Alabama Center for Reproductive Medicine (Birmingham): Patient Guide

Alabama Center for Reproductive Medicine (ACRM) is Birmingham's most prominent independent fertility practice, serving patients from across Alabama and the broader Southeast from its primary clinic in Homewood — a professional district just minutes from downtown Birmingham. Founded in 2017 by board-certified reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Cecil A. Long, ACRM describes itself as a boutique fertility clinic built around personalized, one-on-one care, a deliberate contrast to the high-volume model common at larger hospital-affiliated fertility programs. The clinic has earned a 4.7-star rating across 263-plus Google reviews, a strong signal of patient satisfaction that stands out even against clinics with far longer operating histories. In addition to its Birmingham-area location, ACRM operates a second office in Montgomery, making it one of the few fertility practices in Alabama that offers patients a choice of treatment sites without requiring a multi-hour drive.

For patients in central and northern Alabama, ACRM is frequently the closest option for full-service IVF treatment without traveling out of state. Patients from Tuscaloosa, Anniston, Gadsden, and Huntsville regularly commute to Homewood for monitoring and treatment cycles. The Montgomery office extends that reach into south-central Alabama, where fertility specialist access has historically been limited.

Physicians and Clinical Team

ACRM's medical staff is anchored by two fellowship-trained, board-certified reproductive endocrinologists — a credential held by fewer than 1,500 active physicians in the United States.

Cecil A. Long, MD, FACOG, HCLD is the clinic's founder and a Diplomate of both the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG) and the ABOG Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Subspecialty. Dr. Long earned his medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in 1984, completed his OB/GYN residency at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and then trained in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis — one of the country's leading academic REI programs. After his fellowship he served as an assistant professor in the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and as medical director of the ART Fertility Program of Alabama before founding ACRM. In 1996 he traveled to the London Gynaecology and Fertility Centre to train in testicular sperm aspiration (TESA) techniques, an advanced procedure for retrieving sperm directly from men with obstructive or non-obstructive azoospermia. He holds the HCLD credential (High Complexity Laboratory Director), reflecting regulatory-level oversight of ACRM's IVF laboratory. Dr. Long and his wife built their own family through IVF and ICSI, a personal experience that informs his approach to patient counseling.

Merry Lynn Mann, MD, FACOG, FACMG holds a credential unique in Alabama fertility medicine: she is a Diplomate of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology in both the core OB/GYN specialty and the REI subspecialty, and she is additionally board-certified by the American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMGG) — making her, by the clinic's own account, the only reproductive endocrinologist in Alabama with a board certification in genetics. Dr. Mann completed her undergraduate degree magna cum laude at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, earned her medical degree at UAB School of Medicine, trained in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Texas in Dallas, and then completed dual fellowships in Clinical Genetics and Metabolism and in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. Her genetics background has particular clinical relevance for patients considering preimplantation genetic testing, those with known heritable conditions, and patients with recurrent pregnancy loss whose losses may have a chromosomal explanation. She is a member of the Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (SREI), the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), ACOG, the American College of Medical Genetics, and the American Medical Association.

The clinical team extends beyond the two physicians. Gail "Beth" Hide, MSN, CRNP, RDMS brings a specialized combination of nurse practitioner licensure and diagnostic medical sonography credentials, supporting cycle monitoring with in-house ultrasound expertise. Cecily Metzler, CRNP and Tracey Mendelsohn, CRNP round out the nurse practitioner team, with Metzler based in Homewood and Mendelsohn staffing the Montgomery office. Patient reviews regularly cite Metzler and the wider nursing staff by name, crediting them with attentive, unhurried communication throughout treatment cycles.

