Fertility Clinic in New Jersey | Damien Fertility Partners
According to CDC ART surveillance data, fertility treatment outcomes vary significantly by clinic, patient age, and diagnosis — which is why choosing the right practice matters as much as choosing the right treatment. The question most patients are really asking is not just “who has the best numbers?” but “who will actually take care of me?”
We’ve been answering that question since 1989, when we opened as East Coast IVF — the first successful IVF program in Monmouth and Ocean County. Today we operate three offices: Shrewsbury (Monmouth County), Newark (Essex County), and Jersey City (Hudson County). Our laboratory holds accreditation from the College of American Pathologists, the FDA, and the NJ State Department of Health — with zero deficiencies across all three. Request a consultation to speak with our team, including virtual appointments available with Dr. Barry Perlman.
A Legacy of Clinical Excellence in New Jersey
We were founded by Dr. Miguel Damien, a reproductive endocrinologist trained at Dartmouth Medical School with postdoctoral fellowships at Harvard Medical School and the University of Connecticut. Dr. Damien has practiced in Monmouth and Ocean counties since 1989. He is board-certified in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and has been named a Castle Connolly Top Doctor in the NY Metro Area six times (2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2017, 2018).
The practice was built on the principle that fertility care should be clinically rigorous and equally accessible regardless of a patient’s background or path to parenthood. That principle shapes how we design protocols, how we staff our offices, and how we communicate results. Our success rates are reported through SART and consistently surpass the national average. In 2023, our live-birth rate per new patient under 35 was 81.8%, with a 100% elective single embryo transfer (eSET) rate in that age group. Clinic-to-clinic comparisons should be interpreted with caution due to differences in patient populations.
Our Physician Team
Your dedicated doctor is with you at every turn — through each consultation, decision, ultrasound, and treatment. Our physicians do not rotate between patients mid-cycle or hand off results through impersonal portals. You see the same face, speak with the same person, and receive the same continuity of clinical judgment from your first appointment through your last.
As with any medical practice, there are occasions — such as when your physician is away or unavailable — when another member of our physician team may see you for a visit. In these situations, your care remains within our practice, with a physician who has full access to your chart, treatment history, and protocol. Your primary doctor remains responsible for your overall care and will be informed of any visits that occur in their absence.
Dr. Miguel Damien is our Medical Director and the founding physician of the practice. He is fluent in Spanish and has been recognized among New Jersey’s Top Doctors for Women by Inside Jersey Magazine in ten separate years (2005–2016). Dr. Barry Perlman, D.O., FACOG, is board-certified in REI by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and sees patients across all three offices, including virtual consultations. Dr. Nina Seigelstein leads our in-house surgical team, performing gynecologic procedures within our practice so patients are never referred out to unfamiliar providers.
Fertility Treatments We Offer
We offer a full spectrum of reproductive care, from initial evaluation and diagnosis through the most advanced assisted reproductive technologies. Treatment is never one-size-fits-all; every protocol is built around your specific diagnosis, age, and goals.
Ovulation induction and IUI. For patients who ovulate irregularly or require minimal intervention, ovulation induction and intrauterine insemination (IUI) are frequently the appropriate first step. These are lower-complexity, lower-cost options that work well for specific diagnoses and should not be bypassed simply to move directly to IVF.
In vitro fertilization. IVF is the most effective fertility treatment for most diagnoses and the foundation of our practice since 1989. We monitor every cycle in-house and use CHLOE by Fairtility — an AI-powered embryo assessment system in our embryoscope time-lapse incubators — to support embryo selection with continuous imaging data rather than static snapshots.
Fertility preservation. Egg freezing and embryo freezing are available for patients who want to preserve options before cancer treatment, before age-related decline accelerates, or for personal timing reasons. We apply the same stimulation and lab protocols used for active IVF cycles.
Donor programs and third-party reproduction. We coordinate donor egg IVF, donor sperm, and gestational carrier arrangements. Every pathway is managed with the same clinical rigor as a standard IVF cycle, with legal and logistical coordination built into the process.
Genetic testing. Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) is available for patients seeking to screen embryos for chromosomal abnormalities before transfer. PGT is indicated in cases of recurrent pregnancy loss, advanced maternal age, known heritable genetic conditions, and prior IVF failure.
In-house surgery. Dr. Seigelstein performs hysteroscopy, laparoscopy, septum resection, and other gynecologic surgical procedures within our practice. Patients are not referred to outside surgeons. This preserves continuity and eliminates the scheduling delays that outside referrals introduce.
Inclusive Care for Every Family
We serve patients of all backgrounds, orientations, and family-building paths, with no BMI limitations and no restrictions based on age or relationship status. Our Diversity & Inclusion commitment is clinical, not cosmetic.
Female same-sex couples have access to IUI, IVF, and reciprocal IVF — a process in which one partner provides the egg and the other carries the pregnancy. Male same-sex couples and single individuals receive expert guidance on donor sperm, surrogacy coordination, and every available pathway. A dedicated page on LGBTQ+ family building and services for singles outlines the specific options available. Dr. Damien is fluent in Spanish, and our bilingual Insurance Verification Specialist is available to assist Spanish-speaking patients with coverage questions.
