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.
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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 thought her [Dr. Ketefian's] recommendations were a little on the conservative side (e.g., having us wait a full 12 months of trying to conceive naturally before running any diagnostic tests, recommending IUI before IVF despite male factor infertility diagnosis), but I understand the value of trying less intensive treatments first. I liked that Dr. Ketefian called me to give me an update on our embryo development after our egg retrieval. Our results were worse than I anticipated, so I appreciated that Dr. Ketefian called me to tell me the news (instead of the nurse), but I wish someone (Dr. or nurses) had prepped me for the full range of possible outcomes, good and bad, just so I could've been more prepared. Overall, great doctor. Highly recommend.
The clinic [USC] rarely picks up their phone, so any time I want to talk to a nurse I have to leave a message and they'd email me back a few hours later. My nurse never saw me when I came in for my monitoring appointments, even when she was working at the clinic. After Dr. Ketefian called me on Day 1 after egg retrieval, I didn't hear back from the clinic (no Day 3 or 5 updates). I called at the end of the day on Day 6 and asked for a call back and they finally emailed me an update. I don't know if it's common for them to skip the Day 3 or 5 updates, but Dr. Ketefian said the clinic would call with a Day 3 update, which they didn't. Care coordinator Elena is super friendly and nice.
How was your experience with Aline Ketefian at USC (closed)?
During our initial consult and throughout our treatment, Dr. Ketefian has been patient, empathic, and understanding. She speaks calmly, carefully, and with purpose. I never feel rushed and she always makes sure I don't have any more questions. I thought her recommendations were a little on the conservative side (e.g., having us wait a full 12 months of trying to conceive naturally before running any diagnostic tests, recommending IUI before IVF despite male factor infertility diagnosis), but I understand the value of trying less intensive treatments first. I liked that Dr. Ketefian called me to give me an update on our embryo development after our egg retrieval. Our results were worse than I anticipated, so I appreciated that Dr. Ketefian called me to tell me the news (instead of the nurse), but I wish someone (Dr. or nurses) had prepped me for the full range of possible outcomes, good and bad, just so I could've been more prepared. Overall, great doctor. Highly recommend.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aline Ketefian at USC (closed)?
Ask lots of questions. She's nonjudgmental and never made us feel like we were asking dumb questions. Also, anticipate that you probably won't get to see Dr. Ketefian during all of your monitoring appointments. She did about 25% of my monitoring ultrasounds.
Describe the protocols Aline Ketefian used in your cycles at USC (closed) and their degree of success.
I was prescribed Gonal F, menopur, and ganirelix. 15 eggs retrieved, 1 blastocyst.
Describe your experience with your nurse at USC (closed). (Assigned nurse: Sarah, Elena)
The clinic rarely picks up their phone, so any time I want to talk to a nurse I have to leave a message and they'd email me back a few hours later. My nurse never saw me when I came in for my monitoring appointments, even when she was working at the clinic. After Dr. Ketefian called me on Day 1 after egg retrieval, I didn't hear back from the clinic (no Day 3 or 5 updates). I called at the end of the day on Day 6 and asked for a call back and they finally emailed me an update. I don't know if it's common for them to skip the Day 3 or 5 updates, but Dr. Ketefian said the clinic would call with a Day 3 update, which they didn't. Care coordinator Elena is super friendly and nice.
Describe your experience with USC (closed).
Some of the doctors do 7 AM appointments. I usually arrive at the clinic before 7 AM and am one of the first few to be seen and haven't had to wait much. They seem pretty busy - the waiting area is usually filled with patients. They have a sign at the front asking people to leave their kids at home and I only encountered one instance in which a couple brought their newborn baby to the clinic.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aline Ketefian at USC (closed).
Cost of egg retrieval including meds: $12,950
What specific things went wrong at USC (closed)?
Failed to call with results
Failed to send your chart to another clinic
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at USC (closed).
I submitted a request (they have a form you have to complete) for a release of medical records. The other clinic and I both called USC numerous times asking for my medical records and they kept saying "hold your horses, we need 7-10 business days to process your request." Fair enough. CA law requires that clinics provide copies within 15 days of receipt of the request. It took USC 13 business days and 17 calendar days. Fertility treatments are time sensitive, so this delay was stressful.
Dr. Paulson has wonderful bedside manner. He takes the time to explain things and has shown compassion each time I've expressed sadness over my follicle count and retrieval results. He listens to my crazy ideas/ things I've read on the internet and discusses with me why xyz protocol won't work. Aside from IVF, I enjoy talking to him and getting his insight on a variety of topics...is direct, but compassionate/truly sorry when results aren't as expected. I generally only have 3-4 follicles and one time I had eight and Dr. P was so excited for me-- it was great to feel like we are part of a team and in this together.
She [nurse at USC] really understands and has so much empathy. I also like the staff that draws my blood. Even after four rounds, I still have a phobia of needles and Andrea is a real pro. She generally gets it after one prick and has such an upbeat personality. Love her!...The monitoring appointments are pretty efficient. I feel like USC has got it down to a science. They are pretty cognizant that people need to get to work so they are good at getting you in and out of there.
How was your experience with Richard Paulson at USC (closed)?
Dr. Paulson is fantastic. The only drawback is that the clinic gets very busy so sometimes a fellow will do your monitoring appointment. He also lectures at a lot of conferences so will occasionally be out of the office for travel. However, there is always another doctor on call, which is important for me because as someone with DOR being put on birth control can cause over suppression.
I like that Dr. P is direct, but compassionate/truly sorry when results aren't as expected. I generally only have 3-4 follicles and one time I had eight and Dr. P was so excited for me-- it was great to feel like we are part of a team and in this together.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Paulson at USC (closed)?
Don't feel that your questions are stupid. After four rounds, I've asked a LOT of questions based on information I read on the internet. Dr. P is great at explaining why something will or won't work and doesn't make you feel like an idiot for asking. I also recommend writing all of your questions down on your phone so that you don't forget them when you see him. He's always on the move and you don't want to forget your questions!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Paulson at USC (closed)?
Dr. Paulson has wonderful bedside manner. He takes the time to explain things and has shown compassion each time I've expressed sadness over my follicle count and retrieval results. He listens to my crazy ideas/ things I've read on the internet and discusses with me why xyz protocol won't work. Aside from IVF, I enjoy talking to him and getting his insight on a variety of topics.
Describe the protocols Richard Paulson used in your cycles at USC (closed) and their degree of success.
Cycle 1: Clomid, 2 vials of menopur; 300IU Gonal. Cetrotide added around day 7. Triggered with Novarel. Also had a Novarel boost added around day 7.
Cycles 2-4: Clomid, 450 IU Gonal. Cetrotide added around day 7. Triggered with Novarel. Also had a Novarel boost added around day 7.
Cycle 5: 225 IU Gonal (haven't started this cycle yet)
Describe your experience with your nurse at USC (closed). (Assigned nurse: Leslie )
The nursing staff at USC is AMAZING. I love my nurse coordinator Leslie, and the other nurses are fantastic as well. We've had a lot of tears and frustration and Leslie is able to guide me through the sadness towards logic. For example, once when I wanted an extra day of stims in the hopes that my follicles would grow, Leslie showed me my chart and helped me to realize that the smaller follicles might not catch up and we don't want to lose the good sized ones. She also leaves me incredibly sweet notes and never forgets to email or call with updates. She's incredible. She really understands and has so much empathy.
I also like the staff that draws my blood. Even after four rounds, I still have a phobia of needles and Andrea is a real pro. She generally gets it after one prick and has such an upbeat personality. Love her!
Describe your experience with USC (closed).
Pros: Truly open ever day, which is great because you can go in for monitoring appointments according to your natural cycle. They are also very efficient at getting you in and out.
Cons: Parking is expensive ($12); I wish they took insurance.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at USC (closed).
The monitoring appointments are pretty efficient. I feel like USC has got it down to a science. They are pretty cognizant that people need to get to work so they are good at getting you in and out of there.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Paulson at USC (closed).
It's about $8,500 for an egg freezing package. Subsequent ones are at a discount (approx. $5,500). If they cancel your cycle then you pay a la cart.
Describe Richard Paulson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at USC (closed).
I haven't reached the transfer stage yet. hopefully I will soon!
Dr. Ho is very patient and nice, with a warm and caring bedside manner. She takes time to answer any questions that I have, no matter how small, and answers messages through the portal very quickly. She took the time to call me after my first IUI, which unfortunately didn't work...thinks about cost savings to the patient. She mentioned that clomid was on the cheaper side. She doesn't draw any unnecessary labs or perform other unnecessary procedures just to bill more, she didn't think drawing progesterone was necessary after my IUI since I got the trigger shot. If I do move on to IVF, I look forward to having Dr. Ho as my physician. She is for single embryo transfer, even though I would consider transferring more than one if I do move on to IVF
USC Fertility doctors all communicate with each other...Strengths- Everything is by evidence based practice. Because this is an academic practice, I'm less worried about doctors taking more money from me by performing more costly tests and procedures. Weakness- I wish that the doctors would be more aggressive sometimes and less worried about risk of multiples. I have a strong personality so being aggressive about treatment doesn't wear me down
How was your experience with Jaqueline Ho at USC (closed)?
I first consulted Dr. Ho around December 2021. She is very knowledgeable and took the time to explain with a powerpoint to me and my husband regarding infertility. For my first IUI, she prescribed 100mg of clomid. I am happy that she gave me 100mg instead of 50mg. She personally performed my first IUI, which unfortunately didn't work. I liked that Dr. Ho showed up with her fellow when I went in for an ultrasound. When she wasn't there on a weekend for my second IUI, her partner Dr. Quinn was covering for my second IUI and she is amazing as well. USC Fertility doctors all communicate with each other, which helps.
Dr. Ho thinks about cost savings to the patient. She mentioned that clomid was on the cheaper side. She doesn't draw any unnecessary labs or perform other unnecessary procedures just to bill more, she didn't think drawing progesterone was necessary after my IUI since I got the trigger shot.
If I do move on to IVF, I look forward to having Dr. Ho as my physician. She is for single embryo transfer, even though I would consider transferring more than one if I do move on to IVF
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Jaqueline Ho at USC (closed)?
Ask all the questions you need to. She will clarify any questions that you may have
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Jaqueline Ho at USC (closed)?
