Reproductive Medicine Associates of Northern California (RMA NorCal) — An Honest Patient Guide

Reproductive Medicine Associates of Northern California (RMA NorCal) is located at 150 Spear Street in San Francisco — in the Financial District/Rincon Hill neighborhood at the base of the Bay Bridge approach, one of San Francisco's most densely employed commercial areas. The 150 Spear St address is within walking distance of the Embarcadero BART/Muni station, the Ferry Building, and the core of the Financial District's professional office towers. For patients who work in or near the Financial District, Rincon Hill, SoMa, or the South Beach neighborhood, this is an exceptionally convenient location for the early-morning monitoring appointments that define an active IVF stimulation cycle.

RMA NorCal is part of the national RMA Network (RMAnetwork.com), a group of reproductive medicine practices that share clinical protocols, laboratory standards, research participation, and outcome reporting. The network was originally anchored by Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey (RMANJ), one of the highest-volume and most research-active fertility programs in the United States, and RMA NorCal brings that clinical and research culture to the Bay Area market. For additional California clinic options, see our California fertility clinic directory.

Physicians and Clinical Team

RMA NorCal's clinical team consists of fellowship-trained, board-certified reproductive endocrinologists who participate in the RMA Network's shared research and quality programs.

• Philip Chenette, M.D. — Dr. Chenette is a senior reproductive endocrinologist at RMA NorCal and one of the Bay Area's most recognized fertility physicians. He completed fellowship training and has practiced in San Francisco for many years. He is known for his expertise in IVF for patients with diminished ovarian reserve, donor egg IVF, and complex infertility cases, and has received peer-distinction recognition including Castle Connolly and Best Doctors listings. He has a particular reputation for frank, evidence-based communication with patients, including honest discussions of prognosis for patients with challenging diagnoses.

• Marcelle Cedars, M.D. — Dr. Cedars is a reproductive endocrinologist of national prominence who has been affiliated with UCSF's reproductive medicine program and brings strong research credentials to the RMA NorCal team. Her academic and clinical focus areas include ovarian reserve, egg quality, and fertility in patients with systemic health conditions.

• Additional RMA NorCal Physicians — As a network practice, RMA NorCal may have additional attending REI physicians whose expertise and availability should be confirmed at the time of scheduling.

• Care Coordination and Nursing Team — RMA Network practices maintain strong care coordination infrastructure, with fertility nurses and patient navigators supporting patients through stimulation monitoring, procedure coordination, and cycle-day communication.

Services and Treatments

RMA NorCal offers a comprehensive range of reproductive medicine services:

• IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) — Full stimulation cycles with egg retrieval, fertilization, embryo culture, and fresh or frozen transfer.
• ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) — For male-factor infertility.
• IUI (Intrauterine Insemination) — Natural and stimulated cycles.
• Egg Freezing (Oocyte Cryopreservation) — Elective and oncofertility preservation.
• Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) — Transfer of vitrified embryos.
• Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT-A / PGT-M) — Chromosomal and monogenic disorder screening; RMA Network practices have been leaders in PGT protocol development.
• Donor Egg IVF — Coordination for cycles using donor eggs.
• Donor Sperm Services — For patients using donor sperm.
• Gestational Carrier Coordination — Medical management for intended parents.
• LGBTQ+ Family Building — Reciprocal IVF, donor pathways, and surrogacy for all patient configurations.
• Male Fertility Evaluation — Semen analysis and male-factor workup.
• Fertility Assessment — AMH, antral follicle count, HSG, and hormonal panels.
• Recurrent Pregnancy Loss and Implantation Failure Evaluation — RMA Network practices have published extensively on these topics and maintain robust evaluation protocols.
• Clinical Research — Active participation in RMA Network multicenter trials and observational studies.

Laboratory and Success Rates

RMA NorCal operates within the RMA Network's quality and laboratory infrastructure. The network has a strong record of SART reporting and has been associated with some of the highest published success rates among high-volume fertility programs in the country. Patients should review the specific NorCal location's SART data, as geographic variation within a network is real and outcomes are not identical across all RMA sites.

Patients should review the most current cycle-level data published by the CDC's ART Surveillance program and the SART Clinic Summary Report.

RMA Network's research emphasis has produced numerous publications on PGT, embryo selection, and stimulation optimization. Patients who want a practice embedded in the current state of reproductive medicine science are well-positioned at an RMA Network location.

Patient Experience

The 150 Spear St location is one of the most transit-accessible fertility clinic addresses in San Francisco. The Embarcadero BART/Muni station is a short walk, multiple Muni lines run along the Embarcadero and Market Street nearby, and the building is accessible from the Bay Bridge for patients commuting from the East Bay. Structured parking is available in the Financial District blocks adjacent to the building.

For Financial District and SoMa tech workers — including a large professional population that may have employer fertility benefits — RMA NorCal's Spear St address is particularly convenient. The combination of a transit-accessible location, the RMA Network's clinical research culture, and the Bay Area's active tech-employer fertility benefit programs makes this clinic an efficient choice for a demanding patient population.

Patient reviews of RMA NorCal emphasize Dr. Chenette's directness and expertise, and the overall team's evidence-based approach. The RMA Network's research culture means that patients may be offered participation in clinical studies — which some patients welcome and others prefer to decline.

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's SB 729, effective July 1, 2025, requires large-group insured health plans in California to cover fertility treatments including up to three IVF cycles. Many Bay Area employers — particularly in the tech and financial services sectors — use self-funded ERISA plans that are exempt from this state mandate. Patients should verify their specific plan's status.

RMA Network practices are experienced in working with complex employer benefit structures and California-regulated plan coverage. The care coordination team can assist with insurance verification and prior authorization.

For patients without coverage:

• Self-Pay Pricing — RMA NorCal provides pricing for uninsured patients.
• Financing — Third-party medical financing.
• Bundled Cycle Programs — Multi-cycle packages may be available for patients who anticipate more than one retrieval or transfer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the RMA Network and how does it benefit patients? The RMA Network is a national group of reproductive medicine practices that share clinical protocols, laboratory standards, and research participation. The network was founded around Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey (RMANJ), which has consistently been among the highest-volume and most-published fertility programs in the country. For patients, the benefit is access to evidence-based protocols developed from large multicenter datasets, and a practice culture informed by ongoing research rather than a static approach.

Is Dr. Chenette well-regarded for patients with low ovarian reserve? Dr. Chenette has a specific reputation in the Bay Area fertility community for his expertise with patients who have diminished ovarian reserve, advanced maternal age, or prior poor response to stimulation. His approach is known for honest prognosis discussions and individualized protocol design. Patients who have been told elsewhere that their situation is difficult may find his evidence-based candor and experience in this area particularly valuable.

How close is 150 Spear St to the Embarcadero BART station? The Embarcadero BART/Muni station is approximately a four-minute walk from 150 Spear St via the Embarcadero waterfront. The building is also accessible from Muni's F-Market streetcar and several bus lines along the Embarcadero and Market Street corridors.

Does RMA NorCal accept California's new SB 729 fertility mandate coverage? RMA NorCal participates in California insurance networks and is set up to work with SB 729-compliant plans. Whether your specific plan triggers the mandate depends on your employer's plan structure. Contact your insurer to confirm coverage and RMA NorCal's in-network status before scheduling.