Anitha Nair

Dr. Nair was not very thorough or compassionate, and our visits with her felt so harried and lacking in clarity. During our post-initial testing visit where she gave us our diagnoses and outlined next steps, it was very rushed. Each time we tried to ask questions she ushered us along, stating "We only have 30 minutes today". Thirty minutes to provide us each with a new medical diagnosis and discuss options and next steps was simply not enough time. She hardly went into any detail about our diagnoses, didn't listen to our concerns, and, again, didn't allow for questions given the time constraints. As a medical provider myself, I couldn't believe that a physician would provide patients a new medical diagnosis without going into much detail about what that meant for them. She didn't even leave us with written handouts or links for us to read and understand better. At one point when I asked a question, she replied that we didn't have time for questions today, but that if I had questions to schedule a follow-up visit. So I went ahead and scheduled a follow-up visit (which seemed absurd that I even needed to do so just to be able to ask questions), and when the consult started she couldn't have come off as being more annoyed that she was having to meet with a patient again simply to answer questions. She came off as very cold during this consult and gave awkwardly short, non-detailed answers to my questions. At one point during the consult, she appeared to be looking down at her phone as I was talking. It felt extremely dismissive and lacking in compassion. Dr. Nair seems like she has taken on WAY too many patients than she can manage. My husband and I decided to switch care under a different physician at the clinic, and we felt so much better taken care of after that.

If you're not okay with having extremely limited contact with your healthcare provider, then consider switching to a different fertility doctor.

Tests, procedures, and medications covered by my insurance with co-pay required

She was nice, but we only interacted with her twice during seven months of treatment, once at the consult, and once in a video appointment after our first few rounds of treatment failed. She was very optimistic, which when everything failed made us feel like the optimism was unrealistic.

Insist on a frank and realistic explanation of your chances of success.

We did seven Clomid cycles, adding Gonal F after the first few failed, but it did not help the number of follicles. In six of the cycles we did IUIs, all failed.

My insurance covered half of most costs. It added up to thousands of dollars out of pocket. Our treatment failed, but we’re still getting bills for $100 here and $130 there, and those will continue for months as they work through it with our insurance. The bills are depressing reminders of the failed treatment.

Dr. Nair was direct and honest. Initial consult was very informative and she was incredibly positive at the idea of being a single mother by choice. She saw me in person when I started treatment and hormone levels were very elevated, she explained everything and I understood my process clearly. She called to deliver the final news as well for my successful treatment.

Understand that you will not be able to see the doctor every visit and that you are in good hands with the rest of the clinical staff.

Started with standard Gonal 112 and started Menopur 1 vial on day 4 perhaps? Needed to dial back the gonal down to eventually I think 25-50. I triggered a day earlier than anticipated. We didn't want to hormones to outpace the growth of the follicles.

Loved that it was very early morning. Basically walk in even though there are appointments, dependent upon how many people were there. Staff was friendly and moved as quickly as they could.

$11,000

We had issues with communication and did not feel supported when we had to make serious decisions. It would be difficult to get a complete overview of the facts of my case from Dr. Nair. She always seemed too busy and in a rush to answer our questions. She would often describe my result in vague terms, and we had to push her to get actual numbers - for example what my fsh/amh levels were. When she advised that we were going to be withdrawn from the shared risk program she joked, “now you guys can take the money and go buy a boat!” She meant it to be a joke, but it was quite hurtful in the moment and revealed that she didn’t seem to be really in touch with the pain that we were going through.

Try to work with a different Dr.

We were told a fresh transfer was the best way to go, and at the time we didn’t have the knowledge to question this. We tried clomid and I “over responded” once leading to a cancelled IUI cycle. We next tried IVF and when I asked why we didn’t try clocks in conjunction with this, it was brushed off. I now understand this is done by other clinics, so I’m not sure why it was disregarded. For two cycles of IVF, I was on Lupron, Gonal, and Menopur.

IUIs: approximately $10,000 IVF cycles: approximately $40,00

Warm, honest, compassionate, and expert. I fully trust her advice and recommendations and feel like I could not have a better doctor for this journey. She truly cares about her patients, and can evaluate each patient’s specific needs to determine the best course of action. She tells the truth, shares empathy, and always strives for the best outcomes for each patient. She is a Godsend.

This is the doctor that you want to work with! She’s on your side and in your fight as much as you are.

