Aa
New Hope Fertility Center
I think I saw a post on here about the mini IVF. I just made and appointment with the center for October 22. My doctor is good friends with the doctor who heads this up. My dr had problems getting pregnant (he's a man, but you know what I mean) and now has a 6 month old baby!!! There is only one center that does the mimi IVF in the states (I think).
I will let you all know how the consult went and what the procedure is. I really have precautions to go thru conventional IVF, so maybe this is a sign.
It's funny, my doctor told me about the center, but didn't give me the contact info. I get home the same day, look thru the paper and BAM there it was!!!
I will let you all know how the consult went and what the procedure is. I really have precautions to go thru conventional IVF, so maybe this is a sign.
It's funny, my doctor told me about the center, but didn't give me the contact info. I get home the same day, look thru the paper and BAM there it was!!!
Be wary of any positive comments here - I suspect they may be posted by staff members. As I dont beleive anyone who's used this place is really happy with their service. I attempted to use them on numerous occasions and the list of negatives is as follows:
Never returned calls, dismissive, most nurses dont know or understand the drugs you're supposes to use, but you cant get to see Dr. Zhang as he's 'too busy' counting his money probably. He's not genuinely concerned of his patients only how well his clinic is doing in terms of numbers of people he can get through the door, he is rude and patronising, charges a fortune if you're from out of the country $1,000 to get monitored initially, doent look at your faxed results and someone got back to me a week later by that stage it was my day 15!! - and pointless, also lost an egg by not monitoring properly, so dont bother with natural, they cant be bothered to track properly and he blamed ME for having a short cycle that month, his staff are not particularly friendly, didnt care at all that my egg had got lost, when I started crying as I was upset, they walked away, probably as didnt want to waste time being nice. Their answer phone system is so frustrating and stresses you out so muchstress waiting for a call back that its probably ruined your chances anyway. This clinic looks good on paper but is a night mare. It is a total time waster and should be avoided if you possibly can. There are other clinics in Europe particularly scandinavia that do Soft Ivf and they are much more caring - go to them. The only reason this clinic is full is becuase no one else does low-stimualation in the US but when they do, this clinic will be empty - I hope and it will serve them right. Yes he's a pioneer in it, but at the expense of his patients he's using them as guinea pigs and also clomid is NOT a good drug to use after a few uses there are studies that suggest it has a higher link to ovarian cancers than the other drugs etc. Dr Zhang uses it because it easy for HIM and cheap and therefore makes his clinic look cheap not anything else. Some other clinics starting it are in California somewhere and one in or near Virginia somewhere, I forget the names but I found them and wish I'd gone there instead. DO NOT USE THIS CLINIC UNLESS YOU WANT REALLY HAVE TO - BUT EVEN THEN THINK TWICE. You might be one of the lucky few that doesnt get him on a bad day or his clinic when its at bursting point, but unlikley and oh by the way - his results are rubbish - because he's experinmenting with you all and you're all paying him to do it!!!
Never returned calls, dismissive, most nurses dont know or understand the drugs you're supposes to use, but you cant get to see Dr. Zhang as he's 'too busy' counting his money probably. He's not genuinely concerned of his patients only how well his clinic is doing in terms of numbers of people he can get through the door, he is rude and patronising, charges a fortune if you're from out of the country $1,000 to get monitored initially, doent look at your faxed results and someone got back to me a week later by that stage it was my day 15!! - and pointless, also lost an egg by not monitoring properly, so dont bother with natural, they cant be bothered to track properly and he blamed ME for having a short cycle that month, his staff are not particularly friendly, didnt care at all that my egg had got lost, when I started crying as I was upset, they walked away, probably as didnt want to waste time being nice. Their answer phone system is so frustrating and stresses you out so muchstress waiting for a call back that its probably ruined your chances anyway. This clinic looks good on paper but is a night mare. It is a total time waster and should be avoided if you possibly can. There are other clinics in Europe particularly scandinavia that do Soft Ivf and they are much more caring - go to them. The only reason this clinic is full is becuase no one else does low-stimualation in the US but when they do, this clinic will be empty - I hope and it will serve them right. Yes he's a pioneer in it, but at the expense of his patients he's using them as guinea pigs and also clomid is NOT a good drug to use after a few uses there are studies that suggest it has a higher link to ovarian cancers than the other drugs etc. Dr Zhang uses it because it easy for HIM and cheap and therefore makes his clinic look cheap not anything else. Some other clinics starting it are in California somewhere and one in or near Virginia somewhere, I forget the names but I found them and wish I'd gone there instead. DO NOT USE THIS CLINIC UNLESS YOU WANT REALLY HAVE TO - BUT EVEN THEN THINK TWICE. You might be one of the lucky few that doesnt get him on a bad day or his clinic when its at bursting point, but unlikley and oh by the way - his results are rubbish - because he's experinmenting with you all and you're all paying him to do it!!!
