Mary Hinckley

Dr. Hinckley clearly has a wealth of knowledge and experience. She was warm and empathetic, a cheerleader for me, provided hope, but could also meet fears and concerns with sensitivity. I felt encouraged by her considering auto-immune conditions and recommending tests for conditions related to recurrent miscarriage which helped me feel confident that she was on her game, thinking of everything particular to me and my fertility journey. Also, she made great decisions around my treatment that left me being pleased with outcomes. I feel like I have a champion in her helping me on the path to motherhood. I didn’t see her a ton as it was a community of providers, but she was absolutely there at the important junctures and clearly a conductor of my treatment. I trust her and am grateful for her guidance.

Ask for what you want or need. Ask any questions to ease your fears. You are in good hands. Don’t expect to see her a ton, but I imagine this is typical of most clinics. Of course she isn’t going to do every blood draw and sonogram. She is there where and when I need her most…the research, the wisdom, the experience of Reproductive Endocrinology.

Like I said before, Dr. Hinckley ran the auto-immune tests connected to recurrent miscarriage from the outset since I didn’t have any clear signs of what was keeping me from getting pregnant. I primed with Estrace.She had me on the highest levels of stimulation meds given my age: Gonal F 300iu, Menopur 150iu, Cetritide .25, trigger was Lupron 4mg. Retrieved 22 follicles the day of writing this. I understand this is a very good retrieval outcome thus far.

$16,700 egg retrieval with ICSI, $4,500 medications, waiting to find out cost of genetic testing of embryos, they use igenomix, $4k mb, transfer is $4,500 and I’m probably going to do the endo-trio test: ERA, EMMA, Alice. That will be $911. Igenomix fees will be $795-$1045, so about $2,000.

Since I will be testing my embryos, I believe we will doing a single embryo transfer.

I would strongly recommend Dr Hinckley. It is important to manage your expectations as to how often you will see her, because most of our interactions were over the phone, and for off hours and egg retrieval you will be seen by the Doctor who is on call. She does make sure to schedule your embryo transfer and first ultrasound for a day that she is on call which I really appreciated. She was very clear and forthcoming with all information and success rates, so that she does not give you unrealistic hope, but at the same time she is always positive and optimistic. We saw her after 2 years of trying to conceive and our issue was male factor infertility. After one egg retrieval and frozen embryo transfer I am currently pregnant with our first child, with 3 other quality embryos frozen!

Have a notebook with all of your questions written down and try to write down everything she says, it is a ton of information for first time IVF patients.

The clinic has a policy of only doing single embryo transfers for PGS tested embryos, because it gives you a very small improvement in chances, versus the risks associated with multiple pregnancies. I agreed with that policy.

Dr. Hinckley is a very smart, compassionate, well-educated physician. As a provider myself, I do put value in where someone has trained, because I know it can greatly influence the way a person behaves and manages their practice. Dr. Hinckley trained at very prestigious institutions, and it shows in the clinic she practices at, and in the way she manages her patients. She is very welcoming, and when you sit down with her for a consult or visit, her calm demeanor helps to put you at ease, even in the most nerve-wracking and uneasy situations. I appreciate that she continues to remember specifics about my husband and our personal life. It makes me feel that she is truly invested in US and our goal of growing a family.

Do not be afraid to ask ALL of your questions. No matter how big or how small. If you have asked the same question before and just need clarity. Heck, if you have asked the same question TEN times before and still need reassurance or clarity. Ask the questions. This is YOUR cycle. This is YOUR life.

I have completed one cycle with Dr. Hinckely, which was a high dose drug protocol. My diagnosis is Diminished Ovarian Reserve, and with my AFC and lab results (high FSH, 14, Low AMH, 0.9), so she knew we needed the "big guns." I used Gonal F 300mg daily, along with Menopur 150 mg daily. I did a Lupron trigger. I had to stim long--for about 14 days, because my body was slow to respond (which was NOT a surprise based upon my numbers and diagnosis). We ended up with 7 eggs retrieved, 5 fertilized, 2 made it to day 6 blastocytes. We sent them for PGS testing and unfortunately they were both complex chromosome abnormal so we were not able to freeze either for transfer. We are hoping for better results with my next cycle, which will be a different medication regimen.

