Alexis Kim

I felt as if Dr Kim spent too much time on IUIs. I already came in with a diagnosis of balanced translocation so the hard part was figured out. With PGT SR genetic testing I got pregnant after the first transfer. Other than that he is really nice, timely, and approachable.

Advocate for IVF sooner. Try not to do so many IUIs. 2 or 3 is enough. I did 5.

I feel like I had a very basic protocol for egg retrieval. Gonal F and Menopur then adding cetrotide to prevent ovulation later. I had pretty good results. For transfer I could chose natural or medicated. I chose natural and I cannot recommend it enough. The vaginal suppositories bid vs pio shots make a big difference. Also associated with less risks of preclampsia later on. The only risk with the natural cycle was a higher chance of it being canceled because of missed ovulation however with the amount of IUIs I went through, I got pretty good with pinning down the day of ovulation.

The office staff knew my by name which was nice so I didn't even need to check in. Wait times were minimal. Maybe about half the time it was my assigned doctor.

I had a 15000 dollar infertility budget with my insurance. I worked with a financial counselor named Nadia who really maximized the spending. I paid out of pocket for meds to take advantage of the 50 percent self pay discount. Overall I spent only 6000 for 5 IUIs, 1 egg retrieval, and 1 transfer thanks to Nadia.

I was trying to push for a multiple embryo transfer but considering my age and diagnosis Dr Kim would not let me. I respect his advice.

It was a very long journey but Dr. Kim and his team ultimately delivered (I graduated from the clinic after my fifth transfer which resulted in a pregnancy). Dr. Kim is kind, calm and patient. He has a really steady and gentle hand in procedures - other doctors will ram a probe painfully but Dr. Kim avoids that. He takes the time to explain things too. He doesn’t over promise and is science based. What I appreciate about him is that he doesn’t push outlandish IVF add-ons, but he is still willing to try things when you specifically request it (for example, I asked to do karyotype testing even though it wouldn’t be super helpful or didn’t seem particularly needed, and he was willing to let me do it upon request). At many points during the process, I wanted to change things up or do things a certain way, and while Dr. Kim indicated that we didn’t have to do things that way but was willing to accommodate, a lot of his advice (especially around luck of the draw) ended up being true in the end. One thing that I appreciated too was that given some of my complicated history, he made it a point to see me every time, even on his surgery days and for basic monitoring. (That is pretty rare at other clinics.) I was happy in the end with my treatment.

Dr. Kim is solid if you fit in a box or are an easy case. If you are a hard case, it may be harder to find the cause quickly because PAMF doesn’t automatically do things like DNA fragmentation tests, karyotype testing, ERAs, Receptiva testing, etc. You have to be an advocate for stuff like that. But if you raise it, PAMF will entertain the request but discuss the facts and science with you (and if the benefit is only marginal, they may be discouraging of pursuing it).

Ultimately what worked was antagonist and Day 5 transfer with no PGS testing.

I had unlimited IVF coverage through my employer so I have no idea what anything cost. But I was impressed that they processed my insurance efficiently and never tried to unfairly bill me for things covered by insurance.

PAMF is pretty strict if you are under 35 with single embryo transfers.

I went into this like most women in this situation: excited, anxious, and a bit scared of what lies ahead. From the first visit and so far throughout this process Dr. Kim has been more than reassuring and honest about what to expect. He took time to develop the rapport we needed. As I stated previously he was upfront about everything from the process, options, labs, and even costs. I have yet to feel alone or lost in this process.

I would say, “you made it this far, keep going!” I know the frustration of trying to conceive and feeling unheard, but Dr. Kim will help alleviate that as much as he can. I don’t profess him to be able to resolve all issues, but he is in the business of helping give others miracles in form of humans. Come with your questions and be open to what you may hear from any provider.

I’m currently awaiting my cycle review for my injection schedule. However I had a lot of the imaging and labs completed from my previous doctor. My husband and I had to have a new set of labs completed, I required a SHG to assess my uterine wall/cavity, and the plan is for IVF. I have a blocked fallopian tube and my spouse’s sperm motility is low so we have to have the sperm injected into the egg for fertilization, hence the only reason IVF is our only option.

The IVF estimate is $10k the medication/lab estimate is $5k. The labs and test so far have been covered by my insurance.

His approach with the transvaginal ultrasounds is extremely gentle! However, with two failed transfers, he and the coordinator didn't have much input except that it was within the expected odds. I felt like I really had to advocate for more testing and changes in protocol.

Do some research and be your own advocate.

Fresh embryo transfer resulted in a live birth. Dr. Kim performed the transfer but was not my main doctor for that round of treatment. Frozen Embryo Transfers - estradiol and progesterone only. Two failed transfers.

Egg retrieval and fresh transfer: $17K insurance billed, $11K self pay Frozen transfer: $5.3K

He strongly recommended a single transfer due to the unexplained infertility diagnosis.

He's very methodical about this being a numbers game. Dr. Kim was straightforward with us, but also seemed a bit at a loss in the face of my emotion. He also doesn't seem comfortable with advancements in the field (supplements, PGS, altering retrieval protocols)

be prepared for a lot of waiting time between calling for an appointment, consultation, and beginning treatment

retrieval and fresh transfer were covered by insurance, so only medication copays and $35 copay per visit. Frozen transfer was ~$4k, hysteroscopy was ~2.5K

He was very "here's what is allowed by the guidelines," and even offered to transfer 3 embryos given my age. But the decision was 100% up to us.