IVF Near Princeton, NJ | Damien Fertility Partners
5.6% of all infants born in New Jersey in 2022 were conceived through assisted reproductive technology — the second-highest state rate in the country, behind Massachusetts. For Princeton-area residents beginning to evaluate their options, the question is not whether quality fertility care exists in New Jersey, but which clinic offers the clinical rigor, physician continuity, and lab standards to support the best possible outcome.
Choosing a fertility clinic involves more than proximity. Patients want to know who will be managing their care at every stage, whether the lab holds independent accreditation, and what the published outcomes actually mean.
Damien Fertility Partners has provided IVF treatment across New Jersey since 1989, with offices in Shrewsbury (Monmouth County) and Newark (Essex County). Our embryology lab holds accreditation from the College of American Pathologists (CAP), the FDA, and the NJ State Department of Health — all with zero deficiencies. The same board-certified physician stays with each patient through every consultation, monitoring visit, retrieval, and transfer.
IUI vs. IVF: How Treatment Decisions Are Made
When IUI Is the Right Starting Point
IVF is not the first step for every patient. It is recommended when specific clinical factors suggest that less invasive options are unlikely to work, or would delay the chance of pregnancy. For patients with open fallopian tubes, near-normal sperm parameters, and responsive ovulation, IUI is often the appropriate starting point.
Age plays a central role in that decision. The CDC recommends evaluation after six months of trying for women 35 and older, and more immediate evaluation and treatment for women over 40. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine defines infertility as the failure to achieve pregnancy after 12 months of unprotected intercourse — or six months for women over 35 — and its clinical guidelines inform how we approach each initial consultation.
IUI and Unexplained Infertility
Starting with IUI is not a compromise for the right patient — it is an evidence-based approach. A systematic review in the Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics found no significant difference in live birth rates between IUI with ovarian stimulation and IVF in treatment-naïve women under 38. This means IUI preserves the option of IVF if needed, while avoiding a more intensive intervention before it is clinically indicated.
When IVF Becomes the Recommended Path
IVF is typically recommended earlier when age, diagnosis, or prior treatment history point toward a lower likelihood of success with IUI. In cases of moderate to severe male factor infertility, IVF with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) can assist fertilization in ways IUI cannot. A BMC Women’s Health literature review supports transitioning to IVF for women over 38 and for couples who have not conceived after multiple IUI cycles. A 2024 meta-analysis in Human Reproduction Update reinforces that this transition should be based on individual clinical factors — not a default assumption that IVF is always faster or more effective.
Individualized Care at Every Stage
The decision between IUI and IVF reflects a combination of age, diagnosis, treatment history, and the patient’s goals for timing. There is no universal protocol — and that is precisely why individualized care is central to how we approach every consultation. Each patient works with a dedicated, ABOG board-certified physician who evaluates their specific clinical picture and recommends a treatment path grounded in evidence, not convenience.
Understanding IVF Success Rates — and How to Read Them
Federal Reporting Through the CDC and SART
IVF outcomes in the U.S. are not self-reported alone. Clinics must submit annual data to the CDC through the National ART Surveillance System (NASS), creating a standardized, public dataset. SART — the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology — publishes clinic-level outcomes that allow patients to compare results against national benchmarks. Together, these two systems give patients independently verified reference points when evaluating any fertility clinic.
Why Context Matters More Than the Number Alone
Success rates are population-based estimates, not guarantees for individual patients. Outcomes vary by age, diagnosis, embryo quality, and treatment approach, which is why the CDC cautions against reading a single percentage in isolation. Our 100% elective single-embryo transfer (eSET) rate for patients under 35 in 2023 means strong live-birth rates were achieved while actively minimizing the risk of multiple pregnancies — which carry elevated health risks for both mother and child. That clinical context is what makes our numbers meaningful.
2023 SART Reported Outcomes
Live birth rate for patients under 35. In 2023 — the most recent SART reporting year — we reported an 81.8% live-birth rate per new patient for women under 35. These outcomes are submitted through SART’s standardized reporting framework and reflect real clinical results. Full data across all age brackets is available on the SART website and our success rates page. Clinic-to-clinic comparisons should be interpreted with caution due to differences in patient populations.
Single embryo transfer as a standard of care. Our 100% eSET rate for patients under 35 is not a marketing claim — it is a clinical commitment. Transferring a single embryo reduces the risk of twin or higher-order pregnancies while still achieving strong outcomes. This approach reflects how we define quality care, not just quality numbers.
The Physicians Behind Your Care
Dr. Miguel Damien — Founder and Medical Director. Dr. Damien founded the practice in 1989 — originally as East Coast IVF, the first successful IVF program in Monmouth and Ocean County. He is a Dartmouth Medical School graduate who completed residency and REI fellowships at Harvard Medical School and the University of Connecticut. Board-certified in REI by ABOG and fluent in Spanish, he has been named a Castle Connolly Top Doctor in the NY Metro Area six times (2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2017, 2018).
Dr. Barry Perlman — Board-Certified REI Specialist. Dr. Perlman is an ABOG board-certified REI specialist and Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). A published researcher on endocrine disruptors and fertility, he has been named a Castle Connolly Top Doctor five times. He joined our practice in 2023 and offers in-person and virtual consultations for patients across Central New Jersey.
CAP-Accredited Embryology Lab and AI Monitoring
Laboratory Accreditation That Underpins Every Cycle
IVF outcomes are closely tied to lab quality. Our embryology lab holds accreditation from the College of American Pathologists (CAP), the FDA, and the NJ State Department of Health — all with zero deficiencies. The lab is directed by Klaus Wiemer, PhD, HCLD, who brings over 40 years of clinical embryology experience and more than 80 peer-reviewed publications.
CHLOE by Fairtility
The lab uses CHLOE by Fairtility, an AI-powered embryo monitoring system built into embryoscope time-lapse incubators. CHLOE enables continuous, non-invasive tracking of embryo development — giving our team real-time data to guide transfer decisions without disturbing the embryo. It is a proprietary system, and it is central to how we approach embryo selection.
Fertility Services Available to Princeton-Area Patients
Comprehensive IVF and Reproductive Care
We offer a full spectrum of fertility services, each developed by a board-certified physician based on the patient’s individual clinical profile. The IVF process follows a structured, physician-led pathway:
Ovarian stimulation. The cycle opens with injectable medications that prompt the ovaries to develop multiple follicles over roughly 10 to 14 days. Progress is tracked through ultrasound and bloodwork throughout.
Trigger shot and egg retrieval. When follicles reach the target size, a trigger shot signals final egg maturation. Retrieval is performed under light sedation by our in-house surgical team — patients are not referred out.
Fertilization and embryo development. Eggs are fertilized in our CAP-accredited lab, with embryo development tracked continuously through CHLOE. Approximately five days of culture brings embryos to the blastocyst stage for transfer or freezing.
Embryo transfer. For patients under 35, we perform elective single-embryo transfer (eSET) as standard practice. The same physician who guided the cycle performs the transfer.
Beyond IVF, our services include IUI, donor egg IVF, preimplantation genetic testing (PGT-A), fertility preservation, gestational carrier support, reciprocal IVF, and early pregnancy management. We have no BMI-based limitations on care and provide dedicated support for LGBTQ+ family building.
Virtual Consultations and Flexible Access
Dr. Perlman’s availability for virtual consultations provides a meaningful point of access for Princeton-area patients. Initial consultations, follow-up discussions, and treatment planning can all begin remotely — reducing the burden of travel before in-person monitoring and procedures are required. In-person visits can be scheduled at the Shrewsbury location, the most accessible office for Mercer County patients.
Schedule a Consultation
Princeton-area patients can request a virtual consultation with Dr. Perlman or schedule an in-person appointment at our Shrewsbury office in Monmouth County. Visit damienfertilitypartners.com or call (732) 758-6511 to speak with our scheduling team directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which Damien Fertility Partners location is closest to Princeton, NJ?
Our Shrewsbury location at 655 Shrewsbury Avenue (Monmouth County) is the most accessible for Princeton-area patients. Dr. Perlman also offers virtual consultations, allowing patients to begin their care remotely before scheduling in-person monitoring and procedures.
2. Who are the physicians at Damien Fertility Partners?
The practice is led by Dr. Miguel Damien, a Harvard-trained, ABOG board-certified REI specialist and six-time Castle Connolly Top Doctor, and Dr. Barry Perlman, a board-certified REI Fellow of ACOG and published researcher on endocrine disruptors and fertility. The same physician manages each patient’s care from the first consultation through transfer.
3. What are Damien Fertility Partners’ IVF success rates?
In 2023, we reported an 81.8% live-birth rate per new patient for women under 35, as submitted through SART. That figure reflects a 100% elective single-embryo transfer rate in that age group. Full outcomes data across all age groups is available on the SART website and our success rates page. Clinic-to-clinic comparisons should be interpreted with caution due to differences in patient populations.
4. Is the embryology lab accredited?
Yes. Our lab holds accreditation from the CAP, the FDA, and the NJ State Department of Health — all with zero deficiencies. It is directed by Klaus Wiemer, PhD, HCLD, with over 40 years of experience and more than 80 peer-reviewed publications. We use CHLOE by Fairtility for continuous, AI-powered embryo monitoring.
5. Can I start my fertility care virtually?
Yes. Dr. Perlman offers virtual consultations for patients who prefer to begin remotely. This is a practical starting point for Princeton-area patients before traveling to Shrewsbury for monitoring or procedures.
6. What is CHLOE, and how does it work?
CHLOE by Fairtility is an AI-powered embryo monitoring system integrated into our embryoscope time-lapse incubators. It tracks embryo development continuously and non-invasively, providing our lab team with real-time data to support embryo selection — without removing embryos from the controlled incubator environment.
7. What fertility treatments does Damien Fertility Partners offer?
Services include comprehensive diagnostics, ovulation induction, IUI, IVF, donor egg IVF, PGT-A genetic testing, fertility preservation, gestational carrier support, reciprocal IVF, in-house surgical care, and early pregnancy management — all under the supervision of ABOG board-certified REI physicians and informed by ASRM clinical guidelines.