I wish I could be happy to write this. at the time i met Dr Ratcliff My Husband and I had been trying for about a year with no success, so I started to worry of course and started…I wish I could be happy to write this. at the time i met Dr Ratcliff My Husband and I had been trying for about a year with no success, so I started to worry of course and started looking for fertility doctors near me to get tested and ask questions. to start at that time i was 37, no kids, never had issues with pregnancy just had never gotten pregnant before. Upon arrival, the front office staff were kind. Dr Ratcliff came out and greeted us, but was very none enthusiastic, like we were bothering her. Im sure by my hello, she could tell i was terrified and uneasy about this whole situation. We sat in the back room with her in her office, I had read reviews that her "bedside" manner was not great, but i didnt expect what i got. she asked a bunch of health questions about my husband and myself which of course i expected. she then went into how babies are made, and explained issues with fertility and why infertility happens. Which i did appreciate because i did learn some things. THEN WE TOOK A TURN. she told me and my husband, that "we would be irresponsible to continue to try and get pregnant" when i heard that i started to cry. No empathy at all. I asked her "what do you mean?" she doubled down and told us that we are too unhealthy and im old now and my baby would most likely have "lifelong" issues I wish i was kidding. I was shocked and terrified and completely overwhelmed. she said options could be IUI or IVF if that didnt work but she wouldn't do either of those for me because i needed to lose 90 pounds before my birthday (which mind you was in about 6 weeks). I said well if i lost that much weight i would be unhealthy but ok. Then she said because if i did it and you end up with a baby who is sick, you will sue me. so then it clicked to me that this wasnt about me or my husband and i trying to start a family, it was about her. She talked to us like we were children and not grown adults seeking advice and help. She told us which tests she wanted us to do and we could go from there. Sperm testing for my husband and she said she would order blood work for me. Then she said she's going to do the ultrasound to see how many follicles i have - saying at my "advanced age" i should have at least 18 but was snarky about it as if she thought there was no way i had enough. So we went into the ultrasound room and sure enough i had like 23. Its almost like she was shocked. We then went to leave, she provided us with the sperm testing information for my husband - and said my tests would be ordered and i would get an email when they were so i could go to the lab. NEVER GOT THE EMAIL - tests never got ordered My husband did the sperm test 3 days later. Dr Ratcliff called him with the results and told him he is about 100k more than what would be "normal" but instead of just giving him the good news she doubled down and said again on the phone. "I highly encourage you and your wife to not continue to try as it would be "irresponsible". He hung up on her. I knew after that appointment i would never go back. I would do anything to be a mom but i am not going to be belittled to make that happen. I met with an OB a few weeks later and told her of my experience and she was SHOCKED. But, without me even saying who the doctor was, she knew, she asked me "did that happened to be Dr Ratcliff over in santa rosa" - THATS BAD, when the OB knew. she said she had so many patients tell her similar stories. But, despite her awful interactions with us and terrible demeanor and advice. I am happy to say that i am 9 weeks pregnant with my first child and i am so excited. So, if you are trying and struggling, i would not go to her go anywhere else
