Fertility Treatment Services at UH Fertility Center
If you’ve been trying to conceive without success, you may be looking for answers about why pregnancy hasn’t occurred and what options are available. Fertility challenges are common but are unique to each individual and couple. At University Hospitals Fertility Center, our fertility specialists provide personalized evaluation and treatment plans designed around your medical history and timeline to help you achieve your family planning goals.
Schedule Your Fertility Consultation
To schedule a consultation with one of our fertility experts, call 216-765-3352.
Finance and Insurance Questions
To speak with a financial counselor, call 216-285-5028.
Why Choose UH for Fertility Treatment
The UH Fertility Center team provides best-in-class care delivered with compassion and understanding. With a wide range of treatment options available, our specialists will work with you to develop a treatment plan that meets your needs and maximizes your chance for success.
- Individualized Treatment Planning: We create individual plans of care, with less invasive and less expensive treatments when possible and advancing to more complex treatments when they fit a patient’s goals.
- Advanced Laboratory and Embryology Capabilities: UH offers comprehensive embryology services in a laboratory that feature the most advanced technology available.
- Research & Innovation Access: Our fertility and reproductive health specialists are nationally known leaders in research that seek to discover new and better ways to treat infertility. Our patients benefit from this dedication to innovation through access to the latest diagnostic and therapeutic technology and leading-edge clinical trials.
- Integrated Mind-Body Support: We prioritize a mind-body approach and offer two dedicated women’s health clinical psychologists in addition to on-site acupuncture services to support patients during fertility treatments.
When to Seek a Fertility Specialist
Infertility is a common concern that affects as many as one in six couples, according to the World Health Organization. If you are ready to have a baby but are facing challenges getting pregnant, a consultation with a fertility specialist can help answer your questions and explain your options.
You may wish to schedule a consultation with a fertility specialist if you are experiencing any of the following:
- Trying to conceive for 12 months if you are under 35.
- Trying to conceive for 6 months if you are 35 or older.
- Irregular menstrual cycles.
- Have a known reproductive condition such as PMOS or endometriosis.
- Recurrent pregnancy loss.
- If male factors such as low sperm count or motility are known or suspected.
Ready to Schedule a Consultation?
Call 216-765-3352 to make an appointment with a UH fertility specialist.
Fertility Treatment Options
At UH Fertility Center, our goal is to help our patients find individualized fertility solutions to give them the best opportunity to achieve their family-building goals. Our fertility specialists will work with you to perform diagnostic evaluations and recommend treatment options based on your unique circumstances and desires. When appropriate, we will recommend starting with less invasive treatment options, moving on to more advanced options based on your needs.
Some of our areas of expertise include:
IVF
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a procedure that combines eggs and sperm in a lab to create an embryo, which is transferred to the uterus in hopes of achieving pregnancy. Couples may consider IVF if they have female or male infertility factors, have a condition or structural issue that is limiting their ability to achieve pregnancy, have been unsuccessful with less invasive fertility treatment, or have or are carriers of a genetic condition they don’t want to pass down to their child. Along with our state-of-the-art IVF services, we also offer genetic testing (PGT) so we can select the healthiest embryos for transfer, which may be beneficial to some patients.
Intrauterine insemination
Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is a fertility treatment in which sperm is placed directly into the uterus via a catheter to improve the chances of pregnancy. It is often recommended as a first-line treatment for couples with unexplained infertility, ovulation disorders or mild male factor infertility. It is also a fertility solution for LGBTQIA+ couples, single parents, or when using frozen or donor sperm. It is often recommended to try IUI before moving on to IVF because it is a non-invasive and more cost-effective option.
Egg Freezing
Egg freezing, or oocyte cryopreservation, is a proactive fertility preservation option for women who wish to preserve their eggs at their current age to use to get pregnant in the future. It is an option for women who are delaying parenthood, facing medical treatments or concerned about age-related fertility decline. Egg freezing is most effective in younger women when egg quality and quantity is typically higher, though the timing of egg freezing varies based on individual factors.
Fertility Options for LGBTQIA+ Community
We offer an inclusive care approach to fertility services for LGBTQIA+ couples and individuals. We offer clinical support and individualized planning for services that include donor insemination, reciprocal IVF and gestational carrier services.
