Few fertility programs in the southeastern United States operate with the depth of research infrastructure behind Duke's. The Duke Fertility Center sits at 5601 Arringdon Park Drive in Morrisville — about 20 minutes from Duke's main Durham campus — and draws on a faculty of nine reproductive endocrinologists and researchers who hold appointments in the Duke Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. For patients considering IVF treatment in the Triangle, Duke offers something that independent practices cannot replicate: direct integration between clinical care and an active NIH-funded research program, with physician-scientists whose laboratory work shapes the protocols they apply to patients. This overview draws on published SART outcome data, Duke Health's own provider profiles, and publicly available research records to give a complete, independent picture of what the program offers and what patients should know before booking a consultation. For a broader view of options across the state, see our North Carolina fertility clinics directory.
Physicians and Clinical Team
The Duke Fertility Center is staffed by one of the largest academic REI faculties in the Carolinas. Every physician holds dual board certification in Obstetrics and Gynecology and the subspecialty of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, with several holding additional doctoral degrees or subspecialty fellowships.
Steven L. Young, MD, PhD serves as Division Chief and holds the F. Bayard Carter Distinguished Professorship of Obstetrics and Gynecology. With more than 150 peer-reviewed publications and NIH grant support through 2030, his research on endometrial receptivity, progesterone signaling, and embryo implantation failure directly shapes how the team approaches unexplained infertility.
Danny J. Schust, MD holds the Edwin Crowell Hamblen Distinguished Professorship — Duke's oldest named chair in reproductive medicine. He completed his REI fellowship at Harvard/Brigham and Women's Hospital (1993–1995) and advanced immunopathology training at Harvard/MIT (1995–2000). His 144 publications span placental immunology, recurrent pregnancy loss, and viral effects on early pregnancy.
Kelly S. Acharya, MD directs the Duke Fertility Preservation Program. Dually board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology in both OB/GYN and REI, she completed her fellowship at Duke (2016–2019) and has published more than 37 peer-reviewed articles on IVF optimization, oncofertility, PCOS, and environmental factors in fertility.
Shelby Addison Neal, MD is Medical Director and the SART-reporting physician of record. Thomas M. Price, MD runs a molecular endocrinology laboratory studying novel progesterone receptor variants with direct implications for IVF luteal support. Additional clinical faculty — Evelina Manvelyan, MD, Sarah M. A. Moustafa, MD, and Tara Streich-Tilles, MD — are all Assistant Professors of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Douglas Joe Raburn, MD directs the IVF Laboratory, and Julia Taylor Woodward, PhD (Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences) is embedded in the fertility team to provide individual and couples therapy and support groups — an integrated behavioral health model uncommon at most fertility clinics.
Services and Treatments
Duke Fertility Center offers a full academic reproductive medicine service line:
- IVF and ICSI — Performed in the on-site laboratory under physician director supervision.
- IUI — First-line treatment for mild male-factor, unexplained infertility, and LGBTQ+ patients using donor sperm.
- Egg Freezing and Embryo Cryopreservation — Both elective and medically indicated, including banked cycles for diminished ovarian reserve.
- Oncofertility — Consultations within 48 hours, random-start IVF protocols, and survivorship care. Philanthropic funding via Livestrong and the Heartbeat Foundation available.
- Egg Donation and Male Infertility Treatment — In-house programs with full workup rather than referral-only management.
- Recurrent Pregnancy Loss — With Drs. Schust and Young among the most active researchers in implantation immunology in the country, evaluations go beyond standard protocols.
- LGBTQ+ Family Building — Duke holds Healthcare Equality Leader designation from the Human Rights Campaign (2024). Services include reciprocal IVF, donor sperm coordination, and gestational carrier pathways.
- Integrated Psychological Services — Dr. Woodward provides individual therapy, couples counseling, and support groups as part of the care team.
Laboratory and Success Rates
The Duke Fertility Center laboratory holds College of American Pathologists (CAP) accreditation, a rigorous third-party quality standard that requires regular on-site inspection of laboratory procedures, equipment, personnel credentials, and documentation. CAP accreditation is not universal among fertility clinics and signals a meaningful commitment to quality infrastructure beyond routine state licensing.
