I only met with Dr. Young three times. Once for our initial consultation, second for my HSG and third when I graduated the program. The nurses do 90 percent of the in-person, day-to-day stuff. I really enjoyed them and they were kind and knowledgeable...When everything came out fine, he started me on injections with trigger shots and IUI. He explained that this would give us the best chance at conceiving. He explained the process to me and it was just as he had said.
I paid for a majority out of pocket. I did 2 IUIs, I think each actual IUI was around $500 or so, plus each ultrasound was around $195...They [Mid-Iowa Fertility nurses] were informative, compassionate, friendly, and helpful. Anytime I would call or come in, they would explain things to me completely. They did most of my day to day tasks (blood draws, ultrasounds, communicating results, etc)
How was your experience with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
He was brief and to the point. I only interacted with him three times total. They have a lot of people to help at the clinic, so I never assumed I would be his only priority - which is fine.
He did the initial consultation with my husband to figure out the plan of action. He also did my HSG himself, and finally he congratulated me when I graduated the program.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Don’t assume you’re going to see him each and every time you go in. Many times, you’ll just work with the nurses and he oversees the larger picture of your treatment. He can be brief and you’ll get a lot of information all at once. Take notes - seriously.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
I only met with Dr. Young three times. Once for our initial consultation, second for my HSG and third when I graduated the program. The nurses do 90 percent of the in-person, day-to-day stuff. I really enjoyed them and they were kind and knowledgeable.
Describe the protocols Donald Young used in your cycles at Mid-Iowa Fertility and their degree of success.
Both my husband and my test results came back “healthy”, so we had “unexplained infertility”. Because clomid and Letrozole didn’t work for me up until this point, he set me up to do an HSG to make sure my “pipes weren’t clogged” - my words, not his. When everything came out fine, he started me on injections with trigger shots and IUI. He explained that this would give us the best chance at conceiving. He explained the process to me and it was just as he had said. I did IUI twice. The first one didn’t work, but the second one is currently successful.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
If I could rate the nursing staff a 100/10, I would. They were informative, compassionate, friendly, and helpful. Anytime I would call or come in, they would explain things to me completely. They did most of my day to day tasks (blood draws, ultrasounds, communicating results, etc). I was thankful for them the entire process.
Describe your experience with Mid-Iowa Fertility.
They do a great job getting people in and out. I never had to wait more than 10 minutes to be seen (even if I showed up a little early). They were friendly and helpful. The nurses are definitely the backbone of what makes the clinic run so smoothly. I didn’t mind that I spent a majority of time with them or that sometimes I felt like a number. They help a lot of people each day and a majority probably have way more serious issues than me, so I didn’t take it personally. They know what works and they set you up to give you the best chances to make it happen. I was pleased with my results. It’s definitely expensive, but you really have to weigh the pros and cons. You wouldn’t be there if it wasn’t something you were invested in.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
It was pretty pricy for me because my insurance wouldn’t cover a majority of the treatment. I paid for a majority out of pocket. I did 2 IUIs, I think each actual IUI was around $500 or so, plus each ultrasound was around $195, each blood draw was around $200 for all tests each visit, initial consultation was maybe $350 or so, and I can’t remember what my HSG cost. The biggest cost for me was my injections. I did Gonal F with Ovidrel. Through my insurance Gonal F would have been 3x the price as out of pocket - which would have made it impossible for me to justify doing. Thank goodness the nurses helped and told me about another option. It ended up being my injections cost about $2,000 out of pocket. Overall, I spent thousands of dollars at the clinic, but in the end I got what I was looking for.
Dr. Young also scheduled an HSG... After the procedure was finished, while I was still laying on the table with my legs up and extremely uncomfortable, he proceeded to tell me that everything looked good with my work-up but that my husband had a "slight" morphology issue with his sperm. He recommended that my husband start taking vitamin C to help with his morphology issue, and acted like it was not a big deal. He didn't give me a breakdown of the percentage of abnormally shaped sperm or anything. Then he proceeded to hand me a generic flyer, and recommended we try medicated IUI with Clomid. He told me to call his office if we w
They [nurses at Mid-Iowa Fertility] were not compassionate, and did not consider any suggestions I had for my treatment plan...I received conflicting information from 2 nurses regarding the need for a possible change to my treatment plan. Specifically which medication I was using for stimulation. One nurse said my endometrial lining was thin, and the other nurse said it was fine...The cost of the semen analysis was around $300.00. The cost of the IUI with sperm wash was $525, not including medication...Shannon in the front office was not friendly, and never smiled. Jessica, the phlebotomist, was always friendly and is great at her job. It was not painful at all when she would do my blood draws. The clinic is clean. They were like a well-oiled machine. They got you in and out very quickly for appointments, even though it seemed like they were plenty busy with patients coming and going every time I was there. If I called with a question, the nurses would always get back to me that same day. They called with lab results the same day. They come in on weekends and holidays if needed for your treatment. I did not like the fact that I would have to see random nurses, and did not have one particular nurse in charge of my care. They had a very cookie-cutter approach to treatment plans. It was not tailored to each individual patient. I felt like a number. I never saw the doctor for any appointments.
How was your experience with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
He was personable at our initial consult. He and my husband talked candidly about their military experience. Dr. Young talked about his family. He was kind and attentive. After that appointment, I saw him one other time a week later, where he performed an HSG procedure at a different office. He was personable at that time as well, commenting on my nail polish. After that procedure, while I was still laying on the table in my medical gown, he gave me the test results for myself and husband. At that time, he recommended a treatment plan. I would have preferred he set up another appointment in his office to discuss all of that at a later date. It was very unprofessional, and seemed rushed. I did run into him in the hallway after one of my appointments with a nurse at his clinic, and he completely ignored me.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Don't even waste your time and money with him. He doesn't give his patients the time of day.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
My husband and I had our initial consult with Dr. Young, which was a nice one-on-one in his office where he got some personal information from us. Then we had a basic fertility work-up that very same day, which included bloodwork and an ultrasound for myself and a semen analysis for my husband. Dr. Young also scheduled an HSG (x-ray of uterus and tubes with dye) for me, which he performed himself about a week later. After the procedure was finished, while I was still laying on the table with my legs up and extremely uncomfortable, he proceeded to tell me that everything looked good with my work-up but that my husband had a "slight" morphology issue with his sperm. He recommended that my husband start taking vitamin C to help with his morphology issue, and acted like it was not a big deal. He didn't give me a breakdown of the percentage of abnormally shaped sperm or anything. Then he proceeded to hand me a generic flyer, and recommended we try medicated IUI with Clomid. He told me to call his office if we would like to proceed. That was the last time I ever talked to Dr. Young. I had many visits to his office, and the nurses handled everything.
Describe the protocols Donald Young used in your cycles at Mid-Iowa Fertility and their degree of success.
