I reported this doctor to the state medical board over 30 years ago for the same behavior he is recently accused of. I also called his office to make sure he knew he was inappropriate in his vaginal probe technique. I was going to be the lead plaintiff in court but he settled. He didn't learn and has gone onto harm other women patients. Unbelievable. Stay away. read more

Run as far away from this Dr. as you can. He is arrogant, old-fashioned, and greedy. I went to see Dr. Chetkowski at Alta Bates IVF for issues with secondary infertility. And before he even had my test results, he was pushing IVF because I "was old" (I was 40). I told him that I was seeing him for a diagnosis as to why I was unable to have a second child and I needed answers first. I also told him I wasn't entirely comfortable with undergoing IVF. He proceeded multiple times to push me to justify why I didn't want IVF. Like I somehow need to justify my feelings? I'm sorry, but I'm the one who has to undergo the treatment and pay the money. He should have been more respectful of my decisions. Then, he proceeded to tell me that, if I do undergo IVF, he will need to implant multiple eggs because I "am old". I know a few other women my age who have gone to other clinics in the area and those clinics only implant one egg at a time. When I asked if that was an option, he dismissed me. I'm not risking multiples when I already have a child. I agree with what others have said. I think it's time for Dr. Chetkowski to retire. read more

Dr. Chetkowski touched me inappropriately during my ultrasound exam. I have had four IUIs and am beginning IVF through another fertility center, which uses his offices as a satalite office. I have had multiple ultrasounds over the past six months, most done by women, all done professionally, with minimal attention paid to my outer genitalia. Typically, the ultrasound wand is prepared and then inserted using a quick glance and light pressure to find your vaginal canal and push it in. Instead, Dr Chetkowski spent a full minute sitting between my legs "getting read", then used his free hand to touch and open me before inserting the ultrasound wand. This extra touching was entirely unnecessary and immediately made me feel violated and dirty. I was unable to focus on what he was telling me and had to ask the nurse to repeat it afterwards. I also reported what had happened to her before she left the room, and am considering filing a police report. Even if what he did is how he was originally taught (40 years ago), it is completely inappropriate and he should have modified his approach long ago. However, it was my strong impression that he took advantage of me and assaulted me. I will now be driving far out of my way for each upcoming ultrasound appointment (every other day) in order to avoid seeing this doctor ever again. Infertility treatments come at an incredibly vulnerable time for us, emotionally (and financially). I didn't say anything to the doctor in that moment because I wanted so badly to move forward with my IVF treatment, and I didn't want even being assaulted to get in my way. I regret that now, and wish I'd spoken up in the moment. Please, if you are looking for a doctor, do not choose this one. There are a shocking number of other one star negative reviews here, and I don't want anyone else to be exposed to what I experienced. read more

When it was apparent that I had secondary infertility, my OBYN referred me to a few Doctors. The first one we went to was in SF. It was fancy, organized and full of young doctors. We felt really taken care of by the staff however the doctor we saw kept indicating that I was "old" at 38 yrs and that we should do multiple cycles of IVF right away! When we visited Dr. Chet, we found his office to be quaint, old fashioned but clean and comfortable. His staff is minimal - a receptionist, nurse, billing and lab person. During our consultation, he took a look at my follicles and then sat us down and discussed the possible areas that may be causing my secondary infertility. It was perhaps the most informative reproductive education I ever had! He indicated various areas that may be an issue (rather than just focusing on the number of follicles or my age). I also distinctly remember him stating that I'm still "young" at 38 and to not yet worry. After the consultation, the next task was to pinpoint WHY I was having issues getting pregnant. So Dr. Chet had me run some tests. In the end it turned out that my left fallopian tube was blocked. I couldn't believe that no other doctor offered me to take that test! From then on, I went to see Dr Chet every cycle to monitor which side my follicle was growing. Whenever we had a follicle on the "right" side, we either performed an IUI or tried on our own naturally. After 4 cycles with a follicle on the "right" side, we finally got pregnant! During the time we saw him, Dr. Chet also tried some medications (similar to those taken during IVF) to help increase the growth of multiple follicles. However, I was only able to grow up to 2 follicles at one time. Therefore, Dr Chet indicated that I am not likely a good candidate for IVF and would probably need multiple cycles if we went down that route. Also, later on after a few failed monitoring and IUI attempts he asked us if we wanted to keep trying using the same methods or if we wanted to consider using an egg donor. When we said we were open to it, he referred us to speak with a therapist specializing on "growing families" AND he also allowed us to continue our regular treatments with him. During the next "good" cycle, we performed an IUI and got pregnant. I'll admit that Dr. Chet is not super talkative which many people may have issues with, but my husband and I never found it a problem. His nurse (Vivian) is amazing! She always discussed the next steps and answered any questions I may have. read more

