal-f to date. IVF begins at $8,500. PGS testing is an additional $6,000 and meds between $2k and $5k.
Describe Divya Shah's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Penn Fertility Care.
Dr. Shah does not perform multiple embryo transfer to my knowledge.
What specific things went wrong at Penn Fertility Care?
  • Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Penn Fertility Care.
When my primary nurse, Susan, was out on medical leave the replacement nurses called me with incorrect, conflicting information. I called and spoke with the Nurse Manager and she handled communications until Susan returned.
NPS
8
Doctor
Divya Shah
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
3 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
4 of 5
NPS
9
Clinic
Penn Fertility Care
Radnor
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
4 of 5
Billing Department
4 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
4 of 5
Educational Resources
6 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2017, Unsuccessful
NPS
4
NPS
4
Age 28
2 IVF
Male Factor
PCOS
European
Ashkenazi Jewish
Income $100K - $199K
Nurse or HC Services
1st of 3 Docs
Doesn't Recommend
Doesn't Recommend
Unsuccessful
Dr Shah is genuine and compassionate and although we rarely saw her, we felt like she was monitoring us closely from afar. She didn’t do any of my procedures and I think that played a part in feeling like a number and not a patient at this clinic... I was on a high-responder protocol. I was on Follistim 150 daily to start. Eventually added in Ganirelix and menopur. Eventually we attempted HGH because of a cycle that resulted in poor quality embryos, howevery retrieval was cancelled.
The NP [at UPenn-Radnor] assigned to us was the least compassionate human being I’ve ever met. She was very negative and made the whole IVF process near unbearable. Every time I asked that something be submitted to insurance, she gave me a snarky response about they would never cover it. She acted like I was an inconvenience to her daily.... I felt very out of touch with my own care due to almost never speaking with my doctor. I would speak with a new nurse every day (someone unfamiliar with me) regarding my lab results and medication adjustments.
How was your experience with Divya Shah at Penn Fertility Care?
Dr Shah is genuine and compassionate and although we rarely saw her, we felt like she was monitoring us closely from afar. She didn’t do any of my procedures and I think that played a part in feeling like a number and not a patient at this clinic.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Divya Shah at Penn Fertility Care?
Trust her and don’t be afraid to ask questions!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Divya Shah at Penn Fertility Care?
Dr Shah was compassionate and I really felt that she was invested in our care. She called us whenever we got bad news and to give her best wishes when we decided to switch clinics. We didn’t get the outcome we had hoped for so we were eager to get some new ideas by switching clinics, but leaving Dr Shah was bittersweet.
Describe the protocols Divya Shah used in your cycles at Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
I was on a high-responder protocol. I was on Follistim 150 daily to start. Eventually added in Ganirelix and menopur. Eventually we attempted HGH because of a cycle that resulted in poor quality embryos, howevery retrieval was cancelled.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Susan Tronicelli)
The NP assigned to us was the least compassionate human being I’ve ever met. She was very negative and made the whole IVF process near unbearable. Every time I asked that something be submitted to insurance, she gave me a snarky response about they would never cover it. She acted like I was an inconvenience to her daily.
Describe your experience with Penn Fertility Care.
I get the impression that this clinic may be more concerned with their statistics than with their patients. There are about a dozen doctors and in my time there, I saw every single doctor once for one procedure or another. After over a year at the clinic, I still felt like a new patient.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Divya Shah at Penn Fertility Care.
We paid separately for the egg retrieval ($12,000), FET ($2,500). PGD was paid directly to the lab and meds were separate. I must also say that the Financial coordinator is extremely unhelpful! We were better off googling. At my first meeting with her, I asked her what options there were for paying (do people ever take out loans, are there assistance programs, any opportunities for discounted meds, etc) and she looked at me like I had 12 heads.
Describe Divya Shah's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Penn Fertility Care.
We got the lecture about risks of multiples to the nth degree. I was told I would be the next octomom if we transferred two embryos!
What specific things went wrong at Penn Fertility Care?
  • Failed to send your chart to another clinic
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Penn Fertility Care.
I felt very out of touch with my own care due to almost never speaking with my doctor. I would speak with a new nurse every day (someone unfamiliar with me) regarding my lab results and medication adjustments.
