Dr. Melanie Ochalski, United States

I truly look forward to my appointments and seeing my care team! From the front desk and clinical team to the doctors, we love them all. What a wonderful group of people!

My experience at Shady Grove Fertility was very disappointing. At first, they created a lot of unrealistic hope about my fertility treatment, leaving me frustrated and disappointed. Rather than focusing on my health, they seemed to treat every visit as an opportunity to sell additional services. I left feeling more like a prospective customer than a patient who genuinely needed help. I expected more transparency and attentive care, but unfortunately that was not the case. Based on my experience, I would not recommend this clinic. After they finally told me the cost, I was not willing to undergo certain treatments. They then tried to persuade me to try another method that they themselves said had only a 2-4% success rate. It sounded like nothing more than a money grab.

My growing family will always be grateful to the SGF team and doctors. The staff are kind and compassionate and are always willing to ease concerns/answer questions throughout the journey. SGF always made us feel like family, and it was wonderful knowing a team supported us at every step. I cannot praise this staff enough and highly recommend them to anyone considering this journey!

They accommodated my teaching schedule. Communication by text was convenient. They also helped us successfully have an IVF baby! :)

SGF is a wonderful, caring clinic. They are always professional and kind. They always do their best to accommodate my schedule and have even seen me at the last minute. Thank you to the entire staff!

I am very grateful to the Shady Grove team. Their dedication, care, and patience made my treatment easier. The entire team was highly professional. And to my dear Dr. Nicole M. Marchetto, thank you for making my dream of motherhood come true!

My wife and I unfortunately had a very poor experience at this clinic, especially with the front desk staff. They were cold, uncaring, and at times quite rude—extremely upsetting when dealing with something as sensitive and emotional as infertility. No one chooses this path, and compassion should be fundamental. Their attitude made us feel dismissed rather than supported, especially Joy. They seemed not to understand what patients in this situation endure. Because of the poor front desk service, we decided not to return to Shady Grove and continued our fertility journey elsewhere, where we fortunately succeeded. If you work in health care, especially in a sensitive field like infertility, kindness, empathy, and proper training are essential. At one of the most vulnerable times in their lives, patients deserve to feel seen, heard, and supported.

The staff were very friendly and helpful!

We cannot say enough good things about the Lancaster and Chesterbrook Shady Grove locations. The doctors, nurses, and other staff were all friendly, welcoming, and helpful. The infertility journey is difficult, and having medical professionals who genuinely care for their patients makes it much easier. Thank you for helping us fulfill our dream of building a family!

I cannot say enough good things about this facility. IVF treatment is an emotional and stressful process, and the team at Shady Grove gave me tremendous support and care at every stage. My nurse, Brittany, was always available to answer my questions and concerns. Nurse practitioner Elyse was also very kind during every scan. They truly made a journey I never expected to experience easy to understand and navigate.

Yesterday, after five years of treatment at Shady Grove, we finally brought our little one home from the hospital. Thank you to Dr. Connell, my nurse Amanda, Elyse, and everyone else on the Shady Grove team for all you did during our journey. We are incredibly grateful!

I am very happy with my treatment and grateful to the physicians, nurses, and everyone who helped our family grow! I am now playing on the floor with my five-month-old baby, who would not be here without Shady Grove. Our entire family is deeply grateful! Most of my visits were at the Lancaster office, where everyone was very kind and thoughtful. I cried when I “graduated” because I had never felt so cared for and heard as I did there!

The doctor and all the staff are very kind. I have enjoyed working with them, and I believe I can achieve all my goals.