Dr. Ho is very patient and nice, with a warm and caring bedside manner. She takes time to answer any questions that I have, no matter how small, and answers messages through the portal very quickly. She took the time to call me after my first IUI, which unfortunately didn't work.
Describe the protocols Jaqueline Ho used in your cycles at USC (closed) and their degree of success.
100mg clomid with IUI. I grew many follicles but wasn't pregnant. I used the same protocol for both IUIs, she didn't want to increase my dosage after my first cycle because her rationale was that it wouldn't recruit more follicles but just decrease the lining. I asked about injectables when my first IUI failed, but she didn't want me to have more follicles, due to risk of multiples.
Trigger shot was always 5,000 units. Glad that she thinks about saving us costs, since clomid and Pregnyl is cheaper than other trigger shots. She has a reason for doing everything, and very focused on evidence based practice.
Describe your experience with your nurse at USC (closed). (Assigned nurse: Pamela Young)
Pam was my coordinator, she is kind and does her job well.
On the weekend, I had Josephine, and she spoke Mandarin which was a plus to me.
Describe your experience with USC (closed).
Strengths- Everything is by evidence based practice. Because this is an academic practice, I'm less worried about doctors taking more money from me by performing more costly tests and procedures.
Weakness- I wish that the doctors would be more aggressive sometimes and less worried about risk of multiples. I have a strong personality so being aggressive about treatment doesn't wear me down
Describe the costs associated with your care under Jaqueline Ho at USC (closed).
Billing was annoying. They were going to cancel FSH and estradiol on my first IUI, but they forgot and ended up billing it. They said they would refund it only to say I had outstanding charges. This is not Dr. Ho's fault and occurs a lot in healthcare
Describe Jaqueline Ho's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at USC (closed).
I've briefly discussed this with her if we do move on to IVF, she is very pro single embryo transfer if needed, but I'm not sure for older women. Personally, I would like to have more than one embryo transferred if needed, I'm not sure if she is willing to perform that due to patient's wishes
Dr. Paulson and his office were absolutely amazing during the worst time of my life. I was diagnosed with cervical cancer due to an ovarian cyst (it had metastasized to my ovary) and I wanted to harvest eggs from my other ovary before starting chemo....He offered hope while also considering my unique situation. I only had one ovary, 2-3 follicles, and low amh so the chance of getting a lot of eggs was low, but Dr. Paulson said you only need one good egg....
The nursing staff [at USC] was amazing. Everyone I interacted with was so kind and efficient. The office is run really well...I saw 3 fertility clinics and USC was by far the most caring, humane, and educated of all of them...I needed to start chemo ASAP. USC fertility obviously is more humane and caring since they appreciated the situation I was in and I feel they did everything they could to help me.
How was your experience with Richard Paulson at USC (closed)?
Very knowledgeable and kind. He offered hope while also considering my unique situation. I only had one ovary, 2-3 follicles, and low amh so the chance of getting a lot of eggs was low, but Dr. Paulson said you only need one good egg. Since I was lucky enough to have one child with no issues only 16 months before this I was hopeful I could get a good egg, but I had to consider the possibility of poking a likely cancerous cyst and possibly letting out cancerous cells. Even though I had a low chance of success which could potentially affect the clinics stats, Dr. Paulson was still willing if that is what I wanted.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Paulson at USC (closed)?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. He is very knowledgeable and had no issues explaining in detail everything I asked about.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Paulson at USC (closed)?
Dr. Paulson and his office were absolutely amazing during the worst time of my life. I was diagnosed with cervical cancer due to an ovarian cyst (it had metastasized to my ovary) and I wanted to harvest eggs from my other ovary before starting chemo and then later having a total hysterectomy. Dr. Paulson and his team moved very quickly, fitting me in the schedule right away. The nurse Sarah also got me set up with the live strong foundation to get my meds covered. Unfortunately my other ovary started growing a cyst too during this time and it was also suspicious. Another fertility clinic turned me down right away due to the cyst but Dr. Paulson took the time and was still willing to help me even though I only had one ovary and two follicles. I ended up not moving forward and starting chemo right away since there was a low chance of me getting an embryo (although Dr. Paulson said you only need one, I love how hopeful and encouraging he was even though they were not going to make a profit on me due to the cancer discount) he did express his concern about the cyst.
It is also really wonderful that they offered the discount for cancer patients as this kind of diagnoses comes out of nowhere and it’s hard to come up with the money that fast on top of other medical bills.
I saw 3 fertility clinics and USC was by far the most caring, humane, and educated of all of them.
I hope to use an egg donor and gestational carrier in the future and I would definitely go back to USC.
Describe your experience with your nurse at USC (closed). (Assigned nurse: Sarah)
The nursing staff was amazing. Everyone I interacted with was so kind and efficient. The office is run really well. I appreciated how fast Sarah worked to connect me with live strong cancer foundation to help me with the fertility meds.
Describe your experience with USC (closed).
The fact that they offer a cancer discount is truly amazing. No other office offered one and OC fertility quoted be 28k to harvest eggs and feeeze embryos. How is someone treating cancer supposed to come up with that kind of money that fast. I needed to start chemo ASAP. USC fertility obviously is more humane and caring since they appreciated the situation I was in and I feel they did everything they could to help me.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Paulson at USC (closed).
I was quoted 7-9k for cancer related egg harvesting and embryo creation and they connected me with the live strong foundation for the medications.
he [Dr. Sami Jabara] didnt want to hyperstimulate me. I recall him being very cautious about the protocols because I had a history of blood clot...He gave the pros and cons [at Eset] with each cycle, his recommendation, the clinic's recommendation, and let me decide. The first transfer was two embryos and subsequent transfers were single embryo...always treated us with familiarity and compassion. He took the time to get to know us as people, rather than just patients with a chart. He interacted with us with cheer during the good moments, and with sincere empathy during those not-so-good moments. His care and concern always felt real and genuine. He was always there for us.
I chose the clinic [USC] only because of Dr. Jabara being there. The clinic was good. I was pleased with the affiliation with USC Keck. My frustrations with the clinic had to do with being able to reach someone when needed; the main reception number went to voicemail more often than I liked. I also think billing could have been more straightforward, but my questions in that regard were always answered to my satisfaction.
How was your experience with Sami Jabara at USC (closed)?
I felt in good hands with Dr. Jabara from the very beginning. Before our first consult, I had researched his other patient reviews and success rates and felt optimistic. That actual first meeting with him left me feeling hopeful. As we began testing and started treatments, I felt respected and heard as a real person with each interaction. He's a genuinely nice person. That goes a long way when it comes to such a deeply personal and emotional experience as fertility treatment. Throughout my 6+ years as his patient, he was always available and went out of his way to show concern on more than one occasion. I trust his medical expertise and skill, and I value the kindness he always showed me. Through my major surgery with complications, two IVF cycles, and many other intricacies on my journey, Dr. Jabara never let me down.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sami Jabara at USC (closed)?
Trust him. He knows what he is taking about. And he wants you to become a parent as much as you do.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sami Jabara at USC (closed)?
Dr. Jabara always treated us with familiarity and compassion. He took the time to get to know us as people, rather than just patients with a chart. He interacted with us with cheer during the good moments, and with sincere empathy during those not-so-good moments. His care and concern always felt real and genuine. He was always there for us.
Describe the protocols Sami Jabara used in your cycles at USC (closed) and their degree of success.
I have put away the specifics in a special place in my brain I don't want to go back to for self-preservation. But what I do recall from the treatment strategies and protocols was that he didnt want to hyperstimulate me. I recall him being very cautious about the protocols because I had a history of blood clot.
Describe your experience with your nurse at USC (closed). (Assigned nurse: There was a different nurse for each cycle (Darlene, Terri, then Elena))
The nurses were great
Describe your experience with USC (closed).
I chose the clinic only because of Dr. Jabara being there. The clinic was good. I was pleased with the affiliation with USC Keck. My frustrations with the clinic had to do with being able to reach someone when needed; the main reception number went to voicemail more often than I liked. I also think billing could have been more straightforward, but my questions in that regard were always answered to my satisfaction.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at USC (closed).
It was as efficient as it could be I suppose. Being in the waiting area was always awkward with the other patients, but I'm not sure how the clinic could get around that. The waiting area was full only on one occasion, which is good. I recall the wait time for being called back always felt long, but that could have been the early hour and the anticipation.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sami Jabara at USC (closed).
The costs were less than I anticipated given the discount. Still tremendously high, but less than expected nevertheless.
Describe Sami Jabara's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at USC (closed).
He gave the pros and cons with each cycle, his recommendation, the clinic's recommendation, and let me decide. The first transfer was two embryos and subsequent transfers were single embryo.
Dr. Paulson doesn’t beat around the bush. He is honest, and I enjoy his practicality in all matters. He has never swayed me one way or the other and allowed me to make my own choices when, of course, appropriate. He has always been available when I needed to speak to him...Finance Office can be a little hectic, but they’re just understaffed. I empathize with their work load, but when you do pin them down they’re great. Keep all of your receipts in case of discrepancies. I do this anyway as its good practice.
While under USC’s care, I have always felt valued and remembered. Their staff is all around caring and proactive. They have always given me all of the tools to be organized with either IUI’s or IVF procedures and followed up with phone calls. I definitely believe they all do the best they can with the influx of patients they see on a regular basis and have never felt like just another patient or number while seeing them.
How was your experience with Richard Paulson at USC (closed)?
Dr. Paulson doesn’t beat around the bush. He is honest, and I enjoy his practicality in all matters. He has never swayed me one way or the other and allowed me to make my own choices when, of course, appropriate. He has always been available when I needed to speak to him and discuss what next steps would be needed to take. While he is all around a great doctor and I would highly recommend him, I would just take note that he has not done all of my IUI procedures. If that is your expectation, then I would discuss that during consult. While I fully trusted the fellows to perform the procedure with doctor oversight, some may not feel the same. Because of Dr. Paulson’s expert knowledge in this field, I would choose him again even if I had the chance to do this all over again.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Paulson at USC (closed)?
Discuss expectations of whether or not he will do all of your procedures or if it will be another doctor on staff.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Paulson at USC (closed)?
While under USC’s care, I have always felt valued and remembered. Their staff is all around caring and proactive. They have always given me all of the tools to be organized with either IUI’s or IVF procedures and followed up with phone calls. I definitely believe they all do the best they can with the influx of patients they see on a regular basis and have never felt like just another patient or number while seeing them.