NPS
4
Doctor
Divya Shah
NPS
Humanity
4 of 5
Communication
4 of 5
Frequency Seen
2 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
4 of 5
NPS
4
Clinic
Penn Fertility Care
Radnor
NPS
Operations
2 of 5
Scheduling
4 of 5
Billing Department
1 of 5
Nursing Staff
3 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
3 of 5
Educational Resources
5 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2015 - 2016, Successful
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 30 - 31
1 IVF
Anovulation
PCOS
European
Income $50K - $99K
2nd of 2 Docs
3 IUI With Other Docs
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
Loved Dr. Kalra the first time my husband and I met her. She was kind and honest. She never sugarcoated anything, but she wasn't all doom and gloom either...She told us our chances right up front. As I stated before, Penn was a busy place, so you would often see other doctors for procedures (all of them were excellent). Dr. Kalra did my second embryo transfer...don't hesitate to call Dr. Kalra to discuss it with her. Someone else may deliver the news, but you are always welcome to talk it over with her to make sure you're making the right decision or doing what's best for you.
Penn Medicine is a very busy place...Yet, despite that, everyone I dealt with treated me so well that I never felt like a number. They were kind and compassionate, and they always listened to me. I honestly received excellent care there...Affordable great care. So you may have to wait a bit at each visit...We purchased a package deal, only $6,750 for one egg retrieval and 2 transfers, whether fresh or frozen...Beth was excellent. She always returned my calls and answered all my dumb questions.
How was your experience with Suleena Kalra at Penn Fertility Care?
I loved Dr. Kalra the first time my husband and I met her. She was kind and honest. She never sugarcoated anything, but she wasn't all doom and gloom either. I had liked my previous RE (and the main reason I switched was because IVF wasn't covered by my insurance, and Penn was far more affordable), and he was very nice. BUT he had given me false hope. He seemed certain that the IUIs would work. He even called my OB/GYN to tell him to expect to see me pregnant within the next couple of months (which did not happen). Dr. Kalra never did that. She told us our chances right up front. As I stated before, Penn was a busy place, so you would often see other doctors for procedures (all of them were excellent). Dr. Kalra did my second embryo transfer (but not my first), and that was the transfer that resulted in my beautiful baby girl.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Suleena Kalra at Penn Fertility Care?
If you are concerned about a recommendation or how treatment is going, don't hesitate to call Dr. Kalra to discuss it with her. Someone else may deliver the news, but you are always welcome to talk it over with her to make sure you're making the right decision or doing what's best for you.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Suleena Kalra at Penn Fertility Care?
Penn Medicine is a very busy place - far busier than the fertility clinic I went to previously. Yet, despite that, everyone I dealt with treated me so well that I never felt like a number. They were kind and compassionate, and they always listened to me. I honestly received excellent care there.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Beth)
Beth was excellent. She always returned my calls and answered all my dumb questions. She made sure I was clear with everything. And everyone else who assisted was fantastic as well.
Describe your experience with Penn Fertility Care.
You will receive excellent care here. It's a busy place, busier than the first clinic I went to, but there's a reason for that! Affordable great care. So you may have to wait a bit at each visit. Fortunately my work was understanding if I was late, but I know this could be an issue for some people.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Suleena Kalra at Penn Fertility Care.
We purchased a package deal, only $6,750 for one egg retrieval and 2 transfers, whether fresh or frozen. We were able to take out a loan from Arc Fertility. We bought the medications at the pharmacy onsite and saved a ton of money. We probably spent close to 2 grand, but that's a bargain.
Describe Suleena Kalra's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Penn Fertility Care.
On the first cycle, she recommended transferring one embryo. It was an easy decision to make; it was our first cycle, we had seven frozen embryos (all good quality), and we were in our early thirties. When our first cycle didn't work, she recommended we transfer two embryos on the next cycle. My husband and I were very torn about it; we were concerned about the risks with twins (for the babies, myself, and the financial strain). When she knew I was having a hard time with this recommendation, she spoke at length with me on the phone. She assured me that there was nothing wrong with my embryos (which was my concern), but they recommended two simply because the first round didn't work. There was no other reason why; they just wanted to up my chances. She told me she was cautiously optimistic and didn't feel that we needed to change anything else just yet, so if we were more comfortable with transferring one, that's what we should do (and what we ended up doing with success).
