Atlantic Reproductive Medicine (Atlantic Fertility) — An Honest Editorial Review

Raleigh sits at the center of one of the Southeast's most competitive fertility care markets. Patients in the Triangle area can choose from several well-regarded practices, including NC Center for Reproductive Medicine in Cary and Carolina Conceptions in Raleigh, but Atlantic Reproductive Medicine — operating under the brand Atlantic Fertility — has carved out a distinctive position in that landscape. The clinic's address is 10208 Cerny Street in Raleigh, and it draws patients from across Durham, Chapel Hill, and the broader Triangle region. Atlantic Fertility holds a 4.6-star Google rating backed by more than 300 reviews, with the practice reporting a 96% patient recommendation rate. The most commonly cited reason for that high satisfaction score is a claim the clinic puts plainly on its homepage: IVF patients achieve pregnancy twice as fast as the national average. That's a significant assertion, and one worth understanding in full clinical context.

What makes Atlantic Fertility structurally distinct from most of its regional competitors is that it is the only practice in the Triangle that employs both board-certified reproductive endocrinologists and a fellowship-trained reproductive urologist under one roof, with an in-house embryology and andrology laboratory. For couples dealing with male-factor infertility — which contributes to roughly half of all fertility diagnoses — this integrated model eliminates the referral loop that otherwise adds weeks of delay to treatment planning. The practice was co-founded by Dr. David Walmer and Dr. Susannah Copland and has grown to serve more than 20,000 patients over its history. For couples comparing options across fertility clinics in North Carolina, Atlantic Fertility's comprehensive male fertility program is a meaningful differentiator.

Physicians and Clinical Team

Atlantic Fertility's physician roster covers both the female and male sides of reproductive medicine with fellowship-trained specialists at every position:

• Dr. Susannah Copland, MD, MSCR — Co-founder and fellowship-trained REI specialist. Dr. Copland earned her medical degree from Mayo Clinic School of Medicine on a Dean Award full-tuition scholarship, a competitive distinction reflecting her academic record. She served as Director of Fertility Preservation and Third Party Reproduction at the Duke University Division of Reproductive Endocrinology before co-founding Atlantic Reproductive Medicine. She holds dual board certifications in Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility and Obstetrics & Gynecology, and holds a Master of Science in Clinical Research (MSCR), reflecting her active research background.

• Dr. Mary Peavey, MD, MSCR — Dr. Peavey completed her Ob/Gyn residency at Duke University, then pursued her REI fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston — one of the country's leading reproductive medicine programs. She simultaneously earned a Master of Science in Clinical Research at Baylor, signaling a commitment to evidence-based practice that runs through the entire Atlantic Fertility physician group.

• Dr. Jenna S. Hynes, MD, FACOG — Dr. Hynes earned her BA in Psychology (Cum Laude) from Boston College and her MD from Emory University School of Medicine. She completed her Ob/Gyn residency at Duke University School of Medicine, then her postdoctoral fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York, one of the country's most rigorous REI training programs. Her published research covers embryo implantation, preimplantation genetic testing, fertility preservation, and congenital uterine anomalies, and she has authored a book chapter in the Textbook of Assisted Reproductive Techniques.

• Dr. Hilary Friedlander, MD, FACOG — Dr. Friedlander received her MD with Distinction in Research from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, completed her Ob/Gyn residency at New York University, and then completed her REI fellowship at Duke University — returning the team to the institution that has trained several of its physicians. At Duke, she completed two SART-based research studies and authored two textbook chapters. Her clinical focus areas include planned oocyte cryopreservation, fertility preservation, and third-party reproduction.

• Dr. Matt Coward, MD, FACS — The practice's reproductive urologist and the anchor of its male fertility program. Dr. Coward is fellowship-trained in reproductive urology and microsurgery, with a BS in Biology with Highest Distinction from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He serves as Vice President and Chief of Male Reproductive Medicine and Surgery at Atlantic Fertility and is a recognized leader in his field nationally — having served as President of the Society for Male Reproduction and Urology (SMRU) and on the Board of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). He currently serves as Secretary of the Society for the Study of Male Reproduction (SSMR), an AUA affiliate.

The extended care team includes Rachel Eshel, PsyD, a licensed psychologist specializing in reproductive psychology; Stephanie Bartlett, MSN, WHNP-BC, who directs the third-party programs; Meg Beal, PA-C, a physician assistant; and Kelsey Daly, MSN, FNP-C, a nurse practitioner.

