Dr Zouves is very set in his ways. He will not admit error, or change protocols, even after failed cycles. He uses a LOT of drugs. This may work for some older or DOR patients, but if you are younger, with high ovarian reserve or PCOS this can be a disaster. ... He said he wouldn't change anything with my protocol, and they only thing I could do to improve my chances of conception was surrogacy. ...
Zouves is perhaps the only clinic in the bay area that will treat subclinical immune issues. They do some basic immune testing and treat with prednisolone and intralipids ($$$). If this is important to you, your only other option is to go out of town. For what it's worth, I was treated for immune issues before two transfers, which resulted in two negatives. ...
How was your experience with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Dr Zouves is very set in his ways. He will not admit error, or change protocols, even after failed cycles. He uses a LOT of drugs. This may work for some older or DOR patients, but if you are younger, with high ovarian reserve or PCOS this can be a disaster. He also often does natural transfers, which were extremely hard to time exactly and add an unnecessary degree of uncertainty. He also finds "immune issues" in many (most?) of his patients and requires expensive, questionable treatments.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
I would look at his 2016 SART ratings, then go elsewhere.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Dr Zouves initially seemed rather personable and did respond to emails in a timely manner. However, after two failed transfers he absolutely refused to take any personal responsibility (for overstimulating me, and mistiming my natural transfers). He said he wouldn't change anything with my protocol, and they only thing I could do to improve my chances of conception was surrogacy. I went on to conceive twins with my next clinic on my first try.
Describe the protocols Christo Zouves used in your cycles at Zouves Fertility Center and their degree of success.
He used an antagonist protocol - very high doses of FSH then Ganirelix to prevent ovulation. We got more than 20 eggs. But we only ended up with 4 embryos at day 5. We did PGS testing and 2 were normal, 2 abnormal. We did 2 natural transfers, and had 2 failures.
Describe your experience with Zouves Fertility Center.
Zouves is perhaps the only clinic in the bay area that will treat subclinical immune issues. They do some basic immune testing and treat with prednisolone and intralipids ($$$). If this is important to you, your only other option is to go out of town. For what it's worth, I was treated for immune issues before two transfers, which resulted in two negatives. My next clinic assured me that this was all snake oil - and I had success.
Describe Christo Zouves's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Zouves Fertility Center.
He has a strong preference for eSET of PGS tested embryos. I was fine with this.
The most important thing I wanted to flag and the reason I'm writing this review is that Dr Zouves recommended that we transfer 2 embryos. His recommendation actually went against the ASRM recommendation for a <35 year old with genetically normal embryos. Transferring more than 1 embryos is less and less common, and some clinics refuse to transfer more than 1 due to ethical reasons. I never imagined transferring 2 embryos, but as many of you know, many decisions are emotional and especially in a distraught state during fertility treatment. We agreed to transfer 2 and it resulted in a twin pregnancy. I'd like to think that Dr Zouves recommended transferring 2 embryos solely because he wanted u
The most important thing I wanted to flag and the reason I'm writing this review is that Dr Zouves recommended that we transfer 2 embryos. His recommendation actually went against the ASRM recommendation for a <35 year old with genetically normal embryos. Transferring more than 1 embryos is less and less common, and some clinics refuse to transfer more than 1 due to ethical reasons. I never imagined transferring 2 embryos, but as many of you know, many decisions are emotional and especially in a distraught state during fertility treatment. We agreed to transfer 2 and it resulted in a twin pregnancy. I'd like to think that Dr Zouves recommended transferring 2 embryos solely because he wanted us to be happy, but I can't help but wonder if this was about good statistics. In hindsight, transferring 2 embryos was somewhat short-sighted. There are many risks to mom and babies in twin pregnancies, which is why ASRM and many other doctors ethically do not recommend transferring 2 embryos in scenarios that are more likely to result in multiple gestation. While Dr. Zouves did talk to us about the pros/cons of transferring 2 embryos as it rela
How was your experience with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
The most important thing I wanted to flag and the reason I'm writing this review is that Dr Zouves recommended that we transfer 2 embryos. This is less and less common, and some clinics refuse to transfer more than 1 due to ethical reasons. I never imagined transferring 2 embryos, but as many of you know, many decisions are emotional and especially in a distraught state during fertility treatment. We agreed to transfer 2 and it resulted in a twin pregnancy. His recommendation actually goes against the ASRM recommendation for a <35 year old with genetically normal embryos. I'd like to think that Dr Zouves recommended transferring 2 embryos solely because he wanted us to be happy, but I can't help but wonder if this was about good statistics. In hindsight, transferring 2 embryos was somewhat short-sighted. There are many risks to mom and babies in twin pregnancies, which is why ASRM and many other doctors ethically do not recommend transferring 2 embryos in scenarios that are more likely to result in multiple gestation. While Dr. Zouves did talk to us about the pros/cons of transferring 2 embryos as it relates to success, he did not realistically discuss the risks down the line (e.g. much higher risk of premature birth = NICU time, physical toll on mom of carrying two, higher risk of preeclampsia and gestational diabetes).
One thing that is unique about Dr Zouves is that he operates a solo practice. This means that he is the only doctor reviewing your records and the only doctor you will speak with. He is also quite responsive via email, usually responding the same day, and I do think his responses were thoughtful.
I did have at least one poor in-person exchange with him. I asked him a question and he gave me a yes/no answer. When I asked if he could explain why he provided that answer, he got defensive and said, well you asked for my opinion. This was pretty upsetting.
My first transfer that didn't work with Dr Zouves was painful. This was my 5th embryo transfer (my first 4 were elsewhere), and they were all painless.
I would say that Dr Zouves attempts to provide a more holistic approach to care. For example, he is big on diet and immunology. He recommends a gluten and dairy free diet, no alcohol. He also tests for various underlying immunological issues, and then provides "treatment" for them in the office. My treatment was $700, and I was told it was basically a mixture of egg and soy. Say what?! On one hand, I do appreciate that he tries to go one step further than most other doctors. On the other hand, I don't really believe it, and I think it can cause more stress to patients. For my first transfer cycle, I strictly followed the gluten/dairy free + no alcohol diet, and I agreed to undergo the immunology treatment (which was an IV of an unknown white liquid) even though I didn't test positive for anything. That cycle resulted in a negative pregnancy test. The next transfer cycle, I went back to my normal diet. It was a normal balanced healthy diet consisting of gluten and dairy and a glass of wine with dinner. I also declined the immunology treatment despite his recommendation. This cycle worked, and I got a positive pregnancy test that stuck.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Dr Zouves' recommendations are one man's opinion. Do your own research, and don't take his recommendation as the end all be all. While there are many positives about working with one doctor, please note that you are only getting one opinion. His recommendation may not be the best for you. For example, he is a strong believe of the gluten/dairy free diet, but the research he provides seems a bit outdated and questionable. I didn't get pregnant on a gluten/dairy free diet, but I did get pregnant when I ate a balanced diet. Another example is the immunology treatment. Didn't get pregnant when I did it, I did get pregnant when I declined it. My experience is just one anecdote!! (I didn't follow a dairy/gluten free diet at my previous clinic either, and it didn't seem related to my success). Anyway, my point is that his approach is just one way of doing things.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Dr Zouves is a one-man practice, so unlike other practices, you know that you will always been seen by him and have your questions answered by him. This is different than some of the larger clinics where you may see multiple doctors throughout your treatment and rarely see your own doctor. It was easy to reach Dr Zouves via email. He was very responsive, which was much appreciated. Unlike larger clinics where you play phone tag with the nurses all day long. I was usually by myself or with one other person in the waiting room. Very different from the experience at a larger clinic, where there were 30+ people in the waiting room. I was treated by Dr Zouves during the early part of the Covid19 pandemic, so this may have influenced my experience.
Describe your experience with Zouves Fertility Center.
Zouves Fertility Clinic is run by one doctor. So you will see him and only him. This is generally a positive, but can also be a negative if you want some additional opinions. There are benefits to larger practices where more than 1 doctor might review your records.
Another pro was there wasn't a huge waiting room with a lot of people. I'm not sure what it's like in non Covid times, but it was very nice to often be the only patient in the waiting room. That said, this wasn't my first clinic, and at my previous clinic, the waiting room was filled with women, and it was sometimes reassuring to see so many other women going through the same thing.
Another pro is that everything is in one location. My previous clinic was in a large hospital, and the OR was in a separate place than the office. It was nice to have everything in one place.
Describe Christo Zouves's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Zouves Fertility Center.
The most important thing I wanted to flag and the reason I'm writing this review is that Dr Zouves recommended that we transfer 2 embryos. His recommendation actually went against the ASRM recommendation for a <35 year old with genetically normal embryos. Transferring more than 1 embryos is less and less common, and some clinics refuse to transfer more than 1 due to ethical reasons. I never imagined transferring 2 embryos, but as many of you know, many decisions are emotional and especially in a distraught state during fertility treatment. We agreed to transfer 2 and it resulted in a twin pregnancy. I'd like to think that Dr Zouves recommended transferring 2 embryos solely because he wanted us to be happy, but I can't help but wonder if this was about good statistics. In hindsight, transferring 2 embryos was somewhat short-sighted. There are many risks to mom and babies in twin pregnancies, which is why ASRM and many other doctors ethically do not recommend transferring 2 embryos in scenarios that are more likely to result in multiple gestation. While Dr. Zouves did talk to us about the pros/cons of transferring 2 embryos as it relates to success, he did not realistically discuss the risks down the line (e.g. much higher risk of premature birth = NICU time, physical toll on mom of carrying two, higher risk of preeclampsia and gestational diabetes).
