Fertility Specialist in New Jersey | Damien Fertility Partners
New Jersey has roughly 87 practicing reproductive endocrinologists. Two of them work at Damien Fertility Partners, a practice that has operated in the state since 1989.
Both physicians are board-certified in reproductive endocrinology and infertility, backed by an in-house surgical team, board-certified Nurse Practitioners, and a CAP-accredited embryology lab that runs CHLOE, the first FDA-cleared AI decision-support system for embryo assessment.
A fertility specialist is often the first person who can give you a clear answer about why conception is not happening, including typical timelines and success rates. Your OB/GYN may have run initial bloodwork or suggested timed intercourse, but there is a clinical ceiling to what a general practice can diagnose and treat.
Past that ceiling, the referral is to a reproductive endocrinologist: a physician with a four-year OB/GYN residency plus a two to three-year fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI).
If you are ready to speak with a fertility specialist in New Jersey, request a consultation at our offices in Shrewsbury, Jersey City, or Newark.
What a Fertility Specialist Does That Your OB/GYN Cannot
An OB/GYN is trained in general reproductive health, pregnancy management, and gynecologic conditions. A reproductive endocrinologist is trained in the narrower, harder problem of why reproduction is not working and how to fix it. That training difference shows up in three areas.
First, a fertility specialist runs targeted diagnostic testing that most OB/GYN offices are not equipped to interpret in depth. This includes detailed hormonal panels, including AMH, FSH, estradiol, LH, thyroid function, and prolactin.
It also includes transvaginal ultrasounds with antral follicle counts, hysterosalpingograms (HSG) to assess fallopian tube patency, saline sonograms to evaluate the uterine cavity, and semen analysis for the male partner.
Second, a fertility specialist builds a treatment plan from the combined diagnostic picture rather than isolated test results. The plan may start with ovulation induction or intrauterine insemination (IUI) and progress to IVF, ICSI, or PGT if warranted. The specialist has the training to manage the full continuum, not just the first step.
Third, a fertility specialist works directly with an embryology lab, which an OB/GYN does not. The lab is where eggs are fertilized, embryos are cultured, genetic testing is performed, and cryopreservation decisions are made. The physician’s relationship with the lab team shapes the quality of every IVF cycle.
When to See a Fertility Specialist
The general guideline from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine is straightforward. Couples under 35 who have been trying to conceive for 12 months without success should see a fertility specialist. For those 35 and older, that window shortens to six months. Several situations warrant an earlier consultation regardless of age.
These include irregular or absent menstrual cycles, a known diagnosis of PCOS, endometriosis, or fibroids. They also include a history of recurrent pregnancy loss, prior cancer treatment that may have affected fertility, a known male factor issue (low sperm count, motility, or morphology), or a desire to preserve fertility through egg freezing.
If your OB/GYN has been managing your care for several months with no progress, that is also a signal. The referral from OB/GYN to a fertility specialist is one of the most common transitions in reproductive medicine, and Damien Fertility Partners works closely with referring OB/GYNs to make that transition as smooth as possible.
How to Evaluate a Fertility Specialist in New Jersey
Once the decision is made to see a specialist, the next question is which one. New Jersey has roughly 20 distinct fertility practices across approximately 40 locations, from solo offices to 11-site networks with more than 40 physicians. The differences that matter most are not the ones that show up first in a search result.
Four criteria separate a good fit from a poor one: lab quality, surgical capability, language access, and continuity of physician.
Lab quality. The embryology lab is the least visible and most consequential part of the operation. Ask whether the lab is accredited (CAP is the gold standard), who directs it, and what monitoring technology it uses.
The Damien lab holds CAP and FDA accreditation with zero deficiencies and runs CHLOE, an AI-powered embryo monitoring system developed by Fairtility. CHLOE Blast received FDA 510(k) clearance in September 2025 and is the first machine-learning tool authorized for AI-powered embryo assessment in the United States.
Surgical capability. Some fertility diagnoses, including endometriosis, fibroids, and pelvic adhesions, require surgery before or alongside IVF. If a practice does not have an in-house surgeon, the referral goes to an outside provider who is unfamiliar with the case. Dr. Nina Seigelstein, a board-certified OB/GYN and minimally invasive surgery specialist, handles these cases at Damien. In 2006, she founded One World Women’s Health, the nonprofit that designed, built, and staffed the maternity ward at Holy Spirit Hospital in Makeni, Sierra Leone, which opened in September 2016.
Bilingual access. New Jersey is one of the most linguistically diverse states in the country. If English is not your first language, the ability to discuss complex medical decisions in your native language is a clinical necessity, not a convenience. Damien Fertility Partners operates bilingually in English and Spanish, with bilingual providers across all three offices and the entire website available in Spanish.
Continuity of the physician. At larger networks, patients often rotate through several physicians across monitoring, retrieval, and transfer. Damien assigns one board-certified reproductive endocrinologist to each patient from the first consultation through every procedure.
The Fertility Specialists at Damien Fertility Partners
Dr. Miguel Damien, M.D. is the practice’s founder and Medical Director. He graduated from Dartmouth Medical School, completed his OB/GYN residency at Harvard Medical School, and completed his REI fellowship training at Harvard Medical School and the University of Connecticut.