During early processes for elective egg freezing at age 37, it became apparent that I had diminished ovarian reserves and might not have the outcome I wanted. Dr Nair delivered these facts gently and compassionately, and was willing to be as aggressive and patient as I was willing to be. It took a maximum amount of ovarian stimulation each cycle, and I took 4-6 days longer than average to get to the right blood level numbers (showing optimal ovarian stimulation) each cycle. Other doctors would have likely cancelled my first cycle when it took so long. Dr Nair did discuss this possibility and ramifications with me, but did let me keep trying a bit longer. Turns out, I’m just a slow goer; we successfully harvested 6 eggs the first round, which I was ecstatic about given my poor indicators. She helped me maximize each of 3 cycles, through medication decisions, and was my cheerleader throughout the process. We harvested 18 eggs over 3 cycles (over 2ish years) and froze 17 mature eggs. A few years later, my new husband and I are starting the process to thaw and fertilize and hopefully transfer an embryo! As with the freezing procedures, I trust and valie her recommendations 100%.

My medication costs were at the highest end of the spectrum, due to my situation. Dr Nair’s team gave me tips on how to find the most cost effective pharmacies to fill them. The per cycle cost was hefty, yes, but I truly felt that I got what I paid for, from start to finish.

Not yet!

She is extremely intelligent and a wealth full of information. She does explain things in a way that makes sense, however she covers a lot of material very quickly. I'm always so glad that my husband is present when we meet in person, because we do always leave having to "compare notes" in a sense that we need to combine what each of us understood. That would be my only complaint - that she talks and moves so fast through the material. That being said, you don't feel rushed. You can ask as many questions as you want. It's just a matter of can you keep up to ask the right questions. I always take lots and lots of notes when we meet. The times when she has called to give me the bad news herself have always meant a lot to me. She really does seem to care, which is nice.

Take notes. Ask lots of questions. Don't be afraid to slow her down and ask for clarification/repetition if you need it.

3 unsuccessful IUIs. Then 1 IVF using antagonist protocol. Then microdose Lupron protocol with PGS for the 2nd. Then microdose Lupron without PGS - could only do a fresh transfer for the 3rd. Getting ready to start a Lupron stop protocol.

They have appointments very early in the morning so I have managed to have 6 fertility treatments without having to reveal to my work what is going on, because I can get in and out of there without being late every day.

$1500 out of pocket max per year through my insurance plan. Plus cost of meds which was usually less than $500 per IVF treatment with my insurance.

Haven't encountered this situation yet.

I always felt like she cared about the smallest details, and that she had my best interests at heart. She was fully present during our visits. She never rushed or seemed annoyed when I had a lot of questions. She treated me like an educated, informed adult (which is more than I can say for my prior doctor).

Have your list of questions ready, and she will answer all of them!

We did a pretty standard (antagonist?) IVF protocol for a fresh transfer. It was the first cycle we had tried, after 3 failed IUIs at another clinic that declined to let us try a fresh transfer. I did not take BCP because I’ve had bad reactions in the past, and Dr. Nair was supportive of me declining that component. I responded well to the protocol.

It definitely felt a little bit like a cattle call, but a well run one. I went in the morning before work and it was always packed but moved along fairly quickly.

I had really good insurance coverage for the cycle, including meds. I had already met my out of pocket max, thanks to IUIs done earlier in the year, so my IVF cycle cost very little. I paid an office visit copay when I saw the doctor. The most expensive part was the cost for a nurse to help me at home with my injections the first few days (I was nervous!!). And also the embryo storage, which insurance did not cover.

I was happy to do eSET, and Dr. Nair was fully supportive given my age and history.

When Dr. Nair first introduced herself to my husband and I she approached us with a welcoming voice and a kind smile. She made us feel comfortable and patiently listened to everything we had to say. Dr Nair showed empathy and compassion when I opened up to her about our previous miscarriages. She was honest and thorough when explaining our options and let us feel in control of our treatment plan. Dr Nair worked together with us as a team and assured we were comfortable in our decision making process. Overall Dr. Nair has many strengths and as far as I have seen she has not shown any weaknesses.

I highly recommend seeing Dr. Nair. She is everything we have been looking for in a doctor. There aren’t many like her.

