Get To Know New York City-Based Fertility Expert Dr. Brian Levine

Dr. Brian Levine, founding partner of CCRM New York, shares his greatest achievements in fertility medicine, the future of reproductive health, career-defining moments, and what sets his practice apart as one of the top fertility clinics in the world.

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Dr. Brian Levine, Fertility Specialist — CCRM New York, New York, NY.

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The founding partner and practice director of CCRM New York, Dr. Brian Levine, M.D., is board-certified in both reproductive endocrinology and infertility and obstetrics and gynecology. Dr. Levine leads the industry in normalizing open dialogue about infertility — a medical condition affecting 1 in 8 couples — and educates prospective parents on a national level. Over the years, Dr. Levine has been cited as one of the nation's leading fertility experts in The New Yorker, New York Post, NBC, CNN, and Avenue Magazine.

My Greatest Achievement

My greatest professional achievement is helping start CCRM New York. As someone who has done all their graduate, medical education and professional training in New York City, I've always been acutely aware that a NYC patient not only wants the best care possible, but the best patient experience! From my initial phone call in 2013 with Dr. William Schoolcraft, the founder of CCRM, where we talked about my desire to make CCRM accessible to NYC patients without the need to fly to Denver, to our conversations about our collective potential to create a comprehensive reproductive health center that supports its patients from the moment they arrive to the moment they graduate, I knew that we could build something great.

Together with my incredible partners, our tireless staff, and our amazing scientific and administrative support in Colorado, we have truly built a fertility clinic unlike any other. As I look back at the 10,000+ patients that we have treated, the families we helped start, the families we helped grow, and those who have been able to protect and preserve their fertility, I am truly in awe of what we have done.

The Future of Reproductive Medicine

The future of reproductive medicine is going to be rooted in patients having complete transparency into their fertility status. Unfortunately, many patients are unaware of their fertility potential and only learn that they need treatment once they have had trouble getting pregnant, staying pregnant, or seek an evaluation to freeze their eggs or sperm.

If patients have unfettered access to accurate and reproducible testing that is coupled with personalized data, such as integration from wearables and apps, then many patients will hopefully speak to their Ob/Gyn or seek a fertility doctor before struggling for 6 to 12 months that are usually filled with heartache and disappointment.

The Biggest Misconception About Fertility

The biggest misconception about reproductive endocrinology and infertility is that infertility is a female disease! According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 9% of men and 11% of women of reproductive age in the United States have experienced fertility problems. In fact:

• In one-third of infertile couples, the problem is with the man.
• In one-third of infertile couples, the problem can't be identified or is with both the man and woman.
• In one-third of infertile couples, the problem is with the woman.

With that said, fertility does decline with age in both men and women, but the effects of age are much greater in women than men.

Most Requested Procedures

My most requested procedures are in-vitro fertilization (IVF), oocyte cryopreservation (egg freezing) and frozen embryo transfers (FET). In examining our success rates (which are publicly available), one can see that our IVF and resultant frozen embryo transfer success rates in every age category are among the highest in the world with nearly the lowest reported miscarriage rates regardless of age.

What Are You Best Known For?

In reading the hundreds of reviews that patients have posted online about their experiences with me and our clinic, and in speaking to my patients, I have learned that patients speak most about their "detail-oriented experience" with me and my partners. I truly believe that every patient should be treated as if they are a family member.

Unfortunately, many fertility clinics have become too big and too busy to offer personalized care. This lack of attention to detail is not felt by most patients, but the toughest cases seem to slip through the proverbial cracks.

Most Memorable Patient Reaction

There have been so many memorable reactions! Patients who never thought they would have babies, patients who didn't even know they wanted babies, and of course, patients who just wanted the opportunity to have babies when they were ready. However, probably the most memorable experience for me is the mom who wrote to me that her son's first words were "Doctor Levine." While I am certain she was exaggerating, nothing fills my heart more than knowing a family made time to teach their child who their doctor was!

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