NPS
10
Doctor
Suleena Kalra
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
2 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
NPS
10
Clinic
Penn Fertility Care
Radnor
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
4 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
4 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2016, Unsuccessful
NPS
9
NPS
8
Age 35
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
Male Factor
European
Income $100K - $199K
Professor
1st of 2 Docs
1 IUI With Other Docs
Strongly Recommends
Neutral
Unsuccessful
I felt comfortable with Dr. Shah immediately and felt like I was in great hands. Most of my reluctance of recommending her would only come from how Penn Medicine is run and my experience with the nurses. Dr. Shah had a worksheet made up to help guide her conversations with her patients regarding all of the possible causes of infertility and the tests to identify them. It was incredibly thorough and helpful. I have nothing but great things to say about her...
The clinic at Radnor is well organized and run. The prices for self-pay patients seem to be more reasonable for everything (treatment and meds) than anywhere else I've researched or read about. It is less busy than the office at 3701 Market and for some things you would still need to go to their University City location, but for monitoring, etc, I was at Radnor. However, you will rarely see a physician during your actual treatment. All monitoring is coordinated through the nursing staff...
How was your experience with Divya Shah at Penn Fertility Care?
I felt comfortable with Dr. Shah immediately and felt like I was in great hands. Most of my reluctance of recommending her would only come from how Penn Medicine is run and my experience with the nurses. Dr. Shah had a worksheet made up to help guide her conversations with her patients regarding all of the possible causes of infertility and the tests to identify them. It was incredibly thorough and helpful. I have nothing but great things to say about her.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Divya Shah at Penn Fertility Care?
Be aware that Penn Medicine acts a bit like a team and even if Dr. Shah is your primary RE and guiding your care, you will see any of the doctors at a given procedure and no doctor at all during your monitoring.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Divya Shah at Penn Fertility Care?
Dr. Shah is warm, straightforward, and whip-smart. She goes over things in as little or as much detail as you are comfortable with.
Describe the protocols Divya Shah used in your cycles at Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
Dr. Shah debated between an antagonist protocol (which she selected) and another type of protocol (not sure what that would have been) based on my DOR diagnosis and relatively young (in infertility world) age. The logic for going with the specific protocol was never relayed to me. Did a natural start, 450 gonal f for days 1-5, then ganarelix was added, and I went to gonal f 300 + menopure 150. I had a dominant follicle by day 7 which they warned me might get me cancelled and by day 9 they cancelled the cycle and converted me to IUI that didn't work.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Julie Huston)
While I liked the other staff in the clinic, I didn't like either of the main nurses at Penn Radnor, Julie or Beth. Julie was my coordinator and she just doesn't have a lot of patience and was frequently confusing. When I was trying to confirm one set of her instructions early on, she made a snarky remark that she had done this many times. I replied back that I hadn't and wanted to make sure that I understood. She sounds condescending on the phone and ordered medications that I didn't need without warning me that I didn't need to pick them up right away (that they were only "in case of"). I would see Beth sometimes during monitoring and I felt as though she was withholding information (probably bad news). She was not my primary contact, however, so my experience with her was minimal.
Describe your experience with Penn Fertility Care.
The clinic at Radnor is well organized and run. The prices for self-pay patients seem to be more reasonable for everything (treatment and meds) than anywhere else I've researched or read about. It is less busy than the office at 3701 Market and for some things you would still need to go to their University City location, but for monitoring, etc, I was at Radnor. However, you will rarely see a physician during your actual treatment. All monitoring is coordinated through the nursing staff. You'll have an ultrasound technician do your scans and a tech to do your blood draws. You sometimes can see a nurse or the nurse pratictioner after your monitoring appt, but your nurse will call in the afternoon with an update to your plan. The entire team including the faculty and the fellows will meet and discuss cases. After a treatment fails, they will discuss recommendations for the next round (I don't know if this is for all cases or just more difficult ones, but it happened for mine without any prompting or request and I got the impression that this is just what they do).
Describe the costs associated with your care under Divya Shah at Penn Fertility Care.