Reproductive Surgery
Our team has extensive experience in a wide range of surgical techniques, including minimally invasive and robotic surgery, that can help preserve and enhance fertility. These procedures allow our surgeons to remove endometriosis, ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids, polyps and scar tissue, repair fallopian tubes, and perform exploratory procedures.
Mental Health Support & Acupuncture
At UH Fertility Center, we understand the importance of the mind-body connection during your fertility journey. Our behavioral medicine experts offer counseling and support for the stress, grief and emotional impact of infertility and fertility treatment. Additionally, we partner with UH Connor Whole Health to offer optional acupuncture services to promote and enhance fertility. All fertility support services are fully integrated into your overall care plan.
Fertility Treatment Costs and Insurance
Many different factors go into the cost of fertility treatment. Total out-of-pocket costs vary depending on individual treatment plans and medical needs, as well as your insurance plan and coverage. Costs associated with your treatment will be discussed in detail after your consultation but may be subject to change based on your individual circumstances and treatment journey.
Insurance coverage for fertility treatments varies by state and insurance plan. Our team offers financial counseling to help review your policy benefits and discuss potential costs of treatment. Patients are encouraged to discuss financial considerations early in the planning process.
UH Fertility Center accepts most major health insurance plans.
What to Know About Fertility at Every Age
5 Common Questions About Infertility
The Path to Parenthood: Support for Your Fertility Journey
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a fertility center do?
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A fertility center is a specialized medical facility that helps couples and individuals achieve pregnancy. The center is staffed with board-certified reproductive endocrinologists who are experienced in a variety of fertility treatments and techniques. A fertility center offers services such as diagnostic testing, IVF, IUI, fertility preservation and genetic testing, along with state-of-the-art lab facilities, support services, financial counseling and more.
- When should I see a fertility specialist?
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In general, you should seek help from a specialist if you have been trying to get pregnant for 12 months if you are under 35 or 6 months if you 35 or older. Other reasons to see a fertility specialist is if there are known medical conditions that may make it harder to get pregnant, you have irregular menstrual cycles, or you’ve experienced recurrent pregnancy loss. You may also want to consult with a fertility specialist if you are interested in fertility preservation before cancer treatment or to preserve your fertility for pregnancy in the future.
- What tests are part of infertility evaluation?
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Potential infertility testing for women include blood tests to evaluate hormone and ovarian reserve levels; a hysterosalpingogram (HSG), which is an X-ray test with dye to evaluate the fallopian tubes and uterus; a transvaginal ultrasound to check the ovaries and uterus for signs of cysts, fibroids or other problems; and a sonohysterogram (SHG), a saline ultrasound to observe the uterine cavity. Men may undergo a semen analysis to evaluate sperm count, motility (movement) and morphology (shape); they may also undergo blood tests for hormone levels.
- Is IVF my only option?
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There are many different fertility treatment options based on your unique circumstances, medical history, goals and preferences. IVF is considered an advanced medical procedure and is not usually a first-line treatment for infertility. Fertility specialists often recommend trying less invasive treatments before moving on to IVF since these procedures are less complex and more cost effective. These can include taking medications to induce ovulation and intrauterine insemination (IUI). Consulting with a fertility specialist is the first step to learning about the options that may work best for you.
- Does insurance cover infertility treatment?
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Insurance coverage for infertility treatment varies by state and by your individual insurance plan. Plans may provide partial coverage or offer coverage for specific services but exclude others. To learn more about your coverage, contact your insurance carrier or speak with a financial counselor at UH Fertility Center.
- How long does fertility treatment take?
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The length of fertility treatment varies by the type of treatment and the number of rounds of treatment needed to achieve pregnancy. A single cycle of IVF takes about 4 – 6 weeks on average, IUI takes about 4 weeks, and egg stimulation and retrieval take about 2 – 3 weeks. Individual factors that influence length of treatment include your medical diagnosis or health history, age, response to stimulation medications, number of eggs retrieved/embryos created, and whether genetic testing is done.
Find a Doctor
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Patient Resources
Fertility patient resources include frequently asked questions and how-to treatment guides.
Financing Options
We want to help make infertility treatments more affordable with financing and self-pay options.