He [Dr. Christo Zouves] has been always been very kind and patient in answering our numerous questions (in person/mails) and in providing suggestions but never pushing anything which we were not comfortable with...made me feel comfortable and helped me understand each step of the way. He was very clear with facts and explained why each process was required and how it is done... which reassured me in continuing to try for a baby! I think the kind words and empathy along with clear under of the process made me feel like a human than just another number at the fertility clinic.
I would say it [Zouves Fertility Center] is more or less similar to the current cost anywhere...office does offer some discounts if insurance doesn’t cover certain blood work etc...I followed the instructions thoroughly and 26 embryos were retrieved out of which 6 good quality embryos have been frozen. ( this is the first time I have had 6 good quality embryos)...team is amazing, everyone from the front desk staff to the nursing staff. They always have answers and explains why each process is done and how. I have always felt comfortable being at the clinic. No unanswered calls or emails ever! I don’t think I have waited or worried waiting for a answer to my questions The instructions provided were very clear and they have always checked with me if I had followed
How was your experience with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
From my first appointment till date he has always addressed my husband and me by our names, and during our appointments I feel he is always prepared and knows at which phase we are at.
Although he is a very busy doctor, he always makes time to say hello and never rushed to start with the consultation, I think that helped me to be more comfortable!
I was amazed at how he clearly would identify certain aspects and explain things to us. Even if it was to follow certain diet, he would explain as to why and how it would help me.
He has been always been very kind and patient in answering our numerous questions (in person/mails) and in providing suggestions but never pushing anything which we were not comfortable with.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
I think as a patient one should be prepared to provide medical history, ask questions and have an open mind. (explain all the previous treatment/fertility issues they have faced)
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
I have been undergoing fertility treatment for the last 6 years or so, it’s just since Oct 2019 that my husband and I have been to Dr. Zouves. I had almost given up my hopes of even trying for a baby, after I had an ectopic pregnancy and my fallopian tube ruptured in feb 2019.
I am so glad I gathered my courage and met Dr Zouves and his team. Dr. Zouves made me feel comfortable and helped me understand each step of the way. He was very clear with facts and explained why each process was required and how it is done... which reassured me in continuing to try for a baby! I think the kind words and empathy along with clear under of the process made me feel like a human than just another number at the fertility clinic.
Describe the protocols Christo Zouves used in your cycles at Zouves Fertility Center and their degree of success.
I have so far completed one egg retrieval process at Dr Zouves clinic.
There were several blood works and scans done to check my overall health and ovarian reserve. He checked how my ovaries functioned and produced follicles with out medication and then accordingly prescribed medications.
I followed a gluten/ dairy free diet and took CoQ10, prenatals and few other supplements, along with the fertility injections.
I followed the instructions thoroughly and 26 embryos were retrieved out of which 6 good quality embryos have been frozen. ( this is the first time I have had 6 good quality embryos)
Describe your experience with your nurse at Zouves Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Claudia )
Dr. Zouves’s team is amazing, everyone from the front desk staff to the nursing staff. They always have answers and explains why each process is done and how. I have always felt comfortable being at the clinic.
No unanswered calls or emails ever!
I don’t think I have waited or worried waiting for a answer to my questions
The instructions provided were very clear and they have always checked with me if I had followed through.
While at the clinic for the procedure I was at ease as it was explained to me what to expect and I was made very comfortable.
Describe your experience with Zouves Fertility Center.
In my experience the clinic functions as a team, everyone knows what they are doing.
They seem to be well organized and systematic. On the days I have had my appointments I haven’t faced a situation where someone was confused with my file or for what appointment/ procedure I was there for. Also the finance and insurance personnel’s have been very helpful and have provided clear instructions each step of the way!
Another aspect I liked was the effective communication process followed, for every call or email I have sent I have received a relevant response.
Incase of any confusion where many people were involved, it was always resolved without bothering the patient.
Since the clinic has the labs, consultation/ procedure rooms in one floor, I thought it was easy to get to and convenient for the patient and the person accompanying them!
I am in the middle of the treatment process, and so far I have felt that I have made the right choice of choosing Dr. Zouves and team.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center.
I would say it is more or less similar to the current cost anywhere. His office does offer some discounts if insurance doesn’t cover certain blood work etc
Describe Christo Zouves's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Zouves Fertility Center.
Dr usually recommends a single embryo transfer but he would let the parents decide. This recommendation also would depend on the age and ovarian function.
Zouves was really complete in his diagnosis. ... With Dr Zouves it felt like he tested for everything so I felt confident in my treatment. I like that he also recommends acupuncture for clients and for an array of supplements. I felt like he was very responsive as well. I needed to call about my medication after hours and instead of talking to a nurse, I spoke to him directly. ... For a first transfer, we used only 1 normal embryo.
Staff is highly professional. Clinic is warm and inviting. ... Zouves takes full payment for your treatment ahead of time and then your insurance may reimburse you. ... The nurse team primarily communicated via email in the morning and if I didn't respond by the afternoon, they usually gave me a call. They called me immediately after they received any kind of results. ... I had 2 different insurances who provided fertility benefits and Dr. Zouves was considered out of network for both.
How was your experience with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Zouves was really complete in his diagnosis. When I would read magazines such as Glamor, there would be articles about women who didn't know PGS testing was an option, or didn't know the should be on blood thinners. With Dr Zouves it felt like he tested for everything so I felt confident in my treatment. I like that he also recommends acupuncture for clients and for an array of supplements. I felt like he was very responsive as well. I needed to call about my medication after hours and instead of talking to a nurse, I spoke to him directly.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Make sure you understand your fertility benefits with your employer ahead of time. Zouves takes full payment for your treatment ahead of time and then your insurance may reimburse you.
Describe the protocols Christo Zouves used in your cycles at Zouves Fertility Center and their degree of success.
I don't remember. Sorry.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Zouves Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Anna)
The nurse team primarily communicated via email in the morning and if I didn't respond by the afternoon, they usually gave me a call. They called me immediately after they received any kind of results. They called to remind me of appointments. Everyone was so kind I was happy with the service. For the majority of the follow-up treatment after I was pregnant, I spoke to the nurses and not to Dr. Zouves.
Describe your experience with Zouves Fertility Center.
Staff is highly professional. Clinic is warm and inviting. There is plenty of parking and the location is right off the 92 freeway so it is convenient.
The major weakness is that Zouves is out of network - I had 2 different insurances who provided fertility benefits and Dr. Zouves was considered out of network for both.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center.
Expensive
Describe Christo Zouves's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Zouves Fertility Center.
For a first transfer, we used only 1 normal embryo. After the miscarriage we again used only one normal embryo.
I had a friend who used Zouves and the first time she used one normal embryo and didn't get pregnant so the second time she used one normal and one mezoic and she become pregnant with the mezoic.
Dr. Zouves was kind and seemed to be quite competent. He offered encouragement during treatment. however when my first transfer ended in a failure, his next step he offered was to do IVF with donor eggs- basically stating that I had no chance with my own eggs. That was hard to take and I felt like he lost faith I my eggs and my body. ... due to the grade of the embryos we then transferred both that I had.
The clinic [Zouves Fertility Center] was well organized, easy to communicate with, available 7 days a week. I really loved being able to communicate with them over email, it made the process much easier. Having all my questions answered in writing made it a great reference point ... Angela is the best, she is the one who called me to tell me my negative pregnancy test results ... She is an amazing person
How was your experience with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Dr. Zouves was kind and seemed to be quite competent. He offered encouragement during treatment. however when my first transfer ended in a failure, his next step he offered was to do IVF with donor eggs- basically stating that I had no chance with my own eggs. That was hard to take and I felt like he lost faith I my eggs and my body.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Advocate for your body, and always make the decision that you feel 100% confident with. In the end no matter the outcome, you can still stand behind it.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
The staff and Dr. Zouves are really caring. They remembered personal details about my husband and I
Describe the protocols Christo Zouves used in your cycles at Zouves Fertility Center and their degree of success.
I don’t remember the entire protocol, but this is what I do-
We did full genetic testing and counciling, tested for antibodies, etc.
Injections, and lots of bloodwork/ultrasounds, grew embryos to a day 5 blastocyst, did genetic testing on embryos, froze and did a transfer around two months later
Describe your experience with your nurse at Zouves Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Angela)
The nursing staff at ZFC is amazing, so caring and efficient. Angela is the best, she is the one who called me to tell me my negative pregnancy test results and till this day I still feel bad that she has to make those phone calls. She is an amazing person
Describe your experience with Zouves Fertility Center.
The clinic was well organized, easy to communicate with, available 7 days a week. I really loved being able to communicate with them over email, it made the process much easier. Having all my questions answered in writing made it a great reference point
Describe the costs associated with your care under Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center.
Med, tests, ultrasounds, tests, transfer
Describe Christo Zouves's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Zouves Fertility Center.
I was originally told we could I love you transfer one embryo. Then due to the grade of the embryos we then transferred both that I had. I knew this seemed odd, but honestly I could bring my self to ask why- I couldn’t take the bad news.
Dr. Zouves was very thorough in the information he provided to us, and was helpful in identifying time-frames and next steps. He has never been pushy, just informative and very clear that it is our choice in how and when to proceed. I particularly appreciate when doctors explain what they are doing and what that means, which is what we have experienced with Dr. Zouves thus far. IVF is overwhelming when you look at the big picture,
Communication has been great and timely. They [Zouves Fertility] will communicate with you both by phone and by email which I appreciate. They are warm, kind, and caring, not to mention accommodating with scheduling. I do not have any weaknesses to report as all the staff and processes we have encountered thus far have been very positive. I told my husband that they have made me feel comfortable, in an otherwise uncomfortable/uncertain situation.