Prices changed July 2016 and I do not know current rates. 6750 covered one retrieval and 2 transfers (1 fresh, 1 frozen or 2 frozen) and ALL embryology, anesthesia, monitoring, bloodwork, mock transfer, etc. Everything. Cancelation before retrieval netted a refund of all but 1500. There were other graduated refunds possible (ie only one transfer, but no embryos to transfer reduced cost to 5000). 1 retrieval and 1 transfer (fresh or frozen) was 5000, but the only refund possible was if your cycle was cancelled before retrieval (cost reduced to $1500). This also included absolutely everything (monitoring, embryology, icsi, bloodwork, education seminar, med training).
What specific things went wrong at Penn Fertility Care?
  • Failed to call with results
  • Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Penn Fertility Care.
The fertility information does not go into the online portal (mypennmedicine) and so I had no knowledge of my AMH levels until meeting in person with my RE, despite the fact that all tests for other things (and even things like my HSG) are put into the portal. I also wouldn't have a record of my E2, FSH, etc unless my nurse happened to tell me (or I asked) AND I wrote it down. If you like to know exactly what's going on in your body, like I do, this might bother you. There isn't anything here that is "wrong" per se, it just doesn't mesh with how involved I care to be in my own health and treatment.
NPS
9
Doctor
Divya Shah
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
1 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
4 of 5
Adaptability
2 of 5
NPS
8
Clinic
Penn Fertility Care
Radnor
NPS
Operations
4 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
2 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
4 of 5
Educational Resources
5 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2015, Unsuccessful
NPS
0
NPS
0
Age 33
2 Fertility Medications
Unexplained
Income $200K - $499K
1st of 2 Docs
2 IUI With Other Docs
1 IVF With Other Docs
Doesn't Recommend
Doesn't Recommend
Unsuccessful
she misdiagnosed my husband's sperm results. She opened his results in front of me and said they were normal. Two months later when I was requesting a copy of all our results, I noticed his results were not normal! These results directly impacted our treatment plan and NO ONE ever called to tell us. It is horrible that she misread the test results as I was sitting in front of her. Finally, UPenn pushes all women directly to IUI. They didn't even offer the suggestion of IUI vs. bedroom. I feel like UPenn is out to make money and they do not put the patient first.
I think that Penn is VERY expensive. When I met with their financial rep, she said that IUIs typically bill out at $5,000. Also, they billed all of my diagnostic testing as 'infertility' so my tests started billing against my insurance lifetime maximum. I felt like they were sucking my few insurance dollars dry. In terms of the clinic, it is clean and typically runs on time. It was rare that I had to wait over 15 minutes.
How was your experience with Anuja Dokras at Penn Fertility Care?
Dr Dokras obviously never remembered me. She re-introduced herself to me on several visits. I know she sees a lot of people but she could skim my chart for 5 seconds and realize I have been in her office before. Furthermore, she misdiagnosed my husband's sperm results. She opened his results in front of me and said they were normal. Two months later when I was requesting a copy of all our results, I noticed his results were not normal! These results directly impacted our treatment plan and NO ONE ever called to tell us. It is horrible that she misread the test results as I was sitting in front of her. Finally, UPenn pushes all women directly to IUI. They didn't even offer the suggestion of IUI vs. bedroom. I feel like UPenn is out to make money and they do not put the patient first.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Anuja Dokras at Penn Fertility Care?
Request a hard copy of all your results. Do not trust the verbal diagnosis.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Anuja Dokras at Penn Fertility Care?
Dr Dokras spent very little time with me on my first visits. She made zero effort to connect with me as a person and I felt like she was a robot just asking me questions and putting them into her EMR system.
Describe the protocols Anuja Dokras used in your cycles at Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
Dr Dokras tried to push me immediately to IUI procedures. She did not even offer Clomid and regular intercourse as an option. It was only after I did research and I asked direct questions that she mentioned it was possible. Also, she did not talk about the plan if the IUI didn't work. I had no idea how long I would be doing Clomid and IUIs.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Beth)
I liked my RN, Beth, and the other RNs that i spoke with. They were more willing to answer questions and explain things than Dr Dokras. They seemed to be the only ones understanding my care.
Describe your experience with Penn Fertility Care.
I think that Penn is VERY expensive. When I met with their financial rep, she said that IUIs typically bill out at $5,000. Also, they billed all of my diagnostic testing as 'infertility' so my tests started billing against my insurance lifetime maximum. I felt like they were sucking my few insurance dollars dry. In terms of the clinic, it is clean and typically runs on time. It was rare that I had to wait over 15 minutes.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Anuja Dokras at Penn Fertility Care.
