Dominion Fertility vs. Shady Grove Fertility

[Anonymous]

Can we all just agree that if you had success at SG you LOVE SG and if you had success at DF you LOVE DF? Seriously, this post will just continue to go around and around.

If you are just starting out, do your research and consult with BOTH or NOT. I. LOVE. DOMINION because I have two beautiful twins as a result of my IVF there, but I would LOVE. SHADY GROVE. if I had had success there.

[Anonymous]

the best thing to do is to not respond (which i am doing now), then these won't get bumped back up.
i'm also sick of this argument.

[Anonymous]

PP, I loved Dominion and I hope this debate will rest...so I will stop looking at it!!!

[Anonymous]

I agree with PP - Dr. Greenhouse and SG are wonderful. All I have to do is look at my 10 month old son - whom I gave birth to at age 42, thanks to them.

[Anonymous]

Well. if this post keeps rising to the top I will have to keep posting my story:

Our experience with Dominion Fertility vs. Shady Grove Fertility

Having tried unsuccessfully for years to get pregnant, my wife and I began researching fertility clinics in the DC area. Our doctor recommended Dominion Fertility (DF). We scheduled a consultation, met with Dr. Gordon and were pleased with our visit. As a result, we decided to pursue treatments at DF. My wife was diagnosed almost immediately with PCOS. Someone as slender as my wife wouldn’t normally fall into the PCOS category, yet Dr. G was adamant about his diagnosis. And thus we began our journey through fertility treatments. As we explored our insurance options we discovered IVF would only be covered at certain clinics, and unfortunately DF was not one of them. Reluctantly, we researched clinics within our insurance network. We found Shady Grove (SG) in Rockville and scheduled an appointment with Dr. Stillman. Our first impression of Dr. S was quite good, given his resume, certifications, awards, etc., and consequently we decided to go with SG. After Dr. S reviewed my wife’s file, he shared with us his strong opinion that in fact my wife did not suffer from PCOS. This was contradictory to the diagnosis offered by Dr. G and quite frankly we were relieved. Dr. S was convincing about the potential success with IVF, but we still felt uneasy and overwhelmed. We had become accustomed to receiving explanations from Dr. G in simple, easy-to-understand terms and now it was all medical jargon, but still we began our first IVF cycle. Suddenly, we felt as though we had been branded with a number and were now part of an enormous cattle call. We were attended to by doctors we had never met and missed the personal attention afforded us at DF but we pushed forward. As the IVF treatment progressed, my wife began showing signs of hyper-stimulation. The doctors reassured us things were fine and to continue the medications. The retrieval date arrived and yet another unknown doctor performed the procedure retrieving 45 eggs from my wife. That’s right, 45 eggs (If you’re familiar with IVF, you know that’s way too many). As a sports fanatic, I thought a high number equated to great success and I wasn’t informed otherwise by the doctors so I was excited. Then I saw my wife in the operating room shaking, feverish, nauseous and bleeding. Something wasn’t right and it just didn’t add up, but again not knowing how these things work I figured this was normal. Everyone in the room appeared to be doing business as usual while my wife was crying and bleeding all over the bed sheets. After an hour recuperating time, I picked up my wife and walked her out of the clinic, hoping that this had all been worth the emotional and physical toll. Due to hyper-stimulation, the cycle was cancelled, meaning we were unable to move forward with a fresh transfer. Only 7 embryos were cryopreserved (not many for retrieving 45 eggs, but not surprising now that we understand how it works). We experienced 2 unsuccessful transfers using all of the cryopreserved embryos. It was disheartening to receive the news that we weren’t pregnant. Nearly a year had passed, and after enduring multiple fertility treatments at SG, without blinking an eye, Dr. S shared with us his medical opinion that my wife did in fact suffer from PCOS. Rage doesn’t begin to describe my feelings of frustration and anger at the lack of consideration and personal attention given to our case by Dr. S and the SG warehouse. But we didn’t truly realize just how poorly our case had been handled until many months later.

After much thought, we figured it wasn’t worth the insurance coverage to have to endure another IVF round with a profit-centered fertility business such as SG. We were seeking a fertility clinic that would provide not only the latest technology and finest medical care, but one that would literally hold our hand throughout the process. To us it was worth it to pay out-of-pocket for a comfortable, intimate setting, receiving personal attention from Dr. G and the nurses of DF. So, we returned to DF for IVF and they have handled us with the utmost respect and care throughout the entire process. This time we were well-informed and aware of each step and how my wife was responding. Finally, the day for the beta HCG (pregnancy) test arrived. Not knowing yet the outcome of the test, my wife thanked Dr. G for all he and his staff had done on our behalf. We were overwhelmed with gratitude since the experience was so different this time around. Dr. G. later recounted that he thought my wife had taken a home pregnancy test prior to that visit because she was so optimistic and thankful. Suffice it to say, the results were positive. We are now pregnant!

