Dr. Brennan and I were able to have candid conversations and she was more concerned with my care, working with me as a patient, and allowing us to be a team than her statistics. She genuinely felt like teammate and trusted expert. I appreciated the time she spend, her firm but flexible approach, and her I'm going to tell you what is best but listen to your concerns and hopes approach...She also understo0d how important it was to me to have the same doctor do all my ultrasounds and she went out of her way to do that... None of this assembly line care you see at other clinics, she'll get to know your body and you.
UCLA is a highly respected hospital system. They have technological bells and whistles, can handle all your blood tests and everything in the same spot, and have enough support staff. There was sometimes a scribe at my appointments. That being said - it is a public hospital system and busy. It also tries to maximize insurance billing - so it can be unfeasible to cash pay here b/c there are no package deals, at least there were not in 2020. I really felt safe and am a fan of the OBGYN Obstentrics, RE team, just know it is not a fancy clinic with feng shui artwork in the lobby.
How was your experience with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
I saw Dr. Brennan for 4 cycles of egg freezing for DOR. She was flexible in our approach yet developed her strategy as a combination of what worked for me previously, what she knew as a RE, and timing. None of this assembly line care you see at other clinics, she'll get to know your body and you. It was important to me for her to do all my ultrasounds and she made that happen, even when it was trickier during COVID. I really wanted to early trigger based on NIH findings, and in my case I rarely had immatures and so she was willing to explore early triggers. I also wanted to try a Duo Stim and she supported that through research. We did a total of 4 medicated cycles and I felt very much heard and paid attention to. I had come to her after a canceled cycle and one successful one - and a zillion consults, so I'm not saying this lightly - I recommend you take a consult with Dr. Brennan if you're looking at UCLA. The only difficult thing is UCLA tends to be better for insured patients than self-pay, because the lab is seperate so all items are itemized, but if you have IVF insurance GO HERE.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Dr. Brennan and I were able to have candid conversations and she was more concerned with my care, working with me as a patient, and allowing us to be a team than her statistics. She genuinely felt like teammate and trusted expert. I appreciated the time she spend, her firm but flexible approach, and her I'm going to tell you what is best but listen to your concerns and hopes approach. I only had to switch b/c of insurance reasons - but after care other places, I stayed with her for 4 cycles. She also understo0d how important it was to me to have the same doctor do all my ultrasounds and she went out of her way to do that... None of this assembly line care you see at other clinics, she'll get to know your body and you.
Describe the protocols Kathleen Brennan used in your cycles at UCLA and their degree of success.
I had several different protocols. That is one of the reasons I went to her. We tried Antagonistic with a LH trigger, Duo Stim, Antagonistic with a Dual Trigger, some with lower doses of meds, early trigger, normal trigger... It was mostly antagonist but I appreciated that she knew a variety of protocols and was willing to personalize them and try new things. So many doctors only will administer one or do some assembly line style strategy. Not Dr. Brennan.
Describe your experience with your nurse at UCLA. (Assigned nurse: Ruthie)
Ruthie was really helpful - both her and Dr. Brennan would respond to my e-mails and Ruthie was used to me being a higher maintenance patient who needed to save money, so was helpful with applying for compassionate care, faxing RXs to multiple pharmacies, and calling me last miniute when I needed to get more meds. I definitely trusted her.
Describe your experience with UCLA.
UCLA is a highly respected hospital system. They have technological bells and whistles, can handle all your blood tests and everything in the same spot, and have enough support staff. There was sometimes a scribe at my appointments. That being said - it is a public hospital system and busy. It also tries to maximize insurance billing - so it can be unfeasible to cash pay here b/c there are no package deals, at least there were not in 2020. I really felt safe and am a fan of the OBGYN Obstentrics, RE team, just know it is not a fancy clinic with feng shui artwork in the lobby.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kathleen Brennan at UCLA.
I had IVF insurance through Starbucks, so the major expense was anesthesiologist and lab that was not i clinic - but it wasn't bad at all for me with the insurance, and they worked with me to understand the costs. I say this is the clinic you want to go to if you have the help of insurance.
Dr. Brennan is clearly up to date on the latest scientific advancements in the fertility field. She is also very easy to talk to and never made me feel like I asked any "dumb" questions. I am someone who likes to fully understand all the details of my treatment, and she always took the time, whether in person or via email, to answer all of my questions thoroughly and completely. I always felt well taken care of and like we were doing everything possible to give us the best shot at success. We saw Dr. Brennan at every weekday visit, and did see the other doctors in the practice when we had weekend appointments for monitoring.
AWESOME nursing staff [at UCLA]. Both Ruthie and Megan were total rockstars, and on top of any and all adjustments to our treatment protocol at all times. Very organized, which is especially important when it comes to deciding on how much of the EXPENSIVE fertility meds to order at a time, etc. Always available, and always got back to us quickly.... Overall, happy with the clinic as it was what we expected as part of a large academic medical center. Definitely no-frills when compared to some of the other clinics out there (i.e. no chandeliers or velvet couches in the waiting room), but clean, bright, and also with friendly office staff who we got to know well with so many visits.
How was your experience with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Dr. Brennan is clearly up to date on the latest scientific advancements in the fertility field. She is also very easy to talk to and never made me feel like I asked any "dumb" questions. I am someone who likes to fully understand all the details of my treatment, and she always took the time, whether in person or via email, to answer all of my questions thoroughly and completely. I always felt well taken care of and like we were doing everything possible to give us the best shot at success. We saw Dr. Brennan at every weekday visit, and did see the other doctors in the practice when we had weekend appointments for monitoring. I can honestly say I fully trusted all of the other doctors as well. Great communication amongst all providers (doctors, residents/fellows, and nurses) in regards to our treatment plan. Even when we saw another doctor on weekends, Dr. Brennan was always contacted to make decisions about any adjustments to our treatment. I felt like everyone was on the same page at all times, which was comforting.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Smart, thorough, and easy to talk to. She is very direct and to the point, which we appreciated. Makes you feel like you are being well taken care of and taking every possible approach to achieve success.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Dr. Brennan, Ruthie (nurse), and Megan (nurse) were always on top of the details of my treatment. Everyone was always on the same page and had excellent communication. Each time I called, Megan and Ruthie always gave me personal attention and made sure my questions were answered. Dr. Brennan was always very reachable via email and answered my questions same-day.
Describe the protocols Kathleen Brennan used in your cycles at UCLA and their degree of success.
We tried two IUI's at first, which resulted in negative pregnancy tests. We could've opted to do a third IUI, but instead chose to dive right into IVF. Our protocol consisted of Menopur, Follistim, growth hormone (for egg quality), and dexamethasone. After two cycles/egg retrievals, we ended up with 5 frozen embryos, 2 of which were PGS tested as normal. This was right in line with what Dr. Brennan predicted based on my age at the time of retrieval (37/38). Dr. Brennan performed both of our egg retrievals, and also our (single) frozen embryo transfer (which was a success on the first try!).