Describe the protocols Richard Paulson used in your cycles at USC (closed) and their degree of success.
Dr. Paulson was my second Doctor at USC, and when he reevaluated my previous protocol, he suggested a non-injectable and longer days on Letrozole route. This worked on our first try, but that pregnancy ended in a spontaneous miscarriage. We stuck to the same “natural” cycle of 10 days of Letrozole a failed the following four times. While he fully supported continuing IUI’s, his recommendation of IVF because of my history is what I ultimately accepted and now am doing my first IVF cycle with him and his team. I could not be happier!
Describe your experience with your nurse at USC (closed). (Assigned nurse: Sally and Sarah)
I stayed at USC because of Nurse Sarah. When my initial Doctor transferred out of USC, I stayed with them because Nurse Sarah was absolutely amazing and so organized and kept me sane! Since that pregnancy ended in TFMR, when I returned Sarah was only part-time but I was transferred to Dr. Paulson with Nurse Sally. Sally has been equally amazing and communicative. I couldn’t ask for a better team. They’re all wonderful.
Describe your experience with USC (closed).
Finance Office can be a little hectic, but they’re just understaffed. I empathize with their work load, but when you do pin them down they’re great. Keep all of your receipts in case of discrepancies. I do this anyway as its good practice.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Paulson at USC (closed).
$13,000 IVF, $2500 meds $4500 transfer, annual fee for cryo
IUI with letrozole only “natural” $1200
Describe Richard Paulson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at USC (closed).
We haven’t gotten here yet, but I think for my case and my history we will choose to only transfer one embryo.
But we are writing this before transfer so there is still a chance our one embryo will succeed. In this purgatory period, our honest assessment of Dr. Paulson is of someone staring closely at the data and his published papers on the science with only a passing glance at his patients....He travels quite a bit and can be extremely hard to track down. However, we were told he would be there throughout and he wasn't. So not sure if his schedule is all that predictable...In the room, Dr. Paulson is thorough and forthright. There is no beating around the bush, which in almost every sense is a relief. However, between he and his nurses there were often times when it was nearly impossible to get clear information from them. No response for days, contradictory information, etc.
It often took several calls to get the information promised [at USC]. We would get an email from the nurse saying one thing and the doctor would say another. Surprises in treatment changes were frequent...Monitoring appointments are done within a very early time range. Other than the ungodly hour, the appointment ran smoothly and with care...$15,000 for IVF cycle. $4,000 for retrieval. $4,000 for transfer... is a bit of a factory farm. Front desk and finance feel like somewhere between a car dealership and a nail salon. Facility is basic and to the point. Nothing special or particularly terribl
How was your experience with Richard Paulson at USC (closed)?
It would be dishonest not to admit that if our results were different, we may have a somewhat more positive view of Dr. Paulson's care. But we are writing this before transfer so there is still a chance our one embryo will succeed. In this purgatory period, our honest assessment of Dr. Paulson is of someone staring closely at the data and his published papers on the science with only a passing glance at his patients.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Paulson at USC (closed)?
Make sure he will be in town for the duration of your IVF cycle. He travels quite a bit and can be extremely hard to track down. However, we were told he would be there throughout and he wasn't. So not sure if his schedule is all that predictable.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Paulson at USC (closed)?
In the room, Dr. Paulson is thorough and forthright. There is no beating around the bush, which in almost every sense is a relief. However, between he and his nurses there were often times when it was nearly impossible to get clear information from them. No response for days, contradictory information, etc.
Describe the protocols Richard Paulson used in your cycles at USC (closed) and their degree of success.
First, fibroid removal surgery. Then IVF cycle which produced 6 promising follicles. Unfortunately, only 2 eggs were retrieved and only one of those eggs became a viable embryo.
Describe your experience with your nurse at USC (closed). (Assigned nurse: Terry)
Nurse Terry was fantastic in all the ways you'd want from a primary nurse. If only she'd been in support of a more consistent doctor we would have had an ideal experience with her.
Describe your experience with USC (closed).
USC Fertility is a bit of a factory farm. Front desk and finance feel like somewhere between a car dealership and a nail salon. Facility is basic and to the point. Nothing special or particularly terrible.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at USC (closed).
Monitoring appointments are done within a very early time range. Other than the ungodly hour, the appointment ran smoothly and with care.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Paulson at USC (closed).
$15,000 for IVF cycle. $4,000 for retrieval. $4,000 for transfer. Unknown additional costs for embryo freeze.
Describe Richard Paulson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at USC (closed).
Dr. Paulson's belief is the more the merrier.
What specific things went wrong at USC (closed)?
Lost paperwork
Lost appointments
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 USC (closed).
It often took several calls to get the information promised. We would get an email from the nurse saying one thing and the doctor would say another. Surprises in treatment changes were frequent.
Dr. Dhesi will treat you like a full partner in the process. She's receptive if you do your own research, bring questions and engage in dialogue about options. If you're looking for someone to take control of your IVF journey and just ride along, you may not be happy with her. ... She focuses on evidence based treatment plans, gets input from others and shares the statistics with her patients so they can make an informed decision.
USC was busy. I always went in the early morning and tried to be first on the list so I could get out of there within a half hour, but if I was late it would drag on. Most of the staff was very nice, but they did not accommodate an acupuncturist for the transfer, which is the primary reason we are switching for the second transfer. ... I didn't have a good experience with the primary nurse. She gave me inaccurate information on multiple occasions and was a frustrating person to try to communicate with.
How was your experience with Amy Dhesi at USC (closed)?
I believe Dr. Dhesi is skilled and precise -- I trust her testing and procedures fully. She takes her time and is thorough. My ultrasounds, retrievals and transfer all went better than expected. She focuses on evidence based treatment plans, gets input from others and shares the statistics with her patients so they can make an informed decision.
She doesn't take a forceful posture when discussing options -- she shares thoughts but lets us make the decisions. Sometimes my husband struggles with that and wants her to show more leadership in navigating the complexity. Also I don't always feel like she is tracking the various moving pieces with my treatment. Which is complicated and involves other doctors, but I would feel more confident if she seemed totally current on what I'm taking (especially if she prescribed it) when I'm done, etc.
On a few occasions I saw doctors with significantly more years of experience and saw the value there. I'm a tricky case and might have benefitted from someone who had worked with a number of other patients in similar situations and had direct, rather than theoretical experience.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Amy Dhesi at USC (closed)?
Dr. Dhesi will treat you like a full partner in the process. She's receptive if you do your own research, bring questions and engage in dialogue about options. If you're looking for someone to take control of your IVF journey and just ride along, you may not be happy with her.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Amy Dhesi at USC (closed)?
Dr. Dhesi was the third RE we met with on our fertility journey, and also the youngest. My age was setting off alarm bells for everyone, but she was very candid with us about the factors, odds and our prospects. She put a plan together in partnership with us, shared her thinking and recommendations but took our input. She was sincere and authentic in our interactions, but not so intimate as to be off-putting (we met a few doctors like that and it's not a good fit for us. She's a professional and a partner in this process, but she's treating us like people not like objects she's performing work on.
Describe the protocols Amy Dhesi used in your cycles at USC (closed) and their degree of success.
It was a few years ago, I don't recall offhand.
Describe your experience with your nurse at USC (closed). (Assigned nurse: Elena)
I didn't have a good experience with the primary nurse. She gave me inaccurate information on multiple occasions and was a frustrating person to try to communicate with. We actually switched clinics for the second transfer for multiple reasons, but one was to try to find a better nurse. The other nurses at my clinic were all wonderful, it was just my primary that I had trouble with.
Describe your experience with USC (closed).
USC was busy. I always went in the early morning and tried to be first on the list so I could get out of there within a half hour, but if I was late it would drag on. Most of the staff was very nice, but they did not accommodate an acupuncturist for the transfer, which is the primary reason we are switching for the second transfer.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Amy Dhesi at USC (closed).
Describe Amy Dhesi's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at USC (closed).
My 16 embryos were retrieved when I was 44, and my doctor recommended transferring 5 at a time. We opted to do 4 to slightly reduce the chance of multiples and to give us a few more "at bats" in case there are issues with the uterus or transfer. She helped us evaluate the factors in this decision and accepted our result.
For our IUIs because of the diminished ovarian reserve (DOR), the first cycle [with Dr. Aline Ketefian] was medicated with clomid. The 2nd and 3rd cycle she mimicked IVF with injectable medication which did result in one chemical pregnancy. For the two IVF cycles we used birth control and then injectable medications at the highest level due to the DOR...She was always open to what we wanted in addition to giving us her thoughts and opinion. She allowed us to transfer 2 embryos for both fresh cycles.
Friendly staff, clean environment [at USC]. Open every day even holidays when needed. Responsive, especially to give the beta results from a pregnancy...the parking can be difficult and expensive at times...Sara [nurse] was good and a good communicator. Elena [nurse] made a mistake which caused us to stop mid cycle and wait for the next month...sent in a wrong medication order to the pharmacy which caused us to cancel the cycle.
Clinic Nps
How was your experience with Aline Ketefian at USC (closed)?
Dr. Ketefian is a fantastic doctor. She was honest with us through all of the procedures. After our 3 IUIs she told us that it would be in our best interest to move to IVF. She was clear with us throughout the process so we would understand what would be happening. She was always open to answering any questions we had. On our first transfer, she even agreed to call us on day 2 to let us know how the embryos were doing even though they do not normally do that. She called us personally, not just the embryologist or a nurse. Her protocol worked out and we got pregnant with that first transfer despite doing a 3 day transfer. During our second cycle, our retrieval was much more successful and we had more eggs to fertilize. She listened to us and allowed us to transfer 2 embryos again. For this fresh transfer we were blessed with another successful pregnancy. We were so lucky that despite having diminished ovarian reserve, we were able to freeze one embryo. About 3 years later, we went back to her for one last time. She again answered all of our questions and reviewed options for this frozen embryo transfer, since this was our first frozen transfer. Agains she listened to us about what we wanted and what we didn't want. In the end we got pregnant again for the 3rd time. 3 transfers, 2 successful live births and one current pregnancy. I can not say enough about Dr. Ketefian. She is a wonderful fertility doctor.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aline Ketefian at USC (closed)?
Feel free to ask any questions you may have about your treatment.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aline Ketefian at USC (closed)?
