David Schmidt

From our very first appointment, we felt very comfortable speaking with Dr. Schmit. He always explained each treatment option and step we had. When something wasn't working, we discussed options for our next steps. He is very upbeat and truly wants to help his patients.

Make sure that you have a list of questions. He is very willing to answer them.

Dr. Schmit started us with clomid and IUI for 3 cycles. I had a good egg each time, but we increased the dosage from 50, to 100 after the first cycle to hope for better results the second and third times around. Because neither worked, and we were paying out of pocket for everything, he suggested moving onto IVF. I responded well to the IVF meds and didn't need to change the planned protocols. He suggested a fresh transfer after our retrieval, which we did but had negative results with. For our second transfer, he suggested a fresh transfer since I have no lining issues and it would be quicker. For the third transfer, we did a lupron protocol and used estrogen patches. I got pregnant, but had a chemical pregnancy. Before doing our fourth transfer, Dr. Schmidt suggested a hysteroscopy to make sure there was nothing prohibiting implantation in my uterus. It was mostly clear and we went ahead with the same protocol as transfer #3. This one ended with a negative. Now we are waiting for next steps.

Cycle monitoring is done each morning and the list starts being written at 6:45 am. Ultrasounds don't actually start until 7:30 am, so it is a very long wait if you walk in the door to try to be first. At 7:30, they tend to move quickly, but it is still very hard to be out of the building before 8 am.

I paid out of pocket. The clinic did offer an out of pocket plan that is tiered based on income. With medication and the out of pocket costs for treatments, we have spent about $25,000.

Dr. Schmit suggested it would be safer to transfer one embryo due to my uterus size.

Dr. Schmidt is very personable and gave us a sense of ease as we embarked on this journey with UCONN CARS. I feel like I am in good hands with Dr. Schmidt, which is really saying something because I never thought I would be considering IVF, but I feel like I have real agency in my treatment plan.

Unfortunately, you will not always have Dr. Schmidt for every visit, but just know when you do have his time he will be caring, receptive and personable!

Dr. Schmidt started us off with a few cycles of IUI with letrozole (1 2.5mg on days 3-7) because of my PCOS. On the third IUI cycle, he increased my letrozole to 2 2.5mg pills on days 3-7. We are now awaiting an IVF consultation with Dr. Schmidt next week.

$500 for each IUI Ultrasounds and lab tests fees were not too much $50 copay per visit $1,300 for genetic testing through Myriad (includes my partner and I) Unsure about the cost of IVF as we have not yet started that process yet

N/A

Dr. Schmidt is extremely kind and personable. He took the time to explain everything thoroughly and to answer all of our questions. He has an amazing bedside manner. We really appreciated his positivity. I went into our first appointment expecting to be in tears and was pleasantly surprised to find myself excited about our plan and full of hope. We trust him completely.

Go into this knowing that your main contact person is going to be your nurse. You will not often get to communicate with Dr. Schmidt directly, however he has a strong team and he knows exactly who you are each time you do get to see him.

Dr. Schmidt made us feel at ease right away and was upfront about the success rates for each procedure. When I didn’t respond well to our first IVF protocol, Dr. Schmidt went through the changes we’d be making and helped us understand what may have gone wrong. After my egg retrieval we thought we would only have 2 embryos (we needed up with 5), so we switched to a day 3 transfer of 2 embryos to maximize the chance for success. Dr. Schmidt guided us along making these decisions and was great at communicating what our options were. Overall he is very caring and compassionate and seems to genuinely want success for his patients.

Trust him and his team.

We used Clomid for IUI cycles. Dr. Schmidt said in our case using injectibles for IUI wouldn’t be worth the added cost. Our first IVF cycle included Lupron, Menopur and Gonal-F. After I ovulated on my own that cycle we went to estrogen patches, Menopur, Gonal-F, and cetrotide to bring us to the egg retrieval. After the egg retrieval I had injections of progesterone in oil.

