Laurel Fertility Care- San Francisco

While the doctor and nursing staff were friendly, professional, and helpful, everything else about this clinic is a mess. They forgot to order the correct blood tests on my first sample, so I had to come in again and give another sample. This is unprofessional and I would not trust them with eggs or other samples that are very difficult to obtain.I cant even begin to describe the chaos that working with their billing/customer team is. I had to get on the phone with LabCorp multiple times to undo the double charges and they inputted our names incorrectly on one of our labs, which meant we couldnt access it.We visited in January 2023 and I just received another bill from them in February 2024. No explanation of charges. We have not received any other services in the past 12 months.If you value your time and working with an organized clinic, I unfortunately cannot recommend Laurel Fertility.

I have to agree with several other reviewers comments about how disorganized these folks are. My wifes coordinator would frequently forget to pass along time sensitive changes to her medication, started her on incorrect dosages, mishandled labs, etc.

My fiancee and I used Laurel Fertility in January 23 to do lab work. The in-person staff was great, but everything else was a bit of a nightmare. We were only supposed to have one visit, but due to not running all the tests that we paid for after taking all the samples needed, we had to come back in and give blood again to fulfill those tests. Then because we came in twice, we were charged twice.It took 2-3 months and 10+ phone calls with insurance, Labcorp, and Laurel Fertility to clear up. We then found out in Nov 23, that I had a bill that was never mentioned to me after my insurance decided to not cover my tests, which amounted to $245. I havent seen a breakdown of the bill, never knew it existed, and wasnt able to view it without calling and leaving them a message to receive the bill. On top of it all, all payments have to be done over the phone because the online payment system doesnt work.Overall, I dont think we would go back, but I cant stress how wonderful the staff in person was. The doctors, the people that did the blood samples, etc. We wish it were easier to work with this business when it comes to everything outside the office.

Dr. Smickle is the best!! We had a positive experience with the medical team at Laurel Fertility. We had tried with other clinics in Southern California unsuccessfully. Unfortunately on the administrative and coordinating side of the journey there lacks warmth, empathy, and friendliness.

My husband and I are so grateful for Dr. Smikle and the whole Laurel Fertility team. Navigating infertility can be incredibly emotionally and physically challenging, but Dr. Smikle and his team went above and beyond to help us have the best experience we could have hoped for.

My wife and I have been trying to conceive for the past 10 years and were given the run around with my wife being overweight. We decided to try Laurel Fertility Care and started fertility treatment in 2020. Dr. Epko was awesome and gave us hope. We were saddened to see her leave, but Dr. Smikle was great as well. After 3 failed IUI and 3 IVF (1 was a cancel cycle),we were able to have our little bundle of joy March 2023. We love the team and were welcomed each time. We appreciate the team for their encouragement and positive attitude. Thank you so much!

Dr. Smikle and the entire team at Laurel Fertility were amazing. From our first consultation to our last appointment (which was a pregnancy confirmation visit/graduation). My wife and I had an amazing experience and the entire team made our journey to parenthood a great one. We now have a little girl on the way all thanks to Laurel Fertility and we couldn’t be happier. Thanks for making our dream a reality!

Laurel Fertility, and Dr. Collin Smikle provided individualized, attentive, and knowledgeable care. Dr. Smikle stood out, as personally invested, available, for me, as a patient. I highly recommend Laurel Fertility Care.

Everyone at Laurel is so nice and encouraging. I just started working with them and they’ve been incredibly supportive. My nurse is extremely helpful and is so quick to respond everyone I have a question. It’s so good to know that they look out for me! I came here from a different clinic which I’m so grateful that I did. I look forward to having them by my side throughout this journey!

Low key and down to earth. The staff were so kind and real and you saw the entire team having fun with each other and with the doctors. This made me feel at home, comfortable and in safe hands. I felt listened to, supported and heard through a difficult to navigate time in my life. We have our daughter thanks to the incredible team at Laurel Fertility!

Very positive experience. Dr Smikle took into close care my personal goals and medical history to give me the best outcome. Nurses were informative, responsive and comforting when needed. Highly recommend.