How was your experience with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Dr. Zouves was very thorough in the information he provided to us, and was helpful in identifying time-frames and next steps. He has never been pushy, just informative and very clear that it is our choice in how and when to proceed. I particularly appreciate when doctors explain what they are doing and what that means, which is what we have experienced with Dr. Zouves thus far. IVF is overwhelming when you look at the big picture, but he has been so kind and patient in answering all of our questions and helping us to understand the process.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Do a consultation as soon as you are interested in pursuing IVF to allow yourself time to think about your timeline and figure out funding. He is very patient, and not once have they been pushy about our timeline.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Dr. Zouves took great interest in getting to know myself and my husband- what we do for work, how old our daughter is, etc. He was very kind, warm, and approachable during our phone and in person consultations. I left feeling heard, hopeful, and confident that we were in the right place.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Zouves Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Desiree)
Desiree was so incredibly kind and patient. She was very easy to speak with, and provided good communication. She had to do a blood draw at my first appointment and she was very thorough about what it was for, and what to expect. She even made sure to give me juice and a granola bar (compliant with my diet!) to make sure I was feeling ok for the draw. Just so kind.
Describe your experience with Zouves Fertility Center.
Communication has been great and timely. They will communicate with you both by phone and by email which I appreciate. They are warm, kind, and caring, not to mention accommodating with scheduling. I do not have any weaknesses to report as all the staff and processes we have encountered thus far have been very positive. I told my husband that they have made me feel comfortable, in an otherwise uncomfortable/uncertain situation. You don't feel alone, or like the odd man out.
Dr. Zouves saw me every visit and the last few times had my mom join the ultrasound. I actually live in LA and would travel to the Bay Area- so timing of my visits was crucial. Once I happened to be up there for work and he squeezed me in for a visit- very accommodating.... Day 1-2: Menopur (1 vial) and Gonal F (225) twice a day Day 3-10: Menopur (1vial) and Gonal F (150) twice a day for next 8.5 days Day 7-10: Add 1 Cetrotide in evenings Day 11: Menopur (1vial) and Gonal F (150) AM, HCG trigger in PM
I am such a baby when it comes to needles and drawing blood. They [the nurses] were so nice and comforting- held my hand and gave me juice and snacks. I even brought my shots to my appointments so they could administer for me. I never felt rushed EVER. Never felt like a number in a factory.... Ask the financial coordinator for financial relief!! They were so phenomenal to me and eased some of the financial burden.
How was your experience with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Dr. Zouves saw me every visit and the last few times had my mom join the ultrasound. I actually live in LA and would travel to the Bay Area- so timing of my visits was crucial. Once I happened to be up there for work and he squeezed me in for a visit- very accommodating.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Ask the financial coordinator for financial relief!! They were so phenomenal to me and eased some of the financial burden.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Love love love Dr. Z and his entire staff. They were responsive, checked in on me, patient, caring and made me feel at ease. The nurses and I were on a first name basis and I am so thankful for my experience with Dr. Z and team.
Describe the protocols Christo Zouves used in your cycles at Zouves Fertility Center and their degree of success.
Day 1-2: Menopur (1 vial) and Gonal F (225) twice a day
Day 3-10: Menopur (1vial) and Gonal F (150) twice a day for next 8.5 days
Day 7-10: Add 1 Cetrotide in evenings
Day 11: Menopur (1vial) and Gonal F (150) AM, HCG trigger in PM
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Zouves Fertility Center.
I am such a baby when it comes to needles and drawing blood. They were so nice and comforting- held my hand and gave me juice and snacks. I even brought my shots to my appointments so they could administer for me. I never felt rushed EVER. Never felt like a number in a factory.
Describe your experience with Zouves Fertility Center.
Nothing I would change about my experience. They were thorough with the information, sensitive to my financial needs, gave me cryobanks and pharmacies that had great prices (I was able to get 50% off certain meds), and I had a successful retrieval. What more could I ask for.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center.
operation (25% off), genetic counseling, FDA, Antagon deposit (25% off). Then 2% off total for paying with check in full= $7550
Describe Christo Zouves's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Zouves Fertility Center.
Dr Zouves is a wonderful, warm doctor who is very present for his patients. He sees you in person at every visit, and calls and emails with you in between. He proscribes to treating reproductive immunology issues (unlike many other doctors). He sends you a ton of information to dig through on mind-body connection and lifestyle changes you can do to improve your health and fertility.... he is very open to answer your questions and is extremely knowledgeable
It's a zen, calm environment with impressive state of the art equipment. Staff [Zouves Fertility Ctr] is respectful and gets back to you in a timely fashion. Best thing is being able to communicate directly with Dr Zouves and his caring, warm bedside manner. He takes the time to explain things to you and personally send articles for you to read. I also preferred to see him due to his beliefs and knowledge about Reproductive immunology.
How was your experience with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Dr Zouves is a wonderful, warm doctor who is very present for his patients. He sees you in person at every visit, and calls and emails with you in between. He proscribes to treating reproductive immunology issues (unlike many other doctors). He sends you a ton of information to dig through on mind-body connection and lifestyle changes you can do to improve your health and fertility. Highly recommended!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Be vocal to ask any questions you might have - he is very open to answer your questions and is extremely knowledgeable. Go here if you think auto immune issues are contributing to your challenges.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Dr Zouves is warm and empathetic, knowledgeable and understanding. He will email and call you directly and always expresses his empathy for your emotions during this difficult journey.
Describe the protocols Christo Zouves used in your cycles at Zouves Fertility Center and their degree of success.
Unfortunately I don't remember the protocol we used. I know it included priming with BCP followed by the maximum menopur and follistim doses.
Describe your experience with Zouves Fertility Center.
It's a zen, calm environment with impressive state of the art equipment. Staff is respectful and gets back to you in a timely fashion. Best thing is being able to communicate directly with Dr Zouves and his caring, warm bedside manner. He takes the time to explain things to you and personally send articles for you to read. I also preferred to see him due to his beliefs and knowledge about Reproductive immunology. This is similar to the Alan Beer Resource Center in Los Gatos, Dr Braverman in NYC.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center.
Approximately $19,000 not including drugs.
Describe Christo Zouves's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Zouves Fertility Center.
Dr. Zouves' strengths: - Extremely personable- he was very easy to talk to, which made asking questions and having a dialogue about what problems and what the plan going forward was easier to navigate. Knowledgeable- his knowledge is so vast and his ability to explain it in a way that we can understand it is also a strength... His only weakness may be that he works too hard, I hope he takes some time for himself! (Just not during my cycle ;)
Billing is easy to understand and is straightforward. Injection training was also easy to understand and straightforward. They are very good about not inundating you with information that isn't pertinent at the moment. This place is a well oiled machine...While I wasn't assigned a specific nurse, we dealt with the nurse team as a whole and I've had better care with this team than I have when I've had individual nurses assigned to me at another clinic. They are knowledgeable, caring, kind, compassionate and prompt. They recognize us when they see us and call us by name. I look forward to our visits with them every time.
How was your experience with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Dr. Zouves' strengths: - Extremely personable- he was very easy to talk to, which made asking questions and having a dialogue about what problems and what the plan going forward was easier to navigate. Knowledgeable- his knowledge is so vast and his ability to explain it in a way that we can understand it is also a strength. Passionate- you can tell he loves what he does, it's hard to explain but you can feel it the moment you meet him. Once we met, you could tell he was an expert in his field. Lastly: Dr. Zouves is hardworking. I've been seeing him for over a year and I never worry about someone else doing a procedure or a monitoring appointment. I actually will miss him and his staff if our current cycle fails with our last embryo as we'll no longer have a reason to visit with Dr. Zouves after this. It feels like a visit (with a really really smart, friend that happens to be a reproductive endocrinologist ) not a "doctor's apppointment" until the stirrups and the wand come out, then it feels pretty clinical. I truly have nothing but praise to sing of this doctor and we haven't had a successful pregnancy yet. His only weakness may be that he works too hard, I hope he takes some time for himself! (Just not during my cycle ;)
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
As a patient of Dr. Zouves, I would advise you to ask him anything and everything that's on your mind, no question is too small or too off limits or too off base.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Everyone from the front desk associates to Dr. Zouves were sincere and genuine with us. They called us by name, took interest in our lives. Dr. Zouves was always very kind and remembered unique stories from our past visits together. We travelled about 2 hours to get to his center and he always made us feel very welcome and answered all of our questions. I felt like a human here because he listened.
Describe the protocols Christo Zouves used in your cycles at Zouves Fertility Center and their degree of success.
We were diagnosed with Male factor infertility (y chromosome micro deletion) and it was advised to go directly to IVF with ICSI. (Prior to Dr Zouves). Further testing was done with Dr. Zouves it was discovered I have the MTHFR gene and that I tested with a slightly elevated level of natural killer cells. I don't remember the protocol name I was on but for egg retrieval I started with lupron and stimmed with Menopur and Follistim for about 9/10 days and had 22 eggs retrieved. 17 were mature and 11 were fertilized via ICSI. By day 5, 6 had made it to blastocyst and frozen to be CCS tested. (Our first IVF cycle with a different clinic yielded 2 morulas on day 5 and the rest of the embryos arrested, we transferred those 2 and got a negative test). Of the 6 embryos that were CCS tested 5 of them were normal (4 girls 1 boy). We were ecstatic. In January of 2016 we did our first frozen embryo transfer of 1 embryo. We did a natural frozen embryo transfer. My beta was 67 at 11dp5dt. My second beta did not double and we had our first chemical pregnancy. Dr. Zouves did our follow up call and we talked about the factors that played into this cycle and how everything seemed to all line up. "'Normal" embryo, great uterine environment, and he chalked it up to bad luck. Our second frozen embryo transfer took place in august of 2016. Another natural frozen transfer of a normal embryo. Another chemical pregnancy. We did another frozen transfer in December of 2016. This time we changed things up and did a medicated cycle with birth control, patches, PIO shots, baby aspirin and lovenox. Prior to this transfer, we were informed that the original embryo they thawed for this transfer didn't survive so they had to thaw another, leaving 1 embryo left if this did not work. We got pregnant, but it resulted in another chemical pregnancy. So that's 4 normal embryos down (3 transfers) if you're keeping score. We triedo lovenox this last time around even though it's not confirmed I have a clotting issue, just MTHFR. We are left with our last frozen embryo to transfer.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Zouves Fertility Center.