Services and Treatments

ACRM offers a comprehensive range of fertility evaluation and treatment services across its two Alabama locations:

• Female fertility testing — hormonal panels (AMH, FSH, estradiol), antral follicle count ultrasound, uterine cavity evaluation
• Male fertility testing — semen analysis and advanced sperm function assessment
• Ovulation induction — oral and injectable medications for patients with irregular ovulation
• Intrauterine insemination (IUI) — timed insemination for cervical factor, mild male factor, and unexplained infertility
• In vitro fertilization (IVF) — full stimulation, egg retrieval, embryo culture, and fresh or frozen transfer protocols
• Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) — including TESA for azoospermic patients, a specialty Dr. Long trained in specifically
• Egg freezing (oocyte cryopreservation) — for elective fertility preservation and medical fertility preservation before cancer treatment or other gonadotoxic therapies
• Embryo cryopreservation — long-term storage and subsequent frozen embryo transfer cycles
• Sperm cryopreservation — banking prior to cancer treatment, vasectomy, or deployment
• Reproductive surgery — minimally invasive laparoscopic and hysteroscopic procedures for endometriosis, uterine fibroids, polyps, and blocked fallopian tubes
• PCOS management — evaluation and medical management of polycystic ovary syndrome
• Recurrent pregnancy loss evaluation — workup for patients with two or more consecutive losses
• Weight loss management — physician-supervised program addressing the relationship between body weight, hormonal function, and fertility outcomes
• 3D/4D ultrasound — elective imaging packages for patients in active pregnancy

The clinic explicitly states it places no limitations on patient acceptance, extending care to patients of all ages, family structures, and backgrounds.

Laboratory and Success Rates

The Homewood clinic houses ACRM's dedicated IVF laboratory. Dr. Long's HCLD credential means the lab is overseen by a physician with formal regulatory qualifications in high-complexity laboratory direction — a standard not every fertility practice meets internally. An on-site lab eliminates the logistical delays and chain-of-custody concerns associated with off-site embryology, and it gives the clinical and laboratory teams direct communication throughout a patient's cycle.

ACRM reports its outcomes to SART (Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology), the professional body that collects and verifies IVF cycle data from member clinics and submits that data to the CDC for annual public reporting. Because ACRM was founded in 2017, the clinic's SART dataset is less extensive than those of practices with decades of reported cycles, but the reporting infrastructure is in place and audited. Patients should review clinic-specific data through SART's public portal and through the CDC Assisted Reproductive Technology reports, which allow age-stratified outcome comparisons across all U.S. reporting clinics. As with any fertility practice, success rates should be interpreted in the context of the patient population being treated — clinics that accept more complex cases, older patients, or patients who have failed elsewhere may show different aggregate numbers than clinics that selectively treat lower-risk patients.

Patient Experience

ACRM's 4.7-star rating across more than 263 Google reviews is a meaningful quality signal for a specialty medical practice, particularly one that treats a patient population navigating one of the most emotionally demanding medical journeys a person can face. Recurring themes in patient feedback include: physicians and staff who take time to explain the reasoning behind every clinical decision; nurses who remember patients by name and make them feel recognized as individuals rather than case numbers; and an overall atmosphere patients describe as warm and family-like rather than institutional.

Several reviews specifically name Cecily Metzler as a standout clinician — describing her as attentive, patient in answering questions, and capable of instilling confidence in patients at moments of high anxiety. Feedback also highlights that the clinic's small size works in patients' favor: access to the treating physician is more direct, wait times for appointments are shorter, and patients are less likely to feel lost between cycles or between departments.

The boutique structure does mean the clinic operates differently from a large academic medical center. Patients seeking a high-volume program with multiple sub-specialists under one roof, or an on-site mental health department, may want to weigh those preferences against the personalization ACRM prioritizes. But for the large share of patients who found larger institutions impersonal or overwhelming, ACRM's model appears to resonate strongly.

Considering At-Home Insemination?

Not every fertility journey begins in a clinic. At-home intracervical insemination (ICI) is a lower-cost, private option that suits patients with no known fertility diagnosis — including single parents by choice, same-sex couples, and people who want to try a few cycles before committing to clinical treatment.

At-home insemination kits like those from MakeAMom come with step-by-step instructions designed for donor or partner sperm. Kits are a one-time purchase that can be reused until conception succeeds, require no clinic visit, and arrive in plain, discreet packaging. Many patients use them as a first step while working toward a fertility consultation — or alongside ovulation tracking while they wait for an appointment slot.