Dr. Young's clinic performed 3 artificial inseminations (IUI) on me. I took Clomid 100 MG, cycle days 3-7. I was diagnosed with unexplained infertility. The Clomid was prescribed so that I would release more than one egg, thereby increasing our odds.They recommended using a urine ovulation predictor kit (OPK) starting cycle day 12, and to call once a positive result was received to schedule the IUI for the next morning. There was no monitoring with ultrasound/bloodwork recommended along with it. However, I did request monitoring with ultrasound. I didn't feel comfortable taking Clomid and doing the IUI, without knowing how many follicles could potentially be releasing eggs. That carries way too much risk for higher order multiples in my opinion. I never did get a positive on the ovulation kit by cycle day 15, so they recommended I come to the office for an ultrasound to see where I was that first cycle. The ultrasound showed I had 3-4 follicles ready to ovulate, according to their size. They scheduled the IUI for the next morning, and a nurse performed it in the office. That IUI resulted in a negative urine pregnancy test (UPT). I took Clomid 100 MG cycle days 3-7 again the next cycle, and never received a positive OPK. I had to go to the clinic for another ultrasound on cycle day 15. The nurse performed the ultrasound, and confirmed I had already ovulated and could not do the IUI. The next cycle I did the same protocol, and they had me come in on cycle day 10 for an ultrasound since the OPKs weren't working for me with the Clomid, and I had been ovulating earlier than expected. The ultrasound was performed by a nurse. It showed I had 3 follicles ready to ovulate, according to their size. A nurse performed the IUI the next morning. I was told to take a UPT in 14 days, if I hadn't started my period by then. I got a negative result on the UPT 16 days later. When my period still hadn't started 20 days after the IUI, the clinic performed a beta hcg test. The result was negative for pregnancy. I took a UPT at home 22 days after the IUI, and got a very faint positive result. I went to the clinic 2 days later for an ultrasound. One of the nurses performed the ultrasound, didn't say anything about what she saw or show me the screen, and then left me in the room to go "talk" to Dr. Young. When she came back she told me they didn't know why I wasn't starting my period, especially since ovulation was confirmed with ultrasound and a progesterone blood draw on cycle day 21. They had me take another beta hcg test, and told me that if it was negative again they would have me take some medication to help induce my period. The beta hcg was negative, and the nurse was baffled as to what could be causing my period to be late. She wanted me to take a medication called Provera for 10 days, and said my period should start some time after those 10 days. She even went as far as to say some women take the Provera, and still don't start their periods only to find out later that they were in fact pregnant after all. I told the nurse I would rather just wait for my period to return naturally, and she agreed that would be fine. I had my OB/GYN give me another beta hcg test 2 days later, and the results were higher than they were at Dr. Young's office, but still negative for pregnancy clinically. I finally started my period 28 days after the IUI. I didn't end up taking the Provera, because I wasn't comfortable with that treatment plan. I took the next cycle off, and then started the same Clomid protocol for my 3rd and final IUI with Dr. Young's clinic. I had 2 mature follicles, based on the size with ultrasound on cycle day 12, and a nurse performed the IUI the next day. That resulted in another negative result. I decided at that point to seek a second opinion from another clinic, since I hadn't met with Dr. Young or talked to him a single time through the entire IUI process. I would have liked for him to discuss further treatment options at some point through all of the IUIs.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
The nurses were quite rude and impersonal most of the time. A couple of them called me "girl", instead of using my name. They were dismissive, and treated me like my questions and concerns were ridiculous. I received conflicting information from the nurse that performed the first ultrasound before my final IUI, and the nurse that performed the IUI 2 days later. The first nurse said they might recommend a different treatment my next cycle, because my endometrial lining was thin from the Clomid. The second nurse said it was fine, and would keep growing after I ovulated. They were not compassionate, and did not consider any suggestions I had for my treatment plan.
Describe your experience with Mid-Iowa Fertility.
The only reason I continued with treatment at this clinic as long as I did is because of logistics. The next closest clinic is 2 hours away. Mid Iowa Fertility was only 10 minutes away from my office. Sarah in the front office was wonderful. She knew my name without having to ask when I would come to the clinic for an appointment. She was very pleasant. Shannon in the front office was not friendly, and never smiled. Jessica, the phlebotomist, was always friendly and is great at her job. It was not painful at all when she would do my blood draws. The clinic is clean. They were like a well-oiled machine. They got you in and out very quickly for appointments, even though it seemed like they were plenty busy with patients coming and going every time I was there. If I called with a question, the nurses would always get back to me that same day. They called with lab results the same day. They come in on weekends and holidays if needed for your treatment. I did not like the fact that I would have to see random nurses, and did not have one particular nurse in charge of my care. They had a very cookie-cutter approach to treatment plans. It was not tailored to each individual patient. I felt like a number. I never saw the doctor for any appointments.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
The cost of the semen analysis was around $300.00. The cost of the IUI with sperm wash was $525, not including medication.
What specific things went wrong at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
I received conflicting information from 2 nurses regarding the need for a possible change to my treatment plan. Specifically which medication I was using for stimulation. One nurse said my endometrial lining was thin, and the other nurse said it was fine.
My biggest complaint about Dr. Young...is the missed infertility diagnosis. We sought a second opinion to make sure the route we were headed was the best given our situation and the second opinion identified the issue. Had we stuck with Dr. Young, we likely would have never had success with any of the protocols we had been assigned. It didn't feel like they truly evaluated our individual case to determine best course of treatment but instead did the standard "Clomid and IUI for three months, followed be Femara and IUI for three months, then re-evaluate if we pursue IVF."
You deal with the nursing staff here [at Mid-Iowa Fertility] way more than you do with the Doctors. I wasn't expecting or prepared for the considering the financial burden this whole process can be...I'm really disappointed in the missed diagnosis for infertility. Should have been identified day 1 (based on my experience at the clinic we received a second opinion from). Their communication is horrible, they can't answer the phones and they didn't send charts to new clinic at my request. Was told my dosage of Clomid was way too much considering I was already ovulating naturally. Very little information provided on the whole process.
How was your experience with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Dr. Young doesn't have much for a personality, which was fine, just know not to expect that you'll get someone who shows much emotion. My biggest complaint about Dr. Young and the Mid-Iowa clinic is the missed infertility diagnosis. We sought a second opinion to make sure the route we were headed was the best given our situation and the second opinion identified the issue. Had we stuck with Dr. Young, we likely would have never had success with any of the protocols we had been assigned. It didn't feel like they truly evaluated our individual case to determine best course of treatment but instead did the standard "Clomid and IUI for three months, followed be Femara and IUI for three months, then re-evaluate if we pursue IVF."
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Get a second opinion to make sure you're going the best route. They may appear cheaper on the front side, but you may have success quicker at another clinic!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Mid Iowa seems to apply the same protocol to every patient regardless of a patient's true situation. It is also next to impossible to reach anyone at their clinic on the phone. Sometimes I would receive communication back for a week or more, sometimes not at all.
Describe the protocols Donald Young used in your cycles at Mid-Iowa Fertility and their degree of success.
I was already ovulating naturally, however I was assigned 50 mg Clomid paired with IUI. Both rounds failed, at which point we had decided to stop treatments with Mid Iowa as we were in the middle of seeking our second opinion.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
You deal with the nursing staff here way more than you do with the Doctors. I wasn't expecting or prepared for the considering the financial burden this whole process can be. I was expecting more communication with the Doctor. The nurses were nice in person, just hard to get in touch with by phone.
Describe your experience with Mid-Iowa Fertility.
It's a business, so be prepared to be pumped through as fast as they can. No individualized treatment until you get further on into the process and have already spent a significant amount of money. Not all tests that should have been performed upfront were done, thus missing the likely cause of infertility. Only upside is it's close to where I work, so that made it convenient.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
I am on a high deductible health plan that covers everything up to a transfer procedure, medications are excluded though. Amounts below are the insurance allowables I had to pay.
Initial Consulation - $316
Semen Analysis - $202
HSG - $478.20
Clomid - $51.76 per month (not applied to deductible) x 2
IUI - $525 (not covered by insurance) x 2
What specific things went wrong at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Failed to order appropriate test
Failed to send your chart to another clinic
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
I'm really disappointed in the missed diagnosis for infertility. Should have been identified day 1 (based on my experience at the clinic we received a second opinion from). Their communication is horrible, they can't answer the phones and they didn't send charts to new clinic at my request. Was told my dosage of Clomid was way too much considering I was already ovulating naturally. Very little information provided on the whole process.
