Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, you can schedule your appointment at any time you are ready. Please contact our office at 212-263-8990 or request a new patient consultation here.

Most doctors advise the patient to try conceiving for at least one year before seeking medical advice. People aged 35 years or older are advised to see an infertility specialist after six months of trying unsuccessfully as a person's fertility declines with age. Certain health problems may also increase the risk of infertility and we encourage people to make an appointment with a reproductive endocrinologist if they have been diagnosed with endometriosis or pelvic inflammatory disease, or if they experience painful or irregular periods.

Yes! At NYULFC, you will collaborate with your physician to determine the most effective course of action to achieve your family-building goals. If you live outside the New York area, rest assured that no amount of miles will impact the quality of your care. You may need to travel to our offices in New York for key elements of treatment such as an egg retrieval or embryo transfer, but often diagnostics and cycle monitoring can be done in other locations. We are here to support you throughout the treatment process.

Every path to parenthood is different, and LGBTQ+ family building is no exception. Pathways for LGBTQ+ families include Donor Eggs, Donor Sperm, IUI, IVF, PGT, and Gestational Carriers. Your physician will work with you to design a fertility plan that meets your needs.

Infertility is defined by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as “not being able to get pregnant after one year of trying.” Experts often recommend that people who are older than 35 years and have not conceived during a six month period of unprotected sex should make an appointment with an infertility specialist. Those who do not have a regular monthly period should also consider seeing a reproductive endocrinologist as problems with ovulation are a common factor of infertility in people with a uterus.

IVF stands for in vitro fertilization. IVF literally means "fertilization in glass” because IVF involves retrieving eggs from the ovaries and combining them with sperm in a glass culture dish. The IVF process typically includes three major phases: (1) ovarian induction and egg retrieval, (2) fertilization in the embryology lab, and (3) embryo transfer. More information about the IVF procedure is available here.

NYU Langone Fertility Center has been leading the way in New York City since we were founded, seeing the changes both social and technological, that have made modern family building possible for all people to achieve the dream of parenthood. For transgender individuals, this might involve Intrauterine insemination or In Vitro Fertilization, with or without the involvement of third parties. However, every path to parenthood is unique and there is no "one-size-fits-all" approach. Please reserve a consultation to start a conversation about your options.

Infertility can be treated with medicine, surgery or assisted reproductive techniques—or a combination of these treatments. Experts recommend specific treatments for infertility based on the factors contributing to infertility as well age. For example, a reproductive endocrinologist may recommend intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to help overcome male factor infertility.

Prelude is a comprehensive fertility services company dedicated to applying the latest advances in reproductive science and technology to helping people succeed at having babies, no matter where they are on their fertility journey.

The company was launched in 2016 to proactively address what the World Health Organization calls the third biggest global epidemic — infertility. As more and more men and women delay childbirth past their peak fertility years to pursue careers, advanced degrees, or the right life partner, the chances of having a baby start to decline. Prelude aims to advance the cultural conversation around fertility with a goal of educating men and women about their reproductive health and options for conception.

Prelude's network of fertility clinics and egg donation centers around the country offer egg freezing, egg storage, genetic testing, IVF and egg donation services — all delivered with the highest level of personalized care by the nation's leading reproductive endocrinologists and practitioners.

Whether you are seeking medical attention to begin treatment, to receive a second opinion, or to evaluate your fertility potential, we're here to help you get started. For information on setting up your initial consultation, please contact our office at 212-263-8990 or request a new patient consultation here.

Insurance coverage for fertility evaluation and treatment varies by insurance provider and individual plan terms. We encourage you to contact your employer’s Human Resources Department or insurance carrier directly to learn more about the details of your coverage. After you have completed your initial consultation, you will meet with our dedicated financial counselor to discuss cost, insurance coverage, and payment options tailored to your specific treatment plan. We work with every patient and couple to find the best financial solution to complement their treatment plan.

We do not require a referral for new patients. We do recommend that you check with your insurance company to make sure they do not require one to insure coverage. If you need assistance in insurance verification, please contact our business office.

Yes, flex cards can be used towards payment for The Prelude Method.

It’s possible that your insurance may cover some of the costs for your treatment. Prior to your first visit at NYU Langone Fertility Center, please reach out to your insurance company to discuss coverage for fertility services. When you speak to the customer service representative at your insurance carrier, please ask about any copayments, deductibles, lifetime maximums, prior authorizations, precertifications, fertility case management requirements, or excluded services or procedures that may apply.

At your initial consultation, your physician and nurses will walk you through any additional testing that is needed to complete your fertility workup. Once the ordered testing is complete and your treatment plan has been established you may start treatment whenever you feel ready. Most patients start their treatment within 3 months of their initial consultation.

Pre-implantation genetic testing is a technique in which one or more cells is taken from a fertilized egg for testing to provide information about the genetic make-up of the rest of the cells in that embryo. Testing typically takes place five days after the egg has been harvested and fertilized in an IVF laboratory. We recommend pre-implantation genetic testing for couples with certain inherited diseases, such as a history of single-gene disorders (i.e., cystic fibrosis or sickle cell anemia) or sex-linked disorders (i.e., Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Fragile X syndrome). Genetic screening may also be indicated for those with recurrent pregnancy loss, previous IVF failures, severe male factor infertility, or advanced reproductive age.

No, NYULFC does not accept Medicare or Medicaid.

We believe that the support you receive from your spouse/partner is critical to your care and wellbeing during your journey to parenthood. The first appointment is designed to evaluate both partner’s medical history and physical health (if applicable). This is essential in determining the treatment plan that is best for you. We recommend that your spouse/partner attend as many appointments as possible.

A reproductive endocrinologist first conducts a physical examination of both partners to determine their general health and to evaluate any physical disorders that may be causing infertility. If no cause can be identified at this point, more specific tests may be recommended. For women, these tests include X-rays of the fallopian tubes and uterus, and laparoscopy. For men, initial tests will focus on semen analysis.

The National Institutes of Health uses assisted reproductive technology (ART) to categorize treatments and procedures that aim to achieve pregnancy, including all fertility treatments in which eggs and sperm are handled outside of the body. ART procedures can involve removing eggs from a woman’s ovaries, combining them with sperm to create embryos, then transferring the embryos to the woman’s uterus in an attempt to achieve pregnancy. ART procedures can also involve donor eggs, donor sperm, and/or gestational carriers.

We accept most forms of payment, including cash, check, and some credit cards. To discuss your specific payment options, you can reach out to us at your local Prelude clinic. They will be happy to assist you.

If neither you nor your partner (if applicable) possess ovaries and/or a uterus, you’ll need to select an Egg Donor and a Gestational Carrier to help build your family. At NYULFC, we work with single patients and all members of the LGBTQ+ community to help build beautiful families using Egg Donor IVF and a Gestational Carrier. A “Gestational Carrier” or surrogate agrees to become pregnant by undergoing an embryo transfer from another individual or couple. The Gestational Carrier (“GC”) provides a host uterus for the offspring, and does not contribute genetic material (the GC is not the Egg Donor). The eggs donated by the Egg Donor are fertilized in the IVF laboratory with the sperm of one or both of the male partners. Each egg can only be fertilized by one individual’s sperm, but the donor will typically produce multiple eggs which can then individually be fertilized by sperm from each intended parent, resulting in potential genetic offspring from each male. The resulting embryos (one at a time), are then transferred to the uterus of the GC, who has been taking hormones to prepare her uterus for implantation of an embryo.