Southern California Reproductive Center (SCRC)

Red flags on red flags. No phone line, the emails get answered in weeks, if answered at all. After 1,5 months of back and forth which caused potential appointment time being delayed by months - still no scheduled appointment. And after that they had the nerve to gas light and blame it all on you (I asked 3 times to confirm appointment and yet to hear from them a week later.)

I don’t think it’s a good idea to be dealing on such sensitive matter with such unorganized and unprofessional team. Don’t know about you but that’s enough information for me to know to not move ahead with them. Wouldn’t recommend wasting your time.

This was the best decision I ever made in my life. We didn’t even try to conceive naturally. I’m 34 years old and I wanted an effective, controlled pregnancy where I would have answers as early as possible. That’s exactly what I got with SCRC. Dr. Surrey was recommended to me by a friend whose IVF worked on the first try and mine was no different. Dr. Surrey has one of the highest success rates in the country. He’s a no nonsense doctor who is all about results. His nursing staff strikes the perfect combination of professionalism and compassion and treated us like family. Absolutely 100% recommend to anybody who wants a short easy path to a successful pregnancy.

After spending 3 years undergoing unsuccessful fertility treatments at UCLA, I researched the highest live birth rates in Southern California fertility clinics, and that's how I found Southern California Reproductive Center. I spent another six months following a couple of their doctors on Instagram, and tuning into their free live webinars, and I soon realized I had found my clinic.

From the moment I walked into SCRC, the energy just felt different. I no longer felt like I was just another number. I'd often wait 1-2 hours at UCLA to be seen. But at SCRC, I was treated respectfully, like a human being. The front staff were extremely welcoming. I never waited more than 10 minutes to be seen for any treatment.

The only surprise I had was that I didn't realize I wouldn't actually meet my Reproductive Endocrinologist until the third or fourth appt - but that was standard - all of the initial bloodwork and ultrasounds were done by technicians or medical assistants. However, once the data came in, we had our first appt with Dr. Ghadir.

I absolutely LOVED Dr. Ghadir. I chose him based on his Instagram account, to be honest. He seemed so personable, while remaining realistic, but still very sensitive. The fact that he and his wife had gone through IVF themselves really sealed the deal for me. He was kind, empathetic, and one of my biggest cheerleaders. By the end of our 9 month journey, he and his team felt like family.

Speaking of which. I have NEVER felt more support by a clinical team! Angela and Nareh were my saving grace. IVF is one of the hardest challenges I've ever faced. And those two angels were there for me EVERY step of the way! They answered every single question (big or small), within hours of sending a message. If I had something that was urgent, they'd immediately call me to ease my worry. I'm an A-type, Virgo, Producer.so I worry about EVERY DETAIL. It's part of my job. They made sure to give me all the details, and then when I still didn't understand the details (again, IVF is super overwhelming), they would re-answer my question time and time again. Their patience was unbelievable. I'm forever grateful for these two.

I also LOVED the nurses who took my bloodwork. They were both so supportive. Every time I saw them, they were rooting for me. Such a fresh of breath air from your average LabCorp technician!

If you've spend months researching a clinic, look no further. Their CDC rates are high. Their wait times are minimal. Their bedside manner is incredible. They're honest, and just want the best for you. They're everything you need in a fertility clinic.

We chose every add-on treatment possible to increase our chances of a successful pregnancy - Zymot Chip, ICSI, Embryoscope, ERA Mock Cycle, PGT-A genetic testing, etc. It wasn't cheap, as I paid out of pocket (my employer insurance didn't cover anything, unfortunately). But I can happily report.it worked! **Note: EVERY woman's body is different. I have "unexplained infertility, " but on paper, everything works. I'm 38 years old, and I retrieved 20 eggs total. 13 Matured. 8 made it to embryos, and then 4 genetically normal embryos. I am currently 17 weeks pregnant:)

While the price tag was high (as are all IVF clinics). IT WORKED. And there isn't a day that goes by that I regret spending the money to start our little family. Money will come and go. But having the incredible medical help to create a family is priceless.

I wish you nothing but success on your fertility journey! And I hope you decide to go with SCRC! Xo

I started my fertility journey with SCRC and Dr. Ghadir in May of 2022. After one year of trying to conceive with no success, my gynecologist referred me to Dr. Ghadir for an HSG exam. I remember entering the exam room and feeling very overwhelmed with nerves and emotion. Luckily, Nareh, one of Dr. Ghadir's nurses, was so compassionate and kind and she reassured me that everything would be okay. And when Dr. Ghadir entered the room to do the exam he also comforted me and made me feel so much better by talking me through each step. The whole procedure was something I had been building up in my head as something really scary and it was ultimately a relatively pain free and very simple experience, thanks to Dr. Ghadir.

