UW Health Generations Fertility Care Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Clinic, United States

I've been with UW FCC for several years now, and I'm honestly quite surprised by many of these reviews. I work in healthcare, which may give me a different perspective, but I have recommended this clinic and will continue to do so. I think managing expectations is a major part of the process. There simply are not enough specialty clinics to handle the number of patients, and this is not unique to UW FCC. That said, although the waitlist is long, once you have been seen, you are placed on high-priority waitlists. Does this require flexibility for last-minute openings? Absolutely, but I have never had to wait until my originally scheduled appointment to be seen. The front-desk scheduling staff have always been amazing. I know it is easy to become frustrated when you hear how far out appointments are being scheduled, but it is not their fault. Please give them grace; they do their best to get you seen. I have been on their side of the call as a telephone triage RN, and it is hard when there are no appointments and a caller becomes upset. If you have experienced infertility for any length of time, you know the waiting is the worst part. Watching time pass and life move forward while feeling stuck and wondering whether your turn will ever come is the hardest thing I have ever done. But the schedulers, nurses, and medical assistants have all been wonderful and understand how sensitive this journey is. They have seen so many people go through it and still show compassion. One difficult aspect of infertility is that insurance does not cover it. I have had no issues with the billing staff here. They are upfront about costs and try to submit charges to insurance first. This clinic's costs are comparable to those of most other fertility clinics I have seen. Insurance companies are extremely cautious about covering anything that may be related to infertility because it is not considered "medically necessary." Let us focus on changing that. Finally, the providers here are talented and excellent doctors. I always bring questions, and they answer them with thorough explanations. Dr. Bahavath can sometimes be more direct than my sensitive heart can handle, but I personally think he is brilliant. Dr. Cooney is kind and highly intelligent. These doctors do not sugarcoat things. Their work is guided by scientific evidence. If they do not think something is appropriate or necessary, their decisions are backed by extensive knowledge. I truly believe this clinic does its best for its patients. Is it always perfect? No, but they try, and that is what ultimately matters.

If I could give zero stars, I would. I had the same problems mentioned in other reviews: terrible communication, chaotic billing, and several doctors who could not be bothered to review your chart before surgery. Stay away from this clinic.

I was ultimately successful, for which I am grateful. However, I was not satisfied with the overall quality of care I received. Throughout my care, I often felt a lack of emotional support, especially from some nursing staff. The voicemails and initial communications I received felt cold or dismissive, making me feel more like a burden than a patient who deserved patience, empathy, and clear communication during such a complex and emotional journey. I also used the hospital's therapy services but did not find them helpful. Based on my experience and therapy I had previously received elsewhere, I felt that this support was ineffective and not well suited to patients going through such a difficult process. Others I know with similar experiences felt the same way. When I sought clarification to help make important medical decisions, I was often told that my questions ‘should be asked of a doctor,’ without any useful follow-up to get them answered. This was frustrating and left me confused at critical moments. There were also communication problems involving medication timing and instructions. At times, this lack of clarity caused unnecessary stress and nearly affected important treatment timing. Because I did not consistently see the same doctor, communication sometimes felt fragmented, and details in my medical record often seemed to be misunderstood or overlooked. The doctors' attitudes also varied—some were supportive, while others were not. Although I am grateful for the final outcome, I was disappointed with the overall experience and the communication, coordination, and emotional support provided.

Once you join the waiting list, you will likely wait a year for an opening. Dr. Koo and Dr. Sood are skilled and kind. In theory, seeing a psychologist after the other doctors could be helpful. (In my personal experience—and I have seen hundreds of doctors, therapists, prescribers, and nurses for various conditions—Dr. Zweifel can be dangerous for some patients because she is unprepared for her role. Let me explain: she is a very warm and kind white woman who clearly wants to help people. However, when the answers to her many probing questions clearly require culturally sensitive support, involve chronic illness or body dysmorphia—which is common with PCOS symptoms such as hirsutism, weight fluctuations, and hair loss—or involve trauma from medical care, which is widespread among PCOS patients, she is clearly out of her depth. Yet that does not stop her from continuing to probe. After you have cried for an hour and she realizes she cannot help, she asks whether it is time to end the conversation, like a surgeon walking away after cutting a patient open, and you say yes because you simply want the pain to end.)

