Yelena Dondik

I love Dr. Dondik. She is truly the best. I had two previous REIs before I went to her, multiple egg retrievals, and multiple failed FETs. I think part of the reason I was unsuccessful was because the other REIs used blanket protocols and/or treatments that weren't based in evidence. But, I didn't have that experience at all with Dr. Dondik--everything was personalized, and she used previous unsuccessful treatment to guide subsequent treatments. It took a couple of ERs, but we finally got a euploid embryo, and so far, so good! She's so kind, compassionate...and just a wonderful provider. It's hard to find providers like her in this world. I can't recommend her enough.

Don't be afraid to ask questions--she'll never treat you like it was a dumb question.

My previous REI used a long lupron protocol (presumably bc I have PCOS), and it resulted in high egg yields, but low maturity rate. They only did ICSI, and between my retrievals I got four embryos (untested--my REI didn't recommend it for PGT-A only, but really I think it's because the clinic didn't have the capacity), and zero successful FETs (one chemical). Also got OHSS from both retrievals and it was awful. I did two more ERs with Dr. Dondik: ER 1; antagonist protocol, lupron trigger. ~12 eggs, 5 mature, natural fertilization. Resulted in 2 five day embryos, both aneuploid. Also took letrazole for a week (I think) following the ER; no OHSS, but still pretty high E2 levels. ER 2; antagonist protocol, dual trigger of lupron and hCG (hoping for better maturity). 9 eggs, 4 mature, ICSI. Resulted in 2 five day embryos, one aneuploid, one euploid. For this cycle, I also did the supplement recommendations from 'It Starts with the Egg by Rebecca Fett' and followed a Mediterranean/anti-inflammatory diet per Dr. Dondik's recommendation. Initiated the letrazole 5 days before retrieval and continued for several days after (I can't remember exactly). E2 was better controlled though, and no OHSS. Polypectomy and D&C before FET FET; medicated cycle (she said she had a slight preference for a natural cycle, but I lived far away and didn't have the flexibility in my work schedule. Estrogen patches and PIO. Also followed Rebecca Fett's supplement recommendations, and kept taking metformin until + hCG. So far, so good! I'm almost 11wks and remaining cautiously optimistic.

My insurance covered most things, except genetic testing which was ~$3000 in total. I had copays for some appts and meds--over the course of my care they probably totaled ~$1000, maybe more? I also had to travel, stay in hotels, etc because I lived about 4 hours away from the clinic, so that was expensive in NYC and LI.

yes! they were very adamant about eSET for euploid transfers. I only ever had one euploid embryo though, so it didn't actually matter in the end.

Dr. Dondik is thorough, thoughtful, and explains things in terms you can understand. She was patient with me when I had a lot of questions and was always realistic about what the possibilities were. After we got pregnant from timed intercourse and had a miscarriage at 3 months she was very supportive and kind. She didn't rush us into doing IVF but when we decided to do it she was able to really get things moving quickly which I appreciated.

Ask whatever questions you have

I am 37 now. Started seeing Dr. Dondik at 35 for PCOS. Tried timed intercourse for a while with Letrozol to help stimulate follicle development which resulted in a pregnancy but then I miscarried at 3 months due to chromosomal abnormality. I was not wanting to rush into IVF so after the miscarriage we did a few more cycles of timed intercourse with letrozol. Had one chemical pregnancy and then started IVF. Dr. Dondik was supportive of me wanting to try these less invasive interventions. Once we were ready to start IVF things got moving really fast which I really appreciated. We did one egg retrieval. I was 36 at this point. We got 23 follicles, 21 mature, 15 fertilized, 4 made it to blastocyst and only one came back genetically normal. My insurance required that I transfer the embryo within 60 days of retrieval which if I had a choice since we only had one I would have like to do another retrieval first to see if we could get more embryos frozen. But Dr. Dondik explained my options for a medicated or unmedicated transfer. Since I had built up healthy uterine linings before and help a pregnancy she said there was no reason I couldn't do the unmedicated which just required a couple more appointments and a trigger shot. We did the transfer and to my great shock it worked an I am currently 14 weeks pregnant with that embryo.

Luckily my insurance covered fertility treatments and 3 cycles of IVF. I had to pay 25 co pay / visit. And then the genetic testing was around 4-5,000$.

