World famous fertility center to expand
Increased demand for ethical approaches to science-aided parenthood has led to expansion for Farragut-based Southeastern Fertility and non-profit National Embryo Donation Center.
Some of that demand likely is driven by high-profile successes enjoyed by the local clinic, including the birth of twins from embryos frozen for 30 years before being adopted by Phillip and Rachel Ridgeway of Portland, Oregon.
The Ridgeways traveled across the country to undergo the embryo transfer of their adopted embryos in Farragut. The announcement of the twins’ births in November 2022 made national and international news and was featured in hundreds of news broadcasts.
Southeastern Fertility was founded nearly 30 years ago by Dr. Jeffrey Keenan. Current owner and medical director Dr. John Gordon said the growth of both faith-centered entities led to the decision to build a new 9,400-square foot clinic diagonally behind the current location (6,400-square feet) at 11126 Kingston Pike.
Earth movers currently are grading the 1.7-acre property. “We hope to be in the new building sometime in the last quarter of 2024,” Gordon said.
He gives all the credit to the Lord for business growth. “We have certainly been blessed by God to be given the opportunity to perform the work we are doing,” Gordon said. “It took a little time, and the process was a little challenging, but we are excited to be moving ahead with our plans.”
Gordon, who has 28 years of experience in his field — including 20 years in Northern Virginia just outside Washington, D.C. — brought with him the practice of Natural Cycle In Vitro Fertilization, which certainly was new to East Tennessee.
“It is a simpler, less expensive form of IVF, preferred by many couples who are unable or unwilling to pursue traditional IVF,” the company’s website stated.
Similarly, Gordon also is a strong proponent of “Mini-Stim IVF, which uses both oral and low doses of injectable fertility medications to produce an average of three-to-eight eggs,” according to the Southeastern website.
According to the site, this option “costs much less than traditional Stimulated Cycle IVF and also reduces the risk of excessive numbers of embryos being created. Most patients pursuing Mini-Stim IVF will have one-to-two embryos for transfer and one-to-two additional embryos to freeze.”
A third option is Stimulated Cycle IVF, “which may represent the best option for older patients and those who fail to respond well to the medication protocol utilized for Mini-Stim IVF,” the practice website stated.
Stimulated Cycle IVF may lead to the creation of a number of excess embryos, some of which may never be used.
The fate of these frozen embryos has been a topic of debate throughout the fertility industry.
“We are a no-discard facility,” Gordon said. “We make it clear to our patients that they should only create as many embryos as they envision using. We can freeze embryos that they do not elect to transfer in their fresh IVF cycle, and we can freeze unfertilized eggs if desired by a couple. We will not destroy these frozen embryos.
“Couples can either return at a later date to have a transfer or else donate them to another couple,” he added.
This approach resonates with couples across the country who travel to Southeastern to undergo NC IVF, Mini-Stim IVF or embryo adoption.
Keenan, who founded both the fertility practice and the embryo adoption non-profit, remains active as a physician at Southeastern and is medical director and president of NEDC. While both entities work together in coordinating the embryo adoption cycles, they are separate.
“Southeastern performs the medical work (the frozen embryo transfers, exams, medical protocols) and the actual matching of embryo donors and recipients is facilitated by the NEDC,” said Mark Mellinger, NEDC Marketing and Development director. “It’s a one-stop service, hand-in-glove relationship that works out well for patients.
“Both entities will be better able to serve patients because of the expanded space,” he added.
