Carolina M. Sueldo

Overall I have had pleasant experiences with Dr. Carolina Sueldo. She has taken the time to answer all questions I have had and make clinical suggestions as they are necessary. At times there have been some "grey" areas in my plan of care. This is specific to whether or not to utilize frozen over fresh donor eggs and the importance of using a "proven" donor. However, I understand there is no one right answer and outcome is not necessarily a result of one choice over the other. At the time I just felt that if she preferred one option over the other then it would have been helpful to have known ahead of time and it would have helped me make a decision. Being on the patient end of treatment, you are already overwhelmed and emotionally torn. Making these decisions is difficult and you look to your provider for clear guidance and answers. On the contrary, I understand the potential liability Dr. Sueldo faces as well as the neutrality she must maintain. Overall, Dr. Carolina is very pleasant to work with and she appears to have genuine passion for her patients and her practice.

Stay open minded. Come in with clear questions, so you can get clear answers.

Knowing that I had severely diminished ovarian reserve, being able to retrieve my own eggs for an IVF cycle was going to be tricky. Dr. Carolina set out a clear plan that we would attempt to stimulate but if there was not strong enough response then we would move forward with donor eggs rather than wasting time and money for low outcome results.

Consultations, ultrasounds, medications, lab fees, procedural fees.

My best explanation of Dr.Carolina’s care is with an example from a procedure. It was an uncomfortable procedure. Dr.Sueldo was calm and compassionate. She counted down the images she needed and calmly told me how much longer the procedure would take. I have never had a doctor so deeply concerned with my comfort along with doing the procedure. She was always respectful and always gave a place for my husband and I to make decisions in our care. With IVF, you see your doctor so frequently, it means everything to trust your doctor and your care.

Dr. Sueldo gave us a few different options along with the research and her professional opinion. We took some time to process the options which meant waiting a bit for the next ivf cycle. At times we wanted to just jump into the cycle and get the ball rolling. With ivf it can feel like the waiting will never end, and the assessments and time to process the options can feel like it is delaying the process.

We knew that my husband would need to have a MESA. After having an ultrasound and an HSG it was also clear that I have a 5mm uterine fibroid. We were given the research regarding uterine fibroid size and implantation rates. We were given the option to do a myomectomy or proceed with IVF. Given our options, we chose to go with ivf and a fresh embryo transfer. It did result in the live birth. The pregnancy was complicated by uterine fibroid growth that resulted in IUGR.

It was $10,000 for the IVF cycle (not including blood tests and medication). They were able to bill my insurance for the testing and evaluations prior to our ivf cycle.

The option was given to us at the time of transfer to implant two embryos based upon the quality of the embryos. The rational was explained well, and thus we decided to implant two.

Carolina is a very knowledgeable and passionate doctor and person. She was always prepared to answer questions in a way that were descriptive but easy to understand. She was a great doctor in a scary time for us. We’re exploring fertility treatments again and I wouldn’t go anywhere else as she’s made me feel super comfortable.

Come prepared with your questions.

We began with testing ovarian reserve, various hormones, a diagnostic ultrasound and an HSG. I had one ovary removed due to cancer, so she prescribed clomid as a way to give us a super ovulation. We monitored my cycle and the thickness of my uterus. She said she wanted to have the ideal conditions to achieve pregnancy. We had timed inter course with an HCG trigger shot to release the mature egg and achieve pregnancy.

When we underwent fertility treatment the first time, my insurance covered 50% of costs and 100% of medications. Under our IVF quotes, the office is quoting me $17,600 including egg transfer and not including genetic testing and medicines.

We have not discussed this yet, but we are just beginning consultations on IVF for our second baby.

Dr. Carolina Sueldo takes the time to explain all the options and provides the pros and cons of each option. She was honest about the chances we had with each procedure. She re-evaluated my treatment after each IUI and adjusted according to how I responded to the prior treatment. She never makes you feel rushed.

Bring your spouse or significant other with you to the initial consultation where you get your test results. Dr. Carolina Sueldo is incredibly compassionate and caring, but having your partner there will be vital. Dr. Sueldo will take the time to listen to you and provide you answers. She is very thorough in running tests and bloodwork.