If you have a known fertility diagnosis, have been trying for 12 months without success (six months if you're over 35), or your physician has already recommended IUI or IVF, a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist is the right next step.

Insurance and Financing

Alabama has no state fertility insurance mandate. Unlike residents of states such as Illinois, New Jersey, or Massachusetts — where employers of a certain size are required to cover IVF — Alabama patients receive no legislative backstop, meaning the full cost of treatment typically falls on the patient unless their employer voluntarily includes fertility benefits in their group health plan.

A single IVF cycle at a typical U.S. fertility clinic runs $12,000–$17,000 before medications, which add another $3,000–$6,000 depending on the stimulation protocol. Diagnostic testing, monitoring, ICSI, embryo freezing, and cryostorage fees are generally additional. Patients should request an itemized estimate from ACRM's financial counselors before beginning a cycle to understand the full projected cost.

ACRM partners with Patient Fi for flexible financing. Patient Fi offers simple online applications with clear terms and covers IVF, cryopreservation, testing, ultrasounds, and related procedures — and approved patients can begin treatment without delay. The clinic also maintains a list of third-party financial assistance resources including the Jewish Fertility Foundation, Resolve (which administers multiple grants and discount programs), ReUnite Assist and its oncofertility track for drug discounts, and several Ferring Pharmaceuticals medication assistance programs (Heart Tomorrow, Heart for Heroes, Heart Beat) for qualifying patient populations including military families.

ACRM's finance team works directly with patients' insurance companies to verify any available benefits, and the clinic has indicated a commitment to matching or beating competitor pricing on most procedures where cost is a concern. Active-duty military and veterans may also be eligible for discounted pricing. Patients navigating the insurance landscape should consult our fertility clinics in Alabama guide for additional context on coverage options across the state.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does ACRM treat out-of-state patients or patients from rural Alabama?

Yes. ACRM's website explicitly welcomes out-of-town patients, and the combination of its Birmingham (Homewood) and Montgomery locations provides coverage for a large portion of the state. For certain phases of a treatment cycle — such as baseline bloodwork and early monitoring — the clinic can coordinate with a patient's local OB/GYN, reducing the number of trips to Birmingham required. Egg retrieval, embryo transfer, and other procedural visits do require attendance at the Homewood location where the IVF lab is based.

What makes Dr. Merry Lynn Mann's genetics credential clinically relevant?

Dr. Mann's board certification in medical genetics — the only such credential held by an Alabama REI — means she can interpret genetic testing results at a clinical depth most reproductive endocrinologists are not formally trained to provide. For patients considering preimplantation genetic testing for chromosomal abnormalities (PGT-A), monogenic disease (PGT-M), or structural rearrangements (PGT-SR), having a treating physician with genetics board certification can be a meaningful advantage. It is also directly relevant for patients with personal or family histories of heritable conditions who want integrated counseling rather than a referral to a separate genetics specialist.

How do I find ACRM's SART success rate data?

ACRM reports its IVF outcomes to SART, which publishes clinic-level data annually. You can search for ACRM on the SART public reporting portal at sart.org or through the CDC ART National Summary Report. When reviewing any clinic's rates, look at the age band that matches your own profile and compare live birth rates per intended egg retrieval, not just pregnancy rates, which can be inflated by pregnancies that do not result in a live birth.

What financing options are available if I do not have insurance coverage for IVF?

ACRM partners with Patient Fi, which offers online financing applications with fast approvals and no delay in starting treatment. Beyond institutional financing, the clinic maintains a referral list of grant and scholarship programs through organizations including Resolve, the Jewish Fertility Foundation, and Ferring Pharmaceuticals' patient assistance programs. Military patients and veterans may qualify for additional discounts. ACRM's financial team will also review your insurance benefits to identify any covered services — diagnostic testing, for example, is sometimes covered even when treatment is not.