Our experience with SGF Lancaster and the Chesterbrook team was exceptional. Before meeting Elyse and Dr. O, we felt very discouraged, but everyone treated us like family and supported us through every challenge. Brittany was patient and extremely helpful. The financial team was thorough and thoughtful. Joy greeted me by name every time I entered. The phlebotomist even remembered which color bandage I disliked. The details showed how much they cared. Bringing our baby back to meet everyone was deeply moving. Below is what we wrote about our journey from treatment through graduation at 10 weeks. Thank you, SGF! You cannot swim! But I need to find my partner. We have you. Millions of warriors are ready to begin the journey. Go! But I have to wait here for my partner. We have you. 6 eggs are ready to begin the journey. Fertilize now! But we do not know what to do here. We have you covered. Millions of sperm and 5 eggs are ready. Give me your cells now! But we are smaller than a poppy seed. Wait, who is that? That is your partner. You have become one. We have you covered. 4 embryos are ready. Dress warmly; it will be cold! But I just became comfortable. We have you covered. 1 embryo is ready. Wake up! But I slept for 9 weeks. We have you covered. 1 embryo is ready. Now swim! But I am heavier than before. We have you covered. 1 embryo is ready. Get tissues ready for the audience! Hey, what happened? Science. We have you covered. 1 embryo is ready. See that blanket? Get inside! But it did not look like this before. We have you covered. 1 embryo is ready. Hold on! But I do not have fingers yet. We have you covered. 1 embryo is ready. Return in two weeks for testing. But I do not know what to do. We have you covered. 1 embryo is ready. Less than eight months to go! But that is so long, and I am afraid. Mom has you covered. 1 embryo is ready. Congratulations, you are 4 weeks and 5 days pregnant! … We will schedule an ultrasound in about a week so you can hear the heartbeat. … Hello? … Are you sure? Do you need to verify our information? … Science. We did it. Click. Do you think they meant to call another couple? There were many people there that day. 6 weeks Thump thump thump thump thump thump! Did you hear that? They want to tell you. What is it? Baby, we did it. Honey, go to the store. I need a pregnancy test. Of course, I have you. One embryo is ready. Be patient; just 2 minutes! Pink line. Still moving. Pink line. We are pregnant! We should schedule an ultrasound to confirm. 7 weeks Thump thump thump thump thump thump! Did you hear that? I am here! But where is the rest of your body? What was my blood test result again? What was the exact number? We did it. One embryo is ready. 8 weeks Thump thump thump thump thump thump! I told you. My goodness, what is that? I hoped you could tell me; I cannot see anything. Cool, right? We have you. 1 embryo is ready. 10 weeks Thump thump thump thump thump thump! Look at that! I am kicking. Graduation day!! A onesie for baby, fruit snacks for mom, and books for dad. 1 fetus is ready. 12 weeks No peeking today, but look at this. Thump thump thump thump thump thump! Would you prefer an epidural or natural childbirth? Do you plan to breastfeed or use formula? Um… You do not need to answer now, but because you are pregnant, we want to know your plans so we can support you better. Yes, I just… I am pregnant? Yes. We will see you every 4 weeks, then every 2 weeks, and finally every week. Can I come every day? No. Look at this. Honey, they say I am pregnant, but I still have to wait. Do not worry. One baby is ready to begin the journey. #FightInfertility Do not worry. See you in October.

We are extremely grateful to Dr. O and her team at Shady Grove. Thanks to her unwavering support and dedication, we were finally able to build our family. We highly recommend her and her team to anyone facing the same struggle!

I love this dog!

I have only praise for Dr. Ocharski and the rest of the Shady Grove team. They supported us with tremendous patience and expertise through the hardest part of IVF treatment. Dr. Ocharski is a patient-centered physician who truly cared about me as a person.

I had a very good experience at Shady Grove. Staff were friendly and efficient. Physicians took time in addressing concerns.

I cannot say enough good things about Shady Grove and this location. Dr. O was excellent and thorough when explaining options and next steps, and her bedside manner was very calming. The clinical and front desk staff are the backbone of this practice and could not be better. They get to know you, build relationships, and celebrate victories with you. We were sad when we graduated from the clinic, but we would recommend it and return. I gave only 4/5 stars because the financial coordinator, Annie, was a nightmare. She was rude, aggressive, difficult to communicate with, and seemed to know nothing about finance or insurance despite that being her job title.