Dr. Ketefian always took the time to talk to us about us, our family, our life. She always made us feel like a person. She listened to our concerns and was always honest about our fertility issues.
Describe the protocols Aline Ketefian used in your cycles at USC (closed) and their degree of success.
For our IUIs because of the diminished ovarian reserve (DOR), the first cycle was medicated with clomid. The 2nd and 3rd cycle she mimicked IVF with injectable medication which did result in one chemical pregnancy. For the two IVF cycles we used birth control and then injectable medications at the highest level due to the DOR. We also needed to take Vitamin D, baby aspirin, estrogen and progesterone.
Describe your experience with your nurse at USC (closed). (Assigned nurse: 1st time Elena, 2nd time Sarah)
Sara was good and a good communicator.
Elena made a mistake which caused us to stop mid cycle and wait for the next month.
Describe your experience with USC (closed).
Friendly staff, clean environment. Open every day even holidays when needed. Responsive, especially to give the beta results from a pregnancy. It is far from where I live and the parking can be difficult and expensive at times.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aline Ketefian at USC (closed).
It was on par with out fertility locations.
Describe Aline Ketefian's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at USC (closed).
She was always open to what we wanted in addition to giving us her thoughts and opinion. She allowed us to transfer 2 embryos for both fresh cycles.
What specific things went wrong at USC (closed)?
Canceled a cycle due to clinic error
Describe the specific things that went wrong at USC (closed).
A nurse sent in a wrong medication order to the pharmacy which caused us to cancel the cycle.
At other places there’s a million middle men between you and the doctor but [Dr. Paulson] always contacted us directly and while the embryos were cleaving he called us every day with updates and sent us the reports. He never gave up on us and knocked it out of the park with the first transfer...he pulled back on the follistim and others and had significantly better results. I believe he gave careful consideration to a personalized course of treatment and didn’t apply a cookie cutter approach.
[USC had] Fair pricing and didn’t try to upsell us on everything. They also set us up with financial assistance for the drugs...Only complaint is that they don’t have set appointment times for regular checkups you just have to come early in the morning during their office hours but literally everything else about them is easy breezy. Office was never too crowded and their waiting area was comfortable...immediately gave us hope, never made us feel rushed, always had compassion, and completely hit a home run with the IVF (after we were told by HRC we had to use donor eggs).
Doctor Nps
How was your experience with Richard Paulson at USC (closed)?
At other places there’s a million middle men between you and the doctor but Paulson always contacted us directly and while the embryos were cleaving he called us every day with updates and sent us the reports. He never gave up on us and knocked it out of the park with the first transfer.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Paulson at USC (closed)?
Look no further this is the best in the world.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Paulson at USC (closed)?
Had previously had a horrible experience at HRC with Dr. Wilcox and team and Paulson and his people especially Theresa immediately gave us hope, never made us feel rushed, always had compassion, and completely hit a home run with the IVF (after we were told by HRC we had to use donor eggs).
Describe the protocols Richard Paulson used in your cycles at USC (closed) and their degree of success.
Previously HRC had used an extremely aggressive treatment and resulted in fewer eggs and fewer embryos. When we reached a similar stage he pulled back on the follistim and others and had significantly better results. I believe he gave careful consideration to a personalized course of treatment and didn’t apply a cookie cutter approach.
Describe your experience with your nurse at USC (closed). (Assigned nurse: Theresa )
She was as amazing as Dr Paulson. At HRC the nursing staff didn’t seem to have a deep understanding of why each protocol was being applied but Theresa was as knowledgeable as the doctor and they felt like a great team.
Describe your experience with USC (closed).
Only complaint is that they don’t have set appointment times for regular checkups you just have to come early in the morning during their office hours but literally everything else about them is easy breezy. Office was never too crowded and their waiting area was comfortable.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Paulson at USC (closed).
Fair pricing and didn’t try to upsell us on everything. They also set us up with financial assistance for the drugs.
Describe Richard Paulson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at USC (closed).
He did tell us that a single embryo transfer would be better if it can result in a pregnancy and lo and behold it did!
Dr. Chung is a compassionate person and knows her stuff. This is her passion and she treats each patient individually ... She is supportive and kind. I would definitely go back to her again. ... she took the time to answer all my questions and was readily available through email. ... She checked my tubes, did a saline sonogram, we started IVF injections and then retrieved.
I went in for monitoring first thing in the morning and it was so convenient. The clinic [USC] was open and ready by 7am. ... Wonderful clinic, tranquil waiting room, complimentary refreshments. Plenty of space, everyone always had a place to sit. ... Everyone on her [Dr. Chung] staff greeted me with care ... Pamela [nurse] was always there, a phone call or email away if I ever needed her.
How was your experience with Karine Chung at USC (closed)?
Dr. Chung is a compassionate person and knows her stuff. This is her passion and she treats each patient individually, I know this because another friend has gone to her too and our protocols were completely different. She is supportive and kind. I would definitely go back to her again.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Karine Chung at USC (closed)?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions or send an email she responds or one of her nurses will right away.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Karine Chung at USC (closed)?
Everyone on her staff greeted me with care, she took the time to answer all my questions and was readily available through email.
Describe the protocols Karine Chung used in your cycles at USC (closed) and their degree of success.
I went in knowing we were doing IVF. She checked my tubes, did a saline sonogram, we started IVF injections and then retrieved. At retrieval I had liquid in my uterus, so we had to move to a frozen cycle. I was sad, but glad we did because I was better prepared for it. Now I’m currently pregnant. In preparation of my frozen transfer I started PIO and estrace, took them till I was 13 weeks.
Describe your experience with your nurse at USC (closed). (Assigned nurse: Pamela Young)
They always greeted me and showed compassion toward my situation. They were all such wonderful cheerleaders and I always get they were on my side. Pamela was always there, a phone call
or email away if I ever needed her.
Describe your experience with USC (closed).
Wonderful clinic, tranquil waiting room, complimentary refreshments. Plenty of space, everyone always had a place to sit. One negative was the parking. Metered street parking available or paid parking in structure.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at USC (closed).
I went in for monitoring first thing in the morning and it was so convenient. The clinic was open and ready by 7am. Dr. Chung wouldn’t always do my monitoring, but I was ok with that. She did always come in after to say hello and check in.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Karine Chung at USC (closed).
$17,000 with meds
Describe Karine Chung's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at USC (closed).
At first she recommended transferring two, because she thought the quality of my eggs would be low, but since they were high she changed her mind to recommend only transferring one. She left the decision in our hands. We went with one and we are glad we did.
Dr Chung sat down with us and explained in great detail our options, risks, and benefits of treatment. She went over every possible detail and answered every question we had. We never felt rushed or dismissed. At the appointments where she promised to meet with us, she always kept her word. She predicted we would get 4 embryos and we ended up with 7, exceeding our expectations which made us very happy.... Dr Chung and everyone else in the clinic was very caring and gentle with us throughout our treatment
They [USC - LA] are great at communicating and providing warm bedside manner. Sometimes the finance department was not the best at communicating our bills clearly but was always cleared up by asking more questions.... The clinic also set us up with organizations that provided free medication to cancer patients which was so incredibly helpful, they took a lot of stress off our shoulders.... The waiting room was pleasant with free coffee and plenty of seating.
How was your experience with Karine Chung at USC (closed)?
Dr Chung sat down with us and explained in great detail our options, risks, and benefits of treatment. She went over every possible detail and answered every question we had. We never felt rushed or dismissed. At the appointments where she promised to meet with us, she always kept her word. She predicted we would get 4 embryos and we ended up with 7, exceeding our expectations which made us very happy.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Karine Chung at USC (closed)?
Go in with a list of questions, ask everything you want to know. She has all the answers and will take the time.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Karine Chung at USC (closed)?
Dr Chung and everyone else in the clinic was very caring and gentle with us throughout our treatment and always made time to answer questions or listen to our concerns.
Describe the protocols Karine Chung used in your cycles at USC (closed) and their degree of success.
I completed a typical egg retrieval cycle using hormone injections daily and for the first week had appointments every other day at the clinic. After that, it was every day to monitor progress. Dr Chung used the best method for our situation, including ICSI to create embryos. She recommended we do not risk harm to the embryos by testing them with PGS and we agreed, because we have had no abnormal embryos in the past through our recurrent miscarriages (cause by a uterine septum).
Describe your experience with your nurse at USC (closed). (Assigned nurse: Leslie Odom)
Every nurse was very warm, friendly, and informative at every appointment. I always felt like I was in good hands.
Describe your experience with USC (closed).
They are great at communicating and providing warm bedside manner. Sometimes the finance department was not the best at communicating our bills clearly but was always cleared up by asking more questions. They do their treatments in the morning, so the earlier you arrive, the better!
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at USC (closed).
The waiting room was pleasant with free coffee and plenty of seating. There is a sign in sheet that is used to call patients in order. Some days were busier than others but we never had to wait an intolerable length of time.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Karine Chung at USC (closed).
The consultation was $350 I believe, but went towards our treatment once we decided to move forward. The clinic offers a 40% discount for the fertility preservation treatment due to my cancer diagnosis. This was very helpful to us. We also had to do a FDA screening because we likely will have to use a surrogate in the future. The clinic also set us up with organizations that provided free medication to cancer patients which was so incredibly helpful, they took a lot of stress off our shoulders. Our total costs after discount was around $7,000.
Describe Karine Chung's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at USC (closed).
Dr Chung recommends we transfer 2 embryos when we decide to move forward with IVF, to increase our chances of having one baby. I agree with this.
Dr. Baker is a warm caring person. She explains the plan and or options in a very understandable way. She is awesome.... As I am an older patient, Dr. Baker was compassionate in explaining to me the risks I face with my egg reserve. In no way did she ever make me feel bad for waiting so long to try for a baby. She has such a beautiful manner, almost like if we have known each other for ever.... My 2 IUIs had similar protocols using Menopur.
Everyone is so friendly at my clinic [USC]. Even though we go in very early, no one is ever in a crappy mood.... They have a big waiting room with coffee, tea and magazines. Inside, there are plenty of exam rooms that have more magazines, a mirror, wipes, etc. Anything we could possibly need to get ready after the examination.... For the IUIs, my insurance covered 25% minus medications and I paid the rest out of pocket, in total about $2000 for each IUI.
How was your experience with Marsha Baker at USC (closed)?