Describe your experience with your nurse at UCLA. (Assigned nurse: Ruthie, Megan)
AWESOME nursing staff. Both Ruthie and Megan were total rockstars, and on top of any and all adjustments to our treatment protocol at all times. Very organized, which is especially important when it comes to deciding on how much of the EXPENSIVE fertility meds to order at a time, etc. Always available, and always got back to us quickly.
Describe your experience with UCLA.
Overall, happy with the clinic as it was what we expected as part of a large academic medical center. Definitely no-frills when compared to some of the other clinics out there (i.e. no chandeliers or velvet couches in the waiting room), but clean, bright, and also with friendly office staff who we got to know well with so many visits. Early morning appointments (as early as 7:30am) are available on weekdays, which was appreciated. Mainly the clinic runs on time, but here and there we did have a bit of a longer wait. Open 7 days a week, with lab conveniently located downstairs in the same building.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kathleen Brennan at UCLA.
Initial workup (including HSG) and all fertility-related lab monitoring (bloodwork) was covered by insurance. We paid out of pocket for both IUI's, for all ultrasound monitoring (they offer "packages" to pay upfront for this when you start a new IVF cycle so you're not paying at every visit), all medications ($$$), and for all lab fees related to egg retrieval and embryo transfer. They use an outside lab (not part of UCLA) for egg retrieval/storage and embryo transfer, which was state of the art and which we were very pleased with. Once we got pregnant, all ultrasounds were covered by insurance.
Describe Kathleen Brennan's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at UCLA.
Based on my age and the fact that our embryos had been PGS-tested, Dr. Brennan pretty strictly recommended that we transfer only a single embryo at a time, which we felt was appropriate based on our own research as well.
Dr. Brennan is honest and straightforward. She is kind but not overly warm. I might normally prefer someone warmer, however we completely trust what she says because of how honest and straightforward she is. I wish we had more contact with her and I expected her to do my retrievals, but all the docs are awesome (so it's fine when I see someone else)...Don't expect to see her or speak to her as much as you'd like, but don't be worried about your level of care
We can't say enough great things about Ruthie [a nurse at UCLA]! We joke that we will name our future daughter after her. She's on top of everything, messages us back very quickly, and makes sure we always know all the info. She's a ray of sunshine in this hard journey...in the middle of one of my cycles, the clinic moved from a Westwood location to a Santa Monica location. That first day in Santa Monica, the lab was really busy, and all the fertility labs were delayed for multiple hours, which is not good for IVF protocols. It was eventually figured out a few hours later and everything was fine.
How was your experience with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Dr. Brennan is honest and straightforward. She is kind but not overly warm. I might normally prefer someone warmer, however we completely trust what she says because of how honest and straightforward she is. I wish we had more contact with her and I expected her to do my retrievals, but all the docs are awesome (so it's fine when I see someone else), and her nurse Ruthie is the best, so overall I feel like I'm well taken care of.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Don't expect to see her or speak to her as much as you'd like, but don't be worried about your level of care. The whole office is fantastic.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
The appointments move quickly and the docs are busy, but there's never any confusion about who I am, our situation, my care, my history, etc. Something that helps me feel like a human is that each doctor has a specific IVF nurse that they work with. So we've gotten to know Ruthie well and feel very comfortable with her. As much as we love Ruthie, at the same time it would be awesome to speak with Dr. Brennan more often -- of my 4 egg retrievals, Dr. Brennan called us with results for 1 of them. Ruthie called us for the others. Also, Dr. Brennan actually didn't perform any of my egg retrievals. I was disappointed when I first realized this, but I understand all the docs have schedules. Dr. Al-Safi and Dr. Roman did my retrievals and I couldn't have asked for better care from them!
Describe the protocols Kathleen Brennan used in your cycles at UCLA and their degree of success.
We are dealing with male factor, originally azoospermia. Our plan for our first IVF cycle was to do a microTESE with a simultaneous egg retrieval, which means that ideally we'd both have doctors under the same roof. I had seen Dr. Brennan for initial consults after a year of TTC, so when we came up with this plan, she recommended Dr. Mills highly, and they both work under UCLA so it was perfect. No prior known issues with my fertility, so for cycle 1 we went ahead with the microTESE and egg retrieval, got sperm and eggs, but the low sperm quality yielded no embryos. Dr. Brennan and Mills both strongly recommended we try again (my husband had had a varicocelectomy a few months earlier, so the idea was that maybe he just needed more time to improve). So a few months later after a decent semen analysis, we did cycle 2 with the same protocol for me, and we got 4 embryos, 1 being genetically healthy! We were over the moon, but knew our journey was far from over. A few months later we did two back to back cycles, cycle 3 yielding no embryos (sperm quality again) and cycle 4 yielding 3 embryos, 2 of which were genetically healthy! We have 3 embryos now, and are deciding whether to bank more or move forward with a transfer. So overall my protocol wasn't changed much, but my fertility wasn't the issue in our particular situation. The number of eggs retrieved was pretty stable throughout all 4 retrievals.
Describe your experience with your nurse at UCLA. (Assigned nurse: Ruthie)
We can't say enough great things about Ruthie! We joke that we will name our future daughter after her. She's on top of everything, messages us back very quickly, and makes sure we always know all the info. She's a ray of sunshine in this hard journey.
Describe your experience with UCLA.
I've seen Dr. Brennan, Dr. Kroener, Dr. Al-Safi, and Dr. Roman. All four of them are fantastic. They are very organized so it doesn't really matter who you see -- you'll get great care with no hiccups.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kathleen Brennan at UCLA.
The package for the egg retrieval and 6 monitoring appts was $3,864. If not all monitoring appts were used, we'd get refunded. The meds usually cost between $5-7k per cycle. ART, the facility where the retrieval is done, charges $10,200 for all of their services including genetic testing.
I'm currently fighting with my insurance about a few appts with Dr. Brennan that I was charged over $800 for for some reason, and some blood draws that I was charged full price for. Seems that appts are coded as level 3, 4 or 5, and my insurance covers those differently. Also, since our insurance doesn't cover fertility treatments, if I have a blood draw of only fertility labs, it's not covered at all. But if the blood draw includes something like thyroid or CBC, it's at least partially covered if not completely.
Describe Kathleen Brennan's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at UCLA.
Dr. Brennan does single transfers, which I'm totally fine with. I'm not personally worried about having twins (I think I'd like it actually), but I understand that if something isn't right with the uterus and the transfer fails, you could lose 2 embryos if they transferred 2. Embryos are so precious, so I'm fine with one at a time.
What specific things went wrong at UCLA?
Failed to call with results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at UCLA.
One small thing -- in the middle of one of my cycles, the clinic moved from a Westwood location to a Santa Monica location. That first day in Santa Monica, the lab was really busy, and all the fertility labs were delayed for multiple hours, which is not good for IVF protocols. It was eventually figured out a few hours later and everything was fine.
If Dr Brennan had any personal investment in the success of our outcome, we did not see any evidence of it. Interacting solely with staff and other doctors left us feeling desperate for explanations and seeking answers about our treatment on Google and other clinics...This was a disappointing result based on the expectations the Dr set for us, so when we asked what we could do differently next time, we got the answer that no change would be made.