Worst place ever. If you are undergoing infertility treatment, find a consistent team that works with you throughout. Every time I had IUI, I saw different doctors who asked the same questions even though the answers were in my chart. At both consultations, doctors said I had PCOS and then said I needed an egg donor. I sought a second opinion, and that doctor reviewed my labs and said I did not have PCOS and that recommending an egg donor was premature. The doctor was very condescending and showed no sympathy. The saddest part was that it took the 4th doctor at this clinic to say I did not have PCOS. The 4th doctor—why? By then, I already knew from my 2nd opinion. I am now grateful to be pregnant naturally. Most of these doctors do not want to help; it is all about money and getting you in and out. Even with low odds, you still have a chance, so seek a second opinion at another clinic. Know your worth; this is not the only clinic. Unless they change some of the doctors, I will never recommend them.

Everything we needed most happened here! First, Megan made my HSG very smooth. I had been afraid of the procedure, but the staff helped ease my anxiety, communicated clearly, and completed it quickly and professionally. Second, our first IUI worked!!!! We have PCOS and male-factor infertility, but the staff completed our HSG and IUI in one cycle. Jasmine was also wonderful. Scheduling the HSG between my long PCOS cycles was difficult. It now appears doctors are becoming more available. Communication about my personal health history also sometimes seemed reduced between different doctors. However, when I spoke up, I felt heard and understood. The nurses were very friendly on the phone and genuinely wanted us to succeed. Every procedure I had here went smoothly. I am extremely grateful, because without them we would not be starting the next chapter of our lives. Thank you!

The psychologist/psychiatrist told me that I had attempted suicide by hanging several years ago, which I had never done. But what truly bothered me was the way she spoke. She said this within the first few minutes of the consultation, as though she could not wait to say it. It is better to establish at least some rapport before raising sensitive subjects. Her tone was also harsh and not gentle. I attended school for psychology and have interacted with many people in psychology/mental health, and I was shocked by the way she spoke to and treated me. I have had depression throughout my life, and neither I nor anyone else should be made to feel ashamed of that. No one should finish a psychological consultation feeling the way I did. In addition, special sensitivity should be used when conducting psychological consultations at a fertility clinic, because the client/patient may have longed for pregnancy for a considerable time—in my case, more than 10 years—which is painful enough. No one wants their psychiatric history to become another reason they cannot become pregnant. It is reasonable to ensure that people are mentally stable and healthy before helping them conceive, but this can and should be done more gently. In addition, immediately after an HSG performed by a PA, I was told rather harshly that I had many polyps and that one of my fallopian tubes would need to be removed. There was little bedside manner. After receiving care at another clinic, I learned that this was untrue. Both of my fallopian tubes were fine, and I had no polyps or anything else. One week later, the doctor called after reviewing the HSG results. He told me there was a lot of “stuff” going on inside me, but he did not know what it was—polyps or something else. He did not know, yet made it sound like an extremely unusual and severe case, as though he had never seen anything like it. The conversation was extremely unclear but also frightening. He repeatedly said he did not think it was cancer, which actually made me worry about cancer when I never had before, because he kept using the word and sounded almost as though he were trying to reassure himself that it was not cancer. He was also eating during the brief phone call. Again, I did not have any polyps, growths, or anything else. I also found communication poor throughout my entire experience there. I recommend not going to Generations. If you do, I hope your experience is better than mine.

The listed business hours for this clinic are incorrect. The hours are Monday through Friday, 0700-1615, and Saturday and Sunday, 0700-1100.

