Mayo Clinic REI and Reproductive Surgery

Off to Florence, Italy! Dr. Cyra Cottrell, REI Fellow is off to present her research at the ISGE World Congress with Dr. Stewart.

Wishing her well on her Oral presentation!

Mayo Clinic Plummer building illuminates orange in honor of National Infertility Awareness Week

Infertility affects 1 in 6 couples in the United States. Together, we can treat this disease.

Bold. Forward. Unbound.

Today we wear 🍊 in support of National Infertility Awareness Week, bringing awareness to 1 in 6 couples affected by infertility. We are proud to support this strong and resilient community.

Mayo Clinic REI was ranked No. 8 by Newsweek in its 2024 list of America’s Best Fertility Clinics!

What a great recognition during Infertility Awareness Week!

“This recognition underscores our team’s relentless commitment to advancing fertility care. At Mayo Clinic we are not just celebrating a ranking, we are reaffirming our dedication to helping families overcome their challenges with fertility, bolstered by pioneering research and compassionate care. It’s an honor to support our patients’ dreams of parenthood, inspired by both our teams expertise and the stories of those we serve.” Samir Babayev, MD, IVF Director

National Infertility Awareness Week starts today! April 21-27

We have a week of activities to bring more attention and awareness to this disease that affects 1 in 6 couples in the US (CDC).

What can you do? Follow along with and , and SHARE your story!

Picture taken at conference with Nicole Callahan, CNP chair-elect of the Advanced Practice Providers’ Professional Group.

We wear orange 🧡 for Infertility awareness!

Virtual option!
Please email for more details and secure Zoom link.

No cost. No formal agenda. No medical advice. Just peer support. Moderated by Mayo Clinic staff to maintain a safe space.

NEW Fertility support space offering!
No cost. No formal agenda. No medical advice. Just peer support.

Please email [email protected] for time and location details.

Congratulations Maureen!

Maureen Johnson, RDMS, ultrasonographer, receives the butterfly coin from Dr. Baumgarten.

“She has been a natural fit in our REI family! I always appreciate the positive atmosphere that she creates in the unit—you can feel it in the morning when you walk in and she is already excited about the scans that she has done. She truly cares about the patients—if she finds something on a routine ultrasound that is concerning she finds the doctor of the day to discuss next steps and even calls her connections in radiology to make sure the patient gets an appropriate and timely follow-up for their concern. Patients can feel her genuine care for them, and I often get comments about how much they liked the ultrasonographer that scanned them throughout their stimulation. Staff can also feel her genuine care for them as a person—she is always there for you with a smile and a listening ear, always asking about how you and your family are doing. She often bakes delicious treats to share with everyone, which helps get you day started on a good note! She even shares the recipe so we can try to re-create it (it’s never quite as good). She is a beloved member of the REI team and we are lucky to have her!

Congratulations Dr. Khan on his Top Doctor Award from Minnesota Monthly.

We know him as compassionate, candid, and hard-working. What a nice recognition among his peers, as other Minnesota physicians vote to determine this award.

Should I freeze my eggs?

Many professionals are delaying family building until later in their 30s and 40s, and female physicians have a higher risk of needing fertility treatment.

Dr. Shenoy and Dr. Kendall gave a Fertility Preservation presentation for Women in Surgery, bringing more awareness to this important topic.

If egg freezing is financially feasible, it can make a big difference for your future fertility.

Not sure if it’s right for you? Make an appointment and we can discuss all the specifics.

No guarantee that Dr. Shenoy and Dr. Kendall will coordinate outfits, but there’s still a good chance 😊.

1st ever Yelp rating! Way to go Mandy!! Providing the best care to our patients post procedure!

Congratulations Dr. Neblett on completing your REI fellowship! We are so proud of you and thankful for all the joy you have brought to our program and patients. You will be greatly missed!!!

Best wishes as you embark on your next adventure in Atlanta at !

May it be filled with continued success and blessings!

We were truly !

It’s official! Dr. Ainsworth is now a board certified REI!

YEARS of study and preparation- we are so proud of her!!

Graduation night for Dr. Neblett!!

We’ve been blessed the past 3 years with Dr. Neblett and his family.

Watching him grow from a new fellow to a skilled REI and Reproductive surgeon has been a joy for our whole team.

He stands out with his humor, surgical skill, and grit in everything he does.

We wish him well !

Journal club discussion with Dr. Baumgarten: “Extending, letrozole treatment duration is effective in inducing ovulation in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome and letrozole resistance”

In PCOS patients that are letrozole resistant, meaning, they do not ovulate after the standard 5 day, course of letrozole, increasing the length of letrozole treatment to 7 days or 10 days can stimulate ovulation. This could allow these women to continue to try to conceive with timed in*******se or IUI, prior to proceeding with IVF to achieve their family building goals.

