[Dr. Maren Shapiro] took the time to listen to my concerns and made sure I felt comfortable discussing my health journey...combines her extensive medical knowledge with genuine compassion...she explained everything clearly...ability to make me feel like a valued partner in my care
[The UCSF] staff mirrored Dr. Shapiro’s warmth and professionalism, making every visit a pleasant experience...an awesome place to do fertility treatment...beautiful and a surprisingly calming environment. You know everyone working there is the best in their field...really efficient in scheduling...never had to wait in the waiting room to see anyone or get bloodwork
How was your experience with Maren Shapiro at UCSF?
I had a truly wonderful experience with Dr. Shapiro, and I can't recommend her highly enough! From the moment I stepped into her office, I felt welcomed and at ease, thanks to her warm and kind demeanor. She took the time to listen to my concerns and made sure I felt comfortable discussing my health journey.
Dr. Shapiro's approach to care is exceptional; she combines her extensive medical knowledge with genuine compassion. During our consultations, she explained everything clearly and took the time to answer all my questions, no matter how small. Her patience and understanding made a potentially stressful experience so much easier to navigate.
What impressed me the most was her ability to make me feel like a valued partner in my care. She encouraged me to share my thoughts and preferences, which made me feel empowered throughout the process. Dr. Shapiro's support extended beyond just medical advice; she truly cares about her patients' well-being, which is evident in every interaction.
Thanks to Dr. Shapiro's expertise and kind-hearted approach, I felt confident and supported every step of the way. I am incredibly grateful for her dedication and would recommend her to anyone seeking a compassionate and skilled doctor. Thank you, Dr. Shapiro, for making such a positive impact on my health journey!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Maren Shapiro at UCSF?
Make sure to do research on the process and have questions prepped ahead of time to make sure you make the most of your appointments
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Maren Shapiro at UCSF?
I recently had the privilege of working with Dr. Shapiro during my IVF journey, and I cannot express enough how grateful I am for her expertise and compassionate care. From my very first consultation, Dr. Shapiro made me feel comfortable and understood, patiently answering all my questions and addressing my concerns with kindness and professionalism.
What truly sets Dr. Shapiro apart is her dedication to personalized care. she took the time to create a tailored treatment plan that suited my unique situation, and her attention to detail was evident throughout the entire process. With each appointment, I felt more informed and empowered, thanks to Dr. Shapiro's thorough explanations and supportive demeanor. Her guidance was really helpful in setting expectations and making me feel empowered in the face of an uncertain and stressful process.
The IVF procedures themselves were conducted with the utmost precision, and I always felt I was in the best hands. The clinic's staff mirrored Dr. Shapiro’s warmth and professionalism, making every visit a pleasant experience.
Describe your experience with UCSF.
UCSF was an awesome place to do fertility treatment. The clinic itself is beautiful and a surprisingly calming environment. You know everyone working there is the best in their field. They are really efficient in scheduling and booking and I never had to wait in the waiting room to see anyone or get bloodwork. Would absolutely go again.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Maren Shapiro at UCSF.
I spent $12000 out of pocket for treatment and medications
Dr Shapiro is great at breaking down complex topics. She helped me navigate a complex fertility decision...was very patient and took lots of time to answer my questions and give me personalized advice...You may not actually see Dr Shapiro much during your fertility treatment
UCSF is a well run shop...have lots of scheduling options...always got me in and out of appointments quickly...easy to reach the doctor on call and other members of the staff...do wish that they had explained to me upfront that they would be putting me on a lower dose of fertility medication
How was your experience with Maren Shapiro at UCSF?
Dr Shapiro is great at breaking down complex topics. She helped me navigate a complex fertility decision. I am happy with where I landed and really appreciate her support along the way. I sometimes felt as though she oversimplified things a bit, but I also recognize that I was waffling a bit and she may have simply been helping to try to help me reach a decision.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Maren Shapiro at UCSF?
You may not actually see Dr Shapiro much during your fertility treatment. Her staff is great, but this was something that sort of took me by surprise.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Maren Shapiro at UCSF?
Dr Shapiro was very patient and took lots of time to answer my questions and give me personalized advice.
Describe the protocols Maren Shapiro used in your cycles at UCSF and their degree of success.
The treatment protocol seemed very reasonable. I did not realize I had been put on a low dose of fertility medication until the day of my retrieval, and I do wish that is something that had been made clear to me upfront so we could have discussed it. That was my only complaint.
Describe your experience with your nurse at UCSF. (Assigned nurse: Vivian)
The nursing staff was extremely organized and responsive. I felt very well cared for.
Describe your experience with UCSF.
UCSF is a well run shop. I felt like I was in very good hands. They have lots of scheduling options, which I appreciated as a busy professional. They always got me in and out of appointments quickly. When I had questions or concerns, it was easy to reach the doctor on call and other members of the staff. As I mentioned before, I do wish that they had explained to me upfront that they would be putting me on a lower dose of fertility medication. I think that's a decision I should have been clued into as a patient. However, I ultimately had a very successful round and am very happy with the care I received.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Maren Shapiro at UCSF.