Dr Nair suggested that while taking clomid if I produced too many mature eggs that cycle I should not go through with IUI and take the chance conceiving multiples of 3 or more due to the increased risks of preterm labor and low birthweight.

Initial consultation along with diagnostics was covered by Tricare. (No copay or deductible) otherwise consultation is $175. IUI costs $1,800. Clomid $100-$500. 25% off Military discount. IVF $10-$15k.

Dr Nair suggested transferring no more than 2 embryos.

I was extremely satisfied with the care we received at Shady Grove Fertility and Dr. Nair. Dr. Nair had actually come recommended from a friend of mine who had been her patient and is now the mother of beautiful twins. Dr. Nair sat down with us and walked us through their predictive model and what to expect. I felt she always had our best interest and safety in mind. For example, we were highly encouraged to only transfer one embryo. While we only ended up with two embryos at the end of the process, instead of the four that the model predicted, both were A++ embryos and the one transferred resulted in our beautiful baby boy. I felt jilted by the fertility experience after a year of failed treatments abroad resulting in no pregnancies. Dr. Nair's kind and compassionate demeanor immediately allowed me trust her and trust the IVF process with Shady Grove Fertility.

Don't ignore their pre-IVF checklist. I had been undergoing fertility treatments for a year abroad (in Hong Kong) resulting in no pregnancies. While my husband's sperm analysis results showed issues, our doctor in Hong Kong did not look into why. I happen to see that an appointment with a urologist was recommended so I scheduled one with Dr. Shin. Dr. Shin identified the issue - my husband had a varicocele. We decided to move forward with IVF while at the same time my husband had the surgery to correct it. We are hoping this will help with conceiving children naturally in the future. Also, ask as many questions as you need to until you feel comfortable moving forward with the IVF process. The stakes are high, both personally and financially, and Dr. Nair understands that.

I took 17 days of birth control pills and then started taking the IVF medications. I started with Gonal F 150 IU and Menopur 75 IU and went in for monitoring daily. Each day they would call me with the results and let me know how to proceed with my medication. Adjustments were made to the dosages. For example, at on monitoring session the blood tests showed a spike in my progesterone which caused them to adjust the medication down, until the levels went down, and then they adjusted the medication up again. I also had a cyst in one of my ovaries which impacted the growth of follicles on that side. I felt bloated as the follicles matured but otherwise ok. Once they were close to reaching maturity, I was given very specific instructions on how and when to take Cetrotide - the trigger shot. Egg retrieval was the only time I felt I had not been prepared as I was in a lot of pain following the procedure. Fortunately, I filled the pain medication prescription they gave me and that helped alleviate the pain. Throughout the whole treatment, I was in daily contact with my nurse, Debbie Rice, or a backup if she was out of the office. My questions and concerns were promptly responded to. I felt very well informed and always knew exactly what I needed to do.

We have Aetna insurance and they have negotiated rates with Shady Grove Fertility. Therefore, we paid $7,500 for the IVF cycle and about $3,000 for medication. I have to admit that one of the big draws to Shady Grove Fertility was the Shaded Risk Plan. After doing a lot of research and crunching numbers, we realized that it was not the right fit for us. One of the big reasons is because medication is not included. On top of the lump sum, you are paying $3-5k in medication for each cycle. Additionally, research indicated that they lean towards selecting couples for the program that have a higher chance of succeeding in the first cycle. Therefore, when they told us we were approved for the program I was hoping it was because they thought we'd be successful on the first cycle. It's a high stakes financial gamble where you have to hedge your bets. For some the program is worth it, for others it's not so do your research.

We were highly encouraged to transfer one embryo. I have to admit that before starting IVF the thought of twins for the price of one cycle was extremely appealing. Though, after a lot of research I realized the risks. In the end, I agreed with Dr. Nair's advice of having one healthy baby at a time.

Dr. Nair is knowledgeable, thoughtful, and takes time to listen to your thoughts. She understands the patient has authority over her own body. She was not as well located as I wished. Often I needed to visit the office where she wasn't practicing, but she just can't be at every location.

Explain your concerns. She will listen and try to work with you. She donor have the highest knowledge of holistic alternatives, but she won't shun that conversation. Most important, trust that wants you have a successful conception. Know yourself, educate yourself, and talk to her.

The only pharmaceutical intervention I allowed was Levothyroxine to lower my thyroid levels. I am otherwise in very good health. I am not sure the intervention was necessary but I was persuaded to try. The doctors group would not allow my IUI attempt without that intervention although my thyroid levels were normal for a woman not attempting to conceive.