A new trick to try when standard treatment isn’t working!

We have so much to celebrate during National Infertility Awareness Week

and as we say good riddance to masks!

We love seeing your faces and your posts.

Have you shared your story yet?

We have the World’s best embryologists! These three have 30 years each of service! (90 years combined) The expertise, experience and dedication to our patients is amazing! They put the heart in science! We are all so incredibly lucky to have learned so much from all of you! We are so proud!

Endometriosis surgery is specialized surgery, aimed at surgically removing endometriosis deposits to reduce inflammation and pain.

Dr. Zaraq Khan (pictured here) is an excision surgeon. Endometriosis surgeons at Mayo Clinic prefer to surgically excise endometriosis, instead of ablation/fulguration, since it lowers the chance of recurrence.

It’s important to know that there are risks to surgery, including that there may be no improvement in pain, or reduction ovarian reserve following ovarian surgery. Medical treatments are ESSENTIAL after surgery to help reduce pain and other symptoms associated with endometriosis.

*xcision

Newsweek just announced ranking for Best Fertility clinics in the US. We are proud to say that Mayo Clinic Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) has landed a spot in the Top 10!

https://www.newsweek.com/rankings/americas-best-fertility-clinics-2023

Mayo Clinic REI provides innovative & compassionate fertility care & reproductive surgery.

Dr. Zaraq Khan, REI Division Chair responds, “This, of course, is a huge accomplishment, especially as we are the smallest program in the Top 10 list. Our patients notice, our numbers speak for themselves, and our efforts have certainly not gone unnoticed. It is great to be in the Top 10 list, but we hope that this can be as meaningful to our patients.”

Dr. Khan lectured today on Reproductive Surgery, and how to surgically approach , , , , , and , to improve fertility.

Unsure if you need surgery to improve your fertility? We can help.

Romance level can feel LOW during fertility treatment. Something that was once fun and easy, becomes a chore or avoided all together.

What to do if you’re not feeling it during this season of love?

1. Own your feelings- you are not alone! Many couples struggle with s*xual desire, in and out of fertility treatment.
2. Stay open and honest with your partner. S*x can be an uncomfortable topic, but don’t avoid addressing it.
3. Finds way to connect outside of s*x. Go on a date or a weekend away with out any pressures on s*x- just be together.
4. Read books about normal s*xual health and desire (see below- we have them in our patient library).
5. See a s*x therapist, we can refer you to one.

If your stuck- talk to your provider about it. We want to know.

Our favorite books:
“Your s*xual health” Kate White, Mayo Clinic Press
“Come as you are” Emily Nagoski

Shout out to our RNs Cindy, Chelsea, and Rachel for completing REI Nurse Certificate Course!

16 hours of dedicated REI education–
THANK YOU for your commitment to our team!
We are SO PROUD of you!

Shout out to our RNs Cindy, Chelsea, and Rachel for completing REI Nurse Certificate Course!

16 hours of dedicated REI education-
THANK YOU for your commitment to this REI team!
We are SO PROUD of you!

Ectopic pregnancy occurs when an embryo implants outside of the main cavity of the uterus.

Most commonly, ectopic pregnancy occurs in the fallopian tube, but can also occur in other areas, such as a C-section scar, cervix, o***y, or abdominal cavity.

Any ectopic pregnancy, can not survive in the body long term, and can not be “moved” to the main uterine cavity. Ectopic pregnancy can be life threatening, and needs to be treated and monitored closely.

Fertility treatments, like IVF, slightly increase your risk of ectopic pregnancy. Careful pregnancy monitoring is done following fertility treatments.

When are we most worried about ectopic pregnancy?
- Abnormal rise in your blood pregnancy test (HCG)
- Moderate to severe cramping and pain in pregnancy
- Abnormal bleeding in pregnancy

Follow up with your provider if you experience any of these symptoms for prompt evaluation.

Take the first step towards your new year.

Picture of the Gonda Building at Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

Congratulations to Jessica Bleess, PA-C, recipient of the Bobbi Gostout Allied Health Staff Award!

This prestigious award is given to one Allied health staff member in the OB/GYN department each year.

The awardee presents the following qualities:
- Creates an environment where attributes of trust, compassion, mutual, respect, teamwork, continued professional development, and ethical behavior are model and supported.
- Supports Mayo Clinic’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
- Establishes a safe environment by staying curious to other perspectives and enabling others to speak up.
- Leverages individual passion and talent to empower others to contribute and find joy.

With this award, Ms. Bleess will receive additional time off and department funding to support a non-profit of her choosing.

Please join us in congratulating Ms. Bleess, PA-C on such a well-deserved achievement. We are so lucky to work with her every day.

You have made all of us in REI very Proud!

Dr. Stewart is interviewed this this great article from the

Fibroids are serious! Learn more about your options for treating them, including surgery and non-surgical options.