As I am an older patient, Dr. Baker was compassionate in explaining to me the risks I face with my egg reserve. In no way did she ever make me feel bad for waiting so long to try for a baby. She has such a beautiful manner, almost like if we have known each other for ever.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Marsha Baker at USC (closed)?
Keep in mind the game plan can always change. Be open to those changes.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Marsha Baker at USC (closed)?
Dr. Baker is a warm caring person. She explains the plan and or options in a very understandable way. She is awesome.
Describe the protocols Marsha Baker used in your cycles at USC (closed) and their degree of success.
My 2 IUIs had similar protocols using Menopur. The 1st one, my dosage started high and was lowered as I got close to the procedure. My 2nd one, my dosage remained the same until the procedure. I responded very well to the medication both times. Unfortunately my IUIs didn’t work. I was warned in advance that they probably weren’t the best choice for me but I still wanted to start there. For IVF, I did 2 bottles Menopur and 300 iu Follistim for 4 days only. That resulted in 2 huge follicles & lots of little ones. Dr decided to have me trigger and my IVF was officially cancelled. On my follow up visit afterwards, ultrasound sound I had a cyst on my overy. I am about to go back on Sep 26 and see if the cyst has gone away so that I can start Stims hopefully soon.
Describe your experience with your nurse at USC (closed). (Assigned nurse: Sarah)
Everyone is so friendly at my clinic. Even though we go in very early, no one is ever in a crappy mood.
Describe your experience with USC (closed).
They have a big waiting room with coffee, tea and magazines. Inside, there are plenty of exam rooms that have more magazines, a mirror, wipes, etc. Anything we could possibly need to get ready after the examination.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Marsha Baker at USC (closed).
For the IUIs, my insurance covered 25% minus medications and I paid the rest out of pocket, in total about $2000 for each IUI. For the IVF, so far I’ve paid $2900 in medications alone.
Describe Marsha Baker's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at USC (closed).
Dr. Paulson tailored my treatment to ME.... I have his personal cell phone number and will text back and forth while we are doing treatment (and even when we aren't if we have a question). There is never a time I can't reach him and that's a good feeling. We did two natural cycle rounds... It was a big area of research for him and it was no drugs in my body which was great. When that didn't work we said we wanted to go back to what did work - our very first round that yielded our son
The nurses [USC] were amazing and so compassionate. I can't say enough. They were just wonderful!!... Honestly it was a really good experience. I had a couple of appointments that they got me in sort of last minute (because things were looking a little off in my pregnancy) and the wait time to see a doctor was waaay too long but again, I was scheduled sort of last minute. The only other time I had a long wait time was for my initial consult.
How was your experience with Richard Paulson at USC (closed)?
My experience as a patient has been wonderful. I came from another clinic that was just terrible. They focused on the money and you were just a number it was a once size fits all approach and there was no thought given to individual patients. Dr. Paulson tailored my treatment to ME. I wasn't even approached for payment until well after the cycle had ended and he was just a real human being. When my pregnancy wasn't looking good he told me he was concerned and why but also to remain hopeful because he also had patients that had similar markers make it out with a happy, healthy baby (didn't happen in my case but he was honest and kind). He is approachable and handled all of my 1,000,000 questions with ease. He is truly one of a kind and I have referred others to him. My only regret is that I ever went to the other clinic and wasted time, money and my emotions on it all. I wish I had found Dr. Paulson sooner. He is worth the commute up to LA from SD county. He is real, honest and approachable and truly cares for his patients.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Paulson at USC (closed)?
Ask about natural cycle or mini stim! There is no reason to be pumped more full of drugs that your body may not need to do the job so to speak and he is an expert in that type of treatment!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Paulson at USC (closed)?
Dr. Paulson - of three IVF doctors that I've seen - is the most real and candid. He's got a great bedside manner but also doesn't sugar coat things to make you feel better. I have his personal cell phone number and will text back and forth while we are doing treatment (and even when we aren't if we have a question). There is never a time I can't reach him and that's a good feeling. We did two natural cycle rounds (totally recommend this if you have time and money). It was a big area of research for him and it was no drugs in my body which was great. When that didn't work we said we wanted to go back to what did work - our very first round that yielded our son - and do mini stim. He basically let us guide treatment (which after 8 total IVF rounds I felt pretty good about doing). We ended up transferring two good quality embryos on day 4 and I got pregnant. I miscarried a baby girl at 10 weeks. We still have one more embryo in the freezer and will be returning to Dr. P for a frozen round.
Describe the protocols Richard Paulson used in your cycles at USC (closed) and their degree of success.
Natural Cycle - didn't use any drugs just monitored my own body and ovulation! Actually created embryos like this!!! I had a negative pregnancy test but it could work!
Mini stim - menopur (75 iu) and gonal-f (75 iu). Then triggered after 6 nights of stim (I tend to respond a little quickly). Got 4 eggs - 3 were mature and fertilized beautifully. Transferred two - got pregnant and miscarried at 10 weeks. One is still frozen.
Describe your experience with your nurse at USC (closed). (Assigned nurse: Mariam Oglalchian)
The nurses were amazing and so compassionate. I can't say enough. They were just wonderful!!
Describe your experience with USC (closed).
Honestly it was a really good experience. I had a couple of appointments that they got me in sort of last minute (because things were looking a little off in my pregnancy) and the wait time to see a doctor was waaay too long but again, I was scheduled sort of last minute. The only other time I had a long wait time was for my initial consult.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at USC (closed).
Well run - basically had a very small wait time if any and was in and out pretty quickly.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Paulson at USC (closed).
I believe each round was 10k. Medications of course are extra.
Dr. Marsha Baker is intelligent, well spoken, knowledgeable, warm, compassionate, and has an amazing bedside manner. She is a rockstar in her field and definitely the best RE I have encountered. She has always answered my questions honestly, intelligently, and kindly. ...She’s always answered my questions kindly and honestly and adjusts the cycle protocol according to my needs and feedback in addition to what she thinks would be the best protoco
The staff [at USC Fertility] have been great. An occasional nurse here or there lacks the same “gentle” hand that Dr. Baker has. But overall I don’t have any complaints thus far.... She takes into consideration my busy schedule and her office always does it’s best to accommodate me, even during busy times. Her and her office staff have always referred to me by my name and most of them have obviously read my file and taken the time to get to know my case.
How was your experience with Marsha Baker at USC (closed)?
Dr. Marsha Baker is intelligent, well spoken, knowledgeable, warm, compassionate, and has an amazing bedside manner. She is a rockstar in her field and definitely the best RE I have encountered. She has always answered my questions honestly, intelligently, and kindly. She treats me like a human with actual emotions and needs. She keeps me in the loop and takes into account what I want/need when deciding on protocol. She also doesn’t stick with the same protocol over and over. When we don’t get results, she switches meds or dosage. I always feel like Dr. Baker genuinely has my best interest in mind when making decision, even when I don’t like it (a cancelled cycle for example). I have never felt like she makes a decision “just because.” There is always sound reasoning and she’s always willing to explain it to me. I wouldn’t want any other RE treating me.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Marsha Baker at USC (closed)?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions! She’s not intimidating and she will answer, either directly or through staff. I’ve never had a question go unanswered.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Marsha Baker at USC (closed)?
Dr. Baker always takes the time to either answer my inquiries directly, or to have her nurse contact me and it’s always timely. She’s always answered my questions kindly and honestly and adjusts the cycle protocol according to my needs and feedback in addition to what she thinks would be the best protocol. She takes into consideration my busy schedule and her office always does it’s best to accommodate me, even during busy times. Her and her office staff have always referred to me by my name and most of them have obviously read my file and taken the time to get to know my case.
Describe the protocols Marsha Baker used in your cycles at USC (closed) and their degree of success.
My first two IUI cycles were unmedicated except for the trigger (ovidrel). Dr. baker, my partner, and I came to the agreement that it was the best place to start since I was only 28 at the time and had all the infertility testing done with a clean bill of reproductive health. We thought this would be a “one and done” deal. We used donor sperm. I triggered when I had a single mature follicle and had the IUI done 36 hours post trigger both cycles. Negative pregnancy test followed both. 3rd cycle I did clomid CD4-8. I didn’t respond as well as we had hoped (I only had one very mature follicle @ 26mm). We triggered and did IUI the next day. Negative beta 2 weeks later. We then moved on to menopur. First cycle of menopur I did 1.5 vials for 5 days, triggered, IUI 36 hr later. Negative. For the next cycle we did back to back iuis with 4 days at 2.5 vials of menopur and 2 days at 1.5. Then trigger. I had 3 mature follicles. IUI was 12 and 36 hours post trigger. Also negative beta. The cycle after that I hyperstimulated and the cycle was cancelled. I did 6 days of menopur on 2.5 vials, and 2 nights on a single vial and my e2 levels went from 700 to 1861 in only 36 hours, something that was very unexpected for all of us. My body just over responded, and it would have been too risky to do an IUI (higher order multiples were extremely likely). Dr. Baker put me on birth control to calm everything down before moving on to the next IUI cycle. For our next cycle we plan to try to find the happy medium medication-wise between the cancelled cycle and the cycle preceding it. This will be my 7th and hopefully last IUI.
Describe your experience with your nurse at USC (closed). (Assigned nurse: Jennifer)
The staff have been great. An occasional nurse here or there lacks the same “gentle” hand that Dr. Baker has. But overall I don’t have any complaints thus far.
Describe your experience with USC (closed).
I haven’t been with the clinic long enough to establish a good opinion of their strengths and weaknesses unfortunately. I followed Dr. Baker over from Kaiser Permanente Infertility clinic as Kaiser doesn’t do IVF (only IUI) and we are moving on to IVF.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Marsha Baker at USC (closed).
I haven’t started the cycle yet. But I was quoted $15,200 for everything except meds. This quote includes 100% icsi and pgs testing, all lab fees, physician fees, freezing, etc..
Describe Marsha Baker's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at USC (closed).
Dr. Baker plans to transfer only a single pgs tested frozen embryo if I move on to IVF. This is due to my age and the fact that I don’t really want multiples.
So far, I am very pleased with Dr. Paulson. He made me feel confident and safe from the moment and I met him and I find him to be very knowledgeable and has a good personality....we are removing the Fibroid and I had a Hydrosonogram to identify it in addition to an HSG Xray. Once removed, I will be going through with IUI cycles.... he has helped me put my mind at ease and helped me explore my options and figure out a plan of attack.