In preparation for my first IUI, Dr. Carolina Sueldo had me take 100mg of Clomid for 5 days, 75IU injection of Follistm for 4 days, and 250mcg injection of Ovidrel. That IUI didn't result in pregnancy, but I responded well to the medication, so for my 2nd IUI Dr. Sueldo changed my Follistim to one 150IU injection. She based this on research that showed one larger medication injection was similarly effective to 4 smaller injections. Unfortunately, my body didn't respond as well this time, so I needed to do a second and third 150IU injection of Follistim. This 2nd IUI also didn't result in pregnancy. On my 3rd IUI, Dr. Sueldo had me do the one 150IU injection of Follistim. My body responded well that time, but I still did not get pregnant.

Each transvaginal ultrasount appointment is $95 without insurance. Each IUI procedure is $410 without insurance. This does not include medication.

Not applicable yet

We had held one consultation and preliminary testing with one other fertility clinic before coming to Dr. Sueldo upon recommendation from a friend who had a successful round of IVF with Dr. Sueldo. It was immediately clear to us that Dr. Sueldo was interested in our story, making sure she was getting as much detail from us as possible. She gave us clear and direct information and then also gave us plenty of time to ask questions. She was quick to explain more about the areas where we soon came to realize we had been let down by previous doctors and specialists. For example, we'd been told we had "plenty of time" and could be "as aggressive as we wanted" by doctors in the past while Dr. Sueldo provided information about specific treatment options and success rates based on our testing, ages, etc. It's clear that Dr. Sueldo is committed not only to our care specifically but to improving care for Central Valley patients in general--we're often overlooked in all areas of healthcare, let alone when it comes to fertility. The thing that really convinced me that Dr. Sueldo and the Women's Specialty & Fertility Center were right for us was that she was very clear and direct with information, giving us specifics and realistic expectations.

Come ready with your questions and any documents you have already from previous testing!

I was diagnosed with Diminished Ovarian Reserve and Dr. Sueldo recommended up to three rounds of medicated IUI. I took Clomiphene for five days and was monitored by the clinic (Dr. Sueldo herself) to check on the progress of the follicles before administering an Ovidrel trigger shot. At my final appointment before the trigger shot, my lead follicle was measuring at 18 mm and Dr. Sueldo said that she considered me to be responding well to this Clomiphene dose for this first round (the first time I'd ever taken any sort of fertility drug OR gone through IUI). I didn't experience any major side-effects or reactions to the Clomiphene or the Ovidrel and the clinic was helpful in explaining how the process was going to work when it came to both administering the medication and ordering it all. The plan was for us to do up to three rounds of medicated IUI but I got my period and a negative pregnancy test on the same day that California issued a shelter-in-place order due to Covid-19 and our future cycles were cancelled/postponed. The plan continues to be to pick up with medicated IUI when it's deemed safe to resume treatments.

We were prescribed a few tests when we began our treatments that took place outside of the clinic for myself but were recommended by Dr. Sueldo including an HSG (around $350) and blood testing (around $100). When we decided to proceed with a medicated IUI we had the costs of a few appointments and ultrasounds to monitor my reaction to the medication ($250 appointment fees and $100 ultrasound, sometimes our insurance would cover the appointment fees), the sperm wash and IUI itself (around $450), medication (Clomiphene and Ovidrel, about $200)

No comment.

Dr. Sueldo explained every step of our journey in complete detail. All the risks and what to expect. She answered all our questions thoroughly and left no area of doubt. She explained all our options every step of the process. She provided us with her cell phone number to be able to contact her in any situation. She would reach out immediately to us with any updated information. Initially I was very hesitant about starting the IVF process, it was the warmth and compassion of Dr. Sueldo that eased me into embarking on the process.

Trust that Dr. Carolina Sueldo will give you the complete picture. She gives you an honest assessment of all the risks and benefits involved in your unique situation.