I paid approximately $150 for all services including my sedated HCG. Please note I have one of the best insurance plans out there.

N/A

She was extremely honest and candid. We appreciated that she didn't "water down" the explanations of treatment. When things did not work out with our first transfer she was quick to recommend a more aggressive protocol that resulted in a pregnancy and live birth. Once we were pregnant she was very kind, keeping us as a patient as long as she was allowed and having us come in for several early scans to reassure us the pregnancy was progressing well.

Make sure you like working with your assigned nurse, or request a transfer.

We were dealing with a specific issue-a balanced translocation-so the protocol was more straight forward then in cases where you don't know why you aren't getting pregnant. For our embryo transfers, after the first one didn't work Dr Nair recommended an endometrial biopsy which helped us diagnose a mild infection that could be treated and led to a more favorable environment for our second (successful) transfer.

Most of our procedures were covered by insurance. Genetic testing was around $8000 out of pocket and embryo freezing and storage was $3000 plus $500/year.

I'm glad that Dr. Nair recommended a single transfer. She clearly explained that especially since we were using genetically tested and therefore competent embryos, the research has shown that either both embryos or neither embryos will stick. We did not want to risk the complications of twins.

She was very helpful in helping us decide how to move forward. We only spoke with her during the planning stages, however. Not during the treatments or between IUIs. But, the staff was so responsive, there wasn't really a need to reach out to her.

Do your own homework and ask all the questions you need.

For my first IUI, we did 50mg Clomid days 3-7, then a blue pill to help with thickening the lining that we started on day 13 and continued until a negative pregnancy test. I also too progesterone the day after the IUI until a negative pregnancy test. For the first IUI, I also did a trigger shot. The second IUI we upped it to 100mg Clomid, no blue pill needed, no trigger needed (surged on my own), and am taking progesterone.

My insurance did not cover anything, except some of the medications. Each IUI cost $1600 and medication cost somewhere between $140 and $200

I was fortunate enough to have quick (3 cycles) success so I didn't have a ton of interaction with Dr. Nair. That being said, she personally came down to the clinic and did my ultrasound (without my asking) and answered my questions when one of my cycles wasn't going according to plan. I was impressed with her knowledge and compassion.

The process feels like it takes forever, regardless of how quickly you achieve pregnancy, but trust your doctors and don't be afraid to ask questions.

Because I wasn't ovulating, at least with any regularity, Dr. Nair started me on 50mg of Clomid with an Ovidrel trigger. Follicle growth was monitored by ultrasound. I stopped responding to 50mg after my first cycle so, after a failed round of 50mg, the dosage was increased to 10mg for the second half of my second cycle and for my third (successful) cycle.

I was very fortunate to have insurance coverage for my treatment, lab work, and medications.

I loved working with Dr. Nair - she is kind, thoughtful, confident in her recommendations and shows that she takes an individual patient's circumstances into account when recommending treatment.

Don't be afraid to ask questions - Dr. Nair is wonderful at answering them and explaining her treatment plan.

Without past fertility issues, Dr. Nair recommended starting with natural cycle IUIs. She was very willing to let me determine how aggressive I wanted to be, and when to decide to ratchet it up. She gave me the option to reassess the treatment plan after either 3 or 6 cycles. I originally said 6 cycles but after 5 IUIs I was frustrated and asked to add medication. Dr. Nair was supportive, and recommended a Clomid cycle. When that failed, Dr. Nair suggested an injectable cycle with Clomid, While I was willing to throw in the kitchen sink at that point, Dr. Nair was careful to balance my frustration with a careful consideration of avoiding multiples. I really respected that she wasn't just focused on a positive outcome - she was truly committed to the best outcome *for me* and my situation.

My insurance covered the fertility treatments, although my insurance plan changed throughout the treatment. On average, my IUI costs ranged from $200 to $400 per cycle, not including drugs or donor sperm.

We were prepared to begin IVF with PGD but became pregnant (again) -- naturally -- just before that cycle would have started. We did one last round of testing based on some new information I had researched relating to the MTHFR genetic mutation. Turned out I had such a mutation and I was put on a prescription folate ASAP (worrisome, because I was already a tiny bit pregnant when I started the folate and didn't know if we had discovered the problem fast enough). I also used progesterone suppositories (as I had under my OBGYN for my prior two miscarriages) during the first trimester. I had weekly ultrasounds and blood work to confirm the advancing pregnancy.

