Fertility Treatment: What to Expect
Infertility is complicated and influenced by many factors, so diagnosing and treating it can be a complex process.
Fertility Center
LGBTQ Family-Building
The Mass General Fertility Center offers a range of individualized, gender-affirming care options for people who want to build a family, including donor sperm, donor eggs, reciprocal IVF, fertility preservation and more.
Mass General Fertility Center
Yawkey Center for Outpatient Care, Suite 10A
32 Fruit Street
Boston,
MA
02114
Phone: 617-726-8868
Fax: 617-724-8882
Explore This Treatment Program
About the Program
The team at the Fertility Center at Massachusetts General Hospital is committed to providing inclusive fertility practices and family-building options that serve everyone’s needs.
Deciding to start your fertility journey can feel complicated—we are here to support you every step of the way by helping you choose and navigate a care option based on your unique needs and goals. We offer a range of individualized options for people who want to build a family, including donor sperm, donor eggs, reciprocal IVF, gestational carriers (surrogates) and fertility preservation during gender-affirming hormonal treatments or surgery.
Care Options
Donor Eggs
Eggs can be obtained from a non-intimate directed donor (anonymous donor) via an egg bank or from a known egg donor. Assisted reproductive technologies, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), make it possible for you to be implanted with an egg that has been given by a donor and fertilized in a laboratory with sperm from the donor of your choosing, such as a patient, partner or anonymous donor.
As part of our Third Party Reproduction Program, the Mass General Fertility Center care team assists in coordinating the egg donation so we can receive it and perform the procedures directly in our clinic.
Donor Sperm
Sperm can be obtained from an anonymous donor via a sperm bank or from a known sperm donor.
As part of our Third Party Reproduction program, the Mass General Fertility Center care team assists in coordinating the sperm donation so we can receive it and perform the procedures directly in our clinic.
Gestational Carrier (also referred to as a surrogate)
An embryo can be transferred into a surrogate’s uterus, who will then carry the pregnancy until birth for the intended parent(s). The embryo must have at least one genetic link to the intended parent(s), either to the egg or sperm.
Reciprocal IVF
An egg from one partner is inseminated with donor sperm and then transferred to the other partner’s uterus who will carry the pregnancy.
Fertility Preservation
If you are undergoing gender-affirming care, such as hormonal treatments or surgery, and would like to consider building a family in the future with a genetic relation, it is important to learn now how your gender-affirming treatments might impact your future reproductive health. The fertility specialists at the Mass General Fertility Center work with your Transgender Health Program care team to provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision about your reproductive health.
We offer several options for fertility preservation, including:
- Oocyte (egg) and/or embryo freezing: This procedure involves stimulating the ovaries with medications that cause multiple eggs to develop and mature, a process that can take between two to six weeks to complete. Mature eggs are then removed using a minor operative procedure. These eggs can be frozen immediately or inseminated using IVF to make frozen embryos (cryopreservation). Embryo freezing is a well-known technology, and egg freezing is a newer technology. Both are considered standards of care in fertility preservation. Many families have had children using these technologies
- Ovarian tissue preservation: Either a whole ovary or a portion of an ovary is surgically removed through a simple procedure, which can often be performed using minimally invasive (laparoscopic) techniques. Strips of the ovarian tissue containing eggs are then frozen and can be thawed and surgically replaced in the pelvis in the future. While this technology is still new, it has resulted in some successful pregnancies thus far around the world. One advantage of ovarian tissue freezing is that it can be accomplished more quickly than ovarian stimulation
- Sperm freezing: Sperm cells are collected and then frozen and stored for later use. This is a very well-established treatment option
- Sperm extraction: Testicular sperm extraction is a more invasive procedure but can produce samples that may be viable for future purposes
What to Expect
Our offices ensure patients have unsurpassed privacy throughout their care journey. We offer consults, monitoring, teaching and evaluation procedures at our community practices in Waltham, Danvers and at Newton-Wellesley Hospital. IVF, egg retrieval, embryo transfer and other assisted reproductive technology services are done in one self-contained suite located on the 10th floor of the Yawkey Building for Outpatient Care, overlooking Beacon Hill in Boston. We work closely with other Mass General specialists—including urologists and obstetricians/gynecologists as needed—to provide the highest level of care for patients in a world-class medical center and one of the top gynecologic programs in the country.
Success, without compromising safety, is our number one priority. Fertility Center clinicians reduce the risks associated with multiple gestations by using techniques such as:
- Embryo cryopreservation (freezing and preserving human embryos)
- Single-embryo transfer (transferring one rather than multiple fertilized embryos to the uterus when most appropriate)
In short, we strive to do more with less. We listen, and we engage. This means individualizing your treatment plan based on your testing and with what you feel comfortable proceeding.
You may either request an appointment directly, or you may be referred to us by your obstetrician/gynecologist or primary care physician. At your first appointment, we will review your medical history, determine what tests need to be done prior to treatment and start to review the potential treatments that may pertain to you. Consultations are often done virtually; procedures and monitoring visits happen in person.
Throughout treatment, you will develop a personal relationship with your primary fertility physician, as well as the other Fertility Center providers, nurses and medical assistants on your team. You can receive your tests results, review visit notes and treatment plans, and communicate with your care team through Patient Gateway.
Meet our Team
Continuity of care is a hallmark of our treatment approach. As you explore options, your primary fertility physician will help manage your treatments so that you may enjoy the comfort and convenience that comes with receiving all care in one location. The Fertility Center includes a team of professionals with specialized fertility expertise.
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- Director, MGH IVF Unit
- Chair, Quality Assurance, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
- Instructor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology at Harvard Medical School
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- Instructor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology at Harvard Medical School
- Medical Director, Third Party Reproduction
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- Obstetrics and Gynecology
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- Medical Director, Clinic for Reproductive Health and Cancer
- Medical Director, Third Party Reproduction
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- Chief, Division of Reproductive Medicine and IVF
- Director, Massachusetts General Fertility Center
- Co-Director, MGH Integrated Fibroid Program
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- Chief Medical Officer/Sr. V.P. Medical Affairs Salem Hospital
- Associate Gynecology & Obstetrician, Dept of Ob/Gyn, MGH
- Chairman, MGH/North Shore Quality Committee
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- Director, Massachusetts General Hospital Midlife Women's Health Center
- Vincent Trustees Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School
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- Director, Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis Program
- MGH Fertility Center, Boston MA
Patient Resources
We understand that treatments and the costs associated with them can impact your physical and emotional well-being. We are committed to helping you and your loved ones throughout the entire journey, and offer support through Mass General social workers, financial services personnel, support groups and more.
Fertility Center patient resources
The Latest Technologies
EngagedMD® is an educational platform that breaks down every aspect of testing and treatments in an easy-to-understand format. Given the breadth of information provided to you during treatment, you may find it helpful to review your treatment plans online at home following conversations with your care team to ensure you have all the knowledge you need to make informed decisions.
Virtual Visit is a web-based platform, similar to Skype® or Facetime®, that allows you to visit with your physician and nurse from your device. All you need for a virtual medical visit is access to a smartphone, tablet or personal computer with a camera and microphone; visits can also be coordinated via telephone.