The Utah Center for Reproductive Medicine (UCRM) is the academic fertility program of University of Utah Health, located at 675 Arapeen Drive in Salt Lake City, Utah. As an academic medical center program, UCRM combines cutting-edge clinical research with specialized reproductive endocrinology care, offering patients access to fellowship-trained physicians, a high-complexity IVF laboratory, and the institutional resources of one of the Mountain West's leading health systems. The program serves patients from throughout Utah as well as neighboring states including Idaho, Wyoming, and Nevada, many of whom travel to Salt Lake City specifically to access academic-level fertility expertise. For a list of other fertility clinics serving Utah patients, visit the Utah state directory.
Physicians and Clinical Team
UCRM is staffed by fellowship-trained reproductive endocrinologists who hold academic appointments at the University of Utah School of Medicine. Academic REI programs like UCRM typically include both attending physicians and clinical fellows — physicians completing their subspecialty training in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. This academic structure means that patients benefit from an environment of ongoing education, research engagement, and peer consultation, which can be particularly valuable for complex or unusual cases. Physicians at UCRM conduct and publish research in areas relevant to reproductive medicine, including ovarian reserve, endometriosis, fertility preservation, and assisted reproduction outcomes. The nursing team, embryology staff, and clinical coordinators are integrated into the academic program, supporting both clinical care and research protocols.
The academic affiliation also brings access to multidisciplinary consultation — patients with complex medical histories, oncology diagnoses, genetic conditions, or uterine anomalies can benefit from specialists across University of Utah Health being available in the same system.
Services and Treatments
The Utah Center for Reproductive Medicine offers a comprehensive range of fertility services:
- Fertility evaluation and diagnosis for individuals and couples
- Ovulation induction with timed intercourse or IUI
- Intrauterine insemination (IUI) with partner or donor sperm
- In vitro fertilization (IVF) with ICSI
- Frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles
- Preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A), monogenic disease (PGT-M), and chromosomal structural rearrangements (PGT-SR)
- Egg freezing (oocyte cryopreservation) for elective fertility preservation and oncofertility
- Medical fertility preservation prior to cancer treatment (oncofertility)
- Donor egg and donor sperm coordination
- Gestational carrier medical management
- Recurrent pregnancy loss evaluation
- Endometriosis surgical evaluation in coordination with minimally invasive gynecology
- Congenital uterine anomaly assessment and hysteroscopic management
- Male infertility evaluation and coordination with urology
Laboratory and Success Rates
The IVF laboratory at UCRM operates under the oversight standards appropriate for an academic medical center, with quality control protocols that support clinical care and contribute to the program's research infrastructure. Academic laboratory teams often include embryologists with advanced training who participate in research studies alongside their clinical work. Extended culture, vitrification, time-lapse embryo imaging, and advanced genetic testing support are commonly available at academic center programs. Patients should review the most current cycle-level data published by the CDC's ART Surveillance program and the SART Clinic Summary Report.
Success rates at academic centers may differ from private practice rates in part because academic programs often treat more complex patients who have failed treatment elsewhere. Patients are encouraged to discuss outcomes data in the context of their individual diagnosis when speaking with the UCRM team.
Patient Experience
The Arapeen Drive address places UCRM within University of Utah's Research Park, adjacent to the main University of Utah campus and near the Huntsman Cancer Institute — a location that is particularly meaningful for oncofertility patients. Salt Lake City's Research Park is a quiet professional district with easy freeway access from I-215 and proximity to the Foothill neighborhood. For patients traveling from rural Utah or neighboring states, the University of Utah Health system offers a coordinated referral network, and telemedicine consultations may be available for initial appointments or follow-up care. The Wasatch Front's geography — Salt Lake City's broad valley setting — means that most Utahns are within reasonable driving distance, though patients from southern Utah (St. George area) may face a four-plus hour drive.
Utah has a notably high birth rate compared to national averages, and the state's cultural and demographic profile means that fertility clinics serve a wide range of family structures and sizes. UCRM's academic setting means it serves patients from across the spectrum, including those pursuing fertility preservation, those with complex diagnoses, and those who have been referred after unsuccessful treatment at other centers.
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
Utah does not have a state fertility insurance mandate, which means that health plans in Utah are not required to cover IVF or other fertility treatments. Most patients at UCRM pay for fertility treatment out of pocket, through employer-sponsored fertility benefits (which vary widely by employer), or through financing. The out-of-pocket cost of a single IVF cycle with medications typically ranges from $15,000 to $25,000 depending on protocol and medications used, though academic center pricing may differ.
Some large employers — particularly those in the technology, healthcare, and education sectors — offer voluntary fertility benefits that cover a set number of IVF cycles. University of Utah employees may have access to specific employee benefit programs; prospective patients should review their benefit documentation carefully. For those without coverage, UCRM's financial counseling team can provide transparent pricing information and discuss available payment plan options. Shared-risk programs (which refund fees if a set number of cycles do not result in a live birth) are offered by some fertility programs and may be worth asking about.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the advantage of seeking care at an academic fertility center like UCRM? Academic centers typically offer access to the full breadth of fertility services, including high-complexity cases, rare diagnoses, and experimental or research protocols. The physician team holds academic appointments and participates in ongoing research, which often reflects itself in familiarity with the latest evidence-based approaches. For patients with difficult or previously unresolved diagnoses, an academic center can provide specialized evaluation that community practices may not offer.
Is UCRM a good option for oncofertility — fertility preservation before cancer treatment? Yes. The University of Utah's proximity to the Huntsman Cancer Institute makes UCRM particularly well-positioned to offer oncofertility consultations for patients newly diagnosed with cancer who want to preserve eggs or embryos before starting treatment. Oncofertility consults are often scheduled urgently to ensure there is time to complete an egg freezing cycle before chemotherapy or radiation begins.
Does UCRM treat patients from out of state? Yes. Academic programs routinely treat patients referred from across a multi-state region. Patients from Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, and Colorado have sought care at UCRM, particularly for complex diagnoses or when local options are limited. Telemedicine options may reduce the need for initial travel.
How does UCRM handle fertility preservation for gender-affirming care? University of Utah Health is a comprehensive health system with experience in gender-affirming care. Patients undergoing gender transition who wish to preserve fertility before starting hormone therapy or surgery can receive consultations at UCRM. Egg freezing, embryo freezing, and sperm banking can all be coordinated through the program.