Dr. Katherine McDaniel, MD, FACOG, practices reproductive endocrinology and infertility at HRC Fertility's Pasadena office, located at 55 S Lake Ave, Floor 9, Pasadena, CA 91101. Dr. McDaniel holds her own NPI record within the HRC Fertility Pasadena context, reflecting her individual clinical identity within the larger HRC network practice. HRC Fertility is one of Southern California's most established fertility networks, and the South Lake Avenue address — in the heart of Pasadena's professional district — serves patients from the San Gabriel Valley, Arcadia, Monrovia, Glendale, La Cañada, and the Foothill communities. The practice is listed in the California fertility clinic directory. California does not mandate fertility insurance coverage, but many San Gabriel Valley employers — particularly in education, healthcare, and technology — offer voluntary fertility benefits.
Physician Profile: Dr. Katherine McDaniel, MD, FACOG
Dr. Katherine McDaniel is a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist who is also a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (FACOG), reflecting her combined expertise in general obstetrics and gynecology as well as the subspecialty of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. REI subspecialty board certification requires completion of an accredited two-to-three year fellowship following OB/GYN residency, and the FACOG designation indicates active participation and leadership in the professional community.
Dr. McDaniel's clinical practice encompasses the full spectrum of fertility diagnosis and treatment within the HRC Fertility framework. Her patients benefit from both the individualized physician-patient relationship she develops within her practice and the broader network resources that HRC Fertility provides — including shared laboratory infrastructure, genetic testing coordination, a donor egg program, and a robust embryology team with extensive Southern California IVF experience.
Within the HRC Pasadena office, Dr. McDaniel works alongside the broader HRC team serving Pasadena patients. The Floor 9 location at 55 S Lake Ave places the practice in one of Pasadena's most professionally trafficked buildings, adjacent to the Playhouse District and within walking distance of Pasadena City Hall.
Services and Treatments
- IVF with fresh and frozen embryo transfer
- IUI with partner or donor sperm
- Egg freezing (elective and medical fertility preservation)
- Ovulation induction and timed intercourse cycles
- Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT-A and PGT-M)
- Genetic counseling coordination (through HRC network)
- Donor egg IVF (fresh and frozen, through HRC's established donor program)
- Donor sperm coordination
- Recurrent pregnancy loss evaluation
- Male-factor infertility assessment and ICSI
- Gestational surrogacy medical management
- LGBTQ+ family-building services
Laboratory and Success Rates
HRC Fertility operates a centralized embryology laboratory network across its Southern California locations. The laboratory supports blastocyst culture, vitrification, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, and trophectoderm biopsy for preimplantation genetic testing. HRC's accumulated IVF case volume across its network provides an experienced embryology team for Dr. McDaniel's patients.
Patients should review the most current cycle-level data published by the CDC's ART Surveillance program and the SART Clinic Summary Report. HRC Fertility reports outcomes to SART, and these tools allow comparison of live birth rates by patient age group and treatment type across all California fertility clinics.
Patient Experience
The South Lake Avenue corridor in Pasadena is one of the San Gabriel Valley's premier professional districts, adjacent to law firms, financial institutions, and medical offices in a walkable, tree-lined setting. Parking is available in the building's garage and in adjacent commercial structures. The Gold Line (L Line) light rail stop at Lake Station is approximately a half-mile away, offering a transit option for patients without cars or for early-morning monitoring visits.
Patients who choose to see Dr. McDaniel specifically — rather than defaulting to whichever HRC physician has the shortest wait — value the individual physician-patient relationship and continuity of care. For patients who have done research and specifically identified Dr. McDaniel's experience and approach as a fit for their needs, the ability to establish care directly with her within the HRC Pasadena context is the defining advantage of this clinical arrangement.
The San Gabriel Valley's patient population is notably diverse, with large Armenian-American, Chinese-American, Filipino-American, and Korean-American communities, among many others, in the communities surrounding Pasadena. HRC Fertility's experience as a large Southern California network means the team is accustomed to serving patients from these diverse cultural backgrounds with appropriate sensitivity.
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 fertility insurance mandate. Coverage for IVF and related services at HRC Fertility Pasadena with Dr. McDaniel is entirely plan-dependent. Pasadena-area patients employed by California Institute of Technology (Caltech), major healthcare systems, or large technology companies may have voluntary fertility benefits included in their employer health plans.
HRC Fertility offers financing options and works with third-party fertility lending programs. Patients are encouraged to contact their insurer's member services line before their first appointment to verify coverage. The HRC financial team can assist with insurance verification, prior authorization, and cost estimates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I request to see Dr. McDaniel specifically at HRC Fertility Pasadena? Yes. You can request Dr. McDaniel as your assigned physician at the Pasadena office. Contact HRC Fertility's scheduling team to confirm her current availability for new patient consultations.
What does the FACOG designation mean after Dr. McDaniel's name? FACOG stands for Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. It indicates active membership and leadership involvement in ACOG, the primary professional organization for OB/GYN physicians in the United States.
How does being part of the HRC network benefit Dr. McDaniel's patients? HRC network membership provides access to a large, centralized embryology laboratory, a robust donor egg program, genetic counseling coordination, and the peer consultation of a multi-physician group. Patients receive individualized care from Dr. McDaniel while benefiting from the infrastructure of a larger network.
Is egg freezing available through Dr. McDaniel's practice at HRC Pasadena? Yes. Elective egg freezing and oncofertility preservation are available. An ovarian reserve assessment helps set realistic expectations for expected egg yield before proceeding.