I heard about NHFC from a friend who had a mini ivf done there. I decided to call to find out more information to see if it will work for my dh and I. I spoke to a nice lady and she basically answered many of the pre-ivf questions I had. The last communication with her was for me to email her my ins info to see what would be covered. I sent the email but never really heard back from her. It;s ok though as if they are as busy as I am hearing on here, I can understand. I would have to be the proactive one to call back and get things rolling once my dh and I are ready. Thank you all for sharing your stories/experiences with them and I wish you all the best on your ttc journey.
BTW, my friend who had the inf got BFN on 05-23-09. Now on to the next step...
xo,
marline
BTW, my friend who had the inf got BFN on 05-23-09. Now on to the next step...
xo,
marline
My overall opinion of NHFC is very good. And, if they get me pregnant (which I'm confident they will, it should be just a matter of time I hope), then obviously they're GREAT.
The Look:
I admit I was a little surprised when I walked in and saw the decor... especially versus my previous experience at a fancy (and oh by the way EXPENSIVE) fertility clinic in Arizona. The walls could use a new coat of paint (maybe a nice fun color) and the trim definitely needs some attention. In various places around the clinic there are still pieces of blue tape. You know the kind... the blue tape used around the trim when painting to help you keep the paint in the lines. Only, I can't figure out if they're "planning" on painting and put up the blue tape (doubtful since the blue tape is here and there - very weird) or are they done painting and haven't taken all of the tape down (doubtful since the trim/walls do not look freshly painted). It's a mystery to me. The lighting is quite awful in the place. I'd hate to have my picture taken in there for fear I'd look ghastly under those lights.
The clinic is on Park Ave (high rent to be sure) and it's a little like a maze when you walk in. Various rooms and hallways abound, steep stairs going up to the treatment rooms, etc. It's almost like a house. On the left when you walk in, there is a waiting room with comfy, but old, black chairs. Quite a few of them to seat their many patients. And, there is a nice, big flat screen TV on the wall featuring CNN. They always have fancy fresh flowers in the entry way every few days. The nurse/medical assistant room where they draw blood and hand out scripts is a decent size. Again though, the decor leaves much to be desired. I'll be honest... if I had walked into a clinic like this in Mexico, I would have had my doubts based on the look. Doubts about the treatment and maybe even the sterility. I probably would have walked out. But, this is on Park Avenue after all and in a very nice area. Ergo: it must be nice and sterile.
Because of the "old-fashion" look of the place, I am very curious as to where they actually freeze the embryos and store them. For having such high tech equipment, they don't look very high tech or modern.
The People:
Dr. Zhang is very pleasant. We had our first consult with him and we both liked him. He took the time to answer any questions we had. And, although I have not seen him other than that initial consult, through all of my treatment, I trust he's behind the scenes working his magic. My original contact through email and phone was with a gal named Jessica. She was amazing at helping me coordinate everything prior to my trip to NY. The lady at the front desk, Melissa, is a doll. She is always very helpful and wears a huge smile on her face. Anytime I had a question, I went to her and she either answered it herself or pointed me in the right direction. The nurses, sonogram technicians, and medical assistants were all very friendly, too.
