UCSF Center for Reproductive Health is located at 499 Illinois St, Floor 6, in San Francisco's Mission Bay neighborhood — the campus that anchors UCSF's research hospital, Benioff Children's Hospital, and several specialized clinical institutes. This location is distinct from the UCSF Fertility Group practice on Sutter St; together, these two UCSF-affiliated practices reflect the breadth of reproductive medicine services offered through the UCSF health system. While both practices share institutional affiliation and may share certain laboratory infrastructure, they operate at different sites and may have different scheduling, provider rosters, and program emphases. Patients who have been referred to UCSF for fertility care should confirm which specific program or provider their referral is directed to. For additional fertility care options throughout the state, visit the California fertility clinics directory.
Physicians and Clinical Team
The Center for Reproductive Health at Mission Bay is staffed by UCSF faculty in the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. Physicians hold academic appointments and contribute to the research mission of the medical school while maintaining active clinical practices. The multidisciplinary team includes embryologists, reproductive nurses, certified genetic counselors, andrologists, and behavioral health specialists with experience supporting patients through the emotional complexity of fertility treatment. The Mission Bay campus provides logistical advantages for patients who also receive care at UCSF's hospital campus, including oncology patients pursuing fertility preservation and high-risk obstetric patients under UCSF Maternal-Fetal Medicine.
Services and Treatments
- IVF with fresh and frozen embryo transfer protocols
- ICSI for male factor infertility
- Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT-A and PGT-M)
- Fertility preservation: egg and embryo cryopreservation
- Sperm banking and cryopreservation
- Donor egg and donor sperm cycles
- Gestational carrier program coordination
- Intrauterine insemination (IUI)
- Controlled ovarian stimulation and cycle monitoring
- Evaluation and treatment of recurrent pregnancy loss
- Surgical assessment for uterine, tubal, and ovarian conditions
- LGBTQ+ family-building services
- Oncofertility consultation for patients facing cancer treatment
Laboratory and Success Rates
UCSF's embryology laboratory resources are shared across the UCSF reproductive program infrastructure. The Mission Bay site benefits from proximity to UCSF's research apparatus, which supports ongoing laboratory innovation and quality oversight. As with all fertility programs, success rates are patient-specific and vary based on age, diagnosis, ovarian reserve, and embryo quality. 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
Mission Bay is a modern, walkable neighborhood with dedicated UCSF shuttle connections and access to the T-Third Muni Metro line. The clinical building at 499 Illinois St is part of a newer construction wave that prioritizes patient comfort, with spacious waiting areas and minimal clinic overlap with high-acuity hospital departments. Patients appreciate that this UCSF campus is designed for outpatient specialty care and tends to have a calmer environment than older hospital-attached fertility clinics. Parking in Mission Bay is more available than in central San Francisco, and the area is bikeable from many neighborhoods.
For patients who live outside San Francisco, UCSF has worked to expand telehealth consultation options so that initial assessments and some follow-up appointments can be handled remotely. This is particularly valuable for egg donor recipients or gestational carrier patients who may not need frequent in-person visits until retrieval or transfer.
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 does not have a state IVF mandate, but many Bay Area employers — especially technology companies headquartered in San Francisco and the peninsula — offer generous fertility benefits through self-funded health plans. UCSF participates with many major commercial insurers. Patients should review their specific plan's fertility coverage, including limits on diagnostic testing, IUI cycles, and IVF cycles, before starting treatment. UCSF financial counselors can provide cost estimates for self-pay cycles and can discuss payment plans or financing resources.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between UCSF Center for Reproductive Health and UCSF Fertility Group? Both are affiliated with the UCSF Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility but are located at different campuses — this practice is at 499 Illinois St in Mission Bay, while UCSF Fertility Group is at 2356 Sutter St. Specific provider rosters and program emphases may differ; patients should confirm their referral destination when scheduling.
Can I get a second opinion at UCSF if I've already been treated elsewhere? Yes. Second-opinion consultations are available and can be especially valuable for patients with complex diagnoses, recurrent IVF failure, or recurrent pregnancy loss. Bring records from prior cycles, including stimulation protocols, embryo grading, and transfer outcomes.
Does the Mission Bay location offer oncofertility services? Yes. The proximity to UCSF's cancer center and Benioff Children's Hospital makes the Mission Bay location particularly well-suited for oncofertility referrals. Expedited consultations can often be arranged to accommodate treatment timelines.
Is genetic counseling included in IVF care at UCSF? Certified genetic counselors are part of the clinical team and are involved in PGT-A and PGT-M cycles. Patients considering preimplantation genetic testing should ask about a genetic counseling appointment as part of their treatment planning.