We didn’t have any face to face interactions [with Dr. Donald Young] except for initial consult and egg retrieval. Following failed HSG revealing blocked tubes and semen analysis revealing extremely low sperm count we were told IVF was our option. When we inquired about difficulty obtaining sperm, we were assured it only takes a few. Come IVF cycle, no one was proactive about obtaining sperm and we got days from egg retrieval without any. Procedures were attempted and failed. We were told morning of egg retrieval we would have to use donor sperm and my eggs would be frozen. Dr. Young seemed unaware what our situation even was that AM and no conversation was going to be had about it until my husband requested we talk to him.
We were told [by staff at Mid-Iowa Fertility] morning of egg retrieval we would have to use donor sperm and my eggs would be frozen...We went straight to IVF following initial consult where lab work, HSG, and semen analysis was completed. I have blocked tubes and my husband has male factor infertility...The nurses were spectacular. Always a smile on their faces and answered and explained any and all questions in person and via email! Nursing called and checked in on me following my egg retrieval.
How was your experience with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
We didn’t have any face to face interactions except for initial consult and egg retrieval. Following failed HSG revealing blocked tubes and semen analysis revealing extremely low sperm count we were told IVF was our option. When we inquired about difficulty obtaining sperm, we were assured it only takes a few. Come IVF cycle, no one was proactive about obtaining sperm and we got days from egg retrieval without any. Procedures were attempted and failed. We were told morning of egg retrieval we would have to use donor sperm and my eggs would be frozen. Dr. Young seemed unaware what our situation even was that AM and no conversation was going to be had about it until my husband requested we talk to him.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Think things through and ask all questions.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
We only interacted and communicated with Dr. Young at our consultation, via phone call to discuss test results, and the morning of the egg retrieval. We were unable to obtain sperm to fertilize eggs following retrieval when that had been the plan and he wasn’t going to discuss our options or next steps with us until we inquired and asked about discussing this.
Describe the protocols Donald Young used in your cycles at Mid-Iowa Fertility and their degree of success.
We went straight to IVF following initial consult where lab work, HSG, and semen analysis was completed. I have blocked tubes and my husband has male factor infertility.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
The nurses were spectacular. Always a smile on their faces and answered and explained any and all questions in person and via email! Nursing called and checked in on me following my egg retrieval.
Describe your experience with Mid-Iowa Fertility.
Overall, the staff is friendly and all are efficient. When we requested records be sent they weren’t and were then sent to the wrong fax- this may have been an isolated incident but still frustrating.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
No medications were covered by my insurance but up to $25,000 in procedures is.
Describe Donald Young's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
We have not gotten to that point in our treatment.
What specific things went wrong at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Failed to send your chart to another clinic
Canceled a cycle due to clinic error
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
Records were not sent to urology clinic when we were told they would be and we would be called by the clinic to schedule an appointment.
Dr. Young made me feel at ease when he could see how nervous my husband and I were. He explained he had successfully treated patients with Addison's Disease (an autoimmune disease I suffer from) and he made the whole process seem relaxed and easy - like it was nothing to stress about....The treatment strategies we established was to use a donor egg (in this case my sister) and then do an embryo transfer. My sister would complete the IVF, then make the embryo's with my husband's sperm
We were greeted warmly by the front office [Mid-Iowa Fertility] and it was a very relaxed environment. The whole staff was very friendly and caring, from nurses to doctors to the receptionist. I felt as if I could truly call at any time and they would be happy to help me. From start to finish, I felt well cared for at the facility. The only thing I wish we could've done on our first appointment was meet with the financial coordinator, Monica, to discuss our insurance
How was your experience with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
As I said earlier, our experience was great. He sat and talked to us for a while about us - he didn't just jump right into the nitty gritty. Then, when we relaxed, he started in on the process. He eased my mind (and my husband's) when he said he had successfully treated patients with Addison's Disease and seemed very knowledgeable about the disease itself, which is rare. He was relaxed which made us relax. He seemed confident, but not arrogant.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
It takes him a minute to warm up. Once we started talking, it was like we were old friends.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Dr. Young made me feel at ease when he could see how nervous my husband and I were. He explained he had successfully treated patients with Addison's Disease (an autoimmune disease I suffer from) and he made the whole process seem relaxed and easy - like it was nothing to stress about. He seemed to know so much information and got me so excited to start the process to have a child!
Describe the protocols Donald Young used in your cycles at Mid-Iowa Fertility and their degree of success.
The treatment strategies we established was to use a donor egg (in this case my sister) and then do an embryo transfer. My sister would complete the IVF, then make the embryo's with my husband's sperm and then transfer to myself to carry. He also suggested switching from estradiol to regular birth control to help with my hot flashes and uncomfortable sex. He made the entire process seem so relaxed and like he's done it 1,000 times (which I'm sure he has!:) which in turn made us relax. We're going to start the process soon, so I can't comment on results (yet!).
Describe your experience with your nurse at Mid-Iowa Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Sheila)
She sat with us and explained the entire process again, from start to finish. She told us she'd be with us every step of the way and went in to more detail on the actual process. She was very compassionate and empathetic but also very knowledgeable.
Describe your experience with Mid-Iowa Fertility.
We were greeted warmly by the front office and it was a very relaxed environment. The whole staff was very friendly and caring, from nurses to doctors to the receptionist. I felt as if I could truly call at any time and they would be happy to help me. From start to finish, I felt well cared for at the facility. The only thing I wish we could've done on our first appointment was meet with the financial coordinator, Monica, to discuss our insurance and other payment info. However, we were able to communicate via phone and email which was extremely convenient.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
We had to pay the $35 co-pay. Out of pocket, with insurance, we will pay around $6000-$6500 total, start to finish.
Describe Donald Young's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
Dr. Young's approach for me was to do a single embryo transfer, especially with my Addison's Disease. Although I disagree, he was keeping my health in mind. My body can't handle stress and carrying multiples would be extremely hard on my body. My husband and I appreciated his honesty.
Dr. Young is very knowledgeable and to the point. He doesn’t try to sugarcoat what’s happening and gives you options while providing information to make an informed decision...To get pregnant with our first we did 3 cycles of IUI on clomid, followed by 3 on Femara. We were using donor sperm with no known fertility for me. After 6 attempts we did laparoscopic surgery and Dr Young diagnosed endometriosis at that time.
The nursing staff at Mid Iowa is incredible. I have never had a bad experience. They are all very patient and understanding and have always answered my questions... Mid Iowa is a very organized clinic. They respect your privacy and have a policy against bringing young children to the clinic. I’ve been so grateful for that as it was hard to see kids while going through treatments.
How was your experience with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Dr. Young is very knowledgeable and to the point. He doesn’t try to sugarcoat what’s happening and gives you options while providing information to make an informed decision. I trust him as a doctor and am so grateful for his help in conceiving our first child.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Think of any questions you have before you go and write them down. The information can feel overwhelming and so it’s good to have an idea of what you want to get out of the appointment.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
I didn’t feel like he was trying trying to get my money. We started simple and worked through options to determine the best course for me.
Describe the protocols Donald Young used in your cycles at Mid-Iowa Fertility and their degree of success.
To get pregnant with our first we did 3 cycles of IUI on clomid, followed by 3 on Femara. We were using donor sperm with no known fertility for me. After 6 attempts we did laparoscopic surgery and Dr Young diagnosed endometriosis at that time. With my next cycle we tried clomid again and I got pregnant and had our first child. For baby number too we have done 7 IUI’s with clomid of varying doses. After 5 failed attempts we ran bloodwork again and I was diagnosed hypothyroid and started medication. We are now waiting to start IVF.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Mid-Iowa Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Sheila)
The nursing staff at Mid Iowa is incredible. I have never had a bad experience. They are all very patient and understanding and have always answered my questions.