Our first IUI was roughly $650. The others were about $90 because we met the first tier of our deductible. We paid $6,000 for IVF including medications - the rest was covered by insurance because we met our out of pocket max.

We had planned to transfer one day 5 embryo due to the high success rates, but had to switch to transferring 2 day 3 embryos at the last minute. Dr. Schmidt told us that would give us the same chance for success that one day 5 embryo would have.

Dr. Schmidt is the best. He takes time to explain everything in details and make sure we understand all the information. I felt safe and comfortable when treated by Dr. Schmidt. I highly recommend him to my friends and colleagues.

Trust him.

I have completed three IVF cycles that resulted in 10 frozen embryos at the end. Dr. Schmidt started with less aggressive approach first and based on my response, changed the stimulation protocol that resulted in very successful third cycle. He encouraged our decision to do PGS test on our frozen embryos and explain pros and cons very clearly. He was successfully transferred single normal embryo and currently I'm 10 weeks pregnant. We are very happy and satisfied with the treatment options taken for us by Dr. Schmidt.

My insurance covered costs associated with IVF treatment. We had to pay for embryo freezing, biopsy and PGS test.

Dr Schmidt is wonderful. Even when seeing an outside acupuncturist for IVF-related reasons, the acupuncturist said Dr. Schmidt was the most compassionate doctor there. He is one of the few doctors anywhere that asks if I am comfortable or in pain during every procedure My husband always asks a thousand questions, even some which may sound stupid, but Dr. Schmidt answered them all patiently and with great understanding. He is very knowledgeable and shows great compassion. I truly believe that he is the reason we conceived twins during our second transfer.

Do not be afraid to ask questions, and write them down before you go because you may forget. Do not get discouraged if your initial plan does not work, Dr. Schmidt will find another way.

At first we used clomid and intercourse. Dr. Schmidt was then thinking about doing an IUI, but as we are self-pay he recommended going straight for IVF to get a better chance for our money. All my ultrasounds, bloodwork, and hysterosalpingogram looked clear at that point. Dr. Schmidt wanted to also do a water ultrasound. This showed that I had some small polyps. Dr. Schmidt performed surgery to remove them as they could cause miscarriage. Then the next month I was able to do egg retrieval and a fresh transfer. As I am under 35, he was only able to transfer one embryo at that point which did not result in a pregnancy. Three months later we did a frozen embryo transfer of 2 embryos (Dr. Schmidt said 2 was allowed now that the last transfer failed). We had a positive pregnancy blood test and when i went in for an ultrasound discovered both embryos implanted!

The early morning (7:30-9) monitor hours are convenient for the schedules of most. Initially I could be waiting a long time if I did not get there right at 7 am. However, as time went on the wait time greatly improved.

I was self-pay for all costs. The clinic has a discounted self-pay range depending on income for IVF which includes all costs except medication (does include egg retrieval). We fell in the $10,500 bracket. Then the cost for self-pay frozen embryo transfer was $4,725.

N/A

He was a great communicator and always gave us realistic expectations. He never exaggerated possible outcomes in a negative or positive way. He was honest and worked with us to make tough decisions instead of making them for us or not providing the information we needed to make an informed choice.

Be honest and up front with your expectations and be an active part of your IVF team.

We used a variety of meds and protocols for each cycle. Dr.Schmidt took into consideration what medications he felt would be best and also how the cost would effect us as a family. This was very important to us. If medications were available that would serve the same function and were less money we went in that direction. He consistently monitored me through each cycle to make adjustments as needed.

The monitoring appointments were quick and well organized. Typically I would be in and out within 30 minutes. On a few occasions they were a little more backed up but the staff worked quickly to move everyone along and were apologetic for any delay.

