Boston, MA, Fertility Guide

Boston serves as New England’s hub for infertility treatment. There are seven main fertility clinics in Massachusetts, many of which have branch fertility clinics across Massachusetts. Some also have monitoring sites at which fertility treatments are not performed but which can make tedious fertility monitoring more accessible.

Massachusetts is a state of firsts, and New England’s first IVF baby was conceived and born in a Boston fertility clinic. Since then, it’s estimated that IVF has led to more than 60,000 babies in Massachusetts. In another first, Massachusetts was, in 1987, the first state to mandate insurance coverage for fertility treatments, including IVF. And this isn’t just for those with private insurance. In 2005, Massachusetts expanded its public MassHealth insurance program to cover infertility treatments for those with incomes up to twice poverty level. This means that, at least from a financial standpoint, IVF is more accessible in Massachusetts than almost anywhere else in the United States.

Boston has also seen a boom in what are often called “fertility enhancement” treatments, including acupuncture, Chinese herbs, massage and other holistic approaches to infertility. Several of the major Boston fertility clinics have large mind/body components. Others work closely with holistic practitioners outside the fertility clinic. There are certainly many options available across the Boston area should you decide to include these holistic fertility treatments as you try to conceive.

Fertility treatment information and statistics from individual Boston fertility clinics are available in the most recent Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Report, which is compiled by the CDC.