Trusting a clinic like this does not require much knowledge about health until you lose a pregnancy and need emergency surgery. This clinic was recommended by Wellspan. The way modern healthcare systems operate is overwhelming. SGF York is run by kind, caring people. But honestly, entrusting a painful and sometimes heartbreaking process to a fast-paced, modern, assembly-line-like system is frightening. All healthcare systems seem this way, including Wellspan/UPMC. I have visited SGF offices in York, Towson, and Rockville, and the staff were kind at each. I was simply accustomed to a family practice where I spoke with two or three people and clearly knew what was happening. This is not the healthcare workers' fault, but the experience is different and can be stressful. You need confidence and trust. Modern science is remarkable, and the doctors here are remarkable.

This practice is extremely friendly and welcoming. Everyone who works there genuinely cares about patients and will do everything possible to help. When deciding which steps to take, I felt heard and like part of the team. I 100% recommend seeking their help.

I cannot say enough good things about Dr. O and the clinic staff! They are all wonderful! Kayei, Emily, Autumn, and Lindsay are excellent! They helped us during our second visit! We are extremely grateful!

Dr. O is an amazing person. This experience would not have been the same without her. She was my greatest blessing during this holiday season. She answered all my questions, stayed with me through every high and low, and hugged me when I cried. I am sad that she cannot accompany me through the rest of my journey. She is genuinely the best doctor I have ever met and worked with. Thank you so much, Dr. O. You are a light, and anyone who works with you is fortunate. My nurse Lindsey was extremely helpful. I swear I must have been the most demanding and anxious person, yet she was always patient and calm. She responded quickly, answered all my questions, and normalized all my fears. I am also very grateful for Autumn's calm and composure. My emotions were always complicated during blood draws, and she was so kind and helpful. Kayci, thank you for always being so positive at the front desk; it put me at ease. Emily, thank you for remaining optimistic and positive through all the highs and lows. I had a wonderful experience with everyone at the York office. You are a lovely group of women during a highly stressful time. Thank you all so much.

We had three unsuccessful intrauterine inseminations (IUI). We then did in vitro fertilization (IVF), became pregnant, and miscarried. I am tired of experiences that end in disappointment. This went on for a year and was a complete waste of time. The doctors do not care about you; they only care about money. We cannot afford another IVF cycle. This was our only attempt, and it ended in heartbreak. Why don't doctors monitor patients more closely and truly care about them? My wife has polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and is high risk, so they should have watched her more closely. We even told Dr. O that my wife had PCOS and needed closer monitoring, but they did not provide it. This only proves that they see you as a number as long as they can make money. They do not care about patients and should have treated us differently. Based on the number of eggs retrieved, I expected a poor outcome. They retrieved only five eggs, and just one was successful because we did PGTA testing. If we had not done pgta testing, the outcome might have been better and our chance of success may have been higher. Perhaps we should have done a fresh embryo transfer and transferred all the eggs. We might have had better luck that way.

The doctors, front desk staff, and nurses are all wonderful and very kind! I can ask any question, and they listen carefully and answer it, making me feel heard and valued. I would give them ten stars if I could.

My initial experience with this facility was very poor, especially because trying to conceive is already stressful. I had an initial consultation with a brief conversation and several recommendations. One concerned weight loss: the doctor mentioned GLP-1 injections and said three months would cost $280. She even wrote down the price, but a nurse later told me the actual cost was more than twice that amount. If I cannot trust the pricing information she provides, how can I entrust my fertility treatment to her? In addition, the consultation was supposed to be free through their referral program, but I received several texts saying they would charge $250 to the card on file. When I called the financial department, they did not know about the referral program and told me to call again in a few days. Overall, my first impression was very poor, and I cannot afford to pay $250 for a brief consultation.