Update: I am still getting phone calls about collecting payments that I was never informed I would need to pay. This happened frequently throughout my treatment. Not telling me when I would have to pay and how much prior my appointment. And no, Im sorry that happened doesnt make it okay or better.While my treatment didnt end in pregnancy i am happy with my overall experience. I enjoyed working with Dr. Smikle, he listened and most importantly always ensured he answered any questions I had. Treatment was really determined on what we wanted or needed. All the nurses were also great and easy to reach and always very responsive.When I called reception majority of the time there was no answer and never a call back when I left a message. It was challenging to reach the nurses or billing when I would call in.I had the most challenges with billing, it was nearly impossible to talk with someone which is a huge deal. I rarely got calls back or replies via portal without continuously trying. When I was able to talk with someone it was Grace everytime and she was great and helped me understand everytime. But reaching anyone was far and few between.A super minor thing I wish was different is the portal messaging. It would have made a little bit easier to communicate if messaging wasnt only one way from the patients end.

I start my procedure in Laurel Fertility weeks ago but later i noticed that they are not professionals doctors. Dr Smikle did my treatment and ending up with failure. While I was in my treatment doctor and nurses told me that everything is going well but then they fail. Dr Smikle telling me that “my eggs was not mature enough” I hear these words when I was fully done with my procedure. Dr Smikle should let me know before but no he didn’t he is a failure doctor. I’m not satisfied with this clinic. I wish I could done my treatment in different fertility clinic.

I wish I could give Dr. Ekpo and her team more stars and recognition for all they’ve done for my husband and I. I’ve had issues with fertility for years, I went to other fertility specialist who were not able to answer my biggest concerns and I wasn’t getting pregnant, until I decided to go to Laurel Fertility. Dr.Ekpo, Donna, and her entire team are just amazing. The first day we met with her we felt every single question was answered to the smallest detail, she even drew out a diagram of all of my concerns and what would take place while she was helping us with IVF. I suffer from PCOS, and it’s taken us years to try and get pregnant. We had previously tried IUI with a prior provider and nothing came of it and we suspected it might have to do with my Fallopian tubes. When we sat with Dr.Ekpo she suggested IVF which is something we wanted to do. During my first ultrasound with her as to see what was going on in my body she instantly saw I had PCOS, no doctor has been able to indicate how they know or what the cause of my infertility was until her, and she had no prior knowledge of it. She explained how she knew and let us know her suggestions along with her concerns. To keep it short she got us pregnant on our second try with her. I can’t thank her and the Laurel team enough for their positive attitudes and finally getting us pregnant. She is the nicest most honest doctor I’ve been to and her nurses, Donna, Anna, And Michele (hope I’m not missing anyone) were very helpful with everything. Donna and Anna were there through both my retrieval’s and made sure I was feeling well with daily calls and checkups. I wish we could have been able to give Dr. Ekpo and her team a hug for brining such a blessing to us. There’s no other place I’d recommend if you’re looking for a fertility doctor. I’m currently 9 weeks pregnant and that is all thanks to Dr. Ekpo and the entire staff at Laurel Fertility

Dr. Smikle and his team are amazing! Because of him and his associates both in Modesto and SF we had a successful IUI and brought our handsome and healthy rainbow baby home. We cannot thank them enough! Forever grateful 🙏🏼

To whom it may concern, I was a patient of this clinic, and not only the service is bad, but also the prices. To give an example, we are in 2021 and they have sent me a payment invoice for 2019 of some supposed analysis that I did and supposedly would be completely covered by my insurance, at least that was what they told me with the worst of the intentions. I also paid for my pregnancy analysis in cash because they told me that it would be a single payment if I did it in cash and it was also a lie since they sent me another payment for that Analysis that I had paid for. I also have photos of the dates and everything I am saying, I hope this information helps you and helps you something,

Horrible customer service and they swindle you... after calling to request an appointment. They sent me paperwork and request insurance information. Everything was filled out before the appointment. Got to site. They requested a picture and drivers license. I did not want to do either. Not one single paper said that a copy of my drivers license or photo was a requirement for the appointment. So customer service calls with an attitude to tell me they have to cancel because theres no photo even though I checked in. I said thats fine. Then she said we are gonna charge you. I said youre gonna charge me and you canceled the appt while Im here?! They said said yes because theres no photo which is not required by law or by the company because it wasnt in any of the paperwork. They took my credit card, both my insurance cards and my person info before making the appointment. Not once did they ask for my picture ID. Liars and scammers. Be prepared to get taken for money. They clearly use your ID for repercussions like credit reporting, blocking assistance or miscellaneous charges. Not safe!!