Monitoring appointments (blood work and US), functioned like a well-oiled machine. Appointments always started on time. Because we were in the middle of an active cycle, we were allowed to get "first pick" of appointment times, so I was always able to snag one of the earliest morning appointments and still get to work at a reasonable hour. The appointments themselves were probably about 15-20 minutes. I have no complaints about this process, and only praise.

We went through our insurance, thankfully. But I do remember there were package deals that were available to help with the cost if you were doing multi-cycle IVF. The prices seemed comparable to other clinics we interviewed

We have not transferred any embryos yet, but my doctor and the clinic have a strong preference for eSET, especially since we are doing PGS testing.

I came in well prepared with many questions and suggestions on what to try next according to our last cycle. I had a terrible experience with Kaiser so I had to figure everything out on my own. When I stepped into Dr. Hinckley’s office and she started sharing stats and knew EVERYTHING about our journey I just sat back and felt I could trust her. I told her things I would like to try and she shared stats and her input on things. She told us her recommendations and was very excited for us. She took all my research and questions seriously. She took the time to go through all of them and made me feel so confident about our IVF journey. I left that day knowing I can trust her 100%. She knew everything I asked about. That was not my experience with my previous Dr at Kaiser. I only saw Dr Hinckley about 3 times? But I had access to her via phone for emergencies. She has an incredible team so once you have your protocol you won’t need to talk to her as often. Dr Hinckley and her team are the reason I’m 22 weeks pregnant today and I’m forever thankful.

I would say, join the IVF group on Facebook, gather your questions and bring them with you! Also, trust Dr Hinckley! She truly wants the absolute best for you.

Menopur, follistim my doses were adjusted as I had an allergic reaction last round with a different Dr where I was missing air. This round was the perfect dose for both! Omnitrope- Since I had a turner syndrome embryo on the round I did at Kaiser. Trigger shot - I forgot! I believe it was hcg? Acupuncture next door to the clinic at nurture acupuncture. (Not suggested by Dr Hinckley)

Insurance covered most of the costs!

Dr Hinckley suggested 1 embryo transfer as the chance of 1 embryo splitting into two is high and it was my first embryo transfer ever.

Dr. Hinckley and her entire team made our IVF experience joyful and easy to understand. I was amazed with their responsiveness and ability to help us navigate our insurance in order to stay on track with our treatments. Dr. Hinckley approached every conversation with empathy and care, as did her entire team. They are true experts in the field and we plan to return to RSC when we want to have a second child.

Don't hesitate to ask lots of questions about timing of procedures and what to expect. The timing of medications can be especially tricky, at times, but the team at RSC is well equipped to answer questions and help you understand how to plan or adjust timing for medications based on your goals and life.

Because we had no obvious fertility obstacles (unexplained), we started with IUI, which was less invasive. After three failed cycles, we then had an in-depth meeting with Dr. Hinckley and decided to start the IVF process. We were lucky that results at each stage were positive, so we did not have to do a second egg retrieval or embryo transfer. We got pregnant and had a healthy child on our first implantation. But at each stage, Dr. Hinckley was clear about the statistics and possibilities.

Our insurance covered the majority of costs associated with my care. We had an out of pocket visit fee of around $150 for visits with either a IUI, transfer, or other more in-depth lab-involved procedure. Visits for general blood work or ultrasound were covered. I do know that the clinic offered payment plans and discounts for those with little or no insurance coverage.

We asked about this and she was clear on both state regulations and her recommendation based upon our specific fertility issues.

