Division Director - Dr. Julie Rios
The Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility offers a wide range of comprehensive specialty care and consultative services for women afflicted with various gynecological, endocrine and reproductive disorders. Recognized as the largest infertility program in Western Pennsylvania and centered at Magee-Women’s Hospital of UPMC, we deliver outreach services to communities in Butler, Bethel Park, Cranberry, Conemaugh, Somerset, Hermitage, Monroeville, Erie, Northwest, McMurray, Clarion, Youngstown and Johnstown.
The division draws on the unique strengths of our five physicians and two Ph.D. investigators and fosters enriching inter- and intra-departmental collaborations to deliver innovative clinical care and build strong research and teaching programs.
As part of our Assisted Reproductive Technology/In vitro Fertilization Program, we incorporate in-house advanced technology–"preimplantation genetic screening" in partnership with the Division of Reproductive Genetics - in an effort to transfer to the uterus the embryo(s) most likely to successful implant; and employ state-of-the-art laser technology in association with in-vitro.
Our Fertility Preservation of Pittsburgh Program (FPP), under the direction of Dr. Kyle Orwig and in conjunction with the Division faculty has considerably expanded services both nationally as well as internationally. The Fertility Preservation Program provides standard of care and experimental options to meet the fertility care needs of our diverse patient population, including Testicular Tissue Cryopreservation (experimental), Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation (experimental), Oocyte Cryopreservation (elective), Embryo Cryopreservation, and Sperm Cryopreservation. In addition to adult populations, we provide fertility preservation care for pre and post-pubertal boys and girls with a recent diagnosis of cancer.
Our team continues to grow, allowing us to provide 24/7 services for fertility preservation with recent diagnosis of cancer. This includes counseling, consenting and treatment. The program also has experimental protocols to learn the etiology and development treatment options for patients with the most intractable cases of infertility (e.g., Klinefelter’s). Our program adheres to the guidelines established by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and The American Society of Clinical Oncology. The FPP leverages expertise within UPMC through close working relationships with specialists in:
- Hematology/Oncology - Pediatric and Adult
- Oncology Divisions: Gynecologic, Medical and Surgical
- Urology - Pediatric and Adult
Research in the area of reproduction remains a top division priority. We have embarked on a number of translational projects that reflect the well-coordinated interaction of our division’s basic scientists and clinicians including research FPP protocols, preimplantation genetic screening (PGS), genetic basis of premature ovarian insufficiency, and genetic basis of oligospermia/azoospermia, Klinefelter’s and others. Furthermore, research activities include a focus on stem cells, polycystic ovarian syndrome, obesity, hysteroscopic myomectomy and genome sequencing studies. Our surgical armamentarium is far more extensive than most academic REI programs and includes advanced minimally invasive surgical technology. The division works in tandem with the Department of Pediatrics (Division of Adolescent Medicine), at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC and provides clinical and educational services related to Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. We have a close working relationship with Magee Women’s Research Institute.
In addition to devoting efforts to a wide range of clinical and research activities, our team of nationally and internationally renowned faculty is deeply committed to training the next generation of clinicians and researchers in the field of infertility and reproductive endocrinology and infertility. Our fellowship-training program remains one of the top sought in the nation and facilitates integration of educational experience from division clinicians as well as basic scientists.