Boutique startups are finding new ways to offer the traditional services.
“The SoulCycle of fertility”—that’s how Kindbody, a boutique clinic in New York City, has been described in the media.
It’s a fitting comparison. Kindbody and other startups like it—such as Future Family in San Francisco and Prelude Fertility, which has locations around the US—market to young women through community-based events like egg-freezing pop-ups and cocktail parties, encouraging them to take control of their reproductive options sooner rather than later.
“I think standalone boutique fertility clinics are thriving because millennials are social media-oriented and likely attracted to branding,” says Jacqueline Ho, MD, an OBGYN at USC Fertility in Los Angeles.
But some claim the differences are more substantial. “We want to fix the current fragmented system of women’s healthcare,” says Fahimeh Sasan, DO, the founding OBGYN at Kindbody. “Right now, women are shuttled around to different doctors for different treatments, which are very impersonal. We’re putting everything under one roof and offering comforting, personalized experiences.” The clinic, for example, has in-house OBGYNs and reproductive endocrinologists. These are separate practices in traditional medicine, which usually means twice the appointments.
Whether you decide to use a standard center or a boutique clinic, there are a few ways you can increase your likelihood of getting the best care. First, choose one that’s registered with the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART). Second, make sure it completes more than 100 egg-freezing cycles per year. You can call the clinic to ask for this stat or find it on the SART website if the business has been open since 2016. Third, talk to friends who have been to fertility clinics about their experiences and whether the staff was reliable and responsive.
Here are a few boutique offerings—including clinics, digital tools, and networks—you might consider to help you with every aspect of fertility treatment.
Kindbody
Location: New York City and San Francisco
Kindbody offers fertility assessments, egg freezing, and IVF, as well as wellness coaching and mental health therapy. Though it has standalone clinics in only two cities, it hosts free Fertility 101 events in various locations across the US.
Future Family
Location: San Francisco
Future Family is a digital platform that works with multiple clinics to help make IVF and egg freezing more affordable and accessible. The company helps secure loans (if needed), negotiates with clinics, and coaches patients virtually through the fertility process for a monthly subscription fee.
Ovally
Location: Spain
This startup encourages you to combine fertility assessments with vacation—in Spain, where this type of tourism is on the up and up thanks in part to the country’s inclusive healthcare laws and lower costs. Ovally hooks patients up with clinics that have top-tier certifications and at least 20 years of experience with IVF and 10 with egg freezing. An Ovally fertility coach will support you as you navigate the Spanish medical system and undergo treatment.
Prelude Fertility
Locations: multiple cities across the US
Prelude is made up of a network of established fertility clinics that offer egg freezing and IVF. The practice uses what it calls the Prelude Method, a four-step IVF process for women in their late-20s to early-30s. The stages include egg and sperm freezing, genetic testing (which can reduce miscarriage rates), embryo creation, and single-embryo transfer.
Trellis Fertility Studio
Location: New York City
Trellis Fertility Studio offers fertility assessments and wellness coaching as well as full egg-freezing services. The clinic hosts meet-ups complete with testing and "fertility-friendly bites and juices" in its Manhattan studio.
Rendering: courtesy of Kindbody