Pacific Fertility Center
We used Pacific Fertility Center. Our main doctor was Dr. Li although I liked the other doctors as well. We successfully had a baby through the donor egg process. For the donor, we used Family Creations out of Los Angeles. They were pretty easy to work with. Our lawyer was Shelley Tarnoff @ 510-482-2226. She was pretty easy to work with as well - not the warm and fuzziest person but pretty efficient and specializes in this stuff. We did try going to RSC because it was easier in terms of all of the visits but I didn't like them. The main difference is that the primary person with whom you communicate @ RSC is a medical assistant who is not that well informed. Both times that we tried to go to them, I knew more than the medical assistant. At PFC, each doctor has a care team that includes a nurse. Each doctor has another doctor's care team as back up. Response to your emails are pretty quick and the nurses are quite knowledgeable. I know that it is a roller coaster journey - I wish you the best of luck!! I don't know if you can reply to me but feel free to reply if you have more questions.
I had a great experience with UCSF doing donor egg IVF, with frozen eggs actually. Pacific Fertility Center is also amazing but almost double the cost and success rates between the two are similar. PFC had a great selection of donors though and a lot of frozen egg donors as well. We ended up with UCSF though and I can't say enough about their professionalism and quality of care. The system was well organized with staff to inform us of all the steps we needed to take along the way. Nothing fell through the cracks. UCSF also provided us with a list of reputable donor agencies but we did not end up going that route.
Archived Q&A and Reviews
Feb 2011
Re: Recurrent miscarriage - resources & fertility recs
I have had 8 miscarriages and now have two living daughters. My miscarriages ranged from 4-6 weeks early ones, ruptured ectopic and two full term uterine ruptures. My youngest daughter is the result of assistance from Dr. Phillip Chenette at Pacific Fertility in San Francisco. http://www.pacificfertilitycenter.com/welcome/philip_chenette.php
He specializes in women over 40 which makes his statistics even more impressive. Some, if not all, of your diagnostic work should be covered by your insurance.
You may also need to work with a perinatologist once you do get pregnant again since you're at high risk of having another miscarriage. Good luck! Sabrina
Oct 2007
Re: Seeking information on local fertility clinics
we worked with Pacific Fertility in the city, and were happy enough with them to go to them again recently to try for another (we work with Dr Schriock). they are quite professional, caring and competent, if busy. I would also highly recommend getting acupuncture starting a few months before you try to get your bod in a receptive condition. worked for us
I would highly recommend that you check out Dr. Schriock and Dr. Givens at Pacific Fertility Center in San Francisco. After seeing another local highly regarded RE who missed a basic condition I had and was never available for phone calls, I changed to PFC and after 4 IVF's (I have a rare problem) we are due with our first child in 5 weeks. Dr. Schriock is smart and compassionate and worth the cost and commute. Wishing you GOOD luck!! IF is hell. Anon
We initially used Pacific Fertility Clinic in SF. They made mistakes, were difficult to reach and had higher prices than UCSF. They actually made a very egregious mistake in our cases by giving us the wrong form, hence wrong instructions and medical schedule, thus aborting a good pregnancy. And I know of two other couples with negative experiences with them. We ended up using UCSF, which was fabulous. UCSF is a non-profit as compared to many fertility centers, their prices are lower, their staff is top notch - on the cutting edge of research, they are very pleasant, and very accessible. I couldn't recommend UCSF more highly!
I missed the original post on this, but read the responses. I saw one person recommended highly against Pacific Fertility Clinic in San Francisco, and I couldn't disagree more. I went to another clinic (RSC) and didn't think they were aggressive enough, and got discouraged with insurance run-arounds and the inability to ever see my doctor. So I switched to PFC and saw Dr. Eldon Schriock. He is amazing, empathetic and encouraging - yet realistic. I never had a problem scheduling, their fees are comparable to any other in the Bay Area (it's not a regulated field, so everyone's prices are high, quite frankly) and they are extremely professional and compassionate. After 4 miscarriages and one failed IVF (the first failed IVF was at PFC, for the sake of honest reporting), I am now 5 weeks from my due date (a singleton).
Speaking of which -- PFC is also not SO aggressive (at least Dr. Schriock isn't) that you'll end up with a scary number of multiples, which is something to consider. I wouldn't necessarily go on pregnancy rates provided by clinics, either. Technically, a twin pregnancy I had that only reached implantation and no heartbeats, goes down in the stats as a pregnancy. It's more important you go with a place that makes you feel comfortable and confident - because that will help you conceive as well. -- Anon.