For the most part, they seem to be all on the same page when it came to answering my questions. However, I was receiving different responses to my questions about future treatment. Since we live in Arizona, I wanted to know the possible time I'd need to be back for a frozen transfer, in the event the fresh transfer didn't work. For this, I got different answers. That bothers me a little. But, I'll just have to be patient and wait and see. When the time comes, IF the time comes, that I start my period (fingers crossed I don't!), then I will call and ask to speak to the doctor about next steps. Hopefully, I speak with him directly.
Every time I was called with instructions from a nurse or medical assistant after my appointment, I found the call friendly. I have no complaints.
Dr. Chang was my favorite. He did the egg retrieval as well as the transfer. He was very knowledgeable and answered all of my questions. He was also very encouraging and patient. I have nothing but praise for him so far.
Overall, I found it relaxing to be in all of their hands. From the moment I sign in to the computer letting the staff know I'm there for my appointments, I'm quickly whisked away into the various rooms for my treatment. Waiting time is minimal, and it's pretty much non-existant when you go for your appointments later in the afternoon. I usually went around 11am and although the waiting room "appeared" crowded, it didn't "feel" crowded.
It's like organized chaos. Seems scary given that we're talking about FERTILITY. But, it seems to work for them and I have no complaints thus far. Even though at times I thought to question whether they had all their "i's" dotted and "t's" crossed, they did.
The Look:
I admit I was a little surprised when I walked in and saw the decor... especially versus my previous experience at a fancy (and oh by the way EXPENSIVE) fertility clinic in Arizona. The walls could use a new coat of paint (maybe a nice fun color) and the trim definitely needs some attention. In various places around the clinic there are still pieces of blue tape. You know the kind... the blue tape used around the trim when painting to help you keep the paint in the lines. Only, I can't figure out if they're "planning" on painting and put up the blue tape (doubtful since the blue tape is here and there - very weird) or are they done painting and haven't taken all of the tape down (doubtful since the trim/walls do not look freshly painted). It's a mystery to me. The lighting is quite awful in the place. I'd hate to have my picture taken in there for fear I'd look ghastly under those lights.
The clinic is on Park Ave (high rent to be sure) and it's a little like a maze when you walk in. Various rooms and hallways abound, steep stairs going up to the treatment rooms, etc. It's almost like a house. On the left when you walk in, there is a waiting room with comfy, but old, black chairs. Quite a few of them to seat their many patients. And, there is a nice, big flat screen TV on the wall featuring CNN. They always have fancy fresh flowers in the entry way every few days. The nurse/medical assistant room where they draw blood and hand out scripts is a decent size. Again though, the decor leaves much to be desired. I'll be honest... if I had walked into a clinic like this in Mexico, I would have had my doubts based on the look. Doubts about the treatment and maybe even the sterility. I probably would have walked out. But, this is on Park Avenue after all and in a very nice area. Ergo: it must be nice and sterile.
Because of the "old-fashion" look of the place, I am very curious as to where they actually freeze the embryos and store them. For having such high tech equipment, they don't look very high tech or modern.
The People:
Dr. Zhang is very pleasant. We had our first consult with him and we both liked him. He took the time to answer any questions we had. And, although I have not seen him other than that initial consult, through all of my treatment, I trust he's behind the scenes working his magic. My original contact through email and phone was with a gal named Jessica. She was amazing at helping me coordinate everything prior to my trip to NY. The lady at the front desk, Melissa, is a doll. She is always very helpful and wears a huge smile on her face. Anytime I had a question, I went to her and she either answered it herself or pointed me in the right direction. The nurses, sonogram technicians, and medical assistants were all very friendly, too.
For the most part, they seem to be all on the same page when it came to answering my questions. However, I was receiving different responses to my questions about future treatment. Since we live in Arizona, I wanted to know the possible time I'd need to be back for a frozen transfer, in the event the fresh transfer didn't work. For this, I got different answers. That bothers me a little. But, I'll just have to be patient and wait and see. When the time comes, IF the time comes, that I start my period (fingers crossed I don't!), then I will call and ask to speak to the doctor about next steps. Hopefully, I speak with him directly.
