Results by Google

UW Hospital Unveils New Fertility Clinic, Doctors

New Staff Working To Erase Tainted Past

Updated: 8:49 am CST November 19, 2008

Generations Fertility Care is the name of the University of Wisconsin Hospital's new fertility clinic, which will open its doors in 2010 on the city's far west side.

videoVIDEO: Watch The Report

The announcement, made on Tuesday night, is a new page for a department that has suffered public embarrassment over physician feuding in recent years, WISC-TV reported.

Two years ago, the clinics three lead doctors -- Dr. Steven Lindheim, Dr. Elizabeth Pritts and Dr. David Olive, Pritts' husband, -- were embroiled in a bitter battle that included allegations of sexual harassment between Lindheim and Pritts. Olive filed a complaint that he had been improperly demoted.

During that time, patients complained that the clinic's environment was hostile.

Both lawsuits were settled in October 2006 and Olive and Pritts resigned to start their own clinic.

Lindheim also resigned and took a position in California.

The clinic nearly closed, but a large outpouring of support kept it alive.

Now, the clinic, which is part of the hospital's Department of Infertility and Reproductive Endocrinology is making a comeback.

"I've been here 13 months and one of the most exciting parts of my job is rebuilding a new REI – IVF unit," said department chairman Dr. Laurel Rice.

The clinic will now be called Generations Fertility Care and be run by Dr. Dan Lebovic, one of the nation's leading doctors in reproductive endocrinology, according to Rice.

He will be joined by reproductive specialist Dr. Sana Salih, urologist Dr. Daniel Williams and psychiatric expert Dr. Julianne Zweifel.

"We are building a fabulous clinical unit here with a fantastic leader who has hired an embryologist, a lab director who is new as well," said Rice. "We have an outstanding clinical psychologist. We have everything we need to be the top in the region, Top Five in the country."

Rice said what's more unique is the clinic's "Couples" approach to infertility. Statistics show that with infertility issues, the problem lies with the female 40 percent of the time, the male 30 percent of the time and is a problem with both partners 30 percent of the time, WISC-TV reported.

The UW's new clinic approach will evaluate and treat the male and female partners at the same time.

"When a couple is faced with infertility it's devastating," said Rice. "To have their care focused in one area, in one unit with all the doctors, all the staff they need to maximize their success rates - it's pivotal."

UW Hospital has a rich history of treating infertility. The hospital was one of the first in the country to offer In Vitro Fertilization. It was the fifth in the country to have a successful IVF procedure, the first in Wisconsin.

When asked about the recent past, Rice said, "When people ask I say, 'Happily, I wasn't here.' Now I have the entire UW behind me and it's a new day and I'm very excited about what we're building here."

According to doctors, 6.1 million U.S. couples face infertility issues each year, but only 1.2 million will seek medical help.

Of those seeking help, the male partner is evaluated only 20 percent of the time.

Links We Like

Sponsored Content
Learn the top five signs of common mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, and bipolar disorder. More Details
Boost your home value and make buyers bite with these bathroom updates. More Details
How you handle the tough questions in an interview says a lot about you. Make sure you ace the crucial moments at your next interview. More Details
The signs of Cancer can sometimes be very subtle. Here's a guide to help you recognize them early. More Details

Health Information

You won’t be bothered with confusing insurance claim forms; an Alliance company will take care of everything for you. Receive your CPAP or BiPAP Supplies directly to your home as you need them. There will be no delivery charge. More Details
Advertise With Us

CNN Video Player

Advertise With Us