Most of the care was covered by my employer's insurance. I paid about $7,000 out of pocket for genetic testing of embryos.
Describe Maren Shapiro's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at UCSF.
n/a
What specific things went wrong at UCSF?
Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
Describe the specific things that went wrong at UCSF.
As I mentioned, I would have appreciated being informed that my medical team had decided to put me on a lower dose of fertility medication due to my health history. I did not realize they had made this decision. However, I had a very successful round and am really happy with the outcome! This is the only point of improvement I saw.
[Dr. Maren Shapiro} created a welcoming and supportive environment, making me feel at ease from the start...egg retrieval process, I did wish that, for at least one of my cycles, Dr. Shapiro could have performed the procedure...treated me with genuine care and compassion... consistently followed up and checked in
[UCSF ] has its strengths, including a skilled and professional medical team...incredibly warm and helpful team...few areas that could be improved...scheduling ongoing appointments was not straightforward...itemized receipts take over two or three weeks...to be posted after the egg retrieval
How was your experience with Maren Shapiro at UCSF?
My experience as a patient with Dr. Maren Shapiro has been incredibly positive, particularly during my in-person onboarding visit. She created a welcoming and supportive environment, making me feel at ease from the start. While I understand the logistical challenges of scheduling the same doctor for the egg retrieval process, I did wish that, for at least one of my cycles, Dr. Shapiro could have performed the procedure. Unfortunately, due to timing, I wasn't able to fall under her schedule. However, both doctors who performed my egg retrieval were nothing short of amazing—highly skilled and professional, leaving me feeling confident and well cared for.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Maren Shapiro at UCSF?
Dr. Maren Shapiro treated me with genuine care and compassion, always making me feel like more than just a patient. She consistently followed up and checked in, ensuring I never felt left in the dark about my care. Dr. Shapiro took the time to explain everything clearly and patiently answered all of my questions, helping me feel informed and empowered throughout the process. Her dedication and personal touch truly made a difference in my experience.
Describe your experience with your nurse at UCSF.
Vivian Ng, MSN, RN, was incredibly professional and organized throughout my care. Every time I had a question, she got back to me super quickly, providing clear and helpful answers. Her responsiveness and attention to detail made the entire process smoother and less stressful for me.
Describe your experience with UCSF.
This clinic has its strengths, including a skilled and professional medical team, but there are a few areas that could be improved. In the beginning, scheduling ongoing appointments was not straightforward—you have to do it yourself (come to the front desk staff and ask for appointments/ the provider and 'bedside team' do not relay that info to front desk staff), and nobody explains that upfront. Additionally, itemized receipts take over two or three weeks (why? We live in 2024 and not in 1994) to be posted after the egg retrieval, and you have to request them from the financial team, which is unusual and unnecessarily slow compared to other places. The clinic's greatest strength is its incredibly warm and helpful team. From the doctors to the support staff, everyone goes out of their way to make you feel cared for and supported throughout the process. The staff's kindness and professionalism create a welcoming and comfortable environment, which truly enhances the patient experience.
Dr. Shaprio was direct but kind in all of our interactions...has a warm and empathetic bedside manner that immediately put me at ease...provided clear and detailed information about all our options. Was candid about the limitations of fertility testing (pre-treatment)...set clear expectations for each next step
I did not spend enough time going to and from [UCSF] to comment on its strengths and weaknesses. I found that we were greeted kindly, I appreciated that the office was clean and well-organized with complimentary coffee and tea...positive experience with the nursing staff
How was your experience with Maren Shapiro at UCSF?
Dr. Shaprio was direct but kind in all of our interactions, which I appreciated greatly. She has a warm and empathetic bedside manner that immediately put me at ease and made me feel like I was in good hands. She provided clear and detailed information about all our options. Was candid about the limitations of fertility testing (pre-treatment) and set clear expectations for each next step. I would recommend her to anyone in need of fertility care.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Maren Shapiro at UCSF?
Be open and honest. Ask all your questions. Share your concerns and reservations. Dr. Shapiro will provide you with clear, thoughtful information to help you make the decisions you feel are best for your future.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Maren Shapiro at UCSF?
Dr. Shaprio and her whole team we're kind, patient, understanding, and attentive throughout the entire experience.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at UCSF.
I had a very positive experience with the nursing staff on Dr. Shapiro's team. They were kind, gentle, and highly responsive.
Describe your experience with UCSF.
I did not spend enough time going to and from the clinic to comment on its strengths and weaknesses. I found that we were greeted kindly, I appreciated that the office was clean and well-organized with complimentary coffee and tea.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Maren Shapiro at UCSF.
We spent several hundred dollars in visits and testing.