Dr. Dondik does a good job at looking at the individual rather than throw you into a routine because that is how it is usually done. For example, I make excellent progesterone. I make it each month and don't need help making it or keeping it elevated. Because of this, Dr. Dondik suggested I do a cycle without synthetic progesterone at all. I felt confident in this decision because it not only addressed my need but also allowed me to take a more "natural" path (as natural as IVF and FET can get, anyway). Dr. Dondik is also very understanding and considerate. She talks through options with me based on her recommendations and also what I can do realistically financially. She is kind and compassionate. For example, because I suffer from recurrent miscarriage she comes into every OB ultrasound so that she can tell me right away if there is a problem. I appreciate this because there isn't a pause where the ultrasound tech has to go get her. Dr. Dondik is also supportive during difficult times (like my miscarriages). I was having a lot of pain and was struggling to cope with it. She walked me through different pain management plans and let me choose the one that sounded the best for me personally. I do wish Dr. Dondik did all of my procedures (such as egg retrieval and FET). However, my clinic is set up so that doctors take turns rotating on the OR and it depends on which day you need for which doctor you get.

Don't be afraid to advocate for yourself with challenging questions, ideas, or concerns. Also, don't be afraid to show your emotions. Dr. Dondik is capable and handles it all with grace and care.

Dr. Dondik had be doing an agonist protocol. It started with birth control for about two weeks. Then I started injections of Gonal-F and Menopur. In my previous cycle, my estrogen level got too high too fast so she started me on a much lower dose. This helped with my estrogen. Over the course of 13 days my doses increased slightly. On my last day of stims, my estrogen jumped from about 2000 to 5500 overnight. She called to tell me that with estrogen that high before a trigger and retrieval, I was at serious risk for OHSS and that we would move this cycle to a freeze all. I appreciated her being so upfront with me so I could prepare myself for a freeze all. Dr. Dondik had be trigger with lupron to help avoid the estrogen spike that would come with an hcg trigger. On the day of retrieval I had 21 eggs retrieved, 17 mature, and ended up with four 5 day blastocysts. One was "good" and the other three were "fair".

I have insurance that covers monitoring appointments, some tests (not PGT or sperm fragmentation), and two retrievals (but not transfers). So out of pocket costs for me in total is around 14,000$. This includes diagnostic cycles, three IUI, two retrievals, embryo/embryologists costs (including insemination, freezing, storage), and four transfers.

Dr. Dondik recommends one embryo if they are tested and test normal. However, in my two cycles I did not do PGT testing becuase my insurance didn't cover it. My first transfer with her I did one embryo. It resulted in a chemical pregnancy. In my second transfer I transferred two untested embryo. It resulted in a singleton pregnancy that miscarried at around 7 weeks (but it wasn't viable from the first scan at 5 weeks).

Dr Dondik was an amazing doctor, she always displayed a caring, welcoming, friendly, professional demeanor. She took the time to speak with patients and addressed all concerns with a clear understanding. Dr Dondik always displayed compassion and made you feel comfortable. As a patient I felt confident, comfortable, understood and reassured about all treatments and procedures under Dr Dondik care

Dr Dondik and her staff will do what it takes to ensure each patient receives the appropriate care every step of the way. You can trust your care with Dr Dondik

I received IVF treatment with a frozen transfer. I was placed on injections to help produce eggs in a natural cycle. I had one cycle of egg retrieval and one cycle of egg transfer which resulted in a positive pregnancy

Dr Dondik approach to embryo transfer was based on my age as well as successful outcome of pregnancy

She speaks truthfully, but she does it with such calm and care, that I know she genuinely wants me to achieve the result I'm hoping for. I feel at ease and have confidence going through this process with Dr. Dondik because she is supportive, she connects with her patients, and shows the human side of herself.

She is knowledgeable and you can be confident that she will do everything she can to help you achieve the results you hope for.

We loved Dr. Dondik! She exemplified warm, caring professionalism and we wished we could have stayed with her and the clinic throughout the pregnancy. She was up to date with the current science and could coherently explain it, and was emotionally intelligent as well.

Appreciate the time you've got with her!

As I didn't ovulate in the first cycle we tracked, I was given Femara (Letrozole) to stimulate ovulation. We did that for two cycles, inseminating during both. I got pregnant the second time.

We were fortunate enough that my insurance covered nearly everything.

This was my very best experience with a doctor for IVF and I'm forever grateful to Dr. Dondik. She is extremely compassionate, highly intelligent, and really an incredible doctor. From the beginning, she listened to my concerns about developing OHSS due to my PCOS and pituitary tumors, and she fully customized the treatment to ensure I got the right number of eggs but also reduced the risk of any complications. I had a really smooth egg retrieval process and was very happy with my results. And during the entire process, I felt Dr. Dondik was always there if I needed it, and the nurses who are on call and in the office are also so lovely and helpful. I very highly recommend Dr. Dondik!

Definitely pick her as your doctor! She is literally amazing.