While I wasn't assigned a specific nurse, we dealt with the nurse team as a whole and I've had better care with this team than I have when I've had individual nurses assigned to me at another clinic. They are knowledgeable, caring, kind, compassionate and prompt. They recognize us when they see us and call us by name. I look forward to our visits with them every time.
Describe your experience with Zouves Fertility Center.
The clinic itself is welcoming! They have all the bells and whistles to make each visit less stressful. You can tell this staff works as a team and they respect each other as partners all with the same goal. The actual physical location is close to the freeways and hotels and the airport if you're traveling in. There are also several acupuncturists with great ratings within 20 minutes of this clinic that have a relationship with Dr. Zouves and speak highly of him. Billing is easy to understand and is straightforward. Injection training was also easy to understand and straightforward. They are very good about not inundating you with information that isn't pertinent at the moment. This place is a well oiled machine.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center.
I don't remember (or I might have blocked out) but in 2015 when we did our stim cycle plus CCS testing and all
of our work ups I think we clocked in at just over $30,000 out the door with all meds monitoring procedures etc.
Describe Christo Zouves's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Zouves Fertility Center.
Dr. Zouves strongly suggested I transfer 1 embryo since they were tested and because of my frame. I was completely on board with his suggestion.
I really liked that Dr. Zouves was the only doctor in the practice so he did my consult, ultrasounds, retrieval, and transfer. It was pretty amazing how accessible he is given that he is the only doctor....r. Zouves discovered a large uterine fibroid and really advocated for my HMO (what was not covering the treatments) to remove it. He wrote a letter to them and they quickly agreed to remove it. He had a clear plan for me which involved: an egg retrieval (well monitored due to my pcos) where I would freeze all embryos.
The nurses [at Zouves Fertility Center] were also very accessible and I got one on one demonstrations for taking my meds and to discuss my cycle. That said, I did feel like things were a bit rushed at times...very individualized care, compassionate and knowledgable staff, open to alternative treatments (like acupuncture) and they are open 365 days a year. Negatives: More expensive than some other options in the area. (But I did get a 25% "low-income" discount)
How was your experience with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
He was very ernest, empathetic, and understanding. I'm a single mom by choice and I never felt judged or stigmatized. He has a very calm and reassuring way about him and I always felt like he was listening to me and considering my concerns and questions. He truly seemed to care about my success. It's really obvious that he is passionate about his work.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
To listen to all of his advice. I was told to go gluten and dairy free which seemed extreme but I never felt better after adjusting my lifestyle.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
I really liked that Dr. Zouves was the only doctor in the practice so he did my consult, ultrasounds, retrieval, and transfer. It was pretty amazing how accessible he is given that he is the only doctor. The nurses were also very accessible and I got one on one demonstrations for taking my meds and to discuss my cycle. That said, I did feel like things were a bit rushed at times
Describe the protocols Christo Zouves used in your cycles at Zouves Fertility Center and their degree of success.
Dr. Zouves discovered a large uterine fibroid and really advocated for my HMO (what was not covering the treatments) to remove it. He wrote a letter to them and they quickly agreed to remove it. He had a clear plan for me which involved: an egg retrieval (well monitored due to my pcos) where I would freeze all embryos. Due to the number of embryos i was likely to get he was pretty insistent I do PGS testing and I'm very glad I did because only 1 of the 8 blastocysts created was viable and I could have gone through numerous transfers with no success. He also recommended ICSI and i decided to do it (although I was using donor sperm) to improve my chances but i'm not sure how necessary it was. After the retrieval, I had my fibroid removed and let my uterus heal based on the surgeon's instructions. We did the transfer 4 months later. I transferred my one "good" embryo and it resulted in a viable pregnancy.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Zouves Fertility Center.
It was obvious the nurses were super busy and working hard so it felt slightly like a cattle call when I was getting my blood drawn or other treatments. That said, they were super sweet, compassionate and seemed truly happy for me when I got pregnant.
Describe your experience with Zouves Fertility Center.
Positives: very individualized care, compassionate and knowledgable staff, open to alternative treatments (like acupuncture) and they are open 365 days a year.
Negatives: More expensive than some other options in the area. (But I did get a 25% "low-income" discount), the nurses seemed very busy and rushed-but i suppose that is to be expected.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center.
In and around $26,000
Describe Christo Zouves's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Zouves Fertility Center.
He was very insistent that single was the way to go unless there was a medical reason to transfer more than one. I was concerned about multiples so even if I had more than one good embryo I would have only transferred one.
He [Dr. Zouves] is very gentle to his patients and even though I hated transvaginal ultrasound, he did a far better job than my OBGYN...My egg retrieval procedure was good and I had a speedy recovery, thanks to his decision on my stims dosage, excellent techniques and discharge planning. Despite all the great outcome, I do concern about his work hours as he doesn't take time off (he works 7days/365). I am a strong believer than one does need time to rest and refresh, even s/he is a superman. At times, Dr.Zouves does seem to be stretched pretty thin, in which some patients might have to wait a bit longer to receive their reports.
Because of Zouves's care team (all RNs) and their professional care, I felt like they treated me a human more than a number. All nurses show compassion to me and my spouse, as this is our 1st IVF. They are always very patient and have never rushed our consultation / injection training, given we have never administered med before. They called our cell for most of the lab results which added a lot of 'human touch' to it... I do hope that they could take advantage of apps / texts so that it will free up more time for the RNs. As patients, I could have instant digital records without asking and waiting for scanned copies.
How was your experience with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
I chose Zouves out of all the bay area IVF clinics was because his years of experience in IVF and his success rate (if you look up CDC, he does have the highest score comparing to his peers). I was very impressed at my first visit (actual follicles count) by his prediction of the no. of eggs and possible embryos resulted from our 1st cycle, which pretty much matches to the actual outcome! He is very gentle to his patients and even though I hated transvaginal ultrasound, he did a far better job than my OBGYN (who happened to be a woman). My egg retrieval procedure was good and I had a speedy recovery, thanks to his decision on my stims dosage, excellent techniques and discharge planning. Despite all the great outcome, I do concern about his work hours as he doesn't take time off (he works 7days/365). I am a strong believer than one does need time to rest and refresh, even s/he is a superman. At times, Dr.Zouves does seem to be stretched pretty thin, in which some patients might have to wait a bit longer to receive their reports.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Ask tons of Qs at your 1st consultation with Zouves. It can be anything from his protocols, success rate, lab, reporting schedule, etc. The consultation last approx 30 mins, which is a perfect opportunity for you to examine whether you would agree with his overall approach for your cycle(s). I found that people are much more relax and adaptable if you and Zouves share the same IVF strategies.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Because of Zouves's care team (all RNs) and their professional care, I felt like they treated me a human more than a number. All nurses show compassion to me and my spouse, as this is our 1st IVF. They are always very patient and have never rushed our consultation / injection training, given we have never administered med before. They called our cell for most of the lab results which added a lot of 'human touch' to it.
Describe the protocols Christo Zouves used in your cycles at Zouves Fertility Center and their degree of success.
Mine is the 'Antagonist Freeze Embryo'. They started me on birth control for about a month then had me to stim for about 9 days. First few days was on menopur 75 and follistim 225, then they lowered the dose to 150 (follistim) while menopur stays the same. Lupron was used for trigger. During the stim, I had 2 ultrasounds and 3 bloodwork done.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Zouves Fertility Center.
They are a world class nursing team. All of them are great to details and have never missed any of my emails / calls. They're the IVF clinic warriors!
Describe your experience with Zouves Fertility Center.
I know they are very into personal touch and therefore, they have the RNs to call you for lab results and scheduling. But I do hope that they could take advantage of apps / texts so that it will free up more time for the RNs. As patients, I could have instant digital records without asking and waiting for scanned copies.
Describe Christo Zouves's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Zouves Fertility Center.
He has been very upfront to us about eSET at our first meeting. But before meeting him, I already have done plenty of research on eSET and I agree with his approach. So there is no debate at all.
What specific things went wrong at Zouves Fertility Center?
He's the only doctor, so he's familiar with all the details...I was very happy with my treatment by Dr. Zouves. I was able to have productive discussions with him about potential approaches, and he worked with us through a lot of ups and downs. He believes in reproductive immunology, which was a key factor in choosing his clinic initially. He's adjusted his approach over the years we've worked with him - incorporating new science, and responding to patients' feedback (including mind).
Nursing staff [at Zouves Fertility Center] is great, and many have been at the clinic for a long time. Particularly loved Jennifer and the procedure room staff...Dr. Zouves is the only doctor, but he works 365 days a year and doesn't bunch patients into standard cycles. He's been very flexible in working with my calendar over the years and adjusting cycles to be most convenient to me. It was really important to me that he's a believer in reproductive immunology and treats those issues.
How was your experience with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
I was very happy with my treatment by Dr. Zouves. I was able to have productive discussions with him about potential approaches, and he worked with us through a lot of ups and downs. He believes in reproductive immunology, which was a key factor in choosing his clinic initially. He's adjusted his approach over the years we've worked with him - incorporating new science, and responding to patients' feedback (including mind).