After a few months, we made the decision to move forward with the next step in our fertility journey: IUI. I was not sure what to expect but Dr. Ghadir and the entire SCRC team helped me to remain positive throughout my entire experience. After two unsuccessful IUI cycles, I had one more attempt before we had to consider moving on to IVF. Dr. Ghadir recommended a double IUI for my last cycle and this one resulted in a pregnancy! I extend my deepest gratitude to the entire SCRC team and to Dr. Ghadir and his nursing staff. Nareh and Angela were always patient in answering all of my questions. It's a busy practice so leaving phone messages was the norm but someone always called me back the same day. From the first floor reception staff - including Daisy at the front desk and Maria and Anelle who handled my bloodwork, to the 5th floor staff, especially Crystal - everyone was so nice and always greeted me with a smile.

Once pregnant, I was monitored by Dr. Ghadir during weekly appointments until I reached the milestone of 10 weeks and "graduated" from SCRC. Dr. Ghadir and his entire staff genuinely celebrated our success, and I cannot express enough gratitude for their invaluable guidance during this challenging period of my life. It's difficult to maintain hope, but I trusted the process and, more importantly, I had complete faith in Dr. Ghadir's expertise and knowledge. He has shown me compassion and genuine caring from day one, qualities that are so important when looking for a fertility doctor. I cannot recommend him enough!

My husband and I struggled with infertility for over 8 years before we finally decided to see a reproductive specialist. SCRC exceeded all of our expectations. Dr. Alexander and her team helped us create a miracle. I'm currently holding my 2 month old son, something I didn't think would ever happen for me. Dr. Alexander communicated with us quickly and took the time to make us feel like she truly cared about our situation. The lab staff was amazing and I enjoyed speaking with them at each of my visits. It was really a wonderful experience and we will definitely be utilizing them to help us continue to grow our family.

I was referred to Dr. Akopians by my OB after my husband and I were told the best shot at us having a baby was to do IVF. From our first consultation with Dr. Akopians to our very last appointment, she and her team at SCRC had been nothing short of incredible during the ups and downs of our treatment. Everyone my husband and I worked with at SCRC including the receptionists, ultrasound techs, and especially the nurses were very compassionate, patient and thorough with every step of the process.
Both Dr. Akopians and her amazing nurse, Julia, were always very clear with their directions and on top of what needed to get done, and were always available to answer any questions I had (there were many and I never felt bad asking them, they were that nice about it)! Julia, especially was always so kind, knowledgeable and supportive during my months of treatment.
Dr. Akopians and Julia charted a treatment plan for me to maximize my chances for a positive outcome, and made the best decisions for the process. This included doing the transfer prep twice as I didn't look quite ready the first time and rather than rushing ahead, they decided to take a step back and try a different protocol, which resulted in a successful transfer! We welcomed our baby girl in April, and I'm so thankful to the entire team at SCRC for their kindness and support during our fertility journey.

I have been working with Dr. A and SCRC for more than a year. By far this is the best practice I’ve ever experienced working with. Dr. A and team are the most compassionate individuals to work with. I look forward to being able to work with them again in the coming years. Thank You SCRC, Dr. A and team!

I had my eggs frozen by Dr. Wertheimer and I had a great experience. She was extremely thorough and made sure my plan was personally tailored to me. I also had a wonderful nurse Kristy who helped me along the way. I felt very cared for!

Hands down the best fertility clinic in California! I had the best experience here: the nurses are phenomenal, friendly and patient. I had the honor of working with Dr. Danzer who is a miracle worker! He is so patient, so calm, extremely knowledgeable and really takes pride in building a personal relationship with his patients. My husband and I are now 3 months pregnant and we owe it all to SCRC! I can’t imagine having gone anywhere else.

My sister died last month under the care of Dr. Ghadir, therefore I am writing on behalf of her. Dr Ghadir ignored her pain and he and staff treated her very rudely. She died 3 days after he performed her egg retrieval. Avoid this man and any facility he works for.

This place is responsible for the death of my daughter! Dr. Ghadir overstimulated my daughter with hormones knowing she had a history of blood clots and she died from a blood clot to the lungs. Prior to her death she complained of pain, I called the clinic complaining of her pain. Dr. Ghadir called my daughter back telling her to take motrin and he ignored the severity of her pain stating “ it will get worse before it gets better “. It never got better, but definitely worst, she died!

Any doctor worth practicing medicine should have told her to go to the nearest emergency room if it gets worse. This doctor’s action of overstimulating ovaries (risk of blood clots) and telling her to take motrin which also causes blood clots resulted in a ticking time bomb in her body.