I started with birth control for a week, then started on Gonal-F and Menopur for around 9-10 days and then added Cetrotide around my 5/6th day. I triggered with Lupron and was also prescribed Letrozole due to some high E2 effects. Was also prescribed Cabergoline given the number of eggs that they retrieved.

I believe the entire cycle was around 9k not including medication which was 1-2k more; however, my insurance provider Progyny covered all of it. Super grateful to them.

Dr Dondik is extremely kind and attentive. Throughout the entire process, she made me feel cared for and confident in the experience. She found every opportunity to talk me through what was happening and answer any questions, including in every single monitoring appointment where she mapped out exactly what she was seeing on the ultrasound and talked through any potential side effects I was experiencing.

None

Fairly well run process - you signed up for 15 min slots. On the earlier side of the window, it was a well oiled machine but that machine did break down by the end of the window where 15 minute appointments could take closer to 30-45 min

Covered by insurance

After 3 years of trying to conceive and a miscarriage, I wanted to work with a doctor that would give me the attention, care, and wisdom that every man and woman deserve on this difficult and personal journey. I worked with two other well known large practices and was so unhappy having to wait in crowded waiting rooms and having only a few minutes with a doctor and waiting on hold for hours with the nurses. I am so happy I found Dr. Dondik, her clinic and staff are one in a million- seriously. The personal attention, cozy small feeling and care are not matched anywhere. Dr. Dondik is brilliant, her staff is made up of kind and compassionate women and you never feel that you are just another patient. Never a long wait, never holding for more than 5 minutes to get in touch with a nurse, always receiving a call back. Do yourself a favor and work with Dr. Dondik- you will be so happy.

I am Dr. Dondik's patient since September 2019. My main problem is PCOS what effect my fertility. Dr. Dondik is always available to answer any questions I have at anytime night or day. I have seen other doctors and from my experience Dr.Dondik has the most professional and knowledgeable. Dr. Dondik has been extremely patient during my process and has educated on all the options available but never forced me into making any decisions.She has taken each step with me very patiently.

Dr.Dondik told me to take femara 2.5mg , metformin 850mg Estrace 2mg novel 5000 units powder injection L-thyroxine 25mc

10k

Dr.Dondik is super nice first of all. She always had a pleasent attitude. Smiling makes a difference at 7am in the morning and she never shyed away from having a nice smile on her face. She was always positive about our circumstance despite any setbacks. When we did not achieve our desired results she was realistic in what was best for us but never lumped us in a category. She was never anxious and always calm. She always made us feel at ease and we always felt comfortable asking her any questions. She is great at explaining IVF, IUI, and other fertility treatments. We never left her office unsure about these special treatments. She was also avaiable to reach outside of the office. We talked to her via phone or video. Every conversation was personable and very interactive.

I would tell the patient they are in good hands and Dr Dondik has there best interest.

My husband and I initial visit with Dr.Dondik was very comfortable. Based on our medical history by the end of the visit Dr.Dondik made a plan for us, explaining every step of the process. She did an excellent job with her knowledge, confidence and patience.

If you're anything like myself, write down all the questions you may have before going to your appointment so when you leave the office you'll be satisfied all your questions were answered.

Dr.Donik was great I recommend her to anyone and everyone. She asks questions, she wants you to ask as many questions as you need. I love the fact she is very personable. She able to work with your schedule especially if your is very busy like mines was. She's the best!

I would tell them, their in great hands

I took a lot of hormone shots for my ivf. I had to take one shot in the morning then 3 shots in the evening. I did these treatments for about a mouth. The results was outstanding.

monitoring appointments were painless. You are treated like a human being

I paid a co-pay for every visit. Call insurance I would tell a new patient.

Dr. Dondik will breakdown everything for you so that you can make your own decision. She will recommend anything that will be in your favor. Multiple embryo transfer was not something that was recommended to me.

Dr. Dondik is professional, well versed in the recent research, and seems genuinely invested in patient outcomes. We came after six months of trying and were diagnosed with unexplained infertility. Dr. Dondik recommended IUI medicated with Clomid, and we were lucky enough to get a positive pregnancy test on the first round. We "graduated" with a healthy eight week ultrasound.

Go see her.

Dr. Dondik prescribed Clomid to start out. When she noticed a thinner uterine lining, she prescribed estrogen suppositories. We used our own genetic material.

Our insurance covered everything but an $85 trigger shot.

Dr. Dondik is very approachable and always made me feel comfortable and cared for. Most importantly, she is a very capable doctor who is willing to consider outside opinions and research in order to achieve the goal of successful pregnancy. Following two failed transfers with tested embryos, I expressed to Dr. Dondik that I wanted to pursue reproductive immunology. She was completely open to this and referred me to an outstanding specialist who was able to more effectively diagnose our "unexplained infertility" and provided us with a protocol that made our third embryo transfer successful. We are so grateful that Dr. Dondik was supportive of us taking this detour in our journey - she was willing to do anything to help us achieve a positive result, and willing to work with other doctors to make that happen.