The [UCLA] clinic is in a huge hospital so expect lines to get our blood work done, front office staff that have no information to help you, and mazes of phone lines to try to get through to a real person. The strengths would include the fact that it is open 7 days a week with pretty extended hours...the explanations and interpretations were pretty unsympathetic and somewhat confusing
How was your experience with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
We came to Dr Brennan from another clinic because her SART numbers looked so good. We were so optimistic about her that we waited two months for an appointment and drove two hours each way for treatment appointments.
Our hope that her blunt style of communication was a factor of confidence in her results gave way to a sensation that our success was simply not the priority of her or her staff. Bad news after bad news we’re delivered without much advice or interpretation. It just didn’t feel like anyone was rooting for us.
We understand UCLA is a large clinic, but the results we got were exactly the same as a private clinic we went to after our first IVF round, so it felt like getting CNY treatment (communicating with nurses through a portal, never seeing the actual doctor, not getting any kind of help with billing, etc), for the price of a premium experience.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Be prepared to have a source of information that will help you interpret and process your treatment outside of Dr Brennan.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
In the entire time we were under her care, we did not receive a single phone call from Dr Brennan. Not when we found out how many embryos made it to blast, not when we found that only one was euploid, not when we found out the transfer of our one euploid embryo resulted in a pregnancy, and not when we found out that the pregnancy was arrested.
If Dr Brennan had any personal investment in the success of our outcome, we did not see any evidence of it.
Interacting solely with staff and other doctors left us feeling desperate for explanations and seeking answers about our treatment on Google and other clinics.
Describe the protocols Kathleen Brennan used in your cycles at UCLA and their degree of success.
We used a pretty aggressive protocol with no priming which resulted in a single embryo. This was a disappointing result based on the expectations the Dr set for us, so when we asked what we could do differently next time, we got the answer that no change would be made.
Describe your experience with your nurse at UCLA. (Assigned nurse: Ruthie)
Ruthie was our primary deliverer of all bad news through this process - the explanations and interpretations were pretty unsympathetic and somewhat confusing.
There were many times when she seemed frustrated by our follow up questions as we were seeking what went wrong and one time when she communicated results which were inaccurate (she told us only 2 embryos made it to blast when in fact it was 4, leaving us devastated for a 48 hour period)
Describe your experience with UCLA.
The clinic is in a huge hospital so expect lines to get our blood work done, front office staff that have no information to help you, and mazes of phone lines to try to get through to a real person.
The strengths would include the fact that it is open 7 days a week with pretty extended hours
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kathleen Brennan at UCLA.
It was $12,000 for the egg retrieval plus $1500 for anesthesia and $2,000 for the transfer to the embryology lab that needed to be paid out of pocket. Various copays for office visits amounted to roughly $2,000 additional to UCLA plus medication costs.
Describe Kathleen Brennan's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at UCLA.
I think most clinics do eSET, including this one.
What specific things went wrong at UCLA?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Lost appointments
Failed to send your chart to another clinic
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at UCLA.
It was pretty common to have prescriptions not called in or have them not called in correctly. Overall, everyone expected us to know what we needed throughout the treatment and how it is supposed to go, while providing us with limited information.
Aware of the racial disparities in healthcare, it was important for me to find a doctor who prioritized women’s reproductive health, irrespective of race, ethnicity, gender, etc. Upon meeting Dr. Brennan for the first time, I was put at ease and could immediately tell that I was in good hands...thorough and detailed approach narrowed down my precise infertility issue (fallopian tube blockage/adhesions)...led me through a successful IVF cycle, and I was pregnant by the first week in November 2020...
This clinic [UCLA] is clean and comfortable. Street parking is limited and garage parking is $14 per visit which can add up, but for the quality of care provided, we did not mind the cost and factored it into our overall care costs...Aware of the racial disparities in healthcare, it was important for me to find a doctor who prioritized women’s reproductive health, irrespective of race, ethnicity, gender, etc...While the journey was not always easy, Dr. Brennan and her staff were always attentive, kind, and patient...
How was your experience with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Aware of the racial disparities in healthcare, it was important for me to find a doctor who prioritized women’s reproductive health, irrespective of race, ethnicity, gender, etc. Upon meeting Dr. Brennan for the first time, I was put at ease and could immediately tell that I was in good hands. She spent over an hour with me in our initial consultation addressing my many questions and outlining a plan of action. She was thorough and forthright while being empathetic and compassionate. Within a short space of time, Dr. Brennan’s thorough and detailed approach narrowed down my precise infertility issue (fallopian tube blockage/adhesions) which other doctors failed to identify over the course of many years. From that point on, Dr. Brennan moved at the speed of light to get me pregnant. She was the lead surgeon to remove my fallopian tubes in Aug 2020 and after healing for 6 weeks, Dr. Brennan led me through a successful IVF cycle, and I was pregnant by the first week in November 2020; giving birth to a healthy baby girl in July 2021. Words cannot express how grateful I am to Dr. Brennan. While the journey was not always easy, Dr. Brennan and her staff were always attentive, kind, and patient. I am forever indebted to her and continue to sing her praises through and through.
Describe your experience with UCLA.
This clinic is clean and comfortable. Street parking is limited and garage parking is $14 per visit which can add up, but for the quality of care provided, we did not mind the cost and factored it into our overall care costs.
I love Dr. Brennan. She has been patient through my complicated situation in becoming pregnant and has always been supportive. She is very candid about risks and procedures and rates of success. I appreciate someone always being sincere with me, because I know if I am carrying realistic expectations.... Dr. Brennan is very straightforward, which I like, but when we suffered a loss, she immediately gave me a huge hug. She also worked with me on a related reproductive surgery I had to undergo, as I was uncomfortable with certain aspects of the medical care.
All the nursing staff at UCLA Westwood are extremely caring....This is a busy practice. I think the hospital policies make them schedule patients a little too close together at times, so the wait can sometimes be a drag. Keep in mind you will also see different doctors on the weekends when you have to go in on those days. They're all nice, though. For the actual IVF retrieval and transfer, you'll end up going to ART in Beverly Hills. They don't take insurance, so you'll have to pay them upfront and get reimbursed.
How was your experience with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
I love Dr. Brennan.
She has been patient through my complicated situation in becoming pregnant and has always been supportive.
She is very candid about risks and procedures and rates of success. I appreciate someone always being sincere with me, because I know if I am carrying realistic expectations.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
She's really busy, and so is this particular practice, so be prepared to wait for awhile for appointments at times.
She's very no-nonsense but is also extremely patient and nonjudgmental. I really love her.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Dr. Brennan is very straightforward, which I like, but when we suffered a loss, she immediately gave me a huge hug.
She also worked with me on a related reproductive surgery I had to undergo, as I was uncomfortable with certain aspects of the medical care.
We've gotten to know each other very well over the past few years and I appreciate her support through my difficult situation.
Describe the protocols Kathleen Brennan used in your cycles at UCLA and their degree of success.
We've done IUIs with both Clomid and Letrozole for some success. We followed with progesterone suppositories to support pregnancy.
For egg freezing/retrieval and FET, we followed a protocol of omnitrope, Gonal F, Menopur and added Cetrotide plus a trigger shot (various brands).