This clinic is very expensive. They think you will pay any amount for their brand name. IUIs bill out to insurance around $5k and IVF bills out around $22k
What specific things went wrong at Penn Fertility Care?
  • Failed to call with results
  • Failed to send your chart to another clinic
  • Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
  • Provided conflicting information
  • Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Penn Fertility Care.
On my second cycle with Clomid, the clinic called to tell me that I didn't ovulate and that I should be increasing my dosage for the next cycle. It was frustrating because I had my menstrual cycle so I did ovulate. They communicated incorrect results and seemed to incorrectly increase my meds as a result. Also, when I went to get a second opinion and asked for my records, it took over 6 weeks and multiple follow-up calls. They couldn't find my husband's results for weeks. This was a large problem - since they misdiagnosed him as I have mentioned previously. Based on his results, they should have recommended we move to IVF because IUI would never have been successful. Instead, I had 4 months on Clomid that were not necessary.
NPS
0
Doctor
Anuja Dokras
NPS
Humanity
1 of 5
Communication
1 of 5
Frequency Seen
1 of 5
Trustworthiness
2 of 5
Compassion
2 of 5
Explained risks
3 of 5
Adaptability
2 of 5
NPS
0
Clinic
Penn Fertility Care
Radnor
NPS
Operations
4 of 5
Scheduling
4 of 5
Billing Department
2 of 5
Nursing Staff
2 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
4 of 5
Educational Resources
5 of 5
2013 - 2015, Successful
NPS
10
NPS
10
Age 32 - 34
7 IUI
1 IVF
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
Male Factor
European
Income $100K - $199K
Teacher
Only Doc Seen
Egg Freezing With Other Docs
Donor Sperm
Strongly Recommends
Strongly Recommends
Successful
She [Dr. Gracia] never hesitated to hug me when I needed one, and didn't blink when I cried. And I cried pretty much every visit. She focused on moving forward rather than my fears of "what if". She was positive without [bs'ing] me.
You need to be aware of how Penn Fertility operates...[nurse] Julie and I just didn't emotional mesh... Julie called me and excitedly told me "You're very pregnant" not realizing earlier that day we were told there wasn't a heartbeat.
How was your experience with Clarisa Gracia at Penn Fertility Care?
She tried her best to be at my appointments. When she saw my name on the schedule, she requested that I wait a few minutes so she could do the fresh IVF transfer.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Clarisa Gracia at Penn Fertility Care?
She is great. However, you need to be aware of how Penn Fertility operates.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Clarisa Gracia at Penn Fertility Care?
She never hesitated to hug me when I needed one, and didn't blink when I cried. And I cried pretty much every visit. She focused on moving forward rather than my fears of "what if". She was positive without being bullshitting me.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Julie)
Ugh, Julie and I just didn't emotional mesh. If I had a different nurse during the ultrasound, she would leave me feeling positive. But when Julie would call in the afternoon with my blood results and instructions, she left me feeling hopeless and like the other nurse had lied to me. No one lied to me, Julie was just not as empathetic. She also neglected to call in a very important prescription med, which resulted in hysterical crying on my part, frantic calls to a late night pharmacy and an hCG trigger shot in the bathroom of the pharmacy. I had a miscarriage early in my treatment with Penn and needed to have my hCG levels repeatedly drawn. Julie called me and excitedly told me "You're very pregnant" not realizing earlier that day we were told there wasn't a heartbeat. I think that was what colored my feelings toward Julie.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Penn Fertility Care.
Monitoring appointments were all in the mornings which was convenient for me. The earliest appointment was at 7:45 so I was able to be in, out and at work almost on time. Thankfully my job had some flexibility.
What specific things went wrong at Penn Fertility Care?
  • Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
  • Failed to order appropriate test
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Penn Fertility Care.
I should never have been allowed to do 7 IUIs (3 unmedicated, 4 with Clomid) given my AMH levels. I don't know how that test was neglected as when I first started, I had to give 14 vials of blood. How was an AMH level never taken until our 7th failed IUI?!?!?! When I did my IVF cycle, I went to the pharmacy and got a huge bags of meds. Half of the meds were never used with my protocol and one essential medication (the hCG trigger shot) was not included. Which I didn't realize until the night I needed it, which was after the pharmacy was closed, so thankfully the on-call doctor was able to call it in to a local 24 pharmacy and my husband gave it to me the bathroom. If we ever have to do another IVF cycle, I will be more proactive in the pharmacy questioning whether we need all the meds handed to us and whether all the necessary meds were included.
