Matrika Johnson

We have been patients of Dr. Matrika Johnson intermittently for over a decade, starting from when she was still at REACH. We did not care for how that establishment ran at all, so were thrilled to learn that Dr. Johnson was starting her own practice. We transferred our case to her immediately. In fact, I think my patient number is like 00008 lol. We loved her approach and the plan she'd developed for us from before, and it was especially gratifying to more directly support a fellow woman of color. I live in England now, so after our first IVF attempt resulted in an early miscarriage, I immediately flew back to Charlotte to try again. You can read about this part of our journey in Essence Magazine (https://www.essence.com/lifestyle/traveling-for-ivf). Happily, our second attempt was successful and I gave birth to our second daughter and first biological baby late last year! We owe Dr. Johnson and her incredible staff and team of doctors, including Dr. Ghidei, our entire worlds. The professionalism, elucidation, transparency, and care that everyone exhibited from start to finish was exemplary. If you're looking for an exceedingly competent, intelligent, and compassionate provider, look no further. And be sure to check out Dr. Johnson's own motherhood story. I promise you, she has been in your shoes. I do hope this has been helpful. Suffice it to say, I believe your search is over. But, don't take my word for it. Go check out the beautiful space for yourself and request a consultation. While I am extremely pleased with our experiences and outcome, I'd like to note that I would have left the same review if we weren't successful this time around. Fortunately, everything worked out pretty well for this obese, Black, 41-year-old! Maybe I'll see you in the lobby when we're back early next year to try for a little boy. Best of luck to you, friend.

Download the portal app so you get notifications of communications. Also, Dr. Johnson is very straightforward, which may come across wrong if you don't know her. She is uberprofessional, but cares very deeply about her patients, and has stood where you stand. She won't be bubbly with you, but she will be honest and direct and lay out exactly what's going on and how best to achieve your goals.

For my IVF cycles, you do most things in clinic, which is very convenient.

Very efficient. Even when there was a full lobby, things went quickly and smoothly.

My insurance covered everything.

I really wanted a multiple embryo transfer, but after Dr. Johnson thoroughly reviewed my case and explained her reasoning, I completely understood why it wasn't the safest option for me. Also, why it's rarely ever safe to transfer more than one, really. I truly appreciate the care she showed in sorta bursting my bubble, but arming me with great information.

Answers given for her specifically in previous question. Rarely saw her, she never had a genuine or caring demeanor about her, and she appeared either rushed, impatient, or/and uninterested to the point I was afraid to bother her with questions.

If you're sensitive about the upcoming journey, do not expect this to be a warm and welcoming atmosphere, they are just there to get the job done. Most visits will be with others outside Dr. Johnson herself, and communication with nurses is often delayed via the patient portal.

Metformin, Vitamin D & birth control for 6 weeks prior to starting the subcutaneous hormones shots. 10ish days of hormones then egg retrieval. One month of no meds after retrieval, then started estrogen (oral) and 2 weeks later progesterone-in-oil intramuscular. Carried on with Estro/Progesterone for 10 weeks into pregnancy

Still working through that. As a Progyny patient, I was being told one thing from Progyny and another from the billing specialist, Amy, at RSC.

No complaints/ thoughts

I felt that this persona she advertises on social media (“I’m a fertility patient too so I understand the struggle”) was completely fabricated. Someone experiencing infertility should be compassionate to others going through the same struggle instead of being cold and impersonal. She did not making me feel like a human being - I was just a number. I wouldn’t recommend her to my worst enemy.

Don’t do it. Research all of the clinics in the area and their SART statistics. Speak to other women. There is a reason everyone chooses other popular clinics in the area.

Dr Johnson was great. I feel she listened to my concerns and worked with the other doctors to come up with a plan for me. My situation was very unique and took several months to resolve. I do wish that we had skipped IUI's and went straight to IVF.

Give her a chance, she is very knowledgeable. Trust her judgment.

First IUI we used Clomid, next IUI was a cancelled Femara cycle, third IUI attempt was Femara and Estrogen cycle but was cancelled, last (2nd) IUI was injectables.

The monitoring appointments works as a well oil machine but it does move quickly and you will feel like a number. The monitoring is completed by the on call doctor for that day and you won't get specific instructions until later that day. The good news is, it does move quickly so you do not waste hours of your day at a Doctors office.

IUI's were 1200-1400 a piece. We were fortunate to have Insurance coverage for IVF but the retrieval was roughly 16K and transfer was 4K. A cancelled transfer (paying for the monitoring and testing) was 1200

Embryo transfer numbers are directly related to your specific situation. If you are young, healthy, and have no other risk factors they highly suggest only transferring one embryo as a multiple pregnancy comes with risk factors.

