Anyone doing (or done) the "Synchrony" Study at Shady Grove?

[Anonymous]

I'll be doing IVF with Shady Grove Fertility and am wondering if anyone has participated in their "Synchrony" research study? It's a study to evaluate whether or not an Endometrial Receptivity Analysis (ERA) test is superior to standard timing of embryo transfer. I'm planning on participating in the study because you get free PGS testing and an ERA, although this does add two more cycles to the overall IVF process. If you've participated, what was your experience like and are you glad you did it? It seems like I have nothing to lose except the added time between retrieval and transfer. FWIW, I'm also enrolled in their "Shared-Risk" Program.

[Anonymous]

I didn’t do this study but DID do ERA with SG when it was fairly new and it worked for me.

[Anonymous]

I have been offered it but I was told there was no discount with Shared Risk. Did they tell you otherwise? The financial counselor seemed a little shaky to be honest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have been offered it but I was told there was no discount with Shared Risk. Did they tell you otherwise? The financial counselor seemed a little shaky to be honest.

How old are you? I'll be 36 so PGS isn't required in my age group (35-37) for the Shared-Risk Program. For those who are 37+, the cost of Shared-Risk was higher to accommodate the required PGS test. So I'm guessing you're 37+ and required to do PGS, thus no discount would apply?Let me know if I'm mistaken. I agree- the financial counselors don't seem to be the brightest-at least mine certainly isn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I didn’t do this study but DID do ERA with SG when it was fairly new and it worked for me.

Thanks so much for your reply-that's awesome it worked for you! I hear it hurts like hell so I'm a little worried!

[Anonymous]

I also did an ERA but didnt participate in the study. It also worked for me. Yes, it hurt, but it was quick pain...it was over in 10 seconds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been offered it but I was told there was no discount with Shared Risk. Did they tell you otherwise? The financial counselor seemed a little shaky to be honest.

How old are you? I'll be 36 so PGS isn't required in my age group (35-37) for the Shared-Risk Program. For those who are 37+, the cost of Shared-Risk was higher to accommodate the required PGS test. So I'm guessing you're 37+ and required to do PGS, thus no discount would apply?Let me know if I'm mistaken. I agree- the financial counselors don't seem to be the brightest-at least mine certainly isn't.

Yep, I’m 40. That might be why. They also said the design is to cover one PGS and its hard to separate that for the shared risk 6 cycles. But it still doesn’t all make sense, it seems they could provide some discount to incentivize both Synchrony participation AND their SR program since it’s statistically more beneficial to them financially. And the counselor had an uncertain voice which was not reassuring. It’s so bizarre to me that they do all this financial explaining over the phone for such complicated and expensive options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn’t do this study but DID do ERA with SG when it was fairly new and it worked for me.

Thanks so much for your reply-that's awesome it worked for you! I hear it hurts like hell so I'm a little worried!

it really doesn’t hurt too badly and it’s over very quickly. Have you done the lining scratch? Feels just like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I also did an ERA but didnt participate in the study. It also worked for me. Yes, it hurt, but it was quick pain...it was over in 10 seconds.

That's so good to know that it's over quickly! Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn’t do this study but DID do ERA with SG when it was fairly new and it worked for me.

Thanks so much for your reply-that's awesome it worked for you! I hear it hurts like hell so I'm a little worried!

it really doesn’t hurt too badly and it’s over very quickly. Have you done the lining scratch? Feels just like that.

I haven't done the scratch but I did have a saline ultrasound done during my infertility workup. I thought that was pretty painful although the pain subsided after a minute or two.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been offered it but I was told there was no discount with Shared Risk. Did they tell you otherwise? The financial counselor seemed a little shaky to be honest.

How old are you? I'll be 36 so PGS isn't required in my age group (35-37) for the Shared-Risk Program. For those who are 37+, the cost of Shared-Risk was higher to accommodate the required PGS test. So I'm guessing you're 37+ and required to do PGS, thus no discount would apply?Let me know if I'm mistaken. I agree- the financial counselors don't seem to be the brightest-at least mine certainly isn't.

Yep, I’m 40. That might be why. They also said the design is to cover one PGS and its hard to separate that for the shared risk 6 cycles. But it still doesn’t all make sense, it seems they could provide some discount to incentivize both Synchrony participation AND their SR program since it’s statistically more beneficial to them financially. And the counselor had an uncertain voice which was not reassuring. It’s so bizarre to me that they do all this financial explaining over the phone for such complicated and expensive options.

In my opinion, I think it would be smart of them to offer you a $3500 refund if you get a take home baby on your first round of IVF and participated in the study. It's too bad they don't do that. In this scenario you'd be paying the same price as the 35-37 year old Shared-Risk Program. It's my understanding that PGS costs $5,000 ($1500 to SG for biopsy and $3500 to the lab for the test). Personally, if I didn't get a discount (or in my situation, free PGS testing and ERA), I wouldn't participate in the study either. Regarding your financial counselor, you should request that he or she put everything in writing-maybe that will help. I've only spoken to my financial counselor once and that was months ago when I was first starting out with IUI. Everything else has been through email.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been offered it but I was told there was no discount with Shared Risk. Did they tell you otherwise? The financial counselor seemed a little shaky to be honest.

How old are you? I'll be 36 so PGS isn't required in my age group (35-37) for the Shared-Risk Program. For those who are 37+, the cost of Shared-Risk was higher to accommodate the required PGS test. So I'm guessing you're 37+ and required to do PGS, thus no discount would apply?Let me know if I'm mistaken. I agree- the financial counselors don't seem to be the brightest-at least mine certainly isn't.

Yep, I’m 40. That might be why. They also said the design is to cover one PGS and its hard to separate that for the shared risk 6 cycles. But it still doesn’t all make sense, it seems they could provide some discount to incentivize both Synchrony participation AND their SR program since it’s statistically more beneficial to them financially. And the counselor had an uncertain voice which was not reassuring. It’s so bizarre to me that they do all this financial explaining over the phone for such complicated and expensive options.

In my opinion, I think it would be smart of them to offer you a $3500 refund if you get a take home baby on your first round of IVF and participated in the study. It's too bad they don't do that. In this scenario you'd be paying the same price as the 35-37 year old Shared-Risk Program. It's my understanding that PGS costs $5,000 ($1500 to SG for biopsy and $3500 to the lab for the test). Personally, if I didn't get a discount (or in my situation, free PGS testing and ERA), I wouldn't participate in the study either. Regarding your financial counselor, you should request that he or she put everything in writing-maybe that will help. I've only spoken to my financial counselor once and that was months ago when I was first starting out with IUI. Everything else has been through email.

[Anonymous]

Hi,

A year later, I am wondering if you participated in the study? I am currently considering it and wondering about the timing and the extra rounds of injections.

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

My friend had a failed FET for a PGS normal embryo, paid for an ERA and it showed she in fact needed an extra day of progesterone, so well worth it. Especially if free and with a round of PGS.
For the record, PGS is more important to the over 37 crowd, but honestly I would do it no matter my age...especially if you have more than 2 5 day blasts. The cost of storage for potentially abnormal embryos versus pgs ends up similar.

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much for this information. It is very helpful.