I only spoke with the doctor twice - once before IVF began and once for a re-consultation after a failed cycle. I had to remind her how many eggs we got and how many were abnormal as she didn't have the numbers up. She was consistently 30+ minutes late to each appointment. Would not recommend.

I would only see Dr. Hinckley if you have a very standard fertility issue and know how you would like to progress with your treatment, and ask for what you want. e.g. you will have to know if you'd like her to use a certain needle for surgery, or when to do the trigger, etc. If you don't want to keep track of all of this I would see another doctor.

I was on 300 Gonal-F and 75 Menopur for a week, then added in Cetrotide. Lupron Trigger. Dr. does not like using micro flare protocol with hcg trigger because of risk for over-stimulation so this is the standard protocol she uses.

$17,900 for IVF cycle + PGT freezing. $4,500 for embryo transfer. not including medications

We didn't have any eggs make it to the embryo stage.

My husband and I were greatly impressed with Dr. Hinckley's knowledge about lifestyle factors pertaining to fertility. She practices holistic medicine and recommended we first try natural methods (e.g. supplements) to improve sperm and egg quality first. She also recommend changes to our exercise routines to improve our chances for conception. Dr. Hinckley has also been good at suggesting ways that we can save here and there and where to invest our money with fertility treatment.

Educate yourself first with all the great content on Fertility IQ, then prepare a list of specific questions to ask Dr. Hinckley during your consultation. While you do get a full hour of her time, there will be a lot of information to digest.

Upcoming IVF cycle with PGT and ICSI

An IVF cycle is $17K plus medications and testing.

We were encouraged to pursue eSET due to the success rates and because we will also be performing PGT on embryos.

I loved having Dr. Hinckley as my doctor. She was always very nice, warm, and compassionate. I could hear the disappointment in her voice when she would call to tell me that I wasn't pregnant. She was always cheering for me and was optimistic month after month. I felt like she really cared about me.

Be sure to ask questions if you have any. She will always explain whatever you want to know more about.

I had done clomid with my OB/GYN before seeing Dr. Hinckley, so after all the testing we I think we tried Letrozole, and maybe even a combination of the two, along with ovulation tests to make sure we had the timing right. Then we graduated to IUIs, and then IUIs with Gonal-F injections. We thought that maybe my right tube was blocked, so we really tried to produce good follicles on the left. I had a few cycles (non-consecutive) where we didn't end up doing the IUI because I didn't develop on the left. I think we got up to doing 250 IU of Gonal-F for maybe 6 days or so during my cycle. Sometimes I would also take Ganirelix to hold off ovulation to give the follicles more time to develop while also taking Gonal-F. I typically would get one good follicle on the left, and one or more or on the right. Two times, I developed two good follicles on the left side. The first time I got pregnant (healthy baby resulted), and the second time was my most recent failed IUI. Dr. Hinckley has been as aggressive with dosing as I feel she can be, and we don't really have answers as to why I've only gotten pregnant once.

My IUIs were about $900, and the meds ranged from $900 to $1200 depending on what we were doing.

I wholeheartedly respect Dr. Hinckley and respect her medical advice 100%. She has been nothing but compassionate, caring & encouraging throughout our journey thus far. I greatly appreciate that she has not pushed us to move to a more aggressive treatment yet and that she is completely realistic with all medical advice she gives according to the situation my husband and I are in. She went above and beyond when we were unsatisfied with our case manager in order to make us feel supported and comfortable and was quick to change us to a different case manager as soon as she heard that we had concerns.

Don't be embarrassed to ask questions - she is a wealth of knowledge and will always work to get you the most thorough information in order to help you understand the situation you are in the and options that you have based on your personal health factors.

We are trying first of all to get pregnant with Letrozole (femara) pills + ovidrel trigger shot, then IUI. We have not chosen to get more aggressive as of yet. I currently am taking 5mg Letrozole once a day on cycle days 3-7. We have been flexible with the day of my first ultrasound as we are trying to find the correct timing of ovulation since my cycle has been so irregular in the past.