The first cycle we got quite a few eggs for my age, the second time they were not developing at the same rates and we had far less success two years later.
IUIs went well, albeit we had poor egg quality.
Describe your experience with your nurse at UCLA. (Assigned nurse: Ruthie Kaplan and Meghan Nilles)
All the nursing staff at UCLA Westwood are extremely caring.
Ruthie Kaplan stands out every time. She is compassionate, caring, follows up, never treats you like you're a nuisance for asking a million questions, and will take her time with you so that you feel cared about.
I don't know Meghan quite as well, but she has shown herself to be very caring and helpful as well.
Describe your experience with UCLA.
This is a busy practice. I think the hospital policies make them schedule patients a little too close together at times, so the wait can sometimes be a drag.
Keep in mind you will also see different doctors on the weekends when you have to go in on those days. They're all nice, though.
For the actual IVF retrieval and transfer, you'll end up going to ART in Beverly Hills. They don't take insurance, so you'll have to pay them upfront and get reimbursed.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kathleen Brennan at UCLA.
This is going to depend a lot on your insurance. I have an HMO, so it was extremely complicated for me to access my family building benefits plan as it relates to being reimbursed for paying the offsite reproductive facility upfront. I wouldn't say this has anything to do with UCLA or Dr. Brennan--they were actually very helpful in getting me the information I needed to provide to my insurance. My insurance was terrible to deal with until I got someone assigned to my case.
Describe Kathleen Brennan's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at UCLA.
They favor single embryo transfer when you've done genetic testing.
I am also looking to avoid multiples so that would also be a factor.
Hysteroscopy [with Dr. Brennan]...to assess the inside of the uterus after removal of 20 fibroids in Oct 2019. She wanted to make sure I didn’t have scar tissue. After Hysteroscopy, she placed a balloon inside to prevent future scar tissue and placed me on Estrada x2 wks. This was to make the lining healthy...She has a busy clinic and because of that it sometimes gives a feel that you are just a number...is realistic and straight to the point. She understands our situation and desire to become parents. I can communicate with her easily using the electronic medical record. There are times I have to repeat out loud what her plan is in order to make sure I understood it.
[UCLA is] a busy clinic and because of that it sometimes gives a feel that you are just a number...They [nurses] are all very kind. They understand it can be stressful process and are empathetic when you need to retry for another cycle...They have a second clinic, but it’s rarely open because the primary clinic is so busy. It would be nice if they had another one. It would help with the drive and help me balance work life. The clinic is clean. Nothing out of the ordinary for a hospital/clinic setting.
How was your experience with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Dr.Brennan is realistic and straight to the point. She understands our situation and desire to become parents. I can communicate with her easily using the electronic medical record. There are times I have to repeat out loud what her plan is in order to make sure I understood it.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Be patient with yourself. Don’t feel bad if it take more than 3 IUIs to be successful. It’s a marathon not a sprint. What ever you do, don’t lose yourself in the process.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
I think it’s the process. She has a busy clinic and because of that it sometimes gives a feel that you are just a number.
Describe the protocols Kathleen Brennan used in your cycles at UCLA and their degree of success.
Hysteroscopy in Feb 2020 to assess the inside of the uterus after removal of 20 fibroids in Oct 2019. She wanted to make sure I didn’t have scar tissue. After Hysteroscopy, she placed a balloon inside to prevent future scar tissue and placed me on Estrada x2 wks. This was to make the lining healthy. We did our 5th IUI last March 2020, but this was the first under the direct care of Dr. Brennan. Unfortunately, no pregnancy resulted from this attempt.
Describe your experience with your nurse at UCLA. (Assigned nurse: Ruth)
They are all very kind. They understand it can be stressful process and are empathetic when you need to retry for another cycle
Describe your experience with UCLA.
It’s primarily one clinic. They have a second clinic, but it’s rarely open because the primary clinic is so busy. It would be nice if they had another one. It would help with the drive and help me balance work life. The clinic is clean. Nothing out of the ordinary for a hospital/clinic setting.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kathleen Brennan at UCLA.
I have an HMO. It has coverage for meds (50%). I have a $20 copay each ultrasound visit. One injectable medication costs $80. IUI procedure is under $500.
Describe Kathleen Brennan's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at UCLA.
Dr. Brennan was clear and direct throughout the process...the first embryo that was thawed didn't appear to be thriving. I had to make the hard choice of choosing to transfer it or thaw a second one (I had three in total)...she helped me understand the pros and cons so that I could make the choice I felt comfortable with. I decided to only transfer the thriving embryo which turned into the successful birth of my son.
There were times where I waited an hour past my scheduled appointment time [at UCLA] in the beginning which was frustrating but they largely resolved that issue by the end. There are still long wait times when calling to make an appointment. Other than that they are great...Megan was awesome. She never hesitated to answer my myriad of questions. I was especially nervous about giving myself the injections because I have a fear of needles. [She] walked me through each step so I could be confident with the injections and dosage.
How was your experience with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Dr. Brennan was clear and direct throughout the process. I always felt like I was in good hands even through unforeseen challenges. During the day of my first and only embryo transfer, the first embryo that was thawed didn't appear to be thriving. I had to make the hard choice of choosing to transfer it or thaw a second one (I had three in total). I then had to decide to transfer both, risking twins, or to discard the non-thriving embryo and just transfer one. Under pressure she helped me understand the pros and cons so that I could make the choice I felt comfortable with. I decided to only transfer the thriving embryo which turned into the successful birth of my son. During the transfer, Dr. Brennan and all of the staff made the day feel hopeful and special. I'll never forget it.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Although there's no guarantees when it comes to fertility treatment, I found being able to take concrete steps helpful and anxiety reducing. Know that Dr. Brennan will use her knowledge and expertise to guide you through the process.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Dr. Brennan was always warm, welcoming, and put me at ease throughout the difficult process of IVF. I always felt like I had her full attention during each visit as she answered my myriad of questions. The nursing staff at UCLA that guided me through the process were also fantastic.
Describe the protocols Kathleen Brennan used in your cycles at UCLA and their degree of success.
I started seeing Dr. Brennan after my prior fertility doctor left on maternity leave. By that point I had tried three cycles of IUI and felt like it was time to take the next step. I was on the standard follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and lutenizing hormone (LH) injections. Starting around the fifth day, the Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) antagonist was added. The injectable hormones resulted in an 8 egg retrieval.
Describe your experience with your nurse at UCLA. (Assigned nurse: Nurse Megan)
Megan was awesome. She never hesitated to answer my myriad of questions. I was especially nervous about giving myself the injections because I have a fear of needles. Megan walked me through each step so I could be confident with the injections and dosage.
Describe your experience with UCLA.
There were times where I waited an hour past my scheduled appointment time in the beginning which was frustrating but they largely resolved that issue by the end. There are still long wait times when calling to make an appointment. Other than that they are great.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kathleen Brennan at UCLA.