Every time I was called with instructions from a nurse or medical assistant after my appointment, I found the call friendly. I have no complaints.
Dr. Chang was my favorite. He did the egg retrieval as well as the transfer. He was very knowledgeable and answered all of my questions. He was also very encouraging and patient. I have nothing but praise for him so far.
Overall, I found it relaxing to be in all of their hands. From the moment I sign in to the computer letting the staff know I'm there for my appointments, I'm quickly whisked away into the various rooms for my treatment. Waiting time is minimal, and it's pretty much non-existant when you go for your appointments later in the afternoon. I usually went around 11am and although the waiting room "appeared" crowded, it didn't "feel" crowded.
It's like organized chaos. Seems scary given that we're talking about FERTILITY. But, it seems to work for them and I have no complaints thus far. Even though at times I thought to question whether they had all their "i's" dotted and "t's" crossed, they did.
I had an initial consult and I thought everyone was very nice including the doctor. I am doing a natural cycle this time around and going from there. Better than CNY in Syracuse where I have been pumped with the highest dose of meds, always talking to nurses who never give me my results, and even my initial consult there I met the doctor for 5 minutes tops. So we shall see, it is better than all those shots!
I had my first consultation with Dr. Zhang a few months back, and was suggested to try a few natural cycles so he can understand my ovulation partern. the first meeting with him was short, probablly about 10 minutes after 2 hours of wait. He was all right, and to the point, but he didn't get to the treatment plan, which I figured he might explain that later on. I then started monitoring my bloodwork and repeat the sonogram every few days, his nurse normally would call me on the same day tell me what to do next, but she never bothered to tell me what my results were unless I ask her. . I requested to have a phone consultation with the dr since I just have tons of questions about my treatment plan, unfortuantelly the Dr. never called for the first 3 phone consulations they scheduled for me. I got very nervous about this clinic. it just seems the Dr. doesn't have enough time to handle so many patients. I like the concept of Mini IVF, it sounds like a less invasive methord comparing to traditional IVF. but i am not so sure about the clinic anymore. Another thing pissed me off is that before I started, they told me that since I am from outside of the state, I can use any lab or imaging center near my home to get the test done, and simply ask the lab to fax them the result. I was very happy that they offer this type of flexibility, however, recently just found out they charged me for $500/cycle for using such service, of course nobody ever told me about such charge beforehand.... sign.
Hello:
I am new to this thread but I was a bit amazed to see the comments posted here about New Hope Fertility, though I feel a bit annoyed by the experience that you folks had, I must say the treatment I received was extremely different. At my consultation with the Dr. I was fully informed and was greeted nicely. It was a short consultation but it was extremely informative and his protocol made so much sense that I agree with the last thread that I too belive it is going to be an adopted process very near in the future.
You do get little time with the Dr. and he almost never calls you back but a nurse always does. I think his time is limited because he really review all the flood of patients chart he receives and making sure they are giving the right protocol after their visits. I start working at 7:30 a.m. and I have to tell you, I have never been late yet. The nurses does their best and they are always bubbly with me.
I say give it another go and if you still have the same experience then so be it but you will be missing a great deal here, their protocol is AMAZING!!!! I am now doing the first of my FET cycle and I am very hopeful.
I am new to this thread but I was a bit amazed to see the comments posted here about New Hope Fertility, though I feel a bit annoyed by the experience that you folks had, I must say the treatment I received was extremely different. At my consultation with the Dr. I was fully informed and was greeted nicely. It was a short consultation but it was extremely informative and his protocol made so much sense that I agree with the last thread that I too belive it is going to be an adopted process very near in the future.
You do get little time with the Dr. and he almost never calls you back but a nurse always does. I think his time is limited because he really review all the flood of patients chart he receives and making sure they are giving the right protocol after their visits. I start working at 7:30 a.m. and I have to tell you, I have never been late yet. The nurses does their best and they are always bubbly with me.
I say give it another go and if you still have the same experience then so be it but you will be missing a great deal here, their protocol is AMAZING!!!! I am now doing the first of my FET cycle and I am very hopeful.
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