IUI is $1285 per cycle, then medications have been about $200 on top of that.

My initial choosing of a clinician was random, and I am so glad I ended up with Dr. Hinckley. She is everything I want in a doctor: compassionate, a good communicator, and most importantly, smart as a whip and knows her research. My care under her practice continued for about 2 years before resulting in an almost-successful. In the end, it turns out that I have a rare immunological disorder that was only discovered due to stillbirth. There is no way anyone can have diagnosed it beforehand, and is likely related to my “unexplained” difficulty conceiving. All that is to say, I got to know Dr. Hinckley very well in that time and trust her without reservations. She was thoughtfully involved in my care every step of the way, respectfully took my ideas and opinions into account, and adjusted my care as we went along in what I thought was an appropriate and evidence-based manner. Overall a phenomenal doctor.

This would apply to any doctor, but questions ahead of time and write them down as you think of them. Knowledge is power.

I do not recall the protocol or exact dosages. However I do remember that during the first egg retrieval, I had an iffy response at first had to increase some dosages throughout the cycle. I was so grateful for the close monitoring because ultimately that cycle yielded 6 high quality embryos that we transferred one at a time. We did not PGS test them because they appeared high quality and I was still relatively young at the time (just turned 35). Unfortunately none of them stuck (besides one early miscarriage). At various times we tried adding in immunological/blood clotting testing, lovenox and an oral steroid. When we got down to the last two, Dr. Hinckley broached the topic of transferring both embryos, doing an era, or jumping right into another cycle and PGS testing the whole batch (all good ideas that we declined for various personal reasons). We did another retrieval on higher dose meds, got 5 high quality embryos, PGS tested them this time, which yielded 2 that wee chromosomally normal. This is pretty average for my age (36 at this point). The first one stuck! We speculated together that I had a hidden egg quality issue. Which is still possibly a contributor, there’s no way of knowing. Sadly this pregnancy ended in stillbirth due to placental incompetency (my immune system attacked it).

Very efficient. These were typically done in the morning, with the clinic opening very early, so I could often get in before work. I rarely had to wait more than a few minutes and the appointments were always done quickly.

I paid $35,000 to Attain for a refund program that included three retrievals and unlimited FETs. Meds and extra diagnostic testing (such as sonohysterograms, PGS, ERA) were not included. In addition to the Attain fee, I estimate we paid about $20,000 for tests and medication.

My doctor was a strong proponent of eSET.

Dr. Hinckley is extremely knowledgeable, and she's very good at explaining complex medical information in a way that's easy to understand. She is very patient, and she's willing to go above and beyond to answer even the smallest of questions. She has even rearranged her schedule for me a few times. She's also upbeat, optimistic, and fun to talk to. I've now seen three REs, and she's by far my favorite.

You're in good hands!

I was diagnosed with diminished ovarian reserve at age 34, so we did two back-to-back IVFs to bank embryos. We transferred one high quality embryo, and that became my son. I had an additional three frozen embryos left over, and we tried two more times. The first try, a single embryo transfer, resulted in a miscarriage at 9 weeks that was later determined to be because of trisomy 15. The second try, we were planning to transfer the remaining two, but only one survived the thaw. That one resulted in a chemical pregnancy.

Dr. Hinckley strongly recommended that we do eSET based on our embryo quality and my age.

My first appointment with her I was surprised at how much of my information she had already reviewed based on the packet I filled out prior to my first appointment. She had some really good questions and suggestions and I felt very comfortable with her. She also seemed very knowledgeable about different treatment options and helped us determine what was best for us.

She is very welcoming and the office staff is super friendly and helpful.

We are just starting our first IVF cycle. We have done all of the blood work, genetic testing, etc. We are starting with Provera to jump start my period, then she is having me take birth control for a month, we will then start injections. Unsure at this point exactly what medications, before we do the egg retrieval.