My insurance covered costs associated with lab bloodwork. Everything else was paid out of pocket for one cycle of retrieval and frozen embryo transfer. Below costs are approximate:
UCLA Doctor's Fee - (Ultrasounds, Office Visits, Aspiration) $3,864
ART Reproductive Center - (Operating Room, Anesthesia, Ultrasound, Embryo Culture, Embryo Cryopreservation and storage for one year) $5,565
Medication - $6,000
Preimplantation genetic testing - (Embryo Biopsy, Testing, Processing, banking) - $4,000 for 8 embryos
ICSI - $1,400
Embryo Transfer:
Doctor's Fee - (Up to 3 Ultrasounds and Transfer) $1,659
Medication - $3,000
ART Reproductive Center - $2,000
Describe Kathleen Brennan's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at UCLA.
Dr. Brennan suggested single embryo transfer. Because the embryo resulted in a successful live birth, I am especially glad I did not transfer two embryos, risking twins.
Dr. Brennan explained my options and gave me the pros and cons for each treatment option. She was very clear about the timeline and the chances of success. She was matter of fact, and it sometimes felt more business-like. However, I did appreciate that she didn’t sugar coat anything and was direct, but I would have liked to build more of a connection with her...
I feel that this clinic [UCLA] has some great doctors who are experts in the field. They are quite busy so I sometimes felt like a number...a bit impersonal...The wait time was also a bit long unless you had a very early morning appointment. I did like that the clinic is open 7 days a week with early morning appointments...When I called the office with a question they called me back by the end of the day.
How was your experience with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Dr. Brennan explained my options and gave me the pros and cons for each treatment option. She was very clear about the timeline and the chances of success. She was matter of fact, and it sometimes felt more business-like. However, I did appreciate that she didn’t sugar coat anything and was direct, but I would have liked to build more of a connection with her.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Don’t hesitate to ask questions and be sure that your schedule is flexible.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
This clinic is quite busy. There were a lot of patients and it sometimes felt a bit impersonal.
Describe the protocols Kathleen Brennan used in your cycles at UCLA and their degree of success.
I did three rounds of IUI with Dr. Brennan. The first round I started with 50mg of clomid. At the end of that cycle I only ended up with one mature follicle so Dr. Brennan increased my dose of clomid to 75mg. With that cycle I got 2 mature follicles, possibly three but unfortunately no luck. Since my body responded well to 75mg, I was prescribed the same dose for round 3. With my round 3 I only got one mature follicle. It seemed as though my follicles just stopped growing mid cycle.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UCLA.
The nursing staff was nice and friendly. When I called the office with a question they called me back by the end of the day.
Describe your experience with UCLA.
I feel that this clinic has some great doctors who are experts in the field. They are quite busy so I sometimes felt like a number. The wait time was also a bit long unless you had a very early morning appointment. I did like that the clinic is open 7 days a week with early morning appointments. I live about 1.5 hours away and driving in LA traffic is never fun but with early morning appointments it made it a little easier.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kathleen Brennan at UCLA.
I spent about $100 for medication (Clomid, trigger shot, progesterone). For the procedure I probably spent about $1000 for each round. There was a mistake with my referral, I thought my costs would be partially covered but really it was completely out of pocket. The mistake was with insurance, not the clinic.
Describe Kathleen Brennan's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at UCLA.
I did not do an IVF consult with Dr. Brennan but I do believe she prefers single embryo transfers as it would decrease the chances of multiples.
Over the last (nearly) 3 years, Dr. Brennan and I built a good doctor-patient relationship. When she walks in the room and sees me during an appointment, I believe she sees me and not just another patient on her queue...She will mourn with you if you experience a loss, but as a Doctor she is ready to move on faster than you are. She genuinely wants her patients to be happy - which means getting her patients pregnant with a healthy child, as quickly as humanely possible. She will explain things to you - but if you are not clear, ask.
This clinic is within UCLA - Los Angeles. It is large. They have doctor's in every field. They have three buildings. The clinic is within one of the OBGYN suites on the second floor of the main medical plaza. It is busy and always filled with people. But, at least everything you need is all in one place.... They greet you with a smile when they bring you in. They take your weight, height, blood pressure and list of medications before leading you to a room. I usually make small talk with them since I see them with unusual frequency.
How was your experience with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
I initially sought Dr. Brennan because I had experienced a miscarriage in late 2015 and had not conceived again since. I wanted to be sure the pregnancy wasn't a rare occurrence and could happen again. She ordered all the necessary tests and told me I shouldn't have a problem getting pregnant (or maintaining a pregnancy). However, it had been over a year since my pregnancy and she wanted to move forward. We decided to perform our first natural cycle IUI and conceived on the first try. Dr. Brennan monitored the pregnancy and performed an ultrasound each appointment. Unfortunately, that pregnancy ended in miscarriage as well. But, Dr. Brennan continued to encourage treatment to get pregnant again. I did two more IUI's (with clomid) afterwards, but did not conceive. I conceived my last pregnancy naturally (no IUI), and Dr. Brennan monitored the pregnancy and performed an ultrasound each appointment again. She monitored me until my 12 week appointment, where I chose to continue the pregnancy with a regular. Unfortunately, the fetus was later diagnosed (via CVS) with Turner's Syndrome and I miscarried that pregnancy as well. I recently spoke with Dr. Brennan again and we now both agree that IVF treatment is my best option (with PGS testing). Treatment will begin in 2019 (G-d willing). I am very happy with Dr. Brennan and her care.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
At first, it may feel like you are just another patient. However, Dr. Brennan will take care of you. She will mourn with you if you experience a loss, but as a Doctor she is ready to move on faster than you are. She genuinely wants her patients to be happy - which means getting her patients pregnant with a healthy child, as quickly as humanely possible. She will explain things to you - but if you are not clear, ask. She is happy to explain - but needs to know you be clear.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Over the last (nearly) 3 years, Dr. Brennan and I built a good doctor-patient relationship. When she walks in the room and sees me during an appointment, I believe she sees me and not just another patient on her queue .
Describe the protocols Kathleen Brennan used in your cycles at UCLA and their degree of success.
When we decided to perform our first natural cycle IUI, I was told to take ovulation tests to be accurate regarding my ovulation day. Once I had a positive ovulation test result, I would notify Dr. Brennan's office and schedule the appointment for insemination. My husband would go first in the morning and provide his sperm sample. 90 Minutes later, once the sperm is washed, I would go in for the IUI. After the procedure, she told me to continue laying down for another 10-20 minutes before I got up. Also, advised me that chances of conception increased if my husband and I engaged in intercourse that night and following night. Dr. Brennan monitored the pregnancy and performed an ultrasound each appointment. Unfortunately, that pregnancy ended in miscarriage.
But, Dr. Brennan continued to encourage treatment to get pregnant again. She wanted to have me conceive again, but this time with clomid so that ovulation timing was more precise (due to the trigger shot). The first Clomid cycle I think was with 50 mg (a low dose?), since she did not want to risk me conceiving multiples (she believed a singleton pregnancy was best, as twins are a higher risk pregnant. However, if I did happen to conceive twins she would take the opportunity to observe if once develops normally and one does not). I took the 5 tablets of Clomid (1 each day for 5 days, I believe) and then performed the trigger shot on myself, the day before the IUI procedure. The day of the procedure was the same as above (natural cycle IUI). After the procedure, she told me to continue laying down for another 10-20 minutes before I got up. Also, advised me that chances of conception increased if my husband and I engaged in intercourse that night and following night. I did not conceive.