The first 2 rounds including my retrieval were covered by insurance. The third and forth frozen transfers each cost 4,000, however it did not include medications which ended up being close to 2,000 for each round

Overall he did not recommend multiple egg transfer during our initial IVF. Once we had a running history of miscarriage and negative tests, it was recommended that we attempt a multiple egg transfer. From the beginning he was very honest about percentages for both single and multi egg transfers. There was always logic behind his recommendations.

From the minute I met Dr. Schmidt I felt comfortable and confident being in his care. One of the first procedures scheduled for me was a repeat procedure that I had had done by a previous doctor. My previous experience had been traumatic to say the least. Dr. Schmidt acknowledged my fears and was SO compassionate and caring during the procedure with him. To say the two procedures were like night and day is an understatement and I really attribute that to Dr. Schmidt's level of experience and genuine interest in his patients wellbeing. And because of this, the results were much more accurate and we were able to get a better understanding of my infertility problems. Our first IUI was successful but unfortunately ended in miscarriage at 10 weeks. Dr. Schmidt was there to support us every step of the way in a way that made us feel like he took our loss as a personal loss as well. Most recently we've found out that we are expecting (and surprisingly not through IUI) and Dr. Schmidt has given us the same level of attention and care that we've received during monitored cycles.

Don't hesitate to ask questions during your appointments or follow up with them afterwards. In my experience, he will always take the time to answer them in easy to understand terms.

Repeat HSG to assess validity of previous HSG results, baseline bloodwork, genetic testing for both myself and my husband, injectable fertility medications with monitoring, 2 IUIs (one resulting in pregnancy) and a D&C after miscarrying at 10 weeks.

My insurance paid for most of my treatments. There was some confusion at one point regarding a balance and the need to pay it in full before one of my IUIs could be performed but it was quickly resolved.

Sometimes he was a little too gentle and hopeful given our complicated situation. He cares so much and just wants the best for his patients. He gave us a number of different options and we’ve had many follow up appointments over the past 3 years.

He can be a little optimistic even when we were very burnt out, sad, and frustrated. As a scientist myself, I understand the statistics behind things, and sometimes I wish he could sit with my anger and disappointment rather than be super positive. We might not ever get a baby, and sometimes there’s nothing science can do about it. That’s an important and honest thing to acknowledge.

Our first pregnancy ended because our son had a fatal genetic disorder. We got pregnant right away, so this was a rude awakening to infertility. We did pgs testing on the remaining embryos and found 4 of the 5 had genetic issues. We tried two cycles of IUI with my wife but had a chemical pregnancy and then a negative outcome. Tried to transfer the final healthy embryo but it didn’t take. We did an exploratory uterine surgery on my wife to see if there was a physical reason for the lack of pregnancy. We didn’t find anything. She did a cycle with her eggs and we got 2 genetically normal embryos. Transferred one and it didn’t take. In the meantime, we tried a retrieval cycle with my eggs again, but we only got one embryo and the genetics were inconclusion. We’re waiting to start another transfer with the remaining healthy embryo.

Sometimes it took so long that I’d be there over an hour waiting and my whole day was thrown off schedule.

Insurance covered most of our procedures. About $1,000 for freezing, $1,400 for transferring my embryo to my wife, and $150 a quarter for storage of embryos.

Schmidt utilized visuals to help explain procedures, and had a very personable manner. At our initial visit and exams, he said "let's get you two on your way to having a baby!" in a way that felt believable (and ultimately proved to be).

A corny joke or two? This isn't a bad thing; it's good to be treated by a human.

After diagnostics showed we had unexplained fertility, Dr. Schmidt preceded with treatment right away. We were surprised to start IVF right away, and expected to go through other treatments first, a la "see if this works first," but later were relieved that we did what we did. It was nice to feel like the Dr. was taking our case seriously.

Insurance covered the majority of treatments (diagnosis, extraction and implantation, monitoring visits) except for embryo freezing.