Describe your experience with Mid-Iowa Fertility.
Mid Iowa is a very organized clinic. They respect your privacy and have a policy against bringing young children to the clinic. I’ve been so grateful for that as it was hard to see kids while going through treatments.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
IUI’s were around $500 plus the cost of donor sperm. I can’t remember the cost for ultrasounds and consultations but around $100-$200 each. We haven’t started IVF yet so I don’t have those costs.
Dr young is a good doctor but needs to work on individual care plans for each patient based on their diagnosis. My last frozen transfer failed and prior to my next transfer I asked for a trail transfer. It was found that I had an endometrial polyp that wasn’t caught previously. It should have been caught if they did a trial transfer prior to each transfer.... We started with three Iui’s while on clomid. All tests were negative. Our first ivf cycle in 2013 wa successful and we had our twins.
The billing staff [Mid-Iowa Fertility] is hard to get ahold of. Whitney is great but Monica doesn’t return phone calls. Remember to speak up for yourself and do your own research. You have to be your own advocate since there are not individualized care plans.... The nursing staff is great to work with. They all have great communication and never act like you are bothering them with any questions.... Iui’s were around 300 dollars a time. Our first round of ivf was around 8,000 for the procedures and 5,000 for meds. Each frozen transfer is around 3,500 and meds around 1,200. This last round of ivf was closer to 10,000 and meds were 5,000. The genetic testing was around 5,000.
How was your experience with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
I feel that the nurses are very helpful and caring at this clinic. Dr young is a good doctor but needs to work on individual care plans for each patient based on their diagnosis. My last frozen transfer failed and prior to my next transfer I asked for a trail transfer. It was found that I had an endometrial polyp that wasn’t caught previously. It should have been caught if they did a trial transfer prior to each transfer.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Make sure you speak up for yourself and say what you are wanting for you own care. Be knowledgeable and do your research.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Dr young does not do individual care plans. He just treats you as a number.
Describe the protocols Donald Young used in your cycles at Mid-Iowa Fertility and their degree of success.
We started with three Iui’s while on clomid. All tests were negative. Our first ivf cycle in 2013 wa successful and we had our twins. Starting in 2017 we did a frozen transfer and got a positive hcg level. Our ultrasound revealed a blighted ovum and I ended with a D&c. In January 2018 we did a fresh transfer and got another positive hcg level. That ultrasound showed a blighted ovum as well and resulted in a D&c. After that dr young did blood tests for recurrent loss and suggested we send the remaining five embryos off for genetic testing. Al blood work came back normal but 3 of the five embryos came back with chromosome issues. In August 2018 we transferred one embryo and it ended in a negative test. We only have one embryo and they left to have another baby. I asked for a trial transfer and they said it wasn’t necessary but would do it. During the trial transfer I was found to have an endometrial Polyp. I had surgery to have it removed at the beginning of this month. Our next transfer is set for October 25th, 2018.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
The nursing staff is great to work with. They all have great communication and never act like you are bothering them with any questions.
Describe your experience with Mid-Iowa Fertility.
The billing staff is hard to get ahold of. Whitney is great but Monica doesn’t return phone calls. Remember to speak up for yourself and do your own research. You have to be your own advocate since there are not individualized care plans.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
Iui’s were around 300 dollars a time. Our first round of ivf was around 8,000 for the procedures and 5,000 for meds. Each frozen transfer is around 3,500 and meds around 1,200. This last round of ivf was closer to 10,000 and meds were 5,000. The genetic testing was around 5,000.
Describe Donald Young's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
Dr young prefers to only transfer one embryo at a time
He [Dr. Donald Young] is a very nice guy but sometimes I feel as if he goes through this all the time and doesn't show empathy. I feel as his nurses and the lab techs do more than he does to comfort. He is very too the point and basically is kind of short but always takes the time to explain things...I should have had an ultrasound with my 2nd pregnancy. It was an eptopic and tube erupted. I am high risk for eptopic. They said I didn't need ultrasound for two weeks. I have had a 3rd pregnancy eptopic again this time they made sure to do an ultrasound.
Sheila [nurse at Mid-Iowa Fertility] also is a great nurse she sent a card to me after one of the losses and she is there every time trying to calm you if you receive sad news...I should have had an ultrasound with my 2nd pregnancy. It was an eptopic and tube erupted. I am high risk for eptopic. They said I didn't need ultrasound for two weeks. I have had a 3rd pregnancy eptopic again this time they made sure to do an ultrasound...I paid for one of the laproscopy, two dye tests, $10 each time blood drawn to watch hcg levels drop from both eptopic, bills from 2 emergency rooms, ambulance, meds. This was a few thousand dollars.
How was your experience with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
He is a very nice guy but sometimes I feel as if he goes through this all the time and doesn't show empathy. I feel as his nurses and the lab techs do more than he does to comfort. He is very too the point and basically is kind of short but always takes the time to explain things.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Don't take it personally if he is kind of dry I think he is that way with everyone.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
I should have had an ultrasound with my 2nd pregnancy. It was an eptopic and tube erupted. I am high risk for eptopic. They said I didn't need ultrasound for two weeks. I have had a 3rd pregnancy eptopic again this time they made sure to do an ultrasound.
Describe the protocols Donald Young used in your cycles at Mid-Iowa Fertility and their degree of success.
When I first saw Doctor Young he had me do a test where they shoot dye in your tubes. My results came back that I had a tub blocked on one end. But he thought it was close enough to one end that putting me on clomid would help. Tried clomid 2 months as I could not handle the side effect. I had every side effect. So I had an opportunity to have surgery, laproscopy. Had laproscopy and there was some scar tissue around left tube and I thought he said that it was so far gone that he had to do something to make that tube not work. Also found out I have 3 ovaries. After the surgery he put me on femera and went through 3 cycles. 3rd cycle was pregnant which ended in miscarriage which I had d&c. Waited a boutique a month started fermera again and took 2 cycles and pregnant again. Did not have early ultrasound and tube erupted had emergency surgery another laproscopy. Stopped trying for near a year and wanted to try acupuncture and had to have dye test again to see if right tube was good which it was. He wanted me to do clomid again but I wanted to try acupuncture. So gave acupuncture a try and 1 month and pregnant but eptopic again. Did early ultrasound. Now waiting for my hcg to go to zero. Then going to talk about in vitro.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
The lab techs are excellent. One had me noticing that I was not taking care of myself. She said how important it is to take care of myself. The rest of them are good but the lab tech she is the best one they have there she always tries to lift you up and she cares alot, I think her name is Jennifer. Sheila also is a great nurse she sent a card to me after one of the losses and she is there every time trying to calm you if you receive sad news.
Describe your experience with Mid-Iowa Fertility.
Don't expect that it is going to happen that you will get pregnant and it being ok. And try not to get mad at the staff if something does happen. But I have almost given up hope because my heart has been ripped out 3 times.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
I paid for one of the laproscopy, two dye tests, $10 each time blood drawn to watch hcg levels drop from both eptopic, bills from 2 emergency rooms, ambulance, meds. This was a few thousand dollars.
What specific things went wrong at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Failed to order appropriate test
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
With the 2nd pregnancy when I asked if I had to be in sooner for a ultrasound sound the front desk staff said no 2 weeks. When really I should have been in that same week.
