Center for Reproductive Medicine (Minneapolis, MN) — Fertlo Editorial Review

4.5 stars / 362 reviews — Center for Reproductive Medicine (CRM) has been a fixture of Twin Cities fertility care since July 1987, making it one of the longest-running independent reproductive endocrinology practices in the Upper Midwest. Nearly four decades of continuous operation, more than 1,100 embryo transfers performed in a single year, and a physician team whose depth rivals many academic medical centers — this is a clinic that has earned its reputation rather than inherited it.

CRM operates two locations: a Minneapolis office in the Midtown Medical Building (2828 Chicago Avenue South) and a St. Paul satellite at Stonebridge Office Building in Mendota Heights. Both facilities offer monitoring and procedural access seven days a week, a practical advantage for patients juggling early-morning bloodwork with full-time work schedules.

The Physician Team

CRM's roster of five fellowship-trained reproductive endocrinologists covers a wide range of clinical backgrounds and patient philosophies.

Colleen L. Casey, M.D., clinic President, brings a women's-health-forward perspective rooted in an undergraduate background in women's studies and zoology. Joshua D. Kapfhamer, M.D., M.A., Medical Director, holds a master of arts alongside his medical degree and approaches infertility as an emotional experience as much as a clinical one — an orientation that shapes how CRM communicates with patients throughout treatment.

Meg M. Hopeman, M.D., M.S.C.E. pairs her medical degree with a master of science in clinical epidemiology, lending rigorous outcomes thinking to the practice. Mark A. Damario, M.D. brings decades of REI experience, and Rachel B. Mejia, D.O. rounds out the team with a focus on trust and open communication; her osteopathic background adds a whole-patient perspective alongside her colleagues' subspecialty depth.

The laboratory is directed by Douglas T. Carrell, Ph.D., H.C.L.D., a credentialed high-complexity laboratory director whose guiding statement — "every embryo matters, every patient matters" — frames the lab's day-to-day priorities. CRM also operates one of only four dedicated andrology laboratories in Minnesota, a significant differentiator for couples with male-factor infertility.

Full Service Line

CRM offers a comprehensive menu of fertility services under one roof:

• IVF and ICSI — the core of the practice, with the clinic reporting outcomes that exceed the national SART delivery rate across all age categories
• Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT and PGT-M) — chromosomal screening for aneuploidies and single-gene disorders, supported by the in-house lab infrastructure
• Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) and Superovulation — lower-intensity treatment pathways for appropriate candidates
• Egg freezing and fertility preservation — including medically indicated preservation for oncology patients
• Egg donation program — a structured pathway for patients who require donor oocytes
• Gestational carrier program — surrogacy coordination for intended parents who cannot carry a pregnancy
• Therapeutic donor insemination (TDI) — used in single-parent and LGBTQ+ family-building pathways
• Testicular sperm extraction (TESE) — for male-factor cases involving azoospermia
• Andrology and male fertility testing — comprehensive semen analysis and advanced diagnostics through the dedicated andrology lab
• LGBTQ+ inclusive services — CRM is a member of Fertility Equity and works with same-sex couples and single intended parents across all applicable pathways

This breadth means most patients can complete their entire diagnostic and treatment journey at CRM without referral to outside specialists — a genuine convenience in the Twin Cities market.

Success Rates and SART Membership

CRM is a verified member of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), and submits annual outcome data to the national SART registry. The clinic states its IVF success rates exceed the national delivery rate in every age category — a claim that, because SART data carries a roughly two-year reporting lag, patients should verify against the most recent published cycle data on the SART consumer website.

The clinic reported 1,104 total annual embryo transfers — a volume that matters because high-volume programs accumulate the laboratory consistency that translates into reliable results. CRM's throughput suggests it accepts a realistic cross-section of patients rather than cherry-picking ideal candidates. For a deep dive on interpreting age-stratified figures, see our guide to IVF success rates by age.

CRM also offers the Fertility Access Program, a multi-cycle IVF package that includes a 100% refund option for patients who do not achieve a successful outcome. This risk-sharing model is not universal among fertility practices and signals a degree of confidence in their clinical results.

Minnesota's New Fertility Insurance Mandate

Minnesota patients have meaningful financial protection that most Americans lack. Starting January 1, 2026, the Building Families Act (HF 1758) requires large-group health plans covering more than 25 employees to cover infertility diagnosis and treatment when the plan includes maternity benefits. Covered services include IVF, IUI, ovulation induction, oocyte retrieval, cryopreservation, and fertility preservation — with no lifetime dollar cap on embryo transfers (though plans may limit completed egg retrievals to four per plan year).

Patients who previously faced $15,000–$25,000 out-of-pocket IVF costs now have a realistic path to coverage, depending on their employer and plan structure. For a full breakdown of how Minnesota compares to other states, see our fertility insurance by state guide. For out-of-pocket cost context in the Midwest, our IVF cost by state page has current estimates.

CRM's memberships in RESOLVE (the National Infertility Association) and Fertility Equity reflect active engagement with insurance access advocacy — the clinic is plugged into the policy conversations, not just the clinical ones.

Who Is CRM a Good Fit For?

CRM suits a wide range of patients, but it is particularly well-matched for:

• Couples with male-factor infertility — the dedicated andrology lab and TESE capability are meaningful differentiators
• LGBTQ+ individuals and couples — the full menu of TDI, egg donation, and gestational carrier services, combined with an explicitly inclusive culture, covers virtually every family-building scenario
• Patients who want PGT — in-house genetic testing support avoids the coordination delays that come with sending embryos to outside labs
• Patients seeking financial risk-sharing — the Fertility Access Program's refund option is a serious commitment, not a marketing tagline

For patients comparing CRM against other Minnesota practices, our guide on how to choose a fertility clinic walks through the evaluation framework — success rates, lab quality, physician access, and financial structure — that should drive the decision.

See all accredited practices in the state on our Minnesota fertility clinics directory.

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 the Center for Reproductive Medicine accept patients who need donor eggs?

Yes. CRM operates a full egg donation program and can coordinate care for patients who require donor oocytes due to diminished ovarian reserve, premature ovarian insufficiency, or repeated IVF failure with own eggs. The program is supported by CRM's in-house laboratory infrastructure and the same team of fellowship-trained REIs who manage all other treatment pathways.

How does Minnesota's Building Families Act affect my IVF costs at CRM?

If your employer has more than 25 employees and your health plan includes maternity coverage, the Building Families Act — effective January 1, 2026 — requires your insurer to cover medically necessary infertility treatment, including IVF and cryopreservation. CRM's financial counselors can verify your specific benefits before treatment begins. Patients whose employers self-insure under ERISA or whose plans carry a religious exemption may not be covered; reviewing your Summary Plan Description is an essential first step.

What sets CRM apart from other fertility clinics in the Twin Cities?

Three factors stand out: (1) nearly four decades of continuous independent operation, giving the practice institutional depth that newer or franchise-affiliated clinics cannot replicate; (2) one of only four dedicated andrology laboratories in Minnesota, enabling sophisticated male-factor work in-house; and (3) five fellowship-trained REIs supported by a Ph.D.-level laboratory director — a staffing model built for consistency across more than 1,100 annual embryo transfers.