The Derbala Institute for Reproductive Immunology is located at 20480 Vernier Rd, Harper Woods, MI 48225, in the eastern Detroit metro near the Grosse Pointe communities and the intersection of Vernier Rd and Harper Ave. Harper Woods is a small city bordering Detroit and Grosse Pointe Woods, making this practice accessible from the east side of Detroit, St. Clair Shores, Warren, and the broader Grosse Pointe corridor. The practice holds a 4.5-star rating from 8 patient reviews and maintains a subspecialty focus that sets it apart from general fertility centers. Full practice information is available at derbalari.com. Patients exploring Michigan-wide fertility options can visit the Michigan fertility clinic directory.
Physicians and Clinical Team
The Derbala Institute is a subspecialty fertility practice with a primary focus on reproductive immunology — a field that addresses how abnormal immune responses may contribute to implantation failure, recurrent pregnancy loss, and unexplained infertility. Dr. Derbala and the clinical team bring expertise in the intersection of reproductive endocrinology and immunology, a combination relevant for patients who have not succeeded with standard IVF protocols despite high-quality embryos.
Reproductive immunology is a specialized area not universally offered by conventional fertility clinics. The institute evaluates immune markers such as natural killer cell activity, antiphospholipid antibodies, cytokine profiles, and HLA compatibility to identify immune-mediated barriers to implantation. Patients referred to the Derbala Institute typically arrive after one or more failed IVF cycles at other clinics and are seeking a deeper diagnostic evaluation.
Services and Treatments
- Reproductive immunology evaluation including NK cell assays, cytokine panels, and antiphospholipid antibody testing
- Recurrent pregnancy loss workup with immune and thrombophilia components
- Recurrent implantation failure investigation and treatment
- Immune-modulating therapy protocols (IVIG, intralipid infusions, low-dose corticosteroids, heparin)
- In vitro fertilization (IVF) with individualized immune-support protocols
- Intrauterine insemination (IUI)
- Ovulation induction and cycle monitoring
- Preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) to rule out chromosomal factors alongside immune evaluation
- Hormonal assessment including thyroid, prolactin, and luteal phase deficiency workup
- Coordination with hematology and rheumatology for patients with autoimmune comorbidities
Laboratory and Success Rates
The Derbala Institute's subspecialty approach means that laboratory evaluation extends beyond standard fertility markers. Patients undergo immunological testing not typically ordered at general fertility centers, and treatment protocols are tailored to the findings. Given the complex, often treatment-refractory nature of the patients this practice sees, standard success rate comparisons with general fertility clinics may not be directly applicable.
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
Patients who seek out the Derbala Institute typically do so after exhausting standard fertility options and are looking for an explanation that other clinics have not provided. Reviewers describe the practice as thorough and detail-oriented, with physicians who take time to explain the immunological concepts behind their diagnoses and treatment plans. For patients with a history of unexplained recurrent loss or failed implantation, the experience of receiving a specific diagnosis and a tailored immune protocol is described as both validating and clinically meaningful. The Harper Woods location is a quieter, community-based setting rather than a large hospital complex.
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
Michigan does not have a state mandate requiring insurers to cover IVF or infertility treatment. Insurance coverage for reproductive immunology testing and treatment is variable and often limited. Some plans may cover diagnostic bloodwork and consultations while excluding IVIG, intralipid infusions, and other immune-modulating treatments as experimental or investigational.
Patients should request an itemized list of anticipated costs from the Derbala Institute before beginning evaluation, as immune therapy add-ons can represent a meaningful additional expense beyond standard IVF fees. HSA and FSA funds are generally applicable. For patients traveling from outside southeast Michigan, it may be worth exploring whether a single comprehensive evaluation visit can be structured before committing to an ongoing treatment plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is a good candidate for evaluation at a reproductive immunology practice? Patients with recurrent pregnancy loss (two or more miscarriages), repeated implantation failure despite transferring high-quality euploid embryos, or unexplained infertility that has not responded to standard protocols may benefit from reproductive immunology evaluation. A referral from a reproductive endocrinologist or maternal-fetal medicine specialist is helpful but not always required.
Is reproductive immunology treatment evidence-based? The field of reproductive immunology is active and evolving. Some interventions — such as heparin for antiphospholipid syndrome — are well-supported by evidence. Others, such as IVIG for NK cell elevation, have a more mixed literature and are considered investigational by some professional societies. Patients should ask their physician to walk through the evidence basis for each proposed treatment.
Can I continue care with my primary REI while also working with the Derbala Institute? Many patients do co-manage their care. It is common for patients to undergo immune evaluation at a subspecialty center and then return to their home IVF clinic for the actual cycle, incorporating the immune protocol prescribed at the subspecialty practice. Clear communication between care teams is important in these cases.
Is it worth traveling to the Harper Woods location from outside metro Detroit? For patients with a specific history of unexplained implantation failure or recurrent loss, a subspecialty reproductive immunology consultation may be worthwhile even if travel is required. Many patients have consultations via telehealth initially before committing to in-person evaluation; ask about remote consultation options when you contact the institute.