Dr. Smikle seemed very knowledgeable in the field, just not the most competent or skilled at communicating the data and communicating in general with a patient. He was very abrupt, and kept repeating the same information when more specific questions were asked - that I have higher chances of success because of my age. The clinic is not research-based from what my husband and I could tell, and definitely not up-to-date (let alone clean..!).The clinic relies on older methods and beliefs that uses heavier pain medications and antibiotics (specifically for egg retrievals) that we later found out was an outdated practice. I was uncomfortable with the heavier pain medications but was informed that it is a standard practice to help women relax.We had several instances where we were trying to contact specific people for information and we later found out that they were busy making marketing materials instead of providing care to their current patients (--Please prioritize current patients over possible future ones!) Their financial practice is also sketchy at best - my husband and I were overcharged for some simple lab tests and caused so much stress and added anxiety to the whole process.The rude receptionists, rushed and disorganized staff, lack of communication, lack of availability for consultation, and overall poor bedside manner made the entire experience more stressful and traumatizing than IVF is already expected to be.I cannot emphasize enough for future patients - PLEASE choose a different clinic if you can!

Without dr. Ekpo and the kind staff at laurel fertility I wouldn’t have my precious angel baby. We tried for years and when we couldn’t get a diagnosis it was really hard! But dr ekpo gave us options and worked with us and we got pregnant!!! I would recommend Laurel fertility to everyone!

The staff is very thoughtful and well prepared. Dr. Smikle and the nurses are very knowledgeable and positive about treatment outcomes. The billing sector is quite messy, though.

Communication is poor, and the care is not state of the art. They also refuse to work with a secondary insurance provider.Id recommend looking elsewhere for care. Weve had a much better experience at Stanford.

The worst experience of my life.Rudeness & Mumbo jumboMy wife & I asked all the right questions just to get seen they’ll lie over the phone .Next thing we knew , I was reaching in my pocket for 370 bucks for ppw/bw we had to fill out.My wife is a New Yorker & would not allow nothing of the sort.She was at the exit door telling meLETS GO !!!!Well we left & are headed to Walnut Creek Fertility where they aren’t asking for any monies for paperwork or blood work.We will see .Stay tuned

My Wife and I started with Dr Ekpo and she and her staff were very professional and was totally upfront with the costs and the procedures. We now have baby Joshua and we are very happy and would highly recommend LFC.

Hi my name.is mely v. And dont have a word to tku doc. Smikle..and all the staff.. on 2015 my dream become true.. and I get pregnant off twins the bigger miracle and the great opportunity from.God to continue seeing my kids.. Doc. Smikle..really help my work hard and patience 🙏for making this possible..after 3 fell my world collapse and after months surgery and all you see was needless the hope come and here are Dany and javi..Miracle can bappens..Tks.to all..Villicana

They are the best team!! Dr.Smikle and his team are the best my baby is now 1month and 3 weeks and we are planning to have another very soon with the same Dr.

I couldnt had asked for a better staff and team and support .Thank you for such a wonderful experience with the ups and downs after trying with other fertility clinics .This was my last resort and Dr Smikle was confident and making our miracle happenWe are happy to announce we are 8 months pregnant with a little boy IsraelThank you once againLaurel Fertility staff

Were overjoyed with our little bundle of sleepless nights, heart melting smiles, endless spit up, and of course joy. We had some misunderstanding regarding storage of additional embryo, but it seems sorted.

Dr Ekpo - helped us get pregnant with our first daughter and now we’re hoping for a second! Amazing from start to finish.

I have 18 year old twins. Thank you Dr. Smikle!

Rude, uncaring doctors. It can’t get much worse than this, so I suggest going somewhere else.

How much does how much to cost what donor for sperm donor I can I bring my own service animal with me hes supposed to go with me everywhere I go to the doctor I supposed to have them I have an ID so let me know

The best team ever! Thank you guys for all your support and help.

It doesn’t worth it to spend your money on Laurel Fertility clinic

Very shady group of people, zero client care or compassion