The second IUI cycle was with 75 mg of Clomid. Dr. Brennan still believed that I was at low risk for conceiving multiples - but was also not completely averse to it either. The higher dosage of Clomid was to increase the size of the follicles before the trigger shot was administered. The remaining steps were identical to the first Clomid IUI cycle. I did not conceive.
I conceived my last pregnancy naturally (no IUI) - 4-5 months after my last IUI cycle with Clomid. Dr. Brennan monitored the pregnancy (confirmed it via blood test first) and performed an ultrasound each appointment again. She monitored me until my 12 week appointment, where I chose to continue the pregnancy with a regular OBGYN. Unfortunately, the fetus was later diagnosed (via CVS) with Turner's Syndrome and I miscarried that pregnancy as well (natural miscarriage).
I spoke with Dr. Brennan about two weeks ago and we now both agree that IVF treatment is my best option (with PGS testing). She and I cannot figure out why my last 3 pregnancies have all ended in miscarriage. We both agree that by doing IVF we can then test all embryo's produced before implantation - therefore significantly reducing the chances of miscarriage. Have not started treatment as of yet due to lack of funding - but there is a plan in place.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UCLA.
They greet you with a smile when they bring you in. They take your weight, height, blood pressure and list of medications before leading you to a room. I usually make small talk with them since I see them with unusual frequency. They are receptive to small talk. After you see Dr. Brennan they also greet you with a smile on your way out.
Describe your experience with UCLA.
This clinic is within UCLA - Los Angeles. It is large. They have doctor's in every field. They have three buildings. The clinic is within one of the OBGYN suites on the second floor of the main medical plaza. It is busy and always filled with people. But, at least everything you need is all in one place.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kathleen Brennan at UCLA.
All 3 IUI's were paid out of pocket - my health insurance didn't cover the costs. The IUI procedure was discounted since we paid the entire amount up front, but was only done for the first IUI. The first IUI cycle cost me about $300 in total - since it was only the procedure, and no medications were required. The IUI cycles I did with Clomid (2) cost about $500 - $600 each with medications. All prenatal care was covered by my health insurance and only required a co-pay. IVF is also not covered by my health insurance and I will have to pay completely out of pocket. The IVF in it's entirety (for 1 egg retrieval cycle) and including PGS testing will cost an estimated $25,000.
Describe Kathleen Brennan's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at UCLA.
Dr. Brennan and I agreed that eSET is the best option. She believes that multiples in a pregnancy pose a higher risk. For my particular case, only one embryo will be transferred at a time per cycle. Considering that during egg retrieval - it is estimated they will retrieve enough eggs after one retrieval. After the eggs are fertilized and tested via PGS, we expect to have a comfortable number of embryo's to transfer.
If you want someone who will sugar coat everything she’s [Dr. Brennan] not the one for you. She tells you how it is and what the plan should be it he doesn’t do it in a mean way. She is just very efficient and knows her job. ... She told us how it was so then we were always prepared. She was always thourough in her testing and made sure we understood.
All the staff [UCLA] was amazing. They knew mine and my husbands name. I enjoyed speaking with them and they were all so kind and caring. ... All the doctors we saw there were nice a professional. The front desk was backed up sometimes so maybe more he’ll or not just 1 person working would be helpful. ... The costs were expensive we spent well over $20,000.
How was your experience with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Dr. Brennan was amazing. I loved that she was somewhat blunt but still explained everything and was compassionate. She told us how it was so then we were always prepared. She was always thourough in her testing and made sure we understood. I had a million questions and she always listened and answered them which was amazing.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
If you want someone who will sugar coat everything she’s not the one for you. She tells you how it is and what the plan should be it he doesn’t do it in a mean way. She is just very efficient and knows her job.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
All the staff was amazing. They knew mine and my husbands name. I enjoyed speaking with them and they were all so kind and caring.
Describe the protocols Kathleen Brennan used in your cycles at UCLA and their degree of success.
When we first met with Dr. B she thought we’d be able to get pregnant via IUI as all my tests were good but my husbands sleep wasn’t great. Unfortunately my husbands sperm never seemed to get better and his numbers were never super great. All of our IUIs resulted in negative pregnancy. We did 2 natural cycles of IUI then 3 medicated with clomid. After the 5th failed IUI we asked to move on to IVF and she was completely for it. She wanted us to try IUI first because originally my husbands sperm was okay. I totally understood her rationale.
Describe your experience with your nurse at UCLA. (Assigned nurse: Kathy )
Everyone on the staff is amazing. They are all compassionate and helpful. I can ask any of them questions and they all are able to provide me with answers or find out for me. They really felt like they rooted for you which was a great feeling.
Describe your experience with UCLA.
I think the clinic was amazing. All the doctors we saw there were nice a professional. The front desk was backed up sometimes so maybe more he’ll or not just 1 person working would be helpful. Other then that they were great
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at UCLA.
Monitoring appointments were a little tedious because we live in the valley so traffic is crazy in the morning but I was happy to do them especially for the reason we needed to do them.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kathleen Brennan at UCLA.
The costs were expensive we spent well over $20,000.
Describe Kathleen Brennan's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at UCLA.
At first we wanted to put in 2 embryos for a greater chance but dr. Brennan explained all the risks that multiples can bring and I am fairly petite so we decided to go with her recommendation of just 1 embryo at a time.
Dr. Brennan is a warm, caring, compassionate doctor. When I had any concerns I always felt like I was heard. She explained everything in detail and made sure I fully understand before leaving any appointment... She was compassionate towards me and my husband, I am a cancer survivor. Dr. Brennan made sure to have a full understanding of my health history.... She even had me see a high risk OB/GYN before we started treatment to make sure I was able to safely deliver. She went above and beyond for me, making sure I was totally comfortable every step of the way.
Dr. Brennan’s clinic [UCLA - Los Angeles] is clean, organized, prompt and low waiting time. I always felt in good hands, never frustrated with any call back’s or pharmacy refills. They were always prompt and professional....her nurse staff would go over all the financials with us. We had a full understanding of the financial part, there were no surprises or differences than what they gave us per cycle. It was very helpful!
How was your experience with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Dr. Brennan was always kind and had a wonderful bedside manner. She was compassionate towards me and my husband, I am a cancer survivor. Dr. Brennan made sure to have a full understanding of my health history. She looked over my “bible” of health history, before even seeing me a second time in her office. She would even bring in a seasoned physician if she wanted a further opinion. I never had doubt, or felt uncomfortable. Dr.Brennan is truly passionate of seeing her patients dreams come true.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Dr. Brennan put me quickly through a ringer of blood tests and ultra sounds. She even had me see a high risk OB/GYN before we started treatment to make sure I was able to safely deliver. She went above and beyond for me, making sure I was totally comfortable every step of the way.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Dr. Brennan is a warm, caring, compassionate doctor. When I had any concerns I always felt like I was heard. She explained everything in detail and made sure I fully understand before leaving any appointment.
