Fertility clinic recommendations?

[Anonymous]

A friend of mine recommended Shady Grove Fertility, but the Yelp reviews are awful. Does anyone have experience with SGF? Or any other clinics they'd recommend?

Background: I live in DC, have PCOS, and had one miscarriage. We've been trying since January. If I don't ovulate / conceive this month, I'm thinking of reaching out for help.

[Anonymous]

I’ve only had positive experiences at SGF. I have two kids because of this clinic. Dr Levens in the Fairfax office is awesome-kind, caring, and compassionate. So is his nurse, Sarah. I also tried Dominion Fertility. Dr DiMattina is terrible, condescending, and pompous. I highly regret wasting my time and money there.

I’ve heard the billing office at SGF can be difficult you work with. I haven’t had that experience but I think that’s where a lot ornament complaints stem from. I’ve also heard SGF isn’t best for ‘run of the mill infertility’ issues. This could be true. I’ll let others chime in to address that.

[Anonymous]

I loved loved loved Dr. Humm at GWA MFA. I was sad when I got pregnant and had to stop seeing her she was that terrific. I’ve yet to find a doctor I like as much as her.

[Anonymous]

I had a good experience at CCRM with Dr Payson, but that was last year. Others on this board haven’t had great experiences at CCRM as of late.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve only had positive experiences at SGF. I have two kids because of this clinic. Dr Levens in the Fairfax office is awesome-kind, caring, and compassionate. So is his nurse, Sarah. I also tried Dominion Fertility. Dr DiMattina is terrible, condescending, and pompous. I highly regret wasting my time and money there.

I’ve heard the billing office at SGF can be difficult you work with. I haven’t had that experience but I think that’s where a lot ornament complaints stem from. I’ve also heard SGF isn’t best for ‘run of the mill infertility’ issues. This could be true. I’ll let others chime in to address that.

+1 I had a great experience with Dr. Jeanne O'Brien at SGF - daughter is now 15 months! The billing was very annoying - they made mistakes, bills were very difficult to understand and they were so difficult to reach (and this was long pre-COVID). Also, sometimes there were miscommunications with my nurse, but overall we were very happy and felt we were in good hands. I know several couples who conceived through SGF.

I think the number of complaints stem from the fact that SGF is a very large clinic (the largest in this area?), so there's just a larger universe of people who can complain. Since I conceived fairly quickly (two rounds of IUI), I don't know what the experience is like for people who go through several treatment cycles without success. That situation is frustrating by itself - I can see how SGF might not manage that well or the attention may not feel personalized, since it is so large. Not to say that the treatment isn't personalized - Dr. O'Brien definitely catered my treatment to my specific situation.

[Anonymous]

For the long view -- I have twin 11 yo thanks to SGF. Dr. Paulette Brown was fantastic and the nursing staff was great.

[Anonymous]

Virginia Center for Reproductive Medicine. If I could clone Dr Sharara for all specialties I need a doctor for I would. Went to a couple others before finding him.

[Anonymous]

I recommend Dr. Malik at SGF. Yes, their billing department sucks but my experience with their clinical staff more than made up for it.

[Anonymous]

PP here who had Dr. O'Brien at SGF. Wanted to add that while we had a great experience, we didn't post on Yelp about it. Posting on Yelp about a healthcare provider is just not something that would occur to me and certainly not when it would result in broadcasting how I conceived my child.

[Anonymous]

I have PCOS and did IVF through SGF. Recommend Dr. Moon. We now have two children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve only had positive experiences at SGF. I have two kids because of this clinic. Dr Levens in the Fairfax office is awesome-kind, caring, and compassionate. So is his nurse, Sarah. I also tried Dominion Fertility. Dr DiMattina is terrible, condescending, and pompous. I highly regret wasting my time and money there.

I’ve heard the billing office at SGF can be difficult you work with. I haven’t had that experience but I think that’s where a lot ornament complaints stem from. I’ve also heard SGF isn’t best for ‘run of the mill infertility’ issues. This could be true. I’ll let others chime in to address that.

I have two babies from Dr. DiMattina at Dominion. I always found him to be caring and a skilled doctor. That said, he is very direct and I can see how that would rub people the wrong way.

[Anonymous]

I also have 2 babies from Dr DiMatina but that was 20 years ago. We used to get soooo mad at him. Everyone in our cycle got pregnant though. I guess he hasn’t improved with age?

[Anonymous]

try the Infertility board on DCUM. tons of good recs and thoughts there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve only had positive experiences at SGF. I have two kids because of this clinic. Dr Levens in the Fairfax office is awesome-kind, caring, and compassionate. So is his nurse, Sarah. I also tried Dominion Fertility. Dr DiMattina is terrible, condescending, and pompous. I highly regret wasting my time and money there.

I’ve heard the billing office at SGF can be difficult you work with. I haven’t had that experience but I think that’s where a lot ornament complaints stem from. I’ve also heard SGF isn’t best for ‘run of the mill infertility’ issues. This could be true. I’ll let others chime in to address that.

I have two babies from Dr. DiMattina at Dominion. I always found him to be caring and a skilled doctor. That said, he is very direct and I can see how that would rub people the wrong way.

Ditto. Have my daughter thanks to him. Loved his staff and he was very good. I always felt like everything he recommended was in my best interest to a hi eve success. He called once he found out I had given birth. Eternally grateful.

[Anonymous]

My 2 year old is a product of SGF and Dr. Saffan. I had a great experience. I understand that others might not. Infertility sucks. It is unfair and the worst and any hiccup feels life altering. I can see how not having success would permit you to think it v was the clinic and having success makes you more forgiving of v the issues