MJ is very factual. She will not lie to you. She will not give false hope, but she does give hope. She will do everything in her power to help you get pregnant, and she will not force you to do anything. But she will let you know when it's time to move on to the next step.

In the beginning, you'll be just someone who is passing through. But the long you stay the more she takes it personal that you are still there. And the more she will get to know you and your husband. She is very dedicated to her patients.

MJ was forced to follow Reach's protocols. But after our 2nd transfer, I brought up my concerns and she mirrored them and offered solutions. Going forward I believe she will help me fine tune until we get it right.

First come first served.

My insurance played a major role. But my reach financial advisor was wonderful and she always have me a heads up before payment for the next cycle was due. They take payment before starting treatment.

MJ is very against multiple transfers. I would love to transfer 2 embryos, however it is against Reach's policy and MJ does not approve.

Strengths: strong communicator, kind bedside manner, very knowledgeable on alternative options, she is also realistic with her expectations. I could not imagine going through this experience with any other doctor, she has exceeded our expectations.

She does her best to try to see you every time you come in for an appointment but there may be times where other nurses or doctors will see you based on availability.

We were diagnosed with male factor infertility to start. We started with an egg retrieval, I was on Cetrotide, Gonal, Lupron and Synthroid. We got 25 eggs, 15 fertilized but only one made it to an embryo. After that first cycle she concluded that I have poor egg quality and it was unexplained. We did another egg retrieval and switched up the medications to see if we could get more and we ended up with no viable embryos. At that point we decided on transferring the one embryo we did have. We did get pregnant but ended up miscarrying at 8 weeks.

Never had too many issues, they had you come in between 7am-8:30am - there was a wait sometimes but they typically will get through relatively quickly.

With insurance coverage we paid roughly $5000 out of pocket for two egg retrievals. After we exceeded our maximum deductible our transfer out of pocket cost was roughly $2000.

She will only transfer one embryo, regardless of your age and likelihood of success.

I love the fact that Dr. Matrika Johnson is compassion to the need a very sickening IVF or infertility treatment. I love the fact that she is willing to make time and speak with you. even though we were previous patients that left the facility and then returned she never made us feel bad about seeking help elsewhere and was more than willing to meet with us and pick up service with her.

Have your money ready and be ready to move immediately otherwise you'll be placed in the back and almost forgotten about

Original visit in 2016 with dr. Johnson was a hsg test and my husband had a semen analysis. We did a lot of blood work Frankie & him. I never really had any other treatment. In 2020 they did a semen analysis for my husband and we haven't had any other work done through this office

Finances has been one of the biggest issues I've had with dealing with this office. I've been given several different estimates for the same services because the financial department did not take the time to contact my insurance and get the correct information. I work for the same company that provides my insurance so I need my benefits going in and they did not believe that I have coverage when I did so I had to call the insurance company and have the insurance company reach out to them to get the correct information then I was told I didn't have good coverage and I do and so I had to stay on the financial department about getting in touch with my insurance and getting the correct amount and type of coverage I have. Right now I don't know what my final estimate would be for getting service through REACH because the most current estimate I've received is still inaccurate

I actually was not given a choice. I would prefer multiple egg transfer but my doctor's philosophy is you're trying to get a child so we're going to transfer a egg. Doing more than one transfer would be a waste.

Dr. Johnson is very knowledgeable about fertility and quickly assessed me as a patient and my personality. She is direct but passionate and solution-oriented. I felt well cared for even on my first visit. It was completely different in a positive way from an experience I had with a previous doctor in SC. She broke things down to make them easy to understand and even put together a sports analogy regarding the fertility process so my sports-fanatic husband could understand. She is genuinely the best and made me feel at ease every step of the way.

Ask questions if you don't understand something. Dr. Johnson checked in periodically during her discussions to make sure we had a full understanding so don't be shy. All questions are good and will help Dr. Johnson assess you as a patient to provide customized care.

I am still in the initial stages but I had to complete an HSG and blood work. She also provided me with a list of supplements to begin taking to help with fertility. Vitamin D, Prenatal, NeoQ10, DHEA 25. I am also going to have a hysteroscopy to detect if there is a polyp or fibroid in my uterus.

So far, I've had to may for the HSG (less than $500) and deductibles for blood-work/labs. Upcoming surgery will be less than $1500. Then we need to pay for treatments.

Dr. Johnson has been nothing but great since I’ve started my IVF journey. She always took the time to educate me on everything she did and why she was doing those things. I always felt she had my best interest at heart and never felt pressured to do anything that i didn’t want to do. She is always very professional and I’ve never felt it was about the money. From the time i walk into the facility to the time I leave it’s nothing but love.