Describe the protocols Kathleen Brennan used in your cycles at UCLA and their degree of success.
I unfortunately cannot remember the injection protocol. I know that with what she had me on and with my cancer history, that involved radiation therapy next to one of my ovaries, I was able to have plenty of egg follicles when my cycle was done. It was amazing!
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UCLA.
Dr. Brennan were caring and made sure we had clear understanding on the injections. She went over the injection process with us, our own mini injections class. Also, her nurse staff would go over all the financials with us. We had a full understanding of the financial part, there were no surprises or differences than what they gave us per cycle. It was very helpful!
Describe your experience with UCLA.
Dr. Brennan’s clinic is clean, organized, prompt and low waiting time. I always felt in good hands, never frustrated with any call back’s or pharmacy refills. They were always prompt and professional.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kathleen Brennan at UCLA.
I am trying to remember, my health insurance paid for a certain portion. I remember paying around $8k for a cycle, and that would be freezing at retrieval.
Describe Kathleen Brennan's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at UCLA.
I remember this conversation with Dr.Brennan. She was very compassionate on what my husband and I were hoping for. She went over the risks and benefits on how many to transfer. She explained it all into detail with us, and helped us make the right decision.
Dr. Brennan did exactly what was outlined when we first met, went over things in technical detail, and answered my many questions. It did feel like we were quick to jump to injections and manipulating things chemically, but I am not sure what other choices really exist if you are doctor following standard practice.
Part of the UCLA West LA mega complex. Well staffed on hours, responsive on getting you in when you needed to....They were always kind, friendly when I was coming in often. The woman who performed the dye test to check fallopian tubes was especially compassionate, telling me how brave I was to be doing what I was doing.
How was your experience with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Dr. Brennan did exactly what was outlined when we first met, went over things in technical detail, and answered my many questions. It did feel like we were quick to jump to injections and manipulating things chemically, but I am not sure what other choices really exist if you are doctor following standard practice.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Ask about things other than use of pills, injections, etc you can be doing to increase the chances of conceiving.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
She always took the time to talk, seemed to remember my specific concerns from time to time, let me cry, etc.
Describe the protocols Kathleen Brennan used in your cycles at UCLA and their degree of success.
A few months of pills to increase and control egg production, then movement to pills and injectables for IUIs. Also did a dye-test to check fallopian tubes, and a sperm test on husband. No problems were ever found with either of us. Rational on strategies was just the standard way to control cycles and increase the chances of fertilization when you don't know why you aren't getting pregnant.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UCLA.
It's been a few years so I don't remember specifics that well. They were always kind, friendly when I was coming in often. The woman who performed the dye test to check fallopian tubes was especially compassionate, telling me how brave I was to be doing what I was doing.
Describe your experience with UCLA.
Part of the UCLA West LA mega complex. Well staffed on hours, responsive on getting you in when you needed to. Assumed it was cutting edge since it was affiliated with UCLA.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kathleen Brennan at UCLA.
I think we got up to $6-8K, before we stopped and decided to see (again) what would happen naturally. We knew the next step of AI would be $10-$15Kish.
What specific things went wrong at UCLA?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Describe the specific things that went wrong at UCLA.
When I was first starting to get prescriptions, the prescriptions weren't sent to the pharmacy. I show up, they don't know what I'm talking about. It was quickly corrected with a phone call.
Dr. Brennan is very knowledgeable about fertility treatments. She will tell you exactly what is happening throughout the process. Dr. Brennan is also honest about the process of fertility treatments, she does not try to sell you on what is not necessary...Since we were diagnosed with male factor infertility, Dr. Brennan recommended us to a urologist to get low sperm count treated. Then that was combined with IUI cycle treatments. Since the sperm count was too low in each IUI cycle, the results were unsuccessful. The rationale with using IUI was to do the non-invasive treatment first.
When I had to get a fluoroscopy during the initial fertility consultation [at UCLA], the administrative staff ordered the incorrect treatment and did not send the request to the correct department. Since fertility treatment is time sensitive, I had to personally call a scheduler and make sure I was able to get the fluoroscopy on time...can have long wait times in their clinics. The physicians are great, but the administrative staff can take a while in processing information, such as knowing that referrals are in place for treatments.
How was your experience with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Dr. Brennan is very knowledgeable about fertility treatments. She will tell you exactly what is happening throughout the process. Dr. Brennan is also honest about the process of fertility treatments, she does not try to sell you on what is not necessary.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
One piece of advice I would provide is to listen to what she has to recommend.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
I felt like a human because Dr. Brennan took the time to listen and understand what we were experiencing.
Describe the protocols Kathleen Brennan used in your cycles at UCLA and their degree of success.
Since we were diagnosed with male factor infertility, Dr. Brennan recommended us to a urologist to get low sperm count treated. Then that was combined with IUI cycle treatments. Since the sperm count was too low in each IUI cycle, the results were unsuccessful. The rationale with using IUI was to do the non-invasive treatment first.
Describe your experience with UCLA.
UCLA Health can have long wait times in their clinics. The physicians are great, but the administrative staff can take a while in processing information, such as knowing that referrals are in place for treatments.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kathleen Brennan at UCLA.
I had to pay for one one the ultrasound costs since the department referral did not go in on time.
What specific things went wrong at UCLA?
Lost paperwork
Provided conflicting information
Scheduled the wrong procedure
Describe the specific things that went wrong at UCLA.
When I had to get a fluoroscopy during the initial fertility consultation, the administrative staff ordered the incorrect treatment and did not send the request to the correct department. Since fertility treatment is time sensitive, I had to personally call a scheduler and make sure I was able to get the fluoroscopy on time.
We went through a hormone protocol, and an egg retrieval which didn’t result in any eggs [with Dr. Kathleen Brennan]. We spend a lot of money with no results mostly because she doesn’t specialize in DOR...We had a failed egg retrieval. The doctor told me in the hallway and then immediately left without waiting 5 minutes for my wife to wake up to let her know the devastating news...Overall we had good Interactions but only the patient was paid attention to. I am the wife and no one made eye contact with me and I felt we had different treatment as a same sex couple, Not by the doctor herself but by the front desk staff.
We went through a hormone protocol, and an egg retrieval which didn’t result in any eggs. We spend a lot of money with no results [at UCLA]...Ruthi [nurse], who helped us with meds was very kind and thorough. The other nurses were nice but did not make eye contact with me, the spouse...We had a failed egg retrieval. The doctor told me in the hallway and then immediately left without waiting 5 minutes for my wife to wake up to let her know the devastating news
How was your experience with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
I would not recommend dr Brennan if you have dor. When we had an egg retrieval and she wasn’t able to get any eggs she left immediately and left me alone to tel my wife when she woke up. I get that was insensitive. If you’re not dealing with any complications I would highly recommend her. She’s clearly competent and she’s very nice and blunt and thorough but I didn’t like the way she handled that procedure
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Don’t expect to have success if you have diminished ovarian reserve
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Overall we had good
Interactions but only the patient was paid attention to. I am the wife and no one made eye contact with me and I felt we had different treatment as a same sex couple,
Not by the doctor herself but by the front desk staff.
