Yale Fertility Center

Aydin Arici, MD, is a reproductive endocrinologist and focuses on a variety of health areas, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), infertility, endometriosis, implantation, myomas, and uterine anomalies. Dr. Arici is a professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at Yale School of Medicine. His research interests encompass a broad range of topics, including chemokines, cytokines, and their roles in gynecology and infertility. He is focused on understanding the complexities of endometriosis and its impact on reproductive health, as well as exploring innovative reproductive techniques. Dr. Arici earned his medical degree from Istanbul Medical School in Turkey. He completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City, and further specialized with a fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

David Frankfurter, MD, is a specialist in obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI). He focuses on helping individuals address challenges related to reproduction and fertility, offering treatments such as hormone therapy and assisted reproductive technologies. He also supports patients to achieve family-planning goals. As a professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Frankfurter conducts research on hormonal influences on fertility and innovative reproductive techniques. Dr. Frankfurter received his medical degree from Yale School of Medicine and completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Yale New Haven Hospital, followed by a fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Beth Israel Deaconess/Harvard University. After completing his training, he joined the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology at Brown University, where he became the director of the donor egg program. In 2003, he transitioned to George Washington University as the medical director of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and division director of REI. He returned to Yale in 2023.

Caring for a woman means caring for an entire community, says Lubna Pal, MBBS (a medical degree awarded in several countries outside of the U.S.), MS. Dr. Pal, a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist, honed this perspective growing up in Pakistan, where her mother was an an obstetrician-gynecologist and her father a surgeon. “In the developing world, as a woman’s health provider, you’re not just addressing a woman’s health, you’re taking care of the entire family,” she says. “Reproductive endocrinology and infertility appealed to me not just because of the exciting changes in the field, but because, going back to my roots, family building is so critical. Making a difference for couples who are struggling to conceive does more than impact the couple. To me, the implications are societal.” Dr. Pal, whose expertise lies in the management of infertility, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and menopause, says that developing a strong relationship with patients is critical to healing. “You have to be there emotionally for them, to stay the course, through the highs and lows,” she says. “You have to be candid. You have to be sensitive. And you have to be genuine.” Infertility management, she points out, requires a particularly sensitive yet direct approach. “The majority of the time, you are dealing with healthy, young couples, who may be under a tremendous emotional burden,” she says. “When treating infertility with existing technologies and current knowledge, even in the best scenarios the treatment fails 50 percent of the time. Your commitment to the patient needs to be absolute, so that if a cycle fails, they know you did the best that anyone could do.” Dr. Pal is a professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at Yale School of Medicine.

Katherine Rotker, MD, is a urologist who specializes in male fertility, sexual medicine and men’s health. She has advanced fellowship training in caring for men with erectile dysfunction, Peyronie’s disease (curvature of the penis) and low testosterone, among other conditions. She specializes in microsurgeries including varicocele repair and vasectomy reversal, as well as vasectomies and sperm retrieval. She also practices general urology, treating both men and women for a range of urological issues. “I love working with people,” says Dr. Rotker, explaining why she became a urologist. “This is a field where you build long-term relationships with patients—and can follow some patients for decades,” she says. She works closely with her reproductive endocrinology colleagues, doctors who specialize in female fertility issues, to help couples navigate through what can be an emotional and difficult time, and spends time seeing patients at the Yale Fertility Center in Orange. “It is so fulfilling to help a couple achieve their goals in terms of pregnancy and intimacy.” The majority of urologists today are men, but Dr. Rotker says she expects to see more women in the field as more pursue urology residencies. When asked if her gender is difficult for some patients, she states, “I think it is an asset.” “Some men say, ‘I was nervous to see a woman, but you always make me feel comfortable.’ I think there is something—gender aside—about finding the right doctor, one who knows how to make these difficult topics easier. I think it’s about truly listening and normalizing how common these conditions are, and letting patients know they are not alone and that there are options.” In addition to caring for patients, Dr. Rotker has research interests in equity and gender within urology, and fertility topics such as sperm DNA fragmentation, which is related to genetic damage in the sperm. She has published on a variety of topics and has presented on a regional and national level. Embarrassment can be a barrier to patients seeking care for many of these health issues, including erectile dysfunction and infertility. However, Dr. Rotker urges these men to talk to a doctor. “Men can feel alone when experiencing these health problems but they are common conditions and there is a lot we can offer both to address these concerns and improve their overall health.“

As a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist, David B. Seifer, MD, sees himself as a liaison. His goal is to help his patients choose the right medical approach, while respecting their personal values. “When I first meet with a couple or an individual, we talk. Over the course of an hour, I get an idea of their world view, how they envision their future and their hopes for a family,” Dr. Seifer says. “I then figure out how to apply the technology we have at our disposal to their individual needs. That might mean egg freezing for women who are concerned about future fertility but aren’t ready to conceive now. We also have egg donor and surrogate options for women of advanced maternal age or for same-sex couples.” Dr. Seifer says he was drawn to the field of obstetrics and gynecology in medical school. “It was an epiphany when I realized how appreciative patients were,” he says. “To have someone let you into their life during such an important time, and to be able to make an impact, is such a joy.” The dawn of in vitro fertilization (IVF) was occurring around the time Dr. Seifer completed his medical degree. “There was such excitement, like science fiction becoming a reality,” he says. “It’s a convergence of technology and biology, and I was excited to practice it and help build families.” Plus, he enjoys working with patients who are as motivated as he is to reach a successful outcome. “Everybody is moving in the same direction,” says Dr. Seifer, who primarily sees patients in Yale Fertility Center’s Orange office, which he describes as a comfortable, calming place. “We take care of everything that may seem daunting in an efficient, relaxed way.” Dr. Seifer’s research include the mechanisms of reproductive aging. In fact, his research led to a simple blood test used worldwide today that helps determine the health of a woman’s ovaries and a rough estimate of her egg count. He is also a past president of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART), the primary, national organization that sets clinical and laboratory guidelines and standards for safety and quality metrics for the practice of IVF.

