Without reservation, I recommend Dr. Elisa Yao if you are looking for a medical doctor who has undergone training to help you conceive naturally by addressing root causes of your health condition for the long-term vs. short-term band-aid solutions... and especially if you have struggled with conventional methods of conceiving, whether naturally or with assisted-reproductive technology (ART).
While I have never undergone the process of IVF (thanks to Dr. Yao), I went through 2 timed-intercourse + medication-assisted cycles (letrozole and Ovidrel trigger shot) and 4 IUI's (#1 in March 2021 and #4 in May 2022). Not including 1 cancelled IUI cycle and many tears. And yes, I was doing acupuncture for fertility too (since May 2022).
Our fertility journey started October 2020 (~27 yrs old) when we decided to try conceiving, only to be met with a diagnosis of lean PCOS. Ovarian ultrasound showing multiple follicles plus labs showing high AMH, high testosterone, approximately 3:1 ratio LH to FSH, and history of oligomenorrhea. I saw a reproductive endocrinologist at Kaiser from March 2021 to May 2022 and while I'm sure my doctors were well-meaning and overall kind, they seemed to not care for digging deeper for root causes of my "unexplained infertility." It was cycle after cycle, medication after medication, with no success. They even refused to order labs for nutrient/vitamin/mineral deficiencies as this was not considered "routine," but they did offer a nutrition referral which I eventually accepted (did not help much, unfortunately). Even after voicing my concerns for increased risk of insulin resistance with PCOS, the results for my OGTT was not enough to warrant further action. At my last visit w/ Kaiser's repro endocrinologist, we discussed transferring my records to another facility for IVF.
All this to say, if you've been through the experience of repeated failed cycles and little to no explanation for the wider range of possible causes for them, you'll find relief in speaking to a doctor like Dr. Yao and partnering wellness coach Rita Johnson. I started with an initial "fertility insight session" w/ Dr. Yao in July 2022 and conceived less than 1 year later in March 2023. While I was pretty hesitant to pay out of pocket for her program since her clinic is out of network with my insurance, I'd be lying if I said it wasn't worth it now that I'm 37 weeks pregnant and baby is kicking away as we write this review. If you can afford IVF, you can afford this.
The difference between Dr. Yao and conventional fertility doctors is that Dr. Yao emphasizes empowerment through education and tackling as many factors as possible when it comes to fertility -- including the role of my husband's reproductive health to food sensitivities to hormonal balance to plastics and other teratogens in the home. I believe this root-cause approach is crucial to long-term success. Within about a half year of working with Dr. Yao, I started to see positive changes, including signs of my body trying to ovulate on its own (without the use of ovulation-inducing medications) despite my history of irregular cycles. Throughout the process, it was difficult learning and adjusting to daily cycle charting (basal body temperature, cervical mucus, etc.). However, I had 2-week video check-ins with Rita who is supremely sweet, empathetic, and has 4-5 children of her own (so she knows what she's doing!). This health coach partnership helped keep me on track (and feeling relatively sane) and is part of the package deal with Dr. Yao. On top of all this, even after finishing my work with Dr. Yao, I'm still able to use a discount for the online store from where I purchase the supplements that Dr. Yao recommended (and many of which I continue to take throughout my pregnancy). That includes prenatal vitamins!
All in all, if you're hesitating, this is your sign to take the chance and meet with Dr. Yao. Do expect to put in consistent, hard work (both you and your partner, if you have one). Don't expect easy answers. Don't expect to be pregnant during a certain time frame, and realistically speaking, there are no guarantees that you'll conceive and have a live birth by seeing any particular doctor or non-medical professional. I can speak for only my personal experience with Dr. Yao, and the short version is I have no regrets and am happily pregnant now, coming up on 9 months. At the very least, you're likely to be in much better overall health at the end of your experience with Dr. Yao (and that lends to higher chances of conceiving period!).
Thank you, Dr. Yao and Rita for being part of my and my husband's success story. read more