She is very straight forward but don’t look at that as a negative thing. Sugar coating things aren’t always the best

I haven’t started my fertility medications yet but it is coming up soon. I’ve only had testing done and a surgery

During most of my testing bloodwork,surgery, and specific test out of pocket so far I have spent $2500 through reach. Most of the testing and bloodwork goes through my insurance due it not being listed as fertility. My fertility medications which i haven’t started yet cost 4000. Depending on your income you can apply for compassionate care which can give you a percentage off fertility medications.

Dr. Johnson has always been very caring and honest with us. I think that a lot of times, doctors at this clinic are a bit more hands off with the IUI process, not for a lack of caring, but because it is not as costly, nor is it as complicated/complex. Dr. Johnson sets the treatment course and monitors progress, but a nurse actually completed the insemination. However, since we have been having conversations and getting prepared for the IVF process, if she was not present at my ultrasounds, then it was another doctor who completed the appointment. = Dr. Johnson has incredible bedside manner. She is warm and welcoming and you can tell she truly cares about her patients and gets to know them very well. Our personalities are very similar and it really helps us click with her in the patient/doctor relationship.

Sometimes she can move a little fast when describing things, but it is because she is trying to be efficient with time and not rush. Do not be afraid to ask questions, she will always answer them. She is very sweet and caring and you will love having her as a doctor.

We completed two IUI cycles with Clomid, based on my husband's sperm count. However, after 2 IUI cycles, it was noticed that his count significantly decreased, which is why IUI did not work either time. After this IVF became our next course of treatment. We will be starting the IVF process soon. Dr. Johnson has told us that with how low my husband's sperm count it, natural conception is not likely to every happen for us.

IUI was about 1200 per cycle. An IVF cycle with egg retrieval was 13500, and a frozen embryo transfer is about 3000. None of these costs include medication. Any visits that have to do with the treatment cycle are covered through the cost of treatment.

Dr. Johnson mentioned that given my age, she would like to only transfer one embryo. However, we have discussed that if we have to do another cycle, that we would transfer 2 embryos. She said that as women get older, they are more likely to always implant more than one embryo.

Dr. Johnson was very personable. She also woke up in the middle of the night to call me in another prescription when I left mine out of town. We had some unexpected complications and she adjusted accordingly.

Trust her judgement.

Dr. Johnson gave me a hysteroscopy in order to remove polyps. She also did my complete retrieval. I had many good eggs, but my husband's sperm were less than stellar. (We didn't even know he had them until right then when they did sperm aspiration.) When we only ended up with one embryo, she highly suggested we go ahead and do a three day fresh transfer instead of our planned frozen transfer. I ended up with a chemical pregnancy, but Dr. Johnson did everything she could. She also met with us afterwards to come up with our next game plan, which included a varicoselectomy for my husband. (She had suggested it before, but we had chosen to go ahead without it.)

Monitoring was offered first thing in the morning. I had to drive 2 hours each way, and was always in and out very quickly!

Normal IVF costs; we compared multiple clinics and REACH had lower pricing than all of the clinics in our area.

She counseled us about the difference, and highly suggested single embryo transfer for our particular situation.

Dr J is a young, vibrant doctor who made me feel like there was always hope. She is thorough, direct and still lighthearted. She made it a point to get to know me and my husband as people and as a couple. She listened to all of our questions and concerns and would even adjust her plan to compromise if ever needed. Dr J is an amazing doctor and person who made our journey amazing.

Be prepared not to have sugar coated information. She likes to get to the point, solve the current hiccup and figure out the best way to have a positive result!

There was a general monitoring window first thing in the morning. Yes if you showed up at 7am there would be a line at the door (usually the same 3-4 women). However, if you go around 730, you miss the rush. Either way, they know what they’re doing and it is well run and timely. They don’t rush you out of your room either if you have questions about your ultrasound. They make sure you understand prior to heading to the next patient.

Due to our insurance coverage, the most cost for us ended up being my medications. Unfortunately the pharmacy they suggest (encompassRx) wasn’t covered fully but with the customer service they provided, it was totally worth the extra few dollars. My insurance covers more under Freedom Fertility but when I couldn’t even get someone to answer the phone there or leave a message, I went straight to encompass.

My husband and I had tossed around an idea to have a multiple embryo transfer. Dr J was against it and explained the risks and complications for someone of my size. I had complications at 31 weeks with just one so I am very thankful for her sticking to her guns!

She was kind but initially commented that my weight was the reason I couldn’t have a baby. I was 200lbs at the time and had already lost weight. It made me feel dismissed and judged. When I told her that and she did some more testing she became more understanding and kind in her treatment.