He [Dr. Donald Young] was very straightforward and honest. At times he seemed compassionate...He's understandably very busy, which means I didn't see or speak to him much during our actual treatments...I was thankful when he did have the time to communicate with me personally...When I first met with Dr. Young, he explained to me that my condition is very rare and what he thought would be the best course of treatment. After initial testing and what seems like a long process to even begin the actual protocol, we began double injections daily with labwork and ultrasounds every other day.
I recently received a follow-up email [from Mid-Iowa Fertility] to see where we are with starting our next treatment plan, which I was thankful for them to check back with me to see if we're still interested and if we have any questions!...There were times the clinic was understandably busy. Sometimes I felt a little rushed when speaking to the nurses and there were more days than not that I didn't see or speak to the doctor.
How was your experience with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Dr. Young is very professional. He's understandably very busy, which means I didn't see or speak to him much during our actual treatments. He was great at answering all of our questions at our consultation and I felt comfortable. I was thankful when he did have the time to communicate with me personally. He was very straightforward and honest. At times he seemed compassionate. When our current treatment plan was again unsuccessful, he discussed what our options were and suggested what he would recommend next.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
The whole fertility process can be very daunting and emotional, so try not to get too discouraged if it seems that you're not receiving as much communication from the doctor personally as you may have hoped for. Don't be afraid to ask questions. He is professional.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
There were times the clinic was understandably busy. Sometimes I felt a little rushed when speaking to the nurses and there were more days than not that I didn't see or speak to the doctor. I really appreciated when Dr. Young was able to communicate with me personally and I felt he was very hopeful for a better/positive outcome to my treatments and he's encouraging us to move on to the next process. And I recently received a follow-up email to see where we are with starting our next treatment plan, which I was thankful for them to check back with me to see if we're still interested and if we have any questions!
Describe the protocols Donald Young used in your cycles at Mid-Iowa Fertility and their degree of success.
When I first met with Dr. Young, he explained to me that my condition is very rare and what he thought would be the best course of treatment. After initial testing and what seems like a long process to even begin the actual protocol, we began double injections daily with labwork and ultrasounds every other day. After the first few days, he tripled our injections. I had 4 follicles each time and they just wouldn't reach the size needed to be viable before my hormone levels dropped and I'd have to stop. The second time we began, he started with the triple daily injections as well as testosterone priming the month before starting injections. The 3rd attempt, he had me try a hormone patch prior to injections. The 4th attempt, I took birth control pills prior to see if my body would react as hoped for. We began with triple dose of injections again. My follicles just wouldn't grow big enough to continue. We tried different medications throughout, including menopur, Chlomid. His recommendation for our next course of treatment is IVF with egg donation.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Mid-Iowa Fertility. (Assigned nurse: I spoke with Sheila many times )
The nurses were good at returning phone calls as soon as they could, which sometimes seemed to take a while. I felt a bit rushed anytime they'd call, but I understand they're busy. Appointments went very quickly. They would answer my questions as best as they could.
Describe your experience with Mid-Iowa Fertility.
The clinic is very nice. Be prepared to speak to different people for all the different aspects (one person for insurance, one for financial, etc) The receptionists were good at helping with scheduling and compensating for my 2 hour drive. They want you to have as much information from your insurance provider as possible prior to your appointments. We had no coverage, so we were required to pay for everything upfront. While the treatment process, the steps to start, and the waiting to begin can seem to take forever, the flow of the clinic is actually very fast. I never waited long while in the clinic or in my actual appointments. Once you figure out who you need to speak to for which department, it's better. This is the only clinic I have received treatment at, but I would recommend it.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
I believe consultations and direct appointments with Dr. Young cost about $250. For our treatment protocol, ultrasounds and lab work cost approximately $2,700 and medications cost approximately $3,000. Ultrasounds approximately $250. Our next course of treatment is IVF with egg donation with a cost of approximately $23,000-$28,000
My interactions with him [Dr. Young] were extremely limited in general. I wanted him to know my husband and me more as people (this is a big deal, after all!) and there were a lot of things he didn't ask or bother to find out. I guess it makes sense that interactions are superficial. There is so much heartbreak in fertility treatment it makes sense for Drs. to maintain distance from their patients. It just is hard to take as a patient...
[Mid-Iowa Fertility] Strengths: Punctual and organized, clean, easy to work with. It was not difficult to make our initial consultation appointment and, once the necessary diagnostics were done, we moved through our IVF cycle quickly. Nurses are friendly and approachable. Weaknesses: I question how individually-tailored the protocols are for each patient, but I can't conclude this for sure because I have only been through one cycle here so far. Biggest issue is apparent lack of interest in patients as individuals and lack of emotional support...
How was your experience with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Pros: He was polite, professional, and made himself available for questions (I just didn't feel that comfortable asking them because I felt annoying/stupid).
Cons: Didn't get to know us well. Treatment felt very cookie-cutter.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Be an advocate for yourself and ask the questions that you need answered. Don't expect an overly compassionate or warm interaction at any time.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
I didn't get the impression that Dr. Young ever knew me or cared about me. He politely delivered the information in a no-nonsense way and didn't ever elaborate. My interactions with him were extremely limited in general. I wanted him to know my husband and me more as people (this is a big deal, after all!) and there were a lot of things he didn't ask or bother to find out.
I guess it makes sense that interactions are superficial. There is so much heartbreak in fertility treatment it makes sense for Drs. to maintain distance from their patients. It just is hard to take as a patient.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Mid-Iowa Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Katie)
The nurses are the faces of this clinic. They do most of the day-to-day patient interaction, routine diagnostics, and communication. I ended up not having as much interaction with my assigned nurse but everyone I worked with was nice enough, prompt, and professional.
Describe your experience with Mid-Iowa Fertility.
Strengths: Punctual and organized, clean, easy to work with. It was not difficult to make our initial consultation appointment and, once the necessary diagnostics were done, we moved through our IVF cycle quickly. Nurses are friendly and approachable.
Weaknesses: I question how individually-tailored the protocols are for each patient, but I can't conclude this for sure because I have only been through one cycle here so far. Biggest issue is apparent lack of interest in patients as individuals and lack of emotional support.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
Egg retrieval with PGS testing and a single frozen transfer cost approximately $15,000, excluding initial diagnostics and mediations.
Dr. Young ordered the tests and gave me the results. That's pretty much it. Not a lot of explanation...It didn't seem that my answers to his questions corresponded to a personal treatment plan...while I was being treated was often, I never once talked to anyone live on the phone. I ALWAYS had to leave a message and wait for a call back.
The nurses [at Mid-Iowa Fertility] were fine. They were facilitators of the tests....they had a policy that, if you had children, you weren't allowed to bring them to your appointment as children in the waiting room would cause other waiting patients to be psychologically distressed.
How was your experience with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Dr. Young ordered the tests and gave me the results. That's pretty much it. Not a lot of explanation.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Find someone else -
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
After asking me a series of initial questions, Dr. Young went on to tell me how they usually treat all of their patients - a series of tests, the first of which needed to be administered during a certain time of my cycle. Problem #1 - Why ask me all these questions if you're going to treat me like every other single person that walks into your office? It didn't seem that my answers to his questions corresponded to a personal treatment plan. Problem #2 - If they treat everyone the same and they always do the first test at a specific cycle time, why not schedule my first consultation at that cycle time so that I don't have to take off work and drive 30 miles to their office twice when 1 appointment time would have taken care of that? That's disrespectful of my time. Additionally, after each consecutive invasive testing, I again had to leave work, drive 30 miles to their office only to be told that each was inconclusive. Ummm...they could have called me on the phone to tell me that and schedule the next test. Again, complete disrespect of my time. And lastly, whenever I called there, which while I was being treated was often, I never once talked to anyone live on the phone. I ALWAYS had to leave a message and wait for a call back. Not only is this a frustrating and generally bad business practice, it is once again disrespectful of my time .
