Choosing the Right Fertility Treatment Center
For anyone receiving fertility services, the journey to parenthood is often physically and emotionally challenging. So how do you know which fertility center will best suit your needs?
“It’s important to choose a fertility center that offers the best possible chance for success and supports you every step of the way,” says Zev Williams, MD, PhD, director of the Columbia University Fertility Center, part of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. “That’s why we bring together exceptional, personalized medical expertise, a world-class IVF laboratory, and an unwavering commitment to compassionate care—so that every patient feels seen, valued, and empowered in their journey to build a family.”
Recently, the Columbia University Fertility Center, which has cared for families and advanced the field of reproductive medicine for over 40 years, was ranked #1 on Newsweek’s list of America’s Best Fertility Clinics for 2025. The ranking was determined through a nationwide survey of reproductive medicine professionals, performance criteria, clinic accreditations and certifications, and patient satisfaction.
"It is a tremendous honor to be recognized as the top fertility center in the country,” says Dr. Williams. “As meaningful as this recognition is, rankings are not our goal—they are a reflection of the work we do every day to deliver the highest-quality care and continually push the boundaries of innovation to help those for whom parenthood was once thought impossible.”
Advancing care to fit individual needs
At Columbia, fertility care is for everyone. Trusted specialists work with individuals and couples with routine fertility challenges, as well as with LGBTQ+ individuals and couples, cancer patients, and couples with a family history of genetic diseases to achieve their dreams of parenthood.
In addition, the fertility center is a leader in reproductive medicine innovation. Columbia doctors, researchers, and engineers have developed innovative methods to solve obstacles encountered during fertility treatment, such as a painless at-home blood collection kit for frequent hormone monitoring. The kit uses a touch-activated microneedle device that painlessly attaches to the skin, drawing a few drops of blood—just a fraction of the amount taken with a standard needle. The researchers developed a method to accurately measure hormone levels in the tiny blood sample.
Columbia experts also developed the STAR System, a method that combines Artificial Intelligence, advanced imaging, robotics, and microfluidics to find and recover sperm cells in men who had been previously diagnosed with azoospermia—the absence of any sperm. This non-surgical, chemical-free approach identifies, isolates, and removes sperm cells without damaging them to maximize their viability.
Setting the standard in care
“We are honored to be part of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, the Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and the larger Columbia community, where outstanding clinical care and groundbreaking research come together to offer new hope and possibilities,” Dr. Williams says. “Our greatest focus—and greatest privilege—is to continue striving, every day, to be even better for all those who place their trust in us."
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Zev Williams, MD, PhD, is the Wendy D. Havens Associate Professor of Women's Health and the Chief of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.