We have some insurance coverage but total will be about $11,000

The clinic has a lot of success with single embryo transfers. This is something we discussed and determined eSET would be best for me. She was not pushy at all, this was a decision my husband and I made before even going into appointment

Mary Hinckley was the best resource and partner we could have hoped for during our infertility journey. We LOVE her! It is not a road that anyone wants to be on... but if you have to travel it anyone would be lucky to have her by their side. She called me personally and promptly with results for EVERY test. She was very easy to get in touch with and spent as much time as we wanted with us at each appointment. Her warm smile eased our fears and anxiety everytime we saw her.

Don't hesitate to contact her at anytime with any little question. She is always happy to answer anything. I think I called her team at least one time a day!

I did 3 cycles of iui. One without medication. One with closed and one with Femara. The unit medicated resulted in pregnancy but I miscarried at 5 weeks. The one with clomid did not result in pregnancy. The last cycle with Femara resulted in pregnancy but I miscarried at 11 weeks. I finally became pregnant naturally a few months later. I saw dr. Hinckley at least every other week from 4 weeks- 8.5 weeks. She ordered blood tests every other day during all of my pregnancies. She called within 6-8 hours with results after every blood test. Ultrasounds were preformed at least every week.

We paid about 10,000. The initial consultation was $300 and each iui round was about $1000.

Mary Hinckley is running a very busy office. Although she is very warm and compassionate, it would have been nice if she was more educated with expert excision treatment of endometriosis versus the ablation surgical methodology and what pros and cons were to get pregnant before versus after surgery. A more detailed report of the health and shape of my uterus would have been nice to have from my HSG she performed.

You have to be an advocate for yourself and ask all the questions. Educate her on your body and things she may not know.

She stresses using fresh sperm and baby dancing every other day. We tried Femara twice I believe with no results. I had one blocked tube and decided to get surgery for endometriosis. RSC does not really deal with endometriosis and how it effects pregnancy.

Drugs were covered under my insurance. The cost of IVF were typical for California.

My doctor was doctor Hinckley and my case manager was Shanda. Dr. Hinckley is awesome, super knowledgeable, and caring. She selected the best protocol for me and recommended all the right things which made the process a success. She cares about the patients and only recommends things that are necessary. She also did my mock transfer, my transfer, and first OB US and I had the best experience during all of them.

Trust her knowledge, skills and recommendations.

Antagonist with lupron trigger and FET.

$16000 for egg retrieval. $5000 for FET. $4000 medication

Dr. hinckley is a nice person but as a dr. I feel like she should’ve taken more time with us. I also wish that she should’ve explained things more clearly since we had no idea what was going to happen. Throughout our two cycles, iui’s and Embryo transfer I felt like we were just a number. I guess I just felt lost throughout our first cycle and knew a lot more for our second cycle but only because we had already been through one.

Do a lot of research before talking to her and write down a list of questions.

I’m sorry I don’t remember

I don’t remember exactly what each procedure cost. Ivf cycle was about $20k including meds. Embryo transfer was around $4-5k. IUI’s were about $2-3k.

No comments

Dr. Hinckley is a warm and welcoming doctor. She works quickly, but takes in everything you are saying and asking. When a problem arises, she does her best to rectify it even when it's not her fault.

Don't be afraid to ask questions and activate for yourself. She will help!

Approximately $18,000

Dr. Hinckley preferred a one embryo transfer for most patients, especially those in my situation (unknown reasons for infertility). However, once she got to know us as a couple she was willing to try two.

Mary understands the extreme emotional and physical connection to a very difficult process and communicates the medical, psychological, spiritual and scientific aspects in a manner that is tailored to our unique situation. Exceptional doctor.

Let her guide you. Most doctors rely on the patients desires/decisions... she will guide you based on your needs/desires.

