About Reproductive Partners Fertility Center - San Diego
Reproductive Partners Fertility Center - San Diego (RPSD) was founded in 1998 by Dr. V. Gabriel Garzo together with pioneering UCSD reproductive medicine specialist Dr. David Meldrum. The center calls itself one of the most awarded fertility centers in San Diego, and it sits in the Genesee medical district of La Jolla. RPSD maintains an academic affiliation with the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at UC San Diego — the only academic fertility program in San Diego County — with several RPSD physicians serving as UCSD clinical professors.
With over 26 years of IVF clinical history, RPSD has helped bring more than 4,200 babies into the world. According to the SART 2023 Final report, RPSD completed 1,119 treatment cycles; cumulative live birth rates per intended egg retrieval (own eggs, all embryo transfers) were 52.6% for patients under 35, 45.8% for ages 35-37, 30.5% for ages 38-40, and 14.2% for patients over 40 (41-42 and >42 weighted by cycle count). The clinic emphasizes elective single embryo transfer (eSET), achieving a 50.5% singleton live birth rate in the under-35 group — strong outcomes with a reduced risk of multiples.
The physician team includes ABOG board-certified reproductive endocrinologists. Dr. Li-Shei Lin and Dr. Irene Su speak Mandarin, and urologist/male infertility specialist Dr. T. Mike Hsieh, who was born in Taipei, speaks Taiwanese and Mandarin — Chinese-speaking patients can communicate directly with their physician.
Accreditations & Awards
- Firsts for San Diego County: In 2000, RPSD became the first fertility clinic in San Diego County to deliver a baby following Preimplantation Genetic Testing for monogenic disorders (PGT-M); in 2012, it became the first in the county to deliver a baby after oocyte freezing, thawing, fertilization and embryo transfer
- UC San Diego academic affiliation: Partnership with UCSD’s Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences — the only academic fertility program in San Diego County
- CAP-accredited IVF laboratory (24 consecutive years): Embryology laboratory accredited by the College of American Pathologists, reaffirmed for the 24th consecutive year in 2023
- QuadA-accredited outpatient surgery center: Egg retrieval procedures performed in a QuadA (formerly AAAASF) accredited surgery center
- UnitedHealthcare Infertility Center of Excellence (COE): Awarded based on treatment outcomes by United Healthcare/OPTUM — among only a select number of centers nationwide
- 4,200+ babies born: Cumulative births since the center’s founding in 1998 (per the center’s website)
- SART 2023 outcomes: 52.6% cumulative live birth rate per intended egg retrieval for patients under 35
Why Choose RPSD
- UC San Diego-affiliated expertise: Several physicians hold UCSD faculty appointments — Dr. Duleba chairs the UCSD REI Division, Dr. Agarwal directs UCSD Fertility Services and its Endometriosis Center — giving patients access to research-level care in an academic setting
- Mandarin/Taiwanese-speaking physicians: Dr. Lin (Mandarin/Taiwanese), Dr. Su (Mandarin) and urologist Dr. Hsieh (Taiwanese/Mandarin) consult directly in Chinese; the website also offers Chinese and Spanish versions
- County milestones in fertility technology: First PGT-M baby (2000) and first oocyte-freezing live birth (2012) in San Diego County
- CAP-accredited laboratory for 24 years: IVF laboratory and embryology team with a combined 116+ years of experience, meeting rigorous CAP standards
- eSET leadership: Long-standing emphasis on elective single embryo transfer to reduce multiple-pregnancy risks, with a 50.5% singleton live birth rate in the under-35 group
- Broad insurance network: Accepts PPO/POS plans including Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross, Cigna, HealthNet, Progyny, TriCare Select and United HealthCare; designated UnitedHealthcare Infertility Center of Excellence
- Multi-Cycle Discount Program: Two egg retrievals plus up to four frozen embryo transfers (FETs) to improve cumulative success and ease financial pressure
IVF & Fertility Services
- IVF (In Vitro Fertilization): Full-cycle treatment including ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval, ICSI, blastocyst culture and transfer
- ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection): Sperm injection for male-factor infertility