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
He'll listen to what you want, and wait until you're ready for a next step if you in fact need a next step.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
He's the only doctor, so he's familiar with all the details. I got to really know the nurses well.
Describe the protocols Christo Zouves used in your cycles at Zouves Fertility Center and their degree of success.
2 cycles used Lupron flare agonist protocol, with Humor + Intralipids to treat my immunological issues. (One cycle resulted in a miscarriage due to chromosomal abnormalities, one cycle resulted in no embryos to transfer.)
Then two antagonist protocols. One resulted in a miscarriage due to chromosomal abnormalities, one cycle resulted in no pregnancy.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Zouves Fertility Center.
Nursing staff is great, and many have been at the clinic for a long time. Particularly loved Jennifer and the procedure room staff.
Describe your experience with Zouves Fertility Center.
It's a great clinic. Dr. Zouves is the only doctor, but he works 365 days a year and doesn't bunch patients into standard cycles. He's been very flexible in working with my calendar over the years and adjusting cycles to be most convenient to me. It was really important to me that he's a believer in reproductive immunology and treats those issues.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center.
My insurance had largely run out by the time I saw Dr. Zouves. 50% of our first cycle was covered, but none of the medication cost. We did 4 IVF cycles trying to use my eggs, then 3 donor retrieval cycles, 7 transfers of donor eggs, and then 3 transfers of donor eggs to a gestational surrogate. We've paid over $200k to Dr. Zouves over the years.
Describe Christo Zouves's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Zouves Fertility Center.
He's now a firm believer in eSET as he strongly encourages PGS. (This was not the case when I first started working with him.)
The dosage was the highest of all the five IVF cycles I had in total, and I ended up with a lot of immature eggs / eggs that did not fertilize well. ... He [Dr. Zouves] was not interested in troubleshooting and wasn't open to trying anything except for the immunological treatment he believes in ... I requested an Endometrial Receptivity Array (ERA) before our second and last transfer with him, and he refused saying he didn't believe in the test.
The treatment did not feel personalized, particularly after the initial consultation was over and our cycle was not yielding great results. The nurse who called to tell us the fertilization report was cold and discouraging over the phone. After the week transfer failed, the clinic [Zouves Fertility Center] told us that we would not be able to talk to the doctor for at least two weeks.They were really quick to book the initial consultation, so it felt like a slap in the face that the doctor was all of a sudden too "busy" to talk to us now that the money was paid and the cycle had failed.
How was your experience with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
He was very warm and detailed during the initial phone consultation, and he was also personable when he called to tell us that we had two good embryos for transfer (he gave us a 70% chance of success with each embryo). Things started to really go south after the first transfer failed. He was not interested in troubleshooting and wasn't open to trying anything except for the immunological treatment he believes in (despite the fact that my immune tests had turned up nothing). I requested an Endometrial Receptivity Array (ERA) before our second and last transfer with him, and he refused saying he didn't believe in the test. So we went forward with the second transfer, adding in intralipid therapy for no clear reason. That transfer failed as well. One year later at a different clinic I was finally able to get the ERA test done, and it proved to be the missing piece of the puzzle in our case. We essentially walked away empty handed from ZFC after paying $30,000 because the doctor refused to perform a $800 dollar biopsy.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
His general approach is the same for all patients: transferring only genetically screened embryos to increase the chance of success. If your major problem has been age or not transferring tested embryos, then his approach may be the answer you've been looking for. But if you have repeated implantation failure, or any other issue that doesn't involve the chromosomal makeup of the embryo, then he is not going to be willing to think outside the box to solve your problem.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Some of the nurses were very nice but others were cold and indifferent. The front desk receptionist was particularly chilly at the time. The treatment did not feel personalized, particularly after the initial consultation was over and our cycle was not yielding great results. The nurse who called to tell us the fertilization report was cold and discouraging over the phone. After the week transfer failed, the clinic told us that we would not be able to talk to the doctor for at least two weeks.They were really quick to book the initial consultation, so it felt like a slap in the face that the doctor was all of a sudden too "busy" to talk to us now that the money was paid and the cycle had failed.
Describe the protocols Christo Zouves used in your cycles at Zouves Fertility Center and their degree of success.
It was a fairly standard antagonist protocol with Menopur/Bravelle and a HCG trigger shot. The dosage was the highest of all the five IVF cycles I had in total, and I ended up with a lot of immature eggs / eggs that did not fertilize well. Out of about 20 that were retrieved, we ended up with 7 embryos, 4 blastocysts, and 2 suitable for transfer. At a different clinic, I did better with a lower dose and a dual Lupron/HCG trigger.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Zouves Fertility Center.
It's hard to review the staff because a few them were truly wonderful and others were really awful. The ones that were awful just seemed to hate their job and dislike patients. They were cold and condescending. Others were incredibly warm and sweet to me. I just never knew who I was going to get when I went in or called the clinic. Clinic communication over the phone was sometimes difficult and confusing - they have separate people who coordinate cycles and others who answer medical questions, etc. Email seemed to be the easiest method most of the time. The nurses who took care of me before and after egg retrieval were all wonderful.
Describe your experience with Zouves Fertility Center.
The main strengths of Zouves approach has beens in-house genetic testing that ensures all or most patients are only transferring chromosomally sound embryos during a frozen embryo transfer cycle. This approach seems to be the "gold standard" of IVF treatment these days, and I think Zouves built a strong reputation since he adopted this early on. This was the strategy being employed by the CCRM for a long time which has earned them a strong reputation nationally. But more doctors and clinics are catching onto this now, and I think they are no longer as unique in that regard. For the average patient who can make a sufficient number of embryos, this approach is likely to be sufficient. But if you have any other kinds of complications that don't involve immunology then you'll be out of luck here. There also isn't a lot of strong scientific evidence in favor of Zouves' immunology theories anyway.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center.
We did a single freeze-all cycle, and I believe the total cost with two embryo transfers was around $30,000 total.
Describe Christo Zouves's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Zouves Fertility Center.
He had a strong preference for elective single embryo transfer during a natural cycle. Although the natural transfer cycle is "easier" in some ways and requires less medication, trying to determine the timing was stressful and made it hard to plan ahead. I had to go in for multiple ultrasounds to confirm ovulation and bloodwork.
He [Dr. Zouves] explained everything so throughly and he only focuses on you when you see him. His nurses keep notes for him in each appointment so he's not the kind of doctor that is typing while meeting with you. His attention is only on you. Overall, we felt so confident under his care. He leaves no stone unturned and tests for anything and everything to make sure you get that wonderful positive pregnancy test. The tests and his orders seem like a lot, but just be a good patient, listen well, follow all his diirections and you will be happy!...
The front desk staff [at Zouves Fertility Center] is so nice, greet you by name, are sweet on the phone. A HUGE strength of ZFC is that they are open 7 days a week, 365. No joke. If your transfer falls on Sunday, it will be on Sunday. If it lands on thanksgiving, then that's the big day! They are open weekends, which is a gift when you work full time...
How was your experience with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
He is an incredibly talented, gifted doctor. He knows his stuff well. Just with the initial phone consultation, he spent close to 45 minutes with us going over our health/infertility history, our failed IUIs at Kaiser, and so much more. He has a very soothing and kind voice. As soon as I heard him on the phone, I got goosebumps and I felt at ease knowing that I had a true, true expert looking at my medical file and that we were getting our best shot cycling with him.
After two REs at Kaiser Santa Clara told us that we had unexplained infertility and after 11 failed IUIs, Dr. Zouves identified our problem over the phone in 45 minutes. We finally, finally got an answer. That, in itself, sold us to cycle with him.
Once we met him, he was everything we expected. He explained everything so throughly and he only focuses on you when you see him. His nurses keep notes for him in each appointment so he's not the kind of doctor that is typing while meeting with you. His attention is only on you.
Overall, we felt so confident under his care. He leaves no stone unturned and tests for anything and everything to make sure you get that wonderful positive pregnancy test. The tests and his orders seem like a lot, but just be a good patient, listen well, follow all his diirections and you will be happy!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Run, don't walk to his clinic. Just get an appointment for a phone consultation with him and see what he says. It's worth it. He's an amazing, one many show! Cycling with hi is a bit more money, but it's so worth it. The care is wonderful and you get results....real results.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Dr. Zouves is a very kind doctor. He always remembers your name, he is friendly, warm and fuzzy, and has a good sense of humor. He has an incredible bedside manner. He reviews your history very varefully and makes a plan just for you and your husband.
Describe the protocols Christo Zouves used in your cycles at Zouves Fertility Center and their degree of success.
I have polycycstic ovaries so I produced 18 eggs at the retrieval. I used Follitism, Gonirelix, and Menopur to stimulate. He said I responded very well to a light stimulation, my plan was not aggressive because I have a high reserve and I was under 40.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Zouves Fertility Center.
Amazing! Never skip a beat! They are sweet, kind, compassionate, super organized. I worked with many of them over the four/five months it took, but my favorite was Angela.
Describe your experience with Zouves Fertility Center.
Nothing was weak, everything was superior. The front desk staff is so nice, greet you by name, are sweet on the phone. A HUGE strength of ZFC is that they are open 7 days a week, 365. No joke. If your transfer falls on Sunday, it will be on Sunday. If it lands on thanksgiving, then that's the big day! They are open weekends, which is a gift when you work full time.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Zouves Fertility Center.
ZFC monitors only during certain parts of the day (I think in the a.m.), but they are open 7 days a week, so that made life easier. I was lucky and many of my monitoring days ended up in Saturdays which was very helpful.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center.
Our cycle was $16,000 without medications. $4,000 for medication/shots. I had to do some immunology treatments due to my lab results and that was a few thousand extra. But you have a 70% chance of a live birth with every normal embryo they identify. That's worth the big bucks!! I also paid for weekly acupuncture, which Dr. Zouves requires you to invest in, to get the body primed and ready.