Describe the protocols Donald Young used in your cycles at Mid-Iowa Fertility and their degree of success.
I can't remember specifics, but each test found nothing wrong. Dr. Young actually gave me a brochure in my initial consultation that listed the series of tests they did for everyone and explained that they did each one until they found what was wrong.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
The nurses were fine. They were facilitators of the tests. Although there was one mortifying experience - I had to take a test where they shot dye up my uterus. After the test, the nurse said I was bleeding (a little) but she told me to go ahead and walk out of the room (wearing only a hospital gown) to the changing room. I asked if I needed something to catch the blood and she said no, I'd be fine. I got up and walked across the room with a trail of blood behind me the whole way. I was utterly embarrassed as I was putting my clothes back on and heard her, squirt bottle in hand, mopping up after me.
Describe your experience with Mid-Iowa Fertility.
Like I mentioned before, they never answer the phone when you call. You always have to wait for a call back which, like I said before, was annoying and disrespectful of my time. And secondly, they had a policy that, if you had children, you weren't allowed to bring them to your appointment as children in the waiting room would cause other waiting patients to be psychologically distressed. Uh, seriously? We're all there because we like and want children. Personally I think that having children in the waiting room would be fine, not to mention it might make the clinic look like it was successful at helping couples get pregnant.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
Co-pays. Just co-pays.
What specific things went wrong at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Failed to call with results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
I think I've given you all the specific examples already. I stopped going there because I felt I was treated indifferently and because I felt they were disrespectful of my time.
[Dr. Young was] Very straightforward. Had a military-like efficiency. He did not go out of the way to explain things although he answered questions thoroughly if you raise the question yourself. He seemed a bit over optimistic with results considering the number of losses we had...IUI with donor sperm using Clomid, then Femara, then no medication (no meds was our choice not the recommendation.) Using donor sperm due severe male factor (zero found in biopsy).
Lab staff was excellent [at Mid-Iowa Fertility]. (Because I had four chemicals I had a lot of interaction with the lab staff.) Calming environment and the no children policy was so helpful when going in after losses. Weakness would be that you are responsible for your own understanding and didn't really feel advised about the right course. Didn't test for recurrent losses until I asked...Karen and Senta did most procedures and are excellent.
How was your experience with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Very straightforward. Had a military-like efficiency. He did not go out of the way to explain things although he answered questions thoroughly if you raise the question yourself. He seemed a bit over optimistic with results considering the number of losses we had.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Write down questions before going in, because if you don't ask you may not get an answer.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Neutral-- definitely didn't feel like a number but also didn't try to build a human rapport.
Describe the protocols Donald Young used in your cycles at Mid-Iowa Fertility and their degree of success.
IUI with donor sperm using Clomid, then Femara, then no medication (no meds was our choice not the recommendation.) Using donor sperm due severe male factor (zero found in biopsy).
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
Some staff in past were not very good but they appear to be gone. (One asked me once where my ovary was during an ultrasound.) Karen and Senta did most procedures and are excellent.
Describe your experience with Mid-Iowa Fertility.
Lab staff was excellent. (Because I had four chemicals I had a lot of interaction with the lab staff.) Calming environment and the no children policy was so helpful when going in after losses. Weakness would be that you are responsible for your own understanding and didn't really feel advised about the right course. Didn't test for recurrent losses until I asked.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
Cost has increased since starting. IUI was $475 I think. Did not charge for sperm ordering or storage as long as we used right away. Office visits were a bit high. Lab draws also but they used the insured rate so the out of pocket was reasonable.
Describe Donald Young's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
He [Dr. Donald Young] welcomed us into his office. He wanted to hear our story. He wanted to know our history. He listened. He gave us his thoughts, even if they were things we didn't want to hear, we needed to hear them! He was honest. He welcomed our donor embryos, which is not an easy task in our home state.... I used birth control, estradiol, progesterone in oil, doxycline and an additional antibiotic before starting meds for the cycle. My lining I think could have been thicker, I think we should have increased the estradiol.
We really liked Mid-Iowa Fertility. We weren't just a number. With their small knit clinic, we felt welcomed and we could accomplish a lot within one visit.... We were able to visit with the doc, nurse, lab, embryologist & psych person (another building) all in one visit.... We mainly worked with Shelia-the 3rd party reproductive nurse. She was amazing! Always answered any questions I had. Was very clear with my cycle meds.
How was your experience with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
He welcomed us into his office. He wanted to hear our story. He wanted to know our history. He listened. He gave us his thoughts, even if they were things we didn't want to hear, we needed to hear them! He was honest. He welcomed our donor embryos, which is not an easy task in our home state.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Bring all of your records, do research, have an idea what you need to get accomplished. Schedule your appt according to your cycle so that you can accomplish multiple things in one visit.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
We really liked Mid-Iowa Fertility. We weren't just a number. With their small knit clinic, we felt welcomed and we could accomplish a lot within one visit.
Describe the protocols Donald Young used in your cycles at Mid-Iowa Fertility and their degree of success.
We did a donor frozen embryo transfer with Dr. Young. I used birth control, estradiol, progesterone in oil, doxycline and an additional antibiotic before starting meds for the cycle. My lining I think could have been thicker, I think we should have increased the estradiol.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Mid-Iowa Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Shelia)
We mainly worked with Shelia-the 3rd party reproductive nurse. She was amazing! Always answered any questions I had. Was very clear with my cycle meds.
Describe your experience with Mid-Iowa Fertility.
Great strength is that it's a small clinic so everyone is always there to help you along the way. We were able to visit with the doc, nurse, lab, embryologist & psych person (another building) all in one visit.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
Roughly $5000 for our donor FET
Describe Donald Young's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
He gave his opinion but it was up to us in the end.
Dr. Young had a plan for us from our very first consultation. We always knew what to expect next. He is very knowledgeable and answered all of our questions fully. Even when we were nervous and anxious, his confidence put us at ease. He is a really easy doctor to trust and you can tell he wants what is best for his patients...We used IVF with ICSI. Since we deal with male factor infertility, he had my husband provide an extra semen sample for freezing prior to retrieval day just to make sure we had enough sperm for fertilization...
The nurses [at Mid-Iowa Fertility] are all amazing. You can tell they are very knowledgeable and really care for all of the patients. They are always quick and efficient during appointments and make sure you leave knowing what your next steps are...From the front desk to the lab, everyone is very friendly. The clinic has amazing communication and I always felt like I knew what was going on. I rarely had to wait in the waiting room for more than 5 minutes until I was brought back for my appointments...
How was your experience with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Dr. Young had a plan for us from our very first consultation. We always knew what to expect next. He is very knowledgeable and answered all of our questions fully. Even when we were nervous and anxious, his confidence put us at ease. He is a really easy doctor to trust and you can tell he wants what is best for his patients.
Describe the protocols Donald Young used in your cycles at Mid-Iowa Fertility and their degree of success.
We used IVF with ICSI. Since we deal with male factor infertility, he had my husband provide an extra semen sample for freezing prior to retrieval day just to make sure we had enough sperm for fertilization. I was on menopur, gonal f, and cetrotide for stims. We used the pregnyl HCG for our trigger shot and progesterone in oil after retrieval.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
The nurses are all amazing. You can tell they are very knowledgeable and really care for all of the patients. They are always quick and efficient during appointments and make sure you leave knowing what your next steps are.