According to the clinic's 2023 SART Clinic Summary Report — the most recently published audited cycle year — Duke Fertility Center reported 856 total cycles with Medical Director Shelby Neal, MD listed as the verifying physician. Live birth rates per embryo transfer for patients using their own eggs were:
| Age Group | Live Birth Rate | Cycle Starts |
|---|---|---|
| Under 35 | 76.2% | 105 |
| 35–37 | 56.0% | 50 |
| 38–40 | 40.7% | 59 |
| 41–42 | 18.2% | 33 |
| Over 42 | ~5.3% | 19 |
A 76.2% live birth rate per transfer for patients under 35 is a strong result by any national benchmark. SART cautions against direct clinic comparisons because patient mix, case complexity, and transfer protocols vary — Duke's academic mission means it accepts patients with recurrent loss, immunological infertility, and oncofertility needs that many community practices refer out. These numbers should be read with that context. Duke follows ASRM guidelines on single-embryo transfer to minimize multiple-gestation risk.
Patient Experience
As part of the Duke Health system, the fertility center offers records integration and cross-specialty coordination that independent practices cannot match — particularly valuable for oncofertility patients whose care spans oncology and reproductive medicine simultaneously.
The Morrisville clinic at 5601 Arringdon Park Drive sits in a medical office park setting, physically separate from Duke's main Durham campus and well positioned for patients in Cary, Apex, and the western Triangle. The environment is lower-key than a large hospital campus while still drawing on Duke's full clinical infrastructure. Embedded behavioral health support from Dr. Woodward means patients have in-house access to therapy and support groups during treatment rather than navigating an outside referral. Patient reviews consistently highlight depth of clinical expertise; the tradeoffs typical of academic medical centers — longer waits and care distributed across fellows and advanced-practice providers alongside attendings — are worth discussing directly at your consultation.
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 has no fertility insurance mandate, so coverage depends entirely on your specific plan. Duke Fertility Center contracts with most major health insurance carriers; financial coordinators verify benefits before your first visit and provide cost estimates valid for 90 days. Prior authorizations are handled by the administrative team.
Duke accepts Progyny, the fertility-specific employer benefits platform — contact Progyny at 888-461-5062 to confirm your benefit. Medicaid covers OB/GYN services but not fertility treatment. Self-pay financing is available through the ARC Fertility Network. Oncofertility patients may qualify for philanthropic assistance through Livestrong and the Heartbeat Foundation. Duke employees should check their specific plan through HR, as infertility coverage varies by plan tier.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Duke Fertility Center's IVF success rates?
According to 2023 SART data — the most recent audited year — Duke Fertility Center reported 856 total cycles. Live birth rates per embryo transfer were 76.2% for patients under 35, 56.0% for ages 35–37, 40.7% for ages 38–40, and 18.2% for ages 41–42. These figures reflect transfers and should be considered alongside the clinic's complex patient mix, which includes oncofertility cases and patients with challenging diagnoses not typically seen at community practices. SART data is independently verified and audited, making it the most reliable publicly available outcomes benchmark.
Which physicians practice at Duke Fertility Center in Morrisville?
The faculty includes Division Chief Steven L. Young MD, PhD; Distinguished Professor Danny J. Schust MD (REI fellowship at Harvard/Brigham); Thomas M. Price MD; Kelly S. Acharya MD (Director, Fertility Preservation Program); Shelby Addison Neal MD (Medical Director); and Assistant Professors Evelina Manvelyan MD, Sarah M. A. Moustafa MD, Tara Streich-Tilles MD, and Douglas Joe Raburn MD (IVF Laboratory Director). Psychologist Julia Taylor Woodward PhD is integrated into the clinical team for behavioral health support.
Does Duke Fertility Center offer fertility preservation for cancer patients?
Yes. The oncofertility program, directed by Dr. Kelly Acharya, offers consultations within 48 hours for patients with urgent fertility preservation needs before cancer treatment. Services include random-start IVF (oocyte and embryo cryopreservation), sperm cryopreservation, counseling on fertility risk from gonadotoxic treatment, and survivorship care. Financial counselors help qualifying patients apply for philanthropic programs including Livestrong and the Heartbeat Foundation to offset costs.
Is Duke Fertility Center welcoming to LGBTQ+ patients?
Duke Health holds Healthcare Equality Leader designation from the Human Rights Campaign (2024), reflecting institution-wide standards for LGBTQ+ inclusive care. The Duke Fertility Center explicitly serves single individuals, lesbian and gay couples, bisexual and transgender patients, and queer individuals, with treatment plans tailored to each patient's specific family-building pathway. Services include donor sperm coordination, reciprocal IVF, and gestational carrier pathways for patients who need them.