When I told Dr. Ghadir that my daughter was brain dead, I asked him if she was on blood thinners, he stated he took her off for a couple of days. He knew she had a history of blood clots. I am not a doctor but after my daughter died, I began researching IVF and overstimulating ovaries, I learned the risk was blood clots! This doctor should not be allowed to practice.

Also, prior to my daughter dying, she stated that the staff was very mean to her, I told her “that they don’t see us like they see other people”. This doctor and his staff did not see her as worthy of competent care. However, I am here to tell them they will be accountable for their actions if it’s the last thing I do as a mother!

I really appreciate how responsive they are on the portal and with voicemail messages. They always contacted me after blood work and ultrasounds to fill me in on details and any questions that I still may have. Dr. Danzer is always very patient and reassuring during this stressful time.

Our doctor is amazing and we are very grateful for that. However the communication with the office is extremely difficult and requires tons of follow up (on the level of a full time job) to make sure all paperwork gets done properly on their end. I don't understand why the office is so incompetent, but in reading the other reviews it seems like there is a deep admin problem here. I hope they can solve it.

My husband and I were patients at SCRC with Dr. Surrey and I would not recommend him or the clinic as they are disorganized and poor communicators. Here are the highlights:

· My husband and I transferred to SCRC from another clinic. The nurse we initially worked with said that we had to complete additional labs, but she provided my husband the incorrect lab code, not once, not twice, but three times. My husband had to do the leg work to figure out the lab code was incorrect and to get the right one.
· We had to email repeatedly to get an update on next steps, results, lab orders, etc. When we had to reach out to other personnel at the clinic to get information on next steps, I received an email saying that for an additional fee, a concierge would email me immediately to provide results and instructions. I replied that for a clinic with such national prominence, communication should be expected, and patients should not have to pay additional fees for such basic care.
· Dr. Surrey never kept scheduled calls and rarely followed up. I would ask the nurse to schedule a call with Dr. Surrey and on more than one occasion he wouldn’t call me on the scheduled day/time. I would have to follow up with his team to ask why he didn’t call. Our last transfer failed and while the nurse confirmed this and instructed to go off the meds, I never heard from Dr. Surrey. I expected that he would call to talk through what might have gone wrong and to recommend what to do next.
· They know they have these problems as someone from the management team called me to get feedback after I told the clinic we were leaving. After I told him my experience, he said that their goals for this year are to improve communication with patients and that Dr. Surrey needs to work on his bedside manner. He also offered that I could have a second opinion with another doctor at the clinic and that they would waive my embryo storage fees if I agreed to do this. My husband and I have one embryo left, so I told him that we would pass and move on to another clinic with our embryo.

The above are just the main points of the struggle we had with SCRC. There might be good doctors there; however, if you want peace of mind and competent care, don’t use Dr. Surrey or this clinic.

DO not come here. I decided to use SCRC based on referrals from a few friends and because I was rushing to freeze my eggs due to a cancer diagnosis and needing to start chemo on Nov 29. From the moment I stepped foot into this clinic, I was mistreated and there was never any extra care or urgency given for my case. The staff was extremely rude and dismissive as well as the nurses and Dr. Ghadir never fully walked me through the entire process of what freezing your eggs looks like. I had to rely on friends to give me advice and tell me the process. At one point I had to call another fertility clinic to get advice on how to proceed with insurance because SCRC kept pushing large bills on me although I explained to them that the SB600 bill required my insurance to cover expenses. I always had to explain my situation to the same people over and over again and they did not seem to care.

The most frustrating part was that from the beginning I stressed that I had to be completely done with egg freezing by Nov 29 which was my chemo start date. Everything depends on your body of course, but my period came 2 days early and because the staff did not rush to get my meds or begin the injections on time, I ended up starting 2 days late. They even said, "you might have to retrieve after Nov 29" when there was plenty of time for me to be done prior to this date due to my period arriving early. Doing the egg retrieval after starting chemo would be extremely damaging to my eggs and would have been a complete waste of freezing my eggs, which is why I stressed this date from the beginning. They even said, "Well you might have to skip this cycle and do it next month. " Like what didn't they understand about me HAVING to be done by Nov 29? ! To this day, I am still receiving bills from them and I get a major pit in my stomach every time I have to call because their staff is extremely rude and unhelpful.

Please avoid this place and choose another!

I am thankful to go on this journey with the help of Dr Danzer and Ariel at SCRC. Dr Danzer was really professional, nice and trustworthy. Ariel (who was my main contact at SCRC) was very sweet, patient and helpful. They make me feel like I am very well taken care of and have nothing to worry about every step of the way. Everyone else I met at SCRC was very helpful and nice too.