Shady Grove Fertility - Atlanta

Karen Feagin, RN – OR/PACU Nurse, deserves every bit of recognition possible. My wife, Shanita, was under Karen’s care, and I cannot say enough about the level of compassion, professionalism, attentiveness, and genuine kindness Karen showed her. Going through fertility treatment can already be an emotional and physically demanding experience, and having someone like Karen caring for my wife made a tremendous difference. Karen didn’t simply do her job, she went above and beyond to make sure Shanita was comfortable, safe, reassured, and truly cared for. She was attentive to the little things, communicated with us clearly, treated Shanita with dignity and compassion, and gave us the feeling that we weren’t just another patient and family moving through the process. As a husband, there is nothing more important to me than knowing my wife is in good hands when I cannot personally take care of her. Karen gave me that confidence. You can tell that nursing is more than a profession to her; she genuinely cares about the people she serves. Shady Grove Fertility is fortunate to have someone like Karen Feagin, RN representing its team. Employees who consistently provide this level of care should be recognized, rewarded, and retained. Someone needs to give this woman a pay raise and a promotion because she has absolutely earned it. Karen, thank you for taking such wonderful care of Shanita. Thank you for your patience, your kindness, your professionalism, and for making an important day in our journey a little easier. Our family genuinely appreciates you, and we will remember the way you treated us. Five stars are not enough.

Shady Grove has been such a wonderful place and has such a wonderful and caring staff. I was running late for my procedure and they called me and did all my pre procedure interview over the phone while I was stuck in stand still traffic.…...

I found the OR team consisting of, Jimina, Karen, Ira, Shernique and Dr. Jiang made me feel comfortable during my egg retrieval. I didn’t feel rushed and my questions were answered. It was a smooth process overall. My family member was able…...

I rarely leave negative reviews, but fertility treatment is far too personal, expensive, and time-sensitive for patients to feel this unsupported. Unfortunately, my biggest takeaway from this center is that I did not feel cared for. Communication has been consistently frustrating. Getting clear answers feels like pulling teeth, portal responses can take 24 hours, and actually speaking with someone often requires specifically requesting a phone call. We were even told that because we'd previously done IUI, they assumed we didn't need the "bells and whistles" and were essentially just "filling in the blanks." We may have previous fertility experience, but we were new patients to this practice and deserved a clear explanation of their process from the beginning. The entire treatment roadmap was never clearly defined upfront. Instead, we seemed to learn about requirements and next steps only when we asked. Everything is required to be paid upfront, which we did without issue. Money isn't the problem—time is. Fertility treatment is time-sensitive, and patients shouldn't have to continuously chase information to understand what happens next. The experience unfortunately began to feel more transactional than patient-centered. There also appears to be poor internal communication. We were told a 40-minute third-party genetic consultation had to be completed before treatment/medication. We completed it promptly on Monday and notified the office through the portal. By Thursday, someone from nursing called asking whether we'd even scheduled it. Patients should not have to act as the communication bridge between a practice's administrative and nursing teams. I became frustrated enough to request a refund, and only then was I finally able to speak directly with the doctor I specifically sought out. She was reassuring, explained things, and addressed some of my anxiety and disappointment. We decided to continue since we'd already paid, but I shouldn't have had to reach the point of requesting my money back to receive that level of communication. Ordering donor sperm created yet another unnecessary problem. We were specifically warned to verify the shipping address because sperm can be sent to the wrong location. When we went through Fairfax, however, Dr. McCarthy-Keith was associated with another fertility center/address, and Fairfax indicated that only the physician could update it. Being warned about this beforehand made it even more frustrating because it suggested this was a known potential issue, yet the information still hadn't been corrected—once again leaving the patient responsible for catching the discrepancy. I was also uncomfortable with an interaction regarding my future birth preferences. I was given a list of hospitals, and when I mentioned being interested in a birth center/home birth and natural delivery, I noticed an immediate change in facial expression and tone. I welcome evidence-based medical advice and discussions about risks, but patients should be able to discuss their preferences without feeling judged. I don't expect hand-holding or 24/7 access. I expect clear communication, an upfront treatment roadmap, accurate administrative information, coordination between departments, and respectful conversations about my care. Communication isn't a "bell and whistle." Communication is part of patient care. Fertility treatment already carries enough emotional and logistical stress; patients shouldn't have to add chasing answers, catching administrative errors, and coordinating the practice's own departments to that burden. Unfortunately, despite doing everything asked of us promptly and paying everything required upfront, this experience has repeatedly left me feeling more like a transaction than a patient being cared for.

I love Ms. Marcy, she the anesthesiologist. She had me smiling the entire time. She is amazing.