Emre Seli, MD, specializes in treating complex infertility cases, including women and men who need egg donation or gestational surrogacy. Dr. Seli’s patients experience very high pregnancy rates, with 78 percent achieving live birth through egg donation in 2015. He also addresses the medical, psychological and legal needs of LGBTQ patients attempting parenthood. Dr. Emre says the most exciting part of his work is combining biomedical research with advances in the field of infertility, including personalized medicine. “The first baby born through IVF (in vitro fertilization) is not even 40 years old,” he notes. “Since then, we have learned how to freeze embryos, eggs and perform diagnostic procedures in the embryo. Every day, a new experimental procedure is being offered to women and men with infertility.” The Yale Medicine Fertility Center is at the forefront of these discoveries and, Dr. Seli says, “We are constantly collaborating with other leading researchers in the field. As a result, we provide our patients a critical assessment of all options to achieve the best possible outcome.“ Dr. Seli is a professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at Yale School of Medicine. In his laboratory, Dr. Seli researches determinants of egg and embryo health, and mechanisms of ovarian aging. He and his colleagues have made significant contributions within the field of in vitro fertilization (IVF), especially in understanding which embryos might result in a successful pregnancy and birth. “We continually seek new and better ways of helping our patients,” Dr. Seli says. “One thing is for sure, three years from now, we’ll be doing things differently than we are doing now.”

Reshef Tal, MD, PhD, never tires of one moment that occurs regularly when he’s treating couples who have struggled with infertility. “After the pregnancy test comes back positive and we do the first ultrasound, you can’t beat witnessing that little flicker of a heart beat and seeing the joy on your patients’ faces,” says Dr. Tal, a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist. That happiness, Dr. Tal says, is hard earned for couples. “Many times, a diagnosis of infertility is devastating for a couple, and they come to me after having already tried to conceive for a year or more,” he says. “There can be a lot of frustration, and stress from the unknown, but I walk them through every step of the way. It’s not an easy journey, but at the end of the day, it’s a gratifying one, and most patients have good outcomes.” Dr. Tal’s research focuses on embryo implantation during in vitro fertilization (IVF). “In the past few decades, there has been a revolution in the field of reproductive medicine since the introduction of IVF. We have pretty good knowledge about how to culture embryos and pick the best ones to transfer back to the patient,” he says. “However, there is still a lack of knowledge when it comes to the implantation process. About 40 percent of embryos fail to implant despite being of good quality and normal genetic make-up, and much less attention has been paid in the field to the role that the uterine lining plays in this process.” His work explores how stem cells are related to implantation and successful pregnancies. “We need better solutions,” Dr. Tal says. “If we can better understand how stem cells are related to the reproductive process, such as implantation and pregnancy maintenance, we can translate this knowledge to the bedside with new treatments.” Dr. Tal is an assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at Yale School of Medicine.

Hugh S. Taylor, MD, chair of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences, is internationally known for his studies on endometriosis. He combines the latest medical therapies with surgeries when needed to provide optimal care for women with pain or infertility related to endometriosis, a common, painful condition in which endometrial tissue grows outside the uterus. “It’s a fascinating, but troubling disease. We don’t know what causes the lining of the uterus to grow outside it, but we’re doing research to find out why,” Dr. Taylor says. “Women can go 10 years before they are diagnosed, and we are doing a lot to speed that up.” Another specialized condition for which Dr. Taylor receives referrals from around the country is for women with a very thin endometrium, which makes embryo implantation difficult. “These women aren’t getting pregnant, and we think the problem is not the eggs or the embryo, but that the uterus isn’t receptive to those embryos,” explains Dr. Taylor. Complicated medical problems and the opportunity to truly help patients drew Dr. Taylor to obstetrics and gynecology. “There are so many unsolved problems that affect people from birth through the rest of their life. If you can make an impact during pregnancy or around the time of birth, you can change the whole trajectory of someone’s life,” he says. “It’s an amazing opportunity to be able to make such a difference.” Dr. Taylor has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine, one of the nation’s highest honors in the fields of health and medicine. He is an active researcher and has been funded by the National Institutes of Health continuously for more than 20 years. A professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences; and of molecular, cellular and development biology at Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Taylor is also chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale New Haven Hospital.

Liubin Yang, MD, PhD, a subspecialist in reproductive endocrinology and infertility, is dedicated to helping individuals and couples build their families. She is double board certified in obstetrics and gynecology and in reproductive endocrinology and infertility by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. As an instructor in obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Yang's research focuses on gene therapy for primary ovarian insufficiency (a condition where the ovaries stop functioning normally before age 40), ovarian aging, and genetic determinants of primary ovarian insufficiency/diminished ovarian reserve. Her research incorporates advanced techniques such as machine learning to improve outcomes in reproductive medicine. Through this research, Dr. Yang aims to enhance the understanding and treatment of infertility, providing hope and options for those seeking to grow their families. Dr. Yang completed her medical degree, doctoral degree in molecular and human genetics, residency in obstetrics and gynecology, and fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Baylor College of Medicine.