Pacific Fertility Center – San Francisco (55 Francisco St) — An Honest Patient Guide
Pacific Fertility Center (PFC) operates multiple locations in the San Francisco Bay Area, with its flagship clinic and primary embryology laboratory at 55 Francisco Street, Suite 500, in San Francisco's Jackson Square/North Beach neighborhood. Jackson Square is one of San Francisco's oldest and most historically significant commercial districts, located at the foot of Telegraph Hill and a short walk from the Embarcadero waterfront, the Ferry Building, and the Financial District. The 55 Francisco St address is accessible from the Financial District via a short walk or ride, and is convenient for patients from North Beach, Chinatown, Telegraph Hill, the Embarcadero corridor, and the broader northeastern waterfront neighborhoods of the city.
Note: This guide specifically covers the 55 Francisco St address (the Jackson Square/North Beach flagship). A separate PFC editorial on this site covers the existing San Francisco PFC listing, which reflects the practice's historical address or a related office. PFC's clinical team, laboratory, and services are consistent across the practice's San Francisco operations. For a comprehensive view of Bay Area fertility options, see our California fertility clinic directory.
Pacific Fertility Center was founded in 1994 and is one of the longest-standing independent fertility practices in Northern California. PFC is a member of The Prelude Network and holds a Fertility Equity Badge recognizing its commitment to inclusive, accessible care. Newsweek named PFC among America's Best Fertility Clinics, and Castle Connolly has recognized multiple PFC physicians.
Physicians and Clinical Team
PFC's clinical team at the 55 Francisco St location consists of five board-certified reproductive endocrinologists and two women's health nurse practitioners.
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Jennifer Agard, M.D. — Dr. Agard is a board-certified REI who completed fellowship training in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility and is one of PFC's most publicly recognized physicians. A 2026 Castle Connolly Top Doctor, she brings particular depth to complex infertility cases, recurrent pregnancy loss, and patients who have experienced prior IVF failure.
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Liyun Li, M.D. — Dr. Li provides Mandarin-language services for PFC's Chinese-speaking patient population — one of the largest patient groups in San Francisco's fertility market. Also recognized on the 2026 Castle Connolly Top Doctors list, she works across both San Francisco and PFC's Marin County locations.
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Isabelle Ryan, M.D. — The third PFC physician on the 2026 Castle Connolly list, Dr. Ryan is known for her empathetic communication style and expertise in guiding patients through complex or emotionally challenging cycles, including those following multiple failed transfers.
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Michael Strug, D.O., PhD — Dr. Strug holds both a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and a PhD, reflecting a dual clinical and research background. His academic contributions support PFC's evidence-driven laboratory protocols.
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Brent Monseur, M.D. — A newer attending physician at PFC, Dr. Monseur completed fellowship training in REI and supports the practice's clinical capacity across both San Francisco locations.
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Angela Benirschke, WHNP and Rebecca Rich, WHNP — Women's health nurse practitioners who support monitoring, medication management, and patient communication throughout treatment cycles.
Services and Treatments
PFC's 55 Francisco St location offers the full range of fertility and reproductive medicine services:
- IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) — The primary embryology laboratory is at the 55 Francisco St location, making this the hub for PFC's IVF program.
- ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) — For male-factor infertility and poor prior fertilization.
- IUI (Intrauterine Insemination) — Using partner or donor sperm, as a first-line treatment.
- Egg Freezing — Elective and oncofertility preservation via vitrification.
- Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) — Vitrified embryo transfer.
- Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT-A / PGT-M) — Chromosomal and monogenic disorder screening.
- Pacific Fertility Egg Bank — PFC's in-house egg donation bank, the largest independent egg bank in Northern California.
- Gestational Carrier / Surrogacy — Medical management for intended parents and carriers.
- LGBTQ+ Fertility Care — Reciprocal IVF, donor-sperm pathways, surrogacy for male couples, Mandarin-language support, and Fertility Equity Badge.
- Male Fertility Testing — Semen analysis and male-factor evaluation.
- Recurrent Pregnancy Loss Evaluation — Comprehensive workup and management.
- Fertility Assessment — AMH, AFC, HSG, and hormonal panels.
- International Fertility Care — PFC has established infrastructure for international patients.
- Clinical Research — Active enrollment in research studies.
Laboratory and Success Rates
PFC's embryology laboratory at 55 Francisco St holds an IVF Lab Perfect Score Certification, reflecting rigorous external audit of laboratory procedures, quality controls, and environmental standards. The practice has reported more than 13,000 babies born from treatment and uses vitrification for both egg and embryo cryopreservation. PFC reports outcomes to both SART and the CDC.
Patients should review the most current cycle-level data published by the CDC's ART Surveillance program and the SART Clinic Summary Report.
The 55 Francisco St laboratory is the core facility for PFC's IVF operations. During your consultation, ask which laboratory will handle your eggs and embryos and whether any procedures will occur at a satellite site.
Patient Experience
The 55 Francisco St address in Jackson Square occupies the upper floor of a well-maintained building in one of San Francisco's quieter, historically preserved commercial streets. The location is walkable from the Financial District (roughly four blocks from the Montgomery MARTA-equivalent BART/Muni station), and parking garages are available in the adjacent Financial District and Embarcadero blocks.
For the large Chinese-speaking patient population in San Francisco — including patients from Chinatown, the Richmond, the Sunset, and across the Bay from East Bay Cantonese-speaking communities — Dr. Li's Mandarin-language services are a meaningful differentiator. The practice also holds a Fertility Equity Badge, reflecting its formal commitment to inclusive care for LGBTQ+ patients, patients of all socioeconomic backgrounds, and patients from diverse cultural communities.
PFC's patient portal supports secure messaging, results access, and appointment coordination. The clinic also provides emotional wellness resources including nutrition guidance, stress-management materials, and mental health referrals.
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
California's SB 729, effective July 1, 2025, requires large-group insured health plans to cover fertility treatments including up to three IVF cycles. PFC actively supports patients in navigating this mandate. Self-funded ERISA employer plans remain exempt.
For patients without mandate coverage, PFC offers:
- BUNDL Fertility Packages — Multi-cycle IVF bundles at fixed pricing.
- 100% IVF Refund Program — A refund-guarantee program through BUNDL for eligible patients who do not achieve a live birth.
- Standard Financing — Third-party medical financing.
California SB 729 applies to insured large-group plans; many Bay Area tech employers use self-funded ERISA plans. Patients should confirm their coverage status before making financial decisions. PFC's billing team can assist.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Pacific Fertility Egg Bank? PFC's in-house egg bank is the largest independent egg bank in Northern California, offering pre-screened vitrified donor eggs with immediate availability. This eliminates the synchronization cycle required for fresh egg donation, reduces cost, and shortens wait times. Intended parents can search the donor database online.
Does PFC offer reciprocal IVF for same-sex female couples? Yes. Reciprocal IVF — in which one partner provides the eggs and the other carries the pregnancy — is offered at PFC and has been a stated priority of the practice for many years. PFC holds a Fertility Equity Badge and provides Mandarin-language services.
How is 55 Francisco St different from PFC's other San Francisco address? PFC has operated at multiple San Francisco locations over the years, and the 55 Francisco St address is the current primary clinical and laboratory site. Confirm with PFC which address will be the primary location for your monitoring appointments and procedures before beginning treatment.
How do I access PFC's SART outcome data? Search the SART database at sartcorsonline.com for "Pacific Fertility Center" in San Francisco, CA. PFC reports data annually and the database is updated each reporting cycle. Ask your physician for data specific to your age bracket and diagnosis during your initial consultation.