Dr. Damien is board-certified in reproductive endocrinology and infertility, fluent in Spanish, and has practiced in New Jersey since 1989. Castle Connolly has named him a Top Doctor in the NY Metro Area six times.
Dr. Barry Perlman, D.O., FACOG is board-certified in REI and joined the practice in 2023. He studied molecular biology at Lehigh University, earned his medical degree at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine as valedictorian of his class, and completed both his OB/GYN residency and his REI fellowship at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.
His clinical interests include PCOS, ovarian aging, male factor infertility, fertility preservation, and the effects of endocrine disruptors on reproductive health. Dr. Perlman is co-author of “Endocrine disruptors and female fertility: a review of pesticide and plasticizer effects,” published in Fertility and Sterility Reports in April 2022. He sees patients in person at all three offices and by secure telehealth.
Both physicians are supported by Nurse Practitioners Gloria Lopez and Elizabeth Piercy, who manage monitoring appointments and in-office procedures. The practice also employs a dedicated bilingual Insurance Verification Specialist who confirms coverage before your first appointment.
What to Expect at Your First Visit
The initial consultation with a fertility specialist at Damien Fertility Partners typically includes a review of your medical history, a discussion of your goals and timeline, a physical examination, and the ordering of diagnostic tests based on your situation. Both partners are encouraged to attend.
The practice accepts most major insurance carriers and offers financing through CapexMD for patients who need it, with loans from $3,000 to $55,000, terms of 6 to 84 months, and pre-approval within 24 hours.
New Jersey’s fertility insurance mandate (A5235/S3627), signed into law on January 12, 2024, adopts the ASRM definition of infertility and eliminates the prior waiting period that effectively excluded single patients and same-sex couples.
Qualifying group health plans must now cover diagnosis, medications, IUI, IVF, ICSI, PGT, up to four completed egg retrievals per lifetime, unlimited embryo transfers, donor-egg IVF, and embryo transfer to a gestational carrier. The mandate does not apply to self-funded employer plans governed by ERISA.
Our bilingual Insurance Verification Specialist confirms your specific coverage before your first appointment. If your team is ready to start, request a consultation with Dr. Damien or Dr. Perlman at any of our three New Jersey offices.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a fertility specialist and an OB/GYN?
A fertility specialist (reproductive endocrinologist) completes a two to three-year fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility after a four-year OB/GYN residency. This additional training covers advanced diagnostics, hormonal disorders affecting fertility, IVF, and embryology lab oversight, which fall outside the scope of general OB/GYN practice.
When should I see a fertility specialist?
Couples under 35 should consult a fertility specialist after 12 months of trying to conceive without success. For patients 35 and older, the recommendation is six months. Earlier consultations are appropriate for patients with irregular cycles, known diagnoses like PCOS or endometriosis, recurrent pregnancy loss, prior cancer treatment, or male factor concerns.
How many fertility specialists are there in New Jersey?
U.S. News lists approximately 87 reproductive endocrinologists practicing in New Jersey across roughly 20 distinct fertility practices and 40 locations. These range from single-physician offices to networks with more than 40 specialists.
What does the 2024 New Jersey fertility mandate actually cover?
The 2024 New Jersey fertility mandate (A5235/S3627) requires qualifying group health plans to cover diagnosis, medications, IUI, IVF, ICSI, PGT, up to four completed egg retrievals per lifetime, unlimited embryo transfers, donor-egg IVF, and transfer to a gestational carrier.
The law adopts the ASRM definition of infertility, which removed the prior waiting period requirement that excluded single patients and same-sex couples. Self-funded employer plans governed by ERISA are exempt.
Does Damien Fertility Partners accept insurance?
Damien Fertility Partners accepts most major insurance carriers and employs a bilingual Insurance Verification Specialist who confirms coverage before the first appointment. Financing through CapexMD is available for patients whose plans do not cover treatment or who have out-of-pocket costs, with loans up to $55,000 and pre-approval within 24 hours.
Can I see the same doctor throughout my treatment?
Patients at Damien Fertility Partners see the same board-certified reproductive endocrinologist from initial consultation through every monitoring visit, retrieval, and transfer. This is a deliberate departure from larger network practices, where patients may rotate among several physicians and rarely meet the doctor who performs their retrieval until the day of the procedure.
Choosing Your Fertility Specialist in New Jersey
Choosing a fertility specialist in New Jersey sets the direction of your entire treatment. The right practice is not always the largest, the newest, or the one with the most locations on a billboard. It is the one whose lab, surgical team, and language access match the decisions you are actually going to have to make.
For 36 years, Damien Fertility Partners has worked from a simple premise: the doctor who opens your chart should be the doctor who closes it. That has meant keeping an in-house surgeon on staff when most clinics outsourced that role, and investing in a CAP-accredited lab that runs the first FDA-cleared AI embryo assessment tool in the country.
If you would like to speak with a fertility specialist in New Jersey, request a consultation with Dr. Damien or Dr. Perlman at our Shrewsbury, Jersey City, or Newark office.