I met Dr Chet at what I assumed was the end of our very long road in our quest to have our 3rd child. It seemed I had just waited too long, was too old, and had nothing but bad eggs left. In the previous 2 years, I'd had 3 losses and 2 failed IVF retrievals. I went to see Dr Chet at the recommendation of my OB (Jill Foley). I knew right away that the experience with Dr Chet would be the polar opposite of my first RE. The first RE (RSC) had a very swanky office, was very polished, and had an army of doctors, nurses, case managers, and techs. Well, despite the bells and whistles (or perhaps because of them) the experience was an utter failure. I was treated as a statistic from day one, as they hustled me through their baby making factory. There was absolutely no personalization of my IVF protocol, even after a disastrous first round. In addition, I saw my doctor a total of 2 times - once before we started, and once when we met to discuss the failed cycle. She couldn't have picked me out of a lineup if her life depended on it. My case manager was nice but inept. And, the billing dept overcharged us $5K, which would never have come to light if I hadn't stumbled upon the error, and hounded them until they returned the money. Now to the polar opposite. Walking into Dr Chet's office, you quickly see there are no bells and whistles. This is just a small doctor's office with 2 doctors, 2 nurses, and an office manager. But here's the thing: You actually get to know your doctor, and he knows you. You see your doctor EVERY. SINGLE. VISIT. No matter if they're just doing a quick check, or a complicated procedure. And, Dr Chet really takes the time to treat every patient as an individual, not a number. In the first conversation we had, Dr Chet reviewed all of my medical data, asked very specific questions, and then said, "How would you feel about trying something a little more low tech?" You can't imagine how refreshing this is to hear when you've had another doctor basically tell you there is nothing they can do, and you should just move on to IVF with donor eggs. We did two medicated IUI cycles with Dr Chet. With 25% of the medication, I got 90% of the response as compared to the IVF cycles at the other clinic. The first resulted in a chemical, the second resulted in my 3rd child - our baby girl is now 8 months old. Most importantly, I felt like everyone at the office knew me, and was pulling for me. Wendy (one of the amazing nurses) talked me down from more than a few panic attacks. She really listened to me, which is so very, very rare today. Barbara, who runs the office, was equally amazing. My heart is full just thinking about all of them. They truly are the most dedicated and compassionate people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. read more

My son is now 2 and a half. I am not sure what possessed me to even look at reviews. But here I am. I noticed many poor reviews during the 2010-2011 time. I cannot speak to these women's experiences, I can only speak of my own. I came to him in 2011. I was 42 years old. My FSH was in the toilet, but I still wanted to use my own eggs. He spoke of donor eggs. I didn't want that option. He did put me through a battery of tests to make sure I could carry a child. I was fine in that regard. Against his better judgement, we went ahead and did an IUI. That didn't work. I tried diligently on my own and finally returned in 2012 to use donor eggs. This worked and I carried my child to term on the first try. I am not saying he is perfect. He is not the most "lovey dovey" person in the world and he can seem terse, but I don't believe he was ever a mean person. He was not. His personality is such that he is human...that is just how he is. While there were times I wish he would be hand holding and a shoulder to cry on, he isn't that. What he is, is a knowledgeable man with a high success rate. Ultimately this is what we want, right? The staff, is great (especially Barbara!). I think sometimes we want everybody to be super loving to us and caudal us especially in a time that we, lets face it, are desperate. Not everyone is going to be that person. People are people and not every nurse there is a hand holder. Nothing wrong with that. I couldn't be happier with my decision to go to him. He was my second doctor. The first one wanted $300 just to have a consultation...which I paid. That doctor didn't want to talk about FSH at all, but almost immediately sent me to the finance department to get financed for an egg donor I cried and looked around and emailed him and it so the trip began. He really is a good doctor. He does care about his clients and I couldn't recommend him more. It didn't matter to him that I was a 40 something single woman. :) read more

