Dr. Ilene Hatch, United States

When I was referred to Fertility Center of Southern California (FCSC), I could not see the fertility doctor named in the referral, so I met Dr. Gordon with some concern. From the initial consultation, however, I realized that Dr. Gordon was knowledgeable and experienced in fertility care, explained everything thoroughly in understandable terms, and was an excellent fit for me and for us. Over the following year, we sometimes met 1-5 times per week. Despite the clinic's heavy patient load, Dr. Gordon never made me feel rushed or overlooked and always took time to explain my care, procedures, processes, and recommendations. She got to know me as a person and as a patient. I am someone with many ideas, research findings, and questions, all of which Dr. Gordon welcomed and supported. I am now 40 and pregnant, and I am delighted! Although my care has transferred back to my OB, Dr. Gordon remains in contact and continues following my progress. Fertility treatment has many highs and lows and often comes with empty messaging. She was always honest while showing genuine empathy. I felt that we were in it together. On her IG, @catherinegordonmd, you can see her temperament, enthusiasm, and ability to explain complex medicine in an understandable way. Her patient care is outstanding. Overall, I look back on my FCSC experience with affection and gratitude. Everyone there, from the doctors and physician assistants to the staff, welcomed me warmly and gave me a positive care experience.

Thanks to Dr. Gordon, I am 23 weeks pregnant with my miracle baby. I have spoken with many women in support groups who felt treated like parts on an assembly line at large clinics, but my experience with Dr. Gordon was completely different. Office wait times may occasionally be longer than expected, but that is because you receive a genuinely personalized, one-on-one experience with these doctors. At every visit, you actually see a doctor and discuss your individualized plan. At other clinics, I have heard that patients see nurses or case managers and have difficulty meeting their physician. They also follow your body's rhythm and perform retrievals and transfers according to your natural timing, unlike clinics that synchronize every patient so they can process them in batches. I never felt pressured by Dr. Gordon. She fully supported beginning with less aggressive options before moving to IVF and was always available to answer questions, even by text, so I was never left uncertain. I greatly appreciated that! Overall, I highly recommend Dr. Gordon for her knowledge, experience, and excellent bedside manner.

I was Dr. Hatch's fertility patient and was scheduled for egg retrieval in May 2022. The office performed a COVID test the day before and called while I was traveling to the retrieval to say the result was positive and the procedure had to be canceled. I took a home test, which was negative. I then obtained a stat PCR test at Hoag urgent care, which was also negative. Because IVF is time-sensitive, I asked to proceed as scheduled. Dr. Hatch did not perform my retrieval until that afternoon, by which time I had already ovulated. I received no refund for the office's error. In fact, despite multiple emails and calls, the prepaid fee for PGT at their laboratory, Ovation, was not returned. My experience with this office was terrible, with long appointment waits and high costs. You may see Dr. Hatch only at the initial consultation and on retrieval day; physician assistants handle most appointments.

I cannot recommend Dr. Gordon highly enough! From our initial consultation, we felt very calm about the fertility journey ahead. We knew we had made the right choice and felt hopeful for the first time in a long while. Dr. Gordon worked with us at every step and never pushed us in a particular direction. Instead, she provided the statistics and every piece of information we needed to make our decisions. We ultimately needed IVF, and she was outstanding throughout. Dr. Gordon communicated every medical plan each evening and monitored me closely, and I felt I was receiving the best possible care. When she called with our embryo statistics, I could feel over the phone that she shared our joy about the embryos. Thanks to Dr. Gordon, I am now 29 weeks pregnant with our sweet baby. I feel extremely fortunate that we found such an excellent doctor, now also a friend, to help us grow our family. I am truly grateful to Dr. Gordon. I highly recommend her and will recommend her repeatedly to friends, family, and anyone who asks!

I came here specifically for Dr. Gordon, and she is wonderful! In this field, it is very rare to find someone who is passionate, kind, supportive, and able to provide excellent care. Dr. Gordon is patient and takes time with you, making you feel seen, heard, and valued. She has a heart of gold and is truly a treasure in this field. We came to her after several months of unexplained secondary infertility. She made several recommendations, and we became pregnant during the next cycle. I am extremely grateful for her compassion and excellent care. I have referred countless people to her because I firmly believe she is the gold standard in fertility care.

I am beyond grateful to have Dr. Gordon as my fertility doctor. I underwent several rounds of egg freezing with her, and she made the entire process feel completely manageable and stress-free. What truly stood out was her honesty and dedication to helping me set realistic expectations, which allowed me to plan effectively. Dr. Gordon's expertise gave me the peace of mind I needed, especially as I prepared for a significant cross-country move. I can't wait to work with her again in the future when I'm ready to start building my family. Thank you, Dr. Gordon, for guiding me through such an important, intimate journey with warmth and professionalism!

The best staff, doctors, and nurses! Dr. Gordon went above and beyond to help me have my happy, healthy baby boy! They are absolutely amazing! I love Dr. Gordon—the best doctor I have ever met or seen!

This clinic is extremely disorganized. We initially met with Dr. Gordon, who was excellent. Dr. Hatch later took over, and under his care we regularly waited 30 to 60 minutes past our appointment time because he was always late. This happened several times. We rearranged our schedules only to have the doctor rush in, seem indifferent, and show no concern for our health. Once, after waiting 30 minutes in the waiting room for a scheduled appointment, we were told the doctor was not there because he was seeing patients elsewhere.

I left this clinic a year ago. I arrived at an unusual time: Dr. Gordon was pregnant when she took over my care, so my treatment was transferred to Dr. Hatch during her leave. My first medicated ovulation induction cycle was terrible. After receiving my results, Dr. Hatch did not call until 9 p.m. and seemed unfamiliar with my case. Dr. Gordon had recommended a hysteroscopy before I began my first IUI cycle with Dr. Hatch, but it was not performed until after my second failed IUI, when Dr. Gordon noticed it had not been done. I had mentioned it earlier, but no one seemed concerned. Dr. Gordon ultimately performed the hysteroscopy, and my third IUI succeeded. Unfortunately, Dr. Gordon is no longer there. I liked Dr. Hatch, but he had too many patients, and given the cost, the care felt less personal than with Dr. Gordon. You see physician assistants more often than doctors. Honestly, if my third IUI had failed, I would have gone elsewhere. I also checked every blood test result three times because on several occasions additional progesterone testing I needed was missed. Overall, I am grateful that the clinic helped me become pregnant and that both doctors took the time to help us.