I love this clinic and its staff! Dr. Ochalski and her team are amazing. They are passionate about their work and take pride in it. They always patiently answer all my questions and concerns. I could not ask for a better medical team!

I love visiting the York, Pennsylvania clinic! Dr. O is wonderful. He patiently answered all our questions and explained everything clearly. Autumn is excellent at drawing blood, and Denise explains the findings in detail during ultrasounds. My nurse Rachel is also very responsive and answers portal messages immediately. I would recommend this clinic to anyone nearby!

My experience at Shady Grove York was incredible! Every staff member was attentive and kind and went above and beyond to keep you comfortable, make everything run smoothly, and help you reach your goal. I highly recommend Dr. Ochalski. Special thanks to several women: Autumn G. is a ray of light and always put me at ease during blood draws. Kayci B. is consistently positive and calming and is excellent at scheduling appointments. The entire York team is amazing—words cannot describe them! 10/10! Love them!

For over a year, I have had all my bloodwork and monitoring appointments at Shady Grove's York location. It has been a long journey, but I cannot speak highly enough of the clinic and staff. They are always smiling, quick and efficient, patiently answer every question, and never rush me. I would absolutely recommend this clinic to anyone in the area!

SGF York is amazing! Everyone there is very kind, Dr. O is wonderful, and my nurse was excellent and always answered my questions promptly. Thanks to SGF, my baby is now almost 4 months old! If you have any doubts, don't. Choose SGF York for all your fertility needs!

We began this journey in 2019, shortly after my obstetrician diagnosed me with PCOS and thought it might take us longer to conceive. We tried for 10 months without success, and I missed many cycles. We consulted Shady Grove in Lancaster and were immediately welcomed and reassured by Dr. Ochalski. Initial testing revealed a blocked fallopian tube and hypothyroidism. For 10 months, we tried natural cycles, medicated cycles, and intrauterine insemination (IUI), but still had no success. We took a break in December and, to our surprise, learned in late January that I was pregnant. Shady Grove gladly offered to monitor the pregnancy, but unfortunately I began miscarrying in February, and we then discovered it was an ectopic pregnancy in my open fallopian tube. Dr. O was extremely helpful, compassionate, and caring about our loss; she is truly an amazing person! That June, we began IVF and successfully froze 5 embryos. I needed surgery to remove the blocked fallopian tube, but both tubes were found to be severely damaged and scarred and were removed, leaving me infertile. Although accepting that I would never conceive naturally was very difficult, I remained grateful that we had 5 embryos. Our first transfer was in September, and it worked! My pregnancy and delivery were smooth, and I am grateful to say I have a beautiful, happy, healthy 10-month-old girl named Adaline Grace. None of this would have been possible without my Shady Grove team. Nurse Lindsey provided the very best care, and she and Dr. O make an outstanding care team. I am excited and grateful for the opportunity to work with them again in the future and hope our family can grow even more one day!❤️

Dr. Ochalski is wonderful! She is kind, patient, and personable.

Words cannot describe how wonderful Dr. Ochalski is! She goes above and beyond for her patients. She always takes time to answer our questions and regularly checks in to see how we are doing. Although the journey was not easy, she never let us lose hope! We are finally expecting our little miracle, all thanks to Dr. Ochalski and the team at Shady Grove York!

Dr. O gave us hope and confidence that we could bring our little miracle into the world. She was highly informative, thorough, and compassionate at every step of the process, and we are extremely grateful! 10/10 recommend SGF!!!

The IVF journey is one of the most emotional, vulnerable, and hopeful experiences a person can have—and having the right doctor makes a tremendous difference. I am deeply grateful for the exceptional care, compassion, and expertise Dr. O provided. From the first consultation, she took time to listen—to truly understand our concerns, hopes, and fears. Throughout the process, Dr. O was clear, knowledgeable, and extremely patient, guiding us through the complexities of IVF with grace and confidence.