Describe your experience with Mid-Iowa Fertility.
From the front desk to the lab, everyone is very friendly. The clinic has amazing communication and I always felt like I knew what was going on. I rarely had to wait in the waiting room for more than 5 minutes until I was brought back for my appointments.
Dr Young was very open and honest about our procedures and about what treatments he felt would help us to achieve the best possible results...is not warm and fuzzy, he is, however, very intelligent...he recommended utilizing a sperm donor which produced much better results for us...During my second cycle we added testosterone gel and patches to see if I would produce more eggs.
The staff at this clinic [Mid-Iowa Fertility] is wonderful!! I think that it is important for new patients to understand how little interaction they will actually have with their physician. The staff was always available when we had questions or concerns. I do wish that there had been a bit more support when we went through our miscarriage...The nursing staff at mid iowa is wonderful. They are always kind and caring and always call back within a few hours
How was your experience with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Dr Young is not warm and fuzzy, he is, however, very intelligent and forthcoming with any and all knowledge. He was very honest with us when we did not have the results that we were looking for and he recommended utilizing a sperm donor which produced much better results for us.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
I would let them know that he is very intelligent and knowledgeable.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Dr Young was very open and honest about our procedures and about what treatments he felt would help us to achieve the best possible results
Describe the protocols Donald Young used in your cycles at Mid-Iowa Fertility and their degree of success.
During my first cycle I used gonal f and menopur. During my second cycle we added testosterone gel and patches to see if I would produce more eggs.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
The nursing staff at mid iowa is wonderful. They are always kind and caring and always call back within a few hours
Describe your experience with Mid-Iowa Fertility.
The staff at this clinic is wonderful!! I think that it is important for new patients to understand how little interaction they will actually have with their physician. The staff was always available when we had questions or concerns. I do wish that there had been a bit more support when we went through our miscarriage.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
Our first cycle was roughly 20,000 with the cost of medications. After our first and second failed cycle we were offered discounts on our next 2 cycles.
[Dr. Young] Read my previous records. Introduced himself and went to his office for consultation. Our questions were answered. Straightforward approach. provided us educational material.... good eye contact. listened to our concerns. straightforward.... When calling back for test results they [Mid-Iowa Fertility] should let you know the nurses will call you. You can ask to speak to Dr. Young directly.
The clinic [Mid-Iowa Fertility] provides forms ahead of time that allowed us to check our benefits with insurance. I wouldn't know what to ask on my own. I turned the form back in and the billing department was able to help me determine out of pocket costs. When calling back for test results they should let you know the nurses will call you. You can ask to speak to Dr. Young directly. When you call the office it may go to voice mail. Waiting for the return call is stressful but they got back to me on same day.
How was your experience with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Read my previous records. Introduced himself and went to his office for consultation. Our questions were answered. Straightforward approach. provided us educational material. Friends that had seen him before gave an accurate description of what to expect.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Have your questions ready.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
good eye contact. listened to our concerns. straightforward.
Describe the protocols Donald Young used in your cycles at Mid-Iowa Fertility and their degree of success.
Clomid with timed intercourse.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
Very compassionate. Made sure I understood what to do next.
Describe your experience with Mid-Iowa Fertility.
The clinic provides forms ahead of time that allowed us to check our benefits with insurance. I wouldn't know what to ask on my own. I turned the form back in and the billing department was able to help me determine out of pocket costs. When calling back for test results they should let you know the nurses will call you. You can ask to speak to Dr. Young directly. When you call the office it may go to voice mail. Waiting for the return call is stressful but they got back to me on same day. Tell the patients this upfront that this is how you do things.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
He’s [Dr. Young] a great physician and does a great job helping patients formulate a realistic plan to move forward....He is very knowledgeable about many different conditions and gives you honest feedback and answers, which I appreciated. I always felt very comfortable with him & trusted his protocols and plans. He did a great job evaluating my husband and my history and formulating a plan going forward. He was sincere and honest with me throughout all of the years and I appreciated his honest feedback in times that I was unsure of what decision to make.
The clinic [Mid-Iowa Fertility] does a great job of working together as a team to give patients the best care and treatment possible. They are usually quick and timely with their responses and are extremely compassionate and caring individuals. I felt very welcomed and cared for as a patient....They [nurses] were wonderful. They were extremely knowledgeable and compassionate and I knew I was in great hands.
How was your experience with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
He is very knowledgeable about many different conditions and gives you honest feedback and answers, which I appreciated. I always felt very comfortable with him & trusted his protocols and plans. He did a great job evaluating my husband and my history and formulating a plan going forward. He was sincere and honest with me throughout all of the years and I appreciated his honest feedback in times that I was unsure of what decision to make.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
He’s a great physician and does a great job helping patients formulate a realistic plan to move forward.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
He was a very knowledgeable about my history and answered all of my questions. I always felt like I had enough time with him so that any of my concerns or questions could be addressed.
Describe the protocols Donald Young used in your cycles at Mid-Iowa Fertility and their degree of success.
I can’t remember the specifics.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
They were wonderful. They were extremely knowledgeable and compassionate and I knew I was in great hands.
Describe your experience with Mid-Iowa Fertility.
The clinic does a great job of working together as a team to give patients the best care and treatment possible. They are usually quick and timely with their responses and are extremely compassionate and caring individuals. I felt very welcomed and cared for as a patient.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
I can’t remember the specifics.
Describe Donald Young's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
Dr Young was very absent and when he was present he was in and out. He wasnt warm and didn't take the time to chat or make you feel comfortable. He WAS knowledgable and upfront which I appreciated but it was easy to walk away feeling like you were on an assembly line....I dont remember all of the strategies we used but I remember feeling like the approach was "one size fits all" and not individualized at all.... We only saw Dr. Young likenteice and he is not a hand holder!
The clinic [Mid-Iowa Fertility] told us that they were collecting data that showed a single embryo transfer had higher success rates than multiples.... It is extremely hard to get someone on the phone or to call you back. Once you do though everyone is nice. The nurses are sweet and communicate well and while Dr young is not the warmest he is a good doctor.... The clinic was slow and sometimes didn't get things done in a timely manner
How was your experience with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Dr Young was very absent and when he was present he was in and out. He wasnt warm and didn't take the time to chat or make you feel comfortable. He WAS knowledgable and upfront which I appreciated but it was easy to walk away feeling like you were on an assembly line.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
He is not a warm and fuzzy doctor but if you need to use IVF to conceive he is one of the best.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
The nurses were wonderful and very patient. We only saw Dr. Young likenteice and he is not a hand holder!
Describe the protocols Donald Young used in your cycles at Mid-Iowa Fertility and their degree of success.
I dont remember all of the strategies we used but I remember feeling like the approach was "one size fits all" and not individualized at all.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
The nurses were awesome, warm, and communicative.
Describe your experience with Mid-Iowa Fertility.
It is extremely hard to get someone on the phone or to call you back. Once you do though everyone is nice. The nurses are sweet and communicate well and while Dr young is not the warmest he is a good doctor.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
Sperm testing was 500 each test. IUI was 1,000 and IVF total with meds and genetic testing was 30,000
Describe Donald Young's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
The clinic told us that they were collecting data that showed a single embryo transfer had higher success rates than multiples.
What specific things went wrong at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
The clinic was slow and sometimes didn't get things done in a timely manner
IVF [with Dr. Donald Young] : mixed protocol of Follistim and Menopur with Ganirelix, used pgs. Frozen cycle was birth control pills followed by Vivelle patches and intramuscular progesterone. Recommended single embryo transfer. 12 eggs, 9/12 fertilized. 2 extra in the freezer for future use...He is straightforward and tells you like it is and what your options are, gives you accurate stats for your situation. Sense of humor and good bedside manner.
