A perfect 5.0-star rating from 798 patients is not a rounding artifact — it is a clinical culture signal. At scale, across hundreds of independent reviewers, a score that holds at the absolute ceiling reflects something systemic: consistent communication, unhurried appointments, and the kind of attentive follow-through that patients in high-stakes medical situations remember and articulate in reviews. Aster OB/GYN, the independent women's health practice serving Manhattan's Upper West Side from a single well-run location at 240 West 98th Street, has built exactly that reputation — and for New York City patients navigating a fertility evaluation, that reputation matters as much as the clinical credentials behind it.
About the Practice
Aster OB/GYN is fully independent — a distinction worth noting in a city where most OB/GYN practices are absorbed into large health systems. Independence here means scheduling flexibility, continuity with a known provider, and seven-day availability (Monday through Sunday, 9 AM to 8 PM) without the friction of larger institutions. The practice accepts most major insurance plans and offers multilingual services.
The clinical team is anchored by two board-certified OB/GYNs, both Fellows of their respective credentialing bodies:
-
Dr. Farris Fahmy, MD, FACOG — Medical director and founding physician. Dr. Fahmy trained at Cairo University Faculty of Medicine and completed his OB/GYN residency at New York Medical College. He holds dual board certification — first as a family physician, then as an OB/GYN after completing a second residency — a background that broadens his diagnostic range considerably. FACOG fellow since 2004, his clinical focus includes fertility conditions, hormonal imbalance, fibroids, and pelvic pain. In-office procedural capabilities include hysterosalpingogram, hysteroscopy, LEEP, and urodynamics. He speaks Arabic, Spanish, and English.
-
Dr. Rachel Roesner, DO, FACOG — Board-certified in OB/GYN (2024). Dr. Roesner earned her DO from A.T. Still University and completed her residency at Yale New Haven Health — Bridgeport Hospital, where she served as chief resident and received a Yale School of Medicine Award in Medical Student Education. Her clinical focus includes fertility assessments, gynecologic surgery, and family planning.
Fertility Services
Aster OB/GYN positions itself as a genuine fertility entry point — the kind of practice where a patient can arrive with questions and leave with a diagnostic roadmap, without being passed immediately to a specialist. The fertility program is built around comprehensive assessment and coordinated escalation.
Fertility evaluation and treatment planning is the core offering. The practice performs comprehensive workups, interprets results in clinical context, and initiates fertility medications where appropriate. Many fertility investigations can be completed effectively at an OB/GYN practice — saving time, cost, and emotional energy compared with going straight to a specialist.
Pre-pregnancy counseling addresses upstream factors — lifestyle, nutrition, and chronic condition management — before conception is attempted. For patients managing thyroid disorders, diabetes, or autoimmune conditions, early counseling can meaningfully affect outcomes.
Diagnostic imaging includes Sono-HSG and Femview® HSG imaging for fallopian tube patency evaluation, endometrial assessment, and advanced ultrasound follicle counts. The practice's ultrasound program is ACR-accredited — a quality benchmark not universally held at the OB/GYN level.
Genetic testing covers carrier screening and genetic risk assessment. Recurrent miscarriage evaluation provides a structured diagnostic workup for patients with repeated pregnancy losses. Sexual health assessment addresses concerns that may intersect with fertility outcomes.
For patients requiring advanced treatments — IVF, intrauterine insemination at scale, or reproductive endocrinology-level intervention — Aster OB/GYN coordinates referrals to specialized fertility centers, ensuring continuity rather than an abrupt handoff.
New York's Fertility Insurance Mandate — What Upper West Side Patients Need to Know
New York State's fertility insurance law, which took effect on January 1, 2020, is one of the most consequential pieces of reproductive health legislation in the country for patients seeking IVF. Understanding it can mean the difference between thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs and substantially covered treatment.
The mandate requires all large-group insurance plans — those covering 100 or more employees — to cover up to three IVF cycles, including fresh or frozen embryo transfer and associated medications. The law's definition of infertility is deliberately inclusive: under 35, the threshold is 12 months of unprotected intercourse; 35 and older, it drops to six months. Importantly, the definition includes donor insemination, bringing same-sex female couples and single women using donor sperm under the coverage umbrella.
The mandate also covers medically necessary egg and sperm freezing — such as before chemotherapy — including medications and storage with no defined time limit.
Key limitations: self-insured employer plans are exempt because they fall under federal ERISA law, not state law. Small-group and individual marketplace plans are also excluded. Elective egg freezing without a medical necessity diagnosis is not covered.
The practical implication for Aster OB/GYN patients: before paying out of pocket, verify your plan's size and self-insured status. If you hold a large-group fully insured plan, New York law likely entitles you to substantial IVF coverage. The diagnostic work Aster OB/GYN performs — imaging, follicle counts, HSG, carrier screening — may be covered under diagnostic benefits even apart from the IVF mandate.
See the full state-by-state breakdown at Fertlo's fertility insurance by state guide for comparison with what other states require.
What 798 Perfect Reviews Signals
Five stars from eight reviews is noise. Five stars from 798 reviews is evidence. At that volume, statistical outliers normalize, unhappy experiences surface, and the average should theoretically drift below the ceiling. The fact that Aster OB/GYN's rating has held at 5.0 across nearly 800 reviews on Google — in a city of demanding, medically sophisticated patients who are not shy about negative feedback — is a legitimate quality signal.
Patient commentary consistently cites the same themes: attentiveness, warmth without losing clinical rigor, transparent communication, and genuine respect during emotionally vulnerable appointments. For fertility patients, those qualities are not incidental — a fertility evaluation rarely arrives without anxiety or uncertainty, and a practice that patients describe as a "safe and compassionate space" is offering something clinical credentials alone cannot.
The seven-day schedule including evenings, plus same-day emergency appointments, reflects a practical respect for the lives of working New Yorkers.
Among New York's fertility clinics, Aster OB/GYN fills a specific and valuable role: a high-trust, diagnostically capable OB/GYN practice where a fertility evaluation can begin — and early-stage management can proceed — without the wait times of a dedicated reproductive endocrinology center. For patients who eventually need advanced IVF services, the coordinated referral pathway ensures the transition is managed rather than abandoned.
For guidance on evaluating any fertility practice, see how to choose a fertility clinic. For New York IVF cost context, see IVF costs by state.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Aster OB/GYN perform IVF on-site?
No. Aster OB/GYN is a full-service OB/GYN practice with a fertility evaluation and early-treatment program — including diagnostic imaging, follicle counts, Sono-HSG, genetic testing, and fertility medications — but it does not perform in-vitro fertilization on-site. Patients who need IVF are referred to specialized reproductive endocrinology centers, and the practice coordinates that transition to maintain care continuity.
Is IVF covered by insurance for patients in New York City?
It depends on your plan. New York's 2020 mandate requires large-group plans (100+ employees) to cover up to three IVF cycles including medications. Self-insured employer plans are exempt under federal ERISA law. Small-group and individual marketplace plans are also excluded. Confirm with your insurer whether your plan is fully insured and subject to the mandate. See Fertlo's fertility insurance by state guide for the full picture.
Where is Aster OB/GYN located and what are their hours?
Aster OB/GYN is located at 240 West 98th Street, Suite 1E, New York, NY 10025, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The practice is open Monday through Sunday, 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM, and can be reached at (212) 662-6100. Same-day emergency appointments are available.