NPS
10
Doctor
Clarisa Gracia
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
2 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
4 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
NPS
10
Clinic
Penn Fertility Care
Radnor
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
3 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
3 of 5
Educational Resources
6 of 5
Verified
Verified

This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.

2019 - 2021, Successful
NPS
8
NPS
10
Age 31 - 33
6 IUI
3 IVF
Unexplained
European
Income $100K - $199K
Nurse or HC Services
Only Doc Seen
Neutral
Strongly Recommends
Successful
Dr Shah reached out on several occasions throughout treatments, not just through her NP or my RN. She also came to one of my monitoring appointments, unfortunately to discuss cancelling that cycle due to low response...[she] Explained everything, didn’t make promises she couldn’t keep, was compassionate to our situation, worked with us to try to figure out new plans. LISTENED TO ME and our pushback on the embryologists resulted in my pregnancy.
Strengths [of Penn Fertility Care]- they work as a team. If your DR is off that day because they did procedures on the weekends, there’s still a whole team working on your behalf and getting you your next steps. Also all your appts are in the early morning before lunchtime review and afternoon results calls. This is so helpful because the maternity appointments are later in the day- so you’re not in the office with someone pregnant while you’re struggling.
How was your experience with Divya Shah at Penn Fertility Care?
Explained everything, didn’t make promises she couldn’t keep, was compassionate to our situation, worked with us to try to figure out new plans. LISTENED TO ME and our pushback on the embryologists resulted in my pregnancy.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Divya Shah at Penn Fertility Care?
Advocate for yourself, she’ll listen.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Divya Shah at Penn Fertility Care?
Dr Shah reached out on several occasions throughout treatments, not just through her NP or my RN. She also came to one of my monitoring appointments, unfortunately to discuss cancelling that cycle due to low response.
Describe the protocols Divya Shah used in your cycles at Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
I can’t remember details. I know with unexplained infertility, she wanted to try 4-6 IUI’s to see if that would work. We got disheartened after 4 (well, after all) but we agreed to do the 2 more so the months weren’t wasted.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Christina)
Christina is amazing. Compassionate, helpful, responsive, organized. Always in your corner.
Describe your experience with Penn Fertility Care.
Strengths- they work as a team. If your DR is off that day because they did procedures on the weekends, there’s still a whole team working on your behalf and getting you your next steps. Also all your appts are in the early morning before lunchtime review and afternoon results calls. This is so helpful because the maternity appointments are later in the day- so you’re not in the office with someone pregnant while you’re struggling.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Divya Shah at Penn Fertility Care.
$400/ IUI, ~$6,000 egg retrievals, $~2,000 transfers.
Describe Divya Shah's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Penn Fertility Care.
n/A
What specific things went wrong at Penn Fertility Care?
  • Lost appointments
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Penn Fertility Care.
I clicked none, I didn’t hVe anything go wrong at this clinic.
NPS
8
Doctor
Divya Shah
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
3 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
NPS
10
Clinic
Penn Fertility Care
Radnor
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
4 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5
2007 - 2012, Unsuccessful
NPS
8
NPS
7
Age 41 - 46
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
Poor Egg Quality
European
Income $50K - $99K
1st of 2 Docs
9 IUI With Other Docs
IVF With Other Docs
Donor Eggs With Other Docs
Neutral
Neutral
Unsuccessful
she [Dr. Clarisa Gracia] was very nice. she came into the clinic near the end of my treatments there. I only moved on to another practice because the donor pool they had was much smaller than I hoped and the wait was longer.... the doctors were very caring in the practice but as in any high volume practice - fertility or not - there always seems to be a time crunch.
[U Penn -Radnor's] IA strength and weakness was size. I was very comfortable there and liked the dotors. However, I wanted to move quickly and the donor pool was much smaller than needed. I didn't want to leave the dpctors but needed to to move ahead in my treat,ent... Their donor pool was small and we decided to move to a larger base. We did do a few IUI's and I recall it was a pain to go into the city to do that specific procedure whil everything else was done in radnor.