Services and Treatments

Atlantic Fertility covers the full spectrum of female and male reproductive medicine:

• IVF and ICSI — The clinic's primary treatment pathway, performed at its Raleigh facility with its on-site embryology lab
• Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) — For mild male-factor infertility, unexplained infertility, and donor-sperm cycles
• Egg Freezing and Fertility Preservation — Elective oocyte cryopreservation, oncofertility preservation, and planned banking
• Ovulation Induction — Oral and injectable medication protocols for anovulatory patients
• INVOcell — An intravaginal culture device offering a lower-cost IVF alternative for eligible patients
• Donor Egg and Donor Embryo Programs — Including a partnership with Shared Beginnings for expanded donor options
• Male Fertility Evaluation and Treatment — Comprehensive diagnostics including semen analysis, hormonal workup, and genetic testing
• Vasectomy and Vasectomy Reversal — Microsurgical reversal performed on-site by Dr. Coward
• Sperm Retrieval Procedures — Testicular and epididymal sperm extraction (TESE/MESA) for obstructive and non-obstructive azoospermia
• Varicocele Repair — Microsurgical varicocelectomy to improve sperm parameters
• Reproductive Psychological Counseling — In-house mental health support with Dr. Eshel throughout treatment
• LGBTQ+ Family Building — Donor-sperm IUI, reciprocal IVF, gestational surrogacy coordination

For patients ready to explore treatment options in depth, our IVF treatment guide covers every stage of the process from stimulation through embryo transfer.

Laboratory and Success Rates

Atlantic Fertility operates on-site embryology and andrology laboratories — a practical advantage that allows for tighter quality control and faster turnaround on diagnostic results compared to practices that outsource lab work. The andrology lab functions under the direct oversight of Dr. Coward, enabling coordinated evaluation of male-factor cases from diagnosis through treatment without the delays that come with external referrals. The embryology lab director oversees every stage of embryo development, from fertilization through blastocyst culture and vitrification (flash freezing), using current technology standards.

The clinic's public performance data is reported to the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Prospective patients can review cycle-specific success rates for Atlantic Reproductive Medicine Specialists directly via the SART public database and the CDC ART Success Rates report. When reviewing those numbers, pay close attention to how the clinic's outcomes compare to the national averages for your specific age group and diagnosis — aggregate success rates can obscure meaningful variation by patient profile. The clinic's own claim of achieving pregnancy twice as fast as the national average warrants scrutiny against SART-verified data rather than being taken at face value.

Patient Experience

The reviews that drive Atlantic Fertility's high Google rating coalesce around a few consistent themes. Patients frequently note that the practice feels less transactional than large fertility networks — physicians are described as accessible and communicative, and reviewers credit the clinical team with explaining protocols clearly rather than relying on patients to piece together information on their own. The integrated male fertility program is mentioned specifically by couples who previously experienced delays at practices that required outside referrals for male-factor evaluation. The presence of an in-house reproductive psychologist, Dr. Eshel, appears in reviews as a meaningful differentiator; fertility treatment carries significant psychological weight, and having a licensed specialist integrated into the care team rather than bolted on as a separate referral reflects a more complete model of support.

The clinic's 10208 Cerny Street location in Raleigh is convenient for patients commuting from Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill, though patients from the more western Triangle communities may find the drive adds up during frequent monitoring appointments. The Raleigh-Durham area's relatively manageable traffic compared to larger metros helps mitigate this for most patients.

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

North Carolina is not among the states with a comprehensive IVF insurance mandate, which means fertility treatment costs fall largely on patients depending on their employer's benefit plan. That said, the Triangle area's concentration of large employers in the research triangle and university sector means a meaningful percentage of patients do arrive with some fertility benefits — it is worth contacting your HR department before assuming you have no coverage.

For patients without insurance coverage, Atlantic Fertility references financing options and an "Affording Care" section through its patient portal and intake process. The clinic's offering of INVOcell — an intravaginal culture system that is significantly less expensive than conventional IVF for eligible candidates — reflects an awareness of cost as a barrier. Patients pursuing donor egg cycles, gestational surrogacy, or genetic testing should budget for meaningful additional costs beyond the base IVF fee, and should request a complete cost estimate that includes all anticipated line items before beginning a cycle.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Atlantic Fertility different from other Triangle-area fertility clinics? Atlantic Fertility is the only practice in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area that combines board-certified reproductive endocrinologists with a fellowship-trained reproductive urologist on staff, supported by an in-house embryology and andrology laboratory. For couples with male-factor infertility, this eliminates the referral lag common at practices that outsource male fertility care entirely.

Are the physicians at Atlantic Fertility board certified? Yes. Each of the REI specialists — Dr. Copland, Dr. Peavey, Dr. Hynes, and Dr. Friedlander — holds board certification in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility as well as Obstetrics and Gynecology, and all completed accredited fellowship training at major academic programs including Duke, Baylor, and Columbia. Dr. Coward is board-certified and fellowship-trained in urology with a subspecialty in reproductive urology and microsurgery, and holds the FACS designation.

Does Atlantic Fertility publish IVF success rates? Yes. The clinic reports outcomes data to SART, and public multi-year reports are available on the SART website under "Atlantic Reproductive Medicine Specialists." Patients should review the age-stratified data relevant to their situation and compare it to national averages for the same patient category rather than relying on headline statistics.

Does Atlantic Fertility treat LGBTQ+ patients and single parents by choice? Yes. The practice explicitly supports LGBTQ+ family building pathways, including reciprocal IVF for same-sex female couples, donor-sperm IUI and IVF, and gestational surrogacy coordination for same-sex male couples and single intended parents. The third-party program is overseen by Stephanie Bartlett, MSN, WHNP-BC, and the clinic partners with Shared Beginnings for donor resources.