I saw Dr Zouves during every visit unless it was just for a blood draw. My fist visit with him he gave me an orientation of my uterus and explained things that made me better understand my anatomy and how everything works together. I thought I was intimately familiar with my body before that, but apparently not. No doctor had ever done that for me before. He is compassionate and really got to know my husband and I...
The atmosphere of the [Zouves Fertility Center] clinic and procedure rooms is very calming and welcoming, not sterile feeling. Because everything is co-located (lab, clinic, procedure room, finance) you can do everything in one place which reduces stress and likelihood of complications with embryos and records...Every appointment I had was according to my schedule. No cattle call, no wait. I had multiple weekend appointments so that I didn't need to miss any work...
How was your experience with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
I saw Dr Zouves during every visit unless it was just for a blood draw. My fist visit with him he gave me an orientation of my uterus and explained things that made me better understand my anatomy and how everything works together. I thought I was intimately familiar with my body before that, but apparently not. No doctor had ever done that for me before. He is compassionate and really got to know my husband and I.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Follow all the guidelines they set. Follow the diet, the stress control advice, etc. Dr Zouves provides lots of material for education and it's important to follow his holistic approach.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Dr Zouves and his staff are focused solely on treating inferility. Because they don't have to share their time with pregnant women, delivering babies and dealing with anything other than infertility, they can be more empathetic to an infertile couple's situation. I saw a doctor previous to Zouves who was an OB-GYN, but specialized in infertility. That doctor actually cancelled one of my in-cycle appointments because he had a baby to deliver. I was devastated at the time when I realized this cancellation meant that I would have to wait yet another month to hit my cycle at the right time before proceeding with IUI or IVF.
Dr Zouves has his clinic, front desk, laboratory and procedure rooms all co-located. His hours of operation are very flexible, making it conducive to your schedule rather than a standard business. This made the coordination very simple with regard to my schedule and reduced the stress. I also was not having to run all over the Bay Area, where traffic is miserable, trying to make appointments and risk records not being consolidated between offices. With all of his services in one place, Dr Zpuves and team can be 100% aligned with your case and treatment plan. Results also come in sooner when they have it all in one place.
So far we have no explanation for why we haven't had a successful pregnancy. We completed egg retrieval and have done our first embryo transfer. We are now in the 10 day wait period to know results. The nurses who we have been working with the last 5 months all came in to check on me before we went in for our embryo transfer. They hugged, showed excitement and offered warm words for us to be hopeful.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Zouves Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Jennifer and Anna)
They always called, emailed and followed up immediately if I reached out.
Describe your experience with Zouves Fertility Center.
The atmosphere of the clinic and procedure rooms is very calming and welcoming, not sterile feeling. Because everything is co-located (lab, clinic, procedure room, finance) you can do everything in one place which reduces stress and likelihood of complications with embryos and records.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Zouves Fertility Center.
Every appointment I had was according to my schedule. No cattle call, no wait. I had multiple weekend appointments so that I didn't need to miss any work.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center.
Hormone medications were around $9000 for one cycle of egg retrieval
My company insurance covers 100%
He [Dr Christo Zouves] was very well informed and readily shared all information relevant to our situation/case. He has a nice sense of humor and good beside manner. Somehow we felt we could trust him from the beginning and that trust was not misplaced at any time....I had relatively aggressive stimulation of my ovaries because of low ovarian reserve, and we got 8 eggs in two retrieval cycles. They all fertilized through ICSI, and only 1 made it to day 5 (and I'm now 24 weeks pregnant with a single baby). He has all his patients go on a gluten and dairy free diet, and while I can't say conclusively that it was the reason for our success, there is no way it will hurt and if nothing else, made me conscious of what I ate, which I needed anyways. I was also taking a bunch of supplements, mostly various antioxidants, to help our chances of success. Honestly, if he recommends something, he will explain it in detail and give you a very good reason why he thinks something is important. But in the end, of course, the decision is up to you.
They [staff at Zouves Fertility Center] always had time to answer my questions, were always friendly, always remembered my name and husband's name, were happy for us when we had success and sympathetic when not. We were more than just a number....It is conveniently located, but even if it's a long ways away for you, worth the trip. The environment is a bit swanky but calming. They don't take insurance but will provide you with a bill to submit to your insurance. They are pretty transparent about the costs in advance and have you meet with a financial coordinator before starting treatment. All in all, a great experience!
How was your experience with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
He was very well informed and readily shared all information relevant to our situation/case. He has a nice sense of humor and good beside manner. Somehow we felt we could trust him from the beginning and that trust was not misplaced at any time.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
When he states that IVF and other fertility treatments are like a marathon - he's right. You need to be able to give your body and your heart to the whole process and trust that he is making the right medical decisions. Don't give up!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
They always had time to answer my questions, were always friendly, always remembered my name and husband's name, were happy for us when we had success and sympathetic when not. We were more than just a number.
Describe the protocols Christo Zouves used in your cycles at Zouves Fertility Center and their degree of success.
I had relatively aggressive stimulation of my ovaries because of low ovarian reserve, and we got 8 eggs in two retrieval cycles. They all fertilized through ICSI, and only 1 made it to day 5 (and I'm now 24 weeks pregnant with a single baby).
He has all his patients go on a gluten and dairy free diet, and while I can't say conclusively that it was the reason for our success, there is no way it will hurt and if nothing else, made me conscious of what I ate, which I needed anyways.
I was also taking a bunch of supplements, mostly various antioxidants, to help our chances of success.
Honestly, if he recommends something, he will explain it in detail and give you a very good reason why he thinks something is important. But in the end, of course, the decision is up to you.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Zouves Fertility Center.
They were all really nice people and great clinicians. I miss them now that I'm no longer under their care.
Describe your experience with Zouves Fertility Center.
It is conveniently located, but even if it's a long ways away for you, worth the trip.
The environment is a bit swanky but calming.
They don't take insurance but will provide you with a bill to submit to your insurance.
They are pretty transparent about the costs in advance and have you meet with a financial coordinator before starting treatment.
All in all, a great experience!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center.
I think our 2 cycles of retrieval, various infusions and treatments, lab costs, procedure costs, genetic testing and all were around $50,000
I never [felt] silly or dumb asking any questions and when I had concerns about the treatment or a work conflict, he was always there to help and try to adjust. He is candid in a gentle manner.
Everyone was available when I had a question or concern. I was able to reach anyone anytime I needed. Rather than being in a group, everything was individual, from lessons on how to inject to share the entire process. I could email or call the doctor and he would respond immediately.
How was your experience with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
He is knowledgable, soothing and kind. He is educational and during the check-ups, he shared everything that was happening on the monitor and told me what everything we were looking at meant and what the likely results were going to be. I never silly or dumb asking any questions and when I had concerns about the treatment or a work conflict, he was always there to help and try to adjust. He is candid in a gentle manner.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
I investigated treatments at other places and this one felt right because it was always going to be one-on-one and it was. My advice would be go for it, it's not as stressful, scary or time-consuming as you think.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
I only met with one doctor and person. Everyone was available when I had a question or concern. I was able to reach anyone anytime I needed. Rather than being in a group, everything was individual, from lessons on how to inject to share the entire process. I could email or call the doctor and he would respond immediately. I felt like they heard me and my concerns and questions. They were gentle and kind.
Describe the protocols Christo Zouves used in your cycles at Zouves Fertility Center and their degree of success.
The first one was micro dose lupron with bravelle and menopur. The second was bravely and menopur with a shot of something else the last three times. I might do one more retrieval and he said we would go with the second protocol. It was shorter and stronger and I got more eggs in the final count as they all matured immediately after the retrieval. The first round I got 7 and 5 matured.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Zouves Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Melinda)
They were always there when I needed them whether it was scheduled or I called with a one-off question. They were clear and kind. They sat with me as long as I needed to teach me about how to inject. Every time I called with a question, they asked the doctor and immediately got back to me.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center.
I was pretty amazed that Dr. Zouves handled all the care pretty much on his own. He had a large and great nursing staff, but every major thing that happened - from ultrasounds to consults to the egg retrieval, he did himself.... When we followed up with him - instead of just selling us to do donor eggs or try again with a different protocol, he was honest. He said that he felt there was an 80+% chance of the same outcome if we did it again with my own eggs, no matter what the protocol.
The only thing I did NOT like about the clinic [Zouves Fertility Center] was the location. It's sort of in the middle of a weird feeling suburban street, off a busy road, and in an office park. It was a sterile feeling location to consider creating your next human. And my husband said that his experience of doing the sperm donation was not great - he was in a sort of sterile room with nothing else around and just sort of expected to get it done... (given the needles and surgery and childbirth part of my job, I didn't feel too sorry for him). Everything else was great. The art was good. The tea in reception was a nice touch.
How was your experience with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
This is a strange review, I'm sure, because we had a horrific failure in our IVF experience. But I would recommend Dr. Zouves any time. I was 41 and had 1 child, but had had 4 miscarriages at that point. I felt that Dr. Z's approach was thorough and kind and expert. We retrieved 26 eggs - 20 were mature. This should have been a home run, just based on the law of averages. Of those, 15 were embryos by Day 3. We elected to do the testing, so waited until Day 5. On Day 5, only 5 embryos were left. We tested them and immediately froze them. (Dr. Z himself updated us on every single step of this.) Unfortunately, when the testing came back, EVERY single embryo was a mess - multiple chromosomal problems.