We used Mini Lupron + Follistim + Menopur for our treatment cycles. Dr. Carolina Sueldo would use evidence based protocols in our treatment strategies. And she would always explain the various results seen in each protocol and why she believed it was the best treatment for us. The treatment resulted in a retrieval with 11 eggs, however the result was a miscarriage.

Physician fees, ultrasound, ICSI, assisted hatching, embryology lab fee, pelvic exam, medication fees, anesthesia, crypto preservation, estradiol lab fees, IVF global fee, frozen embryo transfer.

Due to the fact that we did not have many embryos to start with, we decided to do a multiple embryo transfer which we believe was the proper choice.

Dr. Sueldo is knowledgeable, direct, and thorough. Dr. Sueldo encourages questions and concerns and is motivated to educate patients. During three rounds of treatment, I have met with Dr. Sueldo two times.

My first two rounds consisted of of ovulation stimulation with timed intercourse. Medications used were Follistim injections with an Ovidrel trigger shot, and progesterone suppositories. Each round resulted in negative pregnancy tests. Dr. Sueldo suggested that I transition to IUI, with a maximum of 3 rounds before reassessing. The first round of IUI, with ovulation stimulation using Follistim and a trigger shot (name of medication unknown). This round resulted in a negative pregnancy test. Currently unable to continue treatment due advisory guidelines set forth by ASRM as a result of the national COVID-19 event.

Various procedures during the diagnostic round cost a total of approximately $660. Each ultrasound: $95. IUI procedure: $410. Medication through WSFC's preferred pharmacy: $307 for each box of 300 IU of Follistim, $105 for each shot of Ovidrel. First two rounds of medicated timed intercourse total cost between $1,000-$1,400. One round of IUI cost approx $1,600.

Dr Carolina Sueldo is smart, informative, and compassionate. She really made sure that my husband and I knew what are odds were and if there were bumps in the road she would make sure to explain why they were happening and what our next course of treatment would be. She was simply an amazing infertility doctor, I would recommend her 1000% to anyone going through this process.

Ask lots of questions and make sure you understand everything that is being told to you and asked of you.

Medication: Ganirelix 25 mcg Menopur 75 iu taken all 10 days Follistim 300 iu taken all 10 days Pregnyl 10000 unit Progesterone 50 mg (after egg transfer) All medications were taken during a 10 day period.

IUI was around $700 Ivf around $16,000 ICSI $3,000 Egg freezing $700 Egg storage $400

My chances of getting pregnant were very low 0-30%, so she didn’t want to put all my eggs in at once in case my body didn’t get pregnant. This would give me another chance If I had a miscarriage with with my second embryo.

Going to a fertility doctor in itself is a scary thing. This office was recommended by numerous coworkers who sought treatment here and had success. I felt very hopeful going in. Our first appointments went well and Dr. Sueldo was very good at going over all labs and procedures we planned to do. It was once the process started, I get like I went in, had my ultrasound by someone, and then left. We would come back a few days later, have the insemination and then left with “call us in 2 weeks.” Once the first treatment failed, I had soooo many questions. I just felt like I never had the chance to ask them. I never saw her again. I only spoke with the nurses or office girls. It was frustrating because I felt left in the dark. 3 failed cycles later and I don’t understand what went wrong. I know she may not be able to tell me, but I needed to hear that from her. I needed to know she cared and we would figure it out and move on to the next thing.

Ask questions and make it clear you want to speak with her throughout the whole process.

Each cycle I took 5 days of oral Clomid. This started in day 3. I went in on cycle day 10/11 and had a vaginal ultrasound to see how my ovaries were responding. Each time my ovaries responded differently, but still in a positive way. I was instructed to give myself ovidrel, the trigger shot, roughly 36 hours before insemination. The 3rd cycle I have it around 40 hours prior to with no explanation as to why. Then we would arrive 2 hours before our scheduled time the somewhat 36 hours later and my husband would drop off his sample we collected at home for it to be washed and processed. I then would go into the office about an hour after or so and the dr or nurse would come in, swab me, and inseminate me. I laid there for about 15 min after and then I was good to go. Only instructions were to take a home pregnancy test 2 weeks later and call with the results. I was also instructed to be taking throughout this process a daily prenatal vitamin and one baby aspirin.