I couldn't agree more with Stephanie W. This man is incompetent. I went in to meet the "Dr." and without looking at my test results (FSH) he proceeded to tell me that I could not have a child with my own eggs-keep in mind he just looked at my face and decided this-he said I must use donor eggs. He then began to give me a detailed description of how I would go about getting, implanting etc..these donor eggs. I politely told him that is was 41 with a FSH of 6.5, I was not here for donor eggs and I would not ever be interested in donor eggs, I was interested in having a child with my own eggs, thank you, but no thank you....He became irritated and then said very sternly "CAN I FINISH NOW?". He went on with the detailed description of how I would have a child with donor eggs. Are you kidding me? This guys must have a contract with a donor egg group because he was pushing them like the blue plate special. After the detailed informational session on donor eggs that we were not at all interested in we discussed other options such as trying with my own eggs and maybe doing some testing to see where I am?? Hello?? After this meeting (more like a seminar on donor eggs) we decided that because of his good reputation we should try with him-we were very confused and scared. BIG MISTAKE. He wanted to find out if I had a blocked tube so he did a procedure called HSG (hysterosalpingogram) he did the HSG himself at Alta Bates. The procedure involved injecting dye into the uterus that should then travel through the Fallopian tubes - all this under an x-ray to view the path of the dye. If there is a blockage the dye will not travel. He did the procedure on me himself and I ended up in the emergency bleeding profusely and doubled over in pain having to be injected with morphine to put me out of my misery. This was supposed to be an in and out painless procedure with little to no bleeding...didn't quite work out that way thanks to the "expert". After that we knew we were with the wrong person-yeah, I know-why did it take so long?? Well when you are facing infertility you are scared, confused and a little desperate. He meets with people at one of the most vulnerable times in their lives and as patients we want to believe he knows what he is talking about and that he has our best interest at heart. In the case of Dr. Chetkowski I don't think that's true. He is cold, arrogant and really doesn't care what you want he is focused on his own agenda-when I met with him that agenda was donor eggs. He is a horrible, cold, unprofessional doctor who I would not recommend to anyone. Since that time I became pregnant, had a miscarriage and discovered I have a blood clotting disorder that is causing all the trouble. This could have been found out with simple blood tests from Dr. Chetkowski, but the I guess he wouldn't have had the chance to possibly sell me his donor eggs... read more

Can I give less than 1 star? Dr. Chetkowski specializes in infertility, but he is the most cold, inept person - and NOT what you need when your emotions are already frazzled. He gave me and my husband wrong information - told us that we would never have children from my eggs. Who's chart was he reading? I switched over to Dr. Carolyn Givens at PFC and I'm now 8 weeks pregnant from my own eggs. The ones he said I could never produce - well after stimulation Dr. Givens was able to harvest 16 eggs!!!! Drive the extra few miles over the bridge and see someone who knows what they're doing. read more

We didn't even actually get to meet the doctor, but if his staff is any indication then RUN FAST IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION!!! We were informed that the first consultation would be $340 out of pocket and we would be provided a superbill to get reimbursed by our insurance and all other visits after the first would be billed to our insurance. Annoying for the first treatment because with as much money as we are going to be forking over for fertility treatments, I EXPECT the courtesy of the office billing my insurance for me for every appointment. HOWEVER, we decided that that was okay and went to the appointment anyway after taking the day off of work, rescheduling a dental appointment for a (painful) broken crown and driving in traffic both ways. We were then informed, RUDELY, by the large brunette woman that the doctor did not accept my insurance plan (Anthem Blue Cross PPO -- not some fly-by-night back alley company) and that ALL treatments would be out-of-pocket and then we could go after my insurance company. I-DON'T-THINK-SO-BUT-NICE-TRY. I don't have insurance so that I can pay cash for medical care. And if they had been honest about this to begin with, then we wouldn't have made an appointment with them. We even have the paperwork from THEIR office that says "Your initial consultation fee is payable at the time of your appointment and we will provide you with a superbill for this visit. We will make a copy of your insurance card at your first visit.. For future treatment, please provide us with all the necessary information to enable us to bill your current insurance carrier for you" She was SO rude and inappropriate that she had me in tears and my partner so red in the face I thought she would explode. We left this office and went directly to my OBGYN to let her know what happened and I don't think she will be referring here anymore. We got a referral to another clinic and they do not require payment upfront, have ALL glowing yelp reviews and it just "feels" better. Lucky for us, our only fertility "problem" is that we are lesbians and can't get pregnant the traditional way but it makes me sad that there are people out there who are SO desperate for a baby that they will put up with any sort of treatment. Here's to you not needing to put up with these people. Go somewhere else. read more

I will forever be grateful to Dr. Chetkowski and his staff for helping my husband and I conceive our son. It didn't happen the first time, or the second, but he made it happen. He has a very serious personality and this may not work for all patients going through such an emotional situation. That being said when I was going through the extraction process and was feeling very scared Dr. Chetkowski was there for me and made me feel comfortable and safe. I hope my review was helpful and good luck! read more

This review is back from February 2011 - I was referred to Dr. Chetkowski through Alta Bates, and he is phenomenal. He really takes the time to get to know you and he is truly concerned about your concerns. He also takes the time to explain everything before he does it. His staff is also very professional and extremely helpful. read more

I'm updating because although our IVF wasn't successful, Dr. Chetkowski really put in the extra mile to make it work. We had some anesthesiologist problems (s/he didn't want to deal with someone with a BMI over 32) and in the end Dr. Chetkowski manuevered us into a hospital setting and it all worked out. My opinion is that he works with his patients and tries to create a successful outcome. And we did have three very nice embryos! We're hoping for more success next time. read more

Dr. Chet told me, " my job is to get your pregnant" and that was the end result. My son is now 8 months...dr. chat and his staff are great!

