Fertility, reproductive health services now part of Stanford Children’s Health

Stanford Medicine’s fertility and reproductive health services are now part of Stanford Children’s Health.

“The health of your baby starts before you get pregnant, and we are a natural part of that continuum,” said Valerie Baker, MD, medical director of the services and associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the School of Medicine. “Starting out strong sets the framework for a healthy life.”

Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, which is part of Stanford Children’s Health, is already home to obstetric, labor and delivery services, as well as to newborn care at its Johnson Center for Pregnancy and Newborn Services, noted Barry Behr, PhD, director of Stanford’s in vitro fertilization laboratory and co-director of fertility and reproductive health services. “This move is really a natural fit with the hospital’s ‘Start Strong’ campaign for healthy pregnancies and babies,” Behr said.

Previously, fertility and reproductive health services were administered by Stanford Health Care. But they will continue to be housed in the same location: 900 Welch Road in Palo Alto.

Broad expertise

Baker, Behr and their colleagues can address males’, females’ and couples’ sources of infertility, offering the expertise of gynecologists and urologists who specialize in fertility; infertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization and intrauterine insemination; genetic counseling and pre-implantation genetic diagnosis of embryos for couples who face risks of genetic disease; help with emotional concerns related to fertility and reproductive health; and referrals to other Stanford specialists as needed. 

The team also offers expertise in a number of specific fertility problems. For instance, its program in recurrent pregnancy loss provides consultation with rheumatology, genetics and maternal-fetal medicine specialists who can care for women who have experienced multiple miscarriages. The program in primary ovarian insufficiency assists women whose supply of eggs has run out prematurely, while the fertility preservation program provides treatment for women who need cancer chemotherapy that may endanger their fertility.      

“Because we are part of a major medical institution, we have all the resources to address anything unexpected that arises,” said Behr, who is also a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the School of Medicine. The team’s shift from Stanford Health Care to Stanford Children’s Health will help patients make a seamless transition from fertility care to obstetrics, as well as allow better integration with the network’s pediatricians and medical genetics team, which is knowledgeable in genetic diseases that affect children, Behr said.

‘Uniquely positioned’

Fertility and reproductive health services also can help patients take advantage of new scientific findings and evidence-based treatments in reproductive health, many of which are generated by medical school faculty.  

“We are uniquely positioned to offer a really comprehensive approach to helping couples fulfill their desires for a family,” Baker said. “In addition, many of us have been through fertility treatment ourselves, so we realize this is not an easy thing for patients to go through. We value being able to help people through a hard time, as well as celebrating with them when they have the joy of a healthy pregnancy.”