Describe the protocols Kathleen Brennan used in your cycles at UCLA and their degree of success.
We went through a hormone protocol, and an egg retrieval which didn’t result in any eggs. We spend a lot of money with no results mostly because she doesn’t specialize in DOR
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UCLA.
Ruthi, who helped us with meds was very kind and thorough. The other nurses were nice but did not make eye contact with me, the spouse
Describe your experience with UCLA.
Strengths: we liked Brennan, she was thorough and explained all the processes, meds, and risks.
Weaknesses: she left right after the procedure and didn’t stay to tell my wife the bad news. We didn’t love now that was handled
What specific things went wrong at UCLA?
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at UCLA.
We had a failed egg retrieval. The doctor told me in the hallway and then immediately left without waiting 5 minutes for my wife to wake up to let her know the devastating news
She [Dr. Kathleen Brennan] took the time to walk through all fertility options at first meeting. She smiles often and congratulated us when we got our positive test....Kind and thorough Ordered tests when I requested them Answered all my questions patiently Responds to questions over email via UCLA within 1 day Supervised her residents and took over if they needed help...Spent 18 months getting diagnosed with PCOS, starting metformin and getting ovulation to work.
Sometimes long waits [at UCLA - LA] Billing errors are common Parking is expensive -$12 Insurance card required at every visit which I find annoying Facilities are clean and nice Convenient lab downstairs...[Dr. Kathleen Brennan] Kind and thorough Ordered tests when I requested them Answered all my questions patiently Responds to questions over email via UCLA within 1 day Supervised her residents and took over if they needed help
How was your experience with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Kind and thorough
Ordered tests when I requested them
Answered all my questions patiently
Responds to questions over email via UCLA within 1 day
Supervised her residents and took over if they needed help
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Sometimes there’s a short wait
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
She took the time to walk through all fertility options at first meeting. She smiles often and congratulated us when we got our positive test.
Describe the protocols Kathleen Brennan used in your cycles at UCLA and their degree of success.
Spent 18 months getting diagnosed with PCOS, starting metformin and getting ovulation to work. Then got pregnant naturally first try. She sees me every week from 5-8 weeks.
Describe your experience with UCLA.
Sometimes long waits
Billing errors are common
Parking is expensive -$12
Insurance card required at every visit which I find annoying
Facilities are clean and nice
Convenient lab downstairs
........................
Dr. Brennan was informative but quick to explain...I felt like she was already on to the next thing while I was processing the last. Her notes where hard to read and follow...I am sure this is the same presentation she gives 10 times or more a day...somewhat annoyed to go over something twice. The ultrasound part of the appointment was done by her intern that was just poking around. That was really uncomfortable and why I gave her such a low score. I did not really like her intern.
Easy of appointment, somewhat informative, fast moving. Bloodwork done that day. The clinic [UCLA] was overall very friendly...No one called me with test results and the doctor would not release the information...ultrasound part of the appointment was done by her [Dr. Brennan] intern that was just poking around. That was really uncomfortable...
How was your experience with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Dr. Brennan was informative but quick to explain. It’s a lot of information to go threw and a lot to take in. I felt like she was already on to the next thing while I was processing the last. Her notes where hard to read and follow. But I am sure this is the same presentation she gives 10 times or more a day. She seem somewhat annoyed to go over something twice. The ultrasound part of the appointment was done by her intern that was just poking around. That was really uncomfortable and why I gave her such a low score. I did not really like her intern.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
Keep on mind that an intern does the exam, not the doctor.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
The Doctor was very friendly and took her time to listen. I didn’t like the teaching aspect of appointment or the intern.
Describe the protocols Kathleen Brennan used in your cycles at UCLA and their degree of success.
She wanted me to do IUI first then try freezing an embryo. I was there to freeze my eggs. That is the treatment I was looking for, not anything else. Didn’t really listen to me needs.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UCLA.
The staff was nice. The financing coordinator was not that informative.
Describe your experience with UCLA.
Easy of appointment, somewhat informative, fast moving. Bloodwork done that day. The clinic was overall very friendly. I did have a 20 minute wait time, but once I was seen, I was quickly seen by a nurse who took my vitals, then by the intern. Again, I didn’t really like the intern and felt like it was a waste of time to talk to her then have her repeat what I said to the Doctor then have to go into the room, 45 minutes later to meet with the doctor to go over the same thing. And again the inter doing the exam.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kathleen Brennan at UCLA.
$15,000.00
What specific things went wrong at UCLA?
Failed to call with results
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at UCLA.
No one called me with test results and the doctor would not release the information
She [Dr. Brennan] is a great doctor and nice person, but if you are an older woman who have hard time to conceive, no, I would not recommend, because her skills was so so and able to make better decisions for her patient was lacking of. When there were 6 or 7 IUI involved, she should have stopped treatment and asked us to look around for IVFs and compare prices on our own, because IUI does not work for most older patients, and it was money wasted and time wasted.
They [nurses at UCLA] are wonderful and compassionate...when my insurance stopped paying after IUIs it was $2000 a cycle...I think this clinic has real good facility, and their staff are compassionate about what they are doing and they are devoted people. However, it is over priced if your insurance does not cover or cover limited fertility treatment...If you failed 3 -6 tries, move on, find a different fertility doctor and clinic. The private clinic is much cheaper and they are not a training institution for interns, but you will not stressed out financially as much. You do not need 10 IUIs to prove that you need to move on. 3 is enough.
How was your experience with Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
If you are young and your infertility is just an easy or typical one, yes. She is a great doctor and nice person, but if you are an older woman who have hard time to conceive, no, I would not recommend, because her skills was so so and able to make better decisions for her patient was lacking of. When there were 6 or 7 IUI involved, she should have stopped treatment and asked us to look around for IVFs and compare prices on our own, because IUI does not work for most older patients, and it was money wasted and time wasted. IUI also only result one pregnancy if you do successful, if you are older than 40 you do not have time for a second round of fertility treatment. Dr. Brennan should not ask me what to do next and whether I wanted to continue IUIs, because I was not a doctor or even know anything about fertility. If you failed 3 IUIs, move on to go for IVFs. There are many private clinic cost you less than $10,000 compare to UCLA wanted to charge you at least $22,000.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kathleen Brennan at UCLA?
If you failed 3 -6 tries, move on, find a different fertility doctor and clinic. The private clinic is much cheaper and they are not a training institution for interns, but you will not stressed out financially as much. You do not need 10 IUIs to prove that you need to move on. 3 is enough.
Describe the protocols Kathleen Brennan used in your cycles at UCLA and their degree of success.
Colimd 100mg/day for 5 days and Folistem 300iu/day
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UCLA.
They are wonderful and compassionate
Describe your experience with UCLA.
I think this clinic has real good facility, and their staff are compassionate about what they are doing and they are devoted people. However, it is over priced if your insurance does not cover or cover limited fertility treatment.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kathleen Brennan at UCLA.
For the IUIs with my insurance was $1000 for medications, and when my insurance stopped paying after IUIs it was $2000 a cycle