I strongly caution anyone considering Shady Grove Fertility, particularly Dr. Pavna Brahma, based on my experience with both how my medical care was managed and how SGF leadership handled my concerns afterward. I underwent three egg retrievals with SGF and spent more than $37,000 out of pocket, with suboptimal results. I fully understand fertility treatment comes with no guarantees. My concerns are about serious issues with the management and coordination of my care, followed by months of failed follow-up and ultimately no resolution from SGF leadership. I have known, manageable, and disclosed hypothyroidism, yet my thyroid was not monitored throughout my months of treatment. During what was supposed to be my fourth retrieval, an unrelated medical appointment found my TSH significantly elevated at 6.78. Given the importance of thyroid function in fertility and reproductive care, discovering this after three retrievals was extremely concerning. I immediately shared the result with SGF. An RN told me they typically do not proceed with treatment until TSH is below 2.5. Dr. Brahma agreed my level was elevated, advised me to work with my PCP/endocrinologist, and suggested skipping the cycle. Based on this guidance, I confirmed with the RN that I should stop my medications, and subsequently this cycle, while addressing my thyroid. When I met with Dr. Brahma nearly a week later, however, she told me SGF’s 2.5 TSH threshold applies to embryo transfers, not egg retrievals. This raised serious concerns about whether my treatment plan had been thoroughly reviewed before I was advised to stop medications. Later that same day, Dr. Brahma called and said my 6.78 TSH result was actually unreliable because I had been taking estrogen and that the elevation was not unexpected—completely contradicting her earlier review and advice. I was left trying to understand how my TSH could initially be concerning enough to stop treatment and involve my PCP/endocrinologist, then be told the threshold didn’t apply to my treatment, and finally that the result itself wasn’t reliable. As a patient undergoing hormone treatment, I should not have been put in the position of reconciling contradictory clinical guidance or deciding for myself whether to continue treatment. As a result of this contradictory guidance, I stopped the cycle after already spending more than $3,000 on fertility medications, much of which would expire before I could use it. When I raised my concerns with Dr. Brahma, I was extremely disappointed by her response and what I experienced as a lack of accountability, understanding, or willingness to work toward a solution. Unfortunately, SGF leadership’s handling of my concerns afterward was even more unacceptable. I spent months trying to resolve this privately before posting publicly. After initially speaking with administrator Shaval Kinard, I was told my complaint would be overseen and addressed. That did not happen. Over the following months, I repeatedly followed up, including six separate voicemails that went unanswered and portal messages that received no meaningful response. Eventually, communication stopped altogether, and I never received any resolution. I work in healthcare operations. I understand mistakes and communication failures can happen in healthcare. What I cannot understand is allowing a serious patient complaint to remain unresolved for months while the patient repeatedly seeks follow-up. That is completely inexcusable to me. After three retrievals, $37,000+, serious concerns about my care under Dr. Brahma, contradictory clinical guidance, unanswered calls, months of escalation, and ultimately no resolution from leadership, I have zero trust in Shady Grove Fertility. Patients considering SGF should ask not only how their medical care will be monitored and coordinated, but what accountability they can expect if something goes wrong. Based on my experience, I strongly encourage prospective patients to look elsewhere.

Nadja made me smile a lot for my egg retrieval day. We met in the elevator and complimented each other with smiles - and then when I went to my room for prep - Nadja introduced herself as my nurse. We had an instant connection and she made…...

The team has a great bedside manner, were very accommodating and caring

Pains me to leave this review but I would not recommend shady grove. If you’re seeking a fertility specialist, it usually means you’re already facing something that comes naturally for many others. It’s an incredibly vulnerable and emotional place to be, which is why I was so disappointed with my experience at Shady Grove. My initial consultation was okay, although I didn’t feel there was much bedside manner. I was reassured that the doctors were among the best, so I trusted the process. Unfortunately, from that point on, my experience became one frustration after another. I was incorrectly billed because the financial department failed to do its due diligence and check with my insurance d. Then, without any communication or transition, my physician, Dr. Bramha, went on indefinite leave. While she had only been involved in my initial consultation, I was never given a replacement doctor or someone to discuss my care with. Instead, I spent months going through mock cycles and unnecessary appointments with very little explanation. I completed three mock cycles because they couldn’t determine the appropriate medication protocol. I would show up for ultrasounds feeling defeated, with no physician available to answer questions, review my progress, or provide guidance. At that point, it felt like I was simply moving through an expensive process without anyone truly overseeing my care. The only consistently positive part of my experience was the kindness shown by the woman who drew my blood and the ultrasound technician. They were compassionate and made an otherwise difficult experience a little easier. What was most frustrating was the lack of transparency. When I asked whether there were any grants or financial assistance programs available, I was immediately told no. After doing my own research, I discovered there were actually several grants available specifically for Shady Grove patients. That felt representative of my overall experience—having to find answers on my own instead of being supported by the clinic that was charging us an arm and a leg for essentially nothing. Fertility treatment is already emotionally, physically, and financially exhausting. Patients deserve clear communication, compassionate care, and honest guidance. Unfortunately, I did not receive that at Shady Grove, and I cannot recommend this practice based on my experience. Additionally, give yourself 6 weeks to get any kind of medical records to pass along.

This staff is here are just great and caring people. Nurse Quiana is just a wonderful and special person.