Can't recommend specifics other than Mary was extremely adaptable to the daily even hourly changes, needs for documentation/blood work, etc. On top of the process which can be down to the hour on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.

Some injections were donated at a discount.

none

Dr. Hinckley was wonderful, she is such a kind and compassionate doctor. I felt like she was 100% invested in my case and helping me become a mother. Anytime she called to deliver news whether it was good or bad I could tell by her voice that she was in this with me. She helped me remain hopeful in a period of my life in which there were a lot of disappointments and heartbreaks. I could not have made it through all of it without her help, I am so grateful to her for that.

Be patient with the process it takes time, but it is so worth it and you are in amazing hands.

A fresh cycle I believe was 1500 at the time and frozen were 3500, plus cost of meds

We absolutely loved her honesty. She was always the one to call me with news and updates. I felt like she was working with us and on our side. She was empathetic and caring. I felt like she understood where we were coming from, and often would give us options (if there were options), but always also gave us what she'd suggest, without pressuring us.

She has different case nurses. We didn't like our first one, and after we made he switch, we were much much happier. That relationship is just as important as the one with Dr Hinckley herself.

Appointments were all very effecient. Only thing is certain tests/procedures did happen on specific days or within windows of time. So for someone working, it was sometimes a little inconvenient.

Approximately $15,000 for the egg retrieval, and fresh transfer (including medications)

Our experience with the doctor was top notch and she made us feel that as long as we were in it for the long haul... we would eventually figure this out! I enjoyed all of our communication and felt like she was thorough from the start.

Spend a little more time calling the patients and checking in on them.

I do not remember

We spent around 30,000 for an egg donor and two cycles of IVF

I was glad that she was willing to let us use two on the second try.

She was extremely kind and sensitive. Just what was needed for infertility treatment. She took quick measures which help save our baby at 5 weeks. Her kindness is like holding your hand. She's gentle and slow. I couldn't rave more

Don't make plans. It's a roller coaster and just hang on for the ride

We did egg retrieval so used injections then did progesterone oil shots for after successfull pregnancy for 12 weeks

Medication was mostly out of pocket of $5k+ For the transfer and retrieval was close to $5k. All in all we probably spent around $10k

She encouraged single transfer. That it was safer for baby and patient.

She explained everything in detail. I never felt unprepared for any procedure or appointment. She called me almost everyday feuding my IVF cycle to check in and give updates and prognosis. I felt as if she was invested in my outcome just as much as I was. She is an amazing Doctor who is kind, caring and so very compassionate.

She is great

I enjoyed working with her very much. I would highly recommend her to anyone. She was very thorough in monitoring my levels and kept a close eye on me. She was also very encouraging. Sorry I am not sure what else to write - 200 words is a lot!

She is a fast talker sometimes so just ask questions if you miss something!

She did a uterine resection before IVF to help implantation, which went very well. She recommended IUI or IVF but I liked the numbers of IVF better for my age and based on the luck I had so far, and she seemed to agree. With monitoring I ended up with about 12 days of injections before I triggered for the egg retrieval. We got more eggs than expected (20) but less PGT normal embryos than we had expected (1). She talked this over with us. But still, it is very good news that this one resulted in pregnancy!

Insurance didn’t cover much for us. For egg retrieval, FET, testing and medications we ended up paying around $27000.

N/a

When I initially walked into RSC my case looked easy. However, after two failed rounds of IVF, we are still in the unexplained category with more testing to do. Dr. Hinckley has been really helpful and supportive throughout our treatment despite the disappointments.

Ask questions and advocate for yourself - something I would tell anyone with any doctor.

Both cycles included Gonal-F and Menopur. The first cycle I used Ganirelix and a Lupron trigger. The second cycle I used micro-dose Lupron and Pregnyl trigger along with HGH and a steroid to help with egg quality. Both cycles yielded similar egg counts but there was an increase in fertilized eggs in the second cycle.

Roughly $50k (2 cycles, +meds, no transfers)