IVF Near Union City, 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 Hudson County residents considering IVF, that density of reproductive care means options — but it also means sorting through clinics with meaningfully different credentials, staffing models, and outcomes.
Damien Fertility Partners is a privately owned fertility practice serving patients for 35+ years throughout New Jersey and the greater tri-state area. Today we operate three offices — in Shrewsbury (Monmouth County), Newark (Essex County), and Jersey City (Hudson County) — supported by an embryology laboratory accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP), the FDA, and the NJ State Department of Health, all with zero deficiencies.
The IVF Process, Step by Step
IVF involves five distinct clinical phases. Each phase is managed by the same physician who saw you at your initial consultation.
Consultation, diagnostics, and treatment plan
Every cycle begins with a thorough evaluation — bloodwork, ultrasound, semen analysis, and a review of medical history. 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 35 and older. Your physician reviews all diagnostic results before recommending a protocol. Nothing is standardized; each plan reflects the individual patient.
Ovarian stimulation
The cycle opens with ovarian stimulation. Injectable medications prompt the ovaries to develop multiple follicles over roughly 10 to 14 days. During this phase, patients return for short monitoring visits — ultrasounds and bloodwork — so medications can be adjusted in real time based on follicle response.
Trigger shot and egg retrieval
When follicles reach the target size, a trigger shot initiates final egg maturation. Retrieval follows approximately 36 hours later. It is a minimally invasive, ultrasound-guided procedure performed under anesthesia, typically requiring less than 30 minutes.
Fertilization and embryo development
Retrieved eggs move immediately to our in-house laboratory. They are fertilized using conventional insemination or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) — the direct injection of a single sperm into each mature egg.
Embryos develop over five to six days under continuous monitoring by CHLOE by Fairtility, an AI-powered embryo evaluation system integrated into our embryoscope time-lapse incubators. CHLOE scores each embryo’s developmental progression against a large reference dataset, giving our laboratory team objective data alongside standard embryologist assessment.
Embryo transfer
The transfer is a brief, in-office procedure performed without anesthesia. Most patients in our practice undergo a frozen embryo transfer (FET) rather than a fresh transfer. Freezing allows time for preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidies (PGT-A) when indicated and lets the uterine lining recover from stimulation before implantation.
In 2023, we reported a 100% elective single-embryo transfer (eSET) rate among patients under 35, according to SART data (Report ID 2518).
CAP-Accredited Embryology Lab and AI Monitoring
Our embryology laboratory holds accreditation from three separate bodies — the College of American Pathologists, the FDA, and the NJ State Department of Health — all with zero deficiencies. Each accreditation carries distinct requirements.
CAP accreditation. The College of American Pathologists requires biennial on-site inspection and ongoing proficiency testing. It is a meaningfully higher bar than state licensure alone and the benchmark credential in laboratory medicine.
FDA and NJ State Department of Health. Both bodies independently inspect and certify the laboratory’s operations. Zero deficiencies across all three accrediting bodies reflects the consistency of quality across every phase of lab work, not performance on a single review cycle.
CHLOE by Fairtility. Embryos incubate in embryoscopes equipped with CHLOE by Fairtility, an AI-powered embryo monitoring system. Time-lapse imaging captures each embryo’s development continuously, without removing it from the incubator for assessment. That continuity minimizes temperature and atmosphere disruption during the critical days of early development. CHLOE’s model analyzes developmental images against a large reference dataset to identify patterns most associated with successful implantation. Our embryologists incorporate CHLOE’s scoring alongside standard morphological assessment when selecting embryos for transfer.
Laboratory oversight. Frank Barnes, PhD, HCLD, serves as our laboratory director and oversees all embryology operations. High-complexity laboratory director certification (HCLD) is the credential standard for IVF laboratory directors under federal CLIA regulations.
Board-Certified Fertility Specialists in New Jersey
Not every clinician who markets themselves as a “fertility specialist” holds board certification in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. The training path is specific.
A reproductive endocrinologist completes four years of medical school, a four-year residency in obstetrics and gynecology, and a three-year fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility — then must pass written and oral examinations administered by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG). Fellowship-trained and board-certified are not the same credential; board certification requires passing those examinations after fellowship completion.
Dr. Damien is board-certified in REI by ABOG and fluent in Spanish. Castle Connolly has named him a Top Doctor in the NY Metro Area six times (2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2017, 2018).
Dr. Perlman is board-certified in REI and a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Virtual consultations are available with Dr. Perlman for patients who prefer to begin their evaluation remotely.
Dr. Seigelstein handles minimally invasive gynecologic surgical evaluation and procedure in-house. Patients who need surgical assessment — for fibroids, polyps, endometriosis, or anatomical factors — are not referred to external providers. That keeps diagnostic and treatment decisions with the same clinical team throughout.
Access from Union City and Hudson County
Our Jersey City office is approximately 10–15 minutes from Union City, making us one of the most proximate board-certified fertility practices for Hudson County residents. IVF monitoring involves frequent short visits — often every one to three days during the stimulation phase — so clinic proximity reduces the logistical burden of an active cycle in a practical, day-to-day sense.
The Jersey City location is accessible by public transit and by car. For patients who prefer to begin remotely, virtual consultations with Dr. Perlman are available before any in-person monitoring starts. That option is particularly useful for patients who want to complete an initial evaluation and discuss a treatment plan before committing to an office visit.