Nov 2006
Re: NOVA in vitro fertilization?
I was 39 when I enrolled with Pacific Fertility Center in SF. If you are under 40, and after a couple of basic hormone tests, you pass their screening, an MD may approve you for their ''shared risk'' program. Essentially you can pay for several IVF cycles at once, for a lot less than the cost of two separate ones, and the cost includes any frozen cycles with extra embryos left from a cycle. Of course, if you get pregnant the first cycle, you've paid for a second cycle that you didn't need. Cost excludes meds and a few other things I can't remember but the main costs are included. It worked in the end for me (on second cycle) and I gave birth at 41. You may want to check them out. Good luck. kate
June 2006
Re: Seeking great fertility doctor
Hi, We used doctor Ryan from the Pacific Fertility Center in SF and we loved her. We did several IVF cycles and found her very understanding always offering good recommendations. We also met the other doctors in the practice since IVF schedule requires weekend and holidays visit and found all them to be very good, very understanding of our emotional state and always answering all our questions thoroughly. We now have a 6 week old little boy and feel blessed. anonymous
June 2005
Re: Experience with Bay Area Fertility clinics?
We experienced unexplained infertility, but I am now five months pregnant after 1 early miscarriage, 2 IUI cycles and 1 IVF cycle in Jan 2005 at Pacific Fertility Center. I highly recommend their office and plan to go back there to try for child number 2. We primarily saw Dr. Schriock, who has a wonderful bedside manner. (I started out seeing Dr. Givens at PFC because I wanted a female doctor. Although I found Dr. Givens very competent, I personally felt more comfortable with Dr. Schriock. I also saw and really liked Dr. Chennette at PFC). I appreciated that PFC is open every single day of the year (unlike the East Bay solo practitioner with whom I started for IUI treatments), and that you always see a doctor on your visits--not just a NP like at some other clinics. You may not always get your specific doctor every visit (because there are so many necessary visits) but I actually liked the fact that different doctors were looking at me and my medical history. The PFC doctors talk with each other about the IVF cases, so it seems to me that you have many specialists with different areas of expertise considering your case, instead of just one. (Despite seeing several doctors, I did not feel like I was in a patient factory or that I was a guinea pig, as I did at UCSF for two other unrelated procedures.) I also found the nurses to be just wonderful (especially Anne). I called all the time with questions for the nurses and they were always patient, empathetic, and helpful. Finally, it was almost always easy to find free 2 hour parking within a block or two of the clinic, which is remarkable since the clinic is near downtown and Fishermanms Wharf. I am happy to share more details of my experience or to offer support to anyone going through similar infertility issuessplease contact the moderator for my contact info.
November 2003
I would like to hear from women who have gone the route of IVF to have children. I am specifically interested in feedback on Pacific Fertility Center
August 2003
I think the doctors and nurses at SF Fertility Center(s) are fabulous. They have excellent success rates and have even lowered their prices since I went there :) http://www.infertilitydoctor.com/
I went through several IUI's there before in vitro, so I got to meet each of the doctors. I liked them all equally as well. They are knowledgable, kind and have the right personalities for the kind of medicine they're practicing, which requires lots of hand holding and warmth, as you well or will know.
The nurses are also WONDERFUL, and you will spend lots of time talking to nurses, as they deal with a good deal of the preparation, etc.
Good luck to you. We drove there from the East Bay for appointments--wasn't too hard, but we had our eyes on the prize, and would have driven anywhere, probably...
Wishing you lots of success, Mama to 9 month old miracle
My partner and I were very happy with Dr. Eldon Schriok at Pacific Fertility Center in San Francisco. He was warm and friendly. He was honest about our chances, didn't sugar-coat things but was also supportive when we made our decision to go straight to IVF based on a number of factors particular to our situation. We also wanted someone who was very current in the field and he is. We had a successful outcome even though all of my ''numbers'' indicated it was unlikely. I had also gone to Dr. Weckstein for a second opinion and he seemed approachable as well. A number of factors pulled us toward Pacific Fertility instead and I'm glad for the experience we had. Good Luck
July 1999
I had excellent luck with The San Francisco Center for Reproductive Medicine (415-771-1483) and now have a wonderful 9 month old. The two reproductive reproductive endocrinologists are tops technically and are warm and understanding. I had two friends who did not like their treatment at UCSF and who switched to SFCPM and had babies. I also have a friend who went to the place in San Ramon and liked them a lot.
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