Don't be afraid to do your own research and bring your questions and ideas to Dr. Dondik. Part of what makes her a great doctor is that she knows she doesn't know everything - the science in this field is constantly changing! - and she is open to outside ideas and opinions.

Fortunately the majority of my treatment was covered by insurance, so I am not sure of specific costs.

NYU Langone has a pretty strict single-embryo transfer policy. Since our embryos were genetically tested, they never considered transferring more than one embryo.

Dr Dondik was always warm and professional. Compassionate and understanding, she explained all procedures and risk. I started as an IUI candidate with PCOS and male Factor and after 3 unsuccessful IUI insemination we inquired about IVF. She explained the details and procedures for IVF. Also informed me that I was a high risk client to making a lot of eggs if not closely monitored know as Ovarian Hyper-stimulation. I was monitored closely and had many viable eggs. I eventually had 6 healthy embryos and 1 successfully transfer on my first cycle. Dr. Dondik has been supportive throughout my journey.

Always ask questions.

Dr.Dondik used Letrozole for my ovulation and Ovidrel with my IUI procedures. For my IVF I was prescribed low dosage of menopur, centrotide, Gonal F etc and all were adjusted for my ovulation. I closely monitored until retrieval of 26 eggs.

My insurance covered most of the cost. I believe it may be and estimation of 50 K for everything. I did pay out of pocket for Genetic testing about 7K. You pay for storage of your frozen embryos 1k a year.

Dr.Dondik was an advocate for single embryo transfers as it’s ethical and safest for mom and baby.

Dr. Yelena Dondik knows what she is doing and is very confident. Unlike other fertility doctors, she thinks out of the box and adjusts the treatment individually to each patient, adding different/sometimes non standard procedures/medications to the protocol. She was the only doctor who told me in the beginning that she had an idea what my issue could be and how to treat it. As a result, she offered a completely different and efficient approach comparing to other doctors. She could explain every step, back it up with academic reports and facts.

Trust Dr. Dondik, relax and enjoy the process

I was tested positive for BCL6 - the marker that is elevated in endometriosis. So Dr. Dondik pre-treated my endometrial lining with Lupron and Letrozole for 2 months. The goal was to quiet the endometriosis in the uterine lining to improve the rate of implantation and pregnancy. Then I did frozen embryo transfer (PGT-a genetic testing).

N/A

Dr. Dondik was careful and thorough. She oversees your treatment and is always available to answer questions. You never feel like a number, or like you are going through a treatment factory. She is intelligent, deeply knowledgeable about the research in her field, and always provided thorough explanations for her recommendations while referencing studies, as well as her own training and experience.

You are in good hands

I was dealing with secondary unexplained infertility, and she said I had a good outlook. We did Clomid plus IUI. I did not feel prepared to undergo IVF and she did not push me towards that, but explained the pros and cons of various approaches. I also had surgery to remove a uterine fibroid, before beginning cycles. I was able to conceive and was very happy.

My insurance covered costs.

Dr. Dondik brought a compassionate and listening ear to her expert opinion and guidance. She treated me as a whole human: I felt like I could be open with her about the emotional struggles faced alongside any physical setbacks.

Come prepared to ask questions! Dr. Dondik will likely offer you a wealth of information, but try to be as informed and proactive as you can about the options available to you.

2 rounds of Letrozole (ovulation induction medication), with one round "piggy backing" on the other following close follicle monitoring, combined with Gonal injectables 1ovulation trigger round (Menopur)

$40 copay for every thrice weekly ultrasound (thankful for insurance but copays do add up!) All medication covered by insurance once requirements were met with insurer (separate application process I had to undergo)

Takes the time to explain things thoroughly and will listen to concerns and change course if within the realm of her recommendations. I always felt that she was truthful and trustworthy with me. I also appreciated that Dr. Dondik was always willing to be forthcoming about the things she just couldn't know. There is so much uncertainty with fertility treatment and she was honest about the unknowns.

With all doctors in the US (maybe elsewhere too) do your own research and come with questions (that is why this site is so great). She will always present what she thinks is the best option and will take the time to consider the approaches you may wish to try as well.

I really can't remember unfortunately

We are very fortunate to have a supplemental coverage through an employer so our costs were minimal and mostly co-pays. Genetic screening and embryo storage are out of pocket. I cannot remember the screen cost, but the embryo storage is $1100 per year

As a practice, multiple embryo transfers will only be considered in very select cases