I underwent 3 IUIs. Each time, I called to report the start of my period and was advised to schedule the next procedure, but although the nurses and providers reviewed each previous chart, they did not examine my data closely enough to recognize that my period was starting too early. At an appointment at another location, I learned that low progesterone was the most likely cause. Sure enough, my progesterone had been consistently low and could not support a pregnancy. I have taken progesterone supplements ever since. I wasted time, more than $2,000, and emotional energy at Generations.

Their billing department is definitely involved in some questionable practices. It is absolutely absurd how much energy and time you have taken from me as I tried to remove charges for laboratory tests performed without my knowledge at another clinic, tests that were done for entirely different purposes. I cannot emphasize enough that these people are impossible to communicate with. Honestly, they have completely destroyed my trust in the entire Washington University system, let alone this ridiculous clinic.

I will never make an appointment there again. On my way in, an extremely aggressive employee tried to cut off my car and nearly caused several accidents. When I realized the person was entering the clinic and was actually an employee, I decided this was not where I wanted help with my fertility journey and having a child. Please be careful. They may seem kind in person or by phone, but they are dangerous even outside the clinic. I am glad I have a dashboard camera that I can use to file a report.

We would not have our family without the help of Dr. Cuni and her staff. We will always be grateful for her compassionate care and expertise. Dr. Stanic is also wonderful. I faced many challenges throughout my journey, but there were always encouraging and helpful staff along the way. I highly recommend GFC and will always be grateful for their care.

I had an elective hysterectomy with Dr. Bhagavath at Generations because of fibroids and the complications they caused. I found Dr. Bhagavath to be a kind, compassionate, and knowledgeable physician with a strong commitment to informed consent. I visited the clinic several times for related care before surgery and was always treated with respect. My surgery was successful and my recovery went smoothly. I am very grateful for the care provided by Dr. Bhagavath and the Generations team.

One of the most frustrating problems I encountered at this clinic was the extremely long wait for fertility treatment due to understaffing. Established patients often have to wait more than 5 months for various treatments, an intolerable delay for anyone facing fertility challenges. These long waits greatly disrupt treatment and cause patients unnecessary stress and anxiety. Worse, the clinic failed to communicate the backlog proactively. I was not told about the IVF waitlist of more than 5 months until I was ready to schedule treatment, leaving me stranded and forcing me to postpone my plans for another 5 months. Effective communication is essential in healthcare, especially for time-sensitive care such as fertility treatment. Patients should be told at the start of their IUI journey that IVF appointments are more than 5 months out so they can plan ahead for next steps and schedule the required IVF consultation, testing, and other appointments. Now I am stuck with nothing to do and no interim treatment options for more than 5 months, until I reach the front of their long IVF waitlist. The clinic is also severely understaffed. They have only one urologist, which is nowhere near enough to meet patient demand. This limited availability not only creates excessive waits but also reduces the quality of care patients receive. Such limited resources are unacceptable for this type of clinic and reflect poorly on its commitment to patient care. Even more frustrating is the disturbing frequency of canceled appointments. My appointment with the physician was canceled, putting me back at square one and facing another wait of more than 4-5 months. This lack of reliability is incredibly frustrating and leaves patients feeling neglected and undervalued. Overall, Generations has repeatedly shown a lack of organization, communication, and commitment to patient care. I strongly advise anyone considering its services to look elsewhere for a clinic that genuinely prioritizes patient needs. This experience was a major setback in my fertility journey, and I hope others can avoid the same pitfalls by seeking care from a more reliable facility.

I would never recommend returning here and strongly discourage friends, family, and colleagues from doing so. The staff were extremely unresponsive and incompetent: dismissive of my miscarriage history, insensitive in their bedside manner, and disorganized. The OB-GYN never saw me or had any discussion with me.

As others have mentioned, Generations has scheduling problems. We scheduled a consultation in January for October. It was rescheduled and postponed several times, including the day before our appointment. Very unprofessional! Edit: I called the number Generations posted in response to my review, waited 5-10 minutes, and was sent to voicemail. Truly terrible customer service!