Dr. Nair was compassionate and patient with me and my husband. She also made exceptional medical diagnoses, and whenever our path changed, she fully explained her reasoning to me. I felt like she was our partner in this journey, and she truly wanted us to achieve a healthy pregnancy.

Be open to things changing as you progress. Trust Dr. Nair and SGF, but ask lots of questions so you still feel like you understand what is going on and why.

Menupur (started at 75, ended at 225) Gonal F (started at 150, ended at 225) 6 mornings of Cetrotide .25 HCG trigger 10,000 after 13 days of stimulation Then endometrin and estrogen after transfer. 11 mature eggs (mostly from lef tovary because right was damaged following previous ectopic surgery). 8 eggs fertilized 2 morula embryos transferred on day 5 -- neither had made it to blastocyst 1 blastocyst to freeze on Day 6

Insurance covered a nice portion of the cycle and injections for me. My total came out to about $7,500 (including egg freezing).

I didn't find anything at fault with Nair. She always made sure we had appropriate information and we never left the office without either speaking with a financial person or nurse to answer any additional questions.

None.

We did 3 IUI's even though they didn't work. It was frustrating but our insurance required it. The clinic was participating in a medical study that required less injections but we did not participate, though the early results seemed promising.

My IUI and egg retrieval were covered by insurance. My FET's were not. Shady Grove has self-pay costs. Each FET was approximately $4000 plus cost of medications.

She was amazingly compassionate and thorough. She explained everything to us in a respectful manner and remained kind and realistic while explaining procedures and risks. We never needed to see her between appointments so I can’t speak to how responsive she is but she was always a delight to work with and her attitude and outlook was contagious.

Ask questions and trust her.

Started with clomid to induce ovulation with timed intercourse, that lasted for one cycle before we decided to move on to IUI with clomid. She gave us the option of starting with IUI or IVF and we chose IUI. Ultimately the decision was up to us and she adjusted based on our preferences.

Copays mostly with $100 bill overall. My treatment was covered by my employer’s insurance.

Shady Grove only does single embryo transfer and after hearing about the new research from Dr. Nair we agreed that single transfer was safer.

Dr. Nair has a great bedside manner and truly takes her time in getting to know you and your partner. She focuses on your health and ways that are beneficial in your journey to conceive. I’m so thankful for her.

Dr. Nair is knowledgeable and tells you the blunt truth about the best treatment option.

We just started our next cycle with donor eggs. Currently just on birth control. Awaiting the next steps.

Since we are using donor eggs the cost is not covered by insurance. However, Shady Grove does have excellent programs to help.

Prayerfully we will get to that step sometime this year.

She indifferent about my options. She present the risk of each procedure but didn't' seem to have a strong opinion on what option would get me my baby. She would do whatever I wanted which is great to a point.

Just proceed with caution. She is nice and all but she doesn't seem to out of the box to try something new or give you an example of what worked for her other patients that might work for your situation. Do your homework and come with questions..

After my IVF fail, I realized I wasn't on the most aggressive protocol which I thought she would put me on after my failed medicated IUI. Again, you are your own advocated.

Everything had a cost to it... so expect at that.

My main doctor only wanted to transfer 2 but the actually doctor doing the transfer did 3 which I agreed to since they quality fo the embryos weren't great If I didn't transfer the third one , it would most likely died.

She’s very knowledgeable in Assistive Reproductive Technology. She was candid about my health and age and how that would interact with my treatments. I feel like I’m in good shape with Dr. Nair leading my medical team.

Ask questions.

$13,900 for IVF treatment, including PGA testing. Does not include medications.

She is sweet and honest. She was pregnant/on leave when I had issues with fibroids and so it was very hard: I had to deal with other docs and they did not seem to be on th same page. I had just spent thousands on IVF and THEN they discovered a Fibroid and said "nothing would implant with that in there." After 3 failed cycles.....apparently no one realized my uterine tests were not up to date. Anyway once dr Nair was back from leave - she handled it well with me and we went on to have a good relationship.

Make sure all your tests are up to date. Advocate for yourself, same as with any doctor.

Hi dose protocol

More than 60k

Excellent advice