He is a wonderful, warm, and caring doctor. Most of all, he made our dream come true and we became parents of twins! Somehow all the great reviews are hidden by filters (so unfair!) and Yelp shows only horrible reviews. Read on the filtered reviews if you are interested in learning how great he is. read more

Dr.Chetkoski Ryszard, is the best IVF doctor in the world! I strongly recommend him, he helped make our dreams come true. Also helped other families (that I personally know) in their process as well. On my first IFV cycle we were able to accomplish our goal! My son is almost 2 years old. Thank you and your office. THE gift of life is #priceless. read more

I really appreciated Dr. Chetkowki's direct, fact-filled manner. His staff was kind and thorough and we always felt we were in good hands. He is a kind man who is an excellent scientist. For emotional support through the fertility process you will have to look elsewhere. He did an extremely thorough and successful job for us and I am so glad we were under his care. We are pregnant with twins and are thankful to him and thoughtful staff and feel thankful we were under his professional and exacting care. read more

Dr Chetkowski has a no-nonsense Eastern EU maner to him which comes across as very dry and uncaring. But he couldn't be more different. He and his amazing staff took such good care of me. I had a difficult time with IVF which we had to abort since I didn't produce enough follicles, but he worked with me to make sure we did an IUI. I didn't want to go forward, but he gave me some very logical reasons to proceed. So I did, and I got pregnant!!! If you're having a difficult time with getting pregnant, I highly recommend them. His staff were so warm, helpful and caring - it made all the difference. I went to other clinics and I felt like a number and a check to them. read more

Dr. Chetkowski should have retired 10 years ago. I was in severe pain after my IUI with him. When I did not get pregnant, and tried to set up an ultrasound to proceed with another cycle, I was told that he was out of town and would have to wait until the next month! Run, don't walk, to Dr. Mary Hinckley at RSC. I got pregnant the first try, and the doctors and nurses are organized and competent. read more

Please avoid this doctor. I am not sure about the other doctor in this clinic, but Dr. Chetkowski is terrible. My husband and I saw him a few years ago. He did some testing on both of us. The final test on me was the transvaginal ultrasound where you count the number of follicles during ovulation. His bedside manner is awful, he doesn't explain procedures as he's doing them. During this ultrasound he told me in a very blunt and brusque manner that I didn't have enough follicles. He explained nothing more until I dressed and my husband and I joined him in his office. He continued in his rude manner to tell me that I was infertile and should immediately find an egg donor. I was shocked and upset and tried to fight back tears as I asked questions. He became very angry and irritated and told me that I shouldn't question him, that he knew better than me, that he knew what he was doing because he was a doctor. We never went back to him. That exact cycle, with the exact egg he saw on ultrasound that was apparently not viable, we conceived our 2 year old son who is healthy and happy. Please avoid this terrible doctor. I agree that he should have retired years ago. Good luck out there! read more

Followup from 1.5 years ago; our son is thriving following another successful round of IVF. Thank you, Dr. Chetkowski and your great staff!

I thank God for Dr. Chetkowski and his staff! They are a blessing from God. Dr. Chetkowski is gifted and is nothing less than a genius. He is loving, caring and he offers couples who cannot naturally conceive an opportunity. After 5 ectopic pregnancies and 7 long painful years of trying on our own my husband and I were referred to Dr. Chetkowski by my mother who saw the office in passing. One IVF attempt later we are with child. We love Dr.Chetkowski and are constantly thanking God for him. Our dreams have come true. read more

I had a wonderful experience with Dr. Chetkowski. I had gone to another clinic that was awful and found the staff here to be very understanding and professional. i conceived my daughter after 4 IUIs and every step in the process was explained. I am very thankful to Dr. Chetkowski and the staff at Alta Bates IVF for all their help and support. read more

My husband and I had a wonderful experience with Dr. Chetkowski. We turned to him after many tests and when other experts could not find anything "wrong" with us. After less than a year of working with him we now have a healthy and happy baby. Dr. Chetkowski is direct, honest, very professional and experienced. We also took to his old world charm, quiet warmth and sense of humor which helped ease our anxieties in a very stressful and personal process. We recommend him highly. read more

We absolutely love Dr. Chetkowski and think he is an excellent doctor. We have been to most of the fertility clinics in the SF Bay Area and we believe he is by far the best infertility doctor around. My husband and i both highly recommend him, his clinic and staff. read more