Luckily my insurance covered most of our procedures but once we got into the new year, I hadn’t met my deductible so out of pocket I paid $400. This was after labs, 4 vaginal ultrasounds, and 3 iui. I did have small copays for clomid and ovidrel was $96 out of pocket from a delivering pharmacy in Arizona.

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I felt very comfortable with Dr Carolina Sueldo, she explained everything so well. After she had gone over the results and diagnosed us unexplained we decided we would try naturally for 1 more cycle. Surprise! I got pregnant but before the Dr. could know she on maternity to have her baby. So the follow ups for this pregnancy and ultimately my miscarriage were handled by Dr. Carlos Sueldo and Dr. Synn. Dr. Carlos Sueldo diagnosed my miscarriage and was very direct and did not sugar coat it which I believe helped my processing. Dr. Synn handled my miscarriage follow up and answered all my questions. He was very nice and sympathetic.

The whole process is very overwhelming especially if this is the first clinic you are visiting. Leading up to your appointment take notes and think about your cycle and if anything is off, any bad habits that could affect fertility, discuss everything. What you do, what you eat, your lifestyle. Also, you don't need to learn everything now.

Medicated IUI with Clomid and Ovidrel trigger

Insurance covered all my diagnostic tests with only copays. Clomid $16 (100mg dose) Ultrasound $95 you will do at least 2 for the IUI and possibly 3 Ovidrel $107 ordered from Freedom Fertility (my choice) IUI w/ sperm wash included $410 My total for 1st IUI was $723

This clinic does a single embryo transfer unless there are specific circumstances

Dr. Sueldo has GREAT bedside manner. She did her best to always be available to meet the needs of my working schedule. She explained our options clearly but never pressured us to make a decision that we were uneasy about. She is very knowledgeable about the IVF process and is honest about all possible outcomes. Although we did not get the results we wanted. Dr. Sueldo was positive and encouraging to not give up on us.

Be patient and trust Dr. Sueldo she knows what she’s doing and will make you feel very comfortable during a very uncomfortable season.

Dr. Sueldo got me quickly in the right IVF meds and monitored my blood levels very closely. She adjusted medications to get the most amount of eggs retrieved. She advised us to use a sperm donor because our first cycle showed very little mobility of sperm and so she wanted us to have our best chance of a successful pregnancy.

Each cycle has been about $15,000 in total for meds, egg retrieval, and transfer.

My start of treatments was hopeful. Meeting with C Sueldo gave me hope. She was so nice and innovative. So I started treatments in January and it was a process. After 3 months no luck we move on to IUI. She ending up doing my first one, no luck. My second IUI was done and it stuck. I could not believe this was going to happen for us. I did the blood test until the 6 week 3 day mark and they were good. We go in for that first ultrasound and all they find is a empty sac. With no compassion or sensitivity knowing that we were coming in to see so much more the Sueldo Sr came in and stated to come back next week and we will figure out what to do with it. IT, yes the sac inside my uterus that I worked so hard for. He was so cold and spoke with no hope that anything could possibly show up the next week. A week later we go back with defeated hearts and they find a heartbeat. This time a nurse practitioner saw us and stated it is viable now because of a heartbeat but there could be serious genetic issues like Down syndrome, etc. but to come back next week. Another week goes by and baby measures a week further so they send my to the OB. Ultimately my pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. And unfortunately I’m worried to start treatments again at that clinic due to the terrible bedside manner from the other doctors that were not even my dr. I was very disappointed that I was not being seen by my original dr.

Be prepared to never see your dr.

Because I have PCOS I was advised to take Femara plus the trigger shot. Once we added I’m the IUI and that worked the second time.