- IUI (Intrauterine Insemination)
- Egg Freezing / Fertility Preservation: Vitrification for medical (before cancer treatment) or elective fertility delay
- Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT-A / PGT-M / PGT-SR): Chromosomal aneuploidy screening, monogenic disease testing and structural rearrangement screening
- Oncofertility: Collaboration with UCSD to preserve fertility for cancer patients before treatment
- Donor Egg / Donor Sperm: Including donor egg bank programs
- Surrogacy (Gestational Carrier)
- Male Infertility Care: Dr. Hsieh provides microsurgical and surgical sperm retrieval
- Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery: Hysteroscopy, laparoscopy and robotic surgery
- Fertility Testing: Semen analysis, hormone testing, HSG and comprehensive evaluations
Fees & Packages
RPSD does not publish specific treatment prices on its website, but offers the following financial arrangements (per the clinic’s cost and insurance pages, accessed 2026):
- Financial counseling at the first visit: Patients meet a dedicated financial counselor who reviews treatment costs and payment options
- Multi-Cycle Discount Program: Two egg retrievals plus up to four frozen embryo transfers (FETs); the clinic notes that approximately 50% of IVF patients do not conceive on the first attempt, so multiple cycles improve cumulative success and distribute costs
- Insurance coverage: Many carriers cover diagnostic testing before an infertility diagnosis is confirmed (consultation, ultrasound, initial blood work, semen analysis and HSG); RPSD accepts Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross, Cigna, HealthNet, Progyny, TriCare Select and United HealthCare
- California SB 729: The clinic hosts an SB 729 FAQ section explaining state insurance coverage requirements for fertility treatment
Patient Journey
- Request a consultation: Book through the RPSD website or by phone; choose an in-office or virtual visit
- Patient portal registration: A New Patient Experience Specialist invites you to register, complete a medical history questionnaire, upload insurance information and sign new-patient forms online
- Initial consultation: Meet a reproductive endocrinologist to review history, discuss options, undergo an ultrasound evaluation and build a personalized treatment plan
- Fertility testing: Hormone panel, AMH, ultrasound, semen analysis, HSG or other evaluations as indicated
- Plan confirmation and financial counseling: Finalize the treatment path (IVF/egg freezing/IUI/surgery) and review insurance and payment options with a financial counselor
- Treatment cycle: Ovarian stimulation (with ultrasound and blood monitoring) → egg retrieval (QuadA-accredited surgery center, IV sedation) → ICSI → blastocyst culture → PGT if indicated → fresh or frozen embryo transfer
- Pregnancy confirmation and follow-up: Blood β-hCG test 9-12 days after transfer, with ongoing monitoring through fetal heartbeat confirmation
Local Legal Framework
- Surrogacy: California law recognizes commercial surrogacy agreements (California Family Code §7960-7962) and allows pre-birth parentage orders establishing intended parents as legal parents
- Egg/Sperm donation: donation proceeds on written informed consent, and the donor is not treated as the legal parent of a child conceived from it. Our sources cite no California statute for that rule at this center. Health and Safety Code §125355, which is sometimes invoked here, caps payment for eggs retrieved for research and does not govern a clinical donor program
- PGT-A/PGT-M: No special legal restrictions in California; standard medical informed consent applies
- LGBTQ+ family building: California law protects family-building rights across sexual orientations and gender identities (Family Code §297-297.5); same-sex couples can build families through surrogacy and donor gametes
- California SB 729: The California Senate Bill 729 requires certain state-regulated insurance plans to cover fertility preservation (including medically indicated egg freezing); RPSD provides patient guidance on its website
- Embryo legal status: California has not defined the legal status of embryos at the state level; disposition rights are governed by reproductive agreements
Location
- Address: 9850 Genesee Ave Suite #800, La Jolla, CA 92037
- Phone: +1 858-552-9177