A 4.9-star aggregate across more than 600 patient reviews is unusual in any specialty — and especially notable in obstetrics and gynecology, where care arcs span years, clinical stakes are high, and patient sentiment tends to polarize. That is the composite picture at The Association for Women's Health Care, a long-established OB/GYN group serving Chicago's Loop and the North Shore from its Northbrook office on Skokie Boulevard. For patients exploring fertility clinics in Illinois, a practice like AWHC typically plays an early-funnel role — the place where many fertility conversations actually start, at the annual exam, with a provider the patient already knows.
About the Practice
The Association for Women's Health Care (AWHC) is a physician-owned OB/GYN group that has cared for Chicago-area women for roughly five decades, with offices in downtown Chicago's Loop and in Northbrook — about 25 miles north of the city in the North Shore suburbs. The practice describes itself as a multi-specialty OB/GYN organization, covering routine obstetrics, general gynecology, minimally invasive surgery, adolescent gynecology, and menopause care, with a roster of board-certified physicians supported by advanced practice clinicians.
Publicly listed physicians at AWHC include Dr. Marc Kleinberg, Dr. Mark Sibul, Dr. David Baum, Dr. Mia Song, Dr. Kimberly Laughman, Dr. Elizabeth Rottenberg, Dr. Alex Andes, and Dr. Alexis Dunning, among other OB/GYN staff. Individual clinical interests vary across the group — public profiles reference focus areas such as high-risk obstetrics, multiples management, contraception and HPV prevention, and medical education. Patients are encouraged to verify a specific provider's board certification and Illinois licensure with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and the ABMS Certification Matters lookup.
Services Offered
AWHC's service lines cover the standard arc of women's health from adolescence through menopause:
- Routine and higher-risk obstetrics — prenatal care, delivery, and postpartum follow-up
- Comprehensive gynecology — annual exams, Pap testing, cervical cancer screening, STI evaluation
- Contraception counseling — long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), oral contraceptives, and permanent options
- Fertility consultation and OB/GYN-level workup — cycle-history review, ovulation assessment, baseline hormone panels, pelvic ultrasound, and HSG referrals
- Menopause and perimenopause management
- Minimally invasive gynecologic surgery — laparoscopy and hysteroscopy
- Adolescent gynecology and preventive care
- In-office ultrasound for obstetric and gynecologic imaging
What This Practice Is — and Isn't
AWHC is a general OB/GYN group, not a reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI) clinic. Its fertility footprint is what a high-volume OB/GYN practice typically offers: preconception counseling, evaluation of menstrual irregularities and suspected infertility, diagnostic workup, medical management of conditions that affect fertility (PCOS, fibroids, endometriosis), and — when indicated — referral to a fertility subspecialist.
Patients who need advanced assisted reproductive technology — IVF, monitored IUI cycles, egg freezing, donor eggs, gestational surrogacy, or PGT-A embryo testing — should be cared for by a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist. In the Chicago metro, that typically means a referral to dedicated REI practices such as Fertility Centers of Illinois (FCI), Reproductive Medicine Institute (RMI), Shady Grove Fertility Chicago, or Northwestern Medicine's Division of Reproductive Endocrinology. You can browse verified REI-led practices on Fertlo's Illinois fertility clinics directory and read the how to read IVF success rates guide before comparing clinics.
Patient Experience
A 4.9-star aggregate across more than 600 Google reviews places AWHC in the top tier of patient-rated OB/GYN practices in the Chicago market. The North Shore is not an unsophisticated consumer market — patients here compare providers against Endeavor Health (NorthShore), Northwestern Medicine, and several large academic systems. Against that backdrop, sustained 4.9-star sentiment at this volume reflects something structural about the practice's culture rather than statistical noise.
Reviewers most commonly cite providers who listen without rushing, responsive front-desk and nursing staff, and continuity of care across pregnancy and postpartum. For patients early in a fertility evaluation — who are often carrying emotional weight alongside clinical questions — that tone matters.
Illinois Fertility Insurance — A Favorable Mandate State
Illinois has one of the oldest and more comprehensive infertility insurance mandates in the United States. The 1991 Illinois Family Building Act (subsequently amended) requires many group insurance plans issued in Illinois to cover the diagnosis and treatment of infertility, including — subject to plan-specific conditions — IVF cycles, GIFT, ZIFT, ICSI, and certain fertility preservation services. The mandate does not apply to all plans (self-funded ERISA plans are exempt, and there are group-size thresholds), so coverage should always be verified with a specific carrier.
For a state-by-state comparison, see Fertlo's fertility insurance mandates by state guide and the IVF cost by state resource.
Considering At-Home Insemination?
Not every fertility journey begins in a clinic. At-home intracervical insemination (ICI) is a lower-cost, private option for patients with no known fertility diagnosis — including single parents by choice, same-sex couples, and people who want to try a few cycles before booking a fertility consult.
At-home insemination kits from MakeAMom come with step-by-step instructions designed for donor or partner sperm, arrive in plain, discreet packaging, and can be reused until conception succeeds. Many patients use them as a first step while waiting for an OB/GYN or REI consult, or alongside ovulation tracking.
If you have a known fertility diagnosis, have been trying for 12 months without success (6 months if over 35), or a clinician has already recommended IUI or IVF, a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist is the right next step.
Location and Contact
The Association for Women's Health Care — Northbrook 40 Skokie Blvd., Suite 300 Northbrook, IL 60062 Phone: (847) 498-0690 Website: chicagoobgyn.com
Chicago (Loop) office: 30 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60602 — (312) 726-3917. Office hours at both locations are typically Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; confirm current hours directly with the practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does The Association for Women's Health Care offer IVF?
AWHC is a general OB/GYN group practice, not a reproductive endocrinology clinic. The practice offers fertility consultation and OB/GYN-level workup — cycle review, ovulation assessment, hormone panels, and pelvic imaging — and can treat underlying conditions such as PCOS, fibroids, and endometriosis that affect fertility. Patients who require IVF, ICSI, PGT-A testing, donor gametes, or gestational surrogacy are typically referred to a dedicated REI clinic. See Fertlo's Illinois fertility clinics directory for verified REI-led practices in the Chicago metro and statewide.
How do I decide between an OB/GYN fertility workup and a dedicated fertility clinic?
A reasonable starting point: if you have been trying to conceive for less than 12 months (or 6 months if you are over 35), have no known fertility diagnosis, and want to begin with a familiar provider, an OB/GYN practice like AWHC is a sensible first stop. If you have a known diagnosis, have exceeded those time thresholds, require donor eggs or donor sperm, or are planning egg freezing for medical or elective reasons, a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist is the appropriate provider. Reviewing Fertlo's how to read IVF success rates guide can help you compare dedicated REI clinics on clinical outcomes rather than marketing.
Will Illinois insurance cover a fertility workup at The Association for Women's Health Care?
Illinois's 1991 infertility insurance mandate requires many (though not all) group health plans issued in Illinois to cover the diagnosis and treatment of infertility, and routine OB/GYN evaluations — bloodwork, pelvic ultrasound, office visits — are typically covered under standard gynecologic benefits regardless. Self-funded ERISA plans and small-group plans are common exceptions. AWHC's billing team can help clarify what your specific plan covers. See Fertlo's fertility insurance mandates by state and IVF cost by state resources for broader context.
Editorial note: This review was compiled from publicly available practice information, patient-aggregated review data, and state-licensure sources as of the publication date. Fertlo does not accept payment for editorial inclusion; see our editorial policy for details. Credentials, provider rosters, and service availability can change — always verify directly with the practice before scheduling.