A Gwinnett County satellite of a twelve-office Georgia OB/GYN network, operating from a suite inside the Hurricane Shoals medical corridor, has quietly become one of the better-reviewed women's-health destinations on Lawrenceville's east side. The Howard Center's Lawrenceville location holds a 4.8-star rating across 114 patient reviews captured in the Fertlo directory — a signal that, while modest in volume compared to the practice's south-Georgia anchor offices, reflects consistent patient trust across routine gynecology, obstetric care, and first-line fertility evaluation.
For patients in northeast metro Atlanta beginning a fertility conversation, The Howard Center's Lawrenceville office offers something valuable: an OB/GYN-based entry point, in-network with most commercial plans, capable of running the diagnostic workup that precedes any referral to a dedicated reproductive endocrinology (REI) center.
About the Practice
The Howard Center was founded in 2001 by Drs. Drew (James Andrew) Howard and Kaylar Howard — both graduates of the Medical College of Georgia and both board-certified obstetrician-gynecologists (verifiable via the ABOG diplomate search). Dr. Drew Howard became a diplomate of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1999 and a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2000. He practices under NPI 1649281064 with primary taxonomy 207V00000X (Obstetrics & Gynecology).
The Lawrenceville office, one of twelve statewide, is located at 1130 Hurricane Shoals Rd NE, Suite 2250, Lawrenceville, GA 30043. The practice's central scheduling line is (229) 391-3500, and the main website is thehowardcenter.com. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
The twelve-office footprint — spanning Moultrie, Tifton, Waycross, Warner Robins, Valdosta, Leesburg, Douglas, Covington, Athens, McDonough, Decatur, and Lawrenceville — means the Lawrenceville team operates within a larger clinical infrastructure than a typical standalone satellite. That matters for patients whose care may involve subspecialty coordination, second opinions, or continuity when moving between Atlanta and south Georgia.
Fertility Services in Scope
The Howard Center is an OB/GYN practice, not a reproductive endocrinology clinic. Patients evaluating where to begin a fertility workup should understand the honest scope: the practice handles the diagnostic evaluation and first-line medical treatments that resolve a meaningful percentage of infertility cases without requiring IVF, and refers onward when more advanced assisted reproductive technology is indicated.
Diagnostic Evaluation
The fertility workup at The Howard Center aligns with the standard initial infertility evaluation endorsed by ASRM practice guidelines. A first visit typically includes:
- Detailed medical, menstrual, and reproductive history
- Ovulation assessment (basal body temperature, luteal-phase progesterone)
- Ovarian reserve testing (AMH, day-3 FSH/estradiol, antral follicle count by ultrasound)
- Thyroid function and prolactin to rule out endocrine contributors
- Pelvic ultrasound for uterine and ovarian anatomy
- Semen analysis for the partner, when applicable
This workup identifies the large fraction of infertility cases — ovulatory dysfunction, PCOS, thyroid disease, hyperprolactinemia, subtle anatomic findings — that respond to medical management without ever reaching an IVF lab.
First-Line Treatments Offered
The practice's published fertility services cover:
- Ovulation induction with agents such as clomiphene citrate or letrozole for anovulatory patients, particularly those with PCOS
- Cycle monitoring during ovulation-induction cycles
- Surgical management of structural contributors — endometriosis, fibroids, tubal or uterine pathology — via gynecologic surgery
Whether the Lawrenceville office performs intrauterine insemination (IUI) directly in-office varies by provider schedule and sperm-source logistics; patients should confirm at booking. For many couples with mild male-factor or unexplained infertility, IUI combined with ovulation induction is the cost-effective first active step before any conversation about IVF.
What The Howard Center Does Not Offer
The practice does not operate an IVF laboratory, embryology services, egg freezing, or a dedicated reproductive endocrinology fellowship-trained provider. For patients who need IVF, egg or embryo freezing, donor-egg IVF, genetic testing of embryos (PGT-A/PGT-M), or third-party reproduction (gestational carrier coordination), the next step is a referral to an Atlanta-area reproductive endocrinology center.
Reasonable onward-referral destinations from the Lawrenceville corridor include:
- Reproductive Biology Associates (RBA) — one of the largest Atlanta REI groups, SART-reporting
- Shady Grove Fertility Atlanta — part of the Shady Grove national network
- Emory Reproductive Center — academic REI at Emory University
- Atlanta Center for Reproductive Medicine
Outcome data for these centers can be reviewed through the SART clinic-specific report finder.
What 4.8 Stars Across 114 Reviews Signals
A 4.8/5 rating accumulated across 114 Fertlo reviews — for a satellite office of a south-Georgia-anchored practice operating in a densely served Atlanta suburb — reflects something operational, not promotional. Lawrenceville patients who choose The Howard Center over the many larger Gwinnett OB/GYN groups tend to describe consistent communication, reasonable appointment access, and unhurried visits.
For fertility patients, those operational details are the care itself. Ovulation-induction cycles require monitoring appointments at short notice. Workup results need to be communicated clearly and promptly so that next steps — whether another cycle, a surgical consult, or an REI referral — do not lose momentum.
Georgia Fertility Coverage Context
Georgia is one of the majority of states without a fertility insurance mandate. In practice, that means patients at The Howard Center — like patients throughout Georgia — typically fund active fertility treatment out of pocket or navigate whatever voluntary coverage their employer-sponsored plan includes. Diagnostic evaluation (bloodwork, ultrasound, semen analysis) is more consistently covered than treatment cycles.
Starting a workup at an in-network OB/GYN like The Howard Center is often materially cheaper than an initial REI consultation, and for patients whose infertility resolves at the ovulation-induction or IUI stage, it can complete the fertility journey without an REI visit at all.
For a breakdown of what fertility treatments cost in Georgia relative to other states, see our fertility insurance mandates by state guide and IVF cost breakdown by state. If you are weighing whether to start with an OB/GYN or go directly to a specialist, our how to read IVF success rates guide covers the decision at each stage.
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 are over 35), or your physician has already recommended IUI or IVF, a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist is the right next step.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does The Howard Center Lawrenceville perform IVF?
No. The practice is an OB/GYN group offering diagnostic fertility evaluation and first-line treatments such as ovulation induction. IVF requires a reproductive endocrinology laboratory and fellowship-trained REI physician; patients needing IVF are referred to Atlanta-area centers (RBA, Shady Grove Atlanta, Emory, Atlanta Center for Reproductive Medicine). Call (229) 391-3500 to discuss which fertility services are available at the Lawrenceville office specifically.
How long should I try with The Howard Center before asking for an REI referral?
Standard ASRM guidance defines infertility as 12 months of unprotected intercourse without conception for patients under 35, or 6 months for patients 35 or older. If first-line treatment at The Howard Center — typically three to six ovulation-induction cycles with or without IUI — has not resulted in pregnancy, or if initial workup identifies a clear indication for IVF (blocked tubes, severe male factor, diminished ovarian reserve, advanced age), an REI referral is appropriate.
Is a referral needed to see a physician at the Lawrenceville office?
Self-referral is permitted for most commercial plans; some HMO plans require a PCP referral. Call (229) 391-3500 to confirm insurance participation and referral requirements before scheduling.
Editorial note: Independently written by the Fertlo editorial team; not sponsored. See our editorial policy.