'%20d='m0%200%2016%2011h61%2061%2061%2061%2060L47%2037h61%2061%2060%2061L16%2063h61%2061%2061%2061%2060L47%2089h61%2061%2060%2061L16%20115h61%2061%2061%2061%2060L47%20141h61%2061%2060%2061L16%20166h61%2061%2061%2061%2060L47%20192h61%2061%2060%2061L16%20218h61%2061%2061%2061%2060z'/%3e%3c/svg%3e)
About
Holly Mehr took her specialty exams twice. After a medical degree at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and obstetrics and gynecology residency at New York University Medical Center, she trained in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery at the Lahey Clinic in Boston. Then she and her family moved to Los Angeles and she completed a second fellowship, this one in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at UCLA. That sequence — surgical fellowship first, then reproductive endocrinology — is uncommon, and it makes her the only physician on this team whose profile documents a surgical subspecialty fellowship. Her FSAC profile also notes she posted one of the top REI board examination scores in the country.
She was a teacher before she was a doctor. Mehr started her working life in New York City public schools and holds a master’s degree in education from Bank Street School of Education, training she says shaped a deliberately transparent way of explaining treatment. FSAC leans on that elsewhere too: in the practice’s own explainer on California’s SB 729 IVF coverage law, it is Mehr who walks patients through who is covered, who is not, and what to ask their employer.
The awards follow both halves of her career. The Society of Laparoscopic Surgeons gave her its award for excellence in minimally invasive surgery; the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists gave her its Patient Advocacy Award, and she received the Ryan program award for excellence in family planning. She is an active member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, where she works on the Education Committee and the Access to Care special interest group and reviews abstracts for the society. FACOG appears in her credential line on the practice’s page.
Clinical Expertise
- Reproductive surgery: laparoscopy and hysteroscopy performed at FSAC’s on-site Thousand Oaks surgery center, used to correct anatomical barriers to pregnancy rather than referring the patient out to a general gynecologist
- Minimally invasive gynecologic surgery: a formal fellowship at the Lahey Clinic, recognized by the Society of Laparoscopic Surgeons — the training behind a preference for small-incision approaches when the anatomy allows them
- IVF cycle management: stimulation, monitoring, retrieval and transfer, with surgical and endocrine causes weighed in the same consultation
- Cases where both skill sets matter: uterine cavity evaluation, adhesions, endometriosis or fibroids found during an infertility workup, where the decision is whether to operate first, stimulate first, or both
- Fertility preservation: egg and embryo freezing, including the practice’s fast-track consultations for patients about to start cancer treatment
- Patient education and access: ASRM Education Committee work, Access to Care involvement, and the practice’s SB 729 coverage explainer
Why Choose Dr. Holly Mehr
One doctor for the operation and the cycle. Most practices split this: a surgeon clears the anatomy, a reproductive endocrinologist runs the IVF, and the patient carries the plan between them. With two fellowships, Mehr does both sides, which is the practical meaning of a practice calling itself “Fertility and Surgical.”
Her surgical training was recognized by surgeons. The Society of Laparoscopic Surgeons award for excellence in minimally invasive surgery comes from her narrow subspecialty society rather than a general listing.
Her teaching background shows up in the reviews. A patient on her FSAC page describes her as “a fantastic listener and teacher” who makes sure you understand what a process involves before it starts, and who pushed for better results by changing the plan rather than repeating it.
She works on the policy side of affordability. ASRM’s Access to Care special interest group and the practice’s insurance-coverage explainer mean she is the FSAC physician who talks about cost and coverage in clinical terms.
She reviews other people’s research. As an ASRM abstract reviewer she reads submitted studies before publication, and her education work with the society feeds conference-level findings back into how she explains treatment options.
Professional Affiliations
American Society for Reproductive Medicine: active member, Education Committee, Access to Care special interest group, and abstract reviewer. American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists — she holds the FACOG designation and received the college’s Patient Advocacy Award; she also received the Ryan program award for excellence in family planning. Her FSAC physician profile documents double board certification — reproductive endocrinology and infertility, plus obstetrics and gynecology.
Suitable For
- Patients whose infertility workup found a surgical problem: fibroids, adhesions, endometriosis or a uterine cavity issue that has to be dealt with before a transfer has a fair chance
- Anyone choosing between operating and stimulating first: the decision is easier with one physician who does both
- Minimally invasive surgery candidates: fellowship training plus a society award in laparoscopic surgery, with an on-site ambulatory surgery center at Thousand Oaks
- Patients who want to understand the plan, not just approve it: teacher-trained explanations, and a communication style her reviews single out
- Patients working through insurance under SB 729: the physician FSAC put forward to explain the coverage law
- Egg and embryo freezing, including before cancer treatment: preservation counseling alongside the practice’s same-day consultation route