Rowan SOM Reproductive Medicine (Stratford, NJ) — An Honest Editorial Review

When patients search among fertility clinics in New Jersey, the options fall into two broad categories: free-standing ART centers that run their own IVF labs, and academic OB-GYN practices attached to a medical school. Rowan Medicine OB-GYN in Stratford — affiliated with Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine (RowanSOM) and the Virtua Medical Group — is the academic option for early fertility workup, preconception counseling, and coordination of care in South Jersey, about 15 miles southeast of Philadelphia.

This guide explains what Rowan SOM's Stratford practice does (and does not) offer for fertility patients, so you can decide whether to start here or with a free-standing REI program.

Training and Credentials

The Stratford OB-GYN faculty are board-certified generalist obstetrician-gynecologists and academic clinicians at Rowan-Virtua SOM — not fellowship-trained reproductive endocrinologists (REIs). Physicians listed at the practice include Michele Tartaglia, DO, FACOOG (OB-GYN residency at Rowan SOM; board-certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology) and Peter Schnatz, DO, among other faculty and certified nurse-midwives. For more on individual faculty, see the Rowan Medicine OB-GYN providers page. You can browse Rowan-affiliated OB-GYN research on PubMed.

Board certification in OB-GYN covers the full scope of women's reproductive health, including first-line infertility evaluation. REI subspecialty certification — required for running an IVF program — is a separate three-year fellowship beyond OB-GYN residency.

Services and Specialties

Services listed at Rowan Medicine OB-GYN Stratford relevant to fertility patients include:

• Initial infertility consults and workup (history, labs, imaging)
• Preconception counseling
• Ovulation-disorder evaluation (PCOS, thyroid, prolactin)
• Endometriosis and fibroid management, including minimally-invasive gynecologic surgery
• Uterine-malformation repair, myomectomy, polypectomy
• Routine OB and high-risk pregnancy coordination

What is not offered at this location based on public information:

• IVF cycles with an on-site embryology lab
• Egg freezing and embryo cryopreservation
• Donor egg programs
• Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT-A / PGT-M)
• IUI with washed donor sperm (depends on office capability — confirm directly)

Patients who progress to IVF or advanced ART typically move to a dedicated REI program; South Jersey options within a short drive include RMA of New Jersey (Marlton), South Jersey Fertility Center, and Damien Fertility Partners (Voorhees).

Success Rates and Lab Quality

Because the Stratford practice does not appear to operate its own IVF lab, there is no independent Rowan clinic entry in the SART Clinic Report Finder or CDC ART Success Rates report. If your care transitions to a free-standing ART program, look up that clinic's SART summary directly and compare within your own age band. Our how to read IVF success rates guide covers the age-stratification and cumulative-cycle traps that trip up first-time patients.

Patient Experience

Public feedback for the listing associated with "Rowan SOM Reproductive Medicine" shows a 5.0/24 Google rating — small in volume but consistently positive. Reviewers commonly cite unhurried consult time, thorough explanation of workup results, and the academic-medicine feel of a teaching practice. Wait times, parking at the 42 East Laurel Road campus, and referral coordination to a full REI program when needed are the practical details most first-visit patients ask about.

Considering At-Home Insemination?

Not every fertility journey needs to begin with a clinic workup. 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 scheduling a fertility consultation, or alongside ovulation tracking during the evaluation window.

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 recommended IUI or IVF, an REI-board-certified reproductive endocrinologist is the right next step.

Insurance and Cost in New Jersey

New Jersey has one of the strongest fertility-coverage mandates in the country. Under the Family Building Act, most state-regulated large-group commercial plans must cover the diagnosis and treatment of infertility, including up to four completed egg retrievals of IVF per lifetime. Self-funded (ERISA) employer plans are exempt from the state mandate but many large New Jersey employers voluntarily match or exceed it.

For the academic OB-GYN workup offered at Rowan Medicine Stratford — labs, ultrasounds, HSG, semen analysis, consultation — most commercial plans cover services under standard medical benefits rather than the specialty IVF rider. See our fertility insurance mandates by state guide and IVF cost by state breakdown for what to expect if you transition to ART.

Location and Contact

Address: 42 East Laurel Road, Suite 1300-B, Stratford, NJ 08084 Phone: 856-589-1414 Website: virtua.org/locations/rowan-medicine-obgyn-stratford Academic parent: Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Rowan Medicine Stratford do IVF? Based on public information, the Stratford OB-GYN practice offers initial infertility consults and workup but does not list on-site IVF, egg freezing, or PGT. Patients who need advanced ART are typically referred to a free-standing REI program. Call 856-589-1414 to confirm current services.

Is this an REI-fellowship program? Faculty at the Stratford practice are board-certified OB-GYNs and academic clinicians at Rowan-Virtua SOM. REI subspecialty fellowship is a separate qualification — confirm individual provider credentials before your appointment if that matters for your case.

Does New Jersey insurance cover infertility care here? The New Jersey Family Building Act requires most large-group, state-regulated commercial plans to cover diagnosis and treatment of infertility, including up to four IVF retrievals. Self-funded employer plans are exempt. Rowan Medicine contracts with major NJ commercial insurers; verify benefits before your first visit.

Editorial note: Independently written by the Fertlo editorial team; not sponsored. See our editorial policy.