When we followed up with him - instead of just selling us to do donor eggs or try again with a different protocol, he was honest. He said that he felt there was an 80+% chance of the same outcome if we did it again with my own eggs, no matter what the protocol. He ALSO answered my question: "is it possible these eggs were all so bad because they were artificially ripened?" with "Of course - we fully expect that Mother Nature does it better - we just have never been able to test an egg that is 100% managed by Mother Nature."
I REALLY trusted his honesty, and we elected not to do another round. (In a happy ending, I got pregnant naturally within 6 months, did NOT have a miscarriage, and we now have the 2nd child we wanted.)
So even though I didn't walk away from Zouves with a baby in my arms, I really do feel like he did all the right things by us - including telling us not to continue slamming our heads into the wall.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Get as many of the pre-tests done under your own health insurance, and in advance as you can. There is a several month process just of checking all the boxes they want to have checked before you start the IVF with them. It can be stressful - the many labs, the mammogram, the waiting, the getting the calendar all correct... the more you have done before you even start, the better you will feel.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
I was pretty amazed that Dr. Zouves handled all the care pretty much on his own. He had a large and great nursing staff, but every major thing that happened - from ultrasounds to consults to the egg retrieval, he did himself. He was direct and specific, but also warm and caring.
Describe the protocols Christo Zouves used in your cycles at Zouves Fertility Center and their degree of success.
We did an antagonist protocol (I had a lot of follicles). I took birth control pills for a few weeks, and then 4 days later we did an ultrasound and an estradiol check. When that looked good, we started FSH/HMG injections the next day.
We used Menopur (75iu) and Follistim (900 iu#3). The Menopur was a vial that we had to fill ourselves. The Follistim was easy - it was a clickable pen. The nurses at Zouves walked us through how to do that very specifically. I had to inject these twice a day for 4 days, then an ultrasound, then 5-6 more days (with some additional ultrasounds in there to see where I was).
I used one dose of Ganirelix acetate (250ug) and a Lupron (2mg) trigger that I took the day (or maybe 2 days?) before retrieval.
I also had to take doxycycline for a bit in the lead up to retrieval. My husband had to take Cipro for some reason before his sperm donation.
26 eggs retrieved. 20 were mature. 16 turned into embryos. 15 were still embryos on day 3. 5 were embryos on Day 5, and they were tested and frozen. ALL were shown to be very chromosomally abnormal when the test results came back.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Zouves Fertility Center.
Everyone was wonderful. From the beginning to the aftermath (when we had to get a refund of the money we had paid toward implantation), everyone was kind and thorough and expert.
Describe your experience with Zouves Fertility Center.
The only thing I did NOT like about the clinic was the location. It's sort of in the middle of a weird feeling suburban street, off a busy road, and in an office park. It was a sterile feeling location to consider creating your next human.
And my husband said that his experience of doing the sperm donation was not great - he was in a sort of sterile room with nothing else around and just sort of expected to get it done... (given the needles and surgery and childbirth part of my job, I didn't feel too sorry for him).
Everything else was great. The art was good. The tea in reception was a nice touch.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center.
$23,945 all-in, including implantation, but not including all the testing you should have done beforehand.
Describe Christo Zouves's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Zouves Fertility Center.
I had a problem with recurrent miscarriage and was 41 years old. We assumed I had an egg problem. It made very little sense to me to just toss a bunch of potentially problematic embryos into my uterus and hope for the best (that was pretty much what we'd already been doing naturally - getting pregnant with bad embryos that miscarried). We specifically did the IVF so that we COULD do the testing and put only 1 embryo that was known to be healthy into me.
Dr. Zouves and his staff were warm, friendly and easy to reach with any questions or concerns. Dr. Zouves was super informative and walked us through every step. In the beginning, I was scared about doing the injections and Dr. Zouves told me exactly what I needed to hear to get me through this hurdle.... He has a gentle spirit and can be straight forward that I felt was helpful to ease my concerns. He is so dedicated to his work, he takes virtually no time off. He came highly recommended to my by two individual sources, one my OB and the other an LGBT family that had great success with him after having bad experiences with other clinics and doctors.
The clinic [Zouves Fertility Center] did everything in house so you didn't have to travel to multiple locations to have procedures done.... I did the treatment for "natural killer cells" which was unusually and expensive but felt it was necessary and worked.... Do everything he recommends, even if it seems unusual. Do the acupuncture and herbs, it really improved my results... He offered a plan for two cycles for a reduced cost if you were under 38 or 39, don't remember exactly. It helped cut down our costs significantly as we ended up doing 3 rounds to get our twins.
How was your experience with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
I basically said all what need to be said during the question about being treated like a human. He has a gentle spirit and can be straight forward that I felt was helpful to ease my concerns. He is so dedicated to his work, he takes virtually no time off. He came highly recommended to my by two individual sources, one my OB and the other an LGBT family that had great success with him after having bad experiences with other clinics and doctors.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Do everything he recommends, even if it seems unusual. Do the acupuncture and herbs, it really improved my results.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Dr. Zouves and his staff were warm, friendly and easy to reach with any questions or concerns. Dr. Zouves was super informative and walked us through every step. In the beginning, I was scared about doing the injections and Dr. Zouves told me exactly what I needed to hear to get me through this hurdle.
Describe the protocols Christo Zouves used in your cycles at Zouves Fertility Center and their degree of success.
I did the treatment for "natural killer cells" which was unusually and expensive but felt it was necessary and worked.
My treatment was over 10 years ago and I really don't remember anything else about my protocol.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Zouves Fertility Center.
The nurses were always available an easy to reach by phone or email. They were kind and smart, I loved them all!
Describe your experience with Zouves Fertility Center.
The clinic did everything in house so you didn't have to travel to multiple locations to have procedures done.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center.
He offered a plan for two cycles for a reduced cost if you were under 38 or 39, don't remember exactly. It helped cut down our costs significantly as we ended up doing 3 rounds to get our twins.
Describe Christo Zouves's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Zouves Fertility Center.
None...he gives you all the options and it is your choice.
I can't praise Dr Z enough. He was kind, compassionate, very knowledgeable. He was just as eager to help us have a baby as we were to have one and he knew how to make it happen. He took time with us and never made us feel rushed. He answered all our questions and concerns. I would definitely recommend Dr Zouves!...Him and his staff were very caring. They took time to inform me and educate me each step of the way. Dr Z was candid, but not harsh. He really wanted me to be successful and did not just want my money...
I felt like they [Zouves Fertility Center - Foster City] handled my situation very well. Dr Z did one cycle with my eggs and it was not at all successful. Based on that and my medical history, he was straightforward with me and recommended we go to donor eggs. He was willing to do more cycles with my eggs and gave me that option, but knowing how expensive this process is, he didn't want to set me up for failure again. I really appreciated his honesty. The office handled the coordination with my egg donor and me flawlessly and I took comfort knowing we were in very good hands. I feel like mine is a success story and I am one of the lucky ones. I credit Dr Z and his staff for that...
How was your experience with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
I can't praise Dr Z enough. He was kind, compassionate, very knowledgeable. He was just as eager to help us have a baby as we were to have one and he knew how to make it happen. He took time with us and never made us feel rushed. He answered all our questions and concerns. I would definitely recommend Dr Zouves!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Be prepared for straight talk (he doesn't sugarcoat it) but he is kind in his delivery.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Him and his staff were very caring. They took time to inform me and educate me each step of the way. Dr Z was candid, but not harsh. He really wanted me to be successful and did not just want my money.
Describe the protocols Christo Zouves used in your cycles at Zouves Fertility Center and their degree of success.
It's been a little too long. I don't remember and I imagine it's changed quite a bit since that time anyway.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Zouves Fertility Center.
The nursing staff was great! They were very kind and not judgmental. They kept me informed each step of the way and were great at explaining things like how to give myself injections. When I was awaiting beta results, they called me in a timely manner knowing that I was anxious to get the results. Likewise if I had questions I could call and they would get back to me quickly. They treated me like they would want to be treated if they were going through the same process.
Describe your experience with Zouves Fertility Center.
I felt like they handled my situation very well. Dr Z did one cycle with my eggs and it was not at all successful. Based on that and my medical history, he was straightforward with me and recommended we go to donor eggs. He was willing to do more cycles with my eggs and gave me that option, but knowing how expensive this process is, he didn't want to set me up for failure again. I really appreciated his honesty. The office handled the coordination with my egg donor and me flawlessly and I took comfort knowing we were in very good hands. I feel like mine is a success story and I am one of the lucky ones. I credit Dr Z and his staff for that.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center.
I don't recall specifically, but I think my own egg cycle was $10000 and my donor cycle was $20000 (not including the cost of the egg donor.)
Dr. Zouves is extremely personal in his caregiving. He took the time to listen to our history / story, and developed a thoughtful plan in short order. He was always quick to return emails and calls. He has gone out of his way to help us, even after our twins were born...Dr. Zouves is a genius. He figured out more about us in his initial 45 minute consultation than our previous doctor had in the year she had been treating us. He marries cutting edge technology with Asian influenced, holistic treatments. Our first shot (pun intended!) with him resulted in full term, boy/girl, twins - now seven. We say "thank you Christo Zouves" regularly, when one of our children does or says something clever, funny etc. In short, of all the people we have ever met or known, Dr. Zouves may very well be the person who has had the most positive impact on our family. Without him, our family would not exist....
Dr. Zouves is extremely personal in his caregiving. He took the time to listen to our history / story, and developed a thoughtful plan in short order. He was always quick to return emails and calls. He has gone out of his way to help us, even after our twins were born...Dr. Zouves is a genius. He figured out more about us in his initial 45 minute consultation than our previous doctor had in the year she had been treating us. He marries cutting edge technology with Asian influenced, holistic treatments. Our first shot (pun intended!) with him resulted in full term, boy/girl, twins - now seven. We say "thank you Christo Zouves" regularly, when one of our children does or says something clever, funny etc. In short, of all the people we have ever met or known, Dr. Zouves may very well be the person who has had the most positive impact on our family. Without him, our family would not exist....