I have no complaints about Dr Schmidt. He made me feel at ease, always answered all my questions and took time with my husband and I. His nurses were also great and understanding. The Center is a great place of support and everyone there is willing to work with your situation to get the outcome you’re looking for.

Ask questions and be detailed. He’s a doctor who is willing to take tome with you to fully explain everything so take him up on that.

I’m at the start of my treatment and we’ve taken a break to save up for a cycle.

Dr Schmidt told us they try not to do multiple embryo transfers

Despite not having a positive pregnancy yet, we feel 100% comfortable & confident in Dr. S. hands. He has a bed side manner that I thought didn't exist anymore, always going above & beyond to make sure we are comfortable with our treatment.

Don't wait, call & schedule your appointment ASAP as this process takes time!

Well oiled deli counter line.

Highly recommend him, very kind, caring and patient. Very gentle

Dont waste any more time, call him!

First come first serve...some days were super fast while others there was a lengthy wait due to patient volume

Dr Schmidt maybe would sometimes joke to much, but thats only if I have to find a negative. One example would be our first scan of our twin pregnancy, trying to figure out if we were having one or two. He said "oh its just one, no wait it's two, no no its just one. Nope definitly two." He always made sure we knew what to expect for all our care and timelines of how things should go.

Ask questions, tell him your thoughts, the more he understands you the more he connects and helps you through all the stresses of infertility

Very efficient, first come first serve, but you were never waiting very long

I really enjoyed sitting down and speaking with Dr. Schmidt. He always has a smile on his face and seems to bring a positive vibe with him in the room. He really took the time to sit with my husband and I and to explain everything in detail with us. This process can be very difficult and especially when things aren't going as you planned having a good doctor behind you is key.

I would just let them know that you see the staff a lot compared to your doctor. The doctor is reviewing everything every time you go, but you do speak with the staff more times than the doctor.

Few in person visits with him. Professional staff but too little communication from them. The explanation of the processes was confusing especially the scheduling. They seem to be always occupied when they see you coming and you need anything.

Be prepared to deal with the nurses and not to be able to see doctor when you need him

I can’t remember specifically

21000

I was suggested to do the multiple embryo transfer

Dr. Schmidt really is the best doctor. He is kind, compassionate, communicative and a good listener. He mentioned to me once that he was a glass-half-full kind of Dr. and that some of the other Drs. were different - this I noticed and completely appreciated. He did not give me false hope, didn't make undue promises or say anything fake, but he did give me enough hope that they would be able to find a way to get me pregnant. I really trusted Dr. Schmidt, not just to make a good treatment plan but also to perform any necessary surgeries. I had a hysteroscopy and the ER & transfer with Dr. Schmidt, the hysteroscopy and ER being under anesthesia and the former being at UConn, but I felt so safe in his hands. I could go on and on about how much we loved Dr. Schmidt and I would 100/10 recommend him as the best Dr. at CARS (although to be fair, I'm sure all their docs are great).

Dr. Schmidt does talk a fair bit - but if you are paying close attention he usually answers all your questions before you ask them. However, a good practice for any Dr. is to come with your questions prepared and don't be afraid to politely interrupt to ask/confirm/clarify.

I went into the Center not wanting to jump in IVF and Dr. Schmidt was very receptive. First, we did testing (HSG, bloods, TV ultrasound, etc) and a polypectomy/hysteroscopy. We then did 3 rounds of IUI with letrozole 2.5mg by this time I was ready to move to IVF so we did one round of IVF using antagonist protocol, ER and fresh transfer. It was sucessful.

They have a great pre-paid/non-insurance pricing. I had insurance that covered our IVF cycle completly. IUIs we paid out of pocket and were $699 for our income range. IVF would have been $12k out of pocket, for our income range, not including meds.

Dr. Schmidt was very clear that they really work hard to avoid multiples. He told me that they would not transfer more than 1 embryo into someone under 35. I do not know what they would allow if I was over 35 or if I had had a failed transfer.