San Diego Fertility Center (SDFC) is a prominent independent reproductive medicine practice located at 591 Camino de la Reina, Suite 1250, in the Mission Valley area of San Diego, California. One of Southern California's most recognized fertility centers, SDFC has built a national and international reputation for its donor egg program, its LGBTQ+-affirming care, and its clinical outcomes. The practice earns a 4.4-star rating from nearly 281 patient reviews and serves patients from across San Diego County, including La Jolla, Chula Vista, Escondido, El Cajon, and Tijuana-adjacent communities, as well as out-of-state and international patients who travel to San Diego specifically for its programs. For patients evaluating fertility options broadly in California, our guide to fertility clinics in California covers providers across the state.
Physicians and Clinical Team
San Diego Fertility Center's physicians include Dr. Michael Kettel and other board-certified reproductive endocrinologists with fellowship training in REI and significant academic and research credentials. The practice's clinical team has contributed to peer-reviewed literature on IVF outcomes, donor egg success rates, and preimplantation genetic testing. Physicians maintain subspecialty board certification through the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and are active in ASRM and SART governance. SDFC's donor egg program employs a dedicated medical team that coordinates the complex logistics of matching donors with recipients, synchronizing cycles, and managing legal and psychological requirements. The laboratory is led by PhD-level embryologists with expertise in extended culture, biopsy, and vitrification.
Services and Treatments
- IVF and frozen embryo transfer
- Intrauterine insemination (IUI)
- Egg freezing (elective and medical)
- Embryo banking and cryopreservation
- Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT-A, PGT-M, PGT-SR)
- Donor egg IVF — one of Southern California's most active donor programs
- Embryo donation
- Donor sperm services
- Reciprocal IVF for same-sex female couples
- LGBTQ+ family building (comprehensive)
- Gestational surrogacy coordination
- Male infertility evaluation including TESE coordination
- Recurrent pregnancy loss evaluation
- Oncofertility and fertility preservation
- International patient care coordination
Laboratory and Success Rates
SDFC's embryology laboratory is a core strength of the practice, processing thousands of IVF cycles annually with a particular volume concentration in donor egg cycles. High cycle volume in the donor program specifically supports strong embryologist expertise in oocyte handling, fertilization optimization, and blastocyst culture. The laboratory uses vitrification exclusively and participates in external quality assurance programs. SDFC reports to both SART and the CDC, and the practice has historically published strong donor egg outcomes data that compare favorably to national benchmarks. Patients using donor eggs should consult donor-specific outcome data when available. Patients should review the most current cycle-level data published by the CDC's ART Surveillance program and the SART Clinic Summary Report.
Patient Experience
The Mission Valley location is centrally positioned in San Diego — accessible from I-8 and I-805, with convenient parking and proximity to the Camino del Rio trolley station on the Green Line for transit-accessible patients. The central location serves patients from both the coastal communities (La Jolla, Pacific Beach, Encinitas) and the inland valleys (El Cajon, Santee, Spring Valley). San Diego's year-round mild climate makes travel to SDFC comfortable for out-of-state patients who choose the program specifically for its donor egg reputation.
SDFC's LGBTQ+ program is one of its most recognized strengths. The practice has served same-sex couples and LGBTQ+ individuals for many years, and the team is experienced with the full range of family-building pathways including reciprocal IVF, gestational surrogacy with donor eggs for same-sex male couples, and fertility preservation for transgender patients. California's supportive legal environment for LGBTQ+ families makes San Diego an excellent location for parental rights documentation through pre-birth orders.
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 requires health plans regulated under state law to cover a defined number of egg freezing cycles for fertility preservation and includes IVF in its infertility treatment mandates for applicable plans. The California mandate applies to state-regulated health plans covering California residents and requires coverage without regard to sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status. Self-funded ERISA employer plans are not subject to state mandates. San Diego's large presence of defense contractors, biotech companies, and healthcare organizations means many patients have some form of employer fertility benefit. SDFC's financial team is skilled at navigating California mandate claims. For self-pay and international patients, the practice offers transparent pricing and can assist with financing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do patients travel to San Diego Fertility Center from outside California? SDFC's donor egg program is among the most active in the western United States, with a large, diverse donor database and experienced clinical staff dedicated to third-party reproduction. Patients from other states and internationally sometimes choose SDFC specifically for its donor program expertise, favorable California legal framework for parental rights, and the logistical appeal of San Diego as a destination for out-of-town treatment cycles.
What is the process for matching with an egg donor? SDFC maintains an in-house donor database with profiles that prospective recipients can review online. After selecting a preferred donor, the matching team confirms donor availability, schedules psychological and legal consultations, and coordinates the donor's stimulation cycle with the recipient's endometrial preparation. The process from donor selection to embryo transfer typically takes two to four months.
Is California a surrogacy-friendly state? Yes. California has clear, well-established statutory law supporting gestational surrogacy contracts and pre-birth orders establishing parental rights before delivery. SDFC can provide referrals to California-based reproductive attorneys experienced in surrogacy for patients pursuing this pathway.
Does SDFC treat patients with prior failed IVF cycles? Yes. The practice regularly sees patients who have had unsuccessful cycles at other programs and offers comprehensive review of prior records, additional diagnostic testing, and protocol modifications. In some cases, moving to donor egg IVF after own-egg cycles have been unsuccessful is the appropriate next step, and SDFC's donor program makes this transition seamless. Call (619) 906-4471 to schedule a consultation.