How was your experience with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Dr. Zouves is a genius. He figured out more about us in his initial 45 minute consultation than our previous doctor had in the year she had been treating us. He marries cutting edge technology with Asian influenced, holistic treatments. Our first shot (pun intended!) with him resulted in full term, boy/girl, twins - now seven. We say "thank you Christo Zouves" regularly, when one of our children does or says something clever, funny etc. In short, of all the people we have ever met or known, Dr. Zouves may very well be the person who has had the most positive impact on our family. Without him, our family would not exist....
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Run, don't walk, toward this doctor and his practice.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Dr. Zouves is extremely personal in his caregiving. He took the time to listen to our history / story, and developed a thoughtful plan in short order. He was always quick to return emails and calls. He has gone out of his way to help us, even after our twins were born.
Describe the protocols Christo Zouves used in your cycles at Zouves Fertility Center and their degree of success.
We used a slightly more aggressive IVF protocol (as this was not our first cycle or doctor). IGG. ICSI. PGS (which at the time was less comprehensive than it is today).
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Zouves Fertility Center.
Generally, excellent.
we did have one incident during which one of his nurses called and gave me my husband's genetic test results, which would have meant I was positive for a deadly Jewish genetic disease (I am not Jewish). I was carrying our twins already, and driving, during our phone call! She seemed totally unphased by the conversation. This was an exception vs. the general care we received from his team, which was awesome.
What specific things went wrong at Zouves Fertility Center?
Dr Zouves is very knowledgeable doctor and very dedicated to helping his patients. He’s always reachable and happy to explain why he is recommending what he does. His holistic approach has helped us so much and we never would have learned about that at many other clinics...he recalled all of the details of previous transfers and conversations
The [Zouves Fertility Center] clinic is very clean, well organized and calm. Everything is run very orderly there. I have never had to wait more than a few minutes in the waiting room. There is a blood draw on-site which is very convenient...Nursing staff is incredible. Truly so kind and helpful. I can be a needy patient by always asking a million questions and they are quick to reply to all of them.
How was your experience with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Dr Zouves is very knowledgeable doctor and very dedicated to helping his patients. He’s always reachable and happy to explain why he is recommending what he does. His holistic approach has helped us so much and we never would have learned about that at many other clinics
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Ask whatever questions you have and he’s always happy to answer them
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
My case is very complicated. Dr Zouves has many patients. However, every time I met with him he recalled all of the details of previous transfers and conversations
Describe the protocols Christo Zouves used in your cycles at Zouves Fertility Center and their degree of success.
Me pour for egg retrieval. Birth Control, Lupron when preparing for pre-transfer. Progesterone in oil, vivelle patches dexamethasome and doxycycline leading up to transfer. PIO, patches, and vaginal suppository after transfer. Single Neupogen shot on day of transfer. Intralipid Infusion day before transfer
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Zouves Fertility Center.
Nursing staff is incredible. Truly so kind and helpful. I can be a needy patient by always asking a million questions and they are quick to reply to all of them.
Describe your experience with Zouves Fertility Center.
The clinic is very clean, well organized and calm. Everything is run very orderly there. I have never had to wait more than a few minutes in the waiting room. There is a blood draw on-site which is very convenient
Describe the costs associated with your care under Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center.
I believe egg retrieval is around $20k and transfers are around $5k
Dr. Zouves was the only clinic out of many that I researched and met with that offered free initial consultation and antra-follicle count appointment. All other places charged a few hundred bucks, which was cost prohibitive to meet every doctor when deciding where to go. He did not pressure us to proceed or do anything we didn't want to. I did not feel like just because he did not charge me for these 2 services that I then had to move forward with his clinic.
The [Zouves Fertility Center] clinic was very organized and efficient. I got appointments really quickly and was greeted very warmly at the front desk. The clinic also offers webinars to meet the doctor and get an overview of the clinic...the only clinic out of many that I researched and met with that offered free initial consultation and antra-follicle count appointment.
How was your experience with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Dr. Zouves was the only clinic out of many that I researched and met with that offered free initial consultation and antra-follicle count appointment. All other places charged a few hundred bucks, which was cost prohibitive to meet every doctor when deciding where to go. He did not pressure us to proceed or do anything we didn't want to. I did not feel like just because he did not charge me for these 2 services that I then had to move forward with his clinic.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Dr. Zouves asked us questions unrelated to IVF during our initial phone call that made us feel like he wanted to know us as people and not just as patients. He also encouraged my partner to make dietary and lifestyle changes in order to support me, because he knew it would be difficult for me to go through it without support. It felt good having the doctor on my side, rather than me "making" my partner do anything. He would have supported me regardless, but having a doctor on my side felt good.
Describe your experience with Zouves Fertility Center.
The clinic was very organized and efficient. I got appointments really quickly and was greeted very warmly at the front desk. The clinic also offers webinars to meet the doctor and get an overview of the clinic.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center.
The treatment estimate I received for 1 IVF cycle was about $30,000 including medication.
Christo Zouves tries same treatment over and over. He doesn't tweak the treatment plan or search for additional details. It seems like he is playing numbers game. More cycles more chance of success...He treats each patient by himself. Hense he is too busy...If you are starting with IVF and Egg freezing first time. Christo Zouves is your doctor. If you had multiple failures in the past or your age is close to 40, you may need a second opinion.
His clinic [Zouves Fertility Center] and staff is spotless and very organized...The clinic has pretty good standards. Most staff are very experienced. Nurses are caring and they know what they are doing. The clinic expanding very quickly and we've seen new faces over time. Some new hires may be not experienced as senior staff...Christo Zouves tries same treatment over and over. He doesn't tweak the treatment plan or search for additional details. It seems like he is playing numbers game. More cycles more chance of success...He treats each patient by himself. Hense he is too busy.
How was your experience with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Christo Zouves tries same treatment over and over. He doesn't tweak the treatment plan or search for additional details. It seems like he is playing numbers game. More cycles more chance of success. His clinic and staff is spotless and very organized. He treats each patient by himself. Hense he is too busy.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
If you are starting with IVF and Egg freezing first time. Christo Zouves is your doctor. If you had multiple failures in the past or your age is close to 40, you may need a second opinion.
Describe the protocols Christo Zouves used in your cycles at Zouves Fertility Center and their degree of success.
Pretty standart every cycle.
Describe your experience with Zouves Fertility Center.
The clinic has pretty good standards. Most staff are very experienced. Nurses are caring and they know what they are doing. The clinic expanding very quickly and we've seen new faces over time. Some new hires may be not experienced as senior staff.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center.
Our insurance covered all of care.
Describe Christo Zouves's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Zouves Fertility Center.
N/A
What specific things went wrong at Zouves Fertility Center?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Zouves Fertility Center.
The prescriptions faxed to the pharmacy usually have very conservative quantities. If you are lucky to have your insurance cover the medication, this means that you'll have to pay multiple copays. For example, if your initial prescription has 5 x Gonal-F 900, you'll pay x amount fixed copay. Instead, they'll write 4 x Gonal-F to begin with. Then add another one depend on the situation. You'll end up paying 2x of your copay. The fertility medication copays are very high.
He's [Dr. Christo Zouves] clearly an intelligent guy who is adored by many but for us, we were led very astray. He insisted I would not need to consider donor eggs at my initial afc u/s. After our first retrieval went poorly, it was like pulling teeth getting him on the phone, once we finally did, he back tracked and insisted on donor eggs if we were to move forward. Overall, Zouves is nice enough when things go well but when they don't, there's a decent amount of victim blaming and ego to the communications. I would seriously think twice about giving this man and this clinic the amount of money and time they demand.
He's [Dr. Christo Zouves] clearly an intelligent guy who is adored by many but for us, we were led very astray. He insisted I would not need to consider donor eggs at my initial afc u/s. After our first retrieval went poorly, it was like pulling teeth getting him on the phone, once we finally did, he back tracked and insisted on donor eggs if we were to move forward. Overall, Zouves is nice enough when things go well but when they don't, there's a decent amount of victim blaming and ego to the communications. I would seriously think twice about giving this man and this clinic the amount of money and time they demand.
How was your experience with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
He's clearly an intelligent guy who is adored by many but for us, we were led very astray. He insisted I would not need to consider donor eggs at my initial afc u/s. After our first retrieval went poorly, it was like pulling teeth getting him on the phone, once we finally did, he back tracked and insisted on donor eggs if we were to move forward.
Overall, Zouves is nice enough when things go well but when they don't, there's a decent amount of victim blaming and ego to the communications.
I would seriously think twice about giving this man and this clinic the amount of money and time they demand.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
Ask About protocol for failed cycles and the opportunity to pivot mid cycle when it's clear the results aren't going as planned.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center?
The nurses were lovely but Zouves clearly lacks humanity and empathy. Always felt more like a robot than a human
Describe the protocols Christo Zouves used in your cycles at Zouves Fertility Center and their degree of success.
Incredibly over stimulated.
Every other re we've met with since was shocked and dismayed at the amount of drugs I was on and how wrong it was.
Very frustrating
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Zouves Fertility Center.
Excellent bedside manner but again when things went wrong, there was next to no follow up or accountability.
Describe your experience with Zouves Fertility Center.
Like a spa
Describe the costs associated with your care under Christo Zouves at Zouves Fertility Center.
Extremely high. Bankrupting high
What specific things went wrong at Zouves Fertility Center?
Failed to call with results
Failed to send your chart to another clinic
Lost results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Zouves Fertility Center.
I had to call to find out the results of my pregnancy test which at first they couldn't find.