How to Read IVF Success Rates Without Being Misled
Success rates are often cited as a single number. That number requires context. According to CDC ART surveillance data, outcomes can be reported per intended retrieval, per actual retrieval, or per embryo transfer — and each metric produces a different figure. Per-transfer rates may appear higher because they exclude cycles that were canceled before transfer, such as those stopped due to poor ovarian response. A clinic that accepts more challenging cases will often show a lower average rate than one that selects primarily favorable-prognosis patients, even if clinical quality is higher.
The CDC states directly that published clinic success rates do not predict an individual patient’s chances. Reported data also typically lags current practice by a year or more. Our success rates page provides our most current SART figures with the appropriate context. In your consultation, we translate those numbers into what they mean for your specific age, diagnosis, and history.
The Privately Owned Difference
Many fertility practices across New Jersey have been acquired by corporate networks over the past decade. Corporate centers are typically managed for volume: patients rotate among multiple providers, protocols are standardized across a network, and results arrive through portals staffed by administrators rather than clinicians.
We are privately owned and have been since 1989. Every protocol we design is specific to you. Every result is reviewed by the physician managing your care. Every question gets a direct answer from someone who knows your case. We are accredited by the College of American Pathologists, the FDA, and the NJ State Department of Health with zero deficiencies, and we hold the REI Protect Seal of Approval for medical safety, lab quality, and patient care standards. For information on insurance coverage — including the 2024 NJ mandate expansion, which extended IVF coverage to group plans with 50 or more employees and covers up to four retrievals per lifetime — or financing options including CapexMD with 24-hour pre-approval, our team walks through your benefits before your first appointment.
Our Locations Across New Jersey
We operate three fully equipped offices, each able to perform the complete range of monitoring and procedures.
Shrewsbury (Monmouth County). Our original location, serving patients on the Shore and throughout Monmouth and Ocean counties since 1989. Morning hours begin at 7:00 AM Monday through Friday. Newark (Essex County). Centrally positioned for patients in Essex, Union, and Morris counties, as well as those commuting from the west. Jersey City (Hudson County). Located at One Journal Square Plaza, Suite 301-A — accessible for patients in Hudson County and those commuting from New York City. All three offices are served by the same physician team, so your care transfers seamlessly between locations without disrupting continuity.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What makes Damien Fertility Partners different from other New Jersey fertility clinics?
We are a privately owned practice — not part of a corporate network — so you receive consistent care from the same physician throughout your treatment. Our 2023 SART live-birth rate for new patients under 35 was 81.8%; clinic-to-clinic comparisons should be interpreted with caution due to differences in patient populations. In-house surgical services with Dr. Seigelstein mean patients are never referred to outside providers.
2. What fertility treatments does Damien Fertility Partners offer?
We offer diagnostic evaluations, ovulation induction, IUI, IVF, egg and embryo freezing, preimplantation genetic testing (PGT), donor egg and donor sperm cycles, reciprocal IVF, gestational carrier coordination, and in-house fertility surgery. Whatever your diagnosis or family-building path, we have the resources to support you.
3. Does Damien Fertility Partners treat same-sex couples and single individuals?
Yes. We provide care for female same-sex couples (including reciprocal IVF), male same-sex couples, and single parents by choice, with no BMI limitations and no restrictions based on age or orientation. See our LGBTQ+ family building and services for singles pages for details on each pathway.
4. Where are Damien Fertility Partners’ offices located?
We have three offices: Shrewsbury, Monmouth County; Newark, Essex County; and Jersey City, Hudson County. All three offer full monitoring and procedure services. Virtual consultations are available with Dr. Perlman.
5. How does NJ fertility insurance coverage work, and is mine accepted?
The 2024 NJ mandate expansion extended IVF coverage to group plans with 50 or more employees, covering up to four egg retrievals per lifetime with restrictions on age and orientation removed. Coverage varies by individual plan. Our Insurance and Financial Resources page outlines what to expect, and our bilingual Insurance Verification Specialist can review your benefits before your consultation.
6. How soon can I get an appointment?
We schedule new patient consultations promptly. If your situation is time-sensitive — advanced maternal age, a diagnosis affecting fertility, or recurrent pregnancy loss — note that when you call and we will prioritize accordingly. Request your appointment here.
Getting Started
Your initial consultation is a focused, unhurried review of your history, relevant test results, and options — not a generic intake appointment. If you have time-sensitive concerns (a diagnosis that may affect fertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, or advanced maternal age), note that when you call and we will prioritize scheduling accordingly. Our team can help you understand your insurance benefits in advance of your appointment.
Request a consultation with Dr. Damien or Dr. Perlman at our Shrewsbury, Newark, or Jersey City office — or virtually with Dr. Perlman — and take the first step with New Jersey’s first successful IVF practice.