The clinic is very state of the art and updated. Parking can be difficult, but they do have a parking structure and I have been able to find street parking every time I have gone. So far, no complaints. I do also like that they have open office hours in the morning, although, I have found that it is best to get there 30 minutes early, because it is first come- first serve, so it gets you an earlier spot in the wait.... $350 initial consultation, $350 for Hydrosonogram $1500 for IUI
How was your experience with Richard Paulson at USC (closed)?
So far, I am very pleased with Dr. Paulson. He made me feel confident and safe from the moment and I met him and I find him to be very knowledgeable and has a good personality. We are in the early stages of my fertility treatment and I am very hopeful that he is going to help me reach my goals. I have found myself getting very emotional while at the doctor's office and even feeling like a "failure" in that I cannot get pregnant naturally, however, he has helped me put my mind at ease and helped me explore my options and figure out a plan of attack. My biggest regret is that I did not start on this journey earlier. My husband has also been coming with me on appointments and it is great to have him there and see that he also has faith in the doctor and what they can do for us.
I currently need to have a large fibroid removed, which my OB-GYN had identified but not made as big of a deal out of as Dr. Paulson has. I have had a much greater opportunity to discuss my treatment in detail with Dr. Paulson, where normally when you are at the doctor's office you feel as though the doctor's time is limited and you cannot have a thorough conversation. I sit with Dr. Paulson in his office and do not feel rushed in the least.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Paulson at USC (closed)?
You are going to really enjoy working with him. Stay confident and patient and take things one step at a time.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Paulson at USC (closed)?
Dr Paulsen is extremely thorough and caring.
Describe the protocols Richard Paulson used in your cycles at USC (closed) and their degree of success.
So far, we are removing the Fibroid and I had a Hydrosonogram to identify it in addition to an HSG Xray. Once removed, I will be going through with IUI cycles.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at USC (closed).
They are super sweet and accommodating and put me at ease.
Describe your experience with USC (closed).
The clinic is very state of the art and updated. Parking can be difficult, but they do have a parking structure and I have been able to find street parking every time I have gone. So far, no complaints. I do also like that they have open office hours in the morning, although, I have found that it is best to get there 30 minutes early, because it is first come- first serve, so it gets you an earlier spot in the wait.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Paulson at USC (closed).
$350 initial consultation, $350 for Hydrosonogram $1500 for IUI
Describe Richard Paulson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at USC (closed).
Dr. Chung is incredibly kind and knowledgable. She is able to be a superb medical professional at the same time as being a compassionate cheerleader. We couldn't have asked for a better doctor on this emotionally sensitive journey. We have a nurse who is our contact person for any questions and Dr. Chung makes herself available for questions anytime as well.... she took the time to explain everything, but also approached the interaction with us in a way that made it feel like we were a team.
We love our clinic! It [USC] was recommended by my primary doctor and we could not be happier. Everyone there is super supportive and kind. When we have seen other doctors for scans and monitoring, they have all been exemplary. The front desk staff is patient and kind and the folks in the financial department are too.... Monitoring hours were very convenient for both mine and my husbands schedule. They are early from 7:30-9:30 on weekdays and around the same time on weekends.
How was your experience with Karine Chung at USC (closed)?
From our first meeting with Dr. Chung for a consultation, we knew she was a great fit for us. She is incredibly knowledgeable in her field and extremely thorough. That day she took the time to explain everything, but also approached the interaction with us in a way that made it feel like we were a team. Moving forward in our journey, she always provided a wealth of information and support. She was always supportive and hopeful through our three failed IUIs. Now that we are working through IVF, I could not imagine working with another doctor. She has been so supportive! Always available when I had questions during my egg retrieval process and when I had concerns afterward and leading up to our fresh transfer. It ended in a chemical pregnancy, but throughout the time where we were tracking our beta, she was realistic, but optimistic which was super helpful because it was such a sensitive time. We just saw her this week for our frozen transfer. It is always a pleasure to work with her and we always feel at ease.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Karine Chung at USC (closed)?
Don't be afraid to ask questions. She is so kind, thoughtful, and thorough. She always put our minds at ease.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Karine Chung at USC (closed)?
Dr. Chung is incredibly kind and knowledgable. She is able to be a superb medical professional at the same time as being a compassionate cheerleader. We couldn't have asked for a better doctor on this emotionally sensitive journey. We have a nurse who is our contact person for any questions and Dr. Chung makes herself available for questions anytime as well.
Describe the protocols Karine Chung used in your cycles at USC (closed) and their degree of success.
For my egg retrieval we used a long protocol. I was on birth control and Lupron then Gonal-F and Menopur. I responded very well and 25 eggs were retrieved, of which 5 reached blastocyst stage.
Describe your experience with your nurse at USC (closed). (Assigned nurse: Leslie and Pam)
Leslie was our initial nurse who was our point of contact for all of our IUI procedure and the start of our IVF. She left on maternity leave shortly before we began stimulation for our egg retrieval. We have been working with Pam ever since and she has been just as wonderful. Both Leslie and Pam are incredibly compassionate and patient. Both have always been available to answer questions and provide reassurance at any time.
Describe your experience with USC (closed).
We love our clinic! It was recommended by my primary doctor and we could not be happier. Everyone there is super supportive and kind. When we have seen other doctors for scans and monitoring, they have all been exemplary. The front desk staff is patient and kind and the folks in the financial department are too.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at USC (closed).
Monitoring hours were very convenient for both mine and my husbands schedule. They are early from 7:30-9:30 on weekdays and around the same time on weekends. There were options seven days a week which was incredibly helpful. If I had any conflicts, the clinic was willing to work with us. There was sometimes a long wait, but it varied and did not impact my work schedule.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Karine Chung at USC (closed).
Since I am an employee at USC, I did receive a slight discount on select portions of our IVF retrieval/fresh transfer, but not on our Frozen Embryo Transfer. The IVF retrieval, fresh transfer and medication was around $15,000 and the Frozen Embryo Transfer and medication was about $3600.
Describe Karine Chung's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at USC (closed).
Our doctor used standard guidelines for our transfers given my age and diagnosis. She was very clear about the potential outcomes of transferring two embryos. We felt very comfortable with the information provided to move forward with her recommendations.
As a patient I felt completely taken care of with Dr. K. I trusted her knowledge and opinion . If she [Dr. Ketefian] thought something would help us or was concerned about something we went with her advice . I never felt like she didn't have our best interest in mind.... She was always willing to talk or answer any questions I had either during my appointments or through email and phone . WE made decisions together and she always gave me more than one option . She was honest yet sympathetic to the situation
The clinic [USC] was in a convenient area for me which was really nice . It was a block away from my job. There was always coffee and someone to greet you even at 5 am in the morning. The clinic was clean and very will decorated.... everyone was great at USC. My primary nurse Elena was amazing . she was always so happy even at 630 in the morning. The rest of the staff was also great and so compassionate even on those negative pregnancy days. They always reminded me that we would try again and not give up. I always felt like a had a great team behind me cheering me on
How was your experience with Aline Ketefian at USC (closed)?
As a patient I felt completely taken care of with Dr. K. I trusted her knowledge and opinion . If she thought something would help us or was concerned about something we went with her advice . I never felt like she didn't have our best interest in mind. We never thought we would need fertility treatment but we were so Thankful to have had Dr.K as our Doctor. She has been the best Doctor I have ever had .
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aline Ketefian at USC (closed)?
ask every and any question you might have . I had a lot of anxiety about certain decision I had to make but I always felt better after Dr.K and I talked . I would just ask her for her honest opinion and what she would do . She always made sure I understood everything and that we had a plan for the next cycle that we were both comfortable with . We both had the same goal :)
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aline Ketefian at USC (closed)?
I felt like a human due to DR. K 's daily attention to me and my questions. She was always willing to talk or answer any questions I had either during my appointments or through email and phone . WE made decisions together and she always gave me more than one option . She was honest yet sympathetic to the situation
Describe the protocols Aline Ketefian used in your cycles at USC (closed) and their degree of success.
I
Describe your experience with your nurse at USC (closed). (Assigned nurse: elena / claudia / sarah )
everyone was great at USC. My primary nurse Elena was amazing . she was always so happy even at 630 in the morning. The rest of the staff was also great and so compassionate even on those negative pregnancy days. They always reminded me that we would try again and not give up. I always felt like a had a great team behind me cheering me on
Describe your experience with USC (closed).
The clinic was in a convenient area for me which was really nice . It was a block away from my job. There was always coffee and someone to greet you even at 5 am in the morning. The clinic was clean and very will decorated.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aline Ketefian at USC (closed).
costs were expensive but actually very reasonable compared to other clinics . I think any type of medical out of pocket seems like a lot at first . I looked into other clinics and USC was actually one of the most reasonable
From the very first time I spoke to Dr. Bendikson and I was anxious about my high FSH and low AMH results, she spoke with so much confidence as I hesitantly asked if I could get pregnant? Her ‘this is what I do!’ Response was just the boost I needed in that moment. From that point forward I knew if I trusted the process, no matter the end result I would be pleased with their effort and my commitment to be a good patient.
USC’s Fertility’s strengths include: warm, friendly, knowledgeable and genuine staff. Every doctor I encountered was helpful and informative. On my egg retrieval day I felt like everyone was rooting for me. Weaknesses: Long wait times during clinic hours....All of the nurses and staff were always very warm and friendly. Nurse Vickie answered all of my questions in detail, with compassion and she made it easy for me to understand the process.
How was your experience with Kristin Bendikson at USC (closed)?
From the very first time I spoke to Dr. Bendikson and I was anxious about my high FSH and low AMH results, she spoke with so much confidence as I hesitantly asked if I could get pregnant? Her ‘this is what I do!’ Response was just the boost I needed in that moment. From that point forward I knew if I trusted the process, no matter the end result I would be pleased with their effort and my commitment to be a good patient.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kristin Bendikson at USC (closed)?
Listen to what she tells you because she has experience in the field.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kristin Bendikson at USC (closed)?
The entire office did an excellent job referring to me by my name every time I encountered anyone (not an easy task with my difficult to pronounce name). Everyone was also always very genuinely pleasant, it didn’t seem fake one bit and I appreciated that.
Describe the protocols Kristin Bendikson used in your cycles at USC (closed) and their degree of success.
I don’t really remember....