[Mid Iowa Fertility-Clive] Well run, efficient,clean and warm environment. Good reputation in the community. Answer the phone 24/7....Call back same day, caring people...IVF : mixed protocol of Follistim and Menopur with Ganirelix, used pgs. Frozen cycle was birth control pills followed by Vivelle patches and intramuscular progesterone. Recommended single embryo transfer. 12 eggs, 9/12 fertilized. 2 extra in the freezer for future use.
How was your experience with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
He is straightforward and tells you like it is and what your options are, gives you accurate stats for your situation. Sense of humor and good bedside manner. Can be busy but from what I heard, he also handles all the business and HR side of the clinic in addition to his patient schedule so has to juggle his time.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Come in prepared with questions and he will give you straight answers whether it's good or bad. Remember, he didn't cause your issues, he's there to help solve them.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Explained everything and gave me a checklist of tests. Looked me in the eye during my visits
Describe the protocols Donald Young used in your cycles at Mid-Iowa Fertility and their degree of success.
IVF : mixed protocol of Follistim and Menopur with Ganirelix, used pgs. Frozen cycle was birth control pills followed by Vivelle patches and intramuscular progesterone. Recommended single embryo transfer. 12 eggs, 9/12 fertilized. 2 extra in the freezer for future use.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
Call back same day, caring people.
Describe your experience with Mid-Iowa Fertility.
Well run, efficient,clean and warm environment. Good reputation in the community. Answer the phone 24/7.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
$20000
Describe Donald Young's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
Good doctor [Dr. Donald Young], knowledgeable. Answers questions and takes his time. Never felt rushed. Could use a bit more compassion but does have good bedside manner. Did not have a negative experience but am getting a second opinion elsewhere...Felt rushed with some of the nurses. But most were compassionate and explained things well. Would always get phone calls returned the same days.
Felt rushed with some of the nurses [at Mid-Iowa Fertility]. But most were compassionate and explained things well. Would always get phone calls returned the same days...One cycle was almost $11000 not including medications. This was also not including pregenetic screening which is an additional cost...Usually never had to wait with appointments. Front desk staff and lab staff were polite and helpful. I wish there was a refund program in place or better discounts on if you don't get pregnant.
How was your experience with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Good doctor, knowledgeable. Answers questions and takes his time. Never felt rushed. Could use a bit more compassion but does have good bedside manner. Did not have a negative experience but am getting a second opinion elsewhere.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Advocate for yourself, go in with questions.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Good bedside manner, answered all questions, took the time
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
Felt rushed with some of the nurses. But most were compassionate and explained things well. Would always get phone calls returned the same days.
Describe your experience with Mid-Iowa Fertility.
Usually never had to wait with appointments. Front desk staff and lab staff were polite and helpful. I wish there was a refund program in place or better discounts on if you don't get pregnant.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
One cycle was almost $11000 not including medications. This was also not including pregenetic screening which is an additional cost.
Describe Donald Young's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
1-2 embryos can be transferred.. allowed me to choose my preference.
I appreciated Dr. Young’s honesty and I always felt like he was giving me the information I needed to make good decisions about my care. He celebrated successes with me and I felt like he truly cared about getting me pregnant...2 medicated IUI cycles to see if I produced enough follicles for IVF, then moved on to a donor egg cycle with my sister’s eggs. First cycle was a success with embryos left to freeze. Went back 3 years later to do FET and had another success.
I don’t have anything to compare with but I was very happy with this clinic [Mid-Iowa Fertility] and I would absolutely recommend it to friends. My phone messages were always returned promptly and if necessary I could make same day appointments...I appreciated Dr. Young’s honesty and I always felt like he was giving me the information I needed to make good decisions about my care. He celebrated successes with me and I felt like he truly cared about getting me pregnant.
How was your experience with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
I appreciated Dr. Young’s honesty and I always felt like he was giving me the information I needed to make good decisions about my care. He celebrated successes with me and I felt like he truly cared about getting me pregnant.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Stick with him - he absolutely knows what he’s doing.
Describe the protocols Donald Young used in your cycles at Mid-Iowa Fertility and their degree of success.
2 medicated IUI cycles to see if I produced enough follicles for IVF, then moved on to a donor egg cycle with my sister’s eggs. First cycle was a success with embryos left to freeze. Went back 3 years later to do FET and had another success.
Describe your experience with Mid-Iowa Fertility.
I don’t have anything to compare with but I was very happy with this clinic and I would absolutely recommend it to friends. My phone messages were always returned promptly and if necessary I could make same day appointments.
Dr. Young doesn't have the best bedside manner, but at the time, fertility options are limited in Central Iowa, especially if you are single. Ultimately, I got pregnant and had a baby, and that was my main goal....It was hard to get appointments when I needed them....Care from the nurse [at Mid-Iowa Fertility[ was very personal, but I felt more like a number when dealing with Dr. Young...My nurse was very kind, organized, and explained things well. I was glad to see more of her than the doctor....
It was hard to get appointments when I needed them....Care from the nurse [at Mid-Iowa Fertility[ was very personal, but I felt more like a number when dealing with Dr. Young...My nurse was very kind, organized, and explained things well. I was glad to see more of her than the doctor....Dr. Young doesn't have the best bedside manner, but at the time, fertility options are limited in Central Iowa, especially if you are single. Ultimately, I got pregnant and had a baby, and that was my main goal.
How was your experience with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Dr. Young doesn't have the best bedside manner, but at the time, fertility options are limited in Central Iowa, especially if you are single. Ultimately, I got pregnant and had a baby, and that was my main goal.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Do your own research. Don't be alarmed if you see the nurse more than you see the doctor.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Care from the nurse was very personal, but I felt more like a number when dealing with Dr. Young.
Describe the protocols Donald Young used in your cycles at Mid-Iowa Fertility and their degree of success.
IUI with anonymous donor sperm
Describe your experience with your nurse at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
My nurse was very kind, organized, and explained things well. I was glad to see more of her than the doctor.
Describe your experience with Mid-Iowa Fertility.
It was hard to get appointments when I needed them.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
Not sure
Describe Donald Young's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
I found him [Dr. Young] to be very personable and pleasant....We always felt that the staff was personally involved in our process. I always felt like they were committed to doing everything possible to help us conceive, and that they really Wanted us to conceive....
I found him [Dr. Young] to be very personable and pleasant....We always felt that the staff was personally involved in our process. I always felt like they were committed to doing everything possible to help us conceive, and that they really Wanted us to conceive....
How was your experience with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
I found him to be very personable and pleasant.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Don't be afraid to ask questions if you don't understand something.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Yes. Yes. We always felt that the staff was personally involved in our process. I always felt like they were committed to doing everything possible to help us conceive, and that they really Wanted us to conceive.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
I remember in my first cycle, the head nurse was in the office on a holiday weekend for treatments.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
I was given specific dates that monitoring needed to happen, but they were flexible about the times.
Very professional and knowledgeable. He answered every question I had, and then some.
They [nurses at Mid-Iowa Fertility] joked around with me, thankfully, and it put me at ease. A few of them recognized me enough to carry on conversations from appointment to appointment.
How was your experience with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
Very professional and knowledgeable. He answered every question I had, and then some.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Donald Young at Mid-Iowa Fertility?
The nurses were always extremely nice, gentle, and got to know me for my crazy winter socks. :)
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Mid-Iowa Fertility.
They joked around with me, thankfully, and it put me at ease. A few of them recognized me enough to carry on conversations from appointment to appointment.