If you’re looking for a fertility clinic in the DC area, we highly recommend Dr. Gordon and Dr. DiMattina at Dominion Fertility. You won’t find a more capable and caring group of people!

[Anonymous]

Hey are you the OP, please let us know how you are doing....I have PCOS and I'm looking for some hope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:...i swear to god i feel like that dimattina is at home in his boxers writing in and promoting himself and his practice.

ROFL!!!

However, I did read this story before, not sure where (another fertility website or clinic's website?). I do believe that this may have happened just the way described from their (the author's) perspective. Things happen, and things can go wrong I'm sure at many practices in the country from time to time.

[Anonymous]

Goto Shady Grove in Fairfax, VA. They are the best, and every one else just does not compare...

[Anonymous]

not familiar with DF but am a DE patient at SG. My sister had a good experience at SG. So far my husband and I have not. It is a warehouse, there is very poor communication from one nurse to another to another - we couldn't even start choosing a donor cause some girl w/a High School degree wouldn't let us insisting we needed a letter from a Perinatologist - despite that I have never been pregnant, let alone high risk and that Dr Chang said I just needed the note from my primary doctor. Then they sold us on their huge donor data base (which is the only reason we drive 3 hours to get there) and they assured us they always have lots of blond, blue eyed donors (that match me) - we did match once, they did a 5 day transfer so only 2 of our embryo's survived - nothing left to freeze, no pregnancy. BTW they told us they automatically do ICSI on every IVF. So now we have to choose another donor and SURPRISE there are zero blond or blue eyed donors available and now they tell us "oh they get snapped up right away" where as when they wanted us to sign up we were told they had a huge date base and lots of blond and blue eyed donors. If we get pregnant and its successful we won't care how badly the staff mistreated us and I hope that is the case and that I'll have to say 'Go to SG'. But honestly, they are not patient oriented, the doctor's may be good but the staff is terrible. My husband had to be referred to a urologist and they sent us to the wrong office - we had just driven 3 hours and drove like heck to the correct office and BEGGED the office staff to let us keep our appointment. While there another couple from SG came in - same story , they were late, missed their appt cause SG nurse sent them to the wrong office. And with both of us the SG nurse never sent any of the med paper work they were supposed to. The urologists staff told us this is typical of SG and asked us to please complain cause the SG folks are always this bad. But who would we complain to? We've only spoken to our doctor 3 times and the 3 time was when we were 20 minutes away from the office for our transfer - he wanted to tell us that he thought we should wait a day and do a day 6 transfer, and oh by the way you only have 3 embryo's left. we asked what the chances were of the 3 surviving another day and he told us they may, or they may not. We insisted on continueing on with the day 5 transfer. Of course it was a different doctor who we had never met before. And they told me I could lay there in the procedure room for 5 minutes after the transfer and then leave - no recovery room time at all. btw I do my monitoring at Main Line Fertility in Pa and the nurse there is really nice and has been very helpful. If only they didn't have an 8 month long wait on their donor list.....but then again that is a big positive for SG and as I said, that is the reason my husband and I drive 3 hours each way. (now hopefully that donor list becomes as wonderful again as we were sold it would be)

[Anonymous]

Genetics & IVF Institute has 200 donors. Has anyone checked them out? Comments?

[Anonymous]

GIVF has a reasonable selection of donors to look at online. Does anyone know if they provide adult photographs?

[Anonymous]

GIVF does have adult photographs.

[Anonymous]

Hopeful

Current patient of DF. I love them. Dr. Gordon is upfront and honest, and EVERYTHING we proceed with is is up to my husband and I.

Also, my husband really enjoyed seeing all the pictures of babies on their wall. It is real, personal proof that others have been thru this journey and won.

[Anonymous]

Those pictures really bugged me. I found them to be manipulative and kept thinking how that would be the last thing I'd want to see after finding out that I'd had a m/c or that my cycle might get cancelled. But to each his/her own I guess.

I do have a friend who was very happy at Dominion though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Those pictures really bugged me. I found them to be manipulative and kept thinking how that would be the last thing I'd want to see after finding out that I'd had a m/c or that my cycle might get cancelled. But to each his/her own I guess.

I do have a friend who was very happy at Dominion though.

i couldn't agree more! and yes it did make me feel like shit after so many failures-- including m/c.