About Our Practice

Virginia Fertility & IVF offers all levels of female and male infertility evaluation and treatment and reproductive health services. What is unique about us is that we are the only comprehensive fertility center with our own on-site IVF laboratory in Charlottesville, Lynchburg, Roanoke, Harrisonburg and the surrounding region.  The practice is open 7 days a week to optimize care.

Doctors Linnea Goodman, Laura Smith, and Chris Williams are subspecialty trained and certified reproductive specialists with over 50 years of combined experience. Our doctors have been named one of the nations “Best Doctors” for many consecutive years. Dr. Williams is the author of an internationally sold book to help couples to conceive called “The Fastest Way to Get Pregnant Naturally.” They are the only subspecialty trained and certified fertility specialists (reproductive endocrinologists) in Charlottesville, Lynchburg and the surrounding region. Many Ob/Gyn’s and some family doctors (or medical endocrinologists) offer limited fertility services but they are not able to offer most aspects of fertility care. Also, they are only open 5 days a week so almost 1/3 of the time (2/7 days and no holidays) they will miss the opportunity to help.  Our fertility clinic offers all services for the diagnosis and treatment of infertility, 363 days a year.  Timing is everything!

About Virginia Fertility & IVF

Commonly seen patients include in vitro fertilization (IVF), egg banking, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), assistance with ovulation problems, endometriosis, fibroids (myomas), premature ovarian failure, irregular menstrual cycles, recurrent miscarriage, intrauterine insemination or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) for low sperm numbers, egg donation, preimplantation genetic testing, minimally invasive and conservative surgery, and advanced laparoscopy and hysteroscopy.  Our physicians are specially trained to perform myomectomy, advanced surgery for endometriosis, removal of ovarian cysts while preserving normal ovarian tissue, correction of congenital anomalies of the uterus, vagina and fallopian tubes, and reconstruction of damaged fallopian tubes.

Our physicians function as a group.  They also have teaching appointments at The University of Virginia. The doctors have various responsibilities in the operating room, the office, doing hysterosalpingograms, and IVF procedures.  If you wish to see a specific physician for elective follow-up visits, we will be happy to meet your requests.  However, visits that are menstrual cycle day dependent (and many are) you will be seen by the physician who is in the office that day. The doctors practice together with a similar management style.

“Aggressive” Versus the Usual Approach

There are usually several treatment options that are possible and appropriate for a given infertility circumstance.  We will describe them all for you, talk about the pros and cons of each, and make a mutual decision about what is best for you as a couple.  If you want to be more or less aggressive, let us know.

Unfortunately, we are unable to help everyone, or not in the time-frame couples expect.  Despite state of the art treatment, some patients will not conceive.  As your treatment proceeds we will let you know what is ahead and we will let you know when we think you should consider changing treatments or discontinuing treatment.  Stopping care is a difficult decision and many times treatment lacks a clear endpoint.  We encourage an open discussion with us if you are becoming frustrated or considering discontinuing treatment.

Cost

In general, our out of pocket charges for non-covered services are significantly lower than other competitors. We work directly with nearly all insurance companies and make sure your insurance company is billed for applicable, covered charges.

However, many insurance companies offer limited or no coverage for fertility treatments. It is a frustrating reality for doctors and patients. Please let us know when you are having financial challenges. We try to hard to use the most cost-effective treatment plan to try to minimize costs but get you pregnant as quickly as possible.

Patient Satisfaction

Fertility care is truly a team effort between a couple and their doctor(s). It is our sincere goal to help you conceive and to meet your emotional needs during your treatment.  As your treatment proceeds we will make decisions together. It is our goal to go into as much detail as you would like about options and answer all of your questions.  If any facet of our care is confusing or inadequate, we definitely want to know.  Please help us meet your needs and expectations.

UVA Residents Train in Our Office

All Virginia Fertility & IVF physcians maintain faculty appointments at The University of Virginia.  These are teaching positions granted to physicians outside of the full time faculty.  We are honored to hold these appointments and it is part of our mission to help train the next generation of obstetrician/gynecologists.  On some days there will be a UVA Ob/Gyn resident seeing patients with us in our clinic but they do not participate in surgeries.  The residents’ role in your care may be reviewing your medical history at the initial visit and/or performing minor physical examinations or sonograms.  Our doctors will always be present for exams and sonograms.  Residents will never make decisions regarding your treatment. They are here to learn.  We appreciate your understanding of the importance of teaching but if you do not wish to have a resident involved please make the receptionist or nurse aware.