It was about $500 my first 3 cycles (femara, trigger shot, ultrasounds), about $1,000 adding I’m IUI , about $500 for test when we started

I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Sueldo prior to becoming her patient back when she first joined IVF Florida.I knew that patients would love her as her personality and character would make her an amazing asset to the practice. Now that I know her as my doctor, I'm glad to see that my initial assessment of her far exceeded any expectations I may have had. Words can’t even begin to describe how grateful I am to her for being so through. Us IVF chicks are nuts, I feel like you can never give us "too much" information. She basically started from scratch and asked me all the "new patient questions" then she asked me for my questions. I had "a list". We went over them all. She took all my thoughts, apprehensions and concerns in to consideration and I felt like I had a say in things. We came up with a plan together that we were both happy with. During a process where there are so many ups and downs, you definitely want to feel like your Dr. has your back. I'm blessed that I feel like mine definitely does.

She will give you all the information you need. The good, bad & indifferent so be ready for it all!

Insurance Covers Most

Dr C Sueldo is a knowledgeable provider and has a lot of experience to pull from when discussing a plan. She shows compassion and understands our expectations for our treatments. We routinely get together and discuss our next steps and she makes sure to go over my medical history and treatments so that everyone is on the same page. I would recommend her to anyone needing fertility assistance.

No advice. She’s great!

Our current treatment plan is IUI. We have tried Letrozole and Follistim. We have done a few IUI cycles and have modified medication dosages and length of days for each cycle. I feel confident in Dr C Sueldo’s plans of care.

Follistim and Ovidrel have been the biggest costs during treatment.

No comments. Does not apply.

Dr. C Sueldo was very kind. I cannot say I left feeling extremely hopeful after she described the treatment process, but she was just stating the facts she new. I did one IUI with this clinic. She prepared us, but when we went in to do the IUI, we saw a different doctor. I would have appreciated seeing the same doctor going into this.

Write all of your questions down. She’s good about taking time to answer them, but she’s very busy so it’s good to take advantage of the time you Jane in appointments with her.

She had me go to my primary OB to see if I needed to have a fibroid removed, she said she wanted to make sure my uterus was on top shape. After this, we did an IUI. I took Clomid to prepare. The IUI was not successful. We are now planning to possibly do IVF this summer.

The IUI was around $1000. First consult was around $300 I believe? Everything was out of pocket.

I love dr. Sueldo and am forever indebted to her for our miracle. She was honest and kind and so so smart! She was always careful to tell us what we needed to know, to celebrate our successes and to remind us to move forward with both caution and optimism.

Trust herself

Antagonist protocol. I used menopur and gonal F as well as progesterone supository and estrogen pills.

My insurance partially covered everything. I had a $30 copay with every appointment and had to pay for some of my meds and a few procedures.

We transferred 3 embryos and ended up with our Singleton. Since then the clinic no longer transfers multiple embryos from my understanding.

Because of covid-19 my first consultation was through Zoom, so it was a different to talk over the computer. However, I felt like we came up with a good plan. I never once felt like she was trying to end our conversation. I had a ton of questions, and she was able to answer all of them. My husband and I left the meeting feeling football for what our future has to come.

Going through infertility is hard, and I learned that we have to be patience. Dr. Carolina M. Sueldo and staff will guide you through the process. Just know you are not alone.

They told my Husband to start taking CONCEPTIONXR. I have a few more blood test to do, as well as HSG test. Hopefully everything works out and we can start IVF in August!

10,000 to 15,000 with medicine

Very kind, knowledgeable, and to the point with all the information that was given to my husband and I. Never felt like we were numbers. She really took her time with us and made sure we understood everything.

Ask questions and have them break everything down that you don’t understand. Their office is very good about this.

IUI- took clomid for 5 days, ultrasounds in between to see how my eggs were growing, and then trigger shot when they were ready. 2 days later husband gave semen sample and then 1 hour later the NP did the IUI.

