baby lifted by mother

On June 30, 2021, EVMS Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine will transition operations to Shady Grove Fertility (SGF), a premier fertility program with a 30-year track record of success.

“The legacy of Howard and Georgeanna Jones, the nation’s pioneers of reproductive medicine, will continue in the hands of Shady Grove Fertility,” says Dr. Alfred Abuhamad, Mason C. Andrews Chair In Obstetrics and Gynecology, Professor and Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Vice Dean of Clinical Affairs at EVMS. 

“The Jones Institute has long been known for its ‘firsts,’ as home to the first baby born from in vitro fertilization (IVF) in the United States in 1981,” says Eric A. Widra, M.D., SGF Chief Medical Officer. “SGF is also known for its commitment to advancing science and for continuously pioneering advanced methodologies that safely push the envelope to improve patient outcomes.”

SGF Jones patients will benefit from SGF’s proven record of accomplishment, clinical expertise, and patient-centric approach. This year commemorates 30 years of SGF providing medical and service excellence to patients from all 50 states and 35 countries around the world. Since opening its doors in 1991, SGF has become home to 85,000 babies born and counting, with 96% of SGF patients saying they would recommend SGF to a family member or friend. 

SGF Jones will also welcome EVMS Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine physician, Tarita Pakrashi, MD, MPH to lead the facility. “I am incredibly proud to join an organization like SGF that values the transparency and commitment to good patient care above everything else,” shared Dr. Pakrashi. “The expansion of SGF to the Norfolk area will increase access to care with a large insurance network and exclusive financial programs as well as an unwavering commitment to innovation. Patients can rest assured their needs will always be put first.”

SGF Jones, home to SGF’s eleventh full-service embryology laboratory, will offer comprehensive fertility services, including:

  • fertility and ovarian reserve testing and diagnosis,
  • semen analysis,
  • hysterosalpingogram (HSG),
  • low-tech fertility treatment options such as intrauterine insemination (IUI),
  • in vitro fertilization (IVF),
  • donor egg, sperm, and embryo,
  • genetic screening and testing,
  • gestational carrier,
  • egg freezing,
  • fertility preservation for patients with cancer, and
  • LGBTQ family building.

SGF Jones will offer a wide insurance network and a dedicated Financial Counselor. SGF Jones Institute offers innovative financial programs, including their flagship 100% refund guarantee program for IVF and donor egg treatment, offering patients the reassurance they will either take home a baby or receive a full refund. SGF also provides income-based and military discounts, to name a few, as well as an exclusive financing partner, Fertility Finance.

Established patients completing treatment with EVMS Jones Institute through June 30, 2021, may call 757.446.7100 to schedule an appointment or to seek assistance. New patients of SGF Jones Institute may call the SGF New Patient Center at 757.512.8547 or complete this brief online form to schedule an appointment.   

Please find frequently asked questions, including general FAQ regarding the transition, as well as sections for patient care, financial considerations and cryostorage transition FAQ.