How was your experience with Clarisa Gracia at Penn Fertility Care?
she was very nice. she came into the clinic near the end of my treatments there. I only moved on to another practice because the donor pool they had was much smaller than I hoped and the wait was longer.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Clarisa Gracia at Penn Fertility Care?
the doctors were very caring in the practice but as in any high volume practice - fertility or not - there always seems to be a time crunch.
Describe the protocols Clarisa Gracia used in your cycles at Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
It was awhile ago so numbers are a bit vague but we started with clomid, and IUI's. then when I had a blighted ovum decided to move to donor eggs. Their donor pool was small and we decided to move to a larger base. We did do a few IUI's and I recall it was a pain to go into the city to do that specific procedure whil everything else was done in radnor.
Describe your experience with Penn Fertility Care.
IA strength and weakness was size. I was very comfortable there and liked the dotors. However, I wanted to move quickly and the donor pool was much smaller than needed. I didn't want to leave the dpctors but needed to to move ahead in my treat,ent
Describe the costs associated with your care under Clarisa Gracia at Penn Fertility Care.
I don't recall. We did have insurance to cover some of the procedures and I remember that they sat down and went over everything with me. It was overwhelming but they knew their stuff and explained it all.
NPS
8
Doctor
Clarisa Gracia
NPS
Humanity
4 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
4 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
5 of 5
NPS
7
Clinic
Penn Fertility Care
Radnor
NPS
Operations
5 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
4 of 5
Nursing Staff
4 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
5 of 5
Educational Resources
6 of 5
2020, Successful
NPS
10
NPS
7
Age 29
2 IVF
Male Factor
Ashkenazi Jewish
Latinx
Income $50K - $99K
Nurse or HC Services
1st of 3 Docs
3 IVF With Other Docs
Strongly Recommends
Neutral
Successful
Dr Bachman was always so caring, compassionate and honest. She gave me her personal cell phone number to contact her and always hugged me and cried with me...Never made me feel like a number and was so empathetic to our situation...Antagonist protocol 150 menopur 300 gonal f Ganirelex
Penn [Fertility Care] is a great clinic overall. You don’t see your main doctor often but it is still a good clinic and nice environment. They communicate via MyChart and sometimes it will take awhile to hear back from your nurse...Tori was always so caring and a great communicator.
How was your experience with Emelia Bachman at Penn Fertility Care?
She was always so warm and compassionate. Never made me feel like a number and was so empathetic to our situation. She made me feel like her friend and always gave us honest hard information but was delicate about it.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Emelia Bachman at Penn Fertility Care?
You will love her.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Emelia Bachman at Penn Fertility Care?
Dr Bachman was always so caring, compassionate and honest. She gave me her personal cell phone number to contact her and always hugged me and cried with me.
Describe the protocols Emelia Bachman used in your cycles at Penn Fertility Care and their degree of success.
Antagonist protocol 150 menopur 300 gonal f Ganirelex
Describe your experience with your nurse at Penn Fertility Care. (Assigned nurse: Tori)
Tori was always so caring and a great communicator.
Describe your experience with Penn Fertility Care.
Penn is a great clinic overall. You don’t see your main doctor often but it is still a good clinic and nice environment. They communicate via MyChart and sometimes it will take awhile to hear back from your nurse.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Penn Fertility Care.
Monitoring was easy and convenient
Describe the costs associated with your care under Emelia Bachman at Penn Fertility Care.
11k per cycle
Describe Emelia Bachman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Penn Fertility Care.
Our fist transfer was a day 5 embryo the only one that made it to blast. Our 2nd transfer was 2 day 3 embryos which resulted in our daughters pregnancy and birth.
NPS
10
Doctor
Emelia Bachman
NPS
Humanity
5 of 5
Communication
5 of 5
Frequency Seen
1 of 5
Trustworthiness
5 of 5
Compassion
5 of 5
Explained risks
5 of 5
Adaptability
3 of 5
NPS
7
Clinic
Penn Fertility Care
Radnor
NPS
Operations
4 of 5
Scheduling
5 of 5
Billing Department
5 of 5
Nursing Staff
5 of 5
Clinic Atmosphere
3 of 5
Educational Resources
7 of 5

Learn from top medical experts

Explore All Courses