Very straight forward while being very compassionate and understanding, seemed extremely knowledgable citing a few recent studies and drawing on her experience working arou d the country, really really swell gal

Dont hold back

We connected on life things, she at the time of this is getting ready to be married and we were able to talk about those things. I remember asking her because we are similar in age what she would personally do in my situation in regards to an HSG which lets be honest is the WORST test, and mine was two years old and I just remembered in that moment that was going to suggest for me to do it again and I remembered I said 'I HATED that test' and she said I know but a lot can happen in two years, I KNEW she was right, and I asked if she would do it and she said candidly 'spending all of this money IVF I would do it' Which reminded me of a commitment I had made to myself which was to do all I could with in reason to have a positive outcome which up until that point I had being doing to eat healthy, limit BPA exposure take my vitamins and exercise etc. to be able to cross the finish line and know I had done EVERYTHING I could to reach the 'end zone' and if one test as awful as it is kept me from that goal how would I feel? (needless to say I will be doing it can't say I am happy about it but I will be doing it). She did her best to answer any and all questions that I had and I had a lot because at the time of my meeting her about IVF two clinics in the Bay Area lost their cryogenic storage, and she said we ALL felt that and is it a risk yes BUT we all are ever learning and ever evolving she explained the systems in place at WSFC to ensure the best outcome if something catastrophic were to happen there are back up generators etc. to help keep the eggs safe. HA. and I appreciated how when she talked about my husbands motility. Everyone has up to this point said he was basically super human and she had mentioned that his count was borderline I remember we all laughed as my husband was like wait WHAT I was told that I was prime and ready to go all systems firing, and she recovered it well by explaining throughly what she meant so he didn't have a nervous break down, it was a comical moment, so I guess what I am saying is that she really read the situation well in order to redirect my husband to the facts which helped him a lot feel better about everything.

If you are a Bakersfield to Modesto resident looking for a Doctor of Fertility the central valley is a good place stay. Clovis Community Hospital already has a really amazing reputation in and of its self. Now we have Dr. Carolina Sueldo added to the mix. She is WORTH your time, to stay local. Just think for one second. The added cost of going to the Bay Area hotels, gas, and travel stress on an already stressful time and situation. Anyone would be lucky to see Dr. Carolina Sueldo and utilize the program here in the Central Valley its a Dimond in the rough. Trust her. She is honest and will tell you things that will be hard to hear BUT she will try respect your dignity in the process. Its a BIG scary investment I know. BUT staying close to home is worth it. Trust me.

I don't know what type of protocol exactly you would call what I will be doing, BUT I remember her saying that its more aggressive because of my diminished reserve. Gonal Menopur Cetrotide Norarel or Pregnyl Progesterone in oil (I was going to have a vaginal insert of something that starts with and E but I was able to request not to use that because a burning vaginal canal... NO THANK YOU) March 5th I start shots and I go in for a follow up on the 11th from there we will determine how I am responding.

we are 100% Private pay 175$ ish for The initial consult 75$ for each office visit 10055$ -IVF global fee 4655$ -IC Sperm injection 600$ -Embryo Lab fee 4800$ additional items -270$ Sperm back up -375$ Anesthesia egg retrieval and a few other items that are specific to our care but the above are the main general fees

Dr. Carolina Sueldo is VERY current on best practices and advances in the medicine she is willing to do what ever is going to give the embryo's the BEST chance at viability.

Dr C is amazing. I have to say it's also refreshing having your Endo reproductive Dr. be a female. She just understands and makes you feel the most comfortable you've ever felt. She gives you realistic updates and hopes. She sets easy and understandable plans of action! She remember who you are when she sees you for your apt. Once I was leaving, and in the hallways I saw her consulting with her father Dr. Carlos Sueldo. And I didn't think she would look up, and I didn't want to bother her. But not only did she see me walk by, she paused taking to her father and walked over to me to give me a hug and ask how I was doing!! Unheard-of, to me, to see a Dr that shows so much love to their patients and to genuinely care about their needs!!!

Be prepared to get a ton of info!!!

My blood works all seemed normal. So clomid we went. Off to the races. 5 days and not one mature follicle. We then moved the dosage up. Once again, nothing. Moved the dosage to the max. Then once again, nothing. Now it's injectable time. 150 dose of Hmg for 4 nights then if to see if it works. I'm currently still working with her. And Friday I will get an update on how it's going. Fingers crossed and prayers galore.

So

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