I just remember not taking any medication for my uterine lining
Describe your experience with your nurse at USC (closed). (Assigned nurse: Vickie)
All of the nurses and staff were always very warm and friendly. Nurse Vickie answered all of my questions in detail, with compassion and she made it easy for me to understand the process.
Describe your experience with USC (closed).
USC’s Fertility’s strengths include: warm, friendly, knowledgeable and genuine staff. Every doctor I encountered was helpful and informative. On my egg retrieval day I felt like everyone was rooting for me.
Weaknesses: Long wait times during clinic hours.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at USC (closed).
There was a window for an appointment. Sometimes the wait was a bit long.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kristin Bendikson at USC (closed).
About $15-$17K
I also received a refund check about a year later for about $1200
Describe Kristin Bendikson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at USC (closed).
During my pregnancy I learned that a lot of clinics no longer transfer multiple embryos. I was very pleased that my clinic chose to transfer all three of my embryos. I really felt like I was treated like an individual patient and not a statistic or anything else. I felt the correct decisions were made for my individual circumstances.
Dr. B [Bendikson] was great at first, during our initial consultation taking a lot of time to explain things to me. But was not always the one conducting my US's and the US's themselves were extremely painful. After about 5 of them she mentions off-hand DURING the US that I might have endometriosis, something she had never mentioned before and is not part of my medical history.... It was also traumatic to have such devastating news imparted to me DURING a vaginal ultrasound.
Clinic [USC] was crowded and only had walk-in hours for monitoring which led to hours and hours of waiting if you showed up too late. It was conveniently located for me. We had a billing issue that was difficult to resolve and entirely avoidable on their part.... There were different medical residents or fellows seeing me every time I went in for monitoring.... The nurse was good and very cheerful, but a little overworked and not always very responsive.
How was your experience with Kristin Bendikson at USC (closed)?
Dr. B was great at first, during our initial consultation taking a lot of time to explain things to me. But was not always the one conducting my US's and the US's themselves were extremely painful. After about 5 of them she mentions off-hand DURING the US that I might have endometriosis, something she had never mentioned before and is not part of my medical history. When my ovaries did not seem active after only about 3 months off of OCP (after 20 years on them) she wanted to start me on Clomid and just plow forward with a cycle. After leaving her and seeing my current RE, I realized that that course of action would have been completely wrong and ineffective given my hormone levels. I am very happy that I left then and did not waste any more time. Because she was ultimately totally incorrect about the course of treatment that was right for me and her abrupt manner and painful US's, I would never recommend her to anyone.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kristin Bendikson at USC (closed)?
Find someone else.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kristin Bendikson at USC (closed)?
There were different medical residents or fellows seeing me every time I went in for monitoring. But Dr. B's nurse was pretty good.
Describe the protocols Kristin Bendikson used in your cycles at USC (closed) and their degree of success.
Her strategy was to let my ovaries recover after years of OCP, and then administer Clomid which would have had NO effect given my hormone levels. I had zero results.
Describe your experience with your nurse at USC (closed). (Assigned nurse: Vicky)
The nurse was good and very cheerful, but a little overworked and not always very responsive.
Describe your experience with USC (closed).
Clinic was crowded and only had walk-in hours for monitoring which led to hours and hours of waiting if you showed up too late. It was conveniently located for me. We had a billing issue that was difficult to resolve and entirely avoidable on their part.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kristin Bendikson at USC (closed).
Costs were pretty similar to other providers in this area.
What specific things went wrong at USC (closed)?
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at USC (closed).
I felt that they did not really understand what was happening with my body, due to the drastically different approach of my current RE. It was also traumatic to have such devastating news imparted to me DURING a vaginal ultrasound. You are in such a vulnerable state mentally and emotionally and I don't feel that they did a good job respecting that.
Dr. Chung treated me exceptionally well, she always explained everything in detail when I didn't understand the procedure or had any sort of question Dr. Chung and her staff was always a call or email away. I never felt as if i was just a "number" or "another" patient I truly felt like Dr. Chung really cares for each and one of her patients, we felt she was helping us reach our #1 goal to have a family..
Terry was an amazing nurse, she always made sure to get back to be by then end of the day or sooner. all the staff was extremely nice warming and friendly. always felt like an amazing place to be. with many helping hands.... Everyone is extremely nice and welcoming, the only down fall would probably be sometimes getting someone of the phone to actually to talk to right away with out having to wait a couple of hours to get a call back.
How was your experience with Karine Chung at USC (closed)?
Dr. Chung treated me exceptionally well, she always explained everything in detail when I didn't understand the procedure or had any sort of question Dr. Chung and her staff was always a call or email away. I never felt as if i was just a "number" or "another" patient I truly felt like Dr. Chung really cares for each and one of her patients, we felt she was helping us reach our #1 goal to have a family..
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Karine Chung at USC (closed)?
I would advice a feature patient to walk in with an open mind. Dr. Chung will load you up with information like no one else she will make sure you understand everything as well as have answered all your questions. Follow all advice given by Dr. Chung and nurse.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Karine Chung at USC (closed)?
Dr. Chung is an amazing Dr. should would take the time to call be back when i had a question or concern. Her nurse as well did the same i never felt alone.
Describe the protocols Karine Chung used in your cycles at USC (closed) and their degree of success.
As a male fertility factor one of our protocols was to try the semen analysis protocol to try and get pregnant naturally since husband suffers of retrograded ejaculations do to cancer and the first time we tried this protocol his sperm reversed,so we were told to try it again which consisted of being abstinence 3-5 days.
1. Begin Sudafed (with pseudo ephedrine) 2 tablets (30mg each) three times a day starting three days prior to semen analysis
2. Take 2 alkaseltzer tablets in the morning.
Describe your experience with your nurse at USC (closed). (Assigned nurse: Terry)
Terry was an amazing nurse, she always made sure to get back to be by then end of the day or sooner. all the staff was extremely nice warming and friendly. always felt like an amazing place to be. with many helping hands
Describe your experience with USC (closed).
Everyone is extremely nice and welcoming, the only down fall would probably be sometimes getting someone of the phone to actually to talk to right away with out having to wait a couple of hours to get a call back.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Karine Chung at USC (closed).
our estimated care cost is at about 8k.
Describe Karine Chung's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at USC (closed).
our Dr. recommended that we get two embryos transfer. why? because or odds would be greater incase one doesn't attach maybe the other one will, and if they both do then we'll be blessed with twins.
Dr. Bendikson is a very thorough doctor. She is very knowledgeable as well and I would describe her as a top doctor in her field. She is caring and kind. She is very understanding of how emotional this situation is. She is very blunt and up front with what is going on and what she thinks of it which I think is good because she doesn't set false hope. On the flip side of it, if something is good she doesn't hesitate to say that either. I think this just makes her trustworthy. I prefer a doctor who just tells me the truth. She is good about answering emails from patients as well. On rare occasions she has been a little rushed with us so we haven't felt able to take our time and ask questions but calling or sending an email solves that.
The clinic has "clinic hours" in which you show up whenever during a window of time and get seen. It sounds unorganized but I love it. It is flexible and you rarely have to wait long for whatever service you are there for. My husband didn't love the atmosphere of the "donation room" as it was just a bathroom and felt a little gross for what he needed to do. The waiting room is comfortable and they offer a keurig with options and water. The rooms are clean and all but one have plenty of space. They work well on scheduling especially if you want to bring in an acupuncturist.
How was your experience with Kristin Bendikson at USC (closed)?
Dr. Bendikson is a very thorough doctor. She is very knowledgeable as well and I would describe her as a top doctor in her field. She is caring and kind. She is very understanding of how emotional this situation is. She is very blunt and up front with what is going on and what she thinks of it which I think is good because she doesn't set false hope. On the flip side of it, if something is good she doesn't hesitate to say that either. I think this just makes her trustworthy.
I prefer a doctor who just tells me the truth. She is good about answering emails from patients as well. On rare occasions she has been a little rushed with us so we haven't felt able to take our time and ask questions but calling or sending an email solves that.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kristin Bendikson at USC (closed)?
Definitely go with Dr. B. You will not be sorry you did. And of course, if you are a prospective patient for infertility, I wish you lots of baby dust and hope.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kristin Bendikson at USC (closed)?
Dr. Bendikson is a very caring doctor. When we suffered our miscarriage she was quick to give me a hug and say how sorry she was. Along the way if we were concerned she answered our questions and was very empathetic. I feel she truly understands (as much as she is able) what we are going through. She also makes it so easy to trust her as she is so knowledgeable. Being able to trust your doctor is key in your treatment.
Describe the protocols Kristin Bendikson used in your cycles at USC (closed) and their degree of success.
I was prescribed 2 estradiol 2mg tablets per day and 2 microprogesterone inserted vaginally morning and night initially to thicken my lining. I did not experience any side effects from these medicines. My lining thickened very quickly and early on. My dosage of progesterone was increased to 3 a day, morning, noon, and evening. This was sufficient hormones to support a pregnancy according to Dr. B. I had a transfer of a single fresh embryo using a donor egg. I did get pregnant but sadly the pregnancy ended in a miscarriage due to blighted ovum. We did the genetic testing on all embryos so it is unclear what happened to cause the blighted ovum. I had frequent blood work and ultrasounds done to check progress.
Describe your experience with your nurse at USC (closed). (Assigned nurse: Vicki)
Our nurse Vicki has been amazing in communicating with us. She is very available and explains everything. She has a great personality and makes you feel very comfortable. She gets back via email very quickly. She is good at explaining things as well. But of course, she has days off. When Vicki was not there I called the clinic to ask a question on two separate occasions and was told the head nurse would call me back. On both of these occasions no one called me back which was very disappointing. But I emailed Vicki and she answered on her next available day.
Describe your experience with USC (closed).
The clinic has "clinic hours" in which you show up whenever during a window of time and get seen. It sounds unorganized but I love it. It is flexible and you rarely have to wait long for whatever service you are there for. My husband didn't love the atmosphere of the "donation room" as it was just a bathroom and felt a little gross for what he needed to do. The waiting room is comfortable and they offer a keurig with options and water. The rooms are clean and all but one have plenty of space. They work well on scheduling especially if you want to bring in an acupuncturist.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kristin Bendikson at USC (closed).
The clinic gives you a price sheet up front with all associated costs at your very first consultation. The consultation does cost $350 but you get so much information. You meet with the doctor, nurse, and billing personnel. We paid roughly 20k to the clinic for the egg retrieval from our donor, icsi and fertilization of our eggs, transfer, follow up ultrasounds and blood work.
