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Reproductive Medicine Institute — Fertlo Editorial Review

Independent editorial overview · Chicago, IL
Photo of Dr. Candela Gallardo

Dr. Candela Gallardo, MD, Specialist in Obstetrics & Gynaecology

4 min read
Medically Reviewed
Photo of Prof. Sandro C. Esteves

Prof. Sandro C. Esteves, MD, PhD

Male Infertility & Andrology ANDROFERT Andrology & Human Reproduction Clinic, Campinas, Brazil; Honorary Professor, Aarhus University, Denmark

Last reviewed:

Reproductive Medicine Institute (RMI) is located at 233 E Erie St, Suite 307, in Chicago's Streeterville neighborhood — one of the most concentrated medical corridors in the Midwest, situated steps from Northwestern Memorial Hospital and the Feinberg School of Medicine. RMI is an independent fertility practice that offers a full suite of assisted reproductive technologies and prides itself on individualized protocols and patient-centered care. The Streeterville location provides easy access from the Magnificent Mile, the Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, and River North, and is well-served by the CTA Red Line. Patients looking for additional fertility options throughout the state can explore the Illinois fertility clinics directory.

Physicians and Clinical Team

RMI's physicians are board-certified reproductive endocrinologists and infertility specialists with training from leading academic medical programs. Operating as an independent practice rather than a hospital system means that RMI physicians can focus their time on fertility patients without the competing academic and clinical demands of a large university hospital. The care team includes dedicated fertility nurses who serve as the primary point of contact throughout treatment cycles, an in-house embryology team, and administrative staff experienced with Illinois insurance mandate requirements.

Services and Treatments

  • IVF with fresh and frozen embryo transfer
  • ICSI
  • Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT-A, PGT-M, PGT-SR)
  • Egg cryopreservation for fertility preservation
  • Embryo cryopreservation
  • Donor egg and donor sperm cycles
  • Intrauterine insemination (IUI) with ovarian stimulation
  • Timed intercourse cycles
  • Male infertility evaluation including semen analysis
  • Surgical assessment and referral for uterine and tubal conditions
  • Recurrent pregnancy loss evaluation
  • Ovulation induction for PCOS
  • LGBTQ+ family-building including reciprocal IVF and single-parent pathways

Laboratory and Success Rates

RMI's on-site embryology laboratory is equipped for standard IVF, ICSI, extended blastocyst culture, vitrification, and PGT biopsy shipping. The laboratory team's consistency and experience matter significantly for IVF outcomes — patients are encouraged to ask about embryologist tenure and volume at their consultation. 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

Streeterville is a convenient location for Chicago-area patients, particularly those who live or work on the North Side, downtown, or on the North Shore. The building at 233 E Erie is close to the Northwestern Memorial Hospital campus, and the practice is situated within a dense cluster of specialty medical offices. Patients appreciate the private, boutique feel of an independent practice compared to larger academic systems. Monitoring appointments during stimulation cycles can often be scheduled in early morning slots to accommodate patients who work downtown. Street parking in Streeterville is limited, but several parking garages are nearby and the CTA Red Line's Chicago Ave station is walkable.

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

Illinois law requires insurers covering more than 25 employees to cover IVF, making Illinois one of the most favorable states for fertility insurance coverage. RMI works with most major commercial insurers and has experience navigating the mandate's requirements, including documentation needed for prior authorization. Patients should verify in-network status, confirm cycle limits, and review medication coverage separately, as not all insurance plans cover fertility medications even when IVF procedures are covered. Self-pay patients can ask about itemized procedure estimates and multi-cycle discount packages.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Reproductive Medicine Institute affiliated with Northwestern Memorial Hospital? RMI is an independent private practice located in the Streeterville neighborhood near Northwestern Memorial, but it is not part of the Northwestern Medicine health system. Patients requiring hospital-level surgical care or anesthesia for procedures will have those arranged as needed.

What is the advantage of choosing an independent fertility clinic over a hospital-based program? Independent clinics typically offer more focused attention to fertility patients, fewer administrative layers, and often faster scheduling. The tradeoff is that complex medical comorbidities requiring co-management with other subspecialties may need to be coordinated through external referrals rather than being handled in the same building.

How many IVF cycles does Illinois insurance typically cover? Illinois law requires coverage for up to four oocyte retrievals, but specific plan limits vary. Patients should request a copy of their plan's fertility coverage summary from their insurer before starting treatment.

Does RMI have experience with reciprocal IVF for same-sex couples? Yes. Reciprocal IVF — where one partner provides eggs and the other carries the pregnancy — is an available service. The team is experienced with the coordination required for this pathway, including legal documentation recommendations.

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