Chattanooga may not be the first city that comes to mind for fertility care in the South, but Tennessee Reproductive Medicine (TRM) has built a strong regional reputation. Located at 6031 Shallowford Road, the clinic draws patients from across Tennessee and from northern Georgia and Alabama. It holds a 4.4-star patient rating and earned the SART Platinum Award in 2024 — recognition for clinics that meet demanding benchmarks for data transparency and low multiple-birth rates. For patients exploring fertility clinics in Tennessee outside Nashville or Memphis, TRM is one of the state's most credentialed options.
Physicians and Clinical Team
Tennessee Reproductive Medicine is co-founded and led by two double board-certified reproductive endocrinologists, each holding dual certification in both Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) — the highest credential in the field.
Dr. Ringland (Rink) Murray, MD serves as Medical Director and is a native Chattanoogan. He completed his medical training at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and went on to complete both his OB/GYN residency and his REI fellowship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill — the same program that trained his colleague. Dr. Murray's clinical approach is shaped in part by his own personal experience with infertility, which patients frequently cite as a reason they feel understood rather than processed.
Dr. Jessica Scotchie, MD is Practice Director and the only female fertility specialist based in Chattanooga. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Vanderbilt University, earned her medical doctorate with honors from the University of Florida College of Medicine, and completed a seven-year postgraduate track at UNC Chapel Hill covering OB/GYN residency and a three-year REI fellowship. She was recognized on the "Best Doctors in America" list for four consecutive years (2013–2016), received a "Women of Distinction" award in 2020, and was named a Doctor's Day Honoree in 2025. She is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
The clinical team is rounded out by Shelby Wright, NP, a nurse practitioner focused on individualized, patient-centered women's healthcare. Together, the care team is frequently praised in patient reviews for the combination of clinical rigor and personal warmth — patients note that both physicians take time to explain protocols clearly and treat couples, not just the patient presenting for treatment.
Services and Treatments
TRM offers a full spectrum of fertility services. On the diagnostic side, the clinic evaluates both male and female infertility factors, including semen analysis, ovarian reserve testing, and hysteroscopy.
Treatment offerings include:
- IUI (Intrauterine Insemination) — typically a first-line treatment for many diagnoses
- IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) — available as standard, mini-, or natural-cycle protocols; see the IVF guide for a detailed breakdown of what each approach involves
- ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) — for male factor infertility cases
- PGT (Preimplantation Genetic Testing) — chromosomal screening of embryos prior to transfer
- Egg freezing / cryopreservation — for fertility preservation before medical treatment or by personal choice
- Egg donation and donor embryo programs
- Gestational carrier / surrogacy support
- Minimally invasive surgery — including treatment for endometriosis, fibroids, and structural uterine issues
The clinic also offers mental health services as part of its care model — an acknowledgment that infertility treatment is emotionally demanding and that psychological support is part of comprehensive fertility care.
For patients who want financial protection, TRM offers an IVF guarantee program that provides a 100% refund if no baby is born. This type of program is offered by only a minority of U.S. fertility clinics and reflects confidence in clinical outcomes.
Laboratory and Success Rates
TRM operates its own on-site IVF laboratory, which gives the clinical team direct oversight over every stage of embryo development — from egg retrieval through fertilization, culture, biopsy, and cryopreservation. Having an in-house lab eliminates the logistical handoffs that can introduce variability in outcomes.
The clinic's results consistently exceed national averages as reported by the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART). For patients under 35, TRM's single-cycle live birth rate reaches 51.6%, a strong figure relative to SART national benchmarks. Verified 2023 SART data is published directly on the clinic's website at trmbaby.com/success/rates/.
The 2024 SART Platinum Award recognizes clinics that achieve 90% or higher prospective data reporting — outcomes tracked and submitted in real time — while maintaining a multiple-birth rate below 5% for patients under 38. That second criterion matters: a low multiple-birth rate reflects a clinical commitment to single-embryo transfer rather than maximizing headline pregnancy numbers at the expense of patient safety.
Patient Experience
Across review platforms, patients consistently cite clear communication, compassionate care, and a feeling that the team genuinely invests in their outcome. Dr. Murray is described as "the most knowledgeable, creative, diligent, and caring REI" by multiple reviewers; Dr. Scotchie as "smart, informative, compassionate, and honest." Notably, front desk staff and embryologists are mentioned alongside the physicians — a signal of clinic-wide culture.
TRM sees patients from Chattanooga, Knoxville, and surrounding communities in Georgia and Alabama, and maintains monitoring centers in Knoxville and Rome, Georgia to reduce travel burden for patients who live at a distance from the main Chattanooga office. Initial consultations can be scheduled by calling 423-509-8094 or through the clinic's website at trmbaby.com.
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
Tennessee has historically been one of the states without a mandate requiring insurers to cover fertility treatments. That changed in April 2025, when Governor Bill Lee signed HB 533 (the Fertility Treatment and Contraceptive Protection Act), which took effect July 1, 2025. The law codifies the individual right to access fertility treatments and contraception and affirms that state law does not prohibit those activities — an important protection in the post-Dobbs landscape.
Patients should be aware, however, that HB 533 is a protection law, not a coverage mandate. It does not require employers or insurance carriers to pay for IVF or other fertility treatments. Tennessee remains without a state-level insurance coverage requirement for fertility care, meaning coverage depends on the specifics of an individual's health plan, employer, and any federal employee benefit programs.
TRM accepts many insurance plans for diagnostic services and non-IVF treatments. For IVF cycles not covered by insurance, the clinic offers financing options and the guarantee program provides a meaningful safety net. Financial coordinators can clarify coverage before treatment begins. For a broader overview, see ReproductiveFacts.org's Tennessee insurance summary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Tennessee Reproductive Medicine treat same-sex couples and single parents? Yes. TRM explicitly lists female couples, male couples, and single individuals (both men and women) among the populations they serve. The clinic's services include donor egg, donor embryo, and gestational carrier coordination for patients who need those pathways.
What is the typical timeline from first appointment to IVF egg retrieval? TRM estimates a five-to-seven-week timeline from the decision to proceed with IVF to the egg retrieval procedure. Initial consultations, diagnostic workup, medication protocol planning, and monitoring visits all occur within that window. The exact timeline varies by individual cycle characteristics and response to stimulation medications.
How does TRM's mini-IVF differ from standard IVF? Mini-IVF uses lower-dose medications to retrieve fewer eggs and typically costs around $12,000 versus $20,000 for a standard cycle. It suits certain patient profiles — such as those with diminished ovarian reserve — but is not appropriate for everyone. The physicians discuss which protocol fits a patient's specific diagnosis during the initial consultation.
What does the SART Platinum Award mean for patients? The award signals two things: the clinic submits verified outcome data in real time (so published rates are reliable), and it keeps multiple-birth rates below 5% for patients under 38. Both criteria matter — the first ensures transparency, the second reflects a clinical philosophy of single-embryo transfer to reduce the health risks of twin and higher-order pregnancies.