Be clear about what you want and need.

We did a medication that started with an L, letrosol I believe. Did ultrasounds until I was ready ovulate and then did a trigger shot. After the first two failed IUI I told her we could not afford to have more than one more cycle so she added gonal f to the protocol and I got pregnant and had my son.

Each IUI was roughly $1000 for the treatment and ultrasounds but the medication ranged from $300 to $600 on top of that cost.

Not applicable

I felt she was invested in our treatment plan and very much wanted to aid us in growing our family. She was also excited when we conceived. She let us know that it would be best to skip just medication and move straight to IUI which felt good since we had been trying for a year and were very ready to start our family.

She is competent and personal and will customize a plan to your individual needs. She is passionate about fertility and infertility and can rattle off a lot of knowledge but still have a good laugh with you.

I was given medication to help my fertility and then nearing my time of ovulation, I was to take injections directly into my stomach (which was scary at first). I then had to take Ovidril so that I would actually ovulate. My cycle and eggs were monitored via intravaginal ultrasounds and blood draw. She recommended going straight to IUI rather than take Clomid or another medicine due to my age and ovarian reserve. The results were a pregnancy with multiples in 2 cycles rather than 5-6 cycles.

I had to pay a cycle fee each time we did IUI so that they monitored my cycle. This was not covered by my insurance. The medications were a bit pricey even with insurance. The procedures themselves were covered by insurance. The cycle fee was $160, I believe.

This did not apply to me.

Dr. Johnson initially told me if I lost 20lbs I wouldn’t need her I was around 200lbs. It was so crushing to feel like it was my fault I couldn’t have a baby. I addressed that with her after that and told her how hurtful it was. She was much more kind after that and adjusted her tone. Sometimes I did feel rushed with her but at my last appointment before releasing me to the OB she gave my a worth the wait onesie and hugged me.

Tell her what you want and need. Don’t be afraid to challenge her because she will listen and discuss anything you think is important.

First IUI was done with metformin 100mg, synthroid, vitamin D, letrozol, and a trigger shot. I didn’t get pregnant that round. The second round was the same and I had a chemical pregnancy. The third round was similar but she added gonal f. This round she didn’t want to up my meds but I told her I couldn’t afford anymore rounds so she was willing to get more aggressive. That cycle I got pregnant and had my son.

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I saw Dr. M Johnson for a second opinion after a cancelled IVF cycle with another clinic. Dr. M Johnson was very knowledgeable and gave me great information. She did an exam and made sure that she understood all details before making a decision.

There are 2 Dr. Johnson's at REACH. Be sure you are meeting with the correct one!

I saw Dr. M. Johnson for a workup and consult so we did not use any medication. She did an internal ultrasound in order to see better what was going on.

The cost for the consultation was $95.

None

Dr Matrika Johnson will observe you fully and give her best course of action. She is realistic and is very thorough in her procedure. I really respect her opinion. She doesn’t sugar coat yet is very compassionate

Listen and let her do what she needs to give you best option

She observed me. Checked my uterus...did trial transfers, constantly checked my hormone levels. I kept getting fluid in uterus so she decided to have surgery to determine the problem. She made sure to know exactly where to place embryo to get best chances of implantation.

Ivf donor Cycle 25k

She made it clear she didn’t like to transfer more than two and concurred

I appreciate that she has to be firm and give the facts. That can sting at times and difficult to accept, even when it is the truth. It would be awesome to incorporate some of the real-life successes using non-traditional methods that I've discovered on my own, but maybe that's not how it works.

Be prepared to hear the truth. But also know that she will help you achieve your dream of being a parent.

I am still undergoing treatment. I am taking prenatals and other meds to prep for pregnancy soon.

Don't remember, but nothing I didn't expect.

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Dr. Johnson is an amazing physician. She inherited me as a patient after mine left the practice. When I thought I miscarried she called me back in 5 minutes...she’s been available when I need her, regardless of the time. She’s energetic, human, brilliant and is so attentive to detail...I feel confident she will help me become a mother.

Expect a fantastic physician!

Monitoring is a well oiled machine. I had to go to an out of state clinic while traveling for work and a simple monitoring ultrasound and bloodwork appointment took 2+ hours! At my clinic, I’m in and out in 30 minutes tops!

She makes me feel as though she is only working with me and doesn't generalize things that are specific to me....I appreciate her approach and her outlook. When I broke down she talked me through it....she made it clear whatever she can do to make me a mother she will.

Dont be afraid to ask questions because she will answer them for you.

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I have awesome insurance so thus far my cost have been pretty minimal I'm just nervous for the IVF to start I've only had tests and noth my tubes removed

That step is coming soon