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

two men and a babyOur offices ensure patients have unsurpassed privacy throughout their care journey. We offer consults, monitoring, teaching and evaluation procedures at our community practices in WalthamDanvers 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.


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.