Describe Kristin Bendikson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at USC (closed).
Dr. B recommended a single embryo transfer due to my age and size. She felt I could carry a singleton fine and it would make delivery easier to have one. I expressed my desire to have a natural birth and she agreed a single was the way to do this.
He [Dr. Richard Paulson] is really compassionate and has a great bedside manner. He reviews your chart thoroughly at each visit. The only problem is that you do not see him every visit. You often see a fellowship student...The costs are reasonable [at USC] but the billing staff is horrific. If you ask for a receipt to submit to your insurance company, you may wait over a month to get it. The billing staff always answers calls when they are collecting your payments but send you to voicemail when you need copies of bills or receipts.
I mentioned this before - I was supposed to get a call [from USC] at day 5 letting me know how many embryos made it to blast - instead I had to keep calling and on day 7, they informed me that my 6 embryos were dead and none had been sent for biopsy. This was after someone erroneously said two were biopsied and sent off for pgd...They really try to make you feel better if something terrible like a miscarriage happens. They are very positive about trying again when you have a negative result. They are super optimistic. The wait times are often a little long during the morning monitoring hours. This is to be expected at any busy health care facility.
How was your experience with Richard Paulson at USC (closed)?
He is really compassionate and has a great bedside manner. He reviews your chart thoroughly at each visit. The only problem is that you do not see him every visit. You often see a fellowship student.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Richard Paulson at USC (closed)?
Go there if you need basic iui or Ivf. Do not go there if you are interested in pgd/pgs or if you need surgery. The office does not do pgd/pgs routinely so there is some doubt regarding their skills doing the biopsy procedure.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Richard Paulson at USC (closed)?
The office is pretty good about knowing all patients' names.
Describe the protocols Richard Paulson used in your cycles at USC (closed) and their degree of success.
I was put on high dose stims due to DOR. I am not sure if these doses were a little too high or not.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at USC (closed).
The nursing staff dropped the ball when calling to update on my embryos. No one called and I called on day 7 only to be told all embryos were dead.
Describe your experience with USC (closed).
They really try to make you feel better if something terrible like a miscarriage happens. They are very positive about trying again when you have a negative result. They are super optimistic. The wait times are often a little long during the morning monitoring hours. This is to be expected at any busy health care facility.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Richard Paulson at USC (closed).
The costs are reasonable but the billing staff is horrific. If you ask for a receipt to submit to your insurance company, you may wait over a month to get it. The billing staff always answers calls when they are collecting your payments but send you to voicemail when you need copies of bills or receipts.
Describe Richard Paulson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at USC (closed).
The doctor likes to transfer all available day 3 embryos on the over 40 crowd. It may be a good approach because it gets every embryo a chance at implantation. However, you need to be prepared for potential abnormalities that may cause miscarriage. Worse yet, you may have to make a heart wrenching termination decision.
What specific things went wrong at USC (closed)?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Lost paperwork
Failed to call with results
Lost results
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information
Lost or damaged samples
Describe the specific things that went wrong at USC (closed).
I mentioned this before - I was supposed to get a call at day 5 letting me know how many embryos made it to blast - instead I had to keep calling and on day 7, they informed me that my 6 embryos were dead and none had been sent for biopsy. This was after someone erroneously said two were biopsied and sent off for pgd.
My first impression was this sweet doctor who truly cared about her profession and each person who came into her office. She [Dr. Kristin Bendikson] was genuinely interested in my well being and how to help us with our goal. She went out of her way, gave me her cell phone number, and when I was hospitalized with OHSS, she drove 25 miles to visit me in the hospital and worked with the doctors on staff to manage my care. LOVE HER!
Vicki Paddock [at USC] is a wonderful nurse care coordinator. She communicated well, and her disposition is one of love and support. The nursing staff was amazing, calming, and supportive (Allison in particular was the best, though I don't believe she works there anymore)...Clinic was amazing, warm and friendly. The waiting room/lobby was nice as well; we spend so much time waiting, it helps that the environment is welcoming and soothing. It appears as though everyone involved loves their job and it shows in the way they treat their patients. I also appreciated the time in which you wait is not astronomical and they give you updates, (I've experienced LONG wait times elsewhere).
How was your experience with Kristin Bendikson at USC (closed)?
Dr. Bendikson is truly a Godsend. She took it upon herself to befriend me, while helping us to achieve our dream. She is compassionate and loving and it shows with her care. She hurt when I hurt and helped in every way possible. She communicated everything to me, and when my husband was unable to attend an apt, she made herself available to him to explain treatment. She listened to all of my ideas and considered them in my treatment. When I was hospitalized she made herself available to the doctors on staff to help manage treatment. She also made the trek 25 miles to the hospital and visited me. She goes above and beyond. I'm not sure if this was just for me, but believe this is the type of person she is. She engages other doctors when she needs a second opinion and bounces ideas off them for the best course of treatment.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kristin Bendikson at USC (closed)?
Know that she will go out of her way (for you) to ensure the best possible care.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kristin Bendikson at USC (closed)?
My first impression was this sweet doctor who truly cared about her profession and each person who came into her office. She was genuinely interested in my well being and how to help us with our goal. She went out of her way, gave me her cell phone number, and when I was hospitalized with OHSS, she drove 25 miles to visit me in the hospital and worked with the doctors on staff to manage my care. LOVE HER!
Describe the protocols Kristin Bendikson used in your cycles at USC (closed) and their degree of success.
I underwent my first IVF with Dr. Bendikson June 2015 due to severe endometriosis, as a result, hydronephrosis and multiple endometriomas. Medications used: Gonal f, Menopur, Ganirelix. I responded very well and opted for a freeze all - 38 eggs retrieved, 25 fertilized, 15 frozen blasts [13 PGS tested (9NL, 4ABNL) and two untested]. Although we froze all embryos, I overstimulated and was admitted due to pain management and hydronephrosis. Retrospectively, performed NGS and mitochondrial levels screening of embryos (I had an extremely high number of embryos with abnormal mitochondrial levels). AUG'15 we transferred one normal embryo and suffered a chemical pregnancy. The following three cycles results in negative results. During monitoring, my uterus appeared enlarged and globular and Dr. Bendikson recommended an MRI to look for adenomyosis. MRI showed endometriosis and adhesions from pelvis to diaphragm, adenomyosis and hematosalpingx. On Lupron depot from August to February. Underwent surgery in February to remove tubes (tubes were open and did not need to be removed), remove as much endometriosis as possible, remove adenomyoma (this was done outside of RE). Moving forward in May'17, will undergo a mock transfer and ERA.
Describe your experience with your nurse at USC (closed). (Assigned nurse: Vicki Paddock)
Vicki Paddock is a wonderful nurse care coordinator. She communicated well, and her disposition is one of love and support. The nursing staff was amazing, calming, and supportive (Allison in particular was the best, though I don't believe she works there anymore).
Describe your experience with USC (closed).
Clinic was amazing, warm and friendly. The waiting room/lobby was nice as well; we spend so much time waiting, it helps that the environment is welcoming and soothing. It appears as though everyone involved loves their job and it shows in the way they treat their patients. I also appreciated the time in which you wait is not astronomical and they give you updates, (I've experienced LONG wait times elsewhere).
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at USC (closed).
Monitoring occurs within a time frame by physician, which works great for those of us who work. This was we are in and out. This also means that we get results mid afternoon and don't have to wait until the next day.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kristin Bendikson at USC (closed).
$27,185 excluding meds
Describe Kristin Bendikson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at USC (closed).
Based on my medical history, initially it was determined that due to acute renal failure, we would only transfer one embryo. After the second failed transfer, we discussed the possibility of transferring one normal embryo and one untested embryo. While the decision was ultimately in our hands, we trusted Dr. Bendikson to help us make the decision based on optimal health.
She [Dr. Bendikson] was extremely knowledgeable and made me feel completely at ease with her management of our cycle...She did have me do an endometrial receptivity assay, which I understand is not common, but it did come back showing our best day for implantation was 1 day later than expected. She also had me use progesterone suppositories instead of injections...We used a donor egg. There was a mock cycle to assess my response to estrogen patches and progesterone suppositories. T
The clinic [USC Fertility] was nice. The financial coordinator was easy to work with. No concerns overall....Dr. Bendikson and her nurse Vickie were extremely helpful, caring, and knowledgeable....[Nurse] Very responsive 99% of the time, though they do take Tuesdays off. She often had detailed answers to questions I thought only the doctor might be able to answer. Most of my interaction with the clinic was through Vicky and she was excellent.
How was your experience with Kristin Bendikson at USC (closed)?
She was extremely knowledgeable and made me feel completely at ease with her management of our cycle. She also came well recommended. She did have me do an endometrial receptivity assay, which I understand is not common, but it did come back showing our best day for implantation was 1 day later than expected. She also had me use progesterone suppositories instead of injections, which I greatly appreciated. I'm not sure if these things affected our success but so far so good.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kristin Bendikson at USC (closed)?
Dr. Bendikson and her nurse Vickie were extremely helpful, caring, and knowledgeable.
Describe the protocols Kristin Bendikson used in your cycles at USC (closed) and their degree of success.
We used a donor egg. There was a mock cycle to assess my response to estrogen patches and progesterone suppositories. This included several ultrasounds and 2 endometrial receptivity biopsies. We also did a genetic screening for my husband and our egg donor. My cycle was started based on timing with the donor and my biopsy results. I've stayed on 2 estrogen patches and progesterone suppositories until 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Describe your experience with your nurse at USC (closed). (Assigned nurse: Vicky)
Very responsive 99% of the time, though they do take Tuesdays off. She often had detailed answers to questions I thought only the doctor might be able to answer. Most of my interaction with the clinic was through Vicky and she was excellent.
Describe your experience with USC (closed).
The clinic was nice. The financial coordinator was easy to work with. No concerns overall. .........................................................................................................................................................................
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kristin Bendikson at USC (closed).
$1600 for IVF cycle with a donor, around $3500 for meds.
Describe Kristin Bendikson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at USC (closed).
She gave us the opportunity to decide and we opted for single transfer due to lower risk of prematurity and better outcomes than multiple gestation.
What specific things went wrong at USC (closed)?
Failed to call with results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at USC (closed).
I didn't get results once during the holidays, but it was not a problem in the long run.