Our Newark (Essex County) and Shrewsbury (Monmouth County) offices are available for monitoring flexibility during active cycles. Patients enrolled at one location can, in some cases, use another office for early-morning monitoring visits when scheduling requires it. The three-office structure is designed in part to serve patients across the geography of New Jersey without requiring long commutes during the most time-intensive phase of treatment.
New Jersey Insurance Coverage for IVF
New Jersey has required insurers to cover IVF since 2001. The 2024 Murphy expansion broadened that mandate significantly.
The updated mandate. The revised law requires group health insurance policies covering 50 or more employees to cover up to four completed egg retrievals per lifetime. The 2024 expansion removed prior restrictions based on age, relationship status, and sexual orientation — changes that substantially expand access for LGBTQ+ patients, single individuals, and patients over prior age thresholds.
Verifying your coverage. Coverage varies by plan, employer size, and carrier. Our bilingual Insurance Verification Specialist reviews your specific benefits before treatment begins and explains what is and is not covered under your policy. Patients should not assume coverage based on state mandate alone; self-funded employer plans, for example, are governed by federal ERISA law and may not be subject to the NJ mandate.
Financing options. For patients whose plans do not cover IVF, CapexMD offers financing with 24-hour pre-approval. Full details are on our insurance and financial resources page.
Inclusive Care for All Family Structures
We do not apply BMI-based limitations to care. Patients across all body types, relationship structures, sexual orientations, and family-building goals receive the same clinical evaluation and access to treatment. That position is a clinical and ethical one, not a marketing stance.
LGBTQ+ family building. We provide dedicated support for LGBTQ+ patients, including reciprocal IVF for same-sex female couples, donor sperm programs, and gestational carrier arrangements for same-sex male couples and individuals. The 2024 NJ mandate expansion, which removed restrictions on orientation and relationship status, extended insurance coverage to many of these paths for the first time.
Donor programs and third-party reproduction. Donor egg IVF and donor sperm are available for patients who require third-party gametes. Gestational carrier services are coordinated in-house. Each of these paths involves distinct legal, medical, and logistical considerations; your physician walks through those specifics at the initial consultation.
Services for singles and fertility preservation. Services for singles and fertility preservation, including egg freezing, are available for patients who are not pursuing pregnancy immediately. Preservation is approached with the same individualized planning as active treatment.
Bilingual care. Spanish-language care is available at all three offices. Dr. Damien is fluent in Spanish, Spanish-speaking providers staff each location, and our website is fully bilingual. Our Insurance Verification Specialist is also bilingual, which matters during the coverage verification process when policy language needs to be explained precisely.
Success Rates
In 2023, we reported an 81.8% live-birth rate per new patient for women under 35, according to SART data (Report ID 2518). Our elective single-embryo transfer rate in that age group was 100%. Both figures reflect outcomes from new patients seen that year, as defined by SART’s reporting methodology.
Clinic-to-clinic comparisons should be interpreted with caution. Differences in patient populations, case complexity, the proportion of donor egg cycles, and transfer policies all affect reported rates in ways that raw percentages do not capture. A clinic with a more selective intake process will typically report higher success rates than one that accepts more complex cases. Full outcomes across all age brackets and cycle types are published on the SART website and on our success rates page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Damien Fertility Partners from Union City, NJ?
Our Jersey City office is approximately 10–15 minutes from Union City. It is the closest board-certified fertility practice for most Hudson County residents. We also maintain offices in Newark (Essex County) and Shrewsbury (Monmouth County).
How long does IVF take?
Ovarian stimulation takes approximately 10 to 14 days. For patients who proceed with a frozen embryo transfer — which is standard at our practice — a separate frozen transfer cycle adds two to four weeks. The complete process from initial consultation to transfer typically spans six to twelve weeks, depending on diagnostic findings and whether genetic testing is performed.
What is CHLOE, and how does it work?
CHLOE by Fairtility is an AI-powered embryo evaluation system integrated into our embryoscope time-lapse incubators. It captures continuous images of developing embryos without removing them from the incubator and scores each embryo’s developmental progression against a reference dataset. Our embryologists incorporate CHLOE’s data alongside standard morphological assessment when selecting embryos for transfer.
Does Damien Fertility Partners accept insurance for IVF?
We work with most major carriers and verify benefits before treatment begins. New Jersey’s IVF mandate, expanded in 2024, requires group plans covering 50 or more employees to cover up to four completed egg retrievals per lifetime. Details are on our insurance and financial resources page.
Will I see the same doctor at every appointment?
Yes. The same physician who conducts your initial consultation will be present at monitoring visits, egg retrieval, and embryo transfer. This is a deliberate contrast to larger programs, including RMA NJ and IRMS/CCRM, which rotate providers across appointments.
Does the practice offer care in Spanish?
Yes. Dr. Damien is fluent in Spanish, Spanish-speaking providers are available at all three offices, and our website is fully available in Spanish. Our Insurance Verification Specialist is also bilingual.
Schedule a Consultation
We serve Union City and Hudson County patients from our Jersey City office, with additional locations in Newark (Essex County) and Shrewsbury (Monmouth County). Dr. Miguel Damien and Dr. Barry Perlman see new patients at this location. Virtual consultations with Dr. Perlman are available for those